Long awaited sequel Hades 2 by Supergiant Games was released into early access earlier this May to immediate praise by everyone who got their hands on it. Hades 2 is a Greek mythology-based roguelite, roguelite being a genre where you restart the game from scratch at a hub area after each death. In Hades 2, you play as Melinoë, a daughter of Hades, attempting to descend to the pits of Tartarus, defeat Chronos, and free the residents of the House of Hades. Along the way, you receive help from the Gods to fight your way past monsters and make it to Chronos. The game is still in early access though, and some parts still have missing sprites and bugs aren’t uncommon. However, the game has already received overwhelmingly positive reviews on Steam and a 9/10 from IGN.
The gameplay feels slower than the first game but with a bigger emphasis on ranged combat and many more abilities to use on each weapon. It still flows great and is fun to play, it just feels a bit different from the first. My greatest issue with the game is that the weapon variety is lacking. There are 5 different weapons, but only 2 feel great to use, but that will hopefully be updated in a later patch. On the other hand, my greatest compliments for the game is in it’s art. The game is visually great, each area pops and the character designs are unique and ooze life while accurately portraying the mythological character of your choice. The length depends entirely on the player’s skill level, ranging from 10 hours to up to 25 hours for the first ending, though Supergiant has already confirmed that more endings are in store for the future. After 16 hours of playtime, I have made it to the final boss a few times but I have not been able to beat him yet, though I have done a good amount of optional content in the meantime to inflate that time.
Overall, the game is well worth its price at $29.99 already, and more is in store for the future. I recommend the game to anyone who liked the original or enjoys a good challenge. If you are excited to play this one, but haven’t played the first, I recommend playing Hades 1 before starting the sequel. It will add weight to the story, and Hades 2 will have much more content by the time you finish the first game.
(Picture of Melinoë, the player character, in a promotional artwork.)
Sources:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/
