There are a lot of things to love about Supergiant Games' roguelike darlingHades, and much ink was spilled over the game even before it became amajor presence at The Game Awards 2020. It has deep mechanics that become more challenging at a player’s discretion, a very stylized art direction, and an evolving story with a tangible reverence toward its mythological source material. However, there is a more bespoke element toHades' storytelling with a lot of future potential: the Infernal Arms.
The six Infernal Arms areHades' weapon options, based on those used by the Olympians during the in-universe version of the Titanomachy: Stygius, the sword wielded by Poseidon; Varantha, the spear wielded by Hades; Aegis, the shield wielded by Zeus; Coronacht, the bow wielded by Hera; Malphon, the fists wielded by Demeter; and Exagryph, the gun wielded by Hestia.
RELATED:The Case for Zagreus in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Though some liberties have been taken, as it’s comical to imagine theGreeks describing their Goddess of the Hearthfiring off a grenade launcher at the Titans, the idea that Zagreus can unlock new aspects for each weapon based on other owners is interesting. Varantha acts one way when it is attuned to Zagreus, but gains other unique attacks when given the aspect of Hades or Achilles - who also happens to be the protagonist’s teacher and confidant. Supergiant Games took this idea one step further by introducing hidden aspects with far-reaching effects on the game’s narrative.
Each hidden aspect Zagreus can unlock is based on the mythologies and stories told by different cultures, branching outHades' scope far beyond its Greek roots. For example, It turns out Coronacht is also Sharanga, the bow wielded by theHindu godVishnu. This dynamic is especially interesting because certain weapons belong to people who do not yet exist: notably Excalibur, the holy sword of King Arthur. When Zagreus uses Arthur’s aspect against his father for the first time, Hades remarks it is “no name either of gods or kings of any realm I know.”
Supergiant Games is not known for sequels. This is commendable, as it meansthe developer has a diverse catalogue of gameswith different mechanics, universes, and vibes for players to enjoy. While this means there is unlikely to be aHades 2, the idea Supergiant has sewn regarding the Infernal Arms belonging to any number of historical or mythological figures could connect its future projects in a fun way.
RELATED:The Best Video Game Stories of 2020
Should this team decide to tackle astory about King Arthur’s court, for example, there could be subtle nods to the idea that weapons wielded by Knights of the Round Table are the same Infernal Arms wielded by the Greek gods in an age long past. Supergiant could tread the same ground of having each weapon’s malleability play into those stories, or it could simply be a winking reference to an audience familiar withHades.
This idea lends itself better to aspects with larger connective tissue like Mesopotamian mythology for Malphon’s hidden owner Gilgamesh, or Judeo-Christian traditions for Exagryph’s hidden owner Lucifer. It would likely take much more work to flesh out Aegis' hidden owner Beowulf into aHades-styled game with multiple Infernal Arms making appearances. However, this could also extend to stories not referenced directly byHades. AfterGod of War(2018) andAssassin’s Creed Valhallatook a stab at Norse mythology, who’s to say Odin’s spear Gungnir could not also secretly be an aspect of Varantha.
Differing weapon aspects are one major facet of whyHadesis so replayable, because they leave room for fans to pick favorites based on playstyle. Supergiant Games' creative directorGreg Kasavin told Game Rant that Aegis' aspect of Zeus is his favorite. However, the deeper storytelling of a secret connected universe based on the mythos of various cultures is no doubt one of the most interesting ideas to consider based on the groundwork this fan-favorite indie developer has laid out.
Hadesis available now on PC and Switch.
