The Underworld is a dangerous place and poor Zagreus has dangerous enemies threatening him from left, right, and center. Hades is a beautifully made game from top to bottom; its gameplay, story, artwork, soundtrack, characters, and voice acting could attract just about anyone, gamer or not. With the game's release on Playstation and Xbox, it's brought back old-time fans and also attracted some new faces.
While it can be a fun and challenging time, Hades is definitely a game made to be played over and over again due to its difficulty and rewards for repetition. Fans that have been around since its original release may still remember all the best tips and tricks but for the newer fans, it's worth noting that there are a few missteps that newbies tend to make. Here are some of the most common mistakes players make in Hades.
10 Expecting A Win Right Off The Bat
Hades, aside from its beautiful art and interesting story, is notorious for being a rather difficult game. Even some experienced gamers will find themselves having a hard time with levels and bosses. Hades is meant to be replayed over and over again; first out of trial and error and then once again because of pure enjoyment.
Don't be discouraged! Going into the game expecting to defeat Hades himself in one try is a sure way to set oneself up for (probable) failure. The average gamer will need at least a small handful of practice runs to really understand and get to know the game. Don't allow a few (or even a ton) of failures to lead to frustration or discouragement. No one reaches success without making a few mistakes first.
9 Playing The Game Like A Beat Em' Up
While Zagreus is indeed a god, it's important not to get too carried away with his power. While powerful, in the hands of the player, Zagreus is far from immortal. When there are hoards of enemies on screen it can be very tempting to keep button-mashing away, riding on a high of feeling invincible. But it's critical to resist this urge of throwing caution to the wind.
The opportunity to replenish health within a run is incredibly rare and can be far and few between. It's generally a better strategy to play carefully and be conservative with dealing damage as opposed to going on the full offensive and eventually letting the slowly depleting health bar slip the mind.
8 Skipping Dialogue To Get To Gameplay
It's no secret that Hades has fantastic gameplay; it has great challenges, replayability, intuitive controls, and even more to offer audiences. However, the quality of the game doesn't stop there. Gameplay isn't the only shining light Hades has to offer, so make sure to not zoom through the dialogue.
Each character, no matter how sinister, has their charms, and the story they tell is one definitely worth following. The writing and voice acting in Hades are top-notch, and it would be a shame if players skipped through all of it. It's also worth noting that character dialogue changes between each run and features fun little details and quips, so keep dialogue skipping for speed runs only!
7 Not Gifting Nectar
In the Underworld, it's important to have friends in high (and low) places. Mindlessly running through each run isn't taking full advantage of the game's rogue-lite aspects. While roguelike games have permadeath and force players to start from scratch, Hades allows the player to utilize helpful upgrades that can carry over to future playthroughs.
One of the most important things to make sure to take advantage of is nectar. Gifting nectar to each character allows the player access to a unique keepsake that grants impressive buffs that aid Zagreus through each escape attempt. Ensure to gift nectar as soon as possible (especially to NPCs that are rare to interact with) in order to unlock all the best keepsakes.
6 Sticking To One Weapon
Trial and error is something that almost every player needs to get used to when it comes to this game and in the venture of escaping the fiery depths of the Underworld, flexibility is a must. It's easy to stick to what one knows but branching off and trying new things is the only way one can truly know what suits ones' needs best.
There are a variety of weapons in Hades and each one has its own unique look and feel. Don't feel pressured to stick to one weapon. Even after trying all of them out, it can be a good idea to switch things up when the frustration starts to kick in. Grabbing the spear over the trusty bow may just be the fresh new start players need when hitting a roadblock.
5 Ignoring The Mirror Of Night
Another great means of helping players get up to the surface is taking full advantage of the Mirror Of Night. The Mirror Of Night shouldn't be something to overlook or neglect. Much like the keepsakes that can be equipped for buffs or bonuses, the Mirror Of Night upgrades that the player has access to over every run; even after every death.
The Mirror Of Night unlocks all kinds of helpful upgrades that can be exchanged for Darkness. No one would want to be stuck on a difficult boss just to find out they were sitting on a mountain of buffs the entire time. It's best to make a habit of always checking in on the Mirror between runs.
4 Always Rushing
The simple proverb, "slow and steady wins the race," proves itself to be a key strategy in the long journey up to the surface. Rushing through levels is a sure way to needlessly stress oneself out. Health is a very valuable resource and should always be top priority.
Don't feel pressured to blast through hoards of enemies or finish off that boss in record time (outside of speedruns of course). Often time it's best to take some time to make some space between Zag and his enemies. Avoiding button mashing to deal as much damage as possible can help players take the time to assess the situation, get some safe distance, and keep Zag's Health bar nice and full.
3 Not Utilizing The Wretched Broker
While collecting certain items at the beginning of the game may be helpful, it may be worth noting that these can be exchanged for different items at the Wretched Broker. Once well into the game, players may feel a bit at a loss with their stash of now seemingly useless Chthonic keys. Once all upgrades and weapons are unlocked, Chthonic keys seem to have no real value from that point forward.
But don't fret, the Wretched Broker will allow the player to exchange many different items for other items or forms of currency that may be more useful towards the endgame.
Make sure to check in once in a while to cash in some rewards for the spoils that have been collecting dust in Zag's pockets.
2 Keeping Eyes Locked On Enemies
At first, it may seem intuitive to keep eyes locked on enemies at all times; focusing on the hoards of foes and mashing away. For players that find themselves always "suddenly dying," may need to take a step back and reprioritize.
Keeping eyes locked on enemies can easily distract players; keeping them laser-focused on dealing damage while Zag's health bar quietly depletes on the side. Try keeping focused on Zag and use preferable vision to detect enemies; gauging distance will be much easier and safer.
1 Aiming For A Perfect Run
It can be very discouraging to lose a ton of health in an early room or take more damage than usual from a boss that one thought they had already mastered. But the Underworld is no place for pessimism. Restarting a run out of frustration from some bad luck or a rookie mistake can stop players from achieving what could have been a record-time playthrough or a great learning experience.
Expecting perfection in Hades can not only lead to frustration but also suck the fun out of the entire experience. Persevere through each playthrough and don't immediately resort to restarting just because of a few mistakes.