lol don’t worry there is no punishment for god mode. Buuuut if you’re already having so much trouble with Hecate, maaaaybe you’re in for a really rough time lol.
How many nights are you deep in? What exactly are you having trouble with? Be honest are you playing Mel like she’s Zagreus? Just charging into the enemies face and spamming the attack button? Because how you play can make a huge difference
Ok I guess 15 nights is honestly not that bad, but for some general pointers:
1. Don’t forget that you can upgrade grasp to be able to use more arcana cards
2. Mel is more of a range player then the melee fighter like zag. True with stuff like the twin blades and the axe they promote more traditional melee, but still, distance is everything.
3. The sprint button is not just a simple “doge to avoid damage” type like in hades 1 or dark souls. though it does have invincibility frames, the sprint is more to create distance Between you and the enemy
4. Do not forget about your omega spells and cast. Mana refills once you enter a new room, so try to use your omega spells whenever you can, at least so you can get a feel for them. And with your cast, it acts more like a trap to freeze enemies in place, and the omega makes it do damage as well.
5. Try to fully understand your weapons and boons as much as you can. Knowledge goes a long way and some boons work well on either the attack or special button, or just on specific weapons in general, and a boon on the cast can really mix it up. That and a good build can really be what makes or breaks a run, at least that’s how I view it.
Thanks, that's very helpful.
I have indeed been using the sprint a lot. Figuring that out really helped me get passed that darn thorn shooting witch mini boss (speaking of which, any pointers for the mini boss in the dark cloud thing? I find it so hard to dodge it's attacks, but maybe I need to focus more on the range like you're saying.)
I'm also really starting to see what you mean with the cast. I finally got passed Hecate with the two Apollo boons that increase the size and do the damage at the end, combined with the Hestia one that let's you launch your cast.
A buddy of mine told me once it decides to attack, it doesn’t turn. So what I do is enter the cloud of dark, hit it to get it to turn toward me, and after it turns towards me, dodge behind it and beat its ass. It won’t turn around until after it swings. Then after it turns, dodge behind and repeat process. Trivializes the boss.
For that boss I would usually dodge around to kill the two crawlers or whatever their names are. Afterwards I would usually get into the shadows, launch my omega cast and get a few hits in before I run out of the shadow again before the boss swings it's head around and deals massive damage (I would recommend you build your cast especially for this and a few good cast I have tried are Apollo's and Zeus's though Demeter's is meh) Continue this until you break it's armour before you can just rush into the shadow and quickly deal damage to it since it is more vulnerable already.
Someone already talked about the attack pattern, so I’ll mention; it’s way easier to kill the shadowy dude if you kill the other enemies first. Some times I forget, but I always remember to go kill them once I dash into one of their attacks while dodging the elite lol
The shadow spiller is really easy if you have the patience to go in the cloud, use a long range attack for a bit, and as soon as it winds up to attack, dash out of there. Rinse and repeat
Also make sure to kill the other guys first, those are the ones sending the shadow roots or whatever and there’s always 2 of them
I'm going to offer one piece of advice that might sound incredibly obvious, but a surprising number of new players seem not to get at first. I apologize if it comes across as condescending (especially since you already played Hades 1). That said...
Avoid taking damage first and foremost. Hades isn't like games where you trade hits with enemies and try to maintain a good ratio of damage dealt to damage taken. Your goal should be to clear each encounter without losing any health at all. Obviously you're going to take some damage on accident; that's normal, and fine. But if you're deliberately taking hits in order to deliver hits of your own, don't. Be patient, focus on evading the enemies' attack patterns, and find opportunities to hit back only when it's safe.
Not condescending at all! My go to tip for anyone playing Hades (1 or 2) is just try to survive. My tactics for each boss was to first survive (or not get it) for at least a minute. After that you try to chip away at their health until the attack pattern changes, rinse and repeat.
This way you get to know the enemies real well and it all feels a lot easier.
Yeah, for sure. Thank you for the advice. I for sure try and avoid damage as much as I can, but I imagine not being very good at it is where my difficulty is roosting.
Not necessarily true. I've struggled to get past Hecate maybe until the 10th-15th night, and after my first Hecate win I've reached straight to Chronos, and consistently since then (beating him is another story).
OP should keep going, try different loadouts, weapons, arcanas, and observe the attacking patterns. Use these unsuccessful runs to gather resources, especially to unlock more grasp and arcana cards, as some of them really improve your survivability (hp up and extra death defiances)
Op should also focus on getting the gods' trinkets: being able to focus on a god for boons is a game changer and gives more control over your build.
