10 Video Games That Had No Right Being This Good

Supergiant Games were already well-regarded among indie connoisseurs. With action titles Bastion and Transistor to their name, as well as the fantastic ‘sports’ title Pyre, they’ve carved themselves a reputation for visually and musically sublime titles that twist familiar genres in new directions.

Still, Hades was a whole new prospect.

On the surface, it all sounds quite conventional for a roguelike. Our hero Zagreus proceeds through four different areas of the Greek underworld, battling enemies unique to each zone with a selection of different weapons. Along the way, randomized bonuses (Boons from the various gods) change your experience and alter your strategy.

It isn’t really anything roguelike fans haven’t heard before, and many dismissed it for just that reason. What this title does so very, very well, though, is interweave a consistent narrative with the action.

Each of Zagreus’s efforts to escape his father Hades’ grim lair contributes to the overarching story in some way, characters mention feats he achieved or foes he was dispatched by, and various NPC relationships offer bonuses for future runs.

There’s so much to customize and experience, all underpinned by writing that manages to be both hilarious and affecting. Even those who previously got burnt out by the genre, or avoided it entirely, were brought into the fold. A very special title indeed.