Yet another Hades 2 hotfix has dropped out of nowhere this month – on PC, with a console release soon-to-come – but this one simply squashes bugs that accidentally made a few boons more useful than the Balance Gods at Supergiant Games intended.

The two boons that fell victim to Hades 2's latest hotfix are Hermes' Tall Order and Medea's Suffering on Sight (which is more a curse than a boon, but I digress). Tall Order was seemingly giving some players a big damage buff even before they gathered eight of the same element during a run, a surprisingly useful bug that's now been taken away.

Supergiant Games also fixed Medea's curse to stop it from dealing damage to enemies who were already lingering in new locations. Instead, it now works as intended: incoming foes will take between 1 to 999 damage while existing foes remain at full health.

Elsewhere in the hotfix, you'll no longer randomly find Artemis singing beside the Crossroads Cauldron. She's forever destined to sit next to the river to chirp her tunes, poor Artemis. And Dire Auto-Seekers are no longer "immune to being stunned if their armor was depleted in their defensive mode," the developer writes in its patch notes.

Hades 2's last hotfix was surprisingly big and even added features we've been waiting for since the roguelike hit Steam Early Access, but it also introduced at least one unintended issue "causing command inputs to sometimes not queue up as you cleared an encounter." That's seemingly been cleaned up, too, along with other unnamed "minor fixes."

Supergiant Games has now mostly moved on from its godly roguelike, it seems, as the studio was recently hiring for whatever comes next. Should Cronos allow the time to come, I'll definitely be tuning in to whatever the team dreams up next, whether it's in the form of a Hades 3 or another entirely original game.

230 runs later, Hades 2's ranking system has me feeling cheated out of a huge missed opportunity.

After receiving its second bigger patch mid-April, Hades 2 returns to the limelight with a new hotfix that addresses a plethora of issues – and adds a couple of nice new features.

Just in case you missed it, Supergiant Games launched Patch 2 on April 14, adding bonus content and bettering players' quality of life in-game. It was quite a hefty update, all things considered – but the indie developer clearly isn't done polishing up its roguelike sequel just yet.

Yesterday, the studio dropped a smaller (albeit significant in its own right) hotfix that tackles a good few bugs, and as it writes itself, includes "various additional fixes."

Some of these have been a long time comin' – take the Mystery Seeds, for example. Now, Supergiant Games says it's "added an inventory hint for Mystery Seeds about where they can be found." No longer will we need to question whether we'll get the seeds we want or something else at a digging spot, like Nightshade.

There's also a new death animation for the Hellifish, which is a fun little addition, and plenty of tweaks.

From improved visuals to fixed interactions, the hotfix targets just about everything – it's a surprisingly all-encompassing patch, considering that it's not one of the "major" releases for the game post-launch.

Heck, it makes our chances against bosses a bit better, too, resolving disappearing barriers in one of the most difficult fights in the game, for instance.

Enemies won't randomly get boosts they weren't supposed to receive, either, and so on. In a game (roguelike, might I add) as challenging as Hades 2 can be, these adjustments aren't just for naught… they can mean the difference between clearing an area and having to redo so much.

I'd recommend giving the full patch notes from Supergiant Games a read if you're hoping to dive back in – as it seems commenters certainly are.

As one person puts it, "Every hotfix makes me come back and see what new things I can do." Here's hoping the next big patch gives us even more incentive to play again.

Read through our Hades 2 review to learn more about what might just be one of the past few years' most impressive new games yet.

I famously find it hard to nitpick things I love, and Hades 2 is no exception. Try as I might to resist the rose-tinted veil that falls over Melinoe's journey every time I boot the game up on my Steam Deck, I'm still firmly under its thrall after many hundreds of hours spent at the Crossroads. I was aghast when my colleague and fellow Greek mythology fanatic gave the new game 4.5 stars in his Hades 2 review. How could something I love so much in all of its godly, witchy, titanic power be anything short of perfection?

Such was my (admittedly black and white) way of thinking until Hades 2's console launch update. Reading the patch notes, the shimmering shroud of pure blind devotion settling over my eyelids once more, I prepared myself for greatness. An update! I love those things! I'm going to love this one so much! And for the most part, I did. From Dream Dives to expanded relationships, Hades 2 is still one of my favorite games I've ever played. But it also has one glaring post-game letdown that feels, after all the wonderful ways the game builds on elements of Hades 1, like a very big oversight.

Grind is not life

I'm pretty deep in my post-game Hades 2 experience at this point. Mel's great task has been completed, order has been restored to the House of Hades, and all that's left to do is tie up a few loose ends and decorate the Crossroads to my immortal heart's content.

Between tending to the last remaining tasks on my Fated List of Minor Prophecies, an interesting discussion arises with Headmistress Hecate. She mentions something about the goddess Nyx – queen of the night, child of Chaos, and mother of a handful of my deific beaus (don't judge me, everyone is hot and I am weak-willed) – and how I might curry her favor by raising my notoriety as a shade-slayer. I fail to see how 230 runs isn't notorious enough for the great primordial goddess, but I intend to be an excellent daughter-in-law thrice over. So, I head over to the cauldron to perform the only new incantation available to me.

