GameDev

Hades 2 Review: New Features and Old Problems

Hades 2 Review: New Features and Old Problems

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The long-awaited sequel to the roguelike game dedicated to the ancient Greek gods was announced in late 2022 and unexpectedly released in Early Access on May 6th. This release was significant for two main reasons. First, the game continues to develop a unique concept that combines elements of mythology and modern game mechanics. Second, Early Access allows players to participate in the development process, providing feedback and helping the team improve the project. This creates an active community and increases interest in the game, making it one of the most anticipated releases in the genre.

Hades 2 has every chance of becoming the most popular project from Supergiant Games. Just 24 hours after its release, the game reached a peak online player count of 103,000, and on the Steam platform, 94% of reviews are positive. The first part of the game also received high marks and is just as popular as the sequel. Journalists also praise the game: IGN gave it a score of nine out of ten. Hades 2 continues the tradition of the previous part, offering players exciting gameplay and a unique atmosphere.

Hades 2 was the first sequel in the history of Supergiant Games, a studio known for its games such as Bastion, Transistor, and Pyre. These projects gained popularity thanks to their vibrant graphics and original approach to storytelling. However, the developers have only now decided to create a sequel, and despite their new experience in this field, they have applied the classic approach to sequels: they have preserved the successful elements of the original and significantly improved them. Hades 2 promises not only to expand the already familiar world, but also to offer new mechanics and storylines, which will attract both fans of the first part and new players.

Despite the obvious successes, Hades 2 was not without controversy. While the game improves on its predecessor in many ways, the team at Supergiant Games repeated some mistakes that could have been avoided.

A Stage Completed

To understand the paradox that has arisen, it is necessary to recall what made the original game so popular. All of its key elements have been adapted and carried over to the sequel, confirming their significance and influence on the gameplay.

The first version of the myth of Zagreus, the son of the ancient Greek god Hades, reveals his conflict with his father and his desire to escape the underworld. Zagreus, unable to find common ground with Hades, decides to leave the underworld in search of his mother, Persephone. This story highlights important themes of family relationships, the search for identity, and the desire for freedom.

At its core, the story of Hades is a tale of family discord. Screenshot: Hades / Supergiant Games

The gameplay is a classic roguelite, with the player controlling Zagreus as he fights his way to the surface through underground regions comprised of procedurally generated rooms. These rooms are filled with waves of enemies, a variety of traps, and epic bosses. Each level offers unique challenges, making every game unique. Players must adapt to changing conditions, develop strategies, and improve their skills to overcome all obstacles and achieve their goal.

At the end of each battle, the hero receives gifts from the gods of Olympus, which provide useful combat abilities or various bonuses and resources. This process continues until you defeat Hades at the exit from the underworld or are defeated in one of the battles. Successfully using the received gifts and resources can significantly increase your chances of victory in the future.

After death, the player returns to the beginning, to Hades's palace, which serves as the central hub. In roguelite games, even unsuccessful attempts aren't wasted. Each completed run earns resources that can be used for various upgrades. These can include upgrading Zagreus' stats, acquiring new weapons, or installing drinking fountains throughout the levels to restore health. Thus, each run, regardless of its outcome, contributes to progress and improves the gaming experience.

The combat in Hades is a very conservative hack'n'slash. Screenshot: Hades game / Supergiant Games

Hades's gameplay doesn't contain any unexpected elements, but its true innovation lies in its narrative design. The game offers a unique blend of mechanics and story, immersing the player in the world of ancient Greek mythology. Storylines and characters develop over the course of the game, creating a deep connection with the player and increasing replayability. This makes Hades not only an engaging action game but also a true work of art, where each death unlocks new narrative dimensions.

Most roguelikes tend to have a simple plot structure. Constantly returning to the beginning of the game limits the ability to create complex stories. Therefore, players don't expect a deep narrative from games like Spelunky. In such games, the story typically serves merely as a backdrop to the gameplay mechanics, providing context but not being the primary focus.

Game director Greg Kasavin's team successfully addressed the challenge posed by the controversies of the roguelike genre. Rather than resist the genre's core principles, the developers made randomness and cyclicality key elements of their narrative. This decision not only enriched the gameplay but also created a unique experience for players immersed in the game's immersive world. This approach helps maintain interest and engagement, a crucial aspect of a successful roguelike.

