Hades: How To Play The Lyre - Game Rant

The indie roguelike Hades chronicles Prince Zagreus' journey to escape the realm of his father, the God of the Dead. Throughout most of the gameplay, he hacks and slashes his way through shades and monsters in the hope of getting to the surface. In between runs, though, Zagreus has some downtime when he returns to the House of Hades.

During these moments, he can chat with his friends, pet Cerberus, buy upgrades for the house — or even learn to play music. Though it seems a frivolous pursuit, Zagreus' quest to learn the lyre in Hades adds some flavor to the game, and can even grant the player rewards.

Updated February 17, 2023, by Demaris Oxman: Hades has become one of the most beloved indie roguelikes in recent years, and for good reason. The story of Zagreus, son of the God of the Dead, and his journey to reunite his family of Greek gods has resonated deeply with players everywhere. What's more, the gameplay is excellent, giving players a huge variety of ways to fight their way through denizens of the Underworld. It's little wonder that a sequel is coming this year.

In light of the sequel, players may find themselves returning to Hades or picking it up for the first time. Many fall in love not just with the combat, but with the world of the game and its immersive details. One such aspect is Zagreus' side journey to learn the art of music.

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Required Prerequisites

The Fated List of Minor Prophecies

As with virtually all side quests in Hades, the player must make an essential purchase in order to start learning to play the lyre. The Fated List of Minor Prophecies can be purchased from the House Contractor for 20 gems. It becomes available once the player has purchased the Fountain Chamber - Tartarus, which is available for free. Once purchased, the Fated List can be found in Zagreus' bedchamber. Thanks to its low cost, it can be purchased early in a playthrough, opening up dozens of side quests and rewards.

Commuting Orpheus' Sentence

Before the player can receive the quest to learn the lyre, there's a different prophecy on the Fated List that they must fulfill. As the House of Hades is somber and imposing, Zagreus decides the place could use a little levity and music. To this end, the player can choose to commute the sentence of Orpheus, the erstwhile court musician. Doing so requires purchasing a work order, titled "Court Musician's Sentence," from the House Contractor. This work order costs 1 Diamond, which can be obtained by defeating the Hydra in Asphodel.

Purchasing this work order will fulfill the Minor Prophecy "The Reluctant Musician," and return Orpheus to the House of Hades. Though he refuses to sing at first, Zagreus can eventually persuade him to return to his craft after a few conversations with both him and Eurydice.

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Obtaining The "Gift Of Song" Prophecy

Once Orpheus is back at the house, Zagreus can bond with him by giving him Nectar. They'll discuss his history with Eurydice, and Zagreus will tell him tall tales to inspire him to song. Eventually, after a certain number of conversations, Orpheus will take up his craft, bringing music to the House of Hades.

Once the player has both convinced him to sing again and has told him the tale of defeating the Hydra, Orpheus will suggest that Zagreus himself learn to play music. This unlocks the prophecy "The Gift Of Song" on the Fated List. Of course, Zagreus needs an instrument if he's going to learn Orpheus' trade. For this, head over to the House Contractor. Under the "Bedchambers" tab, purchase Lyre: Splendid for 1 Diamond. Once purchased, Zagreus can interact with the lyre whenever he enters his chambers.

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Learning To Play

Though many aspects of Hades gameplay are fairly fantastical, this one is perhaps the most realistic. The only way Zagreus can truly learn to play the lyre is through repeated practice, day in and day out. There are no shortcuts; the only way to learn is to keep at it. Pluck at the strings a few times between each run, anytime Zagreus returns to his bedroom.

At first, Zagreus' attempts to play the lyre will result in discordant buzzing. After several interactions, though, he'll start to produce some pleasant chords. At various stages of the learning process, new dialogue will become available with Orpheus, in which he offers some helpful advice. Though it's a nice touch, this dialogue is not required for Zagreus to learn to play.

It takes 210 total interactions, over the course of however much time the player chooses, before Zagreus remarks that he can play the lyre. This will fulfill the prophecy on the Fated List, which rewards Zagreus with 2 Ambrosia.

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