Supergiant Games’ Hades was 2020’s critically acclaimed game.The fast-paced combat mechanics and gripping story make Hades 2 easily one of 2023’s most highly-anticipated titles.
Featuring a new exciting cast of characters and an addicting roguelike gameplay loop for short or long sessions, there’s already plenty to be optimistic about.
There’s no firm release date, but this sequel will be released in its Early Access state via Steam on PC sometime in 2023.
Storyline
The first-ever sequel from Supergiant Games builds on the best aspects of the original god-like rogue-like dungeon crawler in an all-new, action-packed, endlessly replayable experience rooted in the Underworld of Greek myth and its deep connections to the dawn of witchcraft.
Hades 2 is a direct sequel taking place sometime after the events of the original game. No prior knowledge of the original Hades is needed.
Hades 2 will introduce us to a new playable character in Melinoë, the immortal princess of the Underworld who we got to meet in the debut reveal trailer. As the sister of Zagreus from the original game, Melinoë is also a character who’s plucked from ancient mythology. Said to be based on an ancient Underworld deity, she’s thought to be related to Hades in “what little ancient mythology exists about her”. With some mystery surrounding the character, Supergiant games said it was eager to “explore her story and connection to her family, in so doing, expand on our vision of the Underworld.”
Hades 2 is a direct sequel to the original game that is said to take place “sometime” after the events of Zagreus’ Underworld escapades. Also set in and around Greek Myth, Hades 2 centres around Chronos, the Titan of Time, who’s known to be a “wicked father” to Hades and his brothers. Escaped from imprisonment in the Underworld Chronos now wages war on Olympus. While it is a direct follow-up to the first game, Supergiant makes it clear that you don’t need to know anything about Hades or Greek mythology to get stuck into the sequel.
Gameplay
Hades 2 is a rogue-like dungeon crawler, just like the original game, only this time you’ll be in a bigger mythic Underworld that Supergiant reveals will feature new locations, challenges, and upgrade systems to play around with.
Melinoë will also have a different arsenal of her own as a witch and sorceress who uses powerful magical abilities and “deadly skill” with “shadowy” weapons. In the debut trailer, we got the chance to see some of her moves in combat as she takes on the forces behind the Titan of Time. And just like Hades, you’ll have the powers of Olympus behind you as you navigate the Underworld to imbue your powers.
As the immortal Princess of the Underworld, you’ll explore a bigger, deeper mythic world, vanquishing the forces of the Titan of Time with the full might of Olympus behind you, in a sweeping story that continually unfolds through every setback and accomplishment.
Like her brother Zagreus from the original game, Melinoë is not a character of our own invention, and is based on an ancient Underworld deity thought to be related to Hades.
In this game you’ll also get to infuse your legendary weapons of Night with ancient magic, so that none may stand in your way. Become stronger still with powerful Boons from more than a dozen Olympian gods, from Apollo to Zeus. There are nearly limitless ways to build your abilities.
Meet a cast of dozens of fully-voiced, larger-than-life characters, including plenty of new faces and some old friends. Grow closer to them through a variety of new interactions, and experience countless unique story events based on how your journey unfolds.
New locations, challenges, upgrade systems, and surprises await as you delve into the ever-shifting Underworld again and again. Reveal the mysteries of the Arcana Altar, tame witchy familiars, and gather reagents using Tools of the Unseen to get closer to your goal.
But the core loop looks like it will be very familiar to fans of the original game. You’ll fight your way through interconnected rooms of the Underworld, conversing with characters and accepting powerful boons from the Olympians.
Vivid new hand-painted environments, even smoother real-time 3D characters, and an electrifying original score make this mythic world burst with life.
Hades 1 timeline to Hades 2
The big change between Hades 1 and Hades 2 is that this time round you won’t be playing as Prince Zagreus, snarky spawn of the God of the Underworld. Instead you’ll play as Princess Melinoë, Zagreus’s sister, and embarking on an entirely different quest.
Sometime after the events of the first game, Chronos – the Titan of Time and father of many of the Olympians, including Hades himself – escaped from his prison deep within the Underworld. Chronos controls time itself, and represents enough of a threat that all of Olympus is offering their aid to Princess Melinoë and Hecate in their quest to stop Chronos from wreaking havoc upon Olympus.
Hecate is the goddess of witchcraft and the crossroads, and Melinoë’s mentor. Her mission is to defeat Chronos, although we don’t know why just yet.
Chronos appears to be the main villain of Hades 2. The immortal Titan of Time, he is the father of Zeus, Hades, Poseidon, and others. Long ago he and the other Titans were defeated and trapped deep in the Underworld by the Olympians, but between the events of Hades 1 and Hades 2 Chronos managed to escape somehow.
Gods and Goddesses
Moros is the God of Doom according to the game. Unlike the Olympians in Hades 1 who offer their boons from afar, Moros is shown to be talking to Melinoë in person, like Thanatos from the original game. Incidentally, in Greek mythology, Moros is the child of Nyx, which would make him Thanatos’s brother.
Apollo is the God of Light, and one of the Olympians alongside the likes of Zeus, Athena, and the rest. We will see him offering Melinoë a choice of Boons to accept. Apollo wasn’t present in the first game, so his presence perhaps indicates that there are more Gods willing to help out Melinoë in her fight against Chronos than were interested in helping Zagreus escape his father’s realm in Hades 1.
Nemesis is the Goddess of Retribution, and, much like Moros, she appears in person to Melinoë during your Hades 2 runs. It’s as yet unclear whether she is an ally or an enemy, although from what she says to Melinoë, it may be that she is a boss-like adversary akin to Megaera or Theseus from the original game.
Dora is an Underworld shade who first appears in menacing form before reverting to her more normal adorable form. It’s not clear yet what role she plays, but it seems likely she’ll be one of the characters that hangs around the player’s hub or base of operations, much like Achilles in the first game.
Final Words
So after reading this article about this game, which is expected to come out sometime during 2023, do you think you’ll be a player who will indulge in all the god and goddess madness in this game.
