<s>
Hades	B-Language
is	O
a	O
roguelike	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Supergiant	O
Games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Windows	O
in	O
September	O
2020	O
,	O
which	O
followed	O
an	O
early	O
access	O
release	O
in	O
December	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
later	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
in	O
August	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
control	O
Zagreus	O
,	O
the	O
son	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
as	O
he	O
attempts	O
to	O
escape	O
from	O
the	O
Underworld	O
to	O
reach	O
Mount	O
Olympus	O
,	O
at	O
times	O
aided	O
by	O
gifts	O
bestowed	O
on	O
him	O
from	O
the	O
other	O
Olympians	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
has	O
a	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
combat	O
system	O
;	O
the	O
player	O
uses	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
their	O
main	O
weapon	O
attack	O
,	O
a	O
special	O
attack	O
,	O
a	O
dash	O
ability	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
magic	O
ability	O
to	O
defeat	O
them	O
while	O
avoiding	O
damage	O
to	O
progress	O
as	O
far	O
as	O
possible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
was	O
developed	O
following	O
Supergiant	O
's	O
Pyre	B-Application
,	O
a	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
they	O
wanted	O
to	O
explore	O
procedural	O
narrative	O
storytelling	O
,	O
but	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
nature	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
gameplay	O
,	O
found	O
that	O
players	O
did	O
not	O
play	O
through	O
Pyre	B-Application
multiple	O
times	O
to	O
explore	O
this	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
roguelike	O
structure	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
gave	O
them	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
tell	O
these	O
branching	O
stories	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
over	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
multiple	O
runs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
commercial	O
and	O
critical	O
success	O
,	O
Hades	B-Language
received	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
for	O
its	O
gameplay	O
,	O
art	O
direction	O
,	O
music	O
,	O
narrative	O
and	O
characters	O
and	O
sold	O
over	O
one	O
million	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
Hades	B-Language
II	O
,	O
was	O
announced	O
in	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
takes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
Zagreus	O
,	O
the	O
prince	O
of	O
the	O
Underworld	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
trying	O
to	O
escape	O
the	O
realm	O
to	O
get	O
away	O
from	O
his	O
unloving	O
father	O
,	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
and	O
reach	O
his	O
mother	O
Persephone	O
in	O
the	O
mortal	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
world	O
is	O
divided	O
between	O
four	O
main	O
dungeons	O
,	O
each	O
representing	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
regions	O
of	O
the	O
Underworld	O
,	O
namely	O
Tartarus	O
,	O
Asphodel	O
,	O
Elysium	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Temple	O
of	O
Styx	B-Application
,	O
with	O
each	O
new	O
region	O
being	O
unlocked	O
upon	O
clearing	O
the	O
previous	O
locale	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
presented	O
in	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
view	I-Application
with	O
the	O
player	O
in	O
control	O
of	O
Zagreus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
has	O
a	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
combat	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Boons	O
are	O
themed	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
Olympian	O
;	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
Zeus	B-Application
's	O
boons	O
provide	O
lightning	O
damage	O
effects	O
and	O
Poseidon	B-Application
's	O
provide	O
push-back	O
wave	O
effects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
will	O
move	O
through	O
rooms	O
to	O
gradually	O
climb	O
up	O
the	O
Underworld	O
;	O
after	O
clearing	O
a	O
room	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
will	O
be	O
given	O
the	O
room	O
's	O
rewards	O
,	O
allowing	O
them	O
to	O
grow	O
stronger	O
or	O
recover	O
lost	O
health	O
points	O
as	O
Zagreus	O
moves	O
closer	O
and	O
closer	O
to	O
his	O
ultimate	O
goal	O
,	O
however	O
should	O
Zagreus	O
 '	O
health	O
points	O
drop	O
to	O
zero	O
while	O
he	O
has	O
no	O
"	O
death	O
defiance	O
"	O
tokens	O
left	O
he	O
is	O
defeated	O
and	O
taken	O
by	O
the	O
river	O
Styx	B-Application
back	O
to	O
the	O
House	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
which	O
effectively	O
acts	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
overworld	O
between	O
attempts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
features	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
roguelike	O
and	O
dungeon-crawler	O
elements	O
