Mass Effect 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Half-Life 2, are all legendary sequels in the video game realm. These games are celebrated for taking something already near perfect and making it even greater. This year, Hades 2 joins the Olympus of these gods of sequels. Hades 2 improves upon the original in every regard: gameplay, storytelling, level design, art style, and its mastery of the roguelike genre.
In Hades 2, the player takes on the role of Melinoë, daughter of Hades and sister to the protagonist of the first game, Zagreus. When the titan Chronos returns and imprisons the House of Hades and its members, it’s up to Melinoë, alongside witches and gods of Olympus, to defeat the Titan of Time and save her family. While in standard storytelling a deus ex machina might feel like an easy way out, in Hades 2 there’s a god descending every minute, and it fits perfectly. Supergiant Games aren’t afraid to embrace the ancient Greek style of storytelling. However, the gods only lend a helping hand, it’s up to the player to make that help count. The story and dialogue are solid, with humor that easily stands alongside legendary game writing like The Secret of Monkey Island.
The level of detail in the character art is close to the details found in ancient Greek sculptures. Every muscle is clearly defined, and the colors and clothing perfectly reflect each character and their deity. Every character is a delight to look at and brought to life by stellar voice acting, making it impossible not to stare at them, respectfully, of course.
Like in the first game, you will need to complete multiple runs to see how the story evolves. While I was content with just one route that changes rooms, as in the original, I was thrilled to discover that Hades 2 also offers an entirely new path filled with fresh bosses and locations. This dynamic of exploring two routes, seeing how the stories intertwine, and hearing characters reference your previous actions, creates a uniquely immersive experience. This not only applies to the series, but for the roguelike genre as a whole.
Hades already offered a wide range of possible builds combinations; Hades 2 expands that variety even further. Thanks to new gods and characters, the number of viable builds feels practically endless. In both routes, you’ll encounter many of the same gods, but each location also features its own unique characters. Every god has something to offer, usually a boon, which is an upgrade that enhances your abilities during your journey. You can focus on an ice build using Demeter’s boons, a fire build with newly introduced gods like Hestia, or even combine these elemental powers for more creative builds. This diversity extends to the weapons as well.
As a witch, Melinoë introduces an entirely new gameplay formula to the series. Her weapons, known as the Nocturnal Arms, bring the element of magic into the combat loop. While Zag’s Infernal Arms focused more on warrior or soldier-style attacks, Mel’s weapons blend melee slashes with magical abilities. For example, the Witch’s Staff features a basic slash attack alongside special moves that unleash magic projectiles. As in the first game, there are six weapons in total, each with multiple aspects that further expand the number of ways you can approach combat.
While I miss the Adamant Rail (thanks, Eris…), the Nocturnal Arms feel fun and distinctive to use. There’s even an Exosuit that lets you fire rockets, delivers devastating punches, and features its own unique sprint animation. All the weapons in Hades 2 are great for both melee and ranged builds, making each run feel fresh. You can add even more variety to each run with Fear level, previously known as Heat level in the first game. Fear adds new challenges and difficulty modifiers to the runs. In Hades 2, these have received great quality-of-life improvements, such as earning a skull reward from a specific target rather than having to grind an entire run.
Weapons, boons, resources, Hades 2 is packed with features that will keep you entertained for hours. Yet Supergiant Games has balanced all these systems carefully to ensure they never feel overwhelming. You unlock new features gradually with each run, creating a perfect pace that keeps you engaged without giving you a headache.
Something that might give you a headache (in a good way) are the bosses. With two distinct paths now, there are more than twice as many bosses than in the first game. The way Supergiant integrates each of these boss encounters with their surroundings is simply spectacular. For example, in one section of the first path, you can hear a boss softly singing in the background as you progress. When you reach the end of that section, that quiet melody transforms into a full-blown musical boss fight. If you’re familiar with the music from the first Hades, then you understand how incredible that experience can be.
Composer of the first game, Darren Korb, elevates the series’ soundtrack to new heights, delivering music that will have you looking for its vinyl version immediately. Every track fits perfectly with its location and situation. The seamless mixture of level design, art style, and music, culminating in unforgettable boss fights, is what makes Hades 2 truly special. It’s an experience worth repeating, especially thanks to the randomness infused into this mix.
I love it when games make me feel emotions through their story, admire beauty through their art style, or nod my head to the rhythm of the music. Hades 2 does all of that, but most importantly, it’s incredibly fun. Every run feels completely different from the last. Every weapon is enjoyable to use. Every line of dialogue captured me. Every location is fascinating to explore. Everything in this game is a visual delight. Without a doubt, Hades 2 is this year’s God of Fun in the Mount Olympus of video games.
Walter reviewed Hades 2 on PC with his own bought copy.
