For years now, Valve’s Steam has been the number one source for games. But now, the global-game distributor has a contender, hot on its heels. Following on from the Game Awards earlier this month, Epic Games announced that they would be going toe-to-toe with the company. One of the first exclusive downloadable games on the platform is early access title Hades.
How to Download Hades
To download Hades you first need to download Epic Games Installer. To proceed, click on the Download link at the end of the review. If you like the game check out also other titles by Supergiant Games, which are all RPGs: Bastion (2011), Transistor (2014), and Pyre (2017).
The Game Review: A God-Like Odyssey
Although Epic Games Store gaming catalog is minuscule at the current time, the platform has already gained some traction in the market, courtesy of Ashen, Fortnite, and today’s hot topic: Hades. A new god-like hack and slasher developed by those titans over at Supergiant Games.
What is Hades?
Hades is a dark, dungeon-crawler that has slyly glided under the radar of even the most discerning, regarding its release. Likewise, its shock announcement at the Game Awards was a spare of the moment affair, and its sudden air-time has left many intrigued by this fringe, mythical-based game. First and foremost, Hades is an early access release.
The idea is, as is the case with most games containing an early BETA, to work in unison with the game’s community, to deliver a polished product that addresses the needs and concerns expressed across the board. So, let’s delve into the core game, as it stands today.
The Controls
Right from the off, Hades is a game that benefits from a slight and straightforward UI. That may be nit-picking, especially when referring to an early-access game. However, this simplicity is all but welcome in an age of tedious tutorials, and complex, never-ending configuration.
Virtually, you can count the seconds between firing up the game, and button-bashing with the best of them. Albeit, it highlights the ease at which one can navigate the system.
You assume the mantle of Prince Zagreus, Son of Hades, God of the Underworld. Fed up with the wrongful deeds of his evil papa, Zagreus yearns to reunite with his relative kin, the gods of Olympus.
The Gameplay
The beauty of Hades lies in its simplicity. As you make your way through the divinely-inspired dungeons, 27 of them in fact, the formula is one that many will enjoy. Armed merely with only a dash attack and a heavier super-attack, there is no way of overcomplicating things.
Just smash and bash your way to destiny. It’s a little light on the ground regarding the volume of dungeons, but there is plenty of room for expansion, given its early access status.
Expect to suffer a grim death time and time again. That said, death never becomes a grind. Mainly, it’s due to the pacing of the game, in that it rarely holds your hand. Moreover, it invites you to go forth and learn by mistakes, this lack of assistance makes challenging moments hugely rewarding.
Finally, the game amps up the intensity towards the tail end of the story, with bigger, bolder enemies to face-off against as well as more state-of-the-art weaponry to yield.