Hades took the gaming world by storm when it first came out. Everyone immersed themselves in the game while battling a plethora of enemies and talking to famous Greek gods. After finishing the title, many found themselves craving something similar. Something that would relive the excitement they had when they first started Hades.
It can be challenging to find similar games to something you’ve enjoyed, especially if it has taken a large place in your heart. However, with deep digging, you can hopefully find what you are looking for, and that’s what we’re going to do today. If you’re someone who’s looking for similar games to Hades, then you’ve come to the right place.
Bastion
Brought to you by the same developers behind Hades, Bastion has a beautiful world which you cannot stop gazing at. The details, the atmosphere, and the overall world are so well crafted. Not only that, but Bastion has a charming soundtrack that you can listen to while you venture and defeat enemies left and right.
One reason you’ll find yourself loving Bastion is its story, which is seriously easy to follow, and because of that, you’ll find yourself hooked into the action for hours.
Bastion and Hades have a lot in common. First of all, dying in the game will revert you back to a far checkpoint in which you’ll have to repeat the same process. Dying too many times will result in a game over, and you’ll have to start from the very beginning of the level. Secondly, the difficulty in the game starts increasing the further you progress. So make sure you’re fully prepared before you step into the hack and slashing, as well as shooting.
Dead Cells
There are noticeable similarities between Dead Cells and Hades, and that’s punishing the player until they get better. It can be disappointing when you’re against the final boss, and they pull a sudden finishing move resulting in you restarting from zero. But hey, Dead Cells’ rule is as follows: No checkpoints, learn, kill, die and repeat. Likewise, Hades has a similar approach. Meaning, the game isn’t easy, and you can’t just quit mid-game without restarting from the beginning.
Every run is quite different as maps change, enemies, and randomly picked items. So, you really have to be patient with dying and repeating until you learn how to get the hang of the game’s mechanics and defeating every boss that tries to finish you off.
In Dead Cells, you take on the role of a unique character who is desperately trying to escape their miserable situation, but they find themselves doomed to repeat the cycle countless times until they figure out how to flee.
Children of Morta
Children of Morta is a roguelike title that puts heavy emphasis on family relationships, and how each member has to help the others to overcome the hardship that befell them. It has everything you would expect from a roguelike title, and that’s where it doesn’t disappoint. The game’s story casts you in the role of the Bergson family, custodians of Mount Morta, who are tasked with defending it from a menacing evil called the Corruption.
Similar to the games that were mentioned above, as you progress in the game, you get to unlock new family members that have their own unique playstyle and their own personal story. The family must go through automatically generated dungeons while defeating foes and bosses throughout the way.
However, the reason why Children of Morta is worthy of being labeled as a similar game to Hades is because of its story-driven experience. Players will get to experience changes in the narrative side and dialogue at the of their runs. In addition, players will also get to experience different narrative events which occur on each different playthrough. There’s also plenty of side quests and things to do in the game that will keep you hooked for a very long time.
Transistor
In case you didn’t know, Transistor is another game by Supergiant that is pretty similar to Hades. It has an incredible style, music, and artwork that still holds up to today’s standards. If you’ve played Bastion and Hades, but haven’t played Transistor, what are you waiting for?
The game puts you in the shoes of Red, a famous singer in a futuristic city called Cloudbank, who is attacked by the Process. Thankfully, she manages to run away, but she stumbles across a great sword-like weapon called the Transistor. The Process is also looking for the Transistor to achieve their own gains.
Wizard of Legend
Wizard of Legend is fast paced and action-packed, putting heavy emphasis on movement and a smart combination of spells in a roguelike dungeon crawler that features over a hundred unique spells and relics to pick from. If I had to make a comparison, Wizard of Legend actually plays like a combination of Hyper Light Drifter and Transistor as both share this sense of fast pacing.
The player controls a wizard who has to go through the Chaos Trials, a series of challenges by the council of magic. The contestants that manage to successfully finish every challenge will earn the right to become the titular Wizard of Legend.
Enter the Gungeon
Enter the Gungeon is a bullet-hell roguelike developed by Dodge Ball and published by Devolver Digital. The game requires quick movement similar to Wizard of Legend to defeat your foes. Enter the Gungeon follows four heroes as they descend into the titular Gungeon searching for a legendary time machine that is capable of obliterating the past.
Enter the Gungeon is all about the quick reaction to enemies’ attacks. The beautifully depicted world of the game is brimming with monsters whose job is to end your life. Pretty much like any roguelike title, the foes you encounter are completely random, so it’s always wise for one to be quick on their feet while having the best weapon equipped. Enter the Gungeon is challenging, but that’s not something new for roguelike fans who are there to die more than twice.
Rogue Legacy
At first glance, Rogue Legacy may look like those browser games from the 2000s, but trust me, it is not. Rogue Legacy is an actual roguelike platformer that is all about persistent progression mechanics and tough difficulty, which will make you, of course, die a couple of times before you get the hang of it. It has everything you would expect from a roguelike title. Procedurally generated adventures that make repetition less boring, more than eight classes to choose from, and each class has its own abilities. In addition to this, there are tons of secrets Easter Eggs to discover the further you progress in the game.
If you had finished Rogue Legacy and couldn’t get enough, you seriously need to pick up the sequel.
Crosscode
Crosscode is a retro-like inspired 2D action RPG that plays similarly to Enter the Gungeon and another game called Xeno Crisis. Crosscode takes a handful of inspiration from SNES and GBA era graphics, and includes a fast-paced combat system with engaging puzzle mechanics which will succeed in hooking the player for hours.
In Crosscode, you take on the role of Lea as she logs into a fictional MMO world called CrossWorlds. However, upon doing that, she has lost her memory, and as a result, she’s become mute. The only way to regain her memory is by playing and going deep into the game. The deeper she goes in, the more she discovers about CrossWorlds.
Dark Cloud
I know what you’re thinking right now after seeing this, and yes I know it’s an actual JRPG and not a roguelike game. But hear me out, Dark Cloud actually has elements that make it similar to Hades. One of the similarities is the auto-generated dungeons that change each time you enter them. In addition, dying in the game will have the same consequences you’d see in Hades. The game is just as difficult without a guide. So, better check that out before you get into the supposed Zelda killer back then.
In case you’re not aware of this game, Dark Cloud follows the story of a young adventurer who has to rescue his beloved world from the clutches of an evil djinn. He has to restore life to the world, by rebuilding cities, interacting with various characters, and embark on a tough adventure that will determine the fate of his village. If you’ve already played any Level-5 games before, and missed this one, you better check it out!
The Binding of Isaac
Finishing up the list with The Binding of Isaac, which everyone has heard of at this point. If you didn’t, then it’s time to give it a try. Surprisingly, the game is still played and cherished to this day due to its roguelike elements, and the challenge it offers. The graphics also play a major role in pulling people in without them realizing it. With that said, if you’re a fan of roguelikes, and you’ve played some of the games that were mentioned above, then this one is for you.