Now, I'm able to head to the Spirit Mixer in the taverna, upon whom I can bestow Kudos (one of my many, many in-game currencies, earned by selling unwanted reagents) and other ingredients in order to earn ranks. Each spending spree increases my notoriety, earning me a special little badge on every victory screen after completing a successful run up to the Surface or down to Tartarus. I also get a polite round of applause from the watering hole's denizens upon each rank-up; think of Melinoe as something of a Bard, regaling pint-slingers with grueling tales of battle while they toast her continued good health.

But here's the thing: after pumping pretty much all of my Kudos into my rank, rising straight to the top of the starter Wraith category in one fell swoop, nothing actually happens. I run out to do a quick Pitch Black Stone challenge, hoping that I'll get some new dialogue about my escapades to share with Hecate – or, dare I dream it, with Nyx herself – upon my return. Instead, I get the usual smattering of generic chats with my fellow Crossroad-dwellers.

Unseen victories

Maybe it was my fault for getting too swept up in things. The first Hades had postgame rankings, too, and they also had no actual gameplay function save for putting some of your hard-won resources to use once all other avenues were exhausted. It was nothing more than a prestige system – a totally private one, given that both Hades games are single-player ventures. But I really expected developer Supergiant to have expanded it for Hades 2, and doubly so due to the fact that Nyx herself was mentioned in tandem to it.

As one of my favorite Hades characters ever, her elusive presence in Hades 2 compared to her co-starring role in the first game means my ears prick up whenever she is mentioned. When Hecate suggested that Nyx herself might take note of my exploits through raising my rank, I thought it was a tacit hint from Supergiant that doing so might make her appear in the Crossroads. I've come across her in Chaos' domain after entering their portals out on a run, but if she's ever appeared at the Crossroads itself following the game's true ending, I've probably forgotten already (see: 230 runs total).

It made perfect sense to me for this to be a significant post-game story node, considering the game already expands upon so many of the original's systems. Hades 2's familiars enhance the resource collection mechanics, for example, while arcana upgrades refine the Mirror of Night's build creation, Fear upgrades Heat for tougher challenge modifiers, and Hades 2 has a wider range of gods and boon-givers in general.

So it's a little demoralizing that the Nyx namedrop might have been nothing more than a contextual hook with no post-game story implications. In theory, it gives Melinoe a reason to strive for higher rankings and not give up the fight just because it's technically over. But what if we could see more of Nyx and her children's interactions as she encourages them to aid our cause? What if she became a secret boon-giver herself? What if we got literally anything for all that resource-dumping?

Well, I guess there is one tiny reward, if you can call it that. I've learned that Nyx does have some unique dialogue that triggers once you reach the upper echelons of Unseen (the highest rankings band) but I hope you'll forgive me for not chomping at the bit for a throwaway piece of acknowledgement. Her words are kind, but it doesn't change the fact that my rank feels little more than a pat on the back I have embarrassingly given myself. Truthfully, I regret parting with all those precious resources when they could have gone into my interior design habit instead. (Hey, Odysseus could always use a new rug.)

Hades 2 is one of the best roguelikes of all-time, but there's plenty more to choose from.

Hades developer Supergiant Games has shouted out a fan-made mod for Hades 2 which ports the original game into its sequel.

A developer who goes by the name NikkelM released the Zagreus' Journey mod for Hades 2, a mod which adds every region, enemy, and boss from the original Hades and allows you to play through it as the second game's protagonist Melinoe, with new NPC encounters and other content added while they're at it. It was first released late last year, but just got its 1.0 launch a few days ago.

It's an impressive mod, and quelling any fears, NikkelM also explains: "This mod does not, and never will, use generative AI for any art, voice or music. All voicelines are from the original game, and art was custom created by talented community artist burn."

While mods are a commonplace thing for games nowadays, most don't come with trailers that look almost official thanks to their production value, so it's only natural that this one caught the eyes of fans. Unexpectedly however, it's received a blessing from the original developers, too. The Supergiant Games Twitter account shares the mod, saying: "We're blown away by this user-created mod for the PC version of Hades II, which lets you play through the original game's encounters as Melinoe."

Zagreus' Journey looks so official that many fans have been shocked, too, with one reply saying, "it's user created? I saw this trailer yesterday and thought it was official." They speculate that Supergiant reposting it was a way of making it clear that it isn't. Elsewhere, commenters on the trailer say, "I hope the devs see this and contact you to make this an official dlc because with this is so good," with more asking for a way to bring the mod to console versions of the game.

I never got around to finishing Hades 2, but with the little glimpses of Asphodel you sometimes get in that game, I actually somewhat expected this to be a surprise hidden in the game somewhere, so it's cool to see someone take the idea and run with it.

Hades 2 developer is hiring for "what's next" after its 2 roguelike juggernauts, but fans can't decide if they want a threequel.

Supergiant Games is officially ramping up for its first project after Hades 2, but there's no consensus among fans on whether it should be Hades 3.

The beloved indie game maker recently posted a graphics and animation engineer job opening at the studio, asking prospective developers to "come build what's next after Hades 2." As far as we can tell, this is the first concrete mention of the studio working on a new project since wrapping up Hades 2's 1.0 launch and its recent Xbox and PlayStation ports.