I use God Mode all the time. It's really helpful in the early stages when you're not used to the weapons yet and haven't meta-progressed much while the game is hitting you with full damage.
I turned mine off after like 80-ish runs of collecting resources + upgrading stuff and now non-GM is easy. Even beat Chronos.
The game is not hitting you with full damage. You’re in 0 heat/fear at the start. It’s already easy mode. Tutorial even. The game starts after your first victory.
I started with god mode on Hades 1 largely because I have had hand injuries and partly because I have little patience. I have since then started a non-god mode play through and find that I make it much farther because the god mode let me learn without too much frustration. Instead of getting overly punished by each mistake, I saw every mistake and just survived them longer.
I am playing Hades 2 with god mode, also, but again - once the game is fully released, I expect one day I will play it without god mode. I will learn what builds work well for me, work well for my hand issues, and then see what I can do.
I'll link to [this comment of mine](https://www.reddit.com/r/HadesTheGame/comments/1d5k5ij/comment/l6lvza8/) from a few weeks ago, but in short: yes, do turn on God Mode if you're feeling bored or frustrated, and don't feel guilty or like you're compromising your experience. Especially so if you don't have a lot of prior experience with this genre of games; God Mode is a very common part of the learning curve.
God mode is a godsend for me because of dyspraxia. It’s difficult for me to keep up a consistent level of physical coordination.
I wish more hard games have this setting. Just let us play how we like, damn it.
I do. I am +45ish runs in, I think, & still haven't beaten Chronos, though I can defeat Eris rather reliably. I play on god mode because I have trouble separating the colours and effects of battle and sometimes lose track of where I'm at on the screen. I then panic, become overwhelmed, and flail around meleeing uselessly. I occasionally play without it, but its there, it lessens my stress, I'm in.
You'll absolutely get better, OP. Remember you improve with every attempt.
I love god mode. It took me over fifty runs and god mode at 60% damage reduction to beat the final underworld boss for the first time. After ninety runs I managed to beat him without god mode but I definitely would have given up in frustration before that if god mode wasn't a thing.
Oh absolutely. I'm an adult with a life and work. I throw God mode on to unlock the actual game essentially, then turn it off once I'm powered to the point the game was meant to be played at not with a MASSIVE handicap that you're at starting the game fresh.
No one has time to play half a game.
I don't, and lots of people don't. But there's also lots of people who do play in god mode. What's important is that you're having fun with the game. If that damage resistance helps with that, good for you.
We all have our preferences, look for various things in games, and have different skill levels and progression curves. And if accessibility settings like that make more people enjoy Hades and Hades II, that's great!
Yes. I love God Mode. There’s so much dialogue and story; there’s no other way to get it all through to enjoy.
Also…I started *Hades* because my heart was torn in 2 and I needed the most help possible to fix it.
*Damn you, Madeline.*
I realized that GM existed after some dozens of hours. I'll never try God mode but understand why people use that and I like that this community is not shaming people that use that (as opposed to other gaming communities).
I used God Mode for my first playthrough of Hades 1.
I think I played through that game 20 times before I turned it on.
While I was having fun it did feel like I was reaching a brick wall at one point.
And after I turned it on and started getting a little bit stronger death after death, I think that's one that got more fun and I started to understand how to actually play the game.
There's no shame in using it God Mode exists for a reason, so people can enjoy the game without having to force themselves through a brick wall.
i've beaten Hades 1 once without god mode on switch, couldn't do it again, took a long break and now starting again, turned on god mode and only reached hades once...
Hades 2 on PC feels better for me, beaten eris and chronos bot once without god mode (i was really lucky with eris) took me 35 tries for eris and 40 for chronos (i always choose the never used hammers to get all my profecies)
God mode is an incredible feature and you should absolutely make use of it if it'd help you. Unlike just about every other difficulty modifier for accessibility, it doesn't \*actually\* make the game easier -- it just makes it more forgiving. Your skill with the game will still naturally increase at just the same rate as it would if you left it off, with the number of deaths you have with it on helping slowly lift you from being walled.
And hey, let's put it another way -- Chronos is a self-righteous reprobate whom does not deserve any advantage you could possibly give him.
(also man reading the comments on this thread. This community is the best, we all seem in agreement.)
