Hades II

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Hades II
Single-player

Hades II is an upcoming

Olympian Gods
.

The game was announced in December 2022, and will have an

Windows via Steam and the Epic Games Store
, though Supergiant has plans to bring the game to other systems.

Premise

Like the first game, Hades II is a roguelike dungeon crawler game.[1][2] Set "sometime" after the events of Hades in the same universe,[3][4] the sequel stars Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld and sister to the protagonist of the first game, Zagreus.[5] Alongside her mentor Hecate,[6] she aims to defeat Chronos, the god of time.[3] Returning from Hades is "God Mode", which allows the player to gain more power after each failure.[7] New to the game is the "Mana Bar," a combat resource used for moves that recharges at the start of every fight.[8]

Development

Development in Hades II began at the start of 2021.[9] In August 2021, Hades writer Greg Kasavin said that Supergiant was undecided as to if the game would receive a sequel.[10] A technical test began in 2024 before its release to early access.[11][12]

Hades II features music by Darren Korb.[5]

Marketing and release

On December 8, 2022, Hades II was revealed during

initially exclusive to PC[5]—similar to the release cycle of the first game.[4] The trailer also showcased interactions between Melinoë and several other characters, including Nemesis and Dora.[7]

Reception

Awards

Hades II was nominated for Most Anticipated Game at The Game Awards 2023, losing to Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.[15]

Critical reception

Pre-release

During the technical test, Kotaku praised the sex appeal of the game's character designs, writing that "sexiness is woven into their personalities."[16] When comparing technical test to the first game, Elijah Gonzalez of Paste commented that Hade's "blend of convincing characterization, witty dialogue, and excellent performances is alive and well here. I loved what I saw of Hade II's gameplay upgrades, but what excites me most is how it builds on this world and its characters".[17] Gonzalez opined that while Melinoë has more initial "clarity of purpose" than Zagreus, she's also "dragged down by self-doubt and the pressures of being a savior, making her a similarly complicated and engrossing protagonist".[17]

References

  1. ^ a b Miller, Matt (December 8, 2022). "Supergiant Games Announces Hades 2". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Carpenter, Nicole (December 8, 2022). "Hades is getting a sequel starring the underworld's princess". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Zheng, Jenny (December 8, 2022). "Hades 2 Announced By Supergiant Games At The Game Awards". GameSpot. Fandom. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Wald, Heather (December 12, 2022). "Hades 2: Everything we know so far about Supergiant Games' sequel". GamesRadar+. Future plc. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c Peters, Jay (December 9, 2022). "Hades is getting a sequel". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  6. ^ Conditt, Jessica (December 8, 2022). "'Hades II' promises witchy vibes and a new immortal protagonist". Engadget. Yahoo!. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Winslow, Levi (December 9, 2022). "Oh Shit, They're Making A Hades Sequel". Kotaku. G/O Media. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  8. ^ Hughes, William (April 19, 2024). "Game Theory: Hades II is already incredible, and it's barely getting started". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  9. ^ "Hades II FAQ | Supergiant Games". Supergiant Games. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
  10. ^ Stedman, Alex (December 9, 2022). "Hades II Announced at The Game Awards". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  11. ^ Yang, George (April 16, 2024). "Hades 2 Technical Test Is Coming Soon, Here's How To Sign Up". GameSpot. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  12. ^ Parrish, Ash (April 19, 2024). "The Hades 2 technical test is a trial in self-control". The Verge. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  13. ^ Kennedy, Victoria (December 9, 2022). "Hades is getting a sequel, the Princess of the Underworld is heading our way". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 9, 2022.
  14. ^ Egan, Toussaint (September 14, 2023). "Hades 2 will release in Early Access next Spring". Polygon. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  15. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (December 8, 2023). "The Game Awards 2023 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Mercante, Alyssa (April 19, 2024). "Hades II Is The Kind Of Hot We Need Right Now". Kotaku. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  17. ^ a b Gonzalez, Elijah (April 19, 2024). "Through its Excellent First Few Hours, Hades II Entirely Justifies the Sequel Treatment". Paste. Retrieved April 19, 2024.

External links