Oh no, Hades 2 is already sick as hell to play and it hasn’t even entered early access yet
Wonder! Paatal Lok 2 is finally here and to play, Supergiant's hack-and-slash, flirt-with-gods roguelike is a brief technical test from its Steam Early Access debut. I've battled my way through its starting area and first boss and now I need more. Although it is obviously in an incomplete state, it is still good. like, Really good.
A small part of me was a little hesitant to see Supergiant make its first direct sequel. Every game since 2011's Bastion has taken us to completely different worlds with new methods of combat. I wasn't a huge fan of Pyre either, but I respect any game that is brave enough to mix strategic action with sports game elements like NBA Jam. Bastion was my favorite until Hades took that torch and brought it into the realm of a wicked action game wrapped in a story about a family of Greek gods and goddesses.
After playing a few hours of Hades 2, that small part of me has been proven wrong. The world is in desperate need of another Hades, and Supergiant is pushing the satisfying loop of the first game even further than ever before.
Zagreus and the rest of his family are gone. In Hades 2, you play as Melinoe, his stoic young sister, as she descends into the underworld in search of Chronos, the Titan of Time. Melinoe is just as angry as Zagreus – you can press a button to worry after every race – but he has a much tighter grip on combat from the start.
Although her basic movement mirrors Zagreus (plus the ability to sprint), her attacks can be modified for different effects using a new magical resource. When equipped with the Witch Staff, you can press the button for a special attack, turning it from a bolt of energy to a large bubble that bursts on impact. Of course, the risk is the time it takes to charge. Her cast ability usually drops a circle on the floor that zaps enemies, but holding it down allows it to end as well as deal a huge amount of damage.
My action RPG build-obsessed brain has already started connecting the dots.
You can't play Melinoe exactly like Zagreus because the creatures you encounter are more disgusting than the creatures I remember from the first area of Hades. The stages are filled with ghosts that spit projectiles and rain punches at you at rapid pace and the only way to manage it all is to prioritize the most dangerous ones. It's easy enough to dart between them in the early sections using her dodge (which leaves a streak of stars that visually retracts to communicate its brief cooldown), but once enemies are at their healthiest Get the armor on top, so you have to carefully look for openings in the barrage of their attacks.
The boons have returned and can modify each layer of Melinoe's abilities like they did for Zagreus. Poseidon – who still has extreme uncle energy, don't worry – turned my sprint into a tidal wave that crushed enemies as I ran into them for the cost of a small spell. I wasn't able to understand Apollo's boon that restores magic when you stand in a circle that traps you at the same time, but my construction-obsessed brain has already started connecting the dots. . My great sprint is still in sync with the other boon, allowing my chakra to move with me, and knocking enemies in my path.
Just like in the original game, you'll die a lot. But don't worry, this is your ticket to experience the second part of Hades: a chance to talk to more incredibly attractive gods and maybe even romance them. Each death sends you to The Crossroads, an outdoor hub with characters that will help you uncover what happened in the time between Hades 2 and the original Hades.
By the way, Hecate, voiced by Baldur's Gate 3's Amelia Tyler, has already claimed first place for best new character for me. She's a tall evil witch with her chiseled abs on full display. After one of my races, I got a glimpse under her shell during a flashback sequence where she teases a young Malinois while they play hide-and-seek. It seems that Hecate is gone and replaced by a patron figure who needs to see his apprentice succeed where she had failed. That's why, I imagine, she steps in as the game's first boss to make sure you're prepared for what's to come. Certainly having huge expectations from your adopted child will have no consequences in the future. Sure.
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Also in The Crossroads is a large cauldron for crafting spells using ingredients found each bar. There are flowers to choose from and metals to mine which are used to unlock new weapons, equip passive bonuses for each run, and invite new NPCs to The Crossroads. I made myself a pickaxe for mining, started a small garden to grow plant material, and revealed an arcana card that healed me every time I entered a new phase. Even if you're behind Chronos, you're encouraged to spend some time gathering materials for upgrades that will make your life a little easier. Oh and God mode is back if you prefer to gain damage resistance after each death to focus on seeing the story.
It's all here. Supergiant has honed its ability to instantly hook you into its story and come up with exciting reasons to come back to the race as it did in the first Hades. It will be extremely difficult to wait for its early access period.
I felt a strong desire to do it all again, just to see what other types of powers I could add.
I knew Hades 2 had me firmly in its grip when I replaced Melinoe's dual-handed blade with the top of the staff. Going from long-range jabs to quick swipes and a special hold-down attack that teleports you behind enemies, it was like playing a new class in an RPG – just like the original game's arsenal of weapons. Hestia's boon filled them with flame and suddenly every enemy I hit would melt away from powerful ticks of damage while I was on the other side of the screen. That race didn't go particularly well, but I felt a strong desire to do it all over again, just to see what other types of powers I could add. In other words: It's over for me.
You can sign up for a technical test of Hades 2 steam page right now, and Supergiant says its Early Access launch will happen very soon.
