Somehow, 10 years have flown by since our studio co-founders, Amir Rao and Gavin Simon, left their jobs at Electronic Arts in Los Angeles, hunkered down in the living room of a house in San Jose, and started working on our first game, Bastion. Since then, we moved to San Francisco, and proceeded to create Transistor, Pyre, and most recently, Hades.

Our games have sold more than 10 million copies on more than 10 different platforms, and the success of each one made the next one possible. Though each of our games is quite different, they all share a common goal: to spark your imagination like the games you played as a kid. Through the years, we've stayed small, stayed independent, and stuck together as a team -- in fact, all seven of the original members of the Bastion team are all still here, working together in their respective roles. Above all, we've been extraordinarily lucky that our games have found such a big and supportive audience.


PAX West Celebration! At PAX West in Seattle, our team will be there to reflect on this milestone in our studio's history. We really hope you can join us! Here are some of the highlights to expect:

Special Events: We have a couple of incredible special events in store!

  • Supergiant in Concert: Experience a one-of-a-kind live performance celebrating 10 years of Supergiant Games, with songs from Bastion, Transistor, Pyre, and Hades!

    Featuring our composer and audio director, Darren Korb, longtime collaborator and vocalist Ashley Barrett, and the Supergiant Orchestra conducted by award-winning composer Austin Wintory. @8:30pm, Saturday Aug. 31, Main Theatre (aka Paramount Theatre)

Booth Location: We'll be at PAX all Labor Day weekend in booth #1515 -- the exact spot where we first debuted Bastion as part of the PAX 10, back in 2010.

What We're Bringing: This is the first time we'll have Hades playable at PAX!

  • We'll have many stations for you to come try the game and see how we're doing in Early Access.

  • We'll also have a 'High-Heat Challenge' demo station, where experienced players can win prizes if they can get far enough on a higher difficulty!

  • We'll have some brand-new merchandise on offer, such as our 10-Year Anniversary Poster featuring original artwork by our art director, Jen Zee, and a PAX-exclusive Hades T-shirt.

  • Our whole team will be there! Stop by and say hello.

From All of Us @ Supergiant Games, Thank You!!

Being able to create games on our own terms has been an extraordinary privilege. We look forward to many more years of making games together here; games that are worthy of your time, and that leave you with a lasting and positive impression. We really appreciate your support.

Hades is in Early Access, which means we're actively working on it based on our plans and your feedback. We expect to keep adding features, characters, weapons, foes, powers, environments, and more, while expanding the story and fine-tuning all aspects of the experience.

Note: πŸ“’ indicates a change inspired by community feedback! Our latest patch notes are below:

Early Access Patch 031 - October 17, 2019

This patch ties up some loose ends in the Superstar Update as we set our sights on our next Major Update, coming in December. It'll cap off a full year of updates, and we plan to make it a big one. Until then!


Boons & Blessings

πŸ“’ Support Fire (Artemis): now upgradeable using Poms


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

πŸ“’ Rapid Shot (Bow): you now can hold the attack command to autofire; now called Flurry Shot


Foes & Encounters

πŸ“’ Reduced how many Crawlers can appear in tougher encounters in the Temple of Styx


Level Design & Environments

Minor fixes and improvements to some chambers


Art & Visual FX

Visual touch-ups for the Bone Hydra
Additional visual touches to Asphodel chamber enter-and-exit sequence
Improvements to the Shield's Throw special recovery animation while using alternate Aspects
Updated textures for the Blade's Nemesis Aspect
Added passive visual effect to the Music Stand


Menus & UI

Improved feedback for some states of the Pact screen


Music & SFX

Added some sound effects to the Bone Hydra encounter
Updated some sound effects for the Weapon Aspects screen
Other minor additions, fixes, and improvements


Voice & Narrative

Added a narrative event for Eurydice
Added some new Zagreus voice lines for certain Pact, Daedalus Hammer, and Bounty interactions
Additional minor fixes and improvements to some narrative events and contextual voice lines


Miscellaneous

πŸ“’ Recovered the missing Infernal Contract that Lord Hades is always holding in his portrait
Persuaded an occasional pack of Shades in the House of Hades to move away from the Music Stand
Unified text descriptions for Boons and upgrades with Flurry effects
Other minor text changes


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Fixed interaction between Athena's Holy Shield and Blinding Flash
πŸ“’ Fixed Divine Dash (Athena) not always applying critical damage correctly
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue where a Splitter's projectile attack could vanish after she was slain
πŸ“’ Fixed some attack interactions with the Final Boss
Fixed Brimstone satellite crystals sometimes leaving orbit
Fixed a visual issue with Rocket Bomb (Daedaulus - Rail) and the weapon's alternate Aspects
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

"...while Orpheus thoughtlessly looked back, all unbelieving his Eurydice restored to him and following, he lost his singing's recompense; and she had come to the verge of life only to die once more."
~Hercules Oetaeus (Lucius Annaeus Seneca; F. Justus Miller translation)



Early Access Patch 030 - October 15, 2019

This patch makes additional improvements and fixes to last week's Superstar Update based on what we've been seeing. Expect one more smaller patch before we switch to working on our next Major Update.


Weapons, Aspects, & Powers

πŸ“’ Heart-Seeking Bow: reduced disable duration while loading Bloodstone ammo
πŸ“’ Shield of Chaos: improved Bull Rush input buffering after the Throw special
πŸ“’ Heart-Seeking Bow (Zagreus): now adds chance of critical attack (instead of power-shot window)
πŸ“’ Heart-Seeking Bow (Hera): reduced disable duration while loading Bloodstone ammo
πŸ“’ Eternal Spear (Achilles): you now can retrieve the thrown spear normally, or with Raging Rush
Adamant Rail (Hestia): increased damage for empowered shot


Boons & Blessings

Double Strike (Zeus): reduced bonus chance of effect after using Poms
Tempest Flourish (Poseidon): reduced knock-away effect from the Bow's Volley special
Exit Wounds (Artemis): now requires one additional related Artemis Boon before it is offered
Lightning Rod (Zeus x Artemis): no longer upgradeable using Poms
Heart Rend (Aphrodite x Artemis): no longer upgradeable using Poms


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Super Nova (Blade): reduced damage
Cruel Thrust (Blade): increased damage and critical chance
πŸ“’ Flurry Blade (Blade): you now can hold the attack command to strike repeatedly
Relentless Barrage (Bow): reduced number of bonus projectiles
Explosive Return (Shield): no longer applies Flourish Boon or similar effects during the blast
Extending Jab (Spear): increased damage
πŸ“’ Inescapable Blast (Rail): increased slowing effect on foes


Foes & Encounters

Slightly increased frequency of Thanatos encounters in Asphodel
πŸ“’ Voidstone: no longer appears in Erebus challenge chambers
πŸ“’ The Minotaur: fixed some instances where he was dealing more damage than expected


Keepsakes & Items

Bone Hourglass (Charon): increased Well of Charon effect durations for each rank
Shattered Shackle (Sisyphus): increased bonus damage from rubble at ranks 2 and 3
Evergreen Acorn (Eurydice): reduced instances of damage absorption for each rank; no longer loses charges to attacks that would have caused no damage


Level Design & Environments

Minor fixes and improvements to some chambers


Art & Visual FX

Further visual improvements to some Asphodel chambers
Further presentation improvements when leaving or entering Asphodel chambers
Updated visual FX for Zagreus run-stop animations for the Blade, Bow, Shield, and Spear
Updated animation for Chthonic Keys
Updated visual FX for Exit Wounds (Artemis)
Updated art for Pact Exit in the Courtyard
Other minor visual fixes and improvements


