Astoria Fates Kiss | Hades Season 1 Review: The Guy I Kinda Like is a Greek God

Because of some impromptu snow days I was finally able to play Astoria Fates Kiss Hades season 1 stories. And OMG, it was everything I could have hoped for and more! Hades is such a gentleman and I found myself swooning over him just as much as the MC (maybe even more). I don’t think I have anything bad to say about Hades. I had my eye on him since the beginning, so maybe I’m biased.

So this will have some SPOILERS…as always I will try to keep them to a minimum, but hey, no promises…If you want a general spoiler-free overview of Season 1 (Labyrinths of Astoria) check HERE, for Season 2 (Astoria Fates Kiss) HERE, and for my full review of Hydra’s Season 1 (which I highly recommend 😀 ) HERE!

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Thoughts on Hades: When He Loosens His Tie

Voltage bills Hades as the Gentlemanly God. At first, I was skeptical because I have been misled by their descriptions before. But, this time I completely agree. Hades is the perfect gentleman. He opens doors for ladies. Hades is a great listener, and rarely raises his voice in anger. On the off chance that he does, it’s so polite that even the MC has a hard time believing he’s even angry. That aside, I really like (and by like I really mean, had a fangirl squee fit over) Hades. Despite being a god he really is an unassuming and down to earth kind of guy.

Hades is a workaholic perfectionist, who spends most of his free time working, so much so that he often falls asleep at his desk.  He takes every job he undertakes very seriously, agonizing over every detail and every possible outcome. Much to the amusement of his niece Persephone. But it doesn’t end there. He applies the same discipline in his personal habits. Taking care to run regularly and maintain a healthy diet as well. He almost seems too perfect, as if that were possible.

The MC finds herself working for Hades after he asks Cyprin to send an agent to help him prepare for the God Summit up on Mt Olympus. She is immediately struck by how handsome and all around amazing Hades is. He even gives off a shiny bishie glow.

But, there is more to him than his godly afterglow, Hades works hard at everything he does, while others give 100%, Hades takes it a step further giving 110, no 120%. He has his own notion of what a god should be like and he works tirelessly to maintain that standard. But, what really got to me about Hades was the way that he treated the MC like an equal and not like a subordinate. He never pulls rank on her and is always ready to listen to her thoughts and ideas on a subject without making her feel human.

In typical Voltage fashion, the MC is oblivious to Hades’s growing feelings for her, she seems to think that he’s simply being nice to her, but I am not as easily fooled. Hades is pretty easy to read, his actions tend to speak volumes about his inner thoughts and feelings, but he never lets his emotions get in the way of his duty or the task at hand. It was very clear early on that Hades had an interest in the MC.

His penetrating gaze and gentle touches said it all. Then there is the way that he alternates between calling the MC by her first name and her last name (nice touch Voltage), it really shows how conflicted he is about his feelings for her. Unlike the others around him, the MC doesn’t fit well into any of his predetermined categories, despite being his subordinate, he can’t help but see her as much more than that. The MC is the only person that genuinely surprises him. Even Persephone picks up on this, spending the majority of MS1 as their personal cheerleader/matchmaker.

Plot-wise, Hades’s season 1 is vastly different from Hydra’s season 1, instead of the central conflict coming from within Olympus, Hades and the MC have to deal with an external threat: the Titans. This shift in conflict makes for a very different kind of story. Making the threat come from outside of H.E.R.A., creates a common ground for the MC and Hades to build their relationship. When Olympus falls, the fallout is devastating. Hades becomes more vulnerable and relies on the MC that much more. But instead of wallowing in despair, Hades takes the initiative and starts planning for an immediate counterattack. It’s around this time that Hades starts to become more open with his feelings for the MC, and let me tell you he becomes 100x more adorable.

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Thoughts on the MC: She’s Totally Hot for the Boss

What more can I say about the MC that hasn’t already been said before? She’s smart and definitely not a pushover, she knows what she wants out of life and she isn’t afraid to make sacrifices for her goals. Due to the nature of her job this leaves her with few friends and close confidants outside of H.E.R.A.

