Bringing Hades to the PS5 is a no brainer. When you have the winning formula of addictive gameplay, appealing art direction, and an endearing cast of characters – all of which Hades possesses in droves – you’re in for a good ride.
The team responsible for bringing Hades to PS5 fully understand this, and accordingly don’t do anything that could mess the whole thing up. Rather, they ensure that the game runs better on a technical level than it ever has before, utilising a few next-gen features to subtly improve player immersion.
Those that found Hades frustratingly difficult will no doubt still find it so, although perhaps the ergonomic DualSense controller will help some players better cope with the endless waves of mythological adversaries.
If you were playing Hades on Switch or a smallish PC monitor, then the upgrade here is staggering. This version of the game maintains its target of hitting 60fps in 4k with apparent ease and it’s a joy to behold.
The visual style of the game has always been one of its big draws, and Hades on PS5 really allows players to take it all in. Smooth, colourful, and gorgeous.
The DualSense features are what will likely separate Hades on PS5 from the Xbox version – and while not critical, they undeniably add some fun. The controller’s haptic feedback system is on full display here, shaking and rattling its heart out in response to whatever is happening onscreen.
Petting Cerberus results in some unique trigger resistance that approximates his movements and growling, being struck by enemies results in feedback, and the most powerful vibrations are reserved for when the Gods of Olympus announce themselves. You feel that thunder like it just came crashing down next to you.
Speaking of which, your controller’s lighting scheme changes depending on which God you are speaking to (within reason as the DualSense unfortunately has less colours than there are Gods of Olympus). Sure, it’s hardly revolutionary, but it’s a nice little nod to players that are repurchasing Hades on PS5. The development team aren’t phoning this in.
Launching at a price of $39.95 on Sony’s PlayStation Store, Hades on PS5 isn’t an expensive game by today’s standards. However, for those that already purchased it on another platform, it may not be representative of good value. This is the same game, albeit to be enjoyed in a different context (lounge room video gaming is the best video gaming).
If you’ve slept on Hades though, and are curious about one of the most acclaimed games of 2021, then now is the perfect time to correct that. As many fans will attest, Hades offers more bang for your buck than almost any other game out there.
Produced by Clocked: https://happymag.tv/clocked/
Reviewed by Alastair Cairns: https://happymag.tv/author/alastair-cairns/
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