Each time you return to a hub after dying, you have the opportunity to interact with the characters who inhabit it. These characters possess extensive stories and unique lines. Hades' writers developed over 300,000 words of dialogue for their characters and implemented a complex system that ensures context and variety in their utterances, ensuring they don't become repetitive even after many hours of play. This creates a deep immersion in the game world and makes each encounter with the characters unique.

Screenshot: Hades game / Supergiant Games

When you interact with characters in the palace Hades, they can comment on the protagonist's recent death, share their experiences, or reveal important plot details. Similar situations occur during runs: friendly characters share new aspects of their lives, Olympian gods support Zagreus, and bosses never miss an opportunity to humiliate him. These elements add depth to the gameplay and contribute to the story's development, creating a unique experience for players.

A fresh approach to storytelling, a combination of vibrant graphics and dynamic gameplay made Hades a real hit. Shortly after its official release, the game reached the 1 million copies sold mark. Critics praised it as the perfect roguelike, and the Supergiant Games project consistently won prizes at awards ceremonies in 2020 and 2021.

Hades has undoubtedly become one of the studio's most successful games, which predetermined the release of its sequel. The developers retained the proven mechanics of the original, allowing players to enjoy familiar gameplay. However, the second part of the game clearly feels like a sequel, as the plot of the new episode significantly raises the stakes, immersing players in more intense and exciting events.

New solutions for old problems

The first part of Hades ended with Zagreus managing to restore the relationship between his parents and earn the respect of his father. However, this happy ending turns out to be only a temporary respite before new trials. The story continues with the return of Kronos, Hades' father and the god of time, who emerges from oblivion, bringing with him new threats. Events unfold around Zagreus' struggle to deal with the consequences of Kronos's return, and players will once again be immersed in the captivating world of ancient Greek mythology, facing new challenges and mysteries.

Hades and Zeus, along with the other gods of Olympus, once overthrew Kronos and imprisoned him in Tartarus. However, Kronos escaped and returned for revenge. He defeats Hades, captures his family, and takes the throne in the underworld, declaring war on Olympus. But Kronos doesn't suspect that the god of the dead has another daughter, Melinoe, who can change the course of events.

This portrait is all that Melinoe has left from her kidnapped family. Screenshot: Hades 2 game / Supergiant Games

Before the invasion, the witch Hecate rescues a newborn girl, taking her to a safe haven on the surface known as the Crossroads. In this hideout, she secretly trains Melinoe, preparing her for the upcoming battle with Kronos. From the moment the daughter of Hades begins her journey to the underworld, the events of the game unfold.

The plot of Hades 2 sets high expectations for the sequel from the very first minutes. Unlike the first game, here we face more serious challenges: we must fight the god of time, avenge our family, and save the entire world. This new story promises a deep dive into mythology and complex moral choices, making the game even more captivating. Hades 2 expands the original universe, offering players new opportunities to explore and interact with characters, making the story even more immersive.

On the other hand, the core of the story remains the same: we must once again resolve a family conflict. However, this time, more radical methods will be used to resolve it, and instead of rising to the surface, we must delve into the bowels of the Earth.

Gameplay remains unchanged: you once again overcome waves of enemies inhabiting four regions, building your build with the gifts of the Olympian gods and various power-ups. Between runs, you have the opportunity to upgrade your hub, level up Melina, and communicate with other characters. This allows for more variety in the gameplay and adds depth to your interactions with the game world.

The plot hasn't changed since the first part. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games
The plot has not changed since the first part. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

Fans of the first part of the game will easily immerse themselves in a familiar atmosphere. At the same time, the developers have introduced new elements that refresh familiar mechanics and add novelty to the gameplay.

The combat system in Hades 2 continues to delight users, adding new elements and nuances. The main changes relate to the character of the main character. Unlike the warrior Zagreus, whose sister was raised by warriors, she grew up under the care of a witch. This defines her unique fighting style, which combines magic and cunning tactics. Players will be able to experience a variety of strategies, making each battle dynamic and exciting.