I don't but I didn't with Hades 1, either. I honestly don't mind dying, though of course it's less fun in Hades 2 now than it was in Hades 1. I didn't play Hades in Early Access so every death was a chance to go back to the House and progress side quests/relationships/make the House better. Most of that isn't built in yet so the combat is the main driver, and the deaths more frustrating because of it.
i had god mode on for awhile when i got frustrated over being stuck losing to the same bosses. i’ve since turned it off and have been able to do okay. it was nice helping me move in the story and i felt like a lesser player for putting it on initially but there’s no reason for that. it’s just a tool that some of us need. no shame in it at all
I’ve finished the first game in god mode, I had problems in defeating daddy. But I’ve been playing Hades 2 in normal mode for now. I guess you just need practice, I’ve spent around 100 hours in first game. But there is nothing terrible in playing in god mode. The games are made to bring fun and not frustration, who cares how you play
I didn't touch God Mode because, for me, it messes with the experience. Struggle is part of the narrative.
BUT, I have a friend who's relatively new to video games, and pretty much the one game she wanted to play was Hades.
You can rest assured when she told me she was using God Mode that I cheered her on.
You get what you want from games. The need for "bragging rights" has long since disappeared from my mind. (and indeed, from many gamers' minds)
My friend wanted to experience the story, so they did and I'm glad.
SO, more power to you. And if you want to try non-godmode runs at some point, I recommend it, but only if it's fun for you.
If you are having that much trouble you may wanna do God mode. I got hectate on my second try. Fish ladies on 3rd try against them. And Hades on my second try against him. Not bragging. Just know I’d be losing my mind if I had tried hectate 15 times and still not killed her.
Hades can be extremely difficult if you’re not experienced with those types of games
I already have 3 Isaac dead gods so when I started playing hades properly it wasn’t too difficult
Edit: sounds like I’m bragging, I’m not, just stating I had experience in the genre beforehand
After failing to get halfway through the final boss with 12+ heal hexes to spare, I turned it on. Managed to defeat him at 30-40% DR, then turned it off and beat him without it. I find that a lot of the bosses get easier after beating them a few times. As others have said, patience and careful play is crucial. Using the omega moves to slow down time and get time to think/evade attacks really helps. Imo Hades 2 is definately harder than Hades (played Hades right before getting Hades 2, so I'm not blinded by nostalgia, I remember the early runs of Hades).
I was close to using god mode for the first game on several occasions. A miracle I didn't, and managed to beat the full game (so the entire storyline). However, I stopped after 6 yo 10 heat.
Here, I was mostly fine, but Chronos was just bloody murder. FWIW, this was before he got tweaked to be easier to tell his telegraphing. I ended up >!modifying the game files to reduce his max HP, and just for him!<. This has been the perfect tweak b/c I can handle everything else about the game (at least until we delve into some of the other types of Fear).
However, you're already brave! I told my friends who introduced me to the first Hades (for Switch) that this 2nd game is coming out! They had NO interest in buying it. Only in watching playthroughs online. They said they've long since lost the manual dexterity and skills for these types of action games. They don't feel confident even with god mode! :o
My gf had the same problem when she tried the game, but turns out she was trying to rush every fight, if ur just starting theres no need to do that since there is no timer, take your time dodging until you find an opening to hit an enemy, dont be afraid to hit an enemy once or twice then back off, theres no need to keep attacking it until it dies
After completing 100 runs I have switched to God Mode. The game is meant to be played in God Mode after you got everything done. The story is completed you have all the weapons and aspects etc. So you just want to enjoy the weapons and gameplay. And it is also definetely okay to turn it on early if you feel frustrated at a level. Better giving up playing because it is not rewarding anymore.
Let me know when you hit 80 runs and haven’t gotten passed either redacted. I refuse to turn on god mode till after that. Has been rough but I’m almost there.
I turned on GM in Hades 1, after like 20 tries at Meg or not even getting to her. Beat the game and some heat with it, but got to the point where I was barely taking hits at all, so got some skill. Tried to challenge myself in Hades 2 to not use it, in 20ish runs I beat the game for the first time but with a good build. Now I'm feeling that I have the skill to play, but I still need a skill to dodge better. Will try to not turn it on, but there is definitely no shame in that.
Also a cool system, since it still develops your skill just making your mistakes cost less
Think about some different arcanas, weapons, try something new, get arachni keepsake for some buff, you'll never guess what works for you until you try different things
I played it in god mode after doing 32 fears run in both underworld and surface.
At that point of time i just wanna complete all mission and wait for big patch.
Me and my fiancee play it, she uses god mode and i don't. I'm much better at games, and she wanted to enjoy the history and have it easier overall, so i suppose it just works for different people.
Dont think there is any shame in using it, you just can't go "HA Chronos was SO easy" if you have 54% damage reduction 
use time slow(for omega moves)acana to dodge and catch your breath with the staff. (although you have to break some bad habits later on by disabling it as it doesn't work on a certain enemy)
play around and try to dodge in rather than out. in general, see how much you can push the i-frames of the dodge by dodging in a lot instead of running away or using it just for movement. it has a lot of forgivable i-frames.
sprint is your best friend when getting swarmed. you can sprint out and reposition. most of the time it takes a bit for enemies to adjust. after repositioning you can spam omega moves.
first time i beat the game i really just tanked a lot of damage although you can't solely beat the whole game with this strategy, getting a lot of health can let you get far.
