Hades features three characters that players can have Zagreus woo: Dusa, a floating gorgon head residing in the game’s resting area between runs Thanatos, the Greek personification of death who appears to offer Zagreus challenges and rewards during a run and Megaera, one of the Fury sisters who appears alongside her siblings as the boss of the first section of the game. This extends to the game’s romance options, which smartly and positively feature elements of relationships rarely touched on well in games, namely depicting polyamory and kink better than many of its peers. Besides tight and enjoyable gameplay and gorgeous art, what really makes Hades shine is its excellent and nuanced writing.
The roguelike from developer Supergiant follows Greek demigod Zagreus as he attempts to escape from the underworld run by his titular father while interacting with a host of other Olympian gods and legendary figures pulled from Greek mythology. Upon its 2020 release after a lengthy early-access stage, indie game Hades immediately captured the love of gamers and critics alike, hitting over a million sales shortly after official release, collecting award nominations from a slew of gaming shows, and appearing on numerous year-end lists.