In a blog post published at the time of Hades 2's full release last year, the developer said it wasn't really sure what it would work on next outside of hotfixes, patches, and as we came to learn, ports for the roguelike sequel. "Beyond that, it's too early to say what's next for our team! We'll likely take some time to reflect and recharge," the developer wrote back in September 2025.

Plans for the future appear to be a little more concrete now, at least inside the studio, but fans are less certain. "Please NOT Hades 3," one player writes on social media, hoping the studio goes back to the non-roguelike action games it cut its teeth on, like Transistor and Pyre.

Another fan says, "Hopefully a Hades 3." (Whiplash much?) They also link to a Wikipedia page about Macaria, a very mysterious mythological figure who's said to have been Hades' daughter... based on one single source. I'm sure the myth remixers at Supergiant would have a field day with the concept of the daughter of the underworld who's essentially been scrubbed from the record books.

Other fan theories involve a co-op game featuring Zagreus and Melinoe, a prequel game starring the titular Hades during the Titan War, or a kart racer. I'd take it.

Days before the sequel launched in full, studio director Amir Rao explained that the team actually hadn't discussed plans for Hades 3 much at all because it wasn't a "preordained" inevitability: "It's not something we secretly know right now or anything like that."

Hades 2 lead doesn't think about the roguelike's legacy much because he just wants "to make things that don't get forgotten right away."

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!

There's a new patch out for Hades 2, bringing a long, long list of minor tweaks and changes. But what's more immediately exciting for any lorehounds are the proper ending scenes that have been added to all the prophecies, bringing a little more depth to the roguelike.

The arrival of Hades 2 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S has brought a sizable update to the mythological sequel from Supergiant Games. At the top of the list of features are a few additional avenues of characterization, allowing you to get to know the cast that much better.

"Narrated conclusion scenes," are now included for every prophecy, and you can find them on the Fated List, provided you've already beaten the questline. If you're so inclined, characters Melinoë can be romantically involved in may show interest in maintaining that connection, which is always nice.

Speaking of such things, "most" characters at the crossroads can be given Bath Salts, Twin Lures, or Ambrosia, opening short - but no doubt sweet - new scenes for them. Which ones will probably require you to just try everybody, creating a minor sidequest all its own.

While the team were putting together these little narrative touch-ups, they decided to add new dialogue, new forms for all the animal familiars, and more besides. After this, the substantive changelist includes the usual kind of bug fixes and mechanical alterations you'd expect, though one did catch my eye.

A "rare case" where you don't meet a certain major character when doing the True Ending. Whomever encountered that, I am sorry, that's just frustrating and must've been a bit of a buzzkill. Thankfully, it's now all been sorted, and we can get back to what matters: killing Chronos.

"F*** me, I guess": Hades 2 actor Ben Starr "hated" himself while playing the roguelike because his character Prometheus is a "hard boss"

Jennifer English – the actor behind Baldur's Gate 3's Shadowheart and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's Maelle – says Hades is a comfort game, but would need an easy mode to get into Silksong.

Speaking to Radio Times Gaming, English was asked about her history with video games, and whether it's something she was always into before acting in them. English recalled "I played games as a kid [and I] was kind of banned from the PlayStation cause I would play Soul Blade and get really violent afterwards with my poor sibling." She also shouts out the likes of Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, and The Sims, with which she "would hyperfocus for hours on end" and says she won't dare to "play it again, because I know what would happen." However, after that she "just didn't really play" until she "got into games again playing my own game."

Playing the duo of award-winning RPGs she featured in – Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – acted as a "gateway drug" for English, who says "now I'm playing all sorts and loving it" saying now she's "trying different things" even if not everything hits for her.

As for what she's playing now, English shouts out Hades, which "has been a big one for me recently, and a real comfort when I've been stressed – although it is quite stressful as a game." Outside of that, she says "I have tried other games and just been bad at them, so I'm all for easy modes, please." She then singles out 2025's other major title Hollow Knight: Silksong, saying "looking at you" before saying she's "too bad at it"

English says it's "been such a joy to get into them again and I'm really grateful for Baldur's Gate 3 for that." However, after Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, English is best known for her role in Elden Ring, a game that is similarly really hard in the vein of Hollow Knight, so maybe the call is coming from inside the house…

"Marathon is gonna be Game of the Year," actor Ben Starr says, thanks to award magnet Jennifer English

Our ranking of the best roguelikes proudly puts Hades 2 at the very top, but the game's had one especially notable flaw since its 1.0 launch last September: PlayStation and Xbox fans can't get it. Developer Supergiant Games has announced that's about to change in April, but existing players also have something to look forward to in the form of an update with additional content.

Hades 2 hits PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on April 14, and will be part of Xbox Game Pass at launch. These editions "run at an ultrafast 120 frames per second," Supergiant says in its announcement, "and these latest versions also include some bonus content and quality-of-life improvements we've been working on in the meantime! If you already have the game, expect these in a patch releasing that the same day, and we'll have full patch notes then."

You can get a teaser of that new content in the trailer below, which features a new scene with Heracles in a glisteningly glorious state of moistness. That's pretty on brand for a game so well known – and beloved – for its ultra-hot cast of characters, but somehow it's not even the thirstiest new thing in this trailer.

