Hades 2 Early Access Just Dropped – Is It Worth It?

Hades 2, the follow up to SuperGiant Games’ 2020 roguelike, just entered early access. It follows a similar theme but this time, you’ll be playing as Zagreus’ sister Melinoë. She’s fighting her way through a whole new selection of enemies as she attempts to leave Erebus and destroy Chronos, the titan and god of time.

Greek mythology in all its glory

Just as in Hades 1, you’ll meet a whole cast of characters from Greek mythology. This has always been one of my favorite parts of the game because seeing the stories I’ve read hundreds of times told in this format is a real novelty. I think we can all agree that the excellent  voice acting really adds to the atmosphere too.

After your first run, Odysseus, hero of The Odyssey is waiting at the Crossroads. Hypnos, the physical form of sleep, is also there but can’t yet be awoken.

At the center of the Crossroads, next to a giant cauldron, you’ll get to meet Headmistress Hecate. Although her tagline is “Witch of the Crossroads”, Hecate is a goddess in her own right in the mythology, one of magic, ghosts and, you guessed it, crossroads. So she’s really in the perfect environment here, serving as your guide.

Is Hades 2 early access worth it?

Games that release in early access often come with a whole set of problems including bugs and server crashes and all sorts. But more and more games, including the hit Gray Zone Warfare have had early access available so that the community can actively give feedback.

At $29.99, you’d expect a pretty decent game ready to go and that’s exactly what you’ll get. Already, this feels like a fully fledged game. As a pretty diehard Hades fan, I really had high expectations of this game and they’re already been met.

The game starts with your very first run with just a melee weapon with a ranged special known as the Witch’s Staff. When, and I’m sticking with when, not if, you die for the first time, you’ll arrive at the Crossroads. This area serves as the Underworld in Hades 2 early access where you’ll be able to change weapons, level up and interact with different characters.

Although the game has the same animation style, the color palette is quite different. The pale colors contrast with the sharp primaries of the first game.

There are updates to the weapons, enemies, boons and more. This game isn’t just a repeat of the first.

Gameplay – the same, but different

OK, that’s not a great way to describe it. It’s true that Melinoë still has a left click attack, a special, a dash and extra abilities, but the gameplay still feels different to Zagreus. It’s not a case of button mashing the same combos as the first game and coming out on top every time. You’ll need to get into the habit of fighting with the new protagonist.

The gods of Olympus haven’t forsaken Melinoë either. You’ll still receive boons and some really beautiful drawings of gods including Aphrodite, Apollo and Demeter, mother of Persephone and grandmother to Melinoë.

Enemies are all new and have some frightening abilities right from room 1.

Banshees with an AoE scream attack, burrowing worms with ranged projectiles and a hell of a lot more really do some damage early on.

As always, choosing the right build for your playstyle will help you get further and further each time. I’m a fan of ranged attacks so I really relied on the Witch Staff special during my first few runs. Paired with Demeter’s freezing boon, it came in handy!

Unlocking new weapons takes time and you’ll need to gather resources in each run, just as Zagreus did. I really enjoy the element of learning something new each time I try to escape.

What else is to come?

Honestly, at this point, it doesn’t feel like there’s much left to add to the game. With well rounded characters, dialogue, and an art style that hits every single time, I couldn’t expect much more from Hades 2. Sure, my runs have all been pretty short so far, but that’s kind of the point!