Menus & UI

Game screen now is dimmed while the game is paused
When unlocking Weapon Aspects, always auto-equip the new Aspect
Music track names for the Music Stand can now appear hidden before the track is unlocked
Improved legibility of repeated 'Backstab!' combat notifications
Slightly reduced size of standard damage numbers
Several text clarifications and other minor changes


Music & SFX

Minor fixes and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Additional scripting fixes to Eurydice & Orpheus story subplot
Added several miscellaneous narrative events for Eurydice & Orpheus
πŸ“’ Fixes and updated requirements for some narrative events
Fixes and tuning to some contextual voice events


Miscellaneous

Minor improvements to some Shades milling about the House of Hades
Skelly no longer rudely talks over Zagreus when starting a new escape attempt


Bug Fixes

Fixed the Rail's Hestia Aspect empowered shot applying damage twice from one Dash Attack
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue causing Support Fire (Artemis) to never be offered
πŸ“’ Fixed Hermes Boons unintentionally being affected by Eurydice's treats
πŸ“’ Fixed Exalted Brightswords sometimes being able to destroy the Rail's Bombard projectiles
πŸ“’ Fixed Final Boss not canceling out of certain attacks upon defeat
πŸ“’ Fixed some conversation alert icons not clearing as expected
Fixed certain Eurydice narrative events unintentionally being able to play more than once
Fixed 'Bounty Earned' messages showing current total Heat, rather than target Heat for Bounties
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue causing 'Death and I' to never be offered for the Music Stand
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

"'One sole condition yet
Upon the boon is set:
Let him not turn his eyes
To view his hard-won prize,
Till they securely pass
The gates of Hell.' Alas!"
~The Consolation of Philosophy (Boethius; H.R. James translation)



Early Access Patch 029 - October 10, 2019

We're thrilled by the rousing response to the Superstar Update!! We're following up with some improvements and fixes based on initial observations and feedback. We'll patch again in the coming days.


Weapons, Aspects, & Powers

Raised the max level of the Zagreus Aspect for each weapon to 5
πŸ“’ Stygian Blade: you can move a bit during the Nova special preattack sequence
Heart-Seeking Bow (Hera): reduced spread of Bloodstones from loaded shots
Adamant Rail (Eris): reduced damage bonus after absorbing a Bombard blast
Adamant Rail (Hestia): empowered shot now activates only from a manual reload


Boons & Blessings

Quick Reload (Artemis): reduced effectiveness
Nasty Dash (Dionysus): removed minor damage this was doing on impact
πŸ“’ Eclipse (Chaos): now also boosts Darkness drops from boss foes


Foes & Encounters

πŸ“’ Soul Catcher: projectiles should be slightly easier to hit
The Minotaur: updated some attack timings (he should be slightly more effective)
πŸ“’ Final Boss: beam attacks should interact with obstacles more reliably; skull ammo objects can now be targeted by more abilities


Level Design & Environments

Minor fixes and improvements to some chambers


Art & Visual FX

Added unique visuals for each weapon equip spot in the Courtyard to go with each Weapon Aspect
Updated textures and visual FX for some Weapon Aspects
Added unique menu images for each Weapon Aspect
Added visual FX for when your current weapon phases out in some Zagreus animations
Additional visual improvements to some Asphodel chambers
Additional presentation improvements when leaving or entering Asphodel chambers
Other minor visual fixes and improvements


Menus & UI

Added presentation when collecting Bounties
In the Pact screen, current Heat is no longer shown in two different places
πŸ“’ Ambrosia now shown in addition to other resources during escape attempts
The 'Slay to Retrieve' hint for lodged Ammo will no longer display on bosses
Added custom hint about retrieving ammo while using the Blade's Poseidon Aspect
Added unique tutorial objectives in the Courtyard while using certain Weapon Aspects
Minor text changes; other minor fixes and improvements


Music & SFX

Updated sound effects for certain Weapon Aspects
Minor fixes with the new Music Stand


Voice & Narrative

Added narrative events with certain characters (including Hades, Orpheus, and Skelly)
Added new Zagreus, Hades, and Skelly voice events for various gameplay contexts
Added new Storyteller events for successfully clearing runs
Updated requirements for some narrative events
Fixes and tuning to some contextual voice events


Bug Fixes

Fixed several issues causing the Eurydice & Orpheus story subplot to not advance correctly
πŸ“’ Fixed collision and blocking issues with the Chaos Shield while using Charged Shot (Daedalus)
πŸ“’ Fixed instances where the Spear's Achilles Aspect could be used to escape map boundaries
Fixed an issue preventing manual recovery of the Spear's Achilles Aspect Throw special
Fixed an issue causing the Rail's Hestia Aspect empowered-shot ability to transfer to other Aspects
Fixed interactions between the Rail's Hestia Aspect and Spread Fire (Daedalus)
Fixed interactions between the Rail's Hestia Aspect and Explosive Fire (Daedalus)
Fixed some visual issues with the Rail's Aspect animations
πŸ“’ Fixed Tisiphone's Extreme Measures (Pact) support attacks being active during chamber changes
πŸ“’ Fixed lava being blockable with the Chaos Shield
πŸ“’ Fixed Final Boss encounter not ending when expected if summoned urns were still present
πŸ“’ Fixed a rare crash in the Final Boss encounter
πŸ“’ Heat difficulty will reset in older saves that previously could get stuck at high difficulty
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue where the Tight Deadline (Pact) timer would expire prematurely in Elysium
Fixed an issue causing the Tight Deadline (Pact) timer to remain visible after defeat
πŸ“’ Fixed an unbreakable urn in the final chamber of Asphodel
Fixed some visual issues with the effect for Evergreen Acorn (Keepsake)
Fixed rare performance issues in the Pact screen
Fixed various other minor UI issues with the Pact screen
Fixed Duo Boons showing up as Legendary in the Pool of Purging
Fixed an issue where Infernal Troves requiring Skeleton Keys were not showing a lock indicator
Fixed some menu title text being off center
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'[Orpheus] became so adept at music that his playing and singing charmed wild animals and caused stones and trees to follow him when he wished.'
~Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology (E. Tripp)



Early Access Patch 028: The SUPERSTAR Update - October 8, 2019

Welcome to our seventh Major Update, which we think is our most game-changing one yet! Due to the number of new systems and features here, we're expecting to follow up on this initial launch with several smaller patches. We'll be watching your feedback closely as we go. Hope you enjoy it!


Highlights

Weapon Aspects: unlock specially-enchanted alternate forms for each of your different weapons
Pact of Punishment, 2nd Edition: an overhauled Pact is central to a newly revised endgame
Eurydice: the muse of Orpheus is out there, somewhere; can you find her?
New Resources: look for Gemstones, Diamonds, & Chthonic Keys as you make your escape
House Contractor: unlock a variety of new cosmetic items for the House of Hades, such as the...
Music Stand: unlock music pieces heard throughout the game, & change the music in the House
Underworld Renovations: look for new & improved visuals in the House of Hades & all of Asphodel
New Song: listen for the melodious voice of our longtime musical collaborator, Ashley Barrett!