,	O
where	O
obols	O
and	O
certain	O
types	O
of	O
upgrades	O
are	O
lost	O
upon	O
death	O
and	O
must	O
be	O
collected	O
anew	O
each	O
time	O
,	O
while	O
other	O
types	O
of	O
currency	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
at	O
the	O
House	O
to	O
purchase	O
permanent	O
upgrades	O
that	O
affect	O
all	O
future	O
attempts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
clearing	O
a	O
certain	O
number	O
of	O
rooms	O
in	O
a	O
region	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
will	O
have	O
to	O
fight	O
the	O
bosses	O
of	O
the	O
region	O
to	O
advance	O
to	O
the	O
next	O
,	O
namely	O
,	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
three	O
Furies	O
in	O
Tartarus	O
,	O
the	O
skeletonized	O
Lernaean	O
Hydra	O
in	O
Asphodel	O
,	O
Theseus	O
and	O
Asterius	B-Operating_System
in	O
Elysium	O
,	O
and	O
Hades	B-Language
himself	O
at	O
the	O
very	O
gates	O
of	O
the	O
Underworld	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Between	O
runs	O
,	O
Zagreus	O
can	O
explore	O
the	O
House	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
before	O
setting	O
on	O
a	O
new	O
escape	O
attempt	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
example	O
,	O
the	O
Pact	O
can	O
increase	O
the	O
attack	O
power	O
,	O
health	O
or	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
enemies	O
on	O
the	O
run	O
;	O
it	O
can	O
even	O
drastically	O
change	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
gameplay	O
by	O
changing	O
the	O
boss	O
fights	O
,	O
like	O
allowing	O
Theseus	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
machine-gun-mounted	O
chariot	O
or	O
adding	O
an	O
extra	O
phase	O
in	O
Hades	B-Language
 '	O
boss	O
fight	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Zagreus	O
(	O
Darren	O
Korb	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
son	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
(	O
Logan	O
Cunningham	O
)	O
,	O
seeks	O
to	O
escape	O
his	O
father	O
's	O
realm	O
in	O
the	O
Underworld	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
aided	O
by	O
his	O
adoptive	O
mother	O
Nyx	B-Device
(	O
Jamie	O
Landrum	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
Gods	O
of	O
Olympus	O
to	O
whom	O
he	O
has	O
reached	O
out	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
other	O
inhabitants	O
of	O
the	O
Underworld	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
claims	O
that	O
no	O
escape	O
is	O
possible	O
,	O
and	O
hinders	O
Zagreus	O
by	O
unleashing	O
the	O
Underworld	O
's	O
monsters	O
on	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
soon	O
as	O
Zagreus	O
is	O
slain	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
revived	O
at	O
the	O
House	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
at	O
the	O
bottom	O
of	O
the	O
Underworld	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
leaves	O
to	O
begin	O
another	O
escape	O
attempt	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
eventually	O
revealed	O
that	O
Zagreus	O
wishes	O
to	O
escape	O
the	O
Underworld	O
to	O
find	O
Persephone	O
(	O
Laila	O
Berzins	O
)	O
,	O
his	O
birth	O
mother	O
whom	O
he	O
never	O
knew	O
,	O
having	O
always	O
been	O
told	O
he	O
was	O
the	O
child	O
of	O
Nyx	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
refuses	O
to	O
even	O
allow	O
her	O
name	O
to	O
be	O
spoken	O
in	O
his	O
House	O
and	O
it	O
is	O
said	O
that	O
unimaginable	O
punishment	O
should	O
befall	O
anyone	O
who	O
disobeys	O
his	O
order	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nyx	B-Device
decides	O
to	O
help	O
Zagreus	O
find	O
the	O
truth	O
about	O
his	O
birth	O
mother	O
by	O
putting	O
him	O
in	O
contact	O
with	O
his	O
relatives	O
on	O
Olympus	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
reaching	O
the	O
exit	O
to	O
the	O
Underworld	O
and	O
defeating	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
Zagreus	O
finds	O
Persephone	O
at	O
a	O
cottage	O
in	O
Greece	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Over	O
the	O
course	O
of	O
these	O
visits	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
revealed	O
that	O
Hades	B-Language
was	O
"	O
given	O
"	O
Persephone	O
by	O
Zeus	B-Application
(	O
Peter	O
Canavese	O
)	O
as	O
a	O
reward	O
for	O
ruling	O
over	O
the	O
Underworld	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
other	O
Olympians	O
believing	O
that	O
she	O
simply	O
disappeared	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
two	O
had	O
a	O
loving	O
marriage	O
,	O
until	O
Zagreus	O
was	O
stillborn	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
Fates	B-Application
having	O
decreed	O
that	O
Hades	B-Language
would	O
never	O
have	O
an	O
heir	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Zagreus	O
was	O
eventually	O
brought	O
back	O
to	O
life	O
by	O
Nyx	B-Device
after	O
she	O
made	O
a	O
deal	O
with	O
the	O
Fates	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Persephone	O
refuses	O
to	O
return	O
to	O
the	O
Underworld	O
because	O
she	O
fears	O
retribution	O
towards	O
Hades	B-Language
