The act of gaming is mostly predicated on repetition. Running, jumping, punching — even just passively engaging in conversation — it’s all part of a core loop that players will lock into with muscle memory. With 2020’s roguelike Hades , Supergiant Games mastered the hypnotic allure of the live-die-repeat cycle by making every attempt have meaning. As the son of Hades relentlessly striving to escape from the underworld, failure sends players back to the start; but never empty-handed. Whether it’s gleaning the holes in a particular tactic or opening a new dialogue option with an NPC, there’s always a reward for just trying.

Largely touted as one of the best games ever made , Hades has inspired many imitators , many of which only superficially comprehend the special alchemy of de

See Full Page