Melinoe has significantly improved her crowd control skills thanks to the presence of sigils – circles of force that slow the movement of enemies. This allows her to effectively manage combat situations. It is also worth noting that her supply of projectiles is now infinite, eliminating the need for careful use, as was the case in the first game. Players can now focus on strategy and combat tactics without limiting themselves to powerful attacks.

Each of Melinoe's moves has an alternate form—a powerful omega attack—that varies depending on the weapon used. For example, the starting staff can deliver shockwave attacks and fire large magical spheres. The later unlocked axe, during a special attack, spins around the heroine or delivers powerful area-of-effect strikes, ensuring effective enemy destruction. These diverse mechanics make the gameplay more dynamic and interesting.

In addition to standard techniques, Melinoe has powerful omega attacks. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games
In addition to standard techniques, Melinoe has powerful omega attacks. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

The use of magic in the game is limited, as each spell requires mana. This mana is restored only when moving to the next room. To be able to use magic during combat, you need to improve Melina's skills or select special gifts from the gods, which will help increase the effectiveness of magical attacks.

In Hades 2, combat takes on a new tactical dimension, which was sometimes absent in the first game. The main character's moves require precise timing and a deep understanding of the gameplay. After a brief mastery of the mechanics, you will easily cope with legions of undead, demonstrating high effectiveness in battle. This approach makes the game more engaging and strategic, allowing each player to find their own unique ways to combat enemies.

The game's build options have significantly increased compared to the original version by the time of its full release. For example, Melina can be created as a powerful melee tank or a sorceress capable of damaging monsters from a distance with magical attacks. This diversity allows players to adapt their playstyle to their preferences and tactical situations, which makes the gameplay more engaging and multifaceted.

Some builds allow you to stand quietly aside while your attacks dismantle a crowd of undead for parts. Screenshot: Hades 2 game / Supergiant Games

The game's updated leveling system significantly changes the gameplay. The Mirror of Night from the original Hades is now replaced by Arcana cards. They serve a similar function: providing the protagonist with bonuses such as increased damage or the ability to avoid death. However, unlike Zagreus's power-ups, the number of active cards is limited by the Power meter, adding a strategic element to choosing and using these bonuses.

Increasing the meter is possible, but can require significant investment. Therefore, players must build a deck with a specific combat style in mind. It's important to decide what's a priority: dodging attacks or faster health regeneration. The right choice can significantly impact the effectiveness of your strategy in the game.

To add a card to your deck, you will have to spend part of the power scale. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

Supergiant Games Hades has finally managed to diversify its level design in its new game. In the first Hades, the four main regions, despite their aesthetic differences, were similarly sized arenas. Now, the developers have introduced new elements and mechanics, creating a unique gaming experience in each region. This update not only improves visuals but also increases the strategic depth of the gameplay.

Hades 2 pleasantly surprises with its variety of locations. Players will be able to explore the cozy groves of Erebus and the narrow corridors of the Oceanus sewers, rife with traps. The game also features the vast arenas of the Fields of Sorrows and the familiar halls of Tartarus, significantly redesigned by Kronos. Every element of the environment is designed to deepen the atmosphere and improve the gameplay, making Hades 2 an attractive choice for fans of the genre.

The locations in Hades 2 turned out to be different in terms of both aesthetics and mechanics. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant game Games
The locations in Hades 2 turned out to be different both in terms of aesthetics and in terms of mechanics. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games
The locations in Hades 2 turned out to be different both in terms of aesthetics and in terms of mechanics. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games
The locations in Hades 2 turned out to be different both in terms of aesthetics and in terms of mechanics. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

For those looking for additional challenges, two additional regions on the surface are available: the Thessalian Rift, where you will have to fight the undead in the limited space of ships, and the city of Ephyra, in which You can choose the order in which you complete enemy arenas. These locations add a new layer of complexity and variety to the game, allowing players to tailor their experience and strategies to their preferences.

The word "bonus" in this context should be taken with caution. In Ether, you'll need to visit these areas at least twice to accumulate sufficient resources to craft spells and unlock new items. This adds an element of obligation, as without these visits, you won't be able to fully unlock the game's potential and take advantage of all its features. Thus, regular visits to the Aether become a key strategy for successful progress in the game.

