Hades: What If...Zagreus Never Made It to the Surface?

Of the many roguelike titles available, Hades has established itself as one of the most well-known and beloved. Its gameplay is just part of why it's considered one of the best indie games available, but that isn't the only reason it became such a hit. Another key strength is the way the story of Zagreus and his escape to the Surface was told, as many characters and details were brilliantly woven throughout the game's roguelike structure. Because of how good the game's narrative was, gamers may be inspired to come up with possible "what if?" Scenarios, and one possibility that stands out among the rest is the question of what would have happened if Zagreus never made it to the Surface.

What Could Have Happened if Zagreus Never Reached the Surface

While the game mostly follows the tale of Hades and Persephone, it took a few liberties here and there to ensure that Zagreus reaches the Surface and gets the happy ending he deserves. But if he never made it, there are many scenarios that could have played out, such as:

Zagreus may still end up deepening his relationship with his father, Hades, choosing to learn the ropes on how to rule the Underworld from him, becoming closer as a result.
The many Gods of Hades who tried to help Zagreus could abandon him for giving up, which could lead to a more angry and vengeful version of the main character.
Numerous failures could turn Zagreus into nothing but a mindless husk that's possessed by the thought of finally escaping, causing him to lose every relationship he formed and become stuck in an endless cycle of torment and failure.

How Zagreus Failing Could Have Changed the Story of Hades 2

If Zagrues never made it to the surface, there's a chance that he could have become a brother that Melinoe despises rather than fondly remembers in Hades 2. The sequel's story could then shift to something along the lines of him siding with Chronos in imprisoning his father, forcing his sister to stop them both to try and revert things to normal. Something like this would have made the differences between Melinoe and Zagreus clearer than ever, considering that it could lead to a proper battle between the two. While many would surely like to see such a fight, it is hard to argue against Supergiant's existing take on the story being the best path possible, as there is plenty to appreciate about the sequel as is.

Hades is considered one of the best story-driven roguelike games to exist, and it would likely retain that title even if the plot were altered to make it so that Zagreus had never reached the Surface. Regardless of how different it would be, the possibilities are so interesting that any one of them could have resulted in an outcome that many would likely enjoy or appreciate, which speaks to how interesting the Hades universe is.

Action RPG

Roguelite

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 94 /100 Critics Rec: 99%

Released: September 17, 2020
ESRB: T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s): Supergiant Games
Publisher(s): Supergiant Games
Engine: Proprietary Engine
Franchise: Hades
Steam Deck Compatibility: Verified