“The fast paced combat mixed with creative upgrades, plus my affinity for Greek mythology, kept me coming back death after death after death.”
Story
“Melinoë is kind and determined, stopping at nothing to get back to her family.”
The original Hades is the game that got me into the roguelike genre. I saw it for sale one day on the Nintendo Switch store and had heard a lot of great things about it so I decided to give it a try. After the first couple of attempts at escaping Tartarus, I fell in love with it. I’m not typically good at wave based games, but the fast paced combat mixed with creative upgrades, plus my affinity for Greek mythology, kept me coming back death after death after death. Now, developers Supergiant Games are back with the sequel. With a new protagonist, weapons, and magick mechanic, is that $30 price tag worth a second trip to the Underworld with Hades 2?
In Hades 2, you play as Melinoë, daughter of Hades and Persephone, and younger sister of Zagreus. Just like her older brother, Melinoë is kind and determined, stopping at nothing to get back to her family. However, she has an added trait of innocence as she has not really spent much of her life in the Underworld. This makes for great dialogue between her and the other gods of Olympus.
Without getting into spoilers, the basic story is that Chronos has infiltrated and taken control of the Underworld. Melinoë has been hiding in a place called the Crossroads, a border between the Overworld and the Underworld. Now that you’ve gotten older, and your mentor Hecate feels that you’re ready, it is time for you to descend into the Underworld and fight Chronos to reclaim it back to your family.
Gods and Companions
“Even though these gods returned, the Boons that they supply you are completely new.”
Just like the first game, you have the aid of the gods and goddesses of Greek mythology. To keep it fresh and interesting, we get an introduction to a new band of gods and goddesses. Included in this new group, we have Apollo, Hestia, and my personal favorite, Haphaestus. Along with the new cast, we also get the return of Demeter, Poseidon, Aphrodite, and of course, Zeus. I appreciated that even though these gods returned Hades 2, the Boons that they supply you are completely new, so their inclusion in the game does not feel wasted or lazy.
On top of the new gods that help us out on our trip through the depths of the Underworld, we are also aided by some new faces in the Crossroads. Probably the most exciting being the man himself, Odysseus. Along with Odysseus, we also are introduced to Nemesis, the witch sister of Charon, as well as Moros, the personification of doom and the only man the fates ever talk to. In terms of characters, I was pleased to see that Hades 2 kept it new for us while also allowing us to reconnect with some of our favorite gods from the previous game (and don’t worry, Schelemeus also makes his return).
Another interesting addition to Hades 2 is its animal companions. As you continue to incantate, you eventually unlock the ability to get the aid of some animal friends. These companions join you in your quest in defeating Chronos by giving you little bonuses as you make your way through each room… they’re also super cute.
New Mechanics
“Rather than there just being one route of escape, Melinoë also learns how to make her way to the surface world.”
The thing that impressed me most about Hades 2 is all of the new gameplay mechanics that are added. Most notably, rather than there just being one route of escape, Melinoë also learns how to make her way to the surface world. In both the Underworld and Overworld, the enemies are brand new, with unique looks and different methods of attack.
We are also introduced to a new attack style, your Omega powers. Above your health gauge is a new Magick gauge that can be upgraded throughout your playthrough. To use magick, you hold down any of your attacks and it will buff them, but use it sparingly as once it runs out, it doesn’t refresh until you enter the next location (unless of course you grab a Boon that allows the gauge to fill up automatically over time). This mechanic also comes with a new goddess, Selene, who grants you your Hex power (a replacement of the Call slot).
Playing as a witch would not be complete without some arcana cards. This system takes the place of the Mirror of Night. Rather than using Darkness and Keys to upgrade yourself, this time around you’re using Ash and Psyche, which you earn through your playthroughs and fulfilling prophecies. I found myself preferring this system over the last game’s, mainly because it feels fun to pick through the tarot cards and look at all of the artwork.
Furthermore, our weapons are completely new, and all feel vastly different from Zagreas’. Where in Hades you were swift and dashed and dodged around enemies, Melinoë must be much more collected. It’s not that she feels super slow, although I will say playing the games back to back, her speed is noticeable, it’s just that you have to do a little more crowd control with your enemies. In total, there are 6 weapons that Melinoë can equip, with my favorite being the Sister Blades.
Boss Fights
“You keep coming back for the challenge because they’re so fun and look so good.”
It wouldn’t be a roguelike if there weren’t boss fights that you do over and over again until you get them down. In order to have a successful boss fight, you need bosses that your players want to encounter time and time again. As for Hades 2, each boss is exactly that. Don’t get me wrong, these boss fights are not easy, but you keep coming back for the challenge because they’re so fun and look so good, especially the Oceanus boss.
Art and Music
“The art style and music shines again.”
Working off of its predecessor, the art style and music shines again. The new gods and goddesses look great and the returning ones have some tasteful upgrades to appearance while still being the same. As for the music, it’s rocking out when you’re fighting bosses, and enchanting when you’re strolling around. For a game that focuses on going into the depths, the developers did a great job at making the art and music rise above the last game.
Currency
“There is a lot of currency and I mean a lot.”
One of the main complaints that I’ve seen for the game is that there is a lot of currency and I mean a lot. That’s not to say that you don’t earn it relatively easily, but there is just so much of it that it can feel overwhelming at first. However, I do appreciate that you don’t get all of the currencies the same. There are minerals to be mined, plants to be dug up, and flowers to be picked. Not to mention, shades to be released and fish to be caught.
The reason why I am giving this a pass is because it makes sense for what you are; a witch. The main progression in this game is through incantation at your brewing station. We all know that witches use many different ingredients to make their brews, so I am okay with there being a lot more currencies in this game, especially since many of your incantations allow you to get some pretty helpful upgrades.
Hades 2: Overall, Hades 2 takes everything that worked in Hades and made it bigger and better. Rather than taking the easy way out, Supergiant Games builds on top of what already worked, and implements some great additions to gameplay that keeps you wanting to come back for more. This is the perfect example of a perfect roguelike. – Anthony Fichtner – Anthony Fichtner