To obtain some of the resources, you will have to make forays to the surface. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games
To get some of the resources, you will have to make forays to the surface. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

In the second part of Hades, a full-fledged crafting system was introduced, which allows you to dive deeper into the gameplay. This is an important aspect to discuss, especially considering that the sequel inherits many elements from the first game. The crafting system in Hades 2 opens up new possibilities for players, allowing them to create unique items and upgrades that significantly impact their strategy and interactions with the world around them.

The Crimes of Grindelwald

When entering the armory, you'll see a new altar located next to the familiar altar containing staves, blades, and other equipment. This additional, smaller altar offers new opportunities to upgrade your arsenal. Explore its contents to find unique items and upgrades that will aid you in your adventures.

He starts with four free slots, which are gradually filled with various tools: a fishing rod, a pickaxe, a shovel, and a tablet of repose. This allows him to effectively complete tasks and achieve goals in the game. Each tool plays a unique role, aiding in exploration, resource extraction, and interaction with the surrounding world.

To effectively mine resources during runs, specific tools are required. The heroine uses a pickaxe to extract valuable metals, while the tablet allows her to extract will from the wandering souls of the dead. If you're already familiar with the first part of the game, you know that there's a lot of grinding to be done.

Screenshot: Hades 2 game / Supergiant Games

A significant part of the game Hades Runs are dedicated to accumulating various in-game currencies. Players collect Darkness to improve Zagreus's stats, Nectar vials to gift NPCs, and Gems to decorate the hub and unlock new features on the Underworld floors. These gameplay elements not only contribute to character development but also enrich the gameplay experience, creating additional incentives for exploring and interacting with the world of Hades.

These resources not only facilitate progression through the game but are also necessary for completing quests or for developing romantic relationships with characters. However, the character you need may be outside the hub and not always encountered, adding to the challenge of finding them. Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that successfully completing quests and interacting with characters may require more effort and time.

The gift mechanic has carried over to the sequel without any significant changes. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

The developers recognized this problem and attempted to improve the gameplay by adding depth through the crafting system. This mechanic allows players to create unique items, significantly enriching the gaming experience and fostering user engagement. The crafting system not only diversifies interactions with the game world but also encourages creativity and strategic thinking, making the game more appealing to a wider audience.

The crafting process focuses on the cauldron, located in the center of the Crossroads. Melinoe brings here the ingredients she's collected, primarily herbal ingredients, to cast various spells. These spells cover a wide range of possibilities: from story events and improving procedural generation to taming pets and creating ingredients for other magical effects. Thus, crafting in the game becomes a key element, allowing players to expand their capabilities and deepen the gaming experience.

At first, the recipes are simple, but over time, the crafting process becomes more and more multi-stage. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant game Games

Resources play a key role in the game, and they are required in significantly greater quantities than in the first part. Collecting these resources can take significantly longer. Consider, for example, plants, which are the main ingredients for creating spells. Flowers can be easily collected during gameplay, but fruits must first be grown from seeds, which requires additional effort and time. Therefore, it is important to plan your actions in advance and optimize the resource gathering process to successfully advance in the game.

Seeds can be extracted with a shovel from mounds of earth that are sometimes found in arenas with opponents. However, this is not as easy as it may seem. Each region grows a unique species of plant, and some of them can only be obtained by descending into the depths of Tartarus. This feature makes the process of collecting seeds exciting and varied.

Among the unique plants available only in specific places, the Thalamus Seed, which can be found in Chaos, deserves special attention. Once you've successfully collected the seeds, they need to be planted in a garden bed at Rassut'e. It's important to monitor the growth process and wait for the fruits to ripen. This plant has special properties that can be useful in various aspects.

How anything grows in the primordial Chaos is a separate question. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

Keep in mind that this is just one type of resource. There are also Dust, Will, Wool, Moon Dust, Fish, and Gifts. The last two categories, like Plants, are further subdivided into several types. Understanding this diversity can be quite difficult, and sometimes even the recipe tracking feature, which highlights the materials and tools you need, isn't helpful.

Farming is essential, as it directly impacts access to new weapons, Arcana upgrades, character quests, and the main story. Most key events in the game are activated through crafting, so ignoring farming can lead to missing out on important content.

