Summary
Supergiant Gamesjust announced that a technical test forHades 2is imminent, with players able to register their interest on Steam.The announcementswiftly received hundreds of thousands of likes and impressions across social media, for the smallest possible Hades 2 update. No new gameplay, no new screenshots or heroes or mechanics, just a polite reminder that the early access period is drawing ever closer.
First announced at The Game Awards 2022 with adazzling reveal trailerthat detailed new protagonist Melinoë and several other new characters, alongside a small peek at gameplay, Hades 2 has been atop my most anticipated list ever since. Supergiant is once again taking the early access route, so I’m safe in the knowledge that development will take place over the course of several years with players feeding directly into how it evolves. This was a winning recipe for the first game that saw it achieve critical and commercial success, so to see it embraced for all the right reasons fills me with hope. And this time, I’ll be along for the ride from the very beginning.
We also spoke to Studio Grackle founder Spencer Wan following the reveal, whose animation studio was responsible for both the original reveal trailer and Hades 2.
While I admired Hades from a distance during its early access period, I waited until the full console release to jump in properly. I wasn’t able to see it grow in real time with each new update, only learning this context throughNoClip’s excellent documentaryafter the fact. It taught me so much about game development, and the hard work that went into making Hades the best game it could possibly be. In a way, it was the culmination of Supergiant’s past work, combining the likes of Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre into a single beautiful whole that pushed not only the studio forward, but also the entire genre.
Roguelikes have gone from strength to strength since the release of Hades. We’ve seen developers adopt creative ways to put us through the same ordeals again and again. We might be a millennial office worker trying to make a living in Going Under, or the ruthless leader of a sect in Cult of the Lamb. The loop that Hades helped to popularise has been iterated upon again and again, with players taking a specific liking to characters and aesthetics alongside the mechanics. Hades was the perfect storm of all three of these things, to the point a fandom emerged and thrived long after it came out.
I should know, I’m a part of it. For years now I have frequented circles that are still sharing fics, art, and theories about the original game as they flesh out characters far beyond what we saw in the game. This only happens when the foundations are so beautifully presented to start with, and Supergiant gave us a reason to care with brilliant designs and compelling writing that helped bring a familiar pantheon to life like never before. For a sequel to do the exact same thing fills me with excitement, especially now that I’m a fan with some idea of what to expect. From the ground floor I am going to be simping all the way up to the penthouse.
Controlling Zagreus as he tries to escape hell again and again made us want to interact with the characters close to us who either want us to remain in the underworld or chase our ambitions. To see their outlooks and words change with each run, while your actions also served to evolve the landscapes you inhabited, made it so easy to lose yourself. I’ve no idea how Hades 2 will build upon this masterful formula, or if it can achieve the same level of greatness, but I do believe it is possible. I’m going to be along for the ride this time, and I hope it’s a good one.
Hades 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Hades 2 is the sequel to Supergiant Games' smash-hit roguelike dungeon crawler. This time you’ll play as Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld and Zagreus' sister, as she takes on the forces of the Titan of Time.