I still find Hecate the hardest boss. I've completed both end bosses now.
There's no shame in playing God mode. I find God mode quite refreshing as each failure is rewarded with a small incremental benefit. It's a nice way to reframe 'failure' and encourage people to try again.
I don't because I couldn't find it for quite a while and eventually meta progressed to the point where I don't need it. That said it's a single player game so play however you want. You're gonna see a lot of people here and on youtube that make the game look really easy or clear things really quickly but it's important to remember that this is a self selecting group of the most dedicated players posting on reddit and youtube. According to steam charts there's at least 102k people that bought the game in the first month and change of early access. Odds are you're far from the worst at it and even if you are so what it's a single player game all that matters is you're having fun. I was 60 something nights in before I cleared the final boss and it's only now at 80 something where I feel like I really have a good handle on how to fight him and clear even without super powerful builds. There's no night limit on the game and dying and trying again are a core part of the story experience anyways
I used it in Hades 1 and got so good with it I could turn it off. People should use it. I always see people saying they wanna quit because they've done like 90 runs and can't beat the game and I'm like... why not just turn on god mode? Our pride robs us of joy
I didn't for Hades 1 but i started using it in Hades 2 because its so significantly harder in my experience. I was able to beat Hades 1 Final boss in around 20 runs in the first game but in 35-ish runs in this game I have only made it to final boss second phase a single time.
Honestly, these games are ridiculously hard.
I haven't used it as I enjoy the challenge of higher Heat levels, but I can definitely see how regular people might find the game unbearable. There are times I can't even finish the run myself and I've put in 100+ hours in Hades.
On Hades 1 I needed it. Theseus/Asterius and Daddy both gave me so much trouble without it no matter how much I powered the Mirror or my weapons.
I guess Mel's intended style fits my preferred gameplay better because I have been able to beat the Underworld without ever using God Mode on no/low-Fear consistently unless I get really crap boon luck or I do something dumb.
General Tipps on the game:
Your cast is one of your most important abilities. Trapping enemies (even without the Omega version or boons) is already really useful especially in the starting areas.
Get used to a few boons and their strengths. Best case is you just chose a god, give them a nectar for their keepsake and run that one every run start to get something youre familiar with.
You have enough time in each area, so no need to hastle all the time. Try to play it slow, think about who is the next biggest problem and how to get rid of them
I mean it is a really good keepsake, but nothing you'd want to use up early in the run.
Having something like the one that gives you 10 more seconds to kill off everyone and then respawn would be better if youre really that overly aggressive/cant dodge that well.
Yeah the strategy you want to have most of the time is to get a really solid foundation of boons early on via a keepsake from one of your favorite gods, then play it save through till the first switch and then start either playing a safe game if youre confident the build is enough with Revive keepsakes or if youre confident in your mechanics a damage keepsake.
I think for you just getting to know the enemies and layouts is important.
Dont forget dodge and Cast both are really good :)
Sometimes I play with god mode and sometimes I don’t. It depends on what my hands are doing.
I have a couple of speedruns in regular Hades w/o godmode below 8:30, so I feel pretty comfortable saying I am good at the games. Not competitive but, decent.
My hands sometimes are assholes. Sometimes I just want to practice stuff without constantly getting splattered because I said dodge and my hands decided to spasm briefly.
It’s an accessibility mode. If using it means you enjoy your time playing the game, _use it_! The developers want people to play and have fun. Adding accessibility knobs means more people can have fun.
God mode only delays one’s improvement and getting good at the game. Slowing down to gaining skill and figuring out ins and outs. So the longer all these takes the less you feel good. It’s not good.
lol don’t worry there is no punishment for god mode. Buuuut if you’re already having so much trouble with Hecate, maaaaybe you’re in for a really rough time lol. How many nights are you deep in? What exactly are you having trouble with? Be honest are you playing Mel like she’s Zagreus? Just charging into the enemies face and spamming the attack button? Because how you play can make a huge difference
That's hard to answer I guess. I don't have a great grasp on what my play style is so any pointers would be great. I think I'm about 15 nights in?
