Early VerdictThere’s a little bit of polish left to apply, but given the sheer increase in scope between Hades 2 and its predecessor, that’s more than understandable. A hugely ambitious roguelike, with an improved progression loop and grander narrative, but the same ruthlessness in play and charm in worldbuilding as the original, makes this an astounding early access success.Pros+The same excellent combat as the original+Greater skill expression with magic system+Far grander narrative ambitionCons-Difficulty curve is a little wobbly-Some artwork is missing
Early Verdict
Early Verdict
There’s a little bit of polish left to apply, but given the sheer increase in scope between Hades 2 and its predecessor, that’s more than understandable. A hugely ambitious roguelike, with an improved progression loop and grander narrative, but the same ruthlessness in play and charm in worldbuilding as the original, makes this an astounding early access success.
There’s a little bit of polish left to apply, but given the sheer increase in scope between Hades 2 and its predecessor, that’s more than understandable. A hugely ambitious roguelike, with an improved progression loop and grander narrative, but the same ruthlessness in play and charm in worldbuilding as the original, makes this an astounding early access success.
Pros+The same excellent combat as the original+Greater skill expression with magic system+Far grander narrative ambition
The same excellent combat as the original
Greater skill expression with magic system
Far grander narrative ambition
Cons-Difficulty curve is a little wobbly-Some artwork is missing
Difficulty curve is a little wobbly
Some artwork is missing
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Hades 2has grabbed me with everything it’s got. It’s sunk its teeth, hooks, and claws into me alongside any other lacerating appendage that Greek mythology can think up. Developer Supergiant Games presents the genre’s ‘one more run’ loop so impeccably that I don’t want to be at work, I don’t want to go to bed, I just want to take on Chronos again. And yet, for all that, it’s hard to pin down what makes this roguelike sequel so impressive.
Fast FactsRelease date: May 6, 2024Platform(s): PCDeveloper: Supergiant GamesPublisher: Supergiant Games
Fast Facts
Release date: May 6, 2024Platform(s): PCDeveloper: Supergiant GamesPublisher: Supergiant Games
Release date: May 6, 2024Platform(s): PCDeveloper: Supergiant GamesPublisher: Supergiant Games
In part, that’s because it will be instantly familiar to any fan of the original game. Within moments of starting the Hades 2 Early Access offering, I could feel my muscle memory of the original game flowing back into my fingers. New protagonist Melinoë isn’t a carbon copy of brother Zagreus, but she dashes and slices her way through the hordes of the underworld in such a way that the family resemblance isn’t difficult to see. Different weapons allow for different styles – from a blisteringly fast dagger and sickle combo to a slow but devastating axe – and divine boons further diverge distinct playstyles, but the roguelike DNA at the heart of this sequel remains as tight and cutthroat as its predecessor.
Godlike
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)
The divinities behind those favors are further evidence of Supergiant’s confidence in its original formula. Returning gods include the likes of Zeus and Poseidon, their rapid lightning strikes or percussive water spouts each lending a very different feel to their runs. But a host of new characters offer their own styles; my favorite boon from the gruff blacksmith Hephaestus offers the chance to demolish an enemy with a powerful explosive attack every few seconds; the matronly Hestia offers the ability to Scorch enemies, chipping away at the health more gradually.
Even with an expanded roster, it feels easy to latch onto the core of a run and build around it. With Zeus, I might opt for faster attack speed to optimize my chain lightning; with Demeter, I might play slower, freezing enemies or holding them in place with enhanced Casts before following up with more powerful, augmented attacks; I might opt for a mana-focused Selune build, or tank up with the help of the Arachne encounter and an armor-stacking build.
More than just tools for your run, the characters that help shape those builds flit around the edges of your narrative. Just as they did for the many millennia of stories leading up to the original Hades, the gods and demi-gods of Greek myth bicker, snipe, flirt, and undermine. But whereas in the original Hades they often felt like set-dressing for a distinctly personal narrative between Zagreus and his father, in the sequel they have much more to contribute to the broader story.
As Melinoë advances on her attempt to overthrow Chronos, it’s made clear how personal the stakes are for each of these visiting divinities. Hades 2’s narrative meanders much more openly, and the characters that it touches have far more to say. Stylish, confident, but most importantly flawed, they’re part of a story that’s more ambitious, yet feels an even more integral part of this sequel, despite what genre conventions might suggest.
The (Cross)road ahead
(Image credit: Supergiant Games)
An increased narrative ambition is symptomatic of a game that’s reaching far beyond what it’s done before. Hades 2 is massive, every part of itself bigger than its predecessor. Progression is no longer a case of simply amassing resources to spend on upgrades, but of balancing a host of materials found in wildly different parts of the game and collected with tools that have to be carefully selected based on your needs. More complex build patterns help fill sprawling combat encounters with excellent (if frustrating) enemy variety. The Crossroads is a bigger hub world, the center of a more confidently-told narrative that leans even further into the bizarre nature of this mythology. And without wanting to veer into spoiler territory, Melinoë’s crusade against Chronos is quite literally only the half of it.
The frantic speed and intensity of the hacking, slashing, dashing combat that shaped the first game is expanded on just as successfully as the flirtatious charm that helped the original Hades carve out a narrative niche in a genre that had rejected traditional storytelling for much of its 40-year history. For now, vengeance against Chronos still eludes my Melinoë, but Hades 2 is a game that I know will keep me coming back long after the Titan has fallen.
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CATEGORIES
More about hades 2From Hades 2 to Palworld, the best early access games of 2024 are already great to playHades 2’s huge new update is finally letting me confront enemies the best way I know how: with my fists firstLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest►
More about hades 2From Hades 2 to Palworld, the best early access games of 2024 are already great to playHades 2’s huge new update is finally letting me confront enemies the best way I know how: with my fists firstLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest►
More about hades 2From Hades 2 to Palworld, the best early access games of 2024 are already great to playHades 2’s huge new update is finally letting me confront enemies the best way I know how: with my fists first
More about hades 2
From Hades 2 to Palworld, the best early access games of 2024 are already great to playHades 2’s huge new update is finally letting me confront enemies the best way I know how: with my fists first
From Hades 2 to Palworld, the best early access games of 2024 are already great to play
From Hades 2 to Palworld, the best early access games of 2024 are already great to play
Hades 2’s huge new update is finally letting me confront enemies the best way I know how: with my fists first
Hades 2’s huge new update is finally letting me confront enemies the best way I know how: with my fists first
Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest►
Latest
“Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet
“Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet
“Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet
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Most Popular
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Razer Kraken V4 review: “an iconic headset, all grown up”
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
Meta Quest 3S review: “Maybe the best entry-level VR device ever created”
Glorious Series 2 Pro review: “comfortable and nimble, but not quite punching with the flagships”
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5
Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”