After 300 hours, Hades 2 has put me back under its spell with a console launch and secret new game mode

I bought my Steam Deck just to play Hades 2. A bit extra, I know, but for all of my questionable spending habits (don't ask how many Nea cosmetics I've purchased in Dead by Daylight), this was not one of them.

If not for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Hades 2 would have been my Game of the Year for 2025. A large part of that is down to how much fun Supergiant's iconic roguelike is to play with a controller setup, not to mention the handiness of having the Greek gods in my backpack on a 14 hour flight. I also once watched a friend play the original Hades using a MacBook touchpad and keyboard, and the sight of muscles cramping in his contorted hand still haunts me to this day.

But as Hades 2 finally lands on console for PS5 and Xbox Series X owners to enjoy, many moons since its PC and Switch 2 debut, a quick glance at the patch notes had me reaching for my handheld all over again – despite how frustrating a split platform release can be. As it turns out, the coolest thing about the console update isn't listed in those patch notes at all… and it all starts with taking a nap.

Sea-ing stars

Returning players have a few treats in store, and even though they're small, I am very much hungry for them. It's the kind of giddy excitement I felt during the game's Early Access period, scanning the patch notes in hopes of seeing my favorite boon return (it never did) or new gods being introduced (many were).

Following both May 2024’s surprise EA release and v1.0’s arrival last fall, the latest tweaks are mostly quality-of-life adjustments. Somehow, though, Supergiant finds ways to channel the hype of days gone by, challenging my battleworn tactics in turn.

Poseidon will be "increasingly enthusiastic" whenever his Sea Star boon procs, I note. It's an offering I usually avoid. But having taken his keepsake for a spin to see what the fuss is about, it's kind of hilarious: raucous gusto turns the God of the Seas into a pocket hype man, counting down how many times his boon doubles your encounter rewards with a booming voice loud enough to trigger tsunamis. Certain lengthier prophecies on the Fated List have new clauses to help track your progression with them – a quick check alerts me to the fact that I haven't actually concluded Arachne's storyline, so I make a mental note to do so.

There are also plenty of changes for Ares enjoyers, a couple of Selene's Hexes have had a facelift, and a host of narrative enhancements make it easier for certain dialogues and pathways to open up. Then, of course, there's the secret new game mode Supergiant decided not to outline in the patch notes: Dream Dives

I don't see the comfy bed appear until I complete one more quick run to kill Chronos. But then, after re-entering the training grounds to choose my loadout, a mysterious cozy duvet appears near the Nocturnal Arms.

When I inspect it – i.e. take a nap in it, because an armory is a great place for a snooze apparently – I'm transported to a hazy dreamworld in shades of nebula. Hypnos is waiting for me, with an apology for scarpering so fast after I'd worked so hard to rouse him from a fitfully long slumber. His way of making it up to me? Putting me through my paces in a new host of challenges.

Dream Dives is a new, randomized game mode that shuffles up the Surface and Underworld regions, draws four of them, and sends you on your merry way to "face your biggest fears". I start in the Mourning Fields first before finding myself at Mount Olympus, as an example, vanquishing not the actual Cerberus and Prometheus, but "visages" of them.

There's no time for chit-chat in Dream Dives. Aside from the lack of dialogue, farmable resources, and classical format, though, the aim of the game is still the same. It's a fun way to remix my Hades 2 experience after all these hours already invested in it, and it's yet another reason why I'm so excited to be heading back into the game after all these months to share in the joy alongside first-time console players.

So mote it be

I'm not the only one. The community aspect I loved about Early Access has been reborn for Hades 2's console launch, with players piling back into the subreddit to share builds, tips, and personal experiences.

It didn't take long for Hades 2 to surpass its predecessor as my favorite of the two, but even with a host of reworks and the ability to gift my scary wife Nemesis an unlimited amount of Ambrosia, getting a front-row seat to the community's reactions is the biggest gift of all. The fizzing, infectious energy has been bubbling over time, whether gleaned from the sight of a pair of Shade earrings to being edified in a particularly awesome piece of fan art. I don't recall this much excitement since those halcyon Early Access days, and to be honest, I am pretty impressed that so many people have managed to keep spoilers and FOMO at bay long enough to enjoy it with fresh eyes this week.

It speaks to why a staggered launch across different platforms can actually be a very good thing. I hated waiting so long to play The Last of Us as much as the next non-PS4-haver, but Hades 2’s thrice-renewed lease on life has kept it very much front-of-mind despite all the brand new games emerging around it.

Throwing some exciting new post-game material into the console launch update – like those quirky Dream Dives – further demonstrates Supergiant's commitment to all facets of its community, turning the PS5 and Xbox release into a full-on event that we can all take part in. The fact that Hades 2 has also been nominated for a BAFTA this year cements the studio's success in cultivating not only one of the best roguelikes of all time, but a diehard fanbase who will celebrate every victory alongside it.

As I boot up my Steam Deck and snuggle up for another spot of dream diving, I’d like to offer my sincerest apologies to all gamedevs whose split launches I’ve grumbled about in the past. Getting three chances to celebrate a game launch is cool, actually. As long as I get to take part in each one.

There's a host of other upcoming PS5 games to get excited about in 2026, from The Blood of Dawnwalker to GTA 6!