Hades - The Bear and Badger

voices

I got my 100th clear yesterday. This game is surprisingly fun to speed run, though there is a lot of RNG with free rooms and the number of rooms in Styx.

Tempy

My go to tactic for speedrun is to take off the deadline Heat perk, take the "enemies attack faster" heat (as many as I can usually) take at least Extreme Measures 2. Always Make a beeling for shops, chaos and question mark rooms. Buy as much stuff from the wee altars as possible. My Fastest speed was just under 10 mins back when the Eris Aspect was fuckin' busted strong. But I got sub 20 with everything, good times.

voices

The best I've managed is around 12 minutes with Eris, which still seems like the fastest of all the aspects. I've got all but shield (or bow, not 100% sure) down to 15 minutes. After Eris, the next fastest seem to be Demeter fists, which get crazy after the Athena/Aries duo, but are weak up until you get that. Then maybe Poseidon sword, which is stupidly fast until Elysium.

I have a current Eris run which has got the most amazing luck with boons (heroic Zeus and Artemis on attack/special, plus Zeus/Poseidon duo, Poseidon dash + epic support fire, Poseidon special with c100% extra cast from Chaos), and I've just got to Styx in a fraction under 10 minutes due to very few free rooms. Not sure if I can do what's left in less than 2 minutes, but I'll see.

I am running the 5 minute timer for my runs, which I should probably turn off so I get the survive rooms (which stop the clock).

Speed running is much more fun than doing the high heat runs, but I'd still like to have 32 heat clears on all weapons to feel complete. I think I have it on bow, rail and sword only so far.

Rev

Is this one of those games where you just need to keep playing and playing to get a better base character? I think I've hit the first boss maybe once at the most and I'm struggling with it.

Tempy

It’s a roguelike with persistent improvements yep

voices

Yeah, after you've unlocked everything it's not that hard to complete the game (without any heat). Having said that, you'll get a lot better as you play. I don't know what makes the biggest impact - you eventually get used to the way enemies move and it becomes quite easy to avoid them.

The sword is possibly the hardest weapon to use, so worth trying the others when you get access to them.

Rev

Thank you. I just need to dive in and crack on

pantyfire

Rev wrote:

Is this one of those games where you just need to keep playing and playing to get a better base character? I think I've hit the first boss maybe once at the most and I'm struggling with it.

I’m struggling with it but I can batter the first boss fairly regularly now. That’s a measure of how bad I am. In rogues I usually follow the average skill curve, but in this I’m struggling.
I blame the controller support on Mac primarily they’ve acknowledged that’s it’s borked and they are trying to fix it.
But randomly running off in one direction or not being able to aim precisely is a massive hindrance in a game like this.

Just out of interest is it my dodgy controls or is the movement infinitely analogue (like every other game in this 3D isometric genre) i.e. when you stand still and charge your bull rush can you spin it around and face all 360 degrees accurately, or does it step/jump and only allow aiming in say 25 degree steps?

Tempy

Full 360

pantyfire

Showoff.
Well that’s confirmed my controls are pooped.
Man’s that’s obviously why I haven’t competed the game on my second playthrough.

voices

Pretty much perfect boons, and still 40 seconds over 10 minutes. Grrr. It's not showing Zues attack and cast, with the majority of damage being done by the attack.

I guess I could have done with delta chambers or rockets, but I can't really ask for more than I got here.

voices

Looks like I was dashing a bit wrong - got a 10:08 without such good luck, and a 10:50 with a 3 room styx by more aggressively dashing into mobs. Seems like sub 10 minute run isn't so bad after all.

Rev

After hitting a wall with this, I smacked Meg down twice in quick succession, using the trident spear.
Did a lot of dash attacks which seemed to work. I'm starting to redecorate the place as well.
This is like so much better than dead cells ever once.

voices

Finally beat 10 minutes, and 9 minutes as well. Cluster rockets are amazing.

I think I'm done trying to go quick now.

Tempy

Brutal, amazing!

voices

It's fun to play (it's a great game), but really quick times are super RNG dependent. Aside from the number of free rooms you get and Styx, some of the enemy rooms are just slow no matter what.