That honor goes to the new animated intro featuring protagonist Melinoe suiting up for battle, which comes with the apparent implication that she's been going commando under that little dress the entire time. Honestly, that's probably just accurate to a mythological Grecian setting. There's also a gratuitous foot shot for the Tarantino fans among you.

"They knew what they were doing with that thumbnail and intro," as one Reddit commenter notes. Look, what do you expect from a game about the Greek pantheon?

Check out our Hades 2 review if you're on the fence ahead of the new versions.

Ben Starr, the actor best known for his role as Final Fantasy 16 protagonist Clive Rosfield, had the misfortune of going up against the extremely challenging antagonist he plays in Hades 2, and he had such a tough time that he says he "hated" himself in that moment.

Starr plays Prometheus in Hades 2, widely recognized as one of the hardest bosses in a game known for its brutal boss fights. In a recent interview with the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, he admits to having been utterly entranced by Hades 2 but also incredibly frustrated by his own character.

"There are certain games that really immerse me, like hours went by," Starr says. "Hades 2, I put 90 hours into that game, just traveling."

Acknowledging that he himself acted in Hades 2, he says Prometheus was such a struggle for him that for those brief moments, he wasn't his biggest fan.

"I hated myself, because he's a hard boss when you first meet him. I sent a picture of Prometheus defeated when I finally beat him to one of my friends and went, 'fuck me, I guess.'"

If you're finding yourself in a similar predicament to Starr's, you've come to the right place. Our guide on how to beat Prometheus in Hades 2 explains exactly which weapons and Boons you want to have equipped to take down the Titan of Foresight, not to mention a handful of tips specifically geared toward this boss fight. Now, if you end up hating yourself during the fight, that's something you might want to consult a therapist about, or maybe ask Starr for some self love advice.

I spent 507 days obsessed with playing Hades 2, so I'm revisiting the first roguelike to decide which is my actual favorite

Supergiant Games studio director Amir Rao says the studio's goal isn't to make games bigger, but rather it aims to make something that could end up as someone's favorite game from the studio.

Supergiant Games has one of the best pedigrees of any indie studio. And while Hades may have been its breakout hit in many ways, previous titles like Bastion and Transistor are incredibly beloved, with many preferring them over the Hades games. But the thing about Supergiant is that – with the exception of Hades 2, obviously – no two titles in its library are really the same.

At a GDC panel attended by GamesRadar+, Rao explains, "For us, it's like, we've made a lot of games that people have responded really well to and they love. And for us, we're not trying to make a game that's better than the last game and bigger than the last game in all these ways." He continues, "We're trying to make a game that has the potential to be someone's favorite game from us."

Rao continues with a musical analogy, saying, "Think about the bands you love, right?" He explains: "You come in on an album, and it's really hard to beat that album, I feel. That was the album that got you into that band. And, you know, they may make stuff that you like more, they may make stuff you like less, but you're returning for something, for that sound, or for whatever they'll do next."

The studio director says that the thought process that "everything must be bigger, better in some way, than the last" is something that he thinks "gets you into a lot of trouble" as you figure out ways to expand upon what you've done before. He explains, "We have our own internal definition of what we want our games to be like when they are done."

Slay the Spire 2 has delayed Palworld 1.0 "at least a whole day," jokes publishing head.

Hades 2 creative director Greg Kasavin has explained how Hades 2 spent less time in Early Access than its predecessor, despite being a far bigger game.

As Supergiant Games' first sequel, it was unexpected to see Hades 2 follow up the previous game by launching first into Early Access before a full launch followed. Hades dropped in December 2018 and took just under two years before it was released in September 2020, while Hades 2 arrived in September 2025, a year and four months after its Early Access launch.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, Kasavin was asked how Supergiant managed to double the size of the original game while somehow leaving Early Access in less time. "We launched into Early Access relatively later in development compared with the original game, when we had more content compared with the original." Kasavin explains, "as we had a clearer sense of what needed to be in this game before our Early Access development could begin."

Kasavin adds: "Deciding when to launch a game into Early Access is an important decision for a developer." He elaborates, saying, "You want your game to be far enough along that it can be played and enjoyed without a lot of caveats, but you don't want your game to be so far along that you don't have time to respond to all the feedback you get."

However, it's easy to forget that we actually found out about Hades 2 way earlier than we did for the first, with Supergiant announcing it in December 2022. Deciding not to do the surprise announcement and immediately launch into Early Access like it did with Hades 1 would allow the studio to get feedback ahead of it launching into Early Access and have a better idea of what players want from an Early Access release.

Hades 2's new ending was "was created in response to player feedback," and not part of Supergiant's original plan.

If you've been playing Hades 2 since it arrived in Early Access, you've possibly seen two different 'true' endings: one involving Melinoe, and the other Zagreus. The latter came in a patch that changed the finale, and it was because of what players were telling developer Supergiant.

"Our post-launch patch was created in response to player feedback," Greg Kasavin, creative director at Supergiant Games, told GamesRadar+. "Hades 2, like its predecessor, was designed for Early Access development from the ground up, meaning we conceived of it as a game where listening to and responding to player feedback would be core to the development process."

