Fall 2018 has seen Rival go big in terms of capacity. The Prometheus doubled the capacity of the Nemesis. In similar fashion, the Nerf Rival Hades doubles the capacity of the Artemis, while offering similar performance. The larger blaster makes for less of a “run and gun” type of playstyle, but it’s nevertheless a fantastic blaster to use, especially for the older market it targets.
Long Arms of the Law
Aside from the length issues, the Hades is ergonomically sound. The priming motion itself is comfortable, the butt stock fits against the shoulder, and the plastic is solid and feels great.
That seems to be a theme here. “Same, but longer.” In this case, it’s certainly not a bad thing!
An Upgrade on the Original
A note: there are plates on either side of the blaster that hide an extra screw each! If you want to fully separate the shell for modding, painting, etc, you have to make sure to remove the black plates (saying XVIII-6000) to access the last screws.
On-Par Performance
The Hades will excel in indoor and HvZ type games, like most Rival blasters. However, the size of the blaster will make for a change in gameplay – you’re more likely to stay back a bit and take advantage of the increased capacity. Blasters like this simply aren’t good for clearing corners quickly, after all.
Final Thoughts
The Nerf Rival Hades is a very solid entry into the lineup. It performs as expected, and the increased capacity makes for that much more endurance. Just be aware that this is clearly designed for larger (read: more grown up) individuals.