if	O
the	O
Olympians	O
discover	O
the	O
truth	O
about	O
her	O
disappearance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Zagreus	O
eventually	O
convinces	O
her	O
to	O
return	O
by	O
reminding	O
her	O
of	O
the	O
bonds	O
of	O
family	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
are	O
ferried	O
to	O
the	O
House	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
by	O
Charon	B-Protocol
(	O
Logan	O
Cunningham	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Persephone	O
resumes	O
her	O
duties	O
as	O
Queen	O
of	O
the	O
Underworld	O
and	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
now	O
with	O
a	O
renewed	O
respect	O
for	O
his	O
son	O
,	O
allows	O
Zagreus	O
to	O
continue	O
his	O
escape	O
attempts	O
under	O
the	O
guise	O
of	O
finding	O
security	O
vulnerabilities	O
in	O
the	O
Underworld	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
feast	O
,	O
they	O
claim	O
that	O
Hades	B-Language
and	O
Persephone	O
eloped	O
and	O
had	O
Zagreus	O
,	O
while	O
saying	O
that	O
due	O
to	O
her	O
having	O
eaten	O
Underworld	O
pomegranate	O
seeds	O
,	O
she	O
can	O
only	O
leave	O
the	O
Underworld	O
a	O
few	O
months	O
out	O
of	O
the	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
their	O
previous	O
game	O
,	O
Pyre	B-Application
,	O
Supergiant	O
Games	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
developing	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
would	O
help	O
to	O
open	O
up	O
their	O
development	O
process	O
to	O
players	O
,	O
so	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
end	O
up	O
making	O
the	O
best	O
game	O
they	O
possibly	O
could	O
from	O
player	O
feedback	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
recognized	O
that	O
this	O
would	O
not	O
only	O
help	O
with	O
the	O
gameplay	O
approach	O
but	O
also	O
with	O
narrative	O
elements	O
,	O
and	O
thus	O
opted	O
to	O
use	O
the	O
early	O
access	O
approach	O
in	O
developing	O
Hades	B-Language
once	O
they	O
had	O
established	O
the	O
foundation	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Supergiant	O
had	O
spoken	O
to	O
Epic	O
Games	O
and	O
learned	O
of	O
their	O
intent	O
to	O
launch	O
their	O
own	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
,	O
and	O
felt	O
the	O
experimental	O
platform	O
was	O
an	O
appropriate	O
match	O
with	O
Hades	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
Supergiant	O
's	O
decision	O
was	O
made	O
in	O
part	O
due	O
to	O
Epic	O
's	O
focus	O
on	O
content	O
creators	O
,	O
as	O
Supergiant	O
had	O
developed	O
Hades	B-Language
in	O
mind	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
game	O
favorable	O
to	O
streamers	O
,	O
which	O
would	O
be	O
benefited	O
through	O
the	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Supergiant	O
anticipated	O
that	O
Hades	B-Language
would	O
take	O
about	O
three	O
years	O
to	O
complete	O
,	O
comparable	O
to	O
the	O
development	O
time	O
of	O
their	O
previous	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pyre	B-Application
had	O
been	O
an	O
attempt	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
branching	O
open-ended	O
narrative	O
,	O
but	O
once	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
,	O
Supergiant	O
recognized	O
that	O
most	O
players	O
would	O
only	O
play	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
once	O
and	O
thus	O
lose	O
out	O
on	O
the	O
branching	O
narrative	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Hades	B-Language
established	O
as	O
a	O
roguelike	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
felt	O
the	O
branching	O
narrative	O
approach	O
would	O
be	O
much	O
more	O
appropriate	O
since	O
the	O
genre	O
calls	O
for	O
players	O
to	O
repeatedly	O
play	O
through	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
planned	O
to	O
name	O
the	O
game	O
Minos	B-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
hero	O
Theseus	O
as	O
the	O
player-character	O
seeking	O
an	O
exit	O
from	O
the	O
ever-shifting	O
mazes	O
of	O
Minos	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
a	O
work	O
break	O
,	O
Kasavin	O
researched	O
more	O
into	O
Greek	O
myths	O
and	O
found	O
that	O
Hades	B-Language
was	O
underrepresented	O
in	O
these	O
stories	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Olympians	O
feared	O
him	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
discovery	O
led	O
Kasavin	O
towards	O
having	O
the	O
game	O
centered	O
on	O
Zagreus	O
attempting	O
to	O
escape	O
from	O
Hades	B-Language
and	O
the	O
Underworld	O
as	O
a	O
more	O
interesting	O
narrative	O
approach	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kasavin	O
compared	O
the	O
gods	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
big	O
dysfunctional	O
family	O
that	O
we	O
can	O
see	O
ourselves	O
in	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
by	O
having	O
Zagreus	O
repeatedly	O
try	O
and	O
fail	O
to	O
escape	O
from	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
it	O
would	O
provide	O
both	O
the	O
type	O
of	O
slapstick	O
comedy	O