This then coincides with another of the roguelike's themes: the passage of time, and what that does to even the most godly of beings. "Hades 2 is also a game that explores the effects of time -- ideas around different outcomes and possibilities that might have occurred, and having to move forward past setbacks," he explains.

By having the climax altered, Hades 2 stands as a monument to choosing what's canon to you. If you played and got the Zagreus version first, and like that one better, that's your ending. If Melinoe feels more apt, then that's what works. There's a philosophical poetry to it all, even if slightly incidentally in the face of Supergiant simply wanting the project to evolve.

"We were thoughtful about such themes when enhancing details of the story in response to player feedback," Kasavin adds. "All of the stories of our games draw from our experiences working together on them."

Hades 2 is another excellent entry in Supergiant's catalogue, capturing the magic of the first and improving it in near enough every way. Will we see another true ending at some point? I don't think predicting the future is in any of the post-launch plans just yet, but we'll see what tomorrow brings.

Hades 2 lead says the best boons from Early Access weren't killed, just reskinned: "We think it's important not to be too precious about these things"

Hades 2 developer Supergiant Games understands it's hard to move on. You were always going to miss some of the roguelike's Early Access features, though you should try not to dwell on it. Creative director Greg Kasavin assures players that some of those "missing" Boons are still present in the game's final version – they're just different.

"In the particular case of Smithy Sprint," Kasavin tells GamesRadar+ about the powerful Boon that triggered blasts when dashing, "we wanted something simpler and easier to use for one of the main Boons from the god of the forge, though as part of that we moved the general concept of keep-sprinting-for-a-big-blast to be integral to the Black Coat weapon's Aspect of Nyx. So, please check that one out if you haven't! I really like using it personally. Sometimes ideas for Boons and abilities find new homes in this way!"

Thus is the nature of Early Access. Kasavin explains that Supergiant "iterated on all sorts of different content all through Early Access, based on a combination of our impressions and goals for the game" – a need to allow "some truly powerful abilities and combinations that can sometimes lead to memorable, breakthrough runs where you sail to victory." But not always.

"At Supergiant I think we've learned to love and trust the process of getting to our end result," Kasavin says. "Sometimes interesting Boon ideas or good lines of dialogue and so on end up getting iterated on, but we think it's important not to be too precious about these things when they exist in service of a cohesive whole."

"We've learned to love and trust the process": How Hades 2 built on Supergiant's Early Access legacy to deliver the best roguelike of 2025.

Hades 2, like its older cousin before it, is a roguelike with seemingly endless buildcrafting potential, but the sequel also not-so-secretly houses a beefy tome of great writing, and some of the stats left me picking up my jaw.

Speaking to GamesRadar+ about Hades 2 and whether anything was left on the cutting room floor, creative director Greg Kasavin said "Hades 2, like the original, is a game that can technically be played forever, so I can understand the desire for it to include even more story!"

If you're unaware, the two Hades games bake death and the cyclical loop of roguelikes into their narratives. The Greek pantheon we continually bump into in every run remember us, and seemingly have new things to say and share even after dozens of playthroughs.

To keep that narrative structure afloat, developer Supergiant Games needed to fill its characters with a lot of words. "The game has a script of more than 400,000 words, and more than 30,000 voice lines -- around 50% more than the original game," Kasavin shared. "That includes every major detail we wanted to include for our cast of characters."

When asked about Haracles and Prometheus specifically, the director said "if you haven't yet reached the game's epilogue and continued encountering them sometime after that, then it's likely you haven't seen all they have to say or what other characters may have to say about them." So, keep on keeping on.

Hades 2 was one of our picks of the best games of 2025. It's currently available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 with a physical release out now.

I was one of the first to see Hades 2's true ending, and I don't know how I feel about Supergiant retconning the whole thing

The Hades 2 we know and love is an expansive, layered entity – and that's how it was from the beginning. Composed of the best parts of the first smash hit roguelike with new weapons, regions, and complex mythology folded in for good measure, it sounds like Melinoë's journey was already a twinkle in developer Supergiant's eye back when it was working on her elder brother's tale more than five years ago.

"At Supergiant, we focus on one project at a time," creative director Greg Kasavin tells me. "With each project, as part of building out the world of the game, we consider other stories that could be told in that world." So much so, the first Hades game actually "contains a few hints about what might later come to pass."

But while Hades 2's main story beats were locked in place early, focused on the lore surrounding Melinoë, Hecate, and Chronos, Supergiant was "interested in exploring how their and other characters' stories fit in with the rest of the mythology." Enter the studio's not-so-secret weapon: Early Access, and all the lessons that come with it.

Blood and darkness

"Hades 2, like its predecessor, was designed for Early Access development from the ground up," Kasavin says, "a game where listening to and responding to player feedback would be core to the development process." This perpetual evolution is something the studio holds dear to it, as evidenced by all the changes Hades 2 underwent in its 18-month Early Access period.

While that timeframe is four months shorter than the first Hades' stint, having launched into Early Access "relatively later in development compared with the original game, when we had more content," according to Kasavin, the studio still hungered for constructive critique.

"Deciding when to launch a game into Early Access is an important decision for a developer," he muses. "You want your game to be far enough along that it can be played and enjoyed without a lot of caveats, but you don't want your game to be so far along that you don't have time to respond to all the feedback you get."

