It’s hard to overstate the impact thatHadeshas had on the broader indie gaming scene, and its successor,Hades 2, is no different. Indeed,Hades 2arguably sets the gold standard for hard-hitting, satisfying roguelike ARPGs, blending unique short-term builds with powerful meta-progression elements to provide an experience that’s hard to walk away from.
Hades 2also drips with atmosphere and charm, andHell Clock, an upcoming game from Brazil-based developer Rogue Snail, is much the same way. Set almost a decade after the Canudos War, a real historical event in the early 20th-century,Hell Clocktakes players deep into the murky depths of the underworld, as the protagonist seeks to save the soul of his deceased mentor. The game assumes an isometric perspective, and much likeHades, it blends action-RPG and dungeon-crawling gameplay with roguelike staples to make a compelling interactive concoction. But it’s more than just “Hadesin Brazil,” and it could be well worth checking out for anyone counting down the minutes untilHades 2’s official launch.
Though it’s making great progress, especially with major patches like the Unseen Update,Hades 2is still in early access.
Hell Clock Has Major Hades 2 Vibes, but With a Twist
Hell Clock Has the Relentless Progression and Fast-Paced Combat of the Hades Games
InHadesandHades 2, players are tasked with heading through a series of mystical regions, broken up into smaller sections that are filled with enemies.Hell Clockadopts a similarly traditional roguelike structure, setting players loose in a series of distinct biomes that are organized into smaller rooms, or “floors,” as the game calls them. Much like inHades, the player is swiftly inundated by vicious enemy forces in each of these areas, prompting aggressive, quick maneuvers.
How gameplay evolves over the course of so many runs is also quite similar inHell Clock: players will earn resources that can only be used during a run, such as gold, but others, like Soul Stones, can be used to permanently grow stronger. Of course, this mirrorsHades' strong meta-progression, which is so distinct from roguelikes likeElden Ring Nightreign, which offers next to no meaningful upgrades between runs. This sense of continued growth is what makesHadesso special, and hopefully, it will come to defineHell Clock’s legacy as well.
And of course, one can’t discussHell Clockwithout mentioning its sobering real-world context. It is a dark fantasy action game, yes, but it’s also based on the Canudos Massacre, a real-world, devastating war between the burgeoning 20th-century Brazilian republic and a citizen resistance. This is obviously much more somber and troubling thanHades' Greek mythologyand history, but the cultural exploration is there nonetheless. For those players who love the insight into Greek culture that theHadesgames afford,Hell Clockcould be a particularly special experience.
There is currently a freeHell Clockdemo on Steam.
How Hell Clock Sets Itself Apart from Hades
Hell Clockmay share an art style, camera angle, and miscellaneous gameplay pillars withHadesand its sequel, but it’s far from aHadesclone. The actual moment-to-moment gameplay ofHell Clockis much more akin to ARPGs likeDiabloandPath of Exile, and the game’s meta progression is similar to typical ARPG progression as well.
It features a skill tree and myriad permanent upgrades, which makes what players do between runs arguably more important than what they do within them. These elements sustain a strong build-crafting sandbox, wherein players have a greater degree of freedom, which could actually makeHell Clocksuperior to games likeHades2in the eyes of some players.
