Hades captures the core elements of a roguelite-like game in place, with intense combat, meaningful customization, and different abilities, all of which are tightly coupled with a meaningful story. Hades is one of the few titles today that offers constant change and growth, making people want to spend more time playing.
| Game name | Hades |
| Game type | Roguelike, fighting game, shooter video game, and action role-playing game |
| Opener | Supergiant Games |
| Gaming platform | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Windows, macOS |
| Publish time | 2020/09/17 |
Background: Hades has a hack and slash gameplay with a great character design. The game revolves around Zagreus who tries to flee from his dad Hades to go to his mother in the mortal world. In the escape attempt, you will meet different Greek gods and mythical personalities who will make it hard to get out of the Underworld.
As a player, you need to evolve and change rooms & floors in pursuit to escape the Underworld to reach Mount Olympus. Unless a player has the skill of an Olympian god, they can die easily. Luckily, as a player, you get to earn rewards and learn about enemy attack patterns.
Mode: The Hades game has 21 chapters that have different storylines and game plays. Additionally, there are 54 side missions.
Price: Hades – $24.99, Hades + soundtrack – $31.48, Supergiant collection – $110.41
Number of players: Single-player
Main Features
- Acquire power and mythical weapons of Olympus.
- Unravel a new storyline with each successful escape from the rooms.
- Acquire dozens of boons to enhance your abilities.
- Befriends gods, ghosts, and monster.
- Build on characters as you progress on in the game.
- It is an action-built classical game.
1. Dandy Ace
After being imprisoned in a cursed mirror, you must find your way out as a magician named Dandy Ace in this unfavorable world. The Green-Eyed Illusionist Lele seeks no peace. This cursed mirror world contains many enemies that will stop you in your path.
Using your magic and many magical cards that you can find on the way, you must battle to uplift this curse. Dandy Ace is a 2D isometric game. The magical cards can have different combinations, allowing for dynamic gameplay. The world can also be freely explored, but be wary of bosses lurking around some areas!
2. Dreamscaper
Dreamscaper is an Action Roguelike video game designed so that you can be trapped in your dreams and nightmares. The idea of having to escape your never-ending cycle of dreams makes the game very intriguing. During day time, you will be able to speak with other NPCs and upgrade some of your abilities to get stronger. This is important to proceed through difficult stages of the game.
Some features you can control while playing are space wrapping, time control, and manipulating different elements! The combat system is also complex in a nice way, meaning the timing of your attacks or moves matters to defeat your enemies. In the end, you must overcome your nightmare and defeat the bosses that hold the negative moodiest.
3. Enter The Gungeon
Enter The Gungeon, a Bullet Hell Roguelike type of game. The effects and particles caused by various activities in the game are very well done! It gives that satisfying feeling of shooting and destroying your enemies. In this game, your goal is to reach the legendary Gungeon’s ultimate treasure. Little is known about this treasure, but it is rumored to be a gun that can destroy the past.
To start playing, you can select a hero and team up with friends or continue to play alone on these massive numbers of floors filled with challenging obstacles and frustrating enemies. Lucky for you, however, merchants can be found to upgrade your abilities and level up your weapons.
4. Children Of Morta
Children of Morta is a Hack and Slash video game where you play several different heroes. Most ordinary games allow you to create a character and play only them throughout your playthrough, but in Children of Morta, there is a whole family of heroes that you can get to try from your very first playthrough.
The story of this game addresses the massive corruption coming at a rapid pace. It is your job to slaughter all the incoming enemies' waves to survive.
5. Curse Of The Dead Gods
Curse of The Dead Dogs is a Dark Fantasy Isometric game that revolves all-around obtaining treasures. In the dungeons of this game, you will find so much gold that can get you rich for life. But stories also say you can find something that will give you eternal life.
However, this dungeon is filled with traps and deadly obstacles. As a skilled and rogue explorer, you will have to make your way through the darkness of the dungeon. Try not to get lost within the limitless rooms. Use any of the weapons you find on your way to kill your enemies. You have chosen to go this path, and because of that, you must also try your best to survive.
6. Dead Cells
You’re a rogue who was raised and trained by veteran roguelike people. This has made you strong and dangerous to many others who might rival you or consider you a foe. The world of Dead Cells is big and interconnected. The world is filled with enemies that will challenge you into a fight.
The combat of the game is not difficult, but still tough. When your character starts unlocking levels, you can easily access parts of the world that you have been to before, and the interconnectivity is a very nice feature. The game is genuinely filled with rich content, skills, weapons, and whole lots of different mechanics and unlockables. You will be left with this game to spend many hours
7. Gunfire Reborn
Gunfire Reborn is one of the more cartoonish First Person Shooter Roguelike Video games. You can quickly tell what kind of vibes this game gives based on the characters and the heroes you encounter. Some of them are cute animals, and others can be intimidating. Each hero has a different ability, bringing some kind of competitiveness into the game.
No one likes a repetitive game so GunFire Reborn fixes that with its dynamic 4-player co-op experience. Gunfire Reborn is a level-based game, meaning that you and your friends will have to play the game level by level to proceed, there is no way to skip through to the end, but would anyone really want to do that?
