Hades needs no introduction. The superb roguelike action game from Friv2Online Studio, best known for Bastion, Transistor and Pyre, has garnered numerous awards and accolades, becoming one of the highest rated titles on Steam with a sky-high 98% rating. Previously released on PC and Nintendo Switch, the friv game made its way to the PlayStation and Xbox consoles, and we did not miss the opportunity to get to know it better. We share our impressions of the escape from the Underworld in the review.

Hades tells the story of Zagreus, the son of Hades, who seeks to get out of the realm of the dead against the will of his father. Not just like that, but for the sake of truth: he wants to know why his real mother, Persephone, left him and went to the mortal world.

Hades does not approve of the offspring's initiative, and therefore sends the inhabitants of the Underworld to him, who will become a serious obstacle to the wayward young man. Monsters of different shapes and sizes, as well as powerful bosses will do everything to prevent Zagreus.

HadesFew of those encountered in the halls of the underworld would greet Zagreus cordially.
Fortunately, he also has well-wishers: the gods of Olympus are interested in an unusual story, and are ready to give the hero a helping hand - or rather, artifacts that will strengthen him during his journey. But if the guy dies, he will return to his parents' quarters again, and all the improvements will be lost. Thus begins an exciting adventure of tens and hundreds of victories, defeats and new victories.

Hades is an isometric leveling action friv game. And the action is very good: it's very pleasant to fight here. There is some kind of exceptional character control in the friv game: Zagreus accurately executes all commands, dodges blows with a bullet and instantly aims at the nearest enemy. The gameplay is fast-paced, and a slow player runs the risk of not advancing further than the first boss.

HadesEven in the hottest moments you will be able to control the situation
The protagonist has three types of attacks (strong, weak and special), as well as several types of weapons, each of which significantly affects the style of play. Picking up a heavy sword, you will have to impose close combat on opponents. The bow allows you to strike from afar, but reduces mobility. The shield bounces off enemies, hitting multiple targets at once. And so on. You can change weapons only between races, and to open new samples you need to spend hard-to-get keys.

But that's not all - far from all. The gods generously shower Zagreus with gifts, artifacts that improve his abilities. Each representative of the ancient Greek pantheon has its own set of gifts. Zeus, as expected, gives items that allow you to rain lightning. Ares bets on doom marks. Dionysus intoxicates-poisons opponents. Poseidon endows weapons with the power of the oceans. It is impossible to predict which of the gods will choose to honor the hero next time, so each run allows you to create a unique character build by combining the gifts of several deities.

HadesSometimes the gods even compete for the opportunity to give Zagreus a gift , and are offended if he chooses the gift of another god
Moreover, the protagonist himself can present gifts to his patrons. True, they must first be found in the labyrinths of the underworld. But for these gifts, Zagreus will receive items that bring permanent bonuses and do not disappear after death. Who will refuse, for example, a permanent increase in health?

And the friv game is not limited to this. Shards of Darkness will allow you to unlock permanent talents, such as the ability to respawn with half health after dying once per escape. Gems will decorate the abode of Hades and enrich the kingdom with additional elements - for example, a little gold will appear in vases placed here and there. It, in turn, can be spent with Charon to replenish health, gifts, and something else.

Opportunities are plentiful. As a result, each journey is not like the previous ones, and Zagreus gradually becomes stronger. Progress is felt: if the first fight with Megara, the boss that guards the starting area in Hades, is quite difficult, then the tenth time the fight with Zagreus' ex-girlfriend is much easier.

At the same time, you still have to die - at least in order to get a few more grains of the plot. In one playthrough, you won’t be able to talk to all the gods, as well as open weapons, strengthen your character with passive bonuses, and so on. Of course, you can try, but you will miss the lion's share of dialogues and descriptions that reveal the characters of the gods and their relationships. The more often you chat with them, the more you learn about them - and all of them, even Hades, will open from a completely new side. The story is one of the best elements of Hades, no matter how strange it may sound in the context of the roguelike genre.

The picture and music are just as good. A great soundtrack is a key part of Friv2Online Studio games, and this project is no exception. For the charming songs here, of course, the characters from the myths of Ancient Greece are responsible : when I first heard Eurydice's singing, I just wanted to stand still and not move for a good twenty minutes. The visual style, in turn, resembles an extremely detailed cartoon , and you can peer into the design of each of the rooms for a long time, noticing new and new nuances.

Hades is like a gift from the gods, a friv game that will give a vivid impression to absolutely all players, regardless of whether they love roguelikes or not. It provides a feeling of constant progression, with different settings it gently lends itself to the gamer or becomes monstrously difficult, but also bestows the best rewards on those who dare to challenge it.