Not only did the team spend a lot of time iterating the basic mechanics across each key story update, like Mel's Sprint (originally much faster), resource collecting (with her being a witch, Mel has far more in-game currencies to fuel her arcane abilities), and adding character artwork, Supergiant kept listening to player opinions on key moments in the developing story. More intriguingly, some of that feedback is what inspired Supergiant to rewrite the divisive Hades 2 ending altogether.

It was a potentially risky move – the ending was delivered as part of the game's full v1.0 launch, meaning Early Access had ended – but the community's thunderous approval of the change speaks for itself.

This is "a game that explores the effects of time – ideas around different outcomes and possibilities that might have occurred," Kasavin says. "We were thoughtful about such themes when enhancing details of the story in response to player feedback." It's that very sense of prescience that made me wonder initially whether the new ending had been Supergiant's intention all along. Many of us who played both endings now have memories of two alternative versions of events, just like Mel, Zag, and Chronos do in the game's true ending.

But I guess a reneged finale off the back of player feedback is part and parcel of what makes Supergiant's latest such a perfect Early Access game; it's a constant work in progress that doesn't necessarily have a clear-cut finale. "Hades 2, like the original, is a game that can technically be played forever," Kasavin says of the size and scope of its mammoth roguelike. It "has a script of more than 400,000 words, and more than 30,000 voice lines – around 50% more than the original," he offers. "That includes every major detail we wanted to include for our cast of characters."

Plucking the heartstrings

That expanded cast is, in many ways, one of the biggest draws of Hades 2. The core Olympians reprise their role, joined by Hera, Hestia, Apollo, Hephaestus to flesh out the pack. But Cthonic gods also get a little more love by way of Eris, Moros, and Nemesis, while the magical likes of Circe and Medea show up as boon-givers in Surface locations.

It speaks to how important Early Access is for a game like Hades 2, one which builds on solid foundations rather than tearing them down to the studs. Working this way helps Supergiant enhance what's already there, always listening to player feedback; you wanted more gods in Hades 1? Now, we've got 'em in spades.

It also helps that by broadening the lore of Hades, Supergiant landed on some golden opportunities to double down the best-loved aspects of the first game and push them even further. I'm talking specifically about Hades 2's belter soundtrack and how it introduces new characters from across Greek mythology.

"Music has been vital to each of our games," Kasavin says, describing the wild lengths to which Supergiant's Darren Korb – composer, audio director, and voice of Zagreus himself – went in creating the "biggest and most eclectic original soundtrack" of the studio's career – something Supergiant might never have endeavored upon were it not for the raucous success of the first game's sound design.

"Since the game goes to a variety of different places, from the heights of Olympus to the depths of the Underworld, the musical variety really helps define how these places are different from each other and distinctive in their own right. We want the music to be evocative as well as energetic, getting players feeling ready to take on any of the challenges the game throws their way," Kasavin says.

My favorite Hades 2 musical concept, personally, has to be sea monster Scylla reimagined as a glam rock star. "We loved the idea of having to take on this mythical band, picking their music apart section by section. Scylla and the Sirens says a lot about the overall tone of the experience, and I know Darren had a blast working on their various songs," Kasavin says, calling it "an example of the kind of collaborative effort we love to do at Supergiant, including the part where we look for ways to bring music directly into the play experience."

Again, though, that experience was constantly re-shaped through Early Access. Some of the changes are ones I found hard to accept from a personal standpoint, even if done in the name of building a robust, well-balanced roguelike.

Royal rumblings

I still mourn the loss of Hephaestus' original Smithy Sprint, a boon that saw me through the majority of my playthroughs around this time last year. It begs a question I've long asked myself, so I take the chance to ask it to Kasavin: is there really such a thing as an overpowered strategy in a single-player game? I'm not hurting anyone (except evil Shades) by stomping my way through Tartarus, right?

"We iterated on all sorts of different content all through Early Access, based on a combination of our impressions and goals for the game, feedback we're getting from players, and data we're seeing based on how players are engaging with everything that's there," Kasavin says of how and why Supergiant retooled certain mechanics and features over time. "It's important not to be too precious about these things when they exist in service of a cohesive whole.

"In the particular case of Smithy Sprint, we wanted something simpler and easier to use for one of the main Boons from the god of the forge, though as part of that, we moved the general concept of keep-sprinting-for-a-big-blast to be integral to the Black Coat weapon's Aspect of Nyx."

It's funny, but I really hadn't considered how my favorite boon had simply been transplanted elsewhere instead of ripped from me completely until he made the comparison. "Sometimes ideas for Boons and abilities find new homes in this way!"

Ultimately, all the tweaks, changes, and boon switcharoos outline the meticulous method to Hades 2's madness – a madness borne of Early Access, and all the chaos therein. "If we knew all the issues and opportunities the game had, then we wouldn't have needed to spend a year and a half developing in Early Access in the first place," Kosavin says. "At Supergiant I think we've learned to love and trust the process of getting to our end result."

Hades 2 ranks high on GamesRadar+'s list of the best games of 2025 for very good reason, and it's in great company.

