For the first time, Supergiant Games is making a sequel to one of its IPs and unsurprisingly, it is the most famous and well-received one. Hades 2 continues where the first game left off and looks to capitalize on the franchise’s gripping story and satisfying rogue-like elements. As Melinoë – the princess of the Underworld and daughter of the Greek god Hades, players explore both old and new locations and interact with familiar and fresh faces alike.
But what is it that makes Hades 2 so different? In this Game Masters HQ primer, I’ll delve into what the public knows about Hades 2, Melinoë’s connection to Zagreus – the prince of the Underworld and protagonist of the first game, and when people can expect to get their first taste of the upcoming sequel.
Hades 2 Goes For Another Crack At Greek Mythology
Set after 2020’s Hades, Hades 2 puts players in the shoes of Melinoë – the half-sister of Zagreus. Details of Melinoë’s whereabouts during the first game will no doubt be explained in Hades 2, as will her half-brother’s presence in the sequel. While Zagreus’ previous quest centered on routine escapes from his father’s realm, Melinoë’s adventure is a rescue. Based on the 2022 Game Awards reveal trailer, Melinoë is determined to save her father Hades from Cronus – the titan of time. With the aid of the goddess Hecate and other Greek deities (Moros the incarnate of doom and Nemesis the retribution incarnate have been shown to make appearances), Melinoë hopes to have enough power to defeat the titan and free Hades.
The Sequel Will Improve On The Orignal’s Rogue-Like Elements
Melinoë will travel through many Greek mythology-inspired realms just as Zagreus did and engage with each location’s dangers using a wide variety of powers and attacks. New Greek deities means new abilities, boons, and upgrades – all of which build upon the series’ rogue-like nature. On top of all the new powers and locations, multiple playthroughs are expected to progress Hades 2’s story, upgrades, and unlock tougher challenges.
What made the first Hades so memorable was its masterful blending of storytelling and gameplay. Being a prince of the Underworld, dying in Hades would kick Zagreus back to his father’s palace and force him to restart his journey. This would allow him to routinely interact with friends and foes as well as become more familiar with the multiple routes out of Hades. As players attempt multiple escapes, they would become more familiar with the world and how to build Zagreus for specific encounters.
Since Melinoë is Zagreus’s half-sister, it stands to reason that Hades 2 will adopt a similar approach to gameplay. Players can outfit themselves with many random boons to fight through a series of rooms before ultimately coming to a realm boss. This continues until all the bosses are defeated (presumably including Cronus) or Melinoë dies and has to start her journey from the beginning. There is more nuance to it but by and large, players should expect Hades 2 to play more or less like its predecessor.
The Hades Franchise Is Going Early Access Once More
Just like the first Hades, Hades 2 will initially be launched in Early Access on Steam before being fully released on the platform and ported over to consoles. This method worked wonders before as Supergiant Games was able to fine-tune Hades in increments whilst adding more features that fit the overall package. After an initial technical test that will be given to certain players, Supergiant Games plans to release Hades 2 in Early Access sometime in Q2 of 2024.
As is the case with most Early Access games, Hades 2 will have multiple updates before its official release. New powers, locations, and enemies are to be expected but most interesting of all, new story beats will be introduced with each patch. Supergiant Games has stated that Hades 2’s Early Access will have roughly the same amount of content Hades did during its initial Early Access state which means there will be a sizeable chunk of game for players to experience when it comes out.
It is often said that you shouldn’t mess with something that isn’t broken but Supergiant Games aims to add just enough variety to make Hades 2 stand out from the first game. The new protagonist and continuing story will undoubtedly draw players in and even if it stays in Early Access for a while, Hades 2’s journey to completion looks like one that shouldn’t be missed.