Hades is Supergiant Games' roguelite action game in which death and repetition are part of the story. You play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, attempting to escape the Underworld against his father's wishes. Each escape attempt teaches you new things about the world, unlocks new dialogue, and advances relationships with the gods of Olympus who grant you boons on each run.
The combat is among the finest in any action game. Six weapons (Stygian Blade, Heart-Seeking Bow, Shield of Chaos, Twin Fists of Malphon, Eternal Spear, and Adamant Rail) each have distinct movesets, special attacks, and cast mechanics. Boons from Olympian gods (Ares, Artemis, Aphrodite, Poseidon, and others) modify your attacks in randomized ways each run — creating thousands of possible build combinations that remain fresh across dozens of hours.
The integration of narrative into the roguelite loop is Hades' defining innovation. Every run, even failed ones, advances character relationships, unlocks new story dialogue, and adds lore codex entries. The world reacts to your attempts; NPCs remember your progress. By the time you first escape, you understand the characters; after many escapes, you've experienced a complete narrative arc. Hades released in Early Access in December 2018 and in full on 17 September 2020 (PC and Switch); PS4, PS5 and Xbox versions followed on 13 August 2021. It won Best Game at the 2021 British Academy Games Awards, was the first video game to win a Hugo Award, and won DICE Game of the Year. Its sequel, Hades II, is a separate game.
Death advances the story. Every run unlocks new dialogue, character relationships, and lore — making the repetition feel purposeful rather than Sisyphean.
Each Olympian god offers randomized boons that modify your attacks. Thousands of possible combinations keep every run feeling distinct.
The Infernal Arms offer six completely distinct playstyles. Each weapon also has alternate Aspects (unlocked with Titan Blood) for even more variation.
Give Nectar to Underworld residents to build relationships — they offer unique combat companions and story content across dozens of runs.
Release facts, mechanics and boss details on this page were checked against these sources on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.