just over 146 hours to get 100% achievements, I'm gonna be honest I was kind of taking my time with it but ah whatever here's an honest spoiler free review:
[h1] Gameplay [/h1]
I don't know what Supergiant was smoking but it is definitely not legal, in a good way.
The gameplay is absolutely the game's best selling point with a looootta f***ing build possibilities and all of them overload your eyes, ears and fingers with dopamine. You could study chemistry for years to create the perfect stimulant drug and implement it into a video game and it will STILL never be as good as the gameplay loop of Hades, I love love love love love [b] LOVE [/b] the gameplay. It is difficult but there is a 'god mode' which gives you damage resistance as you keep dying, there is no shame about using it as it can make the game less stressful, I personally left it on and I never felt overpowered, things just felt more balanced for my experience. I'll spare the details because I could write a whole essay on just gameplay alone, this is one of the finest rougelikes on the market. + you can pet the giant puppy
[h1] Graphics [/h1]
The graphics of Hades are artistic with smooth animations for the majority of the game. It's a 2D ISO metric game with a unique and iconic style of its own which you can expect to fall in love with. The character designs are really nice and fitting for their characters with cool little details and it's a nice change of pace from how most media represents Greek mythology. And the weapons look cool
[h1] Music/sound design [/h1]
I like the mix of old/ancient Greek instruments being combined with synth, electric guitars and such. Each area has about 3-4 different tracks and there are other sections and situations with their own unique soundtracks which in the middle-late game you can LISTEN TO IN-GAME in the lobby area, it's a very nice addition. The soundtrack and the sound design in general has a wide range from goofy sound effects that play in dialogue to eargasm in UI or selection menus. the sound effects in gameplay are perfectly designed and the soundtrack also has some heavy range.
[h1] story/lore [/h1]
There isn't a lot to say without going into spoilers but I'll try my best. Hades will be your new Kratos, overprotective huge muscular DILF with a petty son who you play as, except the boy is more likable. Yes, there ARE romance options but unfortunately it is limited to only a few characters.
Zagreus wakes up one day, says "f**k you dad" and attempts escaping the underworld with the help of Olympian gods, who are charming with personalities which fit their role perfectly, like Poseidon being a surfer as the god of the sea or Dionysus being the party-man as the god of wine. There are numerous funny interactions as well as literal side quests which give you nice rewards that help progression. To finish the main story you'll have to escape 10 times but there is an epilogue that gives the story a nicer ending, both are cleanly written and worth the effort.
Overall, top 3 games I've ever played, sex on ecstasy doesn't feel as good as a personal favorite Hades build (Never had sex nor ecstasy). Perfect mixture of goofy, serious and orgasmic content, sometimes literally. You will be hypnotized once you get into the rhythm of it. 10/10