Arcana cards, by the way, can be improved - but this will cost you another type of resource. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant game

Games

The increased complexity of resource farming hasn't become more meaningful; on the contrary, its purpose has diminished. Resource farming isn't associated with additional challenges and occurs between battles. Of course, to obtain some types of resources, you need to go to more complex regions, but this is inevitable, since you will still explore these areas in the course of story development.

Extraction of will and fishing, however, are accompanied by a mini-game, but its passage comes down to pressing two-button Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

Hades 2 sometimes presents the player with a choice between doors that contain different types of resources. However, this dilemma turns out to be insignificant. The difficulty of both battles remains the same, and the prizes for victory are of equal value. Ultimately, there is no real choice. The player simply heads to the door that provides the necessary materials, and these are only awarded in small quantities. This creates a feeling of monotony, as obtaining resources is slow and requires repetitive actions.

Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

The game really tries to make the grinding process easier. It features a universal currency—bones—that can be exchanged for various resources. Pets are also available that can harvest specific types of resources. With the latest patch, the developers added the ability to bring all your tools with you on runs, significantly simplifying farming, as previously, you could only equip one tool at a time. This new feature makes gameplay more comfortable and convenient for players.

The crafting system in its current form feels like an unfinished gameplay element that doesn't fit the dynamic nature of a roguelike. It creates a sense of heaviness and slows down gameplay, detracting from the vibrant and exciting moments. Improving the crafting mechanics can significantly increase player interest and make the game more exciting.

The developers themselves hint at this problem in the game in one of the dialogues. Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

The grind in Hades 2 is exacerbated by the lack of variety in gameplay. This problem is rooted in the original game, making it relevant to the sequel as well. The lack of novelty in mechanics and quests reduces player interest and makes the process less engaging. To improve the gaming experience, it is necessary to diversify the content and add new elements that will hold attention and increase engagement.

Hell is Repetition

The achievements page for the first Hades on Steam reveals some interesting statistics. The "No Escape?" achievement, which players receive for successfully escaping, was earned by 48% of players. Meanwhile, the "Memorable for Eternity" achievement, awarded for completing the main story, was only available to 8% of players. This discrepancy highlights that many players prefer to explore the game's world and repeat escapes rather than complete the main story. These data may indicate differences in the gameplay approach and preferences of the Hades audience.

The gap in understanding Hades lies in the fact that successfully completing the story campaign requires more than just escaping the underworld. The player must perform this action nine more times, highlighting the complexity and multi-layered nature of the gameplay. Each escape unlocks new story arcs and deepens character interactions, making each attempt unique and fulfilling.

It wasn't me, the developers made me. Screenshot: Hades game / Supergiant Games

This is completely normal. In most roguelikes, the first successful run is only the beginning of the adventure. For example, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth has 23 endings, including all expansions. This suggests that players will have to overcome numerous challenges and uncover all of the game's secrets to achieve complete success.

Hades offers limited replayability, which is common to both games. Despite the high quality of gameplay and a compelling story, players may find a lack of variety in repeated playthroughs. This can reduce long-term interest.

The Binding of Isaac offers players rewards for completing key milestones, including new biomes, characters, and power-ups, as well as access to bonus rooms and challenges. By comparison, Hades is rather modest, with players having to make do with just a few new enemies and the Pact of Punishment. This element allows you to set more difficult conditions for escape, essentially representing a difficulty menu, designed in an attractive aesthetic.

Screenshot: Hades game / Supergiant Games

This menu provides access to the bonus locations, but the basic route will remain the same, featuring familiar biomes, bosses, and similar encounters, albeit with a few new twists.

Hades 2, being in Early Access, doesn't offer the same level of variety as the first game. Unlike the original, where each run was unique thanks to a variety of mechanics and content, the sequel doesn't yet fully utilize the advantages of roguelikes. While the Pact returns in the form of the Unseen Vow, this doesn't compensate for the lack of deep gameplay variety. Supergiant Games, with the new game, has the opportunity to build on and improve on the elements that made the first game so successful, but this hasn't been implemented yet.

