Gaming nostalgia is usually pretty easy to define, as it boils down to evoking fond memories of older franchises or genres during our formative years. That’s an entirely different beast from gaming yearning, where you’re desperate to get a feeling or high back from an experience.
I’m currently someone who yearns for that blind Hades playthrough I had five years ago. Will I ever get it back? Probably not, but Hades 2 makes me think it may be possible.
Yearning for a roguelike game might sound funny, since they’re a dime a dozen these days in the AAA and indie markets. But there’s something about Supergiant’s isometric hack-and-slash that still resonates with me. Maybe it’s the unique progression, addictive combat, or super hot gods, but no other game has been able to scratch that Hades itch.
A Happy Day in Hell
The timing of Hades’ release is important; it was released on Switch during the 2020 pandemic, a hellish time for everyone. Everyone was cooped up inside with their fears, anxieties, and family members, which was a recipe for cabin fever. Needless to say, everyone was relying on entertainment to help them get through this.
When I first saw this roguelike revealed during a Nintendo Direct, it immediately caught my attention. Supergiant Games is a publisher I already liked, thanks to their work on the action RPG Bastion. Seeing a faster-paced version of that game with the gods from Olympus looked like it would hit the spot for a day or two.
I was wrong.
Hades’ unique progression had me hooked for months.
Because the pandemic had us staying at home, I looked forward to loading up my Switch and having Zagreus journey through hell in order to find his mother. Winning was great, but losing wasn’t that bad either, as doing both unlocked unique conversations with the various characters in the game’s main hub. Getting a win showered you with praise, while losing provided words of encouragement, both of which were badly needed during that time period.
Helluva Boss
Anyone who has played Hades for 100 or so hours knows that the best part of this game is untangling the unique relationship Zagreus has with his father, ermm, Hades. It starts out as a volatile relationship between two people who no longer seem to have love for each other, but playing the game reveals hidden depths that make me tear up thinking about them to this day.
While it’s easy to assume that Hades didn’t want Zagreus to meet his mother for selfish reasons, that all changes once you reach Persephone for the first time. After a lovely first conversation between the two, Zagreus dies because his body can’t adjust to Earth, as he perished as a baby before being brought back by Nyx. The resurrection worked, but it also means he can’t walk the Earth.
That reveals two things: Hades doesn’t want Zagreus to feel the pain of dying, and he doesn’t want Persephone to feel the pain of losing her son again and again.
It’s beautifully tragic and something that can only be done to this degree using the lore from the Gods of Olympus. What’s better is that it doesn’t have to end in tragedy, as Zagreus can keep slashing his way through Hell’s demons and try to improve things between his parents. Losing can feel frustrating, but like Anna Kendrick’s character from Trolls, you have to get back up again.
What’s that? A narrative that shapes itself around the core gameplay loop, where revelations can happen when you win or lose? Huh, it’s almost like in-game storytelling is something that should be done more.
Can’t Go Back Again…
Unfortunately, knowing all this makes repeat playthroughs of Hades feel somewhat hollow. If you do a new game to try and re-experience that beautiful sense of winning and losing, it’s not possible. By this point, you’ve already mastered the combat and know what to do, making these playthroughs more about getting the best builds to get to your favorite moments faster.
That blind playthrough of finding out Hades and Persephone’s baggage just can’t be replicated. Because the gameplay is so tied to this narrative, knowing what happens doesn’t feel as special.
One could argue this is what happens when you replay other games, but that isn’t the case for me. I like going back to Marvel’s Spider-Man and Persona 5 Royal because they have great gameplay loops. Going back to Hades is harder because that gameplay loop is used to unravel the story, and just knowing how to get the good stuff after experience feels less fulfilling.
Don’t get me wrong, replaying Hades is still a ton of fun. Trying out new boon combinations still feels great, as does the overall combat. Each weapon is a joy to use, though I’m pretty biased towards the sword. But playing this game for the sake of gameplay just doesn’t hit the same as that blind playthrough.
I really hope Hades 2 can bring that feeling back.
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