Hades in the test: Divine action now on all consoles

It already needs a little self-confidence stone to miss a name like Supergiant Games. And whether bastion, transistor and pyre \ - the last games of the small indie studio - were really so gigantic, let it go. But it is certain: With her new Hades plant, the developers themselves surpassed themselves. Gorgeously handy action, unmistakable style, great characters and clever story telling combine here to a hell-motivating Rogue-Lite, where the competition must measure in the future. Since its first publication for PC and switch, the game was only overflowed at prices, even with our game-of-year election Hades cut out excellently. Meanwhile, Hades has also appeared for the other consoles.

Watchdog Cerberus is a beloved pet for Zagreus. Source: PC Games So really surprising comes the success of Hades does not come: Already from December 2018, the title was playable in the Early Access and turned into top form from the beginning. So we could put a good 60 hours in the game in advance, for the test of the finished version came again 40. Since then we have reached again more than 60 hours. Each of them was nice.

Although the main story can be brought out in significantly fewer time, but even then there is so much more to do: In our test, we have mowed ourselves a thousand times by the Greek underworld, countless fabrics clopped, drawn with gods, medusy, heroes Coupled with the Senseman killed around the bet and cuddled with three-headed helly dogs. A great experience, which is simply not boring despite all repetitions.

The story: Totenprinz makes serious

Rebellic phases make most of us through, but Zagreus raises the whole thing on a completely new level. Finally, he is not less than the son of Totengott Hades, which makes him the immortal prince of the Greek underworld. And he has completely painted the muzzle. Certainly decided to finally leave the death rich and find his missing mother, the casual Göttling starts to fight out of the depths of Hades (now buy now). Space for room, floor for floor, the main thing is upwards. He fails, over and over again - and thus supplies the perfect foundation for a motivating Rogue-Like, which scores not only with ground gameplay, but also with his cute story. The relationship between Zagreus and his father Hades is ... complicated. Source: PC Games

For in Hades, not only permanent improvements and tens of unlockable content is always back into play, the adventure is also held together by a successful plot, which gradually unfolds in countless, small dialogues. Despite dead world-setting and tens of serious moments, Hades never comes to the moody mourning show, on the contrary: mostly it is extremely positive and relaxed, a pleasure! But if you really want to know what Zagreus's mother suggested, which truth hides his father in front of him and what the narrative of clever closing chapters has to offer after the last boss fight, Hades must play many, many times. All the better that a successful passage is often done in 30 to 40 minutes, as well, in each room is automatically stored. So Hades deliberately supplies porioned gameplay bacteric, which are just as good for longer sessions as well as for a small round.

Linear construction: just out of the underworld!

Like so many Rogue likes, Hades simply built. You start every pass on the lowest level Tartarus, which consists of several random rooms full of opponents. Riddles, free exploring or platformer inserts are not available, in Hades everything spins lightning fast fights. If you have succeeded the underworld coaches successfully, it goes on to the next room until you someday reached a boss opponent. Lies on the ground, you rose up to the next floor, where a new setting is waiting for you, this time the asphodel crossed by Lavaeen. There, the whole game repeats, just with new opponents and intermediate bosses. Then come two more levels again - and then you are already facing the end boss. Sounds monotonous? It's basically too! In fact, Hades could make significantly more variety in the boss struggles, opponents and venues, here is the greatest weakness of the action game. But the same is the developer with a comprehensive upgrade system quite loose again. Torment of choice: Which door should it be? Above the gate we see which upgrade is waiting for us. Source: PC Games

Weapons and upgrades: Thank God!

It starts with the weapon selection. Before every pass, you snatch one of six main weapons from the shelf, which there is also in four different variants. Whether sword, bow, spear, throw sign, battle glove or fantasy rake, each weapon requires a different game style and sets other priorities. Zagreus' repertoire is manageable, he can use a main and second attack, with a quick dash movement dodging and with a magical bullet he opens even at a distance of hell hot. For each of the six main weapons, there are four different forms again. Source: PC Games Most upgrades are available in several quality levels and ranks. Source: PC Games But now the fun is really going on: On the way, Zagreus regularly refers to new upgrades, many of them he gets pressed by cheerful, Greek gods in the hand. From Zeus there are, for example, strong chain flash effects, the river Hermes has practical alternative evasive talents in the luggage and war god Ares strengthens our attacks with mighty damage spells. Demeter gives us murderous ice effects, Aphrodite has weakening magic and Athenene pimpt our defensive with useful shield improvements. And that's just a tiny selection of countless upgrades from which we put ourselves a powerful build in every game passage. Each god power can be upgraded in ranking and level, and there are particularly strong duo effects and synergies that make a true fighting machine from Zagreus.

If you get wise, the endboss is facing a hero, the bullet lets coulingly bounce off, which heals with every swordshift and unleashes spells that cut off even thickest chunks in record time! Especially cool: Two upgrades are added per Run, which completely roll up the behavior of the weapon. Since the throwing pier suddenly becomes the exploding lance, the sword throws magical energy waves and the rake mutates just to the rocket launcher or makes suddenly firing five grenades on a blow. Effect Thunderstorm: Here we have upgraded our bow with Zeus' mighty chain flashes. Source: PC Games No matter what you are fighting, Hades plays throughout class and fluid. With a bit of exercise we dash in raging quickly through the little arenas, while we clap the enemies exactly to the wall, avoid shot and avoid. Especially on higher challenge stages in which the opponents and bosses have more tricks in stock, world-class reflexes are necessary, but the action will not be boring even after many hours. And for all those who just enjoy the story and want to get along as stressful as possible, there is still a nice extra in the options menu: Anyone who activates the gods mode here has with the opponents easy game, as Zagreus then becomes stronger with everyone.

