Hades is a game all about learning and patience. For people who are new to the game, they might think that they can never get past a certain part or it is just to hard, well it might be for you at that specific time. The thing about Hades is the fact that you get more powerful as you play, and new players don’t understand this until they get so far into it.
In this article, I will share a ton of tips for beginners that will help you understand how the game works and what certain aspects of the game are. Keep in mind that you will die, but that is the fun or a rogue-lite. Before I get into the rest of the article, this is a rogue-like that lets you get more powerful as you play and the upgrades are a permanent part of the game.
Here are a bunch of beginner’s tips for new players of Hades:
Related: How hard is Dark Souls, really?
Focus on collecting Chthonic Keys
Chthonic Keys – One of several Artifact currencies that can be found within the Underworld. They allow Zagreus to unlock additional upgrade choices at the Mirror of Night, as well as additional Infernal Arms.
The Chthonic Keys are one of the most important artifacts to get in the beginning of your Hades adventure. You need the keys to unlock new abilities in the Mirror of Night, new weapons to use in each run, and even upgrades at the House Contractors for the Underworld. I would say that if you see any keys for rewards at all, go for those.
After you unlock everything you need to, focus on other artifacts. Once you get all upgrades and weapons, you pretty much don’t need the keys at all other than use in the trade shop for other materials and artifacts. You can still collect them because they aren’t worthless,
Upgrade your Mirror of Night
Mirror of Night – Located in Zagreus’s room, was a gift from Nyx to Zagreus to aid him in his attempts to escape the underworld. It is one of the main progression systems.
Reflecting at the Mirror gives Zagreus the ability to spend Darkness gathered from the Underworld to improve his own abilities. However, many of the abilities are locked at first, each requiring a varying number of Chthonic Keys to unlock.
After several escape attempts, the ability to refund spent Darkness for use on other abilities is unlocked. Refunding Darkness costs one Chthonic Key and refunds all Darkness spent.
There are a total of 24 abilities you can put your Darkness into, but only 12 of them at a time can be activated on your character. You start out with only 4 unlocked, but as you progress, you can unlock more of them. These upgrades are for helping you in the long-run.
My favorite ability, albeit expensive, is the Death Defy ability. You can upgrade it 3 times meaning you can die multiple times during one run, giving you time to survive for much longer.
Talk to everyone you can
Talking to people is how you progress the story. Every time you die, you will be sent back to the House of Hades and you will be given opportunities to talk to almost everybody that is there. Once you see someone with an exclamation above their head, then you can talk to them to progress in either the story or in your relationship with them.
The more you play, the more you will uncover about the story of the game and of the individuals in the game. It is pretty simple, just talk to everyone even if you don’t think it is very important. Everything you do is going to help you later in the game.
Give everyone at least 1 Nectar
Nectar – One of several Artifact currencies that can be rarely found within the Underworld. It is preserved after dying in the Underworld. It can be given to characters as a gift to improve your affinity with them.
Nectar can be received as a room clear reward, as a rare extra reward for clearing Infernal Troves with a 5% chance, from the Fated List of Minor Prophecies, or in trades with the Wretched Broker. With the Vintage Nectar upgrade from the House Contractor, Nectar will also give a random boon +1 Level when collected from a room reward.
Nectar is one of the most important items you can get in this game. Only with nectar can you even beat the main quest (no spoilers), so whenever you see this as a reward, go for that even if you need the keys. These artifacts are generally rare in how often you find them, but they are insanely important so make sure to take advantage whenever you see them.
Always use new Keepsakes
Keepsakes – items that can be equipped to obtain some sort of benefit during an escape attempt. They are acquired by giving Nectar to various characters.
Each Keepsake has a rarity, and you can level up the rarity by playing the game with them. Level 3 is the top you can get for each Keepsake, and it actually takes a little bit to get it there. All I can say is play with different Keepsakes as much as possible so you can get the most out of each of them.
A keepsake can be equipped in the display case in the courtyard before a run. Once a keepsake is equipped, it cannot be removed, only exchanged for a different one. Keepsakes may be changed mid-run after defeating the final boss of each area, in the room after the boss.
