The critically-acclaimed roguelikeHades, developed by Supergiant Games, finally made its way to PlayStation and Xbox systems in mid-2021, and its inclusion in the Xbox Game Pass has made it more popular than ever. Plenty of new players are just starting their escape from the underworld and finding it is quite a bit different than similar roguelikes.
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It’s a game that’s far more complex and detailed than first meets the eye. As a roguelike, players can expect to make multiple runs throughHadesin their quest to escape to the surface, and it’s worth paying attention to every little thing along the way for the full experience – there’s a reason it was nominated (and won) so many Game Of The Year awards in 2020.
Updated on January 7th, 2023 by Hodey Johns:It’s been a while since Hades was released, but it remains one of the most, if not the most, definitive roguelite/roguelike games of all time. The depth of the game is so astounding that experts are still learning tricks they wish they learned about when they were first starting. Each run leads to getting just a little bit further ahead than before, but these build-ups can be maximized with the wisdom of those who have the benefit of hindsight. Veteran gamers still have a lot to say about what new players should know. And new players should listen to the advice that will make one of the best games of all time even better.
14Study The Controls
The control scheme of Hades is intuitive but requires players to have great hand-eye coordination to maximize their damage output (and defensive maneuvers). A beginner’s first run throughHadesis likely to end early, so take that opportunity to get a feel for how Zagreus moves and attacks.
In later areas of the game, it becomes vitally important to be aware of one’s position, especially when faced with a swarm of enemies, and to be able to control Zagreus even amid an overwhelming battle. Practice against Skelly tolearn some things many players don’t know they can do.
13Study The Opposition
Upon running into a new opponent, stop attacking completely. Focus only on dodging and watching. Keep observing until their movements and attacks become predictable.
Hades can easily turn into a bullet-hell type of game. With so many moving pieces on the map, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. But instead of thrashing around, accept a few hits in exchange for watching the shooters. Study their animations so that, next time, Zagreus and dodge or interrupt these attacks. The process makes this anindie game with incredible replay value.
12Converse And Exhaust Dialogue With Every Character
One of the things fans ofHadeslike the most about the game is how personable and fully fleshed out every major character, side character, God, and otherwise is. Every character from the maid Dusa to the God of Gods Zeus is given personality and charm by their amazing voice actors.
Additionally, many events that happen throughout the game, and indeed the progression of the story, are tied to the player having talked to specific people.The gaming world has embraced Greek mythologyand veteran gamers know to appreciate its inclusion.
11Unlock Greater Reflex From The Mirror Quickly
The most important upgrade from the Mirror of Night that players should unlock first is Greater Reflex. Normally, Zagreus can only dodge once, and although there is some amount of invincibility frames it’s not quite enough to get out of especially harsh attacks. Yet this can eventually be one ofthe best dashes in all of gaming.
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Greater Reflex simply gives Zagreus the ability to dash twice instead of once. It might sound like a boring upgrade, but it’s arguably the most useful out of all possible Mirror of Night upgrades.The game is too fast-pacedto be realistically won without this upgrade.
10Unlock Chamber Upgrades Before Anything Else
When the player eventually unlocks the Contractor for the House of Hades they unlock the ability to make modifications to the hub space. This includes cosmetic upgrades like changing the carpet color as well as gameplay-related upgrades like unlocking the Lounge.
Additionally, players can upgrade the chambers of the Underworld themselves. Unlocking the Fountain room, for example, gives a chance for Zagreus to run across a healing room in a run. It costs some treasure (and sometimes even Diamonds) but these upgrades are the most useful thing for Zagreus to make it further and further through the underworld.
9Check In With The Broker After Each Run
It may take a few runs before unlocking the Wretched Broker but when he is unlocked, Zagreus can get rid of the resources that are less useful and turn them into desperately needed items.
Gemstones and Nectar, in particular, will end up being in a surplus. Players can and should dump these for Titan blood and Diamonds every chance they get. In the endgame, gamers always wish they made these trades sooner as they’ll be doing entire runs just to get the chance of more Titan Blood.
8Use The “Bonus” Weapon
Eventually, a weapon in the arsenal will be glowing with dark purple energy. Approach it and note the message on the bottom of the screen, offering Zagreus an additional 20% to darkness and gems during the run. Use whichever weapon has this bonus.
It’s true that the highlighted weapon might not be a favorite, but passing up on extra resources isn’t a wise idea. This will help beginners catch up in a hurry, often putting them ahead of the curve for the next run. It’s also good practice.
7Master One Aspect Of Each Weapon
Hand in hand with the previous point, players should always feel confident with any weapon. It’s too much to ask that every player be great with every aspect, however.Some aspects are just plain better than others.
Go ahead and play favorites here. The bonus goes to the weapon, not the specific aspect, so play whatever is comfortable. It’s smart to experiment, of course, yet each aspect is perfectly capable of beating the game, so there isn’t a good reason to make a challenge where one doesn’t exist.Use that perfect shield buildguilt-free.
6Gift Nectar and Ambrosia, Don’t Let It Sit There
Nectar can be used to enhance a player’s relationship status with an NPC by one heart, and it can be given to just about every character throughout the game. Ambrosia, which is earned later on, is used to maximize friendship levels when an NPC is close to having maximum hearts.
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It’s a waste to use Nectar for anything except gifting to NPCs, and Ambrosia can be saved up over time to eventually gift as well. When gifting Nectar for the first time, almost every NPC will give Zagreusa gift in return, too.
5Don’t Refund Darkness Until All Weapons Are Unlocked
When using the Mirror of Night there is an option to refund all spent Darkness with a certain number of keys. This is useful later on in the game when players can hone in on what kind of upgrades they want to take on, but it’s not worth wasting keys until every one of the Infernal Arms is unlocked.
Infernal Arms are unlocked with a certain number of keys and become available for purchase after a few runs. Unlock all of them before considering using keys to refresh Zagreus' benefits.
