Summary
Hades 2is the early access follow-up toHades, the smash-hit indie roguelike that takes players on a deadly dungeon crawl through the underworld itself. The developers at Supergiant have never tackled a sequel before, and it’s true that the game is not over the finish line yet. However, the handling of its most important characters showsHades 2has a ton of franchise potential.
Hades 2and its predecessor heavily feature gods and heroes from all across Greek mythology. Of course, the protagonists of both games are the daughter and son of the titular God of the Underworld. Likewise,Hadesprotagonists Melinoe and Zagreusreceive plenty of help from the other members of the pantheon throughout their respective quests.Hades 2has an extremely strong blend of new and returning characters, and the treatment of the latter shows the vast potential of another game in this setting.
Hades 2’s Returning Characters Are a Major Boon Towards Forming a Godlike Franchise
Hades 2’s New Characters Define the Game’s Theme
For starters,Hades 2certainly hasn’t slacked on its new characters. Since the game is in early access, some characters have not had their full details divulged, such asHades 2’s Narcissus design. However, nearly every character included in the game so far carries a great deal of promise with them. After all,Hades 2’s new charactersare more than likely going to play the largest role in the game’s ongoing story.
Hadeswas about healing the bonds of a broken family, among other themes. This is seen most prominently between Zagreus and his parents, but the son of Hades is more than willing to help each one of his friends and family members sort out their own issues as well. In the same vein, the new cast of characters that have made their way intoHades 2is bound to paint a similar picture. Considering how important these new characters will likely be to the theme of the game, it’s similarly interesting to consider the reasoning behind some characters returning.
Hades 2’s Returning Characters Still Feel Fresh
Returning characters inHades 2have been done a lot of favors already. Most notably, each one of them feels distinctly fresh from their prior portrayal. Though some, like Hypnos, still largely play the same role as before, every character has been reinvented in one way or another. Other characters, such as Demeter or Aphrodite, feel as though they have strongly evolved in response to the events of the game.
The most prominent example is the art direction of the game, which has seen the character design of each character be completely overhauled. This persists throughout every meaningful inclusion but feels most strongly within the contrasting character designs of Chaos. Chaos feels perhaps the most new of any character, and this is largely dependent on Supergiant’s best efforts to make it so.
It’s not simply that they have changed since the first game, but that players will continue to observe them growing throughout the development ofHades 2. This is great for any future installments, should Supergiant decide to tackle thesetting ofHadesonce more. IfHadescan keep returning characters fresh while inventing completely new ones, it shows the developers' ability to consistently craft a solid supporting cast.
Some Major Characters are Notably Missing from Hades 2
As much as both halves of the cast are extremely impressive, there is one notable caveat. There are major characters who have not returned inHades 2, and some of the exclusions are rather puzzling. Zagreus and Hades are absent from the game, although their very prominent role in the game’s story is apparent. Characters like the father-son duo, and the other members of the House of Hades such as Persephone and Nyx, are in fact so important that it’s not a stretch to say they are certain to appear infuture updates ofHades 2.
This is excellent news for the characters in question. After all,Hades 2has already done a great job reinventing its more minor characters. By the time more major characters return, they are likely to receive the same sort of dramatic makeover. In the same vein, it further shows the potential of a full-blownHadesfranchise.
Thecomparison betweenHadesandHades 2makes a very strong case for Supergiant to continue with the franchise from here. After all, if Supergiant can overhaul its characters so well on its first time out, future returns are bound to improve further. The return of a character like Zagreus inHades 2is bound to be a seismic one and would create a similarly powerful effect in potential future games as well.
Hades 2
WHERE TO PLAY
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. BATTLE BEYOND THE UNDERWORLDAs 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 your every setback and accomplishment.MASTER WITCHCRAFT AND DARK SORCERYInfuse your legendary weapons of Night with ancient magick, 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.MINGLE WITH (MORE) GODS, GHOSTS, AND MONSTERSMeet 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.EVERY RUN IS ITS OWN ADVENTURENew 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.THE PERKS OF IMMORTALITYThanks to a variety of permanent upgrades and the return of God Mode, you don’t have to be a god yourself to experience whatHades IIhas to offer. But if you happen to be one, you can brave escalating challenges for greater rewards, and prove just how divine you really are.
