Unlocking Mythology and Strategy Skills Through the Game Hades / Activity Analysis

Core Skills Analysis

Critical Thinking and Strategy

• The game 'Hades' requires players to develop strategic planning skills by deciding which abilities and upgrades to pursue to progress through levels.
• Players learn to analyze game mechanics and adapt their approach based on challenges faced, promoting flexible thinking.
• The activity encourages risk assessment, as decisions have consequences impacting player success and progression.
• Players also enhance problem-solving skills through repeated attempts to overcome difficult stages.

Storytelling and Mythology

• 'Hades' immerses the player in Greek mythology, providing knowledge about mythological characters, settings, and narratives.
• Players learn to connect plot elements and character interactions, improving comprehension of narrative structure.
• Engaging with mythological themes fosters cultural literacy and interest in ancient stories.
• The game promotes empathy through character development and narrative choices.

Technical and Motor Skills

• Playing 'Hades' helps improve hand-eye coordination through fast-paced gameplay and precise controls.
• The activity builds reaction time and fine motor skills, as players respond quickly to in-game threats.
• Navigating game interfaces enhances digital literacy and familiarity with game navigation systems.
• Players also develop multitasking abilities by managing character stats, upgrades, and combat simultaneously.

Tips

To deepen understanding of strategy and problem-solving, encourage the student to keep a gameplay journal where they record different strategies tried, outcomes, and lessons learned. To explore mythology further, suggest researching one or two Greek gods featured in the game and creating a presentation or creative project about their myths. Integrate art by designing their own character or weapon inspired by the game's themes, encouraging creative expression. Finally, analyzing the game's storyline and its narrative choices can lead to writing alternative endings or story expansions, developing writing and critical analysis skills.

Book Recommendations

• Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: A modern adventure series rooted in Greek mythology, perfect for readers interested in myth-inspired stories.
• Greek Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Zoe Drahos: An accessible guide to the major characters and myths in Greek mythology, enriching cultural knowledge.
• The Art of Hades by Supergiant Games: A visual and narrative exploration of the video game's design, offering insights into its development and storytelling.

Learning Standards

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.3 - Analyze how a particular story’s plot unfolds in a series of episodes as well as how the characters respond or change as the plot moves toward a resolution.
• CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them (strategic thinking during gameplay).
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.3 - Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4 - Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes.

Try This Next

• Create a strategy worksheet where the student charts different upgrade paths and the effects of their choices in the game.
• Write a short story imagining a new mythological character that could fit into Hades’ universe.