Hades II

Like the first game, Hades II is a roguelike dungeon crawler game.^[1][2] Set "sometime" after the events of Hades in the same universe,^[3][4] the sequel stars Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld and sister to the protagonist of the first game, Zagreus.^[5] Alongside her mentor Hecate,^[6] she aims to defeat Chronos, the titan of time, who returned to enact revenge on all gods and mortals who opposed him in the past and took her family prisoner.^[3] Returning from Hades is "God Mode", which allows the player to gain more power after each run.^[7] New to the game is the "Magick Bar," a combat resource used for moves that recharges by attacking enemies.^[8] Unlike the original game which had a single path from Tartarus to the surface across four different biomes, the sequel introduces two different paths, one from Erebus to Tartarus and another from Ephyra to Mount Olympus.

Hades, which was first released in early access in 2018 and had its full release in 2020, was Supergiant's most successful game by that point,^[9] but lead writer Greg Kasavin said the team was undecided as to if the game would receive a sequel.^[10] Typical of Supergiant's process, after completing a game, the team determines what project next created the most excitement for the team, and it was realized that many on the team felt there were still more stories and mythological characters they could explore that were not included in Hades that made a prospect of a sequel the preferred option.^[9] However, as this would also be the studio's first sequel, they were aware they wanted to expand on Hades in meaningful ways without losing the core of the original game. Studio head Amir Rao cited examples of Portal 2 and Diablo II as successful sequels they wanted to follow.^[9] Work on the sequel began near the start of 2021.^[11]

Kasavin said that they knew early on that they did not want to return to Zagreus as the main character. He began researching more into Greek mythology, coming across the Orphic Hymns, one which described Melinoë as the daughter of Hades and Persephone but otherwise little else written about her. Besides the family connection to Zagreus, Supergiant has not mentioned her at all within Hades, allowing them to write a fresh story. Melinoë was also tied to the occult side of Greek mythology, allowing them to introduce magic as a gameplay mechanic as well as the figure of Hecate, Melinoë's mentor.^[9]

Jen Zee remained as art director for Hades II, following her work on Hades.^[12] Among the voice cast includes Asa Butterfield as Icarus and Amelia Tyler as Hecate.^[13] Logan Cunningham, a staple of Supergiant's games, returned to voice Hades as well as Chronos and several other mythological figures.^[14]

Hades II was revealed during The Game Awards 2022 on December 8, 2022.^[15] A technical test began in April 2024 before its release to early access on May 5, 2024.^[16][17][18] Like its predecessor, Hades II features music by Darren Korb.^[5] The soundtrack was made available via Supergiant's YouTube account the same day as the early access launch.^[19]

On October 16, 2024, an expansion titled The Olympic Update, was released.^[20] It contained an entirely new region, weapons, and characters.^[21] The game also released on macOS with the release of this expansion.^[22]

When comparing technical test to the first game, Elijah Gonzalez of Paste commented that Hades' "blend of convincing characterization, witty dialogue, and excellent performances is alive and well here. I loved what I saw of Hades II's gameplay upgrades, but what excites me most is how it builds on this world and its characters".^[23] Gonzalez opined that while Melinoë has more initial "clarity of purpose" than Zagreus, she's also "dragged down by self-doubt and the pressures of being a savior, making her a similarly complicated and engrossing protagonist".^[23] During the technical test, Kotaku praised the sex appeal of the game's character designs, writing that "sexiness is woven into their personalities."^[24] Ana Diaz of Polygon highlighted the traditional expression of gender in Greek mythology and how "Hades 2 expands on this ancient Greek idea by giving us witches who are both clever and strong and who defy the stereotypical expectations of them. Melinoë herself isn't exactly a witch, but she was raised by one and she's stronger for it. [...] Melinoë's background shapes who she is as a fighter, and in turn brings a fresh experience to the game".^[25] Patricia Hernandez, for The Guardian, noted that like Hades, the sequel's protagonist is an obscure character in Greek mythology and compared the Hades series to Emily Wilson's modern translations of the Iliad and the Odyssey – "where Wilson's work helps recontextualise Greek myth for modern audiences, the Hades series has the audacious aim of expanding those myths". Hernandez opined that "interpersonal (or interdeity) drama" elevated Hades II from a "compelling game" to an "irresistible" one.^[26]

On the early access, Hernandez wrote, "even in its current unfinished state, it's evident I will be spending dozens of hours in Hades II" and that "many players will be drawn primarily to the frenetic combat: Supergiant Games fills the dungeons with mobs of creatures so imposing that Melinoë has to slow down time to survive them. [...] Others, meanwhile, will be smitten with the sequel's expanded cast of alluring characters".^[26] Mitchell Saltzman of IGN rated the early access game a 9/10 despite it being "a work in progress" with missing or placeholder assets.^[27] Saltzman wrote that "Hades 2 feels impossibly huge and unbelievably polished by any standard, much less an early access game. Mel is awesome, the new tweaks to the combat and progression are excellent, and it's just unbelievably feature packed with twice the content of the first. [...] But even with all that it's currently missing, what's here right out of the gate is astounding, and the thought of more coming on the way is a tantalizing treat".^[27] Tyler Colp, for PC Gamer, also recommended the early access game and viewed the "current state as like playing part 1 of the full game; all the characters are fully voiced, the combat is already well-balanced, and several features are up and running. A few of the character portraits and environmental art look a little work-in-progress, but otherwise Hades 2 plays like a polished demo".^[28] In contrast, in a separate review for Polygon, Diaz commented that players "super invested in the story and characters might want to wait" as many characters and story interactions haven't been added yet – "when Hades was in early access, the story changed a lot throughout the development timeline. If you want a fully realized story, and don't want to be around for the process of the team figuring it out, then early access might not be for you".^[29]

As a result of Hades II's surprise early access release, Evil Empire pushed back their planned release of The Rogue Prince of Persia from May 14 to later that month to avoid competition with Hades II.^[30]

• Official website