The Verdict: Hades is a rare action-roguelite where failure is actually a reward. It’s a masterclass in game design that turns “one more run” into a lifestyle.
Most games punish you for dying. Hades makes death the entire point.
Every time Zagreus falls in battle, you’re pulled back to the House of Hades, where your deeply dysfunctional immortal family is waiting. Your dad has something passive-aggressive to say. Meg gives you a look. Nyx offers something cryptic and comforting. The story only moves forward when you fail, which means failure never actually feels like failure.
That’s the trick. And it works every single time.
Death is progress, not punishment. This is the game’s biggest design win. You never lose a run and feel like you’ve wasted your time. Every death unlocks more story, more upgrades, and more reasons to go again. The sting of failure is completely gone.
The combat is genuinely satisfying. Fast, tight, and incredibly responsive. With six weapons, dozens of boon combinations from various Greek gods, and randomized layouts, no two runs feel the same, even after 100 hours. It stays fresh in a way that most games can’t manage past the 20-hour mark.
The production quality is exceptional. The voice acting is some of the best in any video game, period. The art style is gorgeous. The writing is sharp and often funny. You’re not just grinding through a dungeon, you’re playing through a living myth where every character has a personality worth getting to know.
The “just one more run” loop is real. Hades nails the feedback loop that roguelites aim for but rarely achieve. The action is high-stakes enough to keep you focused, and the narrative pull is strong enough to keep you coming back even when you’re tired. It’s designed to be addictive in the best possible way.
Genuinely, no. Hades joins a very short list of games (Left 4 Dead 2 and Outer Wilds come to mind) with no major complaints worth raising. It’s a tight, focused experience with nothing wasted.
Hades respects your time even when it kills you. It’s the only game where you’ll catch yourself actually looking forward to getting sent back to the start, just to see what your dad has to say next.
If you like action games or great characters, this isn’t optional. It’s mandatory.
Fun Score: 10/10
Hades scores 10/10 on immediate fun. A perfect blend of buttery combat and god-tier storytelling where every death is a reward. Highly addictive.
Nothing significant. Hades has no recorded fun killers.
One question: did it deliver immediate fun? Graphics, story depth, difficulty and critical acclaim are ignored. Pick-up-and-play accessibility is rewarded; anything that makes you wait for the fun to start is penalized.
How we score: We don't care about graphics, story depth, or critical acclaim. One question — did it deliver immediate fun? We reward pick-up-and-play accessibility and penalize anything that makes you wait for the fun to start.