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In true roguelike fashion, death is the key to unlocking Hades 2. I've spent a frankly ludicrous amount of time playing it in Early Access – 134 hours, to be specific – and I always tell myself that this will be my last trip to Mount Olympus or Tartarus before the v1.0 launch. So far, I've proven myself a liar over 105 runs and counting.
But just when I thought I'd wrung every last drop of deific glory out of the game, save for a handful of relationship and Fated List objectives I'd written off as likely bugged after the most recent patch, a doomed encounter set me straight. It turned out breaking my own winning streak was all I needed to get hyper invested in Melinoe's adventure all over again – even if I had to eat humble pie in the process.
Warning: Story spoilers for Hades 2 ahead!
Fanning the flames
70 hours later and with a full launch imminent, I already miss Hades 2 being in Early Access
I'd happily have hung up my Nocturnal Arms and patiently awaited the full version of Hades 2 if not for four elusive progress markers leaving my Early Access journey somewhat unfulfilled: those of Dora, Icarus, and Echo's personal questlines.
These three plot points are my proverbial pod of white whales. I maxxed out my relationships with all of them as far as the game would let me, even going so far as to chain Pitch Black Stone runs to replay specific biomes in vain hopes of pulling one over Supergiant's ever tricky chamber randomization.
But Dora still hadn't brought up Prometheus, Icarus still wouldn't let me gift him Ambrosia, and I could not find Echo and Narcissus hanging out in the Mourning Feels no matter what. A cursory Google search alerted me to the fact that many people were also struggling with these particular story developments, notably since the most recent patch at the end of July. But still, I refused to believe it.
Which is why I was astounded to discover that all I had to do to trigger them was die at the hands of the Father of All Monsters and have a cheeky night of passion with Doom himself.
I'm proud to say that I had already formed a bond with three of Melinoe's four potential flames by that point, and Moros was one of them.
I wasn't too stressed about getting his romance scene – Nemesis' and Eris' were perfectly satisfactory, thank you very much – so imagine my surprise when I tried to return to the crossroads after getting whooped by Typhon and got stuck somewhere between worlds by Doom Incarnate. He said some flirty things, Mel said some flirty things, and I let them get freaky in limbo.
If that wasn't enough of a surprise, though, I suddenly had speech bubbles atop the heads of many a character after emerging back at the crossroads. Finally, my friends and lovers wished to say more than a single sentence to me! I was thrilled. But then I went on yet another Surface run to collect more Typhon eyeballs for an incantation that would surely be the key to further side story progression, and when I reached Olympus, I actually had to put my Steam Deck down and screech with delight.
Prometheus actually said the thing. He actually mentioned Dora again, finally. Then and there, I let myself get killed by him just to race back to Dora the unfriendly Shade and tell her the good (?) news.
Domino effect
I hate to be crass and say that banging Doom fixed everything, but I really think it did.
Everything kind of snowballs from there. Dora has a speech bubble above her head at long last, and I can finally share what Prometheus said about their connection: that she's better off not knowing the thing she deliberately wanted to forget as a human.
Any Greek mythology buffs will have guessed by now that Dora is actually Pandora – you know, the one who opened the box she was expressly asked not to on account of unleashing evil unto the world. Dora doesn't know that yet, but now, I have the go ahead to race right back up to the Surface and confront Prometheus about it again. Except as I pelt it past Hecate, Nemesis, and Odysseus, a familiar voice calls to me from his post nearby Mel's garden.
It's Icarus, and he too has a speech bubble overhead. I think back to my last run – I definitely encountered him in Thessaly, and he had mentioned something about taking over from his father Daedalus, but I had no idea at the time that this precious conversation unlocked the rest of his storyline.
I took Icarus to the taverna and plied him with Ambrosia, stopped by Nemesis' tent for an awkward "what are we?" conversation, and headed out on a Tartarus run to take my chances with my last batch of unfinished business.
I hate to be crass and say that banging Doom fixed everything, but I really think it did. Because guess who I found on Echo's bridge, apologizing to her for all his wrongdoings? Narcissus himself, dredged up from Oceanus some 15 in-game nights since I first told him to make amends with her. It might not have ticked the objective off the Fated List then and there, but I'm one step closer to bringing the two ex-lovers some peace.
I guess I'll have to keep plugging away at Hades 2 until that day comes. Or, you know, until the game launches in full and I start a brand new save to do it all over again. But take it from me, if you're also having trouble advancing side stories: give in to Doom and let yourself die on your next run, just this once. You can thank me later. And Moros too, I guess.
Hades 2 is out in full on September 25! Check out all the new games of 2025 if you need something else to look forward to.