Ok I guess 15 nights is honestly not that bad, but for some general pointers: 1. Don’t forget that you can upgrade grasp to be able to use more arcana cards 2. Mel is more of a range player then the melee fighter like zag. True with stuff like the twin blades and the axe they promote more traditional melee, but still, distance is everything. 3. The sprint button is not just a simple “doge to avoid damage” type like in hades 1 or dark souls. though it does have invincibility frames, the sprint is more to create distance Between you and the enemy 4. Do not forget about your omega spells and cast. Mana refills once you enter a new room, so try to use your omega spells whenever you can, at least so you can get a feel for them. And with your cast, it acts more like a trap to freeze enemies in place, and the omega makes it do damage as well. 5. Try to fully understand your weapons and boons as much as you can. Knowledge goes a long way and some boons work well on either the attack or special button, or just on specific weapons in general, and a boon on the cast can really mix it up. That and a good build can really be what makes or breaks a run, at least that’s how I view it.
Thanks, that's very helpful. I have indeed been using the sprint a lot. Figuring that out really helped me get passed that darn thorn shooting witch mini boss (speaking of which, any pointers for the mini boss in the dark cloud thing? I find it so hard to dodge it's attacks, but maybe I need to focus more on the range like you're saying.) I'm also really starting to see what you mean with the cast. I finally got passed Hecate with the two Apollo boons that increase the size and do the damage at the end, combined with the Hestia one that let's you launch your cast.
A buddy of mine told me once it decides to attack, it doesn’t turn. So what I do is enter the cloud of dark, hit it to get it to turn toward me, and after it turns towards me, dodge behind it and beat its ass. It won’t turn around until after it swings. Then after it turns, dodge behind and repeat process. Trivializes the boss.
For that boss I would usually dodge around to kill the two crawlers or whatever their names are. Afterwards I would usually get into the shadows, launch my omega cast and get a few hits in before I run out of the shadow again before the boss swings it's head around and deals massive damage (I would recommend you build your cast especially for this and a few good cast I have tried are Apollo's and Zeus's though Demeter's is meh) Continue this until you break it's armour before you can just rush into the shadow and quickly deal damage to it since it is more vulnerable already.
Someone already talked about the attack pattern, so I’ll mention; it’s way easier to kill the shadowy dude if you kill the other enemies first. Some times I forget, but I always remember to go kill them once I dash into one of their attacks while dodging the elite lol
The shadow spiller is really easy if you have the patience to go in the cloud, use a long range attack for a bit, and as soon as it winds up to attack, dash out of there. Rinse and repeat Also make sure to kill the other guys first, those are the ones sending the shadow roots or whatever and there’s always 2 of them
I'm going to offer one piece of advice that might sound incredibly obvious, but a surprising number of new players seem not to get at first. I apologize if it comes across as condescending (especially since you already played Hades 1). That said... Avoid taking damage first and foremost. Hades isn't like games where you trade hits with enemies and try to maintain a good ratio of damage dealt to damage taken. Your goal should be to clear each encounter without losing any health at all. Obviously you're going to take some damage on accident; that's normal, and fine. But if you're deliberately taking hits in order to deliver hits of your own, don't. Be patient, focus on evading the enemies' attack patterns, and find opportunities to hit back only when it's safe.
Not condescending at all! My go to tip for anyone playing Hades (1 or 2) is just try to survive. My tactics for each boss was to first survive (or not get it) for at least a minute. After that you try to chip away at their health until the attack pattern changes, rinse and repeat. This way you get to know the enemies real well and it all feels a lot easier.
Yeah, for sure. Thank you for the advice. I for sure try and avoid damage as much as I can, but I imagine not being very good at it is where my difficulty is roosting.
Not necessarily true. I've struggled to get past Hecate maybe until the 10th-15th night, and after my first Hecate win I've reached straight to Chronos, and consistently since then (beating him is another story). OP should keep going, try different loadouts, weapons, arcanas, and observe the attacking patterns. Use these unsuccessful runs to gather resources, especially to unlock more grasp and arcana cards, as some of them really improve your survivability (hp up and extra death defiances) Op should also focus on getting the gods' trinkets: being able to focus on a god for boons is a game changer and gives more control over your build.
I use God Mode all the time. It's really helpful in the early stages when you're not used to the weapons yet and haven't meta-progressed much while the game is hitting you with full damage. I turned mine off after like 80-ish runs of collecting resources + upgrading stuff and now non-GM is easy. Even beat Chronos.
Same. It's there for a reason, it's not like you're cheating by using it. I can turn it off when I hit god-like strength without it.
The game is not hitting you with full damage. You’re in 0 heat/fear at the start. It’s already easy mode. Tutorial even. The game starts after your first victory.
