The multi-award-winning roguelike Hades from developer Supergiant Games made waves when it launched back in 2020. It was hailed by critics and players alike as one of few must-play games of the last few years, and Hades has instilled itself in the minds of some players as the top roguelike of all time.
Despite Hades' overwhelming success, there has been no news of DLC or a sequel as of yet from Supergiant Games. The game is polished to near-perfection in aesthetic and gameplay alike, but even in the most well-regarded games, there is always room for improvement.
Updated August 16, 2021 by Erik Petrovich: Replayability is a huge factor in the appeal of most roguelike games. Getting through the underworld over and over again in Hades is something every gamer should experience, but after hundreds of escapes, it can get a bit repetitive. A sequel to Hades could make full use of the genre by offering more choice to players in the game, and mod support for the game is sorely needed. Supergiant Games is a relatively small company, though, so it may be a while yet for any official announcements to come out, about possible Hades sequels or other games.
Hades is out now on Nintendo Switch, Windows, macOS, PS5, Ps4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. Hades is also available through Xbox Game Pass.
13 Extended Mirror Choices
The Mirror of Night is a tool that Nyx grants to Zagreus at the beginning of his attempts to escape the underworld. Using gathered Darkness, Zagreus unlocks new permanent abilities. There are two sides to the mirror, and the backside offers alternative versions of the talents from the front (for the most part).
However, with enough playthroughs players run out of things to spend their hard-earned Darkness on, aside from upgrading rare and epic boon chances that is. A few more expensive options on both sides, or another "side" altogether, would be a welcome addition for those going back through Hades.
12 Addon Support
One thing sorely missing from the original version of Hades is any kind of functional mod support. Mods can extend the life of games well past initial expectations – it's one of the main reasons games like The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have stayed popular for so long, after all.
Fans have been able to make basic mods for the game, but the lack of official support for addons, as well as the relatively difficult time modders have altering anything about Hades, leaves fans wanting. Being able to change the game experience with ease would add a lot to the replayability factor of Hades.
11 Alternate Character Choices
The one factor of many roguelikes that keeps players coming back, again and again, is replayability. Being able to go through the same levels as a new character with different attributes and mannerisms can completely change the way one gets through to the end.
While Hades is all about Zagreus' escape from the underworld, it would be interesting to see how other famous heroes and figures from Greek mythology fare against the same trial. It might require a specific explanation in-game, and new abilities and weapons would likely need to be made, but it would certainly provide a bit of variety.
10 Include More Greek Gods...
The representations of the Greek Pantheon in Hades were fantastic, fresh takes on the ancient mythological figures. However, a lot of well-known Gods were left out who might have been able to provide new boons to the game.
Hera, Hephaestus, Apollo, and Hestia are all major Greek Gods who didn't make it into the final version of Hades, and a sequel or DLC could easily find a place for them in the game. There's plenty of gods from other pantheons, too, that could make welcome appearances in a spiritual successor.
9 ...And Other Heroes and Creatures of Myth
In addition to the representations of the Gods in Hades, several mythological creatures and figures show up through Zagreus' ascent through the underworld. However, there are lots of figures who are referenced in-game but never seen, and many more who aren't mentioned once.
Heracles, Perseus, Cronos, Daedalus, and Icarus are just some of the most well-known Greek mythological figures not represented in-game (technically, Daedalus' boons do show up, but he never makes an appearance).
8 More Variety Of Boon Choices
For players who spent a lot of time trying to get Zagreus out of the underworld, the amount of boon choices, partnered with the ability to influence which boons and powers the player receive, encourages the player to seek out builds over trying new abilities.
If one plays Hades for long enough, they will find themselves taking the same boons over and over again. A DLC or sequel to Hades could give each god more unique abilities that don't strictly outrank one another.
7 Areas Aside From The Underworld
The Underworld in Hades is among the most gorgeous versions of the Underworld ever represented in a game. This beauty pales in comparison to the beauty of Persephone's Garden, though, and many fans wondered if Zagreus would ever be able to continue his adventure above ground.
Fans have speculated that a game following Heracles while climbing Mount Olympus would make for a good new setting, but ultimately the Underworld makes explaining the player's respawns a whole lot easier.
6 More Meaningful Customizations to the House
One thing the player can spend their money on in Hades is on upgrades to the House of Hades. Sometimes, these upgrades unlock important story-progressing sections of the home, but most of the options available are cosmetic-only.
As intricate and stunning as the art style of the game is, some of the cosmetics get lost in the background. Upgrades to the House of Hades should have more of an impact on the appearance of the hub, perhaps involving total overhauls or similar extravagant alterations.
5 Larger Variety of Infernal Arms...
The variety of weapons available to Zagreus in Hades is large, but it's not so large that players have more than one or two go-to weapons. The Infernal Arms are each individually unique, but some clearly outrank others.
Ultimately, this is the same problem as the lack of boon variety, but it's not a problem most players will ever deal with. Players who aim to 100% the game will find themselves getting tired of using the same weapons and aspects, though.
4 ...And More Useful Weapon Aspects
Each Infernal Arm in Hades has a small, unique list of options that fundamentally change how the weapon works. The Shield of Chaos turns into a constant-damage projectile, Stygius gets new combos, and the Coronacht gains the ability to fire multiple arrows at one target, for example.
However, some weapon aspects are utterly useless or only exist to provide a new challenge to the player. Having stronger aspects across the board would make these challenges a little bit less frustrating, and extend the game's lifetime as well.
3 Enemy Variety And Difficulty
The enemies in Hades are all, generally, confined to one of the four areas of the Underworld. After going through the game multiple times, though, the player learns enemy move sets like the back of their hand, and combat becomes a little more tedious.
Increased variety of enemies throughout the layers of the Underworld, or alternate versions of enemies currently in the game, would freshen it up for another playthrough or in a sequel.
2 Zagreus' Choices Affecting Gameplay
Zagreus' choices in the narrative half of the game have huge impacts on how the story develops over time, and his choices while escaping the underworld often affect how fast the story develops back in the House of Hades.
However, this rarely works the other way around. Conversations with the residents of the house rarely lead to in-game consequences – even if Zagreus chooses to be with Meg, she won't stop attacking him at the end of Tartarus.
1 Proper Graphics Settings
One way most fans can agree that the game is lacking is in a proper options menu, specifically for graphics. The game runs perfectly fine on most computers and systems, but low-end users have reported difficulty progressing in the game due to lag and low processing power.
A proper graphics settings menu would allow players to customize every aspect of the appearance of the game – from effects to model quality to resolution. As it stands, the only alterable aspect of the game's graphics is the resolution.