General Gameplay

Added Weapon Aspects, revised Pact of Punishment, and House Contractor systems
Heat: removed as a collectible resource (part of the Pact rework; you will receive 5 Darkness for each Heat lost)
Gemstones and Diamonds: newly added resource used with House Contractor and Wretched Broker
Chthonic Keys: newly added resource used with Weapon Aspects and some other interactions
Your first boss clear with each weapon earns you a Bounty, i.e. a Chthonic Key or Diamond
πŸ“’ Your Death Defiance effects remove any poison effects


Weapons & Powers

Each weapon can now be permanently upgraded in the Courtyard, once you reach a certain point
Stygian Blade: reworked Nova special; updated Dash Attack (new timing and animation)
πŸ“’ Shield of Chaos: updated Dash attack (new animation); improvements to input buffering
πŸ“’ Eternal Spear: adjusted Attack combo timing and damage; updated Dash attack (new timing and animation); Throw special now staggers foes


Boons & Blessings

Zeus' Aid: reduced damage
πŸ“’ Athena's Aid: increased duration; Greater Call duration multiplier reduced to compensate
πŸ“’ True Shot (Artemis): added a chance to deal Critical damage
Hunter's Mark (Artemis): dealing Critical damage to foes with the 'Marked' Status Curse clears the effect
Exit Wounds (Artemis): reduced power scaling from improved rarity
Fully Loaded (Artemis): rarity set to Legendary
Support Fire (Artemis): no longer Legendary; effect now scales with rarity
Lightning Phalanx (Zeus x Athena): reduced max. number of bounces and bounce range
Shatter Shot (Aphrodite): reduced power scaling from improved rarity
Life Affirmation (Aphrodite): slightly reduced power level
πŸ“’ Rapid Cast (Hermes): now also increases Cast homing effects to compensate for the speed boost
πŸ“’ Stabbing (Chaos): cut from game (Master Chaos has decided not to punish you simply for dashing)
πŸ“’ Boons with 'Revenge' effects now trigger when your Death Defiance effects activate


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

The following upgrades are no longer offered: Empowering Nova (Blade), Mirage Flight (Shield), Heavy Slug (Rail), and Invigorating Blast (Rail); their spirits live on in some of the new Weapon Aspects
Piercing Wave (Blade): newly added! A long-range wave with every slash
Charged Shot (Shield): newly added! Your Bull Rush fires a projectile instead
πŸ“’ Multi Skewer (Spear): now pierces through the last foe it hits
Rocket Bomb (Rail): newly added! Fire a rocket instead of bombarding
Inescapable Blast (Rail): newly added! Foes are slowed while targeted for bombardment


Foes & Encounters

You can no longer run into multiple mini-boss encounters in a region in a single run
Increased the size of Elysium by one chamber
πŸ“’ Trial of the Gods encounters can now take place in Elysium
πŸ“’ Reduced max. types of Elite foes that can appear in Thanatos encounters
πŸ“’ Erebus challenge chambers now contain Champion foes (tougher than Elite foes)
Champion foes no longer drop money
Megaera and the Furies: learned some new tricks via the Pact...
Bone Hydra: slightly reduced health; updated ranged flurry attack; learned some new tricks via the Pact...
Exalted Longspear: now leap off impassable terrain
πŸ“’ Flame Wheels: groups spawn in quicker succession
πŸ“’ Soul Catcher: reduced appearance rate in Elysium; reduced Elite health; no longer completely immobile and now susceptible to knock-away effects
πŸ“’ The Minotaur: updated some animations and attack timings
πŸ“’ Theseus: updated some animations and attack timings
πŸ“’ Gigantic Vermin: poison puddles expire faster
πŸ“’ Final Boss: reduced damage; reduced health; reduced tracking of homing attack; reduced health of some Champion summons; summoned urns now invulnerable while spawning; overall, still a pain


Keepsakes & Items

Wells of Charon no longer offer Bedroom Decor items; the House Contractor has a monopoly on them
Evergreen Acorn (Eurydice): newly added! Take no damage from boss attacks for some number of hits
Old Spiked Collar (Cerberus): slightly reduced power level
πŸ“’ Black Shawl (Nyx): increased power level
πŸ“’ Lucky Tooth (Skelly): increased power level
πŸ“’ Lambent Plume (Hermes): tuned fast-clear durations for some encounter types
Charon now offers one of the two new rare resources for sale in the Temple of Styx


Pact of Punishment

Overhauled the system; now linked to Bounties (look for more details when you first get to it)
Rescaled Heat as a measure of difficulty (1 unit now is equivalent to about 5 units before)
Reworked and renamed the various Conditions
Middle Management: newly added! Raises number of Elite foes in mini-boss encounters
Tight Deadline: newly added! Gives you a limited amount of time to clear each region
Heightened Security: newly added! Boosts damage from traps
Underworld Customs: newly added! Forces you to purge a Boon as you leave each region
Extreme Measures: newly added! Influences the final battle in Tartarus
Snake Oil: newly added! Influences the final battle in Asphodel


Level Design & Environments

Added two new chambers in Asphodel
πŸ“’ Added a Pool of Purging to the final chamber in each region
πŸ“’ Added several new Erebus challenge chamber variants
Made some renovations to the House of Hades (others are ongoing)
Other minor fixes and improvements to various chambers


Art & Visual FX

Updated visuals all throughout Asphodel
Updated visuals in the House of Hades
Updated portrait for Orpheus
Updated visuals for the Wretched Broker
Updated visuals for wretched shades and spirits in various environments
Updated visuals in first chamber of Elysium
Added unique Zagreus run animations with the Blade, Spear, and Bow, and other weapon details
Added some animations for Megaera and the Furies to accompany their aforementioned new tricks
Updated textures for Alecto and Tisiphone
Updated some of the visuals for the Bone Hydra
Updated some animations for Theseus and The Minotaur
Updated various visual FX in Final Boss encounter, including the Status Curse effect
Improvements to the look of the Exalted once separated from their weapons
πŸ“’ Updated UI and visuals for Death Defiance effects
πŸ“’ Increased transparency of Dionysus' Festive Fog effects
πŸ“’ Improved feedback for the deactivated state of the Mandragora Cure Pools in the Temple of Styx
Removed slight animation from Dionysus and Ares portraits (due to various issues; they still blink, though)
Unified the look of Elite foes' armor outline
Updated main menu based on new Major Update (including our studio logo, for our 10th anniversary!)
Other minor visual changes, fixes, and improvements


Menus & UI

Updated Health Bar UI for foes
Updated visual FX for Boon selection
Underworld Map presentation when traveling between regions now shows earned Bounties
Added new Death Defiance UI indicators based on the source of the effect
The backing for interact prompts now scales with the prompt
Added alternate dialogue prompt for key early-game character conversations that unlock new systems (specifically, the Codex from Achilles and Mirror respeccing from Nyx)
πŸ“’ The Fallen Warrior's HydraLite Gold premium good now shows your life total in the tooltip
πŸ“’ The warning pop-up for deleting save data defaults to Cancel instead of OK
πŸ“’ Text clarifications to some Boons and upgrades
Other minor fixes, changes, and improvements


Music & SFX

'Good Riddance': added new music track, featuring the voice of Ashley Barrett!
Added various new sound effects for the new resources, systems, and other contexts
πŸ“’ Adamant Rail now has a distinct fire sound while low on ammo
πŸ“’ Battle emotes from Zagreus and others now affected by SFX Volume rather than Voice Volume
Minor fixes and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Added many narrative events with characters (including Eurydice, Orpheus, Hades, and Achilles)
Added many new Zagreus voice events for various gameplay contexts
Added Codex entries for Eurydice, Gemstones, Diamonds, and Chthonic Keys
Added to Codex entries for each of the Infernal Arms
πŸ“’ Added specific captions for ambient voice lines from the Fallen Warrior
Updated requirements for some narrative events
Fixes and tuning to some contextual voice events


Miscellaneous

Updated Development Roadmap to reflect our plans for our next Major Update, and beyond
The Wretched Broker now offers additional resource trades, and has fixed all his prices...
Some later Mirror of Night upgrades now require Chthonic Keys
Skelly: increased health (stationary jumping can be an effective form of cardiovascular exercise)
Rescaled Heat requirements to earn Skelly's unlockables
Credits: Eurydice added to voice cast; other updates, including new Community Contributors!