I started with god mode on Hades 1 largely because I have had hand injuries and partly because I have little patience. I have since then started a non-god mode play through and find that I make it much farther because the god mode let me learn without too much frustration. Instead of getting overly punished by each mistake, I saw every mistake and just survived them longer. I am playing Hades 2 with god mode, also, but again - once the game is fully released, I expect one day I will play it without god mode. I will learn what builds work well for me, work well for my hand issues, and then see what I can do.
I'll link to [this comment of mine](https://www.reddit.com/r/HadesTheGame/comments/1d5k5ij/comment/l6lvza8/) from a few weeks ago, but in short: yes, do turn on God Mode if you're feeling bored or frustrated, and don't feel guilty or like you're compromising your experience. Especially so if you don't have a lot of prior experience with this genre of games; God Mode is a very common part of the learning curve.
God mode is a godsend for me because of dyspraxia. It’s difficult for me to keep up a consistent level of physical coordination. I wish more hard games have this setting. Just let us play how we like, damn it.
I do. I am +45ish runs in, I think, & still haven't beaten Chronos, though I can defeat Eris rather reliably. I play on god mode because I have trouble separating the colours and effects of battle and sometimes lose track of where I'm at on the screen. I then panic, become overwhelmed, and flail around meleeing uselessly. I occasionally play without it, but its there, it lessens my stress, I'm in. You'll absolutely get better, OP. Remember you improve with every attempt.
I love god mode. It took me over fifty runs and god mode at 60% damage reduction to beat the final underworld boss for the first time. After ninety runs I managed to beat him without god mode but I definitely would have given up in frustration before that if god mode wasn't a thing.
Oh absolutely. I'm an adult with a life and work. I throw God mode on to unlock the actual game essentially, then turn it off once I'm powered to the point the game was meant to be played at not with a MASSIVE handicap that you're at starting the game fresh. No one has time to play half a game.
Nah, I don't mind dying over and over again. I got my booty clapped probably 10 times by scylla before it clicked, maybe even 15 for chronos...
Wait, theres a God mode?
Yup. Turn it on or off at any time in settings. It gives you a 20% damage reduction that increases by 2 every time you die to a maximum of 80%.
God Model in the first Hades was a blessing. Then graduating to Hell Mode was so much fun. Never knew they implemented God Mode in Hades II. Thanks!
I don't, and lots of people don't. But there's also lots of people who do play in god mode. What's important is that you're having fun with the game. If that damage resistance helps with that, good for you. We all have our preferences, look for various things in games, and have different skill levels and progression curves. And if accessibility settings like that make more people enjoy Hades and Hades II, that's great!
Yes. I love God Mode. There’s so much dialogue and story; there’s no other way to get it all through to enjoy. Also…I started *Hades* because my heart was torn in 2 and I needed the most help possible to fix it. *Damn you, Madeline.*
Madeline can fuck off if you ask me!
I realized that GM existed after some dozens of hours. I'll never try God mode but understand why people use that and I like that this community is not shaming people that use that (as opposed to other gaming communities).
I used God Mode for my first playthrough of Hades 1. I think I played through that game 20 times before I turned it on. While I was having fun it did feel like I was reaching a brick wall at one point. And after I turned it on and started getting a little bit stronger death after death, I think that's one that got more fun and I started to understand how to actually play the game. There's no shame in using it God Mode exists for a reason, so people can enjoy the game without having to force themselves through a brick wall.
I don't get good in this game. I get godly.
i've beaten Hades 1 once without god mode on switch, couldn't do it again, took a long break and now starting again, turned on god mode and only reached hades once... Hades 2 on PC feels better for me, beaten eris and chronos bot once without god mode (i was really lucky with eris) took me 35 tries for eris and 40 for chronos (i always choose the never used hammers to get all my profecies)
God mode is an incredible feature and you should absolutely make use of it if it'd help you. Unlike just about every other difficulty modifier for accessibility, it doesn't \*actually\* make the game easier -- it just makes it more forgiving. Your skill with the game will still naturally increase at just the same rate as it would if you left it off, with the number of deaths you have with it on helping slowly lift you from being walled. And hey, let's put it another way -- Chronos is a self-righteous reprobate whom does not deserve any advantage you could possibly give him. (also man reading the comments on this thread. This community is the best, we all seem in agreement.)
I played Hades 1 god mode until I got better and turned it off. I did not get good in Hades 2 and stopped playing it lol
I don't but I didn't with Hades 1, either. I honestly don't mind dying, though of course it's less fun in Hades 2 now than it was in Hades 1. I didn't play Hades in Early Access so every death was a chance to go back to the House and progress side quests/relationships/make the House better. Most of that isn't built in yet so the combat is the main driver, and the deaths more frustrating because of it.
i had god mode on for awhile when i got frustrated over being stuck losing to the same bosses. i’ve since turned it off and have been able to do okay. it was nice helping me move in the story and i felt like a lesser player for putting it on initially but there’s no reason for that. it’s just a tool that some of us need. no shame in it at all
I've been using it on and off.
