I have a confession to make. I will always adore Hades 2 in all its glory, from the reworked character art to the witchy vibes and Scylla and the Sirens delivering banger after banger. But I think I prefer Hades 1 just a touch more. Or do I?
These thoughts have been running circles in my head like the Aspect of Supay for the past month. My memory is a little hazy – I haven't played the first Hades in a couple of years at least – but my gut instinct still cries out in favor of Zag's journey over little sister Melinoë's. Is it the rose-tinted fondness of memory lane clouding my judgement, or is Hades objectively better than Hades 2 in my eyes? I think – but it's time to find out.
Bloodmagic
Booting up Hades again feels like meeting up with an old friend you've always had a bit of a thing for. There's an immediate tingle in my stomach when the main theme kicks in, the wistful smile on my face momentarily interrupted by a shock of disbelief when I'm confronted by the timestamp on my last save file.
Turns out I haven't played Hades since 2021, and honestly, it makes sense. That was the year Resident Evil Village launched, and I recall devoting all my spare time and energy to it and little else. But even the annals of time (well, four years) can't be blamed for how little I'd remembered its UI. That classic, slightly rougher-around-the-edges look of bold black font against an off-white background comes as a surprise to me, now so used to the white over transparent grey of Hades 2's dialogue boxes.
I like it. Something about the stronger contrast screams Zagreus' boisterous yet loving nature, while Mel's evokes the moonlight's softer, silvered subtleties that still pack a punch.
These aren't the first differences I note as I explore the House of Hades (sans-Chronos) and mentally compare it to the Crossroads.
The striking gold and red feels both warming and grand where the Unseen opt for cool splashes of green, purple, and midnight blue. It also feels far less busy here and a lot more compartmentalized, with Megara, Thanatos, and Achilles lingering far from the throneroom. Maybe I do prefer Hades 2's brand of quiet, almost threatening calm amid the bustle over the palatial grandeur of Tartarus, but there's one thing I am most excited to get reacquainted with: the weapons.
Comparing the Nocturnal and Infernal Arms, I think I have to go with Zag's default arsenal over Mel's. I've missed the Achilles spear more than I realized, and man it feels good to have the Adamant Rail back in my hands instead of being on the receiving end of it.
I'm also delighted to have pilfered the sword back from Nemesis, though I miss her sullen face already, and the twin fists of Malphon are an eternal favorite. I could also wax lyrical about the shield – truthfully, the bow is the only of Zagreus' gear I never truly clicked with. It takes me ages to decide which to bring out with me on a run, something I don't usually ponder too much in Hades 2 since I have a select group of favorites among the Nocturnal Arms. Then, it's out into the Underworld I go in search of the Surface.
Homecoming
There's a streamlined joy to be had in holding the raw potential of Hades in my hands once again.
With two directions to choose from, up to Olympus or down to Tartarus, Hades 2 is a lot bigger than its predecessor. But that doesn't mean Zag's journey feels emptier for it – in fact, I'm immediately charmed by it once more.
It takes me a little practice to get used to Zag's cast crystals again (if you know me at all, you'll know I am all about Mel's cast sigil superiority) and the lack of magic at my fingertips is disarming at first. But soon, I'm back into the swing of things. I fight my girlfriend and her sisters in Tartarus (sorry, Meg) before smashing Lernie to bony smithereens, careen into Elysium to battle its dual bosses, and swiftly get sent right back home. No matter – Prometheus and Heracles have nothing on Thesius and Asterius' might, so I'd thoroughly expected a whooping.
The upside of getting back to the House is getting to chat to my friends and family. Miraculously, there still seems to be plenty of dialogue I'd left undiscovered even after getting the true ending back in 2021. I also take a moment to pore over the Mirror of Night once more, revelling in the comparative simplicity of tweaking my stats here compared to Mel's arcana, tools, and familiar loadouts in Hades 1. Then, again, there's the music.
All it takes is a single sweet melody from Orpheus to confirm it. My love for the first Hades game is as true and pure as it's ever been, and Hades 2 has only magnified that love. The games are so similar yet so tonally different, and even though Mel has size and scope beyond Zag's dizziest dreams, there's a streamlined joy to be had in holding the raw potential of Hades in my hands once again.
This is the game that started it all for Supergiant – it also kickstarted my own love of roguelikes, to be honest – and for that, I guess it deserves the title of being my favorite Hades game. I think.
Check out some of the other best roguelikes out there if you have a taste for permadeath punishment, too.
