I sunk about 40 hours into 'Hades' before I finally escaped the Underworld for the first time, but that was just the beginning. The game's designed to be replayed, with new dialogue, weapon upgrades, and story revelations popping up even after dozens of runs. By the time I felt 'done,' I'd clocked around 80 hours—and that's without 100% completion. The beauty of it is how fresh it stays; even failed runs feel rewarding thanks to character interactions and incremental progress.
If you're aiming just to see credits, 20-30 hours is doable for most players. But the true magic lies in uncovering all the lore and relationships, which easily doubles that time. Supergiant's writing is so good that I kept playing just to hear more of Zagreus' snarky exchanges with the Olympians.
'Hades' hooked me for 50+ hours straight. The first escape took me 12 hours alone—I kept getting wrecked by Theseus! What shocked me was how the game kept evolving post-credits. The epilogue requirements added another 15 hours, and maxing all weapon aspects? Forget about it. I still boot it up occasionally just to hear the soundtrack while grinding heat levels. Pro tip: Turn up God Mode if you care more about story than challenge; it cuts playtime in half without sacrificing narrative depth.
My roommate blitzed through 'Hades' in 15 hours on their first successful escape, but they missed so much! I took my sweet time—around 60 hours—to savor every bit. The way the game drip-feeds story through repeated runs is genius. Even after 10 escapes, I was still discovering new banter between Nyx and Hades. Speedrunners might finish in under 10, but why rush? The combat's addictive, and unlocking all the keepsakes took me another 20 joyful hours.
For a casual playthrough where you escape once and dabble in some side stories, expect 25 hours. But 'Hades' has this sneaky way of pulling you back—I thought I was done at 30 hours, then suddenly it's 3 AM and I'm trying to reunite Orpheus and Eurydice. The mirror upgrades alone can eat up 10 extra hours if you experiment with different builds. Don't even get me started on the fishing minigame...
2026-05-03 08:17:56
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His father disappeared; his brother committed suicide. Thomas Mayo, the God of War, returned, and he swore that he would take revenge…
Zeno Silver: If I had to describe Rogue Alpha, I'd say a surly, temperamental pain in my ass, and if possible, everywhere else. Never would I dare assume a deal my father made would drive me right into the arms of the monster himself. I had become Alpha a few months ago, and all I wanted was to protect my people. I brought peace, well, sort of, yet the consequences came in the form of an unwanted husband. Alpha Hades: I never labelled myself, especially regarding my sexuality. Not that I had enough time to experiment when my life was a vicious cycle of grief and pain, but these days, I found myself becoming the leader, the Alpha of an unstoppable army. I knew what I wanted when I took the deal: easy access to my enemies' pack. Exchanging false vows with an Alpha leading the pack that would become the perfect pawn in my plan sounded like a no-brainer. Except my stomach flipped every time he looked my way, and my body reacted when he brushed by me. He had an effect on me that I'd never wish on anyone. With this connection between us, this pull, this need... I'm not sure either of us is still playing the game.
My wife, Cassia, was a wood nymph. A cursed one. Forbidden to love mortals.
But she fell for me anyway. Every time her heart fluttered for me, the gods struck her down with agony.
She willingly endured that torture ninety-nine times just for a chance to be with me.
Then, demons dragged me to Tartarus. Hellfire and whips became my sun and moon.
Right as I was about to break, I remembered a prayer Cassia taught me—a desperate whisper to the gods.
It finally worked. But instead of help, I heard Cassia talking to her patron goddess, Hecate.
"Cassia, how could you bargain with the Furies? You let them drag Aiden to Tartarus!"
Cassia's voice choked with desperate tears. "Adonis was supposed to suffer this fate. But he's a fragile mortal. This would destroy his soul! I had no choice if I wanted to save him."
"Aiden is a child of prophecy. His soul is strong. The Fates watch over him. He'll survive."
"Once I save Adonis, I can stay in the mortal realm forever. Then, I'll use my eternal life and all my love to repay the hell he's enduring for me."
My heart shattered.
As the monsters closed in on me, I stopped fighting. I gave up.
Hades was well-cast to rule over the land of the dead. But what if Hades, the fearsome monarch of the Underworld was, in fact, a goddess? Everyone called her, 'Lord of the Dead' out of mockery since she prefers the company of women. She was considered an isolated and violent immortal, who loathed change and was easily given to a slow black rage like no others.
But then everything changed when the dark goddess met the daughter of Demeter, Persephone. Now the tale of Hades and Persephone will be retold with a sprinkle of twists and turns.
I was Apollo’s most devoted follower, the lover he handpicked from a sea of worshippers.
With me, he’d always shed his divine arrogance. He was so tender, so attentive. I actually thought he loved me to the bone.
Until seven days before our Consort Ceremony, when I used my gift of prophecy to peek into our future together.
