Impressions – Hades II Early Access is my new go-to for killing time

In 2020 I would have called Hades the rare kind of game that so successfully interweaves its gameplay, narrative, art direction, and voice acting (among other things) that it’d be impossible to single out any one as its strongest element. That’s not to say my opinion on those qualities has changed. Rather, Hades II has met those same standards of excellence, making the feat a little less “rare” and paving the way for us all to obsess over the Underworld once again. 

These claims come after spending just shy of twenty hours combined with the sequel’s Technical Test and Early Access launch on Steam. While I’ve not been able to enjoy the game in the same state I did the original Hades – that is, primarily in handheld mode on my Switch – everything felt almost too familiar and comfortable once I’d dusted off the cobwebs with a couple runs. 

 

Oh, but it does run like a dream on Steam Deck as is: 

Greek mythology is vast, and Hades II wastes no time indulging in aspects familiar and obscure. Chthonic nymph and witch Melinoe (Hades’ daughter and first game lead Zagreus’ younger sister) is our new lead, attempting to descend down into her rightful home in hell and liberate it from Chronos – her grandfather and the Titan of Time. Structurally it’s a nearly identical frame to facilitate rogue-like runs, but it yet again offers so much in terms of worldbuilding and characterization. 

Some Olympians have returned, others make their long awaited debuts, but at the heart of everything is Melinoe. Her student-teacher relationship with Hecate steers things from the get-go, but soon you’ll acquaint yourself with others at the secluded, moonlit Crossroads that serve as your homebase. You’ll be intrigued by the friction between her and Nemesis, encouraged by the worldly Odysseus’ guidance, and thankful that you can pet the frog after every death.

 

This is not a sequel of sweeping changes and reinventions. Rather, certain aspects have been refined and expanded. To call this “Hades but more” would somehow both sell the game short and pay it a huge compliment. The last thing I’d want is to rob any sort of reveals or surprises from someone going in mostly blind, but suffice to say that there’s one, particular, unexpected element of Hades II that has me excited to unravel more.

Perhaps my one complaint in these earliest gameplay hours is that I’m playing much better out of the gate than I ever did in the original. The long road to victory made things feel that much more impactful, but I managed to reach the end of things multiple times within my first ten or so attempts. That said, I can appreciate that there’s technically a narrative-based justification for that due to Melinoe having been specifically trained to kill Chronos. Well done, Supergiant. 

To say much more on any element of Hades II would run the risk of devolving into pure gush. It’s made that strong of an impression already and it isn’t even done yet. It’s put me in the position of calling an in-progress and not even confirmed for Switch game as one of the best things I’ve played this year, and I’m eager to see where things go. I encourage anyone who was enamored with the first game to dive in again, because we’re absolutely back.  

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