2016 Awards
THE GAME OF THE YEAR
HADES
Rachel Watts: As someone who has zero
patience for dying in games, Hades has
made me a roguelike convert. It’s a
dungeon crawler that gives the gods of ancient
Greece action and attitude, all encased in
Supergiant’s signature artstyle. But the most
impressive feat that Hades has, that defeats one of
the genre’s biggest hangups, is it makes failure fun.
Combat feels punchy and intense, and there
are plenty of godly boons to be bestowed that
make every run a new endeavour. Testing out each
newly discovered weapon or ability never feels
like a waste of time, each one feels like it’s been
carefully thought out by Supergiant.
Progression and persistence just melt away
as each run gets easier and dying never feels
frustrating when I get to catch up with the
characters back at the hub. If you’re familiar with
Greek mythology, you’ll know that the gods
thrived on drama, and Hades drops you right into
the middle of it. Learning more about the
interweaving narratives that tie this family
together acts as a reward for your failed runs.
Navigating the underworld and the inner
workings of this dysfunctional family are
what makes Hades such a blast.
Jody Macgregor: I didn’t think I’d like the
gun. There’s a shield with a charge-bash, and
metal gloves that make you Hellboy. Why would II adore Hades’ take on
classical gods, inter-related
and over-dramatic hot people
perfect for soap opera. I was
pleasantly surprised Zagreus
isn’t just rebelling because that’s
what sons do, but is on a quest
to find his birth mother after
being lied to his entire life – a
real experience
plenty of
adoptees have.
I also need
that time to
unwind because
the frantic
intensity of each
run, whether
spent launching
grenades empowered by
Dionysus to do hangover
damage or just swinging a
sword, leaves my arms jittery
with adrenaline. And I need
time to plan my loadout – the
combination of keepsake and
weapon, upgrades and boons,
that’s definitely going to get me
my next clear.CHOOSING A
WEAPON IS LIKE
CHOOSING A
CLASS IN DIABLOBEST
ACTION
want a gun in a game about
fighting Greek mythology? But
Hades encourages you to try
every weapon, offering bonus
currency for a random one each
run, as well as bounties for
defeating bosses with each.
Eventually I gave in and got
used to the very different
rhythm of a
weapon that
needs
reloading,
realised I
should be
spamming
its grenade
special.
And that’s
how I got my first clear.
Choosing a weapon in
Hades is like choosing a
class in Diablo. You’re
playing the same game,
but completely different.
Irrelevant boons become
essential, bosses become
cakewalks. Then you get
cocky, then you get killed.