The characters in Hades are indisputably the game's strongest component, and i'm confident that this is the first in the roguelike genre I can say that for. The context Hades provides as to why you're battling through the underworld over and over again is one that is directly dictated by your own play and every decision you make. Deciding on whether or not to farm for more coins or to try your luck at a harder room so you can grab a damage upgrade can be the make or break choice dictating if you'll finally make it out, and this game genuinely makes you want to.

The fighting is engaging because it's challenging and dangerous, yet just trivial enough for it to feel conquerable. As fun as it is to hack your way through the underworld, it's always clear that one rookie slip-up could be all it takes to fail and that looming tension keeps this journey thrilling.

Zagreus is a cocky yet eager fighter who's been dealt an unfair hand, how likeable he is ended up being entirely dependent on my choices too. You can send gifts to your Olympian god friends and reconnect the lost souls in the underworld with long lost friends, you're able to see your comrades thrive in similarly grim situations which makes Zagreus' own personal task feel all the more achievable and in turn, it makes you want to keep trying. You're quite literally surrounded by death and misery at all times, and the adventure of breaking out of that to fight for a better life ended up being more emotionally compelling than I could have ever foreseen.

It felt amazing to see this release use the roguelike formula to such powerful effects, as a vehicle for storytelling rather than a means to keep inching you along. If future games in the genre follow suit I'll be over the moon.