8. Transistor
Transistor is a sci-fi RPG created by Bastion. You play in a city from the far future, as everything is modern there beyond current human capabilities. The gameplay experience is super fast-paced, filled with action, and requires many strategic approaches. The Transistor is also known for its beautiful art and graphic drawing.
The goal of the game is to figure out the puzzles and mysteriousness of the weapon you’ve gotten to wield. As you progress, the game will start to hint more about the weapon’s creator, giving us an acceptable plot line. It is worth mentioning that this game has won the D.I.C.E. Sprite Award, the IGN 2014 Award for Best Graphic, the SXSW Gaming Award for Excellence in Musical Score, and many other awards.
9. Scourge Bringer
If you’re okay with repeatedly dying, then Scourge Bringer might be for you. The game might have mixed reviews, but honestly, Dark Souls had mixed reviews too because of how “Difficult” it was. But all of those mixed reviews came from people who gave up in the first 20 mins.
From the developers of NeuroVoider comes Scourge Bringer. It is set in an apocalyptic world, where humanity has been attacked by the horror of new creatures. However, things are not over yet, and hope is not gone. An ancient machine still exists and it can bring things back to normal. The game is super performing to the point where they started calling it “Dead Cells meets Celeste”. Discover more about the story of the game, and enjoy the mechanics and all available features.
10. UnderMine
Go deep into the mine and discover its secrets. As a miner, you will get to have a new adventure to reward yourself with a hundred pieces of gold that you could mine with your pickaxe. However, the Mine contains dangerous creatures hiding in dungeons and guarding more gold. You must survive in order to finish the game. UnderMine is a very cool game with different enemies and bosses.
Our characters have the standard upgrades at the beginning, but at later stages of the game, they will be able to unlock much better tools. From potions and spells to ancient relics and weapons. The only way to find what truly awaits you in the mine is to go down there.
11. Pyre
Pyre is a super cool party-based Role-Playing video game with fantastic animations, particles, effects, and world design. Everything about this game can acquire a positive review really, so we will keep it short. In Pyre, you play as an exiled band, seeking freedom and glory through victory in this vast world. But terrifying creatures do exist, and they must be slaughtered to prevent any tragic events to your band of heroes.
Using fantasy and supernatural abilities, you can battle your way in the forsaken land called the Downside. The story of Pyre is told differently to each player, allowing some intriguing gameplay that will probably force you to pull a friend into this game. Again, I can’t stress more how cool the animations and effects in this game are. It makes this super fast-paced action game really fun.
12. Neon Abyss
You’re a member of the Grim Squad, you’re on a mission to invade the dark Abyss and defeat the new gods who might pose a threat to Hades. Yes, this game references Greek Mythology and mixes it with this modern chaotic action genre we know. Neon Abyss offers you a new, more powerful start, every time you die.
That doesn’t mean you should let yourself purposely be killed, but it is a unique feature that should be worth looking at. The dungeons you proceed through have different loot that you can pick. In each passing stage, bosses and mobs become more difficult to kill. One more thing you have to keep in mind, there are multiple endings.
13. The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth
The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth, is a very popular Roguelike single-player game. Although the game was released 8 years ago, it is totally still worth playing. And for those who still haven’t played this game, what are you doing with your life? The story begins when Issac’s mother starts hearing voices demanding to sacrifice her son. The little Isaac will have to face the horror of all enemies in the basement, leading to the final boss of this game being his mother.
As you play the game, you will find items that can grant Isaac abilities he never had before. This will help you survive and remain safe until you escape this hell that you were forced into. We are all aware of how interesting this game sounds, but worry not, the game has been remade with a highly efficient game engine, making it run at 60fps.
14. Ancient Abyss
A Hack and slash game was released last year. Ancient Abyss is still in early access but it is worth checking out, especially with its positive reviews. Ever wanted to play those old 2D Zelda games? But you’ve never gotten the chance to because you didn’t have the platform required to make them run? Will worry no more because Ancient Abyss is just a similar 2D Zelda game! You've put in a mysterious randomly generated world.
The more progress and more items and power you will find. Your goal is to reach the end of the Abyss. Dark creatures lie there, waiting for someone to find them so they can prey on them. There are multiple NPCs in the game that can interact with and acquire weapons. Hidden treasures and secrets can be discovered if you’re clever enough. Just make sure to keep an eye on your surroundings.
15. Bastion
Bastion is one of the older games on this list. However, if there is one thing that makes it worth playing this game then it is the beautiful original soundtracks. In this RP storytelling game, you will have to explore more than 40 hand-painted environments.
The goal is to discover the secrets of Calamity, which is a catastrophe that occurred to the world. On your journey, you will find plenty of weapons, and you can get to choose any of them. Even after you finish the main story, the game will still have more to offer with its bonus content. So go ahead and enjoy this action-filled game and its exciting combat, all while being influenced by the deep story the game is narrating.