The order and configuration of rooms vary from one run to the next, but the level of design in this case is not particularly complex. The layout of rooms doesn't require players to adapt and apply their ingenuity, as in games like Noita or The Binding of Isaac. As a result, most rooms within a single region quickly become uniform, reducing the gameplay's interest and variety. The only exceptions are challenges such as "Survive a minute inside a moving circle" or "Kill more enemies than a friendly NPC." However, even these tasks begin to become repetitive within the first few hours of gameplay. This can reduce interest and make the game less engaging for players. It's important that developers add a variety of challenges to keep things interesting and provide a fresh gaming experience.

There are very few such moments in both games that break up the routine of running. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

The lack of novelty makes it obvious how long the runs can be. A single attempt to reach Kronos typically takes between 40 minutes and an hour, and it's frustrating to lose a full 50 minutes of playtime due to a single missed attack. This is frustrating not only because of the boss's difficulty, but also because you have to replay a familiar starting region that has become boring. Effective planning and familiarity with the combat mechanics can help reduce the time it takes to complete, but every failure forces you to relive the levels you've already completed.

While playing Hades, I repeatedly thought that a tunneling mechanic similar to that used in Spelunky would be very useful. This system would allow for shortcuts to later biomes, which in turn would make it easier to learn the attacks of the local bosses. Such an innovation could significantly improve the gameplay, making it more convenient and less time-consuming for players seeking to master all the nuances of battle.

This is especially true for Kronos, who is head and shoulders above all the bosses in the series. Screenshot: Hades 2 game / Supergiant Games

Fans of the game and its creators may argue that in this case You'll miss out on character encounters and important plot points. However, there are two compelling responses to this argument. First, many story elements can be learned and understood through alternative means, such as watching videos or reading reviews. Second, focusing on gameplay can allow you to focus on mechanics and gameplay aspects, which also enriches the overall experience.

The game's main storyline unfolds in the hub and during the final boss battle; it is unskippable. Character quests are optional for completing the main story and can be ignored. This allows you to focus on the key moments of the game without being distracted by side quests.

The plot of Hades could easily be cut by at least a third, and it would only benefit from it. Reducing unnecessary elements will make the narrative more dynamic and engaging, allowing the player to delve deeper into the dungeon world and better understand the character development. Simplifying the story will not only improve the overall experience of the game, but will also focus attention on the main themes and mechanics, making the gameplay more appealing to a wider audience.

Talk in Circles

The last two arguments seem contradictory compared to the previous statements. First, there was criticism of the grind required to complete quests, followed by talk of these quests being optional and being shortened. This may be confusing for players who expect a clear approach to gameplay and quest structure. It is important to understand how to balance the necessity of grinding with freedom of choice in quest completion to create a harmonious gaming experience.

In fact, these issues are interconnected. To explain them, let's consider a recent indie project that successfully implements a gift-giving mechanic—the puzzle platformer Neon White. This project demonstrates how innovative approaches can improve player interaction and create unique gaming experiences. Neon White demonstrates the importance of developing mechanics that encourage players to share their achievements and gifts, which in turn promotes deeper engagement with the game.

For each gift, Neon White gives you a generous portion of content. Screenshot: Neon White / Angel game Matrix, Annapurna Interactive

Collecting gifts in Neon White is not only a fun activity but also a real puzzle, as they are located in hard-to-reach places throughout the levels. These gifts provide access to a variety of content, including dialogue with other characters and fragments of their biographies. Players can also unlock numerous bonus levels, significantly enriching the gameplay and expanding the possibilities for exploration.

Both versions of Hades feature an interesting aspect of interaction with NPCs. The first gift you give to a character will reward you with a souvenir that provides a buff. However, to access that character's quest, you will need to give four or five more gifts. Until that quest becomes available, you will have to limit yourself to variations of the phrase: "Thank you for the gift." This process emphasizes the importance of interacting with characters and developing relationships in the game, which affects the overall gaming experience.

For a long time, NPCs will react to your gifts only like this. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

Reducing the number of required gifts and unnecessary dialogue can significantly improve the quality of quests. This change will allow players to focus on the main story and increase the completion rate of various plot threads. Simplifying the quest structure will make them more accessible and engaging, which in turn will increase interest in the game and player engagement. Optimizing quest elements promotes deeper immersion and improves the overall experience.