Closing the keepsake display after changing keepsakes will lock the display from being accessed again until the next post-boss room. If you switch out of a keepsake mid-run, you cannot switch back to it for the rest of the run.
Take each room slowly and be patient
The hard part of this game is the want to just get each room done as fast as possible, but that is how you waste all your Death Defiances. When you go to a new room, take it slowly and watch what each enemy does while also dodging out of the way. You really need to be patient with this game.
Last night, I finally beat the final boss with over 32 heat, you will eventually learn what that is when you get farther into the game, but for now focus on learning from your mistakes and play very patiently or you will get angry and even rage quit. Remember, dying is how you progress so don’t be mad when you die over and over.
Use the House Contractor upgrades
The House Contractor, located in the main hall of The House of Hades, is a shade given the task of restoring and repairing the Underworld by Lord Hades. It is one of the main meta progression systems in Hades (the other being the Mirror of Night.)
Zagreus may pay the Contractor Gemstones and Diamonds to add various furnishings to the House of Hades, his room, and the Underworld. Some of these furnishings can also provide Zagreus valuable assistance in his escape attempts.
The Contractor lists potential upgrades or furnishings on offer for Zagreus. Some upgrades or furnishings may require others to be purchased before they may appear. Make sure you take a look at everything they have because it might just help you get to the next area within the Underworld.
Don’t be afraid of buying temporary buffs
Well of Charon – An interactive shop that can be found in the Underworld. Temporary buffs can be purchased at the well to assist escape attempts. Wells will not spawn during the first run on a new save, nor will they spawn in the first four chambers of Tartarus. A Well of Charon is guaranteed to appear in the room immediately following a boss.
I know a lot of people just skip by these and only purchase the items they want from these, but I am telling you, there are a ton of buffs and increased stats you can get from the Well of Charon. Try out new ones and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to buy it again, but at least try each one once.
My favorite item from the Well is the Kiss of Styx which replenishes 1 use of Death Defiance. It is not guaranteed that you will find this item, but if you are missing a Death Defiance, then this replenishes the lost one entirely. Don’t just stick to using that one and only item, try new ones out because it might actually really help you.
Choose the Dark Weapon every run
The Dark Weapon is a boost to the amount of Dark you get in each run you do. There are a total of 6 weapons in the game, and the Dark weapon is randomly chosen for you before your run. It gives you 20% more Dark in that run you use the weapon in and you can eventually upgrade it to give you even more later on.
The way you see what the Dark Weapon is by looking for the purple aura around the specific weapon, and it will benefit you to try and take this buffed weapon every time you start a new run. Dark is very important and is used for upgrades and the house contractor, but you need a lot of Dark to get anywhere in the game.
Just make sure you choose that Dark Weapon every run so you are getting the most out of each run and that you are changing up your playstyle every time to make each run different from one another.
Use God Mode if you need it
God Mode is a difficulty option that can be toggled at any time from the menu on a non-Hell Mode file. God Mode grants 20% damage resistance, increasing by 2% each time a run ends in death (rather than escape). the damage resistance caps at 80%. This mode was added to make the game more accessible, as well as to give players a way to experience the story of Hades more quickly if they wish.
A lot of people have seen this option in the settings, but have been afraid to try it for the sake of being locked out of story or upgrades, but I am telling you now, that turning it on has no repercussions. All it does is give you an ability with how much damage reduction you have earned on it. As I said before, the damage caps at 80%.
If you are having trouble getting anywhere or you just want to beat the game faster, then try this, it actually helps. Even I have tried it and it lets you relax so you aren’t getting mad at everything the game throws at you. The story is actually pretty good as well so this helps with unlocking things faster.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Hades is an absolutely amazing game that new beginners might have trouble with. Everything I have said in the article will help you if you pay attention, whether you want to get farther in your next run or you want that next Mirror of Night upgrade.
Everything on this list is guaranteed to help you against the hardest enemies the game throws at you. Enjoy your learning phase and don’t give up. You will eventually become the god that destroys all gods, but it takes time.