The Hugo Awards have recognized the best in science fiction—from writers and editors to novels and fanzines—every year since 1955. This year the celebration of all things sci-fi expanded with the introduction of a “Best Video Game” award that went to Hades from Supergiant Games.
Hades is an action-packed roguelite available on PC and Nintendo Switch as well as the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4. It centers on Zagreus, the son of Hades and Persephone, and his often ill-fated attempts to escape from his father’s domain.
The game immediately sets itself apart from most roguelites by featuring extensive voice acting, characters that continued to evolve after each of Zagreus’ attempts to escape from the underworld, and a clear appreciation for the fantastic world portrayed in Greek mythology.
Those aspects of the game (along with the fast-paced combat, intricate progression system, and the ability to pet Cerberus) resulted in plenty of praise for Hades and Supergiant Games. Now even the Hugo Awards have recognized its appeal by declaring it the year’s best sci-fi game.
The competition for this award was interesting—these are the titles Hades was up against:
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Spiritfarer
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- The Last of Us: Part II
- Blaseball
And yet Hades won. (A feeling that should be familiar to anyone who’s attempted to lead Zagreus through the underworld only to discover that Hades shouldn’t be underestimated.) Supergiant Games creative director Greg Kasavin shared this acceptance speech on Twitter:
All of which makes Hades the first game—and Supergiant Games the first developer and publisher—to win a Hugo Award. That distinction could actually be “first and only” for a while; the “Best Video Game” award was a one-off addition to the usual list of categories specific to 2021.
