To complete the main story objectives in Hades, players can expect to spend approximately 23 hours. This duration focuses on experiencing the primary narrative and reaching the true ending of the game.
Hades is a critically acclaimed roguelike action role-playing game where "dying" is an inherent part of the gameplay loop. Each "death" merely sends Zagreus, the prince of the Underworld, back to the House of Hades, allowing him to grow stronger, unlock new abilities, progress the story through character interactions, and attempt another escape. Therefore, the "time to complete" figures reflect the cumulative hours spent across numerous escape attempts, which naturally involve many returns to the House of Hades.
Understanding Hades' Completion Times
The overall time you spend in Hades can vary significantly based on your playstyle and goals.
Main Objectives
- Estimated Time: Around 23 hours.
- This refers to the time it generally takes to successfully escape the Underworld multiple times, reach the credits, and witness the conclusion of Zagreus's primary quest. It involves a deep understanding of the game's combat mechanics, boon synergies, and character progression.
100% Completion
- Estimated Time: Approximately 95 hours.
- For players who aim to fully complete Hades, the journey extends considerably. This includes:
- Completing all Prophecies: A list of achievements and narrative challenges.
- Maxing out all weapon aspects: Unlocking and upgrading all variations of Zagreus's Infernal Arms.
- Forging bonds with all characters: Reaching maximum affinity with the various gods, residents of the House of Hades, and other NPCs.
- Discovering all keepsakes and companions: Unlocking and upgrading every unique item and ally.
- Defeating bosses at various "Heat" levels: Progressing through the Pact of Punishment, which adds increasing difficulty modifiers.
Playtime Comparison
Here's a quick overview of estimated playtime for different levels of completion:
| Completion Goal | Estimated Playtime |
|---|---|
| Main Story | 23 Hours |
| 100% Completion | 95 Hours |
Source: HowLongToBeat
Factors Influencing Your Journey
Several elements can impact your personal playtime in Hades:
- Player Skill and Strategy: Your proficiency in combat, ability to choose effective boons, and adaptation to different weapon types will directly affect how quickly you can achieve successful escape attempts.
- Pact of Punishment Progression: After your first successful escape, the "Pact of Punishment" becomes available. This system allows players to incrementally increase the game's difficulty (known as "Heat") to earn unique rewards and further the narrative. Engaging with higher Heat levels will naturally extend your playtime.
- Narrative Exploration: Hades boasts a rich, character-driven story that unfolds with each run. Players who take their time to exhaust dialogue options, explore the House of Hades, and delve into the lore will find their playtime increasing.
- RNG (Random Number Generation): As a roguelike, each run offers different boons, encounters, and room layouts. Sometimes, luck can play a role in how quickly you progress through a specific attempt.
Ultimately, Hades offers a highly replayable and engaging experience. While the core story can be completed in a reasonable amount of time, the depth of its content encourages players to spend many more hours exploring every facet of the Underworld.