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Fixed issues with some Zeus lightning effects not taking upgrades correctly
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue causing Vicious Cycle (Ares) to ramp up damage more than expected
Fixed Positive Outlook (Dionysus) not gaining benefits from more than one Pom of Power
πŸ“’ Fixed Spent Spirit (Athena x Aphrodite) not affecting accelerating projectiles
Fixed Heart Rend (Artemis x Aphrodite) unintentionally applying additional chance for Critical damage
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue sometimes causing Chaos Gates and Infernal Gates to be invisible
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue sometimes causing parts of the Health UI to not show correctly
Fixed Skull-Crushers being susceptible to Backstab damage from the front
πŸ“’ Fixed issues related to vanquishing Theseus and the Minotaur in close succession
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue causing Gigantic Vermin poison puddles to not always clear after encounters
Fixed an issue where you could build up your God Gauge by hitting pillars while fighting the Final Boss
πŸ“’ Many other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'There remained but little more to climb till they would touch earth's surface, when in fear he might again lose her, and anxious for another look at her, he turned his eyes so he could gaze upon her.'
~Metamorphoses, Book 10: Orpheus & Eurydice (Ovid; B. Moore translation)



Patch Notes Archive

For patch notes from the previous Major Update, check out The Big Bad Update Patch Notes (August, 2019).
Hades is in Early Access, which means we're actively working on it based on our plans and your feedback. We expect to keep adding features, characters, weapons, foes, powers, environments, and more, while expanding the story and fine-tuning all aspects of the experience.

Note: πŸ“’ indicates a change inspired by community feedback! Our patch notes for the Big Bad Update are below:

Early Access Patch 027 - August 13, 2019

This patch makes further improvements and balance changes following last week's Big Bad Update. Barring any unexpected issues, we will now be focusing on our next Major Update. Thanks for playing!


General Gameplay

πŸ“’ After using Mandragora Cure Pools in the Temple of Styx, you now are briefly immune to poison
Slightly increased frequency of Valuable Urns in Styx (it is still less than before the last change)
Slightly increased frequency of Wells of Charon and Pools of Purging


Weapons & Powers

πŸ“’ Stygian Blade: increased damage radius of Nova special (it is still less than before the last change)
πŸ“’ Shield of Chaos: basic attack knocks foes away again (we and many of you liked it better this way)


Boons & Blessings

Poseidon's knock-away effects re-scaled (they no longer scale in intensity at higher rarity levels)


Foes & Encounters

πŸ“’ The Minotaur: slightly reduced health; reduced speed boost while enraged
πŸ“’ Theseus: slightly reduced health; reduced speed boost while enraged
πŸ“’ Snakestone: reduced tracking speed (it is still greater than before the last change)
πŸ“’ Satyr Cultist: attack no longer staggers you
πŸ“’ Final Boss: now deletes your save progress if you lose (just kidding; in actually, the Final Boss now has reduced damage and health, plus other changes that should reduce the sheer difficulty)


Keepsakes & Items

πŸ“’ Lucky Tooth: increased healing to better align with the recent change to Death Defiance effects


Level Design & Environments

πŸ“’ Minor fixes and improvements to some chambers


Art & Visual FX

Improvements to visual effects and death animation for Final Boss
Added death animation for Bother
Updated look of Styx Saw Blade Trap
Updated look of depleted Mandragora Cure Pools
Other minor changes and improvements


Menus & UI

Minor fixes and improvements to God Gauge UI


Music & SFX

Added ambient sounds to many Temple of Styx chambers
Minor sound effects updates for Final Boss encounter
Removed expiration warning sounds for Greater Calls with an instant effect
Other minor SFX changes and improvements


Voice & Narrative

Minor additions, fixes, and tuning to some contextual voice lines
Minor updates to requirements for some narrative events


Miscellaneous

Improved on-hit feedback for Max-Gauge Aphrodite's Aid
Improved feedback when using Artemis' Aid
Added more variety to the message when circumventing a certain multi-headed obstacle in Styx
Updated feedback when using the Fountain in the Styx Satyr Storage Chamber


Bug Fixes

Fixed Theseus sometimes using his 'Bull Horn' combo attack after the Minotaur is defeated
Fixed an issue with Spent Spirit (Athena x Aphrodite) giving Theseus more than one spear
Fixed the sound when targeted by sniping attacks sometimes lingering longer than expected
Fixed an issue where menu highlights sometimes vanished when closing and opening a menu
Fixed an issue in 'Trial of the Gods' where foes blessed by Athena could damage you after being slain
Fixed a minor camera issue entering the main hub in the Temple of Styx
Minor text fixes
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'Now [I came] to bid farewell to Zagreus and to his sire, the hospitaler.'
~Fragments (Aeschylus; H. Weir Smyth translation)


Early Access Patch 026 - August 8, 2019

Thank you for the warm response to the Big Bad Update! This follow-up patch fine-tunes various aspects, and makes balance changes based on what we've seen so far. We'll patch again in the coming days.


General Gameplay

πŸ“’ Slightly increased minimum chamber length of each Temple of Styx Satyr Tunnel
πŸ“’ Foes in Temple of Styx mini-chambers take slightly longer to attack when you first enter
Slightly reduced frequency of Valuable Urns in Temple of Styx
Slightly reduced money drops on foes in Temple of Styx


Weapons & Powers

Stygian Blade: reduced damage radius of Nova special
Shield of Chaos: basic attack no longer knocks foes away


Boons & Blessings

Zeus' Aid: reduced duration of Max Gauge Bonus
Poseidon's Aid: reduced duration, increased damage
Athena's Aid: reduced duration, reduced power level of Rare and Epic rarity
Aphrodite's Aid: reworked Max Gauge Bonus; now deals significant damage
Dionysus' Aid: reduced duration of Max Gauge Bonus
Thunder Dash (Zeus): reduced damage
πŸ“’ Last Stand (Athena): reduced healing; now offered only once you have at least one Athena Boon
πŸ“’ Deathless Stand (Athena): now offered only once you have at least one Athena Boon
Life Affirmation (Aphrodite): increased power level


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Flurry Blade (Blade): increased damage
Dashing Wallop (Shield): reduced damage; adjusted hitbox
Pulverizing Blow (Shield): removed the property 'no longer knocks foes away'
Spread Fire (Rail): removed penalty to max. ammo


Foes & Encounters

Megagorgon: now vulnerable to knock-away effects
Tisiphone: slightly reduced hitbox on her melee combo to align with the graphic
Gigantic Vermin: increased damage, increased attack-start range
Bother: increased damage, increased damage radius
Snakestone: increased damage, increased tracking speed
Satyr Cultist: attack now deals a bit of physical damage
Final Boss: increased damage of various moves; reduced blast speed of shockwave attack; reduced tracking of homing attack; beam attack now destroys rubble; various other adjustments


Level Design & Environments

πŸ“’ Miscellaneous fixes and improvements to various Temple of Styx chambers
πŸ“’ Minor fixes and improvements to other chambers


Art & Visual FX

Added and updated visual effects for Final Boss
Updated some animations for Final Boss
Updated art in various Temple of Styx chambers
Added visual effect for Gigantic Vermin and Crawler on-spawn attack
Added visual effect for when Lightning Rod (Zeus x Artemis) strikes foes
Other minor changes and improvements


Music & SFX

Adjusted audio mix in Final Boss encounter
Added new sounds for Cerberus in Temple of Styx
Minor updates to Olympian Call audio feedback
Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Added more voice lines to Final Boss
Added more Zagreus voice lines for various gameplay contexts in Temple of Styx
Added new 'Remembrance' event variants and adjusted some of their requirements
Fixed or updated requirements for some narrative events from the previous patch
Fixes and tuning to some contextual voice events


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Fixed various issues in Final Boss encounter
Fixed an issue sometimes causing the Final Boss Health Bar to not display properly
Fixed foes in Temple of Styx being vulnerable during their spawn sequence
Fixed a rare issue where the Minotaur would not spawn in his chamber
Fixed a rare issue where 'killing' Skelly made him appear in the next chamber, and bad things happened
πŸ“’ Fixed backward-compatiblity crash with certain Chaos Boons
πŸ“’ Fixed a rare issue where you could not progress after earning a Healing Chamber Reward
Fixed various graphical sorting issues
Fixed ambient audio not playing consistently from fountains
Minor text fixes
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'...she bare a second, a monster not to be overcome and that may not be described, Cerberus who eats raw flesh, the brazen-voiced hound of Hades, fifty-headed, relentless and strong.'
~Theogony (Hesiod; H. G. Evelyn-White translation)


Early Access Patch 025: The BIG BAD Update - August 6, 2019

Welcome to our sixth Major Update, where at last you can rise to the very top of the Underworld and face what awaits! We've packed a lot into this one, so we'll be keeping a close eye on your feedback and making follow-up changes for several days before we change focus to our next big update.