Finishing Hades 2 in a pre-v1.0 release patch felt oddly anticlimactic. I'd chalked it down to the fact that I'd spent the better part of a year and a half mired in the brilliant roguelike chaos of Early Access, so having it all come to a close was bound to feel abrupt.

But once the full version of the game launched to the wider public, I saw that the feeling was mutual. Very, very mutual. So much so that Supergiant seems to have totally reneged on its initial idea by way of a post-launch patch that changes the ending accordingly. Truthfully, I'm a little torn. On one hand, the changes do make for a more satisfying sense of closure, one that keeps Melinoë in the spotlight instead of having her big moment pulled out from under her like a giant Zagreus-shaped carpet.

But I can't help but feel like Supergiant is cheating. Changing the ending of your game once it's already signed, sealed, and delivered is a bold, strange move – but maybe there's a good reason why it works for Hades 2 above all else.

Warning: Huge story spoilers for the ending of Hades 2 (both the release and patched versions)

Witching hour

First, allow me to help cast your mind back to Hades 2's initial ending and the contexts it arrived under. After countless nights spent beating back Chronos, Typhon, and legions of their lackeys, Melinoë finally finds a way to undo Time itself by working with her brother Zagreus.

They conspire together using a portal where their two timelines meet, visiting him in the past to help him track down their titan grandfather as he rebuilds himself. She instructs Zagreus to kill him for good, then and there, while he is weakened.

But instead, Zagreus convinces him to relinquish vengeance in the name of good old-fashioned togetherness. He experiences a version of Chronos that Mel has never known: a loving grandfather who has mended the errors of his ways, doting on his grandchildren rather than vowing to hurt them. Meanwhile in the present day, Mel has no such recollection.

Chronos essentially gives up fighting her, touched by a flood of fond memories centered around watching Melinoë grow up. Zag, Hades, and Persephone show up, confused by Melinoë's insistence that Chronos kidnapped them all and sought their destruction. She remembers a version of events that are no longer real, but more hurtful than that, she's had her big moment of herodom – the fulfilment of her great task – utterly smashed to pieces by her silver-tongued older brother.

Godly rizz

Mel is infuriated and rightly confused, but cautiously accepts that Chronos poses no ongoing threat to her or her family. She rides off into the sky with Selene as Apollo and Artemis fill the heavens with song, and later joins forces with Chronos to banish the mere possibility of an uprising ever happening again. Because, you know, it makes total sense that Mel is trusting her once-rival so blindly all of a sudden right?

If you didn't come away from that experience thinking "uh, what?" then you're a special, far more evolved person than I. But it felt so bittersweet at the time, seeing my powerful cthonic goddess essentially being forced to put down her sister blades in the name of memories she never possessed.

The new version of events sees Melinoë herself having the big idea of trying to get Chronos to see reason, asking Zag to offer him mercy in exchange for laying down his arms and accepting them as family again. This is altogether a better ending, reinforcing Melinoë's agency in her own game and ensuring the crowning achievement doesn't fall on Zag's beautiful yet already big enough head. Sure, suggesting Chronos might have a change of heart is still a huge departure from the whole "death to Chronos" spiel she'd been plugging this whole time, but at least the new ending sees her being the one to broach such an outcome.

It also means that both Melinoë and the player, if you'd seen the original ending first time around, have a similar view of both possible outcomes: one where Zagreus is the hero, and one where Mel is given due credence as the victor of her own spoils.

At the same time, I'm feeling a little bit salty that this more satisfying ending came after I had the privilege of finishing the game myself.

It shouldn't feel like a punishment for simply being a little bit ahead of the curve thanks to Early Access, but unfortunately, it kind of does. I'm grateful for the incantation that allows you to replay the true ending of the game to see the new version of course, but I do wish it had been there from the get-go. Surely a year in Early Access was enough to think this one through? The decision felt nonsensical, especially given Supergiant's chops as brilliant storytellers.

But then… if this was always Supergiant's plan – to seemingly backtrack on its own work, only for it to have a unique ring of poetic justification about it – I have to hand it to 'em. It's probably the cleverest example of metagaming I've encountered in recent years, soldering Hades 2 players to their protagonist in a uniquely Hades 2 way that only makes sense given the game's temporal-bending nature. I fear it, I admire it, but most of all I am impressed by it. Well played, Supergiant. We are all Melinoë now, and once I get over my own bitter jealousy, I'll be even more appreciative of this blessing in disguise.

Check out the best roguelike games to play next if you've already been to Hell and back again Hades 2.

It is so like the universe to do this, to strike a man down with a huge Hades 2 patch right after he's completed a no-hit run on the roguelike game's seriously difficult Surface. Admittedly, developer Supergiant's latest update is largely in players' favor, but still – what's this guy doing completing no-hit runs on the Surface?

"Oh my God, it's over," roguelike streamer Haelian says during his recent self-led challenge run, where he adhered to game rules he says were "mostly made up" by him. Haelian couldn't use Dodge or Daze abilities, Armor hits counted against him, and he needed to avoid Chaos Gates to protect his health. He couldn't use anything that would protect him from damage either, like The Lovers Arcana card that nullifies up to four hits taken in a boss fight. It's an ascetic run, certainly, but clearly doable – after "like 40 hours of this," Haelian finally celebrates success.

