What is Hades 2?
Hades 2 is an upcoming action rpg rogue-like game developed by Supergiant Games. It is the sequel to their previous game Hades. Hades 2 is not officially released but is out on Microsoft Windows in Early Access, meaning you can purchase and play it while also providing feedback that they can take to make further adjustments to the game. It is planned to be released on the Playstation and Xbox platforms once it reaches official launch. It costs $30 for early access and takes around 19 hours to beat the main story according to howlongtobeat.com. I played it on my Steam Deck, a great handheld to play this kind of game.
Game Review:
Hades 2 has a ton of pressure and expectation to live up to because its prequel is one of the best indie games released in the last 5 years. Hades 2 changes up the protagonist from the first game. In the first game, you play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, and the goal is to break out and escape from the underworld. In Hades 2 however you now play as Melinoe, a witch and daughter of the ruler of the underworld Hades, and your goal is to break into the underworld and try to recapture it from Chronos, the god of time who has captured it in an attempt to seize power. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to have the two protagonists in the same franchise mirrored, doing similar yet completely different things. And in a story that is all about family, it adds some additional layers to the perspectives that each protagonist has on their family.
I haven’t actually completed Hades 2 because it is a hard game. It takes tons of attempts and runs into hell before you become strong to make serious dents into the levels and see a lot of progress. But that is the nature of rogue-likes: they are about trial and error, learning and growing through failure. This can be frustrating at times but also leads to some genuine learning and growth. There is something about being put through the fire that can develop resilience and strength. This is just a videogame but I think that aspects like this can extend beyond the screen and really have an impact on our real lives.
Mechanically Hades 2 can feel a lot like its prequel, at least at first glance. It’s played from an isometric camera angle and you use powers to zip around the arena defeating enemies while dodging a myriad of projectiles and enemies. There is an armory of weapons to choose from that you can unlock as you progress, just like in the first game, each having totally different playstyles. Some weapons are more suited for close range, frenetic combat while others are more suited for long range, slower-paced combat. It’s up to you and your preferences which one you pick, but there are also rewards associated with a different weapon for each run as a way to try to encourage the player to try new things. And just like in the prequel, you can use currencies earned in game to upgrade your character with permanent stats and buffs that can improve your chances of success. There are also boons that you obtain from the pantheon of Greek mythology during a run that are only applicable during that specific run. These boons can have huge impacts on an attempt’s success and you may find yourself favoring certain types of boons over others. All the different gods have different skills and abilities tied to them that can be mixed and matched in really synergistic ways, it just takes trial and error to find the right combinations.
Even with all the similarities, Hades 2 isn’t just the same game with a new character. It adds more layers to the gameplay. Because Melinoe is a witch, she can use magic. Because of this the developers added a magic meter that acts as an additional resource that the player can use in each fight. There are added attacks that can be performed by holding down an attack button and using magic to apply that added power. This additional resource complicates the core gameplay, in a good way, and makes it more intentionally strategic. There is also a new arcana upgrade system that lets the player get more permanent upgrades sooner but also have to be strategic in which ones they apply. As an example, certain arcana upgrades are only selectable after meeting some prerequisite. This is in contrast to Hades, where you keep all your permanent upgrades but they take way longer to earn. There’s also more added content to the hub world that you interact with between runs into hell. There are more resources to manage and ways to alter the world, including a cauldron to conduct spells on because you play as a witch. Some of the stuff in the hub world is superficial and inconsequential but some of it is crucial to success in the runs.
Because I haven’t finished Hades 2, I haven’t seen the whole story so I can’t comment on whether it’s good in its entirety, but the parts that I have seen are really great. They focus on character growth and worldbuilding through dialogue and these bespoke moments you have with each character. They use these little conversations to build a branching and complicated relationship tree among the Greek gods and the surrounding characters that is really intriguing and captivating. None of this should come as a surprise, though, because Supergiant has created some of my favorite moments on conversational storytelling in games.
Family Friendliness:
Hades 2 isn’t a game that I would call family friendly. There are a number of instances of cursing in the characters’ dialogue. And during dialogue, it’ll show little pictures of the Greek god, some of which are pretty risque and sexualized. Aphrodite’s portrait in particular is not family friendly as she is essentially naked with certain parts covered by her hair. The violence in the game isn’t particularly bad but there are some animations with slight blood splats that could be hard for some people.
Features for Parents:
Hades 2 is also not the most parent friendly game. Being a rogue-like there isn’t a way to just save your game and come back to it later. There is a good save feature, but unless you can leave your device on, you won’t be able to just pick it back up where you left off.
Final Verdict:
Hades 2 is an amazing game, even in early access. It feels more polished and complete than a lot of fully released games. It is a game genre that I find myself moving away from the older my son gets and the more responsibilities I have, simply because I don’t have as much time to dedicate to it. But Hades 2 is an awesome game to fit in one run after bedtime or during nap time and just enjoy the progression you will see. I really can’t recommend this game higher if you can make the very nature of roguelikes work.
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