Highlights

Temple of Styx: an all-new, labyrinthine biome awaits at the very edge of the Underworld
Final Battle: there is no escape from the Underworld; at least not without a fight
Sinister New Foes: beware of Gigantic Vermin, Satyr Cultists, and more; plus deadly new traps!
Wrath Rework: now you can call upon divine aid from Olympus much more often during battle
Pool of Purging: rid yourself of the occasional unwanted Boon, in exchange for some coin
New Boons & 'Duo' Boons: the Olympians have a slew of powerful, new blessings on offer
New Story Events: more of the Underworld Prince's story unfolds if you can reach the Temple
New Music: not one but two blood-boiling new tracks to accompany the new setting


General Gameplay

πŸ“’ Boss foes switch between phases faster (their invulnerability periods are shorter)
πŸ“’ Knock-away effects now work against boss foes
πŸ“’ 'Trial of the Gods': spurned gods' Boons no longer have reduced rarity; they may offer 'Exchange' Boons for Boons from the other god
Slightly reduced the length of each biome (since completing a run now takes longer than before)
Increased healing from Death Defiance effects
After clearing Encounters, Chamber doors should unlock slightly faster than before
Pool of Purging: newly added! Look for these in chambers from time to time
Increased value of Charon's Obol Chamber Rewards and gifts from Sisyphus
Wall Slam damage scales up in each successive biome
πŸ“’ Health pick-ups no longer block projectiles


Weapons & Powers

Heart-Seeking Bow: increased damage of main Attack (Dash Attack is unchanged)
Shield of Chaos: returns sooner after the Throw special if there are no other foes near it
Various improvements and fixes to input buffering


Boons & Blessings

Reworked and renamed Wrath and all Wrath Boons: now you can Call for Olympian aid more often, or use your entire God Gauge for an ultra-powered effect like before
Billowing Strength (Zeus): newly added!
Thunder Dash (Zeus): normalized base power level
Tempest Strike (Poseidon): slightly reduced power level
Tempest Flourish (Poseidon): slightly reduced power level
Divine Strike (Athena): slightly increased power level
Proud Bearing (Athena): increased power level
Heartbreak Strike (Aphrodite): slightly increased power level
Life Affirmation (Aphrodite): newly added!
Impending Doom (Ares): newly added!
Clean Kill (Artemis): reduced power level
Fully Loaded (Artemis): no longer upgradeable using Poms
πŸ“’ Tipsy Shot (Dionysus): now enhanced by Rapid Cast (Hermes)
Second Wind (Hermes): newly added!
Greater Recall (Hermes): newly added!
Greater Evasion (Hermes): reduced power level of Rare and Epic rarity
Passing Through (Hermes): reduced power level
Lightning Phalanx (Zeus x Athena): newly added!
Vengeful Mood (Zeus x Ares): newly added!
Freak Accident (Zeus x Artemis): cut from game; replaced with...
Lightning Rod (Zeus x Artemis): newly added!
Sweet Nectar (Poseidon x Aphrodite): newly added!
Exclusive Access (Poseidon x Dionysus): newly added!
Merciful End (Ares x Athena): reduced power level
Heart Rend (Artemis x Aphrodite): newly added!
Hunter's Mark (Artemis): Status Curse now applies to a nearby foe (instead of the one you hit)
Ocean's Bounty (Poseidon): yields greater rewards; no longer affects Centaur Hearts
Razor Shoals (Poseidon): reworked; Rupture damage no longer scales with move speed
Vicious Cycle (Ares): effect no longer stacks from separate sources
Grasp (Chaos): reduced max. possible bonus


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

πŸ“’ Sniper Shot (Bow): reduced min. distance for damage bonus; reduced damage bonus
πŸ“’ Twin Shot (Bow) and Sniper Shot (Bow) are now mutually exclusive
Pulverizing Blow (Shield): fixed an issue causing on-hit effects not to trigger from the second hit
πŸ“’ Exploding Launcher (Spear): now increases base damage of the Throw special
Invigorating Blast (Rail): power-up effect is applied more reliably


Foes & Encounters

Beware of a variety of all-new foes and sinister traps in the Temple of Styx
πŸ“’ Thanatos: reduced frequency of his area attack; also increased preattack duration and recovery time
πŸ“’ 'Trial of the Gods': Athena effects no longer harm you as foes spawn
Slam-Dancer: attacks more frequently
Alecto: increased damage of Whip Shot attack
Bone Hydra: increased health and armor
Soul Catcher: butterfly projectiles can no longer be deflected (only destroyed)
The Minotaur: reduced health
Theseus: reduced health; removed Chariot reinforcements


Keepsakes & Items

πŸ“’ Lambent Plume: clear-times required to gain the benefit now vary by encounter type
Kiss of Styx (Well): increased shop cost


Level Design & Environments

Added Temple of Styx chambers
Other minor fixes and improvements to various chambers


Art & Visual FX

Added new Temple of Styx environment set
Updated textures for Megaera
Updated look of Witch variants in Asphodel and Elysium
Added slight animation to portraits for Dionysus and Ares
Added visual effect for Exit Wounds (Artemis)
Updated visual effects for Shatter Shot (Aphrodite)
Updated UI and visuals for Death Defiance effects
Updated some artwork in the House of Hades
Updated visual effect for spurned god's Boon vanishing in Trials of the Gods
Updated visual effect for Gorgon and Megagorgon projectiles
Updated shadows on some House of Hades characters
Updated main menu based on new Major Update


Menus & UI

Updated Wrath Gauge UI (now called the God Gauge) as part of the Wrath system rework
Updated biome map with the Temple of Styx
Updated text for various Boons and interactions
Added visual timer when using Lambent Plume (Hermes)
Improved feedback on active Heat UI when using the Pact
πŸ“’ Text clarifications to some Boons and upgrades
Other minor changes and improvements


Music & SFX

Two new music tracks, for the Temple of Styx and final battle!
Added many new sound SFX for the Temple of Styx
Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Added narrative events with several characters
Added more Zagreus voice lines for various gameplay contexts
Added new Storyteller events for successfully clearing runs; removed some that no longer apply
Added Codex entries for new Styx foes, as well as Asphodel and Elysium Witches
πŸ“’ Updated requirements for some narrative events
πŸ“’ Fixes and tuning to some contextual voice events


Miscellaneous

Updated Development Roadmap to reflect our plans for our next Major Update, and beyond
Updated Credits; including with some exceptional Community Contributors (Thank you!!)
Cerberus: now permits Zagreus to pet him in certain contexts


