I don't like roguelikes, so when I say a roguelike is my game of the year so far you better believe it's damn good.

The problem I have with most roguelikes is that you generally start with all the tools you need to succeed; you just bang your head against the wall until you are experienced enough to use those tools to win. In Hades, each death moves the narrative forward and gives you an opportunity to not only grow more powerful but interact with the glorious, diverse cast of characters. The art style is unique and evocative. Rather than deliver a boring, whitewashed pantheon, each character in this game has a distinct and diverse style.

When you do start another run, the combat is tight and fluid and the sense of progression throughout a run is wonderful. There's an awesome sense of joy when you complete a run for the first time and that feeling doesn't fade with subsequent runs. Even if you do die, you know you're going to be making progress and the next run will be better.

I love everything about this game. Supergiant has made some awesome games in the past, especially Pyre, but this game is their best effort so far. I was initially skeptical purely due to the genre, but this is one of the best titles currently available on Switch and I cannot recommend it highly enough.