What parents need to know
You play as Zagreus, son of Hades, ruler of the underworld. However, the young and impetuous Zagreus does not find his place in this kingdom, and wanting to escape the authoritarian character of his father, he decides to escape from hell to find Persephone, his mother.
The task will not be easy; the underworld is full of creatures and souls loyal to Hades who will try to slow your progress. And every time you die, you have to start from the beginning.
Fortunately, hell reconfigures itself with each attempt, making each game different, whether it’s your first or hundredth attempt.
You also benefit from the help of your family on Olympus who give you certain powers to help you escape. For example, Zeus’ powers will create lightning bolts around you, while Dionysus’ powers will poison enemies.
The genius of Hades is to turn every failure into a positive experience. Each time you go back to the beginning of the game, you can improve your character’s abilities in addition to advancing the story and deepening your relationships with the other residents of the kingdom of Hades (it is even possible to develop romantic relationships with some of them).
Thus, you will love winning as much as losing in this absolutely awesome game.
Details
Release date: 17 September 2020
Developed by: Supergiant Games
Published by: Supergiant Games
Platforms: PC (Steam), MacOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series, Playstation 4 and Playstation 5, Nintendo Switch
Game Type: Roguelike
Themes: Greek mythology, family
Average length of a game: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Total Game Lifespan: About 40 hours (more if you want to complete all the goals)
Business model: Just need to buy the game once.
Available languages: French (interface and subtitles only) and English in particular
Number of players:
1 player on the premises
Available:
- in digital format (download to console or computer)
- in physical format (cartridge or disc depending on the system)
| Players | 3+ | 7+ | 12+ | 16+ | 18+ |
| Neophytes |  | | |  | |
| Intermediate | | | | | |
| Experienced |  | | | | |
Difficulty
Hades is a roguelike, that is to say a game designed to try again to fulfill the same objective (here, escape from hell) several times, progressing a little more each time. By definition, Hades is therefore difficult at first, because the game is designed so that it is almost impossible to succeed on the first try.
Fortunately, each failure comes with many advantages that allow us to improve the skills of our character, so each attempt is a little easier.
Violence, fear, nudity?
Infernal creatures are fought in the kingdom of Hades, so expect to see a lot of blood. That being said, the visual style, close to the cartoon, makes the violence less grotesque.
Some characters are also sexualized, even if there is no nudity per se. It is also implied that our character has physical relationships with certain characters.
Language level used
The game takes place in the underworld of Greek mythology, and we meet several characters who evoke mythological terms that may be less familiar to a neophyte audience.
Some characters also have colorful ways of speaking, which requires a little more effort to understand (but it definitely contributes to the charm of the game!)
Positive message
In the end, Hades is a story of teenage rebellion; Zagreus, impetuous son of the ruler of the underworld, feels trapped in his father’s kingdom. He tries to escape from hell to find his human mother, suffering in the process the condescending mockery (and sometimes anger) of Hades.
In the end, the characters learn to better understand and communicate with each other and explore their respective feelings and wounds.
Minimum reading level required
Hades is primarily an action game, so it doesn’t rely too much on text. That being said, to understand the effects of the different bonuses and weapons that can be equipped by our hero, it will be imperative to read.
Also, the storyline and dialogues are some of the most interesting aspects of the game. It would therefore be a shame to ignore them. The on-screen texts and dialogues are translated into French, but the voices of the characters are in English. So add a point of difficulty if you do not understand the language of Shakespeare.
Additional costs ?
none.
Minimum level of execution on the controller required
Hades is an action game with fast-paced and frenetic combat. It is therefore necessary to be rather skillful with the gamepad. Fortunately, the title offers some accessibility options, in addition to offering the Godmode option that makes our character stronger with each failure, which will make the game much easier for those who are struggling.
Local game mode
There is only one game mode; you try to escape from the underworld solo, facing the infernal hordes of Hades.
Online game mode
None.
Conclusion
Hades received rave reviews from the gaming press and gamers, receiving Game of the Year from several publications. And each of these accolades is deserved.
Hades is the masterpiece of the developers of Supergiant Games. The visual style is beautiful, the music memorable and the game itself is completely addictive. You’ll always want to make another escape attempt before closing the game (be careful, it could push you to stay up late!)
We must also mention the exceptional script and dialogue, rendered in an equally exceptional way by the cast of Hades. If you give them the chance, you will become attached to the characters who populate the underworld of ancient Greece, including the authoritarian ruler of the underworld himself, Hades.
That being said, the level of violence and difficulty makes Hades a game that would not be recommended to younger children. But for others, it is a must.
More information about the game: Official game page