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Fixed an issue where foes could deal extra damage to you after Charm effects on them expire
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue where Poms of Power sometimes offered no visible changes in Boon power
πŸ“’ Fixed issues with the effects of Light of Ixion (Well) and Trove Tracker (Well) not stacking correctly
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue with exiting Chambers just as the last foe is slain in a Trove Trial
Fixed an issue preventing Wrath Boons from being offered as Pom of Power upgrades
Fixed Ares' Blade Rifts getting stuck in walls in some contexts
Fixed Tipsy Shot (Dionysus) creating multiple Ammo drops due to Burst Shot (Artemis)
Fixed Battle Rage (Ares) activating from Thanatos kills or Exalted respawns
Fixed Dying Lament (Aphrodite) hitting the player in rare instances
Fixed Sudden Rush (Daedalus) sometimes causing the Shield's Bull Rush to have reduced range
Fixed Drift Dash (Hermes) sometimes causing the Shield's Bull Rush to have reduced range
πŸ“’ Fixed a rare issue with the next chamber not unlocking in the Fallen Warrior's chamber
πŸ“’ Fixed being able to gift Ambrosia to the Fallen Warrior before learning his name
Fixed pre-boss Shop Chamber previews sometimes appearing alterable by Fated Authority
Fixed incorrect footstep sounds sometimes occurring in the House after multiple consecutive runs
Fixed the center-most projectile in Tisiphone's flurry attack being invisible
Fixed Skull Earring (Megaera) visual feedback not clearing after healing above the activation threshold
Fixed a graphical issue where Elysian Arrow Trap projectiles did not always dissipate correctly
Fixed gameplay timer briefly counting up between Olympians speaking and the Boon screen opening
Fixed 'Petrified' status icon sometimes not displaying correctly
Fixed music state sometimes advancing incorrectly after returning from Erebus
Fixed an issue causing the save indicator to show in the Main Menu after quitting right after saving
Fixed instances where Bone Hydra's neck segments could sort in front of the head
Fixed various other graphical sorting issues
πŸ“’ Many other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

"Hades' name...probably meant 'Unseen One.' Even though this was less a name than a title, the Greeks were hesitant about using it in speech, apparently out of fear of attracting the attention of the awesome lord of the dead."
~Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology (E. Tripp)


Patch Notes Archive

For patch notes from the previous Major Update, check out The High Speed Update Patch Notes (June, 2019).

Now you can battle out of hell FOR REAL in Hades, with the launch of the game's latest major update in Early Access.

The Big Bad Update introduces an all-new biome, the sinister Temple of Styx: gateway between the realm of the living and the realm of the dead. Survive its dangers, and you might just escape from the Underworld -- and the clutches of its fearsome ruler. Here are the highlights:

- Break through the Temple of Styx, the gateway to the Underworld, with its well-guarded main hub and dark, dangerous passageways.

- The Final Battle Looms in a climactic confrontation! Who or what awaits if you withstand the Temple's challenges?

- Battle New, Nefarious Foes such as Satyr Cultists and Gigantic Vermin, who have no allegiance even to Lord Hades himself!

- Call Upon Olympus with the reworked 'Wrath' ability, letting you invoke divine aid in a pinch!

- New 'Duo' Boons such as Vengeful Mood and Heart Rend let you combo the Olympians' strongest powers.

Plus, two intense new music tracks, tons of balance changes, new fully voiced story events, updated art and visual FX, and more! Full patch notes are available here on our web site, in the game client, and Supergiant's official Discord. There's also this:

And, stay tuned for what's coming next! The Big Bad Update marks an important milestone in the game's development. With most of the game structure now intact, the team has lots of exciting opportunity to enhance every aspect. Keep sending your feedback!

We're excited to announce thatΒ Transistor, our critically-acclaimed sci-fi action RPG, will be getting its very own physical release on PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch! Today (July 5, 2019)Β at 10am EDT, visitΒ Limited Run GamesΒ to pre-order your copy of the premiumΒ Collector's Edition, available in very limited quantity!

This special package features:

  • 38-page full-color instruction manual

  • Beautifully crafted replica of Red's ring

  • Jewel-case CD soundtrack

  • Reversible 18"x24" poster

  • Cloudbank postcard feat. art by James Gilleard

  • Junction Jan's coasters

  • Camerata and Cloudbank enamel pins...Β 

...all in a premium box featuring art by Jen Zee that'll look beautiful on your shelf! These editions will be available in very limited quantities (only 4,000 copies in total), with the first batch going on sale at 10:00am EDT and the second batch at 6:00pm EDT.Β  If you miss your chance to pick up theΒ Collector's Edition, fear not.Β You can still pick up the standard releaseΒ (instruction manual included) on Nintendo Switch and PS4 for a limited time. Be sure to place your order before July 19th when the sale ends! For more information, visit Limited Run Games.

Hades is in Early Access, which means we're actively working on it based on our plans and your feedback. We expect to keep adding features, characters, weapons, foes, powers, environments, and more, while expanding the story and fine-tuning all aspects of the experience.

Note: πŸ“’ indicates a change inspired by community feedback! Our patch notes for the High Speed Update are below:

Early Access Patch 024 - June 14, 2019

This small patch contains a few additional fixes and improvements before we move on to building out the next Major Update, slated for early August. What lies beyond Elysium? Find out then!


Weapons & Powers

Eternal Spear: reduced damage of Spin Attack (rolling back yesterday's change, which introduced new issues)


Boons & Blessings

Positive Outlook (Dionysus): reduced benefit from Poms of Power


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Massive Spin (Spear): reduced damage (it is still greater than before the last change)


Foes & Encounters

πŸ“’ 'Trial of the Gods': reduced damage of foes blessed by Aphrodite, Artemis, and Dionysus


Miscellaneous

πŸ“’ Gameplay timer now pauses during the brief outro sequence after the Minotaur mini-boss fight


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Additional fixes to some rare crashes
πŸ“’ Fixed an issue where Piercing attacks did not always apply Boon effects against shield-bearing foes
Fixed an issue where the effect of Empowering Nova (Daedalus - Blade) did not expire consistently
Fixed an issue with Flurry Blade (Daedalus - Blade) sometimes attacking an extra time unexpectedly
Fixed an issue where Doom visual effects could linger onscreen during the boss-defeated presentation
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'Hermes I call, whom Fate decrees to dwell in the dire path which leads to deepest hell'
~The Hymns of Orpheus - "To Hermes Khthonios" (T. Taylor translation)


Early Access Patch 023 - June 13, 2019

This patch makes several fixes and balance changes based on initial feedback following the High Speed Update earlier this week. We are planning for one more patch later this week. Thank you for playing!


General Gameplay

Dodge passive ability from Hermes no longer works while petrified


Weapons & Powers

Eternal Spear: increased damage of Spin Attack
Improved input buffering of Stygian Blade Nova special after a Dash Attack
Improved input buffering of Heart-Seeking Bow Dash Attack in some instances


Boons & Blessings

Thunder Flourish (Zeus): reduced damage
Slicing Shot (Ares): reduced damage at higher rarity levels
Black Metal (Ares): reduced effectiveness at higher rarity levels
Hunter's Mark (Artemis): Status Curse now clears consistently after a Critical attack
Hunting Blades (Artemis Ares): reduced effectiveness
Greatest Reflex (Hermes): removed penalty to recovery time


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

Sniper Shot (Bow): greatly increased damage to distant foes; increased min. distance of damage bonus
Minotaur Rush (Shield): increased damage of Power Shot
Quick Spin (Spear): reduced recovery time of Spin Attack
Massive Spin (Spear): increased damage
πŸ“’ Vicious Skewer (Spear): increased damage


Foes & Encounters

πŸ“’ 'Trial of the Gods': reduced effectiveness of foes blessed by Dionysus
πŸ“’ Exalted reinforcements in the Soul Catcher mini-boss encounter are now Elites


