After introducing us to the roguelike Hades over 4 years ago, Supergiant Games is now giving players a first look at the sequel. Players can now explore the second installment in Supergiant’s Greek mythology story, Hades 2, in early access on Steam and the Epic Games Store. Based on the early access build, Hades 2 appears to be yet another success for the beloved independent developers. Let’s dive deep into the Hades 2 game review and explore what makes this highly anticipated roguelike sequel so thrilling and addictive.
A New Princess Rises
While the first Hades starred Zagreus, the playable character this time is his sister Melinoë, the princess of the Underworld. Like her brother, Melinoë controls smoothly with fast-paced hack-and-slash combat. However, there are some key differences – she has an unlimited sprint ability instead of Zagreus’ multi-dashing, and she also wields powerful magic abilities fueled by a mana meter.
Melinoë’s main goal is to take back the Underworld from the Titans with the help of characters new and old. The story is still very early, but already delivers the exceptional writing and charming character interactions Hades was praised for. Meeting familiar faces like Zeus and Nyx again while getting to know newcomers like the witch Hecate has been an absolute delight so far.
An Addictive Roguelike Loop
The sequel maintains the same core roguelike gameplay loop that made the original Hades so compelling. You will battle through procedurally generated levels of the Underworld, earning upgrades. You will make crucial decisions about which boons from the gods to equip. Death will merely send you back to your home base, the Crossroads. There, you can regroup and try again while slowly unlocking more weapons, abilities, and story progression.
While the fundamentals are familiar, Hades 2 makes some smart iterations on the formula. The magic system freshens up combat with special “Omega” abilities for each weapon that can be charged up using mana. And instead of choice-based upgrades between runs, you’ll equip special “Arcana” cards on an expansive grid to build up Melinoë’s power.
The new weapons themselves are a highlight, like the rapid skull-chucking projectile attacks or the melee great axe that cleaves through crowds. Each one enables unique playstyles to be discovered and mastered. Unlocking them is straightforward too – just gather enough resources from runs, and any weapons you want become available.
An Unfinished Masterpiece
Of course, being an early access title, Hades 2 is still a work in progress in some areas. While there is an impressive amount of voiced dialogue and story content for the beginning areas, the lack of a defined ending to the narrative is noticeable. The first major content update is still months away too, though it promises to add a new weapon, region, and more.
There are also occasional visual blemishes like unfinished portrait art and minor bugs that will need ironing out over time. But given Supergiant’s acclaimed pedigree and how polished the core experience already feels, it seems like only a matter of time before Hades 2 reaches the same level of masterful completion as its predecessor.
An Unmissable Pantheon
Despite its early access state, Hades 2 already provides an overwhelming amount of content to enjoy. Between the satisfying combat, brilliantly-written characters, jaw-dropping artistic flair, and addictive roguelike loop, there are easily dozens of hours of high-quality gameplay to sink your teeth into right now. And that’s not even mentioning the promised major updates still to come further expanding the experience.
For any fan of Hades, action games, or outstandingly crafted experiences, play Hades 2’s early access. It is an absolute must-play. Supergiant has already proven they can deliver an exceptional full release. Now they are giving us a chance to be part of the journey. We can help shape another iconic roguelike from the ground up.
Get in now and you can bask in the glory of the gods from the very beginning. Just don’t be surprised if Hades 2’s particular blend of action, progression, and story will have you worshipping at the foot of your Switch or PC well into 2024 and beyond. This Hades 2 game review seems like it’ll be one hell of an epic.
