One of the biggest roguelikes of the past few years was Hades. It blew up when it went into Early Access on Steam in 2018 and it hit even harder when it hit its 1.0 status in 2020. There have been roguelikes that have been inspired by Hades since 2018, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate.
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It's not a 1:1 representation of Hades as there are quite a few things that are different in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. For example, it is a roguelike with co-op whereas Hades has no co-op in the original or the sequel. What are some ways Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is similar to Hades though?
6 Getting New Story After Failures
Enemies Remember Encounters
One of the worst feelings players can get in a roguelike is dying. For example, as good of a roguelike as Dead Cells is, it can be hard to lose everything on repeat. Hades though gave players an exciting reason to die. Not only were there ways to upgrade Zagreus, but NPCs back in the underworld always had new dialogue. From advice on why Zagreus failed to info dumps about their character.
That happens in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate too. The three Turtles the player is not controlling usually have something to say at home. Otherwise April, Metalhead, or other NPCs pipe up at home too. It’s great when classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle villains remember past encounters too, which also happened in Hades.
5 Bosses Aren’t Always The Same
There Are Many Mini-Boss Variants
There were core bosses in Hades that could be replaced on repeated runs. Megaera, for example, is the first boss but sometimes Alecto would jump in too. It was a surprise, making players have to stay on their toes. In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, the core bosses are always the same from Leatherhead to Karai.
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However, the mini-bosses are almost always different from the last run. From mechanical warriors to stealthy ninjas to venomous rats. Typically, these mini-bosses also create a chain in the game. So, if rats appear, chances are the next few mini-bosses will be rat-based as well. Like most roguelikes, it’s impossible to predict but that is part of the fun.
4 There Are Multiple Weapons To Choose From
No Unlocking Required
In Hades, Zagreus starts with his trusty sword. Later players can unlock more weapons in Hades like a bow, shield, and more. Plus, all of these weapons have alternative functions. The shield can become more offensive as well as if to turn Zagreus into Captain America who is known for his ricochetting shield. There are no unlockable weapons in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Instead, players can play as all four Turtles from the start.
Leonardo has his twin samurai katanas. Michelangelo has fast performing nunchaku. Raphael has powerful short-range sais. Finally, the brains of the group, Donatello, has a far-reaching bo staff. All four Turtles feel different enough plus the heroes all have different loadouts in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. It is a bit different than going into Hades and just choosing a weapon, but it is similar enough to get that jolt of engagement when choosing a new Turtle to play who just so happens to have a different weapon and play style.
3 Enemy Splash Zones
Know When To Dodge
Hades did not create this mechanic, but it is present in the game. When enemies are about to attack, a zone will appear which can range from dozens of spots, a few lines, a large circle, and so on. This usually gives players enough time to dodge out of the way which is handy.
The same mechanic can be found in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. Bosses and smaller enemies alike will clue players into their attack patterns. As tough as roguelikes are, it is nice that this is becoming more of a trend. Some of the harder NES games back in the day could have had this feature which would have saved countless lives and tears.
2 Turtle Powers Are Stand-Ins For Boons
And Various Other Upgrades
Hades had permanent upgrades and it had temporary upgrades. Players could use gathered materials to buff Zagreus up in his bedroom, like allowing for more potent health potions. Boons in Hades were temporary upgrades in the dungeons that were granted to Zagreus via Greek gods.
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After most encounters in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, players can choose from a variety of Turtle Powers. They are the same as Boons, giving players things like elemental features to add to weapons. Turtle Powers are not granted by gods or other characters though, so there is less dialogue involved.
1 A Roguelike For Simpler Times
Easy Mode Vs God Mode
One of the best things about Hades was its God Mode. Players could turn it on in the options menu to get a 20% boost to Zagreus’ defenses. When players die, this ability would increase by 2% every time. It didn’t outright turn Hades into an easy roguelike, but it helped guide players.
Instead, it allowed persistent players to get better in both experience and in this particular stat. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate does not have a God Mode. Instead, it has an Easy Mode alongside the standard Normal Mode. While enemies are weaker and do less damage to the Turtles, it by no means turns Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate into a cakewalk. Assisting all types of players is what these two games get right.