Level Design & Environments

πŸ“’ Minor fixes to some Tartarus chambers


Menus & UI

Updated some color variants for god-specific damage numbers


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Fixes to some rare crashes
πŸ“’ Fixed a rare progression blocker while fighting the Bone Hydra
πŸ“’ Fixed an animation issue caused by dash-canceling the start of the Eternal Spear Spin Attack
πŸ“’ Fixed some issues with preview text showing up incorrectly for 'Exchange' Boon choices
Fixed an issue where the music could transition abruptly during region text presentation
Fixed Boon icon for Relative Speed (Hermes)
πŸ“’ Fixed a controller D-pad navigation in some contexts in the Codex
Fixed a timing issue with the last few seconds of Survival encounters
Fixed Shatter Shot (Aphrodite) sometimes causing ammo to appear out of bounds
Fixed Battle Rage (Ares) visual effect being visible during the boss-defeated presentation; and persisting after encounters are complete
Fixed an issue where Bone Hydra death animations could follow Zagreus around (spooky...)
Fixed an issue where some Hermes Boon effects could carry over into the House of Hades
Minor fixes to some narrative event requirements
πŸ“’ Minor text fixes
Other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things!'
~Homeric Hymns (Anonymous; H. G. Evelyn-White translation)


Early Access Patch 022: The HIGH SPEED Update - June 11, 2019

Our fifth Major Update is here, so get ready to pick up the pace in a big way! As always, we'll be monitoring feedback and making follow-up changes for several days before switching focus to our next big update -- which will introduce the next biome after Elysium! Check our Roadmap for details.


Highlights

Hermes: the god of swiftness arrives to give you a serious boost!
New Foes: beware the Soul Catcher and the Flame Wheels up in Elysium!
New Chambers: step inside dangerous, new Elysium environments!
New & Updated Boons: look for new powers from the god of war, plus many balance changes!
Updated 'Trial of the Gods': spurning any of the Olympians is a bigger deal!
New Music: fight your heart out to Thanatos' theme, 'Last Words'!


General Gameplay

Updated input buffering on basic moves (should result in a smoother feel, with fewer dropped inputs)
πŸ“’ Enhanced Poms of Power found in Erebus now increase Boon level 2 (rather than changing rarity)
Power Shot damage bonuses now additive instead of multiplicative
Damage Reduction effects such as Different League (Aphrodite) now additive instead of multiplicative
Lava in Asphodel deals less damage to foes


Weapons & Powers

Cast: shots now bounce off when blocked by shield-bearing foes, so ammo can be retrieved
Stygian Blade: chop attack now can more reliably hit enemy projectiles; Nova special's blast speed lined up with visual effect (rather than hitting instantly)
πŸ“’ Heart-Seeking Bow: Volley special can stagger foes
πŸ“’ Adamant Rail: reduced scatter while firing


Boons & Blessings

Added Hermes, God of Swiftness, with a variety of his unique Boons
Re-balanced Attack, Special, and Cast damage bonuses for each Olympian
Reduced effect of Boons that help build up Wrath Gauge
πŸ“’ Artemis no longer offers Exit Wounds and Quick Reload if your Cast is not compatible
Static Discharge (Zeus): increased Jolted effect damage
Thunder-God's Fury (Zeus): increased damage
πŸ“’ Tidal Dash (Poseidon): increased damage radius; now can briefly stagger foes
Typhoon's Fury (Poseidon): increased damage
Breaking Wave (Poseidon): increased damage
Razor Shoals (Poseidon): increased damage
Ocean's Bounty (Poseidon): re-scaled bonuses from higher rarity levels
Sea Storm (Poseidon + Zeus): increased damage
Last Stand (Athena): reduced healing effect
Divine Protection (Athena): shield effect no longer consumed when successfully blocking attacks
Wave of Despair (Aphrodite): reduced area of effect
Shatter Shot (Aphrodite): reworked; increased range, now deals a single instance of damage per foe
True Shot (Artemis): can no longer be blocked by shield-bearing foes
Burst Shot (Artemis): now affects Cast Boons from other Olympians
Quick Reload (Artemis): reduced effect
πŸ“’ Barbs of the Master Huntress (Artemis): can no longer be blocked by shield-bearing foes
Black Metal (Ares): reduced area-of-effect bonus
War-God's Thirst (Ares): reduced damage
Curse of Eternity (Ares): cut from game
Battle Rage (Ares): newly added!
Vicious Cycle (Ares): newly added!
Curse of Longing (Ares Aphrodite): restored this previously-cut Boon; reduced successive damage
Merciful End (Ares Athena): newly added!
Bad Influence (Dionysus): increased damage
Black Out (Dionysus): increased damage
πŸ“’ After Party (Dionysus): healing effect now scales with life total; no longer upgradeable using Poms
Wine-God's Stupor (Dionysus): increased damage
πŸ“’ Stabbing (Chaos): reduced self-damage
Atrophic (Chaos): now reduces health as well as life total
πŸ“’ Enshrouded (Chaos): now counts down in each Chamber (not just each Encounter)


Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

πŸ“’ Piercing effects can no longer be blocked by shield-bearing foes
Piercing Fire (Rail) and Explosive Fire (Rail) now mutually exclusive
Instant Nova (Blade): replaced with Double Nova
πŸ“’ Explosive Shot (Bow): reduced charge-time penalty
Sudden Rush (Shield): now also removes Bull Rush knock-away effect
Explosive Return (Shield): reduced damage


Foes & Encounters

Added a new mini-boss encounter variant in Elysium
Trial of the Gods: enhanced foes blessed by spurned gods; the spurned god's Boon has reduced rarity
Wretched Thug: increased Elite armor
Wretched Witch: increased Elite armor
Wretched Lout: increased Elite armor
Skull-Crusher: attack can no longer be blocked
Exalted Strongbow: removed duration variance from pre-attack
Exalted Longspear: slightly reduced leap attack damage radius
πŸ“’ Exalted Greatshield: reduced health
The Minotaur: starts fighting sooner once the encounter begins
πŸ“’ Theseus: adjusted his Poseidon Wrath variant; increased spin attack recovery time; Chariot reinforcements reduced to one at a time; other minor timing changes


Keepsakes & Items

Lambent Plume: newly added!
Skull Earring: reduced active threshold
Kiss of Styx (Well): increased shop cost
Ranking up a Keepsake now refreshes its on-equip effect if it has one
Minor rearrangements to the ordering of Keepsakes in the Display Case


Pact of Punishment

Vicious Torment: now also increases damage from inferno-bombs from Caustic (Chaos) effects


Level Design & Environments

Added two new Elysium chambers
Adjusted spawn points and object positions in Asphodel 'river crossing' encounter
Other minor fixes and improvements to various chambers


Art & Visual FX

Updated visual effects for weapon upgrades with an explosive property
Updated attack animations for Heart-Seeking Bow; updated visual effects for its Power Shot
Updated some Bone Hydra effects and animations
Updated some Exalted visual effects and animations
πŸ“’ Updated artwork for Theseus' thrown spear
Updated visual effects for Ares' Doom hitting foes
Updated visual effects for Invigorating Blast (Daedalus - Rail)
Updated main menu based on new Major Update
Updated animation for ambient butterflies in Elysium
Updated aspects of Hypnos portrait
Other minor changes, additions, and improvements


Menus & UI

πŸ“’ Updated text for various Boons; clarified some Status Curse tooltips
Added more color variety to damage numbers (based on each god)
Reduced duration of region text presentation when warping to new regions
Improved controller D-pad navigation in some menus
Other minor changes and improvements


Music & SFX

'Last Words': added new music track to Thanatos encounters
πŸ“’ Added distinct sound when Infernal Troves unlock after encounters
πŸ“’ Added distinct sound when Wells of Charon unlock after encounters
Updated sound for Wretched Pest mine-fling attack
Updated sound for Ares' Doom hitting foes
Updated sound from taking lava damage
πŸ“’ Improved timing on audio chime as Wrath effects are expiring
πŸ“’ Reduced how often hurt vocalizations play from boss foes
Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements


