I didn't mention it earlier, but this year was the first time I ever played a rouguelike game. First was BPM, but later on I heard a bunch of buzz surrounding a game called Hades and figured I'd check it out only to be blown away. As Zagreus, son of Hades, you're repeatedly attempting to escape the grasp of the underworld and reach the surface, each death resulting in being sent right back to the start. The combat is fast and fluid and the amount of variety would be enough to make your head spin, though the game does a fantastic job of introducing its core concepts over time without ever feeling slow-paced. The story and characters are also really fun to check out, each of their relationships with Zag being unique and giving a real sense of character despite their limited screen time. Between runs, players are also able to upgrade certain abilities, unlock new weapons with entirely unique powers and move sets, and give gifts to the various souls hanging around in the hopes of receiving gifts in return. All of which goes a long way to aid in future escape attempts. Of course, there are minor things that could be touched up like the slow pace of deepening relationships with characters, some boons needing a bit more explaining, and the natural problem of randomized upgrades combining with the massive variation inevitably leading to some runs just feeling unfairly difficult compared to others, but most of these are either nitpicks or just symptomatic of the genre. And every time you beat a boss, there's nothing quite like it, especially when finishing off dead old dad for the first time, unlocking a surprisingly fleshed out post-game. Brutally tough, but ridiculously fun, Hades is easily one of the best games of the year.