Hades, the latest from Supergiant Games, launched into Early Access as an Epic Store exclusive in December 2018. Alongside the 1.0 update on PC, Hades is also made its console debut on Nintendo Switch. The developers knew this platform would be a great fit for the roguelike nature of the gameplay.
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It may be a difficult game, but, in terms of the roguelike genre, it is very accessible for beginners. In fact, there is one big reason why this is the case, which is just one tip of several others below. In order to make the journey less painful in the beginning, here are some words of wisdom to live by in-game.
Updated August 9, 2021 by Hodey Johns: This article was completed when everybody was still learning about the game. Needless to say, even more learning needed to be done. Each section has been revisited and revised based on new knowledge acquired since the game's first few weeks of release. Some of the recommendations made sense at the time, but more playing revealed another unconsidered aspect of the game. As an additional bonus to the readers, more sections have been added to this guide to help lay more foundation down for players just getting started on this incredible game. Roguelike games are always tough, so more information can't hurt!
14 Learn The Ropes Of Each Weapon
There are six primary weapons in the game including melee weapons like the Stygian Blade and ranged weapons like the Heart-Seeking Bow. The sword and bow are unlocked right after the tutorial, and the game seemingly wants to push the bow on the player which is a solid idea. It’s a good, easy way to learn the ropes from a distance.
Before choosing what weapon to main, try them all out. Every player will have a personal tier-list of each weapon aspect, so it's important to try each one out.
13 Choose The Weapon That Is Glowing Purple
Hades Coronacht Glowing Purple In The Weapon Selection Room
Especially early on, Darkness is the player's most vital resource. Maxing out the Mirror of Night (see nest entry) is important. But the resource is constantly running low and that makes it hard to get off of the ground.
To combat this limitation, make a point of choosing the weapon that is glowing purple. This is a visual queue that using it will give a 20% Darkness bonus on the next run. It won't always be on a favorite weapon, but this helps build up some abilities early on that will take players through the end of the game. With practice, every weapon is capable of clearing at least the first stage.
12 Darkness Upgrades
The Chthonic Keys are how weapons can be unlocked. Once a new one is received, and is used to defeat the first boss, Megaera, or her sisters, a new one will be waiting in the hub to unlock with more keys. Before spending precious resources on new weapons, one must first use the Chthonic Keys on Zagreus’ mirror.
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This is where players can use Darkness crystals to enhance their body, including death defiance skills, gaining more health, gaining more specialty ammo, and so on. After the first two key upgrades are unlocked, then go to town on the weapons.
11 The Second Set Of Mirror Upgrades
Hades Where To Change The Mirror Of Night Upgrade Choices
This is a tip that sometimes even seasoned veterans don't discover until way too late. The Mirror of Night gives players a list of upgrades, but each of these upgrades is only the first of two choices.
By clicking the button to the left of each red upgrade, a green upgrade becomes available. This type of customization makes Hades one of the best roguelike games, but this particular option is less-than-obvious. Remember, only the red or the green option can be chosen for each entry, not both, so choose these upgrades wisely.
10 Boons Don't Stay Around
As is standard for roguelikes, there are things that disappear in the dungeons and stuff that carries over. Upgrade currencies are never lost, but gold and Boons are, even legendary boons. Boons are perks bestowed upon Zagreus from his fellow gods, and these stack infinitely on the character.
A great god to always chase after, symbolized by a gold disc with a hole in the middle, is Athena. One of her Boons allows Zagreus to deflect projectiles while dashing away and is immensely helpful through Hades. Like weapons, experimentation is always welcomed.
9 Befriend The Gods
Speaking of the gods, there is a way to befriend them via Nectar. The first time players give this magical concoction to an NPC, they will give Zagreus something (aside from Hades himself, initially), in turn, called a Keepsake. Players should start by equipping one Keepsake at a time until it hits three stars. The best one to get right away is from Skelly, the weapons dummy. His tooth will defy death. In the beginning, never give away more than one dose of Nectar per character until you are sure you've met everyone.
8 Leveling Up Keepsakes
Hades A Fully Maxed Out Set Of Keepsakes
Keepsakes have levels and they get better with experience, but it isn't immediately apparent how to upgrade them. If there is a keepsake that looks good but could be better, simply using it and playing the game will help the keepsake reach its fullest potential.
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It's smart to level up any keepsake that looks worthwhile, since each of them varies in usefulness depending on the particular build of a run. After a few levels, each one has the potential to become a new favorite.
7 Checking Up On The Fates
How does anybody know who’s been met and who is left? There is an early desk that can be built and placed in Zagreus’ room: The Fated List. Players can complete tasks and earn rewards, even if they don’t know they’re on a questline. Some of these Minor Prophecies have great rewards after being fulfilled.
Another way to keep track of things is via Achilles’ Codex. This is actually more valuable as it dishes out tons of information on NPCs, monsters, and other lore bits. Keep talking to him after every death, and he will eventually dish it out.
6 Utilize The Trading Post
Locked at first, the cafeteria will eventually be made available in the hub world. There isn’t much to do here, although events and NPCs will gather from time to time. The one point of constant interaction is a trading post where players can swap certain currencies for others.
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As was mentioned earlier, Chthonic Keys are very important in early runs of the game, but, after getting The Fated List, building gems aren’t worth much. In fact, diamonds unlock the better stuff. Don’t be afraid to trade ten of those gems for a key, but avoid any other trades for now.
5 Spending Smart
As mentioned earlier, gold will be lost after every run. It can be used to buy goods from Charon who will appear randomly throughout. The best things to buy from him are healing items, or upgrade currencies. He sells Boons, too, which can help, but it can be helpful to be frugal with gold. Boons will come in plentiful doses, but healing items and upgrade materials are a bit more scarce.
4 Explore Every Room
Besides actually going into his shop room, Charon can sometimes be accessed in encounter rooms via a purple pool. That’s not the only thing that can be hiding. Sometimes, urns will be flashing, signaling players that there is something good inside.
Better yet—and somewhat more secretive—chests can blend in with the environment. The basic tip here is that one should examine the room before exiting right away.
3 Pulling Up Wonderful Fish
Hades Hauling In A Fish With A Perfect Catch Timing
Delivering fish to the chef gives some of the best upgrade materials in the game. But there isn't a good tutorial and newbies tend to miss several fish before understanding how the mini-game works. This is unfortunate because rookies need these materials the most!
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First, wait for the bobber to go completely under the surface of the water before clicking it. Most of the time, fish will nibble but not bite. The controller will vibrate a little, so don't be fooled. Next, while there is a large lineup of potential fish to catch, the earlier the click, the higher the chance to catch a rare fish, so be fast when the fish actually is ready to go.
2 Visiting Chaos
Early pro tip: stay away from Chaos. He is one of the gods that will offer Zagreus help. His pools will appear in the ground, and one must sacrifice HP in order to see him.
However, when it's time to make a serious push, Chaos offers permanent boons that stack. There is a health penalty to pay just to visit Chaos, but when it's possible to increase damage by 60% or more, this boon will be critical for deep runs.
1 Activating God Mode
If you are really struggling, there is a God Mode in the game. This can be turned off and on at will, and it does not appear to hurt progress. That is to say, it won’t hide things that can only be accessed in the normal mode.
Each death toughens up Zagreus, making him take less damage for the next time. It caps out at 80%, but that's plenty. Some players wait until they're trying to beat certain challenges to turn this on, but it's really up to personal preference.
NEXT: Hades: Things To Know About Heat And The Pact Of Punishment
