Hades II Reviews
Hades II is an ambitious expansion of all the ideas that came before it, balancing them beautifully to create one of the best roguelites on the market even in its incomplete state.
Supergiant's first ever sequel may feel very comfortable and familiar, but Hades' best weapon remains the power of surprise.
Even in its Early Access state, Hades 2 is just about everything one could ask for in a sequel to one of the best roguelites of all time. Featuring excellent refinements to its roguelite progression, a fantastic new main character in Melinoe, and two unique sets of levels that have you fighting foes on the surface and in the underworld.
At first, I had my doubts, but now I cannot wait to see how it’s built upon in the year to come, and exactly where these stories and characters will go next. Every single run has memorable dialogue, new discoveries, and deepening relationships with a pantheon worth fighting for. If Hades 2 can keep up this momentum, we could have yet another classic on our hands.
There's a little bit of polish left to apply, but given the sheer increase in scope between Hades 2 and its predecessor, that's more than understandable. A hugely ambitious roguelike, with an improved progression loop and grander narrative, but the same ruthlessness in play and charm in worldbuilding as the original, makes this an astounding early access success.
Every looped night, every sleek new combination and build I put together, every narrow victory over a tough boss, even every tree slammed into a wailer for a terrain kill, feels fantastic. And sure, you could wait it out just to get the whole package. But what’s here now in the Early Access of Hades 2 is one of the best games I’ve played so far this year, and so far, it seems like it will only get better as the months go on. Killing Time has rarely been quite so enjoyable as it is in Hades 2.
It feels incredible to play and looks like it’ll be a bigger, deeper, more personal adventure, and I can’t wait to see how deep Melinoe’s quest takes her.
Hades 2 carefully sandwiches more nuance between the original roguelike’s kinetic combat, gorgeous visuals, and heartfelt narrative. With each end comes an opportunity to clear an obstacle, deepen a bond, and inch closer to thwarting Chronos.
A fun-loving follow-up shakes up the underworld without fouling the Hades formula.
Hades 2 is flawless, perfecting the roguelike genre in a way its predecessor almost managed to do. Its incoming additions aren’t required to complete it – this version of the game is refined, advanced, and wonderful. They will, however, enhance an already breathtaking experience beyond comprehension.
Hades 2 has managed to improve upon every single aspect of the original. If you're a fan of difficult but rewarding rogue-lite exploration, where every run gets you closer to your objective, it's perfect. We can't wait to see the content Supergiant Games have up their sleeves for later in early access and the eventual full release.
Hades 2 isn't just one of the best early access titles right now - it's also a top-tier rogue-lite experience that fans and newcomers should experience immediately.
Hades 2 left me feeling increasingly tired as I continued to play. Especially if you're playing for the sake of progressing, building and fighting, rather than exploring the story and observing NPC dialogue under different conditions, a sense of Sisyphean futility will soon set in. Fortunately, the developers haven't abandoned the strengths that made Hades great. In fact, it's precisely because the two games share a similar overall experience that the new designs in Hades 2 seem less well thought out than the original.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Hades II can be kind of a bummer sometimes when you find yourself sucked in with a really good build only to realize the game isn’t finished. If you are the kind of player who appreciates complete experiences, you may want to wait, but if you are the kind who enjoys seeing the journey of a game that is being actively worked on, playing Hades II seems like a no-brainer.
Hades II Early Access launch is better than I could have hoped. If this was version 1.0 it would be better than 95% of games launched in the past decade. As is they’ve said they’ll be working on the full launch through the end of 2024. If you enjoyed Hades then know that the sequel is, somehow, even better.
Hades 2 from Supergiant Games is an excellent roguelike and a worthy successor to Hades. It provides hours of great fun. Early Access is scheduled to last until the end of 2024, and I'm already looking forward to seeing what the final version of this game, which has already managed to win praise from fans of the first installment, will look like.
Hades II still has the same style of roguelike, improved in literally every aspect. The story has become larger. Now you don't just run away from home in search of your mother, while simultaneously improving Hades' relationship with his brothers and helping him understand himself. No, this time you need to save your family from imprisonment by the Titan of Time, regain the throne of the Underworld and stop the siege of Olympus. It feels like there is three times more content than in the first part. It's a must-have for RPG/roguelike gamers everywhere!
With its surprise early access release, Hades II is definitely one of the best games I've played this year. Even at this stage, it's a great experience and a fantastic sequel.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Hades 2 commands the polish of a full release in early access, and I can’t fathom how good version 1.0 will be.