'Hades' Bags First-Ever Hugo Award For Gaming

Indie game developer Supergiant Games will be wrapping up 2021 with style after bagging the title of Best Video Game for the hit roguelike “Hades” at the Hugo Awards on Dec. 19.

“Hades” was one of the six games to be nominated for the Hugo Awards 2021 after the awarding body decided to open a video game-specific category for the first time since its foundation. The other titles were “Spirit Farer,” “Final Fantasy VII Remake,” “The Last Of Us 2,” “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” and “Blaseball,” as per Kotaku.

The Hugo Awards mainly focus on recognizing the best science fiction and fantasy works at the annual World Science Fiction Convention, where all of the most notable literary works in the genres are celebrated. This year, a category for video games was introduced. However, it’s likely to be a one-time thing.

“Hades” has already won a plethora of other awards in the past, such as BAFTA’s Best Game and Narrative awards as well as Best Indie Game of TGA 2020. Supergiant creative director Greg was very grateful for the honor even though he was not able to receive the award in person.

Ever since the game’s release, fans and critics alike have been praising “Hades” for its fast and satisfying top-down action gameplay that’s deeply entwined within Supergiant’s colorful interpretation of Greek myth. Even during the beta phase, the game received nothing but love from players, especially those who have experienced Supergiant’s previous games like “Bastion” and “Transistor,” which have similar gameplay beats.

“Hades” tells the story of Zagreus, the son of the eponymous Greek god and his attempts to escape from the underworld and into the land of the living to meet his mother, Persephone. As an action roguelike game, “Hades” features a variety of weapons, powers and playstyles tied to the themes of ancient Greek deities like Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, Thanatos and more.

The most interesting part of “Hades” is the protagonist’s interactions with the denizens of Tartarus, the Olympians and his parents. Every escape attempt not only feels fresh from a gameplay perspective but from a narrative one as well. The unique charm and personality of each character help breathe life into every escape attempt, solidifying the game’s world while still keeping it fun and engaging.

“Hades” is a testament to the ability of independent developers to create works of art that are worthy of recognition, making it the perfect recipient of the very first Hugo Award that will go down in gaming history.