Hades Game of the Year, with the indie title beating out several strong AAA competitors for the accolade. Though Hades has an intricate narrative with tough gameplay, part of its success was due to the developers building in an optional buff called god mode.
In Hades players are Zagreus, rebellious son of the eponymous ruler of the underworld. Zagreus is attempting to escape the realm of Hades and make it to the world of the living, fighting his father's minions through Tartarus, Asphodel, and Elysium. Along the way he gets to know many of his relatives on Olympus, who grant him boons to help him on his quest. Though the escape attempts start as an act of rebellion, a means of running away, Zagreus slowly uncovers pieces of a long-held family secret he had no idea even existed. As a roguelike, dying and restarting the run from the beginning is just as important as progressing through levels.
Fighting out of Hades can be brutally tough, to the point where player progression through the narrative can stall. For players who wanted to focus more on the story and less on perfecting combat skills, or for those who were struggling to beat the game, Hades offers a God Mode that makes the game a little easier. God Mode essentially buffs Zagreus' damage resistance, starting with 20 percent and increasing two percent each time a player dies. Hades' God Mode doesn't allow players to become invincible, however, as it caps players at 80 percent damage resistance.
How to Use God Mode In Hades
Thankfully, Hades' God Mode is easy to use, as players simply need to open the settings menu and toggle to activate or deactivate as needed. It's also versatile, in that it can be turned on or off at any time, even in the middle of a run. Players only reap the benefits of God Mode while it is active, however, so turning God Mode off in the midst of Asphodel will exponentially increase the damage a player can take. Additionally, if God Mode is off when a player dies, they will not get the additional damage resistance when they come back.
Everything else in the game remains the same with Hades' God Mode in effect. Enemies have the same attacks, weapon damage dealt to Hades' enemies remains the same, and the same items randomly spawn throughout the run. Most importantly, none of the narrative becomes unavailable or changes in any way with God Mode enacted. Additionally, none of the NPCs mention the buff, a nice touch for players who might feel guilty for playing Hades on easy mode.