Graphic and Sound: Stylish through the underworld

Hades not only plays, it also looks great: the comic style from the isometric view shines with many details, soft animations and pretty effects. Here and there also suffers the overview, especially if the end of a run many spells patter at the same time over the screen at the same time, but most of the time you have everything well in view. The colorful look does not just like the PC, also the implementation for the switch can be seen. On Nintendo's console, the frame rate can rarely break a little too much, but the playability suffers practically never. In addition, Hades looks pretty in handheld mode and always remains legible. The sound stands in nothing in nothing, because typical of Supergiant Games is also the music accompaniment a direct hit: Hades is underpinned by a great soundtrack, which accumulated the events atmospherically underpin and was well adapted to the game pace without going to the nerves. Especially in melee, lightning is in demand. Source: PC Games

The characters: dead, but happy

The characters are greatly set down, consistently sympathetic and well written. The texts are either in German. Source: PC Games No matter if you get the last boss cracked or even the spoon returns: In the end, the Stoische Zagreus lands again and again in the temple of his father Hades, who often receives him with a sneer comment. But before you crash into the next escape attempt, you should use the breather, because there is also a lot to do at home! For example, in the temple, there are other characters that make Zagreus courage and support it with his plan. Whether you chat with Nyx, Thanatos or a happy skeleton with the slope to self-destruction: the talks are written crisp, first class (in English) set up and simply do not seem to end! Even after dozens of playing hours, many figures still have fresh comments in stock and ensure that they will grow ourselves right at the time. We can also supply many characters with Nectar and Ambrosia, this improves their relationship with Zagreus until they ask him at some point around little ones or leave him mighty souvenirs who then miss mighty bonuses. Again, Story and Gameplay go hand in hand. After every pass, Zagreus returns to Hades' temple. Source: PC Games

unlockable: There is a lot to do

But not only the inhabitants should be blocked regularly, even the temple itself needs attention. With collected gemstones, you can march to the master builder and unlock permanent upgrades, for example, new level elements such as treasure boxes, portals or gold-filled pitchers, which can then meet in future runs. In addition, we may have to decorate Hades' Totentempel gradually with mass ornament elements, much of it is pure decoration, but otherwise playful benefits can bring. Just try!

Especially important in the first hours: the mirror of the night, because here we activate permanent advantages that Zagreus' combat power powerful and still exist in two versions, which invites you to experiment. Weapons can also be levied in several ranks, at the dealer we exchange excess treasures and if we start a few fish on the way (per mini-game), we may deliver the prey directly to the chef, which rewards us with other materials. And so that the game will not be too light, you can turn on new modifiers before each RUN, for example, larger opponents, reduced healing, stronger bosses or a time limit that will keep you mighty on trot. Although all these effects ensure a significantly greater challenge, they also throw new rewards, which can then put them back in the temple expansion and in weapons improvements. The multi-headed bone hydra is the boss on the second floor. Here you can see the stronger version. Source: PC Games So Hades remains incredibly monotudable and linear with its constant repetitions, on the other hand, the countless story appetizers, the ever-new upgrade combinations and the unlockable content also ensure tremendous motivation. The fact that you can easily deliver 100 hours without being bored, a clear language speaks: Hades has become an outstanding rogue lite and may call a breath with the best of the genre.

Hades was initially only available for PC and Nintendo Switch, at fair price of fair 21 euros. In a later update, a cross-SAVE function was added, with which the score between PC and switch can be easily swapped.

Update for Next-Gen consoles: Test on PS5 and Xbox Series S / X

Since August 13, 2021, Hades is finally available for Xbox One, Xbox Series S / X as well as PS4 and PS5. On the new consoles Hades runs in 4K resolution at 60fps. On Xbox One and PS4, 1080p are reached for 60 frames per second. We tried both sockets and have nothing to complain about: the game looks like on the consoles as well as on the PC and runs butter soft. In terms of content, the reactions are identical to the PC and switch versions. Only restriction: On cross-saving you have to do without unfortunately, the scores of Xbox and PlayStation consoles can not be transferred.

In addition to the digital expenses, Hades is also available as a physical disc version. The PS4 version contains a free upgrade for the PS5 version. The Xbox-ONE and Xbox-Series-S / X versions are all on the same disc. Hades is also included in the Xbox Game Pass from 13 August 2021.

Hades in the test: rating and conclusion

My opinion

From field contactor editor [Email Protected]

Send Help! Hades packed me and does not let me go.

Simply class what Supergiant Games created here: Hades delivered great entertainment from the first moment, which is aimed at casual players as well as action professionals. No matter if I have leased with the sympathetic characters, we will find me wonderfully liquid through the monsterhords Kloppe, mighty skill combinations discover or just enjoy the successful style: Hades delivers massive fun per minute and is therefore wonderfully suitable for short sessions, which me very opposite. My only real criticism is the lack of variety: More boss variations, more random encounters and different settings had certainly done Hades well. Also from the story you could - just over the end - maybe even more. Apart from that, I am more than satisfied: Hades has become a great game, an action highlight not only for Rogue-like friends - and my very personal game this year 2020.

HADES (PC)

9/10

graphic - Sound 9/10 Multiplayer