The game can sometimes be overly verbose for an action RPG. The team at Supergiant Games has made significant efforts to ensure that after many hours of gameplay, players will hear new lines from familiar characters. However, these dialogues often don't make much sense and don't add value to the overall gameplay.

I have to listen to Poseidon's wishes for victory over and over again, even if they are expressed in five different ways.

Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant game Games

In one situation, a character notices that you've unlocked a new legendary weapon of the gods. This in itself is satisfying, as the game is reacting to your achievements. However, then the secondary, third, and fourth characters begin commenting on the same event. Conversations with them become like talking to someone who can't remember the information: the discussion has already ended, but they start the conversation again from the same place. This creates a feeling of redundancy and reduces immersion in the gameplay.

I'm not exaggerating. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games
I'm not exaggerating. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

The dialogue in Hades 2 sometimes becomes white noise, in which truly valuable information is lost. This is disappointing, since overall the game's storytelling remains at a high level. Despite this, it's important to pay attention to the details to avoid missing important story moments.

The new characters and those returning from the first game possess a surprising charm. Watching the family conflicts of the ancient Greek gods remains captivating. All the villains are charismatic, and the difficult fates of Melinoe's friends and acquaintances quickly draw sympathy, even when it comes to the narcissistic Narcissus.

Hades 2 is filled with witty jokes that are closely tied to the gameplay. For example, pausing the game during the battle with Kronos can be an unexpected and funny experience. We also recommend checking out the results on YouTube to see what's happening at this point.

Or here's another great joke Screenshot: game Hades 2 / Supergiant Games

From a stylistic point of view, Hades 2 demonstrates a high level of quality, which is unsurprising given that Supergiant Games is behind the development. Even with a limited set of assets in Early Access, the game looks like the pages of a meticulously illustrated comic come to life. Composer Darren Korb exceeded all expectations, creating an unforgettable score, including a powerful stadium-rock theme for the boss fight featuring Scylla and the sirens. This musical accompaniment adds a unique atmosphere to the game and enhances immersion in the gameplay.

Narcissus doesn't seem to even need the final portrait: it's unlikely to compare with what players have already imagined. Screenshot: Hades 2 / Supergiant game Games

I suspect the reasons for the grind lie in the presentation.

Visually, both Hades games don't strive for maximum realism, but they impress with their spectacle and richness of detail. Every element in these games was created with great care, indicating a significant investment of time and effort on the part of the developers. This also means that, within the confines of an indie studio and with a reasonable work schedule, it was impossible to create as much content as in The Binding of Isaac, or make the world as interactive as in Spelunky. Nevertheless, Hades offers a unique and engaging gaming experience that deserves attention.

In this context, the crafting mechanics and dialogue system become especially important. The crafting mechanics limit access to the full content, which adds an element of exploration and strategy to the gameplay. The dialogue system creates the illusion of interaction and reactivity, which are so necessary for immersion. However, despite the initial impression, this illusion cannot last forever. Over time, flaws become apparent, revealing the connections between the various game elements. Hades 2 is not just a good game; it is an outstanding project that significantly improves on its wonderful predecessor. With each new element added to the game, the developers demonstrate a high level of skill and creativity. Hades 2 offers players improved graphics, a deeper storyline, and new mechanics that make the gameplay even more engaging. This sequel not only preserves the spirit of the original but also expands on it, offering new opportunities for exploration and interaction. Players will be able to enjoy familiar characters and meet new ones, adding variety and freshness to the game. Hades 2 is a truly worthy sequel that will delight both fans of the first part and new players. The problem is that this work takes up 10 hours of playtime, 20 of which are content unrelated to the main story. Current reports suggest that by the time the game reaches its final release, when its finale is revealed, the amount of additional content may increase significantly. This raises concerns that players will be overwhelmed by unnecessary content, which could negatively impact the overall experience.

If you're looking to spend an evening battling enemies to a captivating soundtrack, both Hades games are excellent choices. These roguelikes offer not only dynamic gameplay but also engaging stories that set them apart from other roguelikes in the genre. However, if you get bored with the game's grind, you can always turn off the game and watch the ending on YouTube.

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