Hades 2 is a terrible time, even in early access
Hades II marks a first for Supergiant Games. This is the first time the studio has revisited a world, its characters, and their stories, and as a result, it is its first direct sequel. In a way, that seems disappointing, but this is Supergiant Games we’re talking about. Hell is a masterclass in narrative design, addictive gameplay, rewarding progression, beautiful art, etc. It excels in every way. However – this will shock you – Hades II But also serendipity is amazing, and it’s not even over yet!
After 20 hours of play through the Early Access version, available via Steam and Epic Games Store, we can say that Supergiant has another hit on its hands. The studio is currently unable to reveal which console it will be released on – perhaps the Switch Successor? We certainly hope so – but we can’t wait that long. So we loaded up our Steam Deck to check out this god-like, rogue-like sequel.
Hades II begins in a familiar way. After the title act, Melinoë (or Mel, as some call her) – daughter of Hades and princess of the Underworld – is dropped into Erebus, where the souls of the recently deceased await. From here, it’s clear what you need to do — go down, fight tons of spirits and creatures, and keep going down until you reach your goal: Chronos, the Titan of Time.
As you climb down from Crossroads to Hell, that tried-and-true Hades gameplay loop begins. Fight enemies, win rewards, receive gifts from the gods and find your way through various biomes. If you die, you will be returned to your room in the Crossroads – a hidden place between Hell and Earth. You can equip different Night Arms (weapons) here, talk to your mentor in Hecate, the Witch Goddess, or befriend Odysseus. Oh, and Skelly is back as Schelemeus looking amazingly radiant.
However, while Hades II can feel familiar, if you play it exactly like Hades — fast, furious, and face-to-face with enemies — you’ll soon discover that you’re going to die, very quickly.
Melinoë is where the greatest differences of Hades II originate. She is the complete opposite of her brother Zagreus – where Zag is rude and rebellious, Mel is studious, dedicated and methodical. First, she feels slower than Zagreus: her speed takes longer to recharge, and she can only dash once. In turn, holding down the dash button will allow her to run faster, which is where a lot of Dash-based benefits come into play. Mel’s usage is also different, and allows her to place a magic circle to slow down enemy movements. That means you can’t be too aggressive in your playstyle and you have to think single-mindedly small a little more about how all the parts work together. And then when you get that magical combination of benefits where everything clicks, you’ll feel amazing.
Speaking of magic, as Hecate’s student, Mel is a witch and she is extremely skilled in spells and mana. Mel can consume Magic by charging (called an Omega Move) her standard attack, special attack – usually a ranged attack or guard, depending on the weapon – or move. Your magic will regenerate over time, and you can increase the rate at which it replenishes with buffs or effects. It took us several runs to adjust, but shifting the focus from melee to magic and ranged was genius. Hades II may have a similar feel, but it plays quite differently.
In particular, Mel’s cast captivated us on many occasions. Sometimes, simply dropping it on enemies to slow them down is enough, but when we enhance it with the boon from Aphrodite, sucking in enemies and making them weak, it allows us to trap enemies and deal more damage them. , a boon from Hestia, Goddess of Fire, creates an explosion where the cast circle is located, dealing AoE damage to all enemies caught in the blast. These benefits, combined with Mel’s unique skills, created a whole new level of satisfaction for us that made us want to experiment.
Hades II encourages more experimentation than its predecessor. There’s a lot more to deal with with Mel, but not in a way that feels overwhelming. Mel can equip Tarot cards that give various buffs, but you need to collect ash to buy more. You can also use Spells from the Crossroads to unlock new facilities both at the Crossroads and throughout your journey through Hell. Selene, the Moon Incarnation, can appear and grant Mel a brand new ability – Hex – that can be activated after spending a certain amount of Magic per floor.
If that wasn’t enough, Mel’s weapons are also significantly different from Zagreus’s arsenal. The Witch’s Staff resembles a spear, but has a slightly longer range and is especially heavy and slow. The moonstone ax is extremely slow and powerful and allows Mel to block attacks. We still haven’t gotten to grips with how to use the Spectral Flame, but there’s no other weapon like it in Hades or the sequel.
However, this wouldn’t be Hades without a great cast of characters. And while there are many returning faces, such as Aphrodite, we wanted to focus on some new ones, all of whom are as charming, interesting, and fun as we expected. Hestia is already one of our favorite characters: as one of Hades’s siblings, she’s basically the “cool” aunt, with a warm but difficult sense of humor. endures and calls Mel a “hot thing”. Apollo also makes his first appearance, and Artemis’s twin brother is no different from the hunter, with his outstanding love and chivalrous nature. Their initial interactions with Mel are great and it looks like they’ll play a bigger role in the big story. Oh, spoilers, everyone is hot. Again.
Mel’s companions in Crossroads also shine. Nemesis is jealous of Melinoë because the princess was chosen to confront Chronos and not her. So she causes a bit of friction at the Crossroads, and sometimes on your journey to Hell. In fact, she will sometimes challenge you to kill more enemies than her – lose and you’ll lose all your money. Other times, she will offer items for sale at high prices. And sometimes she will leave the room and follow one of the doors, thus robbing you of the ability to choose upgrades. A special thank you goes to Dora, the sarcastic character who lives in Mel’s room, who try scary, but really, she’s adorable.
Would you believe us if we told you that we only got a glimpse of the Early Access version of the game? Well, that’s right – there’s a lot more to it than chasing Chronos. There are new gods we haven’t even talked about yet, specific areas to explore, and what happens after defeating the Early Access final boss. However, Supergiant Games said that “Hades II in Early Access already has more fully voiced environments, enemies, and characters than the full version of the original Hades game.” This is likely to be huge.
Currently, Hades II is like that, Therefore more than just “more Hades”. There are enough differences, tweaks, and changes to the gameplay that make climbing through Hell fun – albeit down instead of up – again. The team plans to update the Early Access version every few months, and it is expected that it will remain in developer EA’s hands “at least until the end of 2024”. So obviously, that leaves us dreaming of a 2025 release on the Switch’s successor. We will be there on day one, you can count on it.
Have you checked out Hades II in Early Access? Or are you replaying the first game to satisfy your cravings? Let us know in the comments.
