Hades 2, the highly-anticipated sequel to the popular 2020 roguelike from Supergiant Games, has entered Early Access. After the original Hades game raised the bar for the genre with its iconic art style, combat, and engaging Greek mythology-inspired storyline, fans have been patiently waiting for more – and their wishes have been granted.
Hades 2 follows the story of Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld and the sister of Zagreus (the protagonist of the first Hades game). The studio’s first-ever sequel aims to build on all the best bits of the award-winning original, delving into the Greek Underworld’s mythology and the dawn of witchcraft in all its beauty, horror, and (as one might expect from Hades) horniness.
Now that Hades 2 is live (at least in part), we’ve collated everything we know about the title, and what to expect as the developers travel full speed ahead towards the game’s full release in one place. Let’s get into it.
Hades 2 News & Leaks
- May 8, 2024: In One Day, Hades II Doubled The First Game’s Record For Concurrent Players – The game is already doing absolutely massive numbers compared to its predecessor.
- May 7, 2024: Hades II Enters Early Access, You Can Play It Right Now – You can play Hades 2 right now if you want. This is not a drill.
- April 20, 2024: Hades II Is The Kind Of Hot We Need Right Now – This is a Hades 2 thirst post. We are not sorry.
- April 19, 2024: Unsurprisingly, Hades 2 Whips So Much Ass – We played some of the Hades II technical test and have nothing but great things to report. Keep an eye on this one, folks.
- April 19, 2024: Hades II Is Addressing The First Game’s Lack Of Body Diversity – Hades II is already tackling one of the original game’s lingering faults, addressing what some fans saw as a skewed standard for beauty.
- April 18, 2024: We Finally Got A Good Look At Hades 2 Gameplay – A new developer livestream has given fans their first real look at Hades 2 in action, debuting gameplay from the upcoming roguelike.
- April 17, 2024: Hades II Technical Test Is Coming, Time To Get Excited – Hades II is about to kick off a technical test, and it could be your first chance to play the game ahead of Early Access.
- September 13, 2023: Hades II Is Sliding Into Early Access Sooner Than You Think – Hades 2 will enter early access in “Q2 2024”, which is quite a bit sooner than most in the industry had expect.
- December 10, 2022: Everyone’s Hot As Hell In Hades II, As They Should Be – The characters in the upcoming game are hot, but they’re also steeped in Greek mythology in all the right ways.
- December 9, 2022: Oh Shit, They’re Making A Hades Sequel – Hades 2 was announced during the 2022 Game Awards, with more news to come in the new year.
Hades 2 Guides & Tips
- May 8, 2024: Hades 2: Essential Settings To Tweak
- May 8, 2024: How To Defeat Headmistress Hecate In Hades 2
- May 8, 2024: Hades 2: The Best Cauldron Incantations To Unlock First
- May 7, 2024: 9 Things To Know Before Starting Hades II
Hades 2: Release Date & Price
While Hades 2 is already out now in Early Access as of 7 May, 2024, there currently isn’t a confirmed full release date. Based on the Steam listing and official FAQ page, developers Supergiant Games expect Hades II to be in Early Access development “at least through the end of 2024.” Whether we’ll get a heads up on a full release or see the title fully shadow dropped in a similar way to the early access version itself remains to be seen.
Hades 2 is currently $43.95 AUD on Steam for Early Access, although the developers have confirmed that they may raise the retail price at a later point “depending on the duration of Early Access and the scope of additional content we add…over time.”
Hades 2 Early Access
Hades II entered Early Access on 7 May, 2024, after a successful technical test in April. Players can access the title on Steam and Epic Games Store. According to Supergiant Games, the title will remain in Early Access at least until the end of 2024 as the developer releases Major Updates “every few months” with new features and content, as well as periodic patches to resolve any issues that crop up. The first Major Update is planned for “later this year.”
The Steam FAQ notes that Supergiant expects the full version of Hades 2 to “include a more-complete, more-polished set of features and content in comparison to the Early Access version, along with Steam Achievements and the true ending to the story.” This first iteration of the Hades sequel “already has more environments, foes, and fully-voiced characters” than the full version of the first game, but it’s been confirmed that more characters, locations, enemies, story and systems are yet to come.
Hades 2: Platforms
For now, Hades 2 is available on PC and verified for Steam Deck, too. The game’s FAQ notes that Supergiant expects it to “eventually be available for PC, Mac, and console platforms,” although couldn’t confirm which exact console platforms these would be just yet.
Hades 2 Trailer
There’s been a couple of Hades 2 trailers released so far, from the first game reveal to the surprise Early Access drop announcement. You can check them out below:
Hades 2: Plot
Hades 2 sees players take on the role of Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld and sister to Zagreus – the protagonist of the first game. She’s described as “an immortal witch and sorceress with powerful magical abilities…and a score to settle.” As Melinoë, players must try to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time with the help of the gods of Olympus at their side – including her mentor, Hecate.
Melinoë herself is based on an ancient Underworld deity “thought to be related to Hades.” According to Supergiant, exploring her through “what little ancient mythology exists about her” inspired the team to explore her story and expand on its own “vision of the Underworld.” Other characters in Hades 2 include familiar returning characters from the original, and plenty of new faces to round out the cast, including: Apollo, Hades, Icarus, Chronos, and Aphrodite.
Hades 2: Gameplay
Hades 2, much like the original game, is a single-player roguelike dungeon-crawler. At this stage, Supergiant “has no plans for multiplayer, as [they] are creating the gameplay and narrative…with a solo experience in mind.”
Hades II gameplay will include the ability to infuse your weapons with ancient magick, make use of Boons “from more than a dozen Olympian gods,” and build your abilities. You’ll also be able to “tame witchy familiars” as you take on the Titan of Time’s forces in pursuit of your goal. God Mode from the original Hades game will be making a return – allowing you to gain more power each time you fail. There’s also a new Mana Bar, which can be used for combat moves and will recharge at the start of each fight.
Hades 2 Review
We’ll share any reviews and impressions on Hades 2 here – for now, you can check out our friends at Kotaku US’ impressions from the game’s technical test here.
Image: Supergiant Games / Kotaku Australia
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