16. Death’s Door
Although not all games can replace some of your favorites, you have to understand that some games bring levels of experience that can never be replicated. Death’s Door does just that. The game is about a crow who was assigned to a certain soul, only for it to get stolen.
You must do everything you can to find out the thief who took it and obtain the soul back. Unfortunately, your path leads you to a realm where death doesn’t exist. Powerful creatures have grown beyond belief, and you will have to attack all foes that dare to cross your path.
17. Risk of Rain 2
First thing first, you’re stuck on an alien planet. The inhabitants of this planet can’t be said to be friendly, so not only you’re stuck on another planet in an unknown galaxy, but you also have to defend yourself from those aggressive creatures. Lucky for you, you can invite your friends to help you and to help themselves, but if you’re unlucky and have no friends then you have to journey this game by yourself, which is obviously more difficult.
Risk Of Rain 2 is a Third-Person-Shooter game with vibrant colors and textures. The mechanics of the game are super smooth, and the levels and stats are scaling up to keep the game challenging even at later stages. Risk of Rain 2 is rated 9/10 by multiple critics, so why not give it a try?
18. Wizard of Legend
Wizard of Legend is a fast-paced action, pixel graphics game. Your character is designed to be a super cool (And possibly edgy) rogue warrior. The environment around you is creatively made, some looks beautiful, and some are dark and full of enemies. Those knights, monsters, and other creatures seek to harm you.
Trust me when I say this, you have to be quick with your movement, otherwise, you won’t stand a chance. The combination of attacks you can put out on your enemies is very satisfying to perform. But just as fast you can hurt your enemies, they can do the same. There are hundreds of unique spells and abilities you can use, so invite a friend to join you and try to unlock all possible powers in the game.
19. Returnal
Returnal is a sci-fi third-person-view game. It is currently available only on PlayStation. When you start the game, you will be immediately put into action. You still have no idea what’s going on, but you will learn the story as you play more of the game. Where you are, what’s causing all those deceased bodies, what are those dangerous creatures in your path?
All those questions will be answered at later stages of the game. For the time being, you must focus on survival, leveling up your character as you get invested in this story-driven video game. Returnal does hide shocking truths for the players. I hope that gets you intrigued enough to try this game, but if you don’t have a PlayStation, well, good luck.
20. Diablo III
Diablo is another famous franchise on the list, having Diablo III being the one reviewed. The world of humans has been invaded by the undead, causing the disease to spread and soldiers to turn into ugly and dangerous zombies. You will have to save everyone from this catastrophe as it might lead to a further disaster when it could annihilate all of humanity.
During this apocalyptic event, you find yourself in a small town, with fallen soldiers and warriors. This medieval world makes things harsher for the people, a simple infection can get them killed, wars are spreading and only you can bring peace back to humanity.
21. Vampire Survivors
Released in 2021, Vampire Survivors brings back the old classic pixel art games to our generation. The goal of the game is to basically survive as long as possible. Each night, a cursed event starts that will put your skills to the test. If you find yourself reaching your limits, then perhaps it is time to put an end to your struggles.
But you can always try again in Vampire Survivors. The key to success is to collect as much gold as possible to become powerful enough to survive the next night.
22. Nobody Saves the World
We all like some cheesy and silly video games that can still bring action and entertainment to our experiences. The title of the game is “Nobody Saves the World”, but the words used here are literal. It is a fact that the one who saves the world is you, and you’re a Nobody.
In this RPG you will find various quests to complete and lethal enemies to put an end to. Those creatures look horrific and ugly, it would be a blessing if you can put an end to all of their spawnings. Perhaps one day, this Nobody will become Somebody.
23. Streets of Rogue
Remember when those Roguelike games were about killing monsters, and gods, and defeating huge bosses and terrifying creatures? Well, Streets of Rogue does that but with normal civilians. Yes, you heard that right, you will be killing gangsters and bad foes that happened to be causing you harm.
You can get to play as a Soldier, a bartender, a stealthy doctor, or a gorilla. Streets of Rogue brings dynamic gameplay with its randomly generated world. You can get to play the game your own way, and no one will dare to stop you. Of course, your choices still have consequences.
24. Noita
Did you ever wish to be able to interact with the terrain and the structure of your favorite video game? Now you can with Noita! Though it’s a pixel art game. Noita offers every single pixel in its world to be interacted with. You can destroy it, explore it, freeze it and do whatever you want with it. Just like Terraria, except that it’s more of a rogue-lite style of a game.
Discover magic, spells, and other weapons, and please try not to die. A single death will have you restart the whole game, but this time with some knowledge and experience. Although that might not sound appealing, I do believe there are many players out there who are brave enough to challenge and beat this game.
25. Hyper Light Drifter
Hyper Light Drifter is a pixel graphic game with a beautiful world-building for you to discover. The design, drawing, and music, all are astonishing and delightful. Well, they are for the time being, because the hidden story and all the secrets you will discover can cause quite the sadness to grow in your heart.
This game was developed by a dying creator, and it is believed that many will understand the true and deep meaning behind this game’s story. So while monsters and dangerous enemies exist, there is a stronger purpose awaiting to be revealed for the players.
