Review: Hades 2 (PS5) – Godlike Sequel Is Pure Power Fantasy

by

Hades 2 keeps Supergiant Games at the top of the action RPG world, a position they’ve held since Bastion in 2011 and solidified with Transistor in 2014. Continuing the success of the fantastic original Hades from 2020, this sequel boasts the studio’s signature beautiful music and art, and significantly improves the gameplay experience.

Supergiant Games’ latest title features a straightforward yet captivating story. Players take on the role of Melinoë, the sister of Zagreus from Hades and the daughter of Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld.

Chronos, a powerful Titan who controls time and opposes the Olympian gods, has made a comeback. He’s taken over the Underworld and imprisoned its rulers: Hades, Persephone, and their son, Zagreus. Hecate, the goddess of magic, secretly rescues the newly born Melinoë and begins training her to one day avenge her family and free them from Chronos’s grasp – a family Melinoë has never known.

Okay, so most of the game is me, as Melinoë, just fighting tons of enemies from hell. My main goal at the start is to get to Hades’ place – apparently Chronos has moved in, and I need to deal with him!

Honestly, one of the best things about Hades 2 is how addictive the gameplay loop is. Even though you’re going through the same four areas each time, every run feels fresh and unique. They definitely get harder as you go, but the rewards you get for pushing through are totally worth it!

Unlike the first Hades game, Hades 2 offers an extra path through a new set of challenging areas accessible from the surface. However, this route is unlocked by progressing through the story and gathering specific resources – we won’t reveal the details here. Overall, Hades 2 expands on the original in almost every way, offering a larger and more difficult experience.

Melinoë controls her attacks using the face buttons: one for a basic attack, one for a special attack, one to dodge, and one for a magic attack that hits a wide area.

Hades 2 offers almost limitless replayability because each of the four main character aspects can be customized in countless ways. Things like the weapons you use, the Boons you collect, and the Keepsake you choose all change how a run plays out, creating a unique experience every time.

Melinoë mainly attacks using Nocturnal Arms, and you’ll unlock six different ones as you play. Each Arm significantly changes how you approach combat, giving you new moves and a different way to play. Later on, you can find Aspects to further modify and improve each Arm.

Boons are essentially gifts from the various Olympian gods that Melinoë encounters in her quest.

These upgrades significantly enhance gameplay, changing what the face buttons do in a really rewarding way. Plus, you’ll get to learn about and interact with each god, and Supergiant’s clever writing gives them all distinct personalities.

Every time you play, the helpful Boons you find are mostly random, though you can improve your chances of getting Boons from a specific god.

Each Olympian god offers unique benefits that let players tailor their character. Aphrodite’s blessings often inflict conditions like Weak or Charmed, and also increase damage and health. Poseidon’s gifts typically provide strong knockback and area-of-effect attacks, along with better rewards from locations.

Keepsakes are special items you can get by interacting with gods you meet or the characters living in the Crossroads area.

You can equip these items before each attempt (and switch them up between areas), giving you special advantages. For example, you might deal more damage to the enemy that last defeated you, or even avoid dying once per night.

Feeling like you’re getting stronger is key to enjoying a roguelike game, and Hades 2 does this exceptionally well. You collect resources during each attempt that let you unlock upgrades, making future runs a little less challenging and more rewarding.

You’ll frequently discover new conversations with characters at the Crossroads. These check-ins with non-player characters and discussions about what to do next can be just as enjoyable as actually playing the game.

The portrayal of the gods and memorable characters Melinoë meets is particularly noteworthy.

The voice acting is fantastic, bringing each character to life – from the quick delivery of Hermes to the cleverness of Odysseus, the imposing presence of Zeus, and even the sadness of Melinoë. Plus, the character designs are stunning.

The game’s audio is consistently fantastic. Supergiant’s music is a standout feature, seamlessly shifting between moody electronic sounds and energetic guitar riffs.

One of the most imaginative boss battles involves fighting a band where, as you defeat each member, the remaining musicians adapt by either covering for their fallen comrade or performing solos. It’s a really unique way to integrate music into a fight!

The final boss battles in each area of Hades 2 are appropriately grand and offer a real challenge.

We only have a few criticisms, but the gameplay can get a little repetitive if you play it multiple times. Luckily, the smaller boss fights with characters like Melinoë are more varied and unpredictable, which helps keep things fresh.

Hades 2 is intentionally challenging, and this might discourage some players, but overcoming those difficulties is incredibly rewarding. Fortunately, the God Mode feature from the first game is back, and we highly suggest using it if you’re struggling.

In Hades 2’s God Mode, Melinoë gradually becomes more resilient with each attempt. After every defeat, she gains a permanent 2% damage resistance, up to a maximum of 80%. While it doesn’t guarantee victory, this feature ensures steady progress over many runs, allowing you to unlock the rewarding gameplay systems that make Hades 2 so enjoyable.

Read More

2026-04-13 22:08