The polished design, progressive rock soundtrack, and a legion of some of the hottest NPCs ever to appear in a video game are just a few of the reasons everyone is going to Hades these days. This isn't just another ordinary roguelike dungeon. It's the epic saga of Zagreus, son of Zeus, and his journey out of the Underworld. On the way, he interacts with gods, monsters, heroes, and legends of bygone times, making the game into an entertaining narrative in addition to being a fun and fast game.
There are two ways to experience all that Hades has to offer. The more conventional method involves gathering the required resources to max out Zagreus' abilities until he's so overpowered he just plows through the Underworld, and the other would be playing the game in God Mode. What exactly is God Mode in Hades, and how and when should a player use this handy feature?
God Mode in Hades
What Is God Mode?
God Mode is a setting in the game that gives players an edge on the amount of damage they take. As soon as God Mode is activated, Zagreus gets a 20% decrease in the amount of damage he takes. This increases by 2% every time he does without escaping the Underworld and finally caps out at 80%. At this point, even a beginner should be able to breeze through the three hellish realms of Tartarus, Asphodel, and Elysium without too much resistance.
The Difficulty Settings in Hades
There are three difficulty settings in Hades. This is comparable to the sliding scale of difficulty that's found in most video games regardless of genre, especially those that have some kind of storyline.
- Default. Also referred to colloquially as "normal" or "regular" mode, this is how the game is set if the player doesn't make any changes before choosing a save slot.
- Hell Mode. In a regular game, the curse "Pact of Punishment" doesn't apply until after Zagreus' first successful attempt to escape from the Underworld. In Hell Mode, it's applied from the beginning of the game, making the initial dungeon runs that much harder.
- God Mode. The easiest setting, but it doesn't make the player invulnerable or affect their ability to collect resources. Players can still die and return to the House of Hades just like in regular play mode.
Why Use God Mode?
God Mode in Hades is comparable to Story Mode in RPGs like Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. There's a lot more going on here than just slashing through the interlocking dungeon rooms, and some players are more interested in Zagreus' destination than his journey. Games of this kind don't usually have a complex storyline to look forward to, but this is yet another reason that Hades is so popular.
It's not just the story of Zagreus either. There are other lost souls separated from their loved ones by death, or sometimes time or circumstance as it is with immortals, and the game includes stories for many of them. Bear in mind that these might always remain hidden if the player decides only to focus on the main storyline, but Zagreus can always go back to the House of Hades and try again.
Switching to God Mode
The options for difficulty levels aren't all on the same screen in the game, which is a bit counter-intuitive at first. God Mode can be turned on in the Settings Menu and Hell Mode can be found on the Save Game screen.
There's a good reason for this separation. Gode Mode can be turned on or off at any time and applies to all of the save slots except the ones with Hell Mode.
Hell Mode is only activated when the player chooses a save slot for a new game. This is because Hell Mode is permanent and saves with the game, so exercise caution when using it.
Builds and Playthroughs for God Mode
Weapon Builds
It's not an RPG, but Hades does share some of the familiar customization options when it comes to abilities and weapons. Zagreus' has a small weapon cabinet to choose from and these can be customized using Titan Blood, which also unlocks the weapon's special abilities. This doesn't change in God Mode, so if the player has a certain build for their favorite weapon in mind, it's still fully accessible if they switch over.
Keepsakes and Boons
Titan Blood isn't the only way to upgrade Zagreus' powers. Friendly NPCs throughout the Underworld will give him a Keepsake if he gives them some sweet, delicious nectar, a worldly pleasure that's forbidden in the underworld.
The various gods also give Zagreus these gifts, ensuring they'll appear more often when he has their Keepsake equipped. Players use this to gain a number of Boons from certain gods in a strategic way to build up their attacks and special abilities. The process is the same in God Mode, although fewer trips through the underworld would also mean fewer Boons overall.
The Mirror of Night
The Mirror of Night is a gift from Nyx that Zagreus can use to increase his power. Some of the abilities granted by the mirror are the same as those granted by the mirror, and the abilities don't stack.
If God Mode is active, Zagreus already has increased resistance to damage, so the player can spend more of their hard-earned Darkness Currency or Chthonic Keys on something else. Other expensive abilities, like Death Defiance, are also less important.
Achievements
In Zagreus' private quarters there's a document on a desk called the Fated List. This is a record of all of Zagreus' various achievements and is organized like an old-school prophecy that fits in with the game's ancient Greek aesthetic.
The Fated List doesn't change between God Mode or regular mode, but it's a long list of tasks. If a player wants to accomplish them all, they'll have to return to the House of Hades even if they finally reach the end of Elysium.