Among the list of games to be nominated for Game of the Year at this year’s Game Awards, one title has comparatively gone under the radar. Hades is an isometric, roguelike action RPG taking place in the Underworld of ancient Greek mythology. So before the December 10th stream, let’s discuss the unique aspects of this game and why it deserves to be called Game of the Year.
Developed and published by Supergiant Games, the game is notable for being one of the first third-party titles offered on the Epic Games Store in early access, back in 2018. It was fully released this year in September, and the title has already won several awards at the Golden Joystick Awards, including Best Indie Game and Critic’s Choice Award. For this year’s Game Awards, it has been nominated for eight categories.
You actually spend the game as Zagreus, the son of Hades, on a mission to break out of the Underworld and reach Mount Olympus. As you might guess, this is easier said than done, as Hades and his minions will do everything in their power to stop you. While many role-playing games have been released in the isometric perspective for decades, Hades is unique for its procedural story-telling, often told after every time you die.
The game is quite difficult and will have you dying a lot. But being a demigod has its perks, as for every attempt to escape, Zagreus is given a gift by a different Olympian, which act as boosts for particular traits for that run. Hades' combat has been described as smooth and precise, hitting that perfect blend of fun and challenging gameplay. As Zagreus, players use a combination of their main weapon, dash power and magic ability when fighting enemies.
You’ll have to make your way through several rooms that, despite having the same layouts, can appear in random order, along with randomized enemies and rewards that spawn in. Even though most players will die pretty often, fortunately, the acquired treasure can be used to improve attributes or unlock new weapons and abilities, improving your chances for escaping in the future.
But where Hades truly shines is in its captivating story and interesting characters, almost all of which are from Greek mythology. These include household names of the pantheon like Zeus and Poseidon, as well as lesser-known heroes of Greek myth. The game’s story is all too similar to the ancient tale of Sisyphus and his punishment to push a boulder up a hill, only for it to return to the bottom every time. Just like that tale, Zagreus must push himself top the top, and even if succeeding, one way or another, he will find himself right back where he started. Unlike other games that punish you for failure, such as Dark Souls, dying in Hades rewards you. As you interact and converse with the Underworld's inhabitants, you unlock new side quests, items, relationships and more.
Not many indie titles have the chance to be declared Game of the Year, especially when competing against so many AAA titles. But just like Zagreus deserves that shot at freedom, Hades deserves that shot at greatness.