I expected to see a lifetime of blinding love. Instead, I saw him violently tangled in the sheets with my adopted sister, Cassandra.
Wrapped around him, Cassandra giggled. "You're so good to me, my Lord. Thanks to you, I'll finally get my sister's Sight and take her place as High Priestess."
And Apollo—my god, my lover—smiled down at her with pure adoration. "Whatever makes you happy, little bird. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have played pretend for this long, let alone allow her to become a god's consort."
In that split second, my heart turned to ash. My faith shattered into a million pieces.
With seven days left until the ceremony, I didn't confront them. Instead, I fell to my knees before the altar of Hades, Lord of the Underworld.
"I offer you my gift of prophecy. I will be your most loyal follower in exchange for your sanctuary."
"Please. Take me away from here. Take me somewhere Apollo can never find me."
My husband Hades gave another woman my birthday celebration.
Then he gave her my mother’s brooch.
Then he let our son call her home.
Nympha was the flower spirit who had grown up beside him. The healers said a curse was killing her, and she had only six months left before she disappeared forever.
Hades said he only wanted her final days to be free of regret.
So I was expected to be generous.
Even when our five-year-old son, Eren, curled up beside her at the hearth and whispered that she felt more like home than I did, I still told myself he was only a child.
Then one night, I heard him say to Hades, “Nympha is so gentle. So beautiful. I wish Mother could be more like her.”
Hades only smiled.
“Your mother is strict because she wants what is best for you,” he said. “But if you like Nympha so much, I can let her stand beside you at the family altar. She can bless you like a second mother.”
That was when I finally understood.
My husband had already given her my place.
And my son had accepted her there.
So the next morning, I placed a marriage dissolution agreement before Hades.
He signed it without reading, because Nympha had collapsed again and he was desperate to reach her.By the time he realized what he had signed, I was already gone.
If they wanted Nympha to be the lady of the Underworld, I would grant them their wish.
But why, after I left, did Hades tear the Underworld apart looking for me?
Why did my son cry himself sick, begging for the mother he once pushed away?
And why did the dying woman they protected so carefully suddenly stop looking so fragile?
Hades is one of those games where the 'how long to beat' question really depends on your playstyle. My first full completion—beating the final boss and seeing the credits—took me around 25 hours, but that was with a lot of trial and error. I loved experimenting with different weapon builds, and each run felt fresh because of the way the game layers story progression with gameplay. The dialogue and character interactions kept me hooked even when I died repeatedly.
After the credits, there’s still so much to do. Unlocking all the weapon aspects, maxing out relationships with NPCs, and tackling higher Heat levels added another 30+ hours for me. Supergiant Games packed so much replayability into it. Even now, I occasionally jump back in for a quick run just to hear more of Zagreus’ snarky commentary.
Hades is a tough cookie, but I've managed to topple him a few times after some serious trial and error. First, getting comfortable with your weapon is key—I personally swear by the Shield of Chaos because blocking his attacks gives you breathing room. The spear’s range is great too, especially if you keep your distance. Boons are everything; Artemis’ critical hits or Athena’s deflect can turn the tide. Don’t sleep on Hermes’ speed boosts either—dodging his spin attacks is way easier when you’re zipping around.
Another thing: save your Death Defiances for the final fight. I learned the hard way after wasting them on early bosses. Hades’ second phase is brutal, so having an extra life or two is clutch. Call abilities like Zeus’ lightning or Dionysus’ hangover barrage help whittle him down while you focus on survival. And hey, if you’re struggling, turn on God Mode—it’s not cheating, it’s just Zagreus getting a little divine help from his friends.
Hades is one of those games where the length can vary wildly depending on how you play. My first full escape took around 20 hours, but that’s because I kept dying and retrying—part of the fun! The game’s roguelike structure means each run is fresh, and you’ll unlock new dialogue, weapons, and story bits even after dozens of hours. I didn’t feel 'done' until hitting 50+ hours, and some fans go beyond 100 just to uncover every scrap of lore or max out relationships. The beauty is that it never drags; the pacing stays razor-sharp.
If you’re a completionist, prepare to sink serious time into upgrading the Mirror of Night, experimenting with Heat levels, or chasing rare prophecies. But even a casual playthrough feels satisfying—the way Zagreus’ story unfolds between attempts is genius. I still boot it up occasionally just to hear new banter between runs.
Man, 'Hades' really swept the awards scene like a rogue-like tornado! I lost count of how many accolades it racked up, but some highlights include winning Best Game and Best Action Game at The Game Awards 2020. Supergiant Games totally nailed it with the fluid combat and that addictive 'one more run' feeling.
The game also snagged Best Indie Game at the Golden Joystick Awards, which felt deserved—how often does an indie title blend storytelling this rich with gameplay this polished? Plus, the BAFTA Games Awards gave it Best Narrative, and honestly, Zagreus’ family drama hit harder than most AAA scripts. Still boot it up just to hear the soundtrack.