Hades 2 Early Access Review: Supergiant Does It Again

Hades 2 replaces Zagreus with Melinoe, Hades’ daughter, on a quest to defeat Chronos (the Titan of Time) who has seized the Underworld. The sequel expands every system: more weapons, more Boon synergies, a crafting and gathering system between runs, and a second route through the surface world that inverts the original’s descent.

How We Reviewed: Our assessment is based on testing multiple builds and difficulty settings and completing the main campaign and substantial side content. Ratings reflect extensive playtime, community consensus, and mechanical depth analysis. We do not accept payment or free products from any brand featured here.

Melinoe’s Arsenal

Six weapons replace Zagreus’ Infernal Arms, each with distinct playstyles. The Witch’s Staff combines melee sweeps with charged spell projectiles. The Sister Blades are rapid dual daggers with a gap-closing special. The Moonstone Axe is a slow, devastating heavy weapon with a spin attack that hits 360 degrees. The Umbral Flames are mid-range spectral fire attacks. Each weapon has multiple Aspects (unlockable variants) that change the moveset fundamentally.

The Omega Moves system adds charged versions of every attack. Holding the attack button channels a more powerful version that costs Magick (a new resource bar). Omega Cast with the Staff fires a larger projectile that pierces enemies. Omega Special with the Sister Blades triggers a wide-area slash. Managing Magick expenditure adds a resource layer that the original game lacked.

Boon System Expansion

Olympian gods return with expanded Boon pools, joined by new gods. Apollo provides blinding effects and healing. Hephaestus adds explosive damage procs. Hestia grants scorch (fire damage over time). The Duo Boon combinations have expanded dramatically: Apollo + Hephaestus creates Solar Flare, which makes your Omega attacks detonate for area fire damage.

The Arcana Card system replaces the original’s Mirror of Night. Cards provide passive bonuses and can be slotted into a limited grid. Cards adjacent to each other in the grid provide bonus effects, creating spatial optimization puzzles when choosing your loadout.

The Gathering System

Between runs, Melinoe tends the Crossroads hub area. Gathering plants, minerals, and reagents during runs provides materials for crafting permanent upgrades, brewing Incantations (ritual unlocks), and cooking stat-boosting meals. The Cauldron replaces Hades 1’s House Contractor, using gathered resources to unlock new room types, NPC encounters, and gameplay mechanics.

This system adds a longer-term progression loop alongside the per-run Boon building. Gathering resources on failed runs means even unsuccessful attempts provide tangible progress toward permanent upgrades.

The Surface Route

A second path leads upward through surface zones instead of deeper into the Underworld. Surface biomes feature different enemies, different environmental hazards, and a separate boss progression leading toward Chronos. The two routes share Boon pools but offer different NPC encounters and rewards, effectively doubling the game’s run variety.

The Crossroads Hub

The Crossroads serves as Melinoe’s base of operations, replacing the House of Hades from the first game. Between runs, you interact with characters including Odysseus (who provides tactical advice), Dora (a melancholic shade), and Nemesis (a rivalry-fueled training partner). Gathering resources during runs lets you build facilities at the Crossroads: the cauldron for crafting permanent upgrades, hot springs for temporary buffs, and ritual altars for unlocking new paths. The hub evolves visually as you progress, with new areas opening and NPCs arriving as the story develops through repeated escape attempts.

Verdict

Hades 2 expands the original’s formula without losing what made it work: responsive combat, meaningful build decisions each run, and narrative progression that makes every attempt feel like story advancement. The gathering system and dual routes add strategic depth that the original lacked.

The early access model allows Supergiant to refine combat balance, story pacing, and difficulty curves based on community feedback before the full release, a process that shaped the original Hades into its final excellent form.

For roguelike build theory, see Roguelike RPGs Guide. For combat system comparisons, check Action RPG Combat Systems Compared.