Is Hades worth buying in 2026?
PLAY
Yes — Hades is worth buying in 2026, even with its sequel out. It is still the cleanest marriage of action and story the roguelike genre has produced — dying moves the plot forward — and it is the right place to start before Hades II.
Overwhelmingly Positive — 98% on Steam · Released 2020
from7,35 €checked 31 Aug 2026
The case
Hades solved the problem that kills most roguelikes: why keep going. Every death advances relationships and story, so the repetition is the narrative. Our games-like-Hades guide exists because so many people finish it wanting that feeling again — and most alternatives deliver only half of it.
The existence of Hades II is an argument for the original, not against it: same studio, same design language, and the first game’s ending is the emotional ground floor of the second. Start at the beginning.
It runs on anything, sessions fit a lunch break, and the checked low with its date is on this page. For what it gives back, it is one of the safest purchases in the genre.
Buy it if
- You want a roguelike where dying is progress, not punishment
- Tight, readable action with a different build every run appeals to you
- You plan to play Hades II and want the story in order
Skip it if
- Repetition is a hard no for you even when the story feeds on it
- You want pure buildcraft without action — Slay the Spire is that game
- Isometric action has never once clicked for you — no setting will change it
FAQ
Should I play Hades before Hades II?
Yes. The sequel stands alone mechanically, but the first game’s cast and ending are the emotional ground floor of the second. Meet the family in order.
How difficult is Hades?
Tuned, not brutal — and the optional God Mode adds a little survivability with each death, so anyone can finish the story without erasing the challenge for those who skip it.
Is it worth it if roguelikes usually bore me?
It is the genre’s best gateway: the story pull carries players the loop alone would lose. If even Hades bores you, the genre answer is no — and that is worth knowing too.
Played it already?
Escaped the Underworld enough times? Our ranked guide sorts ten follow-ups by which half of Hades they inherit — the hands or the heart — and names the famous one to skip.