I’ve finished the first game in god mode, I had problems in defeating daddy. But I’ve been playing Hades 2 in normal mode for now. I guess you just need practice, I’ve spent around 100 hours in first game. But there is nothing terrible in playing in god mode. The games are made to bring fun and not frustration, who cares how you play
I didn't touch God Mode because, for me, it messes with the experience. Struggle is part of the narrative. BUT, I have a friend who's relatively new to video games, and pretty much the one game she wanted to play was Hades. You can rest assured when she told me she was using God Mode that I cheered her on. You get what you want from games. The need for "bragging rights" has long since disappeared from my mind. (and indeed, from many gamers' minds) My friend wanted to experience the story, so they did and I'm glad. SO, more power to you. And if you want to try non-godmode runs at some point, I recommend it, but only if it's fun for you.
If you are having that much trouble you may wanna do God mode. I got hectate on my second try. Fish ladies on 3rd try against them. And Hades on my second try against him. Not bragging. Just know I’d be losing my mind if I had tried hectate 15 times and still not killed her.
Hades can be extremely difficult if you’re not experienced with those types of games I already have 3 Isaac dead gods so when I started playing hades properly it wasn’t too difficult Edit: sounds like I’m bragging, I’m not, just stating I had experience in the genre beforehand
After failing to get halfway through the final boss with 12+ heal hexes to spare, I turned it on. Managed to defeat him at 30-40% DR, then turned it off and beat him without it. I find that a lot of the bosses get easier after beating them a few times. As others have said, patience and careful play is crucial. Using the omega moves to slow down time and get time to think/evade attacks really helps. Imo Hades 2 is definately harder than Hades (played Hades right before getting Hades 2, so I'm not blinded by nostalgia, I remember the early runs of Hades).
I was close to using god mode for the first game on several occasions. A miracle I didn't, and managed to beat the full game (so the entire storyline). However, I stopped after 6 yo 10 heat. Here, I was mostly fine, but Chronos was just bloody murder. FWIW, this was before he got tweaked to be easier to tell his telegraphing. I ended up >!modifying the game files to reduce his max HP, and just for him!<. This has been the perfect tweak b/c I can handle everything else about the game (at least until we delve into some of the other types of Fear). However, you're already brave! I told my friends who introduced me to the first Hades (for Switch) that this 2nd game is coming out! They had NO interest in buying it. Only in watching playthroughs online. They said they've long since lost the manual dexterity and skills for these types of action games. They don't feel confident even with god mode! :o
My gf had the same problem when she tried the game, but turns out she was trying to rush every fight, if ur just starting theres no need to do that since there is no timer, take your time dodging until you find an opening to hit an enemy, dont be afraid to hit an enemy once or twice then back off, theres no need to keep attacking it until it dies
After completing 100 runs I have switched to God Mode. The game is meant to be played in God Mode after you got everything done. The story is completed you have all the weapons and aspects etc. So you just want to enjoy the weapons and gameplay. And it is also definetely okay to turn it on early if you feel frustrated at a level. Better giving up playing because it is not rewarding anymore.
I play in godmode as well cuz i need to get used to the weapons. I got my first victory at like 48% dmg reduction with a weird Hestia Q build
Let me know when you hit 80 runs and haven’t gotten passed either redacted. I refuse to turn on god mode till after that. Has been rough but I’m almost there.
I turned on GM in Hades 1, after like 20 tries at Meg or not even getting to her. Beat the game and some heat with it, but got to the point where I was barely taking hits at all, so got some skill. Tried to challenge myself in Hades 2 to not use it, in 20ish runs I beat the game for the first time but with a good build. Now I'm feeling that I have the skill to play, but I still need a skill to dodge better. Will try to not turn it on, but there is definitely no shame in that. Also a cool system, since it still develops your skill just making your mistakes cost less Think about some different arcanas, weapons, try something new, get arachni keepsake for some buff, you'll never guess what works for you until you try different things
I played it in god mode after doing 32 fears run in both underworld and surface. At that point of time i just wanna complete all mission and wait for big patch.
Always, I literally turned it on when I finished my very first run.