that	O
he	O
felt	O
captured	O
the	O
relationships	O
in	O
this	O
"	O
family	O
"	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
player	O
experience	O
typically	O
associated	O
with	O
roguelikes	O
where	O
one	O
moment	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
feel	O
invincible	O
only	O
to	O
be	O
quickly	O
defeated	O
and	O
brought	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
start	O
the	O
next	O
moment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
change	O
from	O
Theseus	O
to	O
Zagreus	O
had	O
minimal	O
impact	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
content	O
they	O
had	O
developed	O
to	O
that	O
point	O
,	O
and	O
helped	O
in	O
establishing	O
the	O
gameplay	O
connection	O
to	O
the	O
narrative	O
;	O
Theseus	O
remained	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
but	O
his	O
role	O
became	O
that	O
of	O
a	O
boss	O
character	O
,	O
transforming	O
him	O
to	O
a	O
boastful	O
villain	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
tag-team	O
partner	O
of	O
Asterius	B-Operating_System
the	O
minotaur	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
Bastion	O
and	O
Transistor	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
more	O
linear	O
games	O
and	O
thus	O
had	O
more	O
control	O
over	O
how	O
the	O
player	O
progressed	O
,	O
Hades	B-Language
presented	O
the	O
challenge	O
of	O
writing	O
dialog	O
for	O
the	O
multitude	O
of	O
routes	O
the	O
player	O
could	O
progress	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
development	O
process	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
Supergiant	O
decided	O
to	O
rewrite	O
their	O
custom	O
game	O
engine	O
to	O
provide	O
better	O
game	O
performance	O
and	O
better	O
cross	O
platform	O
support	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
original	O
engine	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
written	O
in	O
C#	B-Application
and	O
used	O
the	O
Microsoft	O
XNA	O
framework	O
,	O
had	O
been	O
used	O
by	O
the	O
studio	O
for	O
all	O
of	O
their	O
games	O
since	O
Bastion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
making	O
Hades	B-Language
,	O
due	O
the	O
technical	O
limitations	O
and	O
difficulties	O
of	O
hardware	O
porting	O
and	O
other	O
performance	O
aspects	O
,	O
Supergiant	O
decided	O
to	O
rewrite	O
their	O
engine	O
using	O
C++	B-Language
based	O
on	O
the	O
framework	O
The	O
Forge	O
to	O
benefit	O
from	O
the	O
increased	O
performance	O
that	O
native	B-Language
code	I-Language
provides	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
was	O
announced	O
at	O
The	O
Game	O
Awards	O
2018	O
on	O
December	O
6	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
and	O
confirmed	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
third-party	O
titles	O
to	O
be	O
offered	O
on	O
the	O
newly-announced	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Summit	O
in	O
February	O
about	O
Hades	B-Language
and	O
their	O
intention	O
to	O
release	O
it	O
as	O
an	O
early	O
access	O
title	O
on	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
of	O
the	O
Game	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
was	O
a	O
timed-exclusive	O
on	O
the	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
,	O
later	O
releasing	O
for	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
December	O
10	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Supergiant	O
officially	O
released	O
the	O
game	O
out	O
of	O
early	O
access	O
on	O
September	O
17	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
coinciding	O
with	O
the	O
release	O
on	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
platform	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
physical	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
release	O
of	O
Hades	B-Language
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
19	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ports	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
were	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
13	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
received	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
praised	O
Hades	B-Language
for	O
its	O
story	O
,	O
characters	O
,	O
gameplay	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
its	O
nearly	O
two-year	O
long	O
early	O
access	O
period	O
,	O
Hades	B-Language
sold	O
700,000	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
won	O
several	O
awards	O
and	O
honors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hades	B-Language
also	O
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
awarded	O
a	O
Hugo	O
Award	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
special	O
video	O
games	O
category	O
introduced	O
for	O
the	O
2021	O
Hugo	O
Awards	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
Nebula	O
Award	O
for	O
its	O
writing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
Hades	B-Language
II	O
,	O
was	O
announced	O
at	O
The	O
Game	O
Awards	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