That aside - I've been watching speedruns, and the current unseeded world record has the most insane luck. I guess it's a given, but it's a long long way ahead of the second best. I don't know if I should think it, but it's a bit suspicious to me.

pantyfire

I’m pretty happy today.
The recent patch AND a OS issue have sorted out my controller issues. I can say last move around and aim in more than 8 directions.

Moot_Geeza

voices wrote:

The sword is possibly the hardest weapon to use, so worth trying the others when you get access to them.

Started playing this last night. Is the above statement considered correct by most players? I've toyed with the other three weapons I've unlocked but none felt as intuitive or satisfying as the sword. Is there a weapon that's considered the strongest choice for inexperienced players?

I see people talking about successful runs in the 20min region. Is this a hell for leather completion time? I got to the hydra boss on my last run - barely scratching the quest for the surface I assume - but I'm pretty sure it took over 20 mins to get there. Are shortcuts unlocked as you go or is it just a case of gitgud for speed?

Edit: How on earth is this doable in 10 mins?? It takes me longer than that to reach Meg.

hylian_elf

I like the spear the best.

acemuzzy

Git gud

acemuzzy

Also you get better weapons/power-ups etc

Moot_Geeza

acemuzzy wrote:

Also you get better weapons/power-ups etc

During the course of a run do you mean? Or do they start to improve at the beginning? Will try the spear for a few runs, ta.

Early days but can confirm that Muzzy is incorrect about this being 'mutton'.

acemuzzy

You get an increasing leg up from the beginning.

And, well, you'll see...

Tempy

Early days you want to be giving one Nectar to every character so that you can unlock all the trinkets. Trinkets will help you either get what boons you want early on, or do stuff like get extra money/more health, an extra death defy. Then focus on pumping darkness into the mirror to get good boosts. Unlock all your weapons too. Don't split them in your mind to range/short ranged.

Fastest runs I managed were with the gun, using it like a melee weapon. You get those speeds by upgrading weapons, knowing what rooms to aim for/route for, knowing what boons are good, and also a dash of skill to keep you alive.

Upgrading the mirror, knowing what boons synergise with other boons, which god combos are good, how you skill for damage etc. It takes time.

You've got a lot of content ahead of you, and yeah, you're right that it isn't mutton.

Moot_Geeza

I like the spear. I keep forgetting to use the charge though - which actually feels useful for a change (I usually hate charge moves). Last two runs I got killed by the minotaur, managed to kill his buddy the second time but still died. Haven't got past the hydra with the sword yet, so yeah, top tip Elf. Found a couple of trinkets I like too, can't decide which to level up at present.

Had to stop playing because the base of my thumb hurts.

voices

Moot_Geeza wrote:

Started playing this last night. Is the above statement considered correct by most players? I've toyed with the other three weapons I've unlocked but none felt as intuitive or satisfying as the sword. Is there a weapon that's considered the strongest choice for inexperienced players?

Shield or bow as the strongest choice for new players - perhaps. I never really got on with the shield, so my choice would be the bow (or the gun) to try and get a first clear.

I agree that the sword feels the best early on, but you have to be vulnerable to do damage which makes it difficult to progress without your health being chipped down. Even the fists feel safer than the sword, so perhaps give them a go if you want to stick with melee.

Interesting that you're killing Theseus first...

Oh, and get death defies and double dash from the mirror asap (if you haven't already).

The initial run through to completing the game for the first time is awesome, so you've got some great fun in front of you.

Moot_Geeza

voices wrote:

Interesting that you're killing Theseus first...

There are no tactics at this stage, I've only seen them as a pair twice.

I've got one death defy and the double dash, slowly working towards 500 [purple essence] atm. Haven't got the last two weapons yet.

Moot_Geeza

Currently paused (hopefully) mid run in Elysium with near full health, a decent Call, solid damage buffs for the spear and some levelled up dash traps that seem to suit me. Have started to resist the urge to always head for rooms that contain +25 health.

Excite.

voices

Exclamation marks, hammers, boons and double boons are almost always better than + 25 health. If you see an exclamation mark in Elysium you definitely have to take that.

It's a while since I've played, but I think that's everything that's better than the health. Poms are rarely a good choice unless you're going for a cast build (which you generally won't be).

Moot_Geeza

Okay I've been making a beeline for poms, will adjust. Cast is just something I'll occasionally press during combat for an extra dig, not something I rely on at all.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories