Why You Should Be Playing Hades II Right Now

Hades II entered early access in May 2024 and immediately proved that Supergiant Games understood what made the original special while having the ambition to expand it significantly. The sequel stars Melinoe, sister of Zagreus, on a quest to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time.

That early access period has ended. Hades II reached its 1.0 release in September 2025, roughly sixteen months after it appeared, arriving on Switch and Switch 2 alongside PC. It costs about £25, a third of what a big-studio release charges. Supergiant is fewer than thirty people. That ratio is most of the story.

The combat system builds on the original's tight, responsive foundation while adding new weapons, spells, and a magic resource system. The witch's staff, sister blades, and other weapons each offer distinct playstyles. The addition of gathering and crafting adds a progression layer that gives purpose to even failed attempts.

The magick system is the real change. Holding the attack button spends Magick on an Omega version of the move, a wider swing or a charged shot, so every fight becomes a resource decision rather than a rhythm you memorise. Hexes charge on a moon meter and land rarely and enormously. The Mirror of Night is gone, replaced by Arcana cards on a limited grasp, so you cannot simply buy every upgrade. You pick five or six that suit the run you want.

Supergiant's storytelling approach remains their secret weapon. Every NPC has fully voiced dialogue that evolves across dozens of runs. Melinoe's relationships develop organically through repeated interactions. The narrative is woven into the roguelike structure itself.

The art direction is stunning even by Supergiant's standards. Character designs by Jen Zee are immediately iconic, and the environmental variety between the surface world and the Underworld gives the game visual range the original lacked.

The structure is larger than the trailers suggest. You run in two directions from the same camp, down toward Chronos in the Underworld and up to the surface toward Olympus, each with its own biomes, bosses and cast. Fail in one and you can spend the evening in the other, which quietly solves the roguelike problem of grinding the same opening area until you resent it.

The soundtrack by Darren Korb, featuring vocals by Ashley Barrett, is predictably excellent. Supergiant has always been among gaming's best music studios, and Hades II delivers compositions ranging from driving combat themes to haunting vocal pieces.

Even in early access with content still being added, Hades II is one of the best games available. The base gameplay loop is so satisfying that runs don't feel repetitive even after dozens of hours. When the full release arrives, this will likely be remembered as one of the defining games of the decade.

If the original's difficulty put you off, two things. Spend Moon Dust on Arcana cards the moment you have it instead of hoarding, since the upgrades are permanent and the resource comes back. And turn on God Mode in the settings, which grants damage resistance that increases every time you die, without hiding it or making you feel judged. It sits in the menu for exactly this purpose. Nothing in the game is gated behind refusing it.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1145350/Hades_II/