How a roguelike video game turned Greek mythology into a masterpiece of branching narrative
In short: Supergiant Games transformed the repetitive nature of roguelike gameplay into a storytelling engine. By centering the experience on Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld, they crafted a loop where every death is not a failure, but a chance to deepen relationships and uncover the secrets of a dysfunctional divine family.
Released in 2020, Hades is an isometric action role-playing game that blends fast-paced hack-and-slash combat with a procedural narrative structure. Players control Zagreus, who attempts to escape the Underworld to find his mother, Persephone. The game’s design was a direct response to the studio's previous title, Pyre; while Supergiant wanted to explore branching stories, they realized most players only finished linear games once. By adopting a roguelike structure, they ensured that players would experience the narrative over dozens or hundreds of playthroughs.
The game’s setting draws from Greek mythology, a choice driven by creative director Greg Kasavin. Initially, the team considered a game titled Minos featuring Theseus, but they struggled to integrate a compelling narrative. Shifting the focus to Zagreus allowed for a more intimate, comedic, and dramatic exploration of the Olympians as a dysfunctional family. This approach also allowed for complex character dynamics, including the exploration of diverse sexualities, such as the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, and Zagreus’s own bisexuality.
Technically, the game was built on a custom engine rewritten in C++ to improve performance. The development process was notably transparent, utilizing an early access model that began in December 2018. This allowed the small team of about 20 employees to refine the game based on player feedback. The result was a critical and commercial triumph, selling over one million copies and becoming the first video game to win a Hugo Award. Its success paved the way for a sequel, Hades II, which expanded the mechanics to include new systems like mana-consuming spells.
The game's replayability is supported by a massive amount of dialogue, with writers drafting approximately ten hours of content to account for various player paths. Even after defeating the final boss, players can increase the difficulty via the Pact of Punishment or use God Mode to experience the story. This commitment to both gameplay and narrative depth has cemented Hades as a landmark title, proving that video games can serve as a powerful reservoir for storytelling.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Hades (video game)
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