Several years have passed since the launch of the Early Access of Hades exclusively on the Epic Games Store and, after also reaching Steam and Nintendo Switch with the definitive version, the highly acclaimed roguelike branded Supergiant Games is also preparing to colonize the Sony and Microsoft platforms thanks to the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S versions. If you intend to try your hand in Zagreus’s adventure to help him break the loop of escape attempts from the underworld and thus escape the control of Hades, here are a series of tips that could help achieve this milestone.
To learn more about the game, however, we suggest you take a look at our review of Hades for PlayStation and Xbox by Marco Mottura.
Chat with everyone
If you suffered a defeat during your last escape attempt, then you will find yourself once again in the gaming hub. If you want some advice, in these cases it is better not to start immediately with a new run since exploring the rooms occupied by the various ones divinity it might have some surprises in store for you.
Occasionally you will find yourself faced with characters with an exclamation mark on their heads, which indicates that these NPCs have something to tell you and you can therefore interact with them. In some cases they may give you essential information to continue in the adventure (especially in the early stages of the game), but on other occasions they will reveal very interesting details about the story and, if you do not want to miss anything about the plot of Hades, you would do well to do not miss a single dialogue.
Find the right weapon
One of the aspects not to be overlooked for the purpose of a successful match is certainly the choice of the weapon. In Hades there are no weapons during the run but it is up to the player to decide which tool of death to use, choosing it from those available (each weapon must be unlocked). The room where the weapon can be selected doubles as a training area in which to try all the attacks on a bizarre NPC that acts as a target and represents the best way to understand which is the most suitable object for your style of play.
Regardless of what your weapon of choice may be, we suggest you give the shield. This particular weapon is incredibly versatile due to its ability both to hit with melee attacks and to be thrown at the enemy and also bounce on other opponents nearby. You will often notice too a purple aura around one of the weapons: this means that using that object in the run that is about to start grants a bonus to the Darkness obtained.
Master dodging
If you want to survive the dangers of Hades it would be advisable learn how to use dodging right away. This simple action is not only perfect for dodging bullets and enemy close-range attacks, but it’s also great for overcoming chasms, as dodging near an empty area allows the protagonist to automatically move to the other side.
So you can easily understand how using dodge wisely allows you to defeat hordes of enemies without taking damage and thus conserve health for more complex encounters such as those with bosses. Also know that there are upgrades that improve the action in question by even adding the ability to inflict damage or leave puddles that damage enemies.
Use the Darkness
Between runs it is very important not only to chat with the characters, but also to stop by mirror in Zagreus’s personal room. By interacting with the object it is possible to invest the whole Darkness accumulated over the course of games, i.e. that resource marked with a purple crystal icon.
On this screen, you can purchase a series of upgrades whose effects are cumulative and allow you to have slight advantages such as, for example, the possibility of recovering a small amount of health when passing each room. However, there are also “token power-ups”, or upgrades whose purchase is valid only for one use: among these there is also one that acts as a 1UP and gives the player a second chance after death. In short, do not neglect this aspect of the game and spend all the Darkness to have a better chance of surviving.
Donate the Nectar to the NPCs
In addition to Darkness, in Hades there is also another permanent resource that the protagonist can keep even after death: the Nectar. These items are very important because they can be given to various characters, who will reward you with gods Mementi, a kind of mod that you can equip from the case in the room where you can select the weapon. Each of the available Mements not only has malus and bonuses, but can also be enhanced by meeting specific requirements.
It is therefore essential to collect enough Nectar to unlock all mods related to the characters with whom Zagreus can interact. In this regard, we suggest you always keep at least one unit of Nectar in your inventory. As often happens in Roguelikes, in fact, during a run it could happen to meet more or less rare characters and in case you do not have a gift it could take many more attempts before meeting them again.
Think about the build to be built
Among the most interesting mechanics of Hades is the possibility of build a build during each run. Although the upgrades are random as in any self-respecting roguelike, each time the player finds himself choosing a power-up from a selection of three belonging to different rarities. Don’t be fooled by the color of the power-up and always consider which one to select according to your needs and not neglecting also those previously applied.
If you have dedicated several slots for enhancements to melee attacks it may be worth continuing on this path and avoiding improving everything a bit, since dramatically increasing the attack power of a skill could guarantee you great advantages and allow you to defeat all opponents relatively easily.
Use the tricks
If roguelikes are not your forte and after repeated attempts you are convinced that you will not be able to proceed in the Zagreus adventure, know that the last word has not yet been said. Supergiant Games has in fact decided to implement in Hades an option that is not easy to identify and thanks to which players can overshadow the challenge and focus on the narrative component and the exploration of Hades.
Visiting the settings menu there is a series of extra items in the lower part of the screen among which there is not only the option to enable the timer on the screen, but also to activate the so-called God mode. When this menu item is checked, the game makes Zagreus stronger with each death and it is therefore impossible not to be able to escape from the underworld after some failure, since you will have sufficiently high statistics to easily defeat any threat that stands in front of you.