She, like Hades, puts 110% into her work, so she and that magnificent specimen of a god gel really well together from the get go. Initially she sees working with a god as nothing more than a way to boost her career. But, it soon becomes apparent that she is genuinely curious Hades and his work. She works hand in hand with Hades even coming up with solutions to problems before he does. However, I do have one teeny tiny issue with her; she falls in love with Hades almost at first sight.

There is no slow build on the relationship like there was in some of the other routes, she’s star-struck from day one. What I really appreciate about the MC is that she doesn’t let her crush on Hades interfere with the quality of her work. She draws a clear line between work and pleasure and I for one appreciate that.

Unlike in the other routes I’ve played thus far, the MC’s mother plays a big role in the overarching plot of the season. Hades reveals early in the route that he knew the MC’s mother. But, he refrains from going into too much detail, hinting that the MC and her mother are of similar heart and mind.

Hades also reveals that her mother was an integral part of H.E.R.A. She along with Aphrodite were a part of H.E.R.A.’s dream team. In Astoria Fates Kiss Hades route, more attention given to ring artifact that Cyprin gives the MC in the prologue. The ring once belonged to her mother, who used it during her time in as a H.E.R.A. agent. Hades remarks that she was really good at wielding its power, putting her on par with the likes of the gods. While the MC is not as adept at using it as her mother. She does actively attempts to activate the ring and makes an effort to control her newfound shield powers. At one point in the story she even uses it to punch a Titan in the face!

But, more than magic rings and pluck, it’s the MC’s humanity that really makes her shine. She reacts to all of the supernatural drama realistically. The MC never puts on a front. She even admits when she is scared or in over her head with a situation. Of course, she doesn’t let any of that stop her from doing what needs to be done. But, it’s nice to have an MC that’s a living breathing person and not a cookie cutter stock character. I won’t say anymore about our dear MC, because Holy Hera, that would be almost too spoiler-y to handle. But I am I geeked for Season 2!

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Do I Recommend Hades’s Route?

I will admit that I am a lover of Greek Myth. My absolute favorite are the stories concerning Hades and Persephone. So this route was an unexpected treat. Voltage did a bang up job adapting the myth for the visual novel premise. I like that they made Persephone his niece, rather than a lover, because I hate love triangles to death. But, by doing that it allowed for the MC to gain a new confidant and friend who could support her during the story. So when she gets taken at the end of MS1 (I see what you did there Voltage 😉). I actually felt the full impact of the loss. Voltage really did their homework, like having her Aura manifest as butterflies, my inner Greek myth nerd smiled at that!

But, I do want to take a moment to applaud Voltage for the inclusion of POC (People of Color)! Several of the characters in this route, come in various shades and hues. And I cannot tell you just how happy that makes me! As a person of color it makes me super happy to see characters that look like me in an otome game. It’s rare that people of color are given primary roles in media. So to have a love interest with a little color is quite the welcome treat! Astoria Fates Kiss has been a treasure trove for diverse characters!

Now I will say this though, Hades’s route was very different from Hydra’s in that everything seems to happen so fast, namely the romance. The MC falls for Hades fairly quickly, like around chapter 4. But, can you really blame her, he is a mega super caramel hottie he’s a god. I would have liked to have a bit more of a delay in the romance. Because I couldn’t help but feel like it was just too much, too fast. It was especially strange for me early on, when Hades reciprocated her feelings almost immediately (yes, I’m jealous).

On another note the route as a whole is kind of plot heavy. It’s a nice mix of action, romance, and drama. The pacing is good (except for the ending to the Titan conflict. To be honest it seems to be a bit longer and a lot better written than Hydra’s route. But that is to be expected given the time laps between releases. So the verdict, I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THIS ROUTE, LIKE GO PLAY IT RIGHT NOW! If you have been hesitant to play Astoria Fates Kiss, this is the route to play! (And sweet Jesus TRUST ME, that Passionate Ending CG is to die for!)

Thank you for reading and Supporting Blerdy Otome! If you like what you see be sure to drop a like or a comment to let me know your thoughts about Hades’s Main Story!!

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