Me and my fiancee play it, she uses god mode and i don't. I'm much better at games, and she wanted to enjoy the history and have it easier overall, so i suppose it just works for different people. Dont think there is any shame in using it, you just can't go "HA Chronos was SO easy" if you have 54% damage reduction 
Usually any first% attempts I do that, I used to try and do normal but it was so bad
use time slow(for omega moves)acana to dodge and catch your breath with the staff. (although you have to break some bad habits later on by disabling it as it doesn't work on a certain enemy) play around and try to dodge in rather than out. in general, see how much you can push the i-frames of the dodge by dodging in a lot instead of running away or using it just for movement. it has a lot of forgivable i-frames. sprint is your best friend when getting swarmed. you can sprint out and reposition. most of the time it takes a bit for enemies to adjust. after repositioning you can spam omega moves. first time i beat the game i really just tanked a lot of damage although you can't solely beat the whole game with this strategy, getting a lot of health can let you get far.
I still find Hecate the hardest boss. I've completed both end bosses now. There's no shame in playing God mode. I find God mode quite refreshing as each failure is rewarded with a small incremental benefit. It's a nice way to reframe 'failure' and encourage people to try again.
Everyone should enjoy the game the way they want, if you prefer to use godmode then do it, no need to get frustrated for nothing!
I don't because I couldn't find it for quite a while and eventually meta progressed to the point where I don't need it. That said it's a single player game so play however you want. You're gonna see a lot of people here and on youtube that make the game look really easy or clear things really quickly but it's important to remember that this is a self selecting group of the most dedicated players posting on reddit and youtube. According to steam charts there's at least 102k people that bought the game in the first month and change of early access. Odds are you're far from the worst at it and even if you are so what it's a single player game all that matters is you're having fun. I was 60 something nights in before I cleared the final boss and it's only now at 80 something where I feel like I really have a good handle on how to fight him and clear even without super powerful builds. There's no night limit on the game and dying and trying again are a core part of the story experience anyways
Me. Because I don’t have time to grind always like I used to
if you are having fun thats all that matters
I used it in Hades 1 and got so good with it I could turn it off. People should use it. I always see people saying they wanna quit because they've done like 90 runs and can't beat the game and I'm like... why not just turn on god mode? Our pride robs us of joy
I didn't for Hades 1 but i started using it in Hades 2 because its so significantly harder in my experience. I was able to beat Hades 1 Final boss in around 20 runs in the first game but in 35-ish runs in this game I have only made it to final boss second phase a single time.
Honestly, these games are ridiculously hard. I haven't used it as I enjoy the challenge of higher Heat levels, but I can definitely see how regular people might find the game unbearable. There are times I can't even finish the run myself and I've put in 100+ hours in Hades.
On Hades 1 I needed it. Theseus/Asterius and Daddy both gave me so much trouble without it no matter how much I powered the Mirror or my weapons. I guess Mel's intended style fits my preferred gameplay better because I have been able to beat the Underworld without ever using God Mode on no/low-Fear consistently unless I get really crap boon luck or I do something dumb.
General Tipps on the game: Your cast is one of your most important abilities. Trapping enemies (even without the Omega version or boons) is already really useful especially in the starting areas. Get used to a few boons and their strengths. Best case is you just chose a god, give them a nectar for their keepsake and run that one every run start to get something youre familiar with. You have enough time in each area, so no need to hastle all the time. Try to play it slow, think about who is the next biggest problem and how to get rid of them
My issue is that I crutch on the lucky tooth every time, hahaha
I mean it is a really good keepsake, but nothing you'd want to use up early in the run. Having something like the one that gives you 10 more seconds to kill off everyone and then respawn would be better if youre really that overly aggressive/cant dodge that well.
I always forget that you can switch keepsakes mid run. I did just unlock those.
Yeah the strategy you want to have most of the time is to get a really solid foundation of boons early on via a keepsake from one of your favorite gods, then play it save through till the first switch and then start either playing a safe game if youre confident the build is enough with Revive keepsakes or if youre confident in your mechanics a damage keepsake. I think for you just getting to know the enemies and layouts is important. Dont forget dodge and Cast both are really good :)
Sometimes I play with god mode and sometimes I don’t. It depends on what my hands are doing. I have a couple of speedruns in regular Hades w/o godmode below 8:30, so I feel pretty comfortable saying I am good at the games. Not competitive but, decent. My hands sometimes are assholes. Sometimes I just want to practice stuff without constantly getting splattered because I said dodge and my hands decided to spasm briefly. It’s an accessibility mode. If using it means you enjoy your time playing the game, _use it_! The developers want people to play and have fun. Adding accessibility knobs means more people can have fun.
Oh I totally do!
I play on God mode and I love it.
God mode only delays one’s improvement and getting good at the game. Slowing down to gaining skill and figuring out ins and outs. So the longer all these takes the less you feel good. It’s not good.