Voice & Narrative

Added narrative events with several characters
Added more Zagreus voice lines for various gameplay contexts
Added Codex entries for Hermes, Soul Catcher, and Flame Wheels
Updated requirements for some narrative events
Fixes and tuning to some contextual voice events


Miscellaneous

Updated Development Roadmap to reflect our plans for our next Major Update, and beyond
πŸ“’ Reduced the delay before the Chamber Reward appears after the Minotaur mini-boss fight
Improved feedback when manually picking up the Eternal Spear after the Throw special
Improved feedback when catching the Shield of Chaos after the Throw special
Renamed Titan Toppler (Athena) to Divine Dash (it no longer reduces your mobility like it used to)
Renamed Sick Status Curse to Poison
Wrath effects and other effects on Zagreus should stop more reliably after defeating bosses
Credits: Hermes added to Voice Cast


Bug Fixes

πŸ“’ Fixes to some rare crashes
πŸ“’ Fixed a rare progression blocker in the Prince's Bedchambers when the Pact is first revealed
πŸ“’ Fixed a rare progression blocker with the Fallen Warrior
Fixed an issue where True Shot (Artemis) could not deal backstab damage
Fixed issues with some weapons not applying knock-away effects consistently
Fixed an issue where you could reload the Adamant Rail while using Ares' or Poseidon's Wrath
Fixed an issue where life total could be higher than expected after unequipping Old Spiked Collar
Fixed an issue where Bone Hourglass could apply to some effects unexpectedly
Fixed issues where some sound effects could loop indefinitely after encounters
Fixed an issue that could cause music not to resume in some chambers
πŸ“’ Many other minor fixes


Quote of the Patch

'"Thanks to Hermes the guide, who gives all work
of our hands the grace and fame that it deserves,
no one alive can match me at household chores"'
~The Odyssey (Homer; R. Fagles translation)

It's time to battle out of hell faster than ever before in Hades, with the launch of the game's latest major Early Access update!

The High Speed Update introduces a brand-new suite of lightning-quick abilities that add even more variety to the game's fluid, blood-pumping combat. Here are the highlights:

Key Features

- Welcome Hermes, messenger of the gods, swiftest of all Olympians! His boons make you faster than ever, unlocking new potential in battle.

- Battle New Foes, the death-spewing Soul Catcher and explosive Flame Wheels -- each bringing new challenges to Elysium, the game's toughest biome!

- Explore New Chambers in Elysium, expanding the types of dangers and surprises that await on the way to the surface.

- Gain New Boons, such as 'Battle Rage' and 'Merciful End'! Wield these godly powers responsibly!

- Discover a New Music Track: 'Last Words', a rocking theme heralding Thanatos, the enigmatic incarnation of death.

Plus, we've added lots of new fully-voiced story moments, updated art and visual FX, and more! Read the full patch notes here, inside the game client, or our Supergiant official Discord. There's also this:

And, coming later this summer: another huge update, featuring the game's next main biome after Elysium. Stay tuned!

Earlier today, Hades became available at a significant discount as part of the Epic Mega Sale on the Epic Games store. We communicated poorly in the hours that followed, and want to clear things up.

The retail price of Hades is now back to $19.99, our original launch price. With the Epic Discount, you can get the game for $10 off that price right now, through to the end of the sale on June 13.

After the sale is over, on June 14, we will be raising the game's retail price to $24.99. We had intended to raise the retail price of the game soon, but made the decision rashly as part of the sale -- we didn't provide advance notice to our customers, despite previously stating we would do so. That was our mistake, and we sincerely apologize.

To all our players, thank you for your patience and understanding around this.


Now you can come closer than ever to battling out of hell in Hades, with the launch of our biggest Early Access update yet! The Beefy Update opens up the next major biome: Elysium, the afterlife destination for the greatest of heroes.

In addition to the slew of new foes and encounters that await, The Beefy Update significantly enhances the core gameplay in Hades, making your dash more fluid than ever, and letting you stack even more weapon upgrades for mighty new character builds. Here are the highlights:

Key Features

- Explore Elysium, the afterlife of the greatest heroes of Greek myth! Here you will face terrible new foes and delve deeper into the game's unfolding story.

- Confront King Theseus & the Minotaur in one of Hades' most spectacular battles yet, featuring a thrilling blend of kinetic action and reactive storytelling.

- Dash Like Mad with this newly overhauled core mechanic, allowing for smoother, more responsive action.

- Wield New Boons & Powers for spectacular new combos, or give in to temptation by switching between boons from different gods.

- Experience an Enhanced Boon Interface that lets you manage an even greater number of god-given powers as you fight your way through the Underworld.

There’s also brand-new music, a ton of new fully-voiced story moments and reactive combat events, scores of new art and visual FX, and more! Full patch notes are available in the game client and at the Supergiant official Discord.

Elysium was only for the greatest of mortals -- see how you fare among them!


P.S.: Check out our recent developer Q&A as part of Noclip's ongoing video documentary about our development!

Update 5/3/2019: Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in this job listing! At this time we're no longer seeking new applicants. Should we have any additional job openings in the future, we'll likely post about it here and via our Twitter feed.


We're seeking a quality assurance specialist to find bugs and provide ongoing feedback as part of the Early Access development of our latest game, Hades. The ideal candidate loves playing a variety of games in-depth, has a knack for finding their quirks, is detail-oriented, and communicates clearly and succinctly in writing and speech.

This is a remote, full-time, contract position. Initial contract period has a duration of 3 months with the possibility to extend. Hours are flexible but must include at least 2 hours of overlap with 10am - 5pm in the Pacific Standard Time Zone, Monday through Friday.

Requirements:

  • Extensive knowledge of and experience deeply playing games

  • Highly self-motivated and with a keen eye for detail

  • Excellent written communication skills

  • Experienced playing Hades in Early Access (must have unlocked the 15 Heat Skelly Statue)

  • Eagerness and ability to continuously play and discover around an in-progress game

  • Able to work 8 hours a day, with at least 2 hours overlapping 10am-5pm PST

  • Internet connection capable of daily multi-GB downloads, with gaming PC capable of running modern games at 60fps+

  • 2- or 4-year college degree or equivalent work experience a plus

  • QA credit on previously shipped titles a plus

  • Experience working with bug tracking systems (JIRA, etc.) a plus+ Having played through our previous titles a plus

Responsibilities:

  • Work with the development team to test new features to ensure they are high-quality and problem-free before going live

  • Provide clear, concise written bug reports to the development team for any defects discovered

  • Ensure previous features and saves continue to function after new features are added

  • Analyze community bug reports, including Discord and Reddit discussions, to track down and reproduce issues found in the live game

  • Provide feedback to the design team on new, in-progress features

What we offer:

  • Work with a small, creative, high-performance team

  • Flexible work hours and location

  • Competitive compensation

To apply, please follow these instructions exactly:

  • Send your resume in the body of an e-mail (no attachments please), with the subject line β€œQA Specialist” to jobs@supergiantgames.com

  • Complete the questionnaire below and include it in the body of the e-mail. Use your best judgment to respond as thoroughly and concisely as possible, as you might if responding to a colleague. There is no minimum or maximum word count.

  1. What is the most absorbing game you've played in the last three years, and why? What did your playing habits look like?

  2. What is your favorite 'build' in Hades (weapons and boons)?

  3. What is one feature of Hades you would change?

  4. Submit two bug reports based on issues you’ve found in Hades. The reports should clearly convey the issue and how to reproduce it with minimum effort on the reader’s part. Assume the reader is very familiar with Hades. You may include links to any supporting media.

Thank you for your interest! We will be accepting applications now through April 29, and reach out to prospective candidates near the start of May.