How Long to Beat Hades? A Comprehensive Guide to Your Journey in the Underworld

Hades by Supergiant Games has quickly become a favorite for many fans of rogue-like dungeon crawlers.

With its engaging gameplay and strong narrative, players find themselves spending hours trying to escape the Underworld. But how long does it actually take to beat the game?

The answer isn’t straightforward. The time can vary depending on your gameplay style, objectives, and how deep you dive into the game’s content. In this article, we’ll break down the average times for different playstyles, from just the main story to a full 100% completion. Let’s explore what to expect with Hades.

How Long to Beat Hades?

Main Story:

For players experiencing Hades for the first time and focusing primarily on the main story, on average, it would take 23 hours. This includes battling through the Underworld, facing various gods and monsters, and progressing through the core narrative.

Main Story + Some Extras:

For players who delve into the main story of “Hades” and also tackle some extras, such as forging bonds with various characters, discovering hidden aspects of weapons, and engaging in side quests, the gameplay duration is 45 to 51 hours.

Completionists (100%):

Those aiming for 100% completion—maxing out relationships with all characters, acquiring all weapon upgrades, exploring all narrative arcs, and mastering the challenges of the Underworld—can expect to invest about 93 to 98 hours or more.

Speedruns:

Speedrunners, aim to finish the game as rapidly as possible using various strategies, glitches, exploits, and shortcuts, and have diverse categories for their runs. As of writing, the speedrun record for the main story is 5 minutes and 4 seconds.

Factors that Influence Playtime

Hades, much like other roguelike games, boasts a dynamic environment where no two runs are precisely alike. This ever-changing nature, coupled with a plethora of choices available to the player, results in a wide range of possible playtimes. While some factors streamline a player’s journey through the Underworld, others may present delightful detours or challenging roadblocks.

1. Weapon Choice: Hades offers a variety of infernal arms (weapons) to choose from. Some weapons, like the Stygian Blade, might be more straightforward for beginners, while others, like the Adamant Rail, might have a steeper learning curve. Your familiarity and mastery with a chosen weapon can greatly influence playtime.
2. Boon Combinations: The gods of Olympus offer boons (power-ups) that can drastically change the dynamics of gameplay. Finding synergistic combinations that match your playstyle can lead to quicker and more efficient runs, while non-optimal boon selections might prolong encounters.
3. Room RNG (Random Number Generation): The layout of rooms and the challenges they present are randomized in each run. Some runs might be more forgiving with easier enemies and beneficial chamber rewards, while others might pose tougher challenges.
4. Learning Curve: Hades has a progressive difficulty curve. As players familiarize themselves with enemy patterns, boss behaviors, and game mechanics, they’ll naturally become more efficient, reducing playtime for successive runs.
5. Heat Settings in the Pact of Punishment: After successfully escaping the Underworld for the first time, players can adjust the game’s difficulty using the Pact of Punishment, increasing challenges in exchange for greater rewards. This can significantly lengthen the time it takes to complete a run.
6. Narrative Progression: Interactions with characters, both in the House of Hades and during escape attempts, can pause the frenetic dungeon-crawling to unfold the story. Depending on a player’s investment in the narrative, these interactions can add to the overall playtime.
7. Fishing and Other Activities: Side activities, such as fishing in various Underworld locations, can also add to the overall playtime, especially for those aiming for completionist goals.
8. Upgrades and Meta Progression: The Mirror of Night and other upgrade systems allow players to enhance Zagreus’s abilities. Time spent deciding on upgrades and optimizing builds can influence overall playtime.

Criteria for 100% Completion in Hades:

Achieving 100% completion in a game like Hades is no small feat. It requires a combination of skill, dedication, and thorough exploration of all the game’s intricate facets. Here, we’ve compiled a detailed list to help players identify what’s needed to truly master every aspect of the game.

1. Weapons Fully Upgraded: All infernal arms (weapons) should be unlocked and their hidden aspects discovered and upgraded to the fullest.
2. Complete Boon List: Obtain every boon from all the gods of Olympus and fully explore their upgrade trees.
3. All Relationships Maxed: Forge bonds with all characters in the game, providing them with nectar and ambrosia, and completing their personal story arcs.
4. Prophecy Fulfilled: Complete the Fated List of Minor Prophecies given by the Moirai in the House of Hades.
5. Pact of Punishment: Conquer the Underworld at the highest heat setting available for each weapon, fulfilling the bounties for each heat level.
6. Narrative Completion: Experience and complete all narrative arcs, including the main story, side stories, and any post-game content.
7. All Keepsakes and Companions: Obtain and fully upgrade every keepsake and companion available in the game.
8. House of Hades Renovations: Purchase and apply all the available renovations and decorations for the House of Hades using the resources obtained during runs.
9. Fishing Collection: Catch every type of fish available in the various Underworld locales.
10. Mirror of Night: Fully upgrade Zagreus using the Mirror of Night, unlocking all abilities and alternate abilities.
11. Achievements/Trophies: Unlock all the game’s achievements or trophies, depending on the gaming platform.
12. Defeat Secret Bosses: If any secret or additional bosses are added in updates or expansions, ensure their defeat.

Achieving all of these criteria truly signifies a 100% completion of Hades, showcasing both mastery of its mechanics and a deep immersion into its narrative and world-building.