"Untouchable, baby!" he shrieks. "Untouchable! Oh my God."

"Well… I had a Surface run where I took over 1,400 damage and still won," jokes a top comment on YouTube. "So, you could say I'm a bit of a Pro Gamer myself."

Hades 2's Surface level – like the Surface in the first game from 2020 – is its ultimate level, and it requires patience and precision as you navigate more difficult enemies. Haelian's successful no-hit Surface run, then, had him dealing tens of thousands of damage with Boons like Blitz, Poseidon Waves, and Fine Line. His final clear time was 14 hours, 20 minutes, and change.

"God," Haelian sighs. "Thank God it's over."

I spent 507 days obsessed with playing Hades 2, so I'm revisiting the first roguelike to decide which is my actual favorite.

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

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.

Although Hades 2 has had a couple of hotfixes since its long-awaited full release last month, it hasn't had a significant update – until now, that is, as the roguelike dungeon crawler sequel just received a massive patch preview changing up its true ending and more.

As detailed by developer and publisher Supergiant Games in a new Steam announcement, the Hades sequel's latest update preview serves as a test for its first big post-launch patch – and it's got quite a bit to show for it, too. Standing as perhaps the most significant change, there are "true ending enhancements" that alter the route leading up to the true ending with "new events in the lead up," as well as "some" after it.

Supergiant Games writes that, "as part of this," the patch has also increased "the number of Underworld clears required, and added to and revised parts of the main True Ending scenes before the end credits." The developer notes that "the vast majority of changes are to the Underworld route; the Surface route is mostly unchanged," however. The so-called "true ending enhancements" aren't the only new changes, either.

The studio alludes to "returning to a real possibility" being an option now, as the new preview has added a Cauldron incantation that "lets you return to an earlier point in the story in case you wish to re-experience key events, such as the True Ending." It's a pretty handy tool, it sounds like, especially for Hades 2 – a game that stands out among other genre gems with its high emphasis on story, branching narrative, and the path players pick for themselves.

There are Fated Prophecy adjustments to anticipate, too, as " a number of character-related Prophecies, including the one connected to the story epilogue, should unfold faster than before." On top of all this, Supergiant Games includes some welcome tweaks for The Crossroads – the sanctuary that serves as a "hub" of sorts between the Underworld and Surface – as "many decorative items have reduced costs in Kudos compared to before."

What's more, the dev assures, "any excess Kudos you have already spent will be refunded." The full update contains a plethora of other tweaks, so it's worth giving the Hades 2 patch notes a full read – and making sure to opt in to the Steam Beta branch.

Read through our Hades 2 review to learn more about what might just be one of this year's most impressive new games yet.

I resisted the urge to play Hades 2 during its early access period, but only because I wasn't completely done with the first one. As a result, jumping into the sequel after no downtime away from Supergiant's take on Greek myths has underlined how it's the exact opposite of streamlined.

Since I hadn't been keeping tabs on what was being added to the game before its 1.0 release, I was shocked to see a mana bar and several more layers of perks, resources, and build options, among other things. Aren't mainstream sequels meant to go less complicated systems and mechanics-wise while packing more content? What's going on? The nature of Hades' core fanbase made the creative swing even more baffling to me. How many people who weren't into roguelites were tricked into playing one due to its killer aesthetic and flirty characters? A lot, including my girlfriend – quote: "I don't enjoy combat" – who wants to 100% the first one before even touching 2 included.

The average studio would've pushed in the direction of keeping the more video game-y elements thin (or at least easy to grasp) while doubling down on the 'hook' that brought so many newbies into the genre. Instead, Hades 2 is Supergiant basically going: "Look, we know you're playing this anyway, and we trust you to at least give it a fair shake, so we're going all out and adding a hundred new variables." This is neither good nor bad as far as I'm concerned, but it's a bold approach worth mulling over.

More variables, more friction

Anyone who's spent most of their life playing video games is able to recognize creative patterns, such as action and RPG games becoming simpler as the crowd gets bigger. We can argue such decisions often have to do with executives trying to broaden the appeal as much as possible even if that means diluting a series' original identity. Just look at the evolution of the Dragon Age brand. Some might argue Diablo – a big series which partially informs Hades – also followed that path, yet the skills, perks, and loot actually became more complex with each iteration; go back to Diablo 2 and try to tell me with a straight face half the skill trees aren't extra stat boosts to a handful of abilities.

In a way, Hades 2 follows the Diablo sequel playbook to deliver more variance and more robust endgame potential. You have Arcana Cards, permanent meta cauldron upgrades, a thousand different resources and plants to collect, prophecies, keepsakes, weapons (and their upgrades), boons, Selene's hexes and procedural skill tree (for each run!), and even more little pieces which pile up to keep track of. Sure, the core loop of going out, winning the run or getting killed, and going back to the hub to chat with the gang and buy items and improvements remains the same, but it feels like every nook and cranny of Hades 2 is filled with stuff you shouldn't ignore.

If you're the sort of player who liked to breeze through both the respites and the action in the first Hades (a game which really encourages fast-paced play and management), this may be a lot to absorb during the early hours. By the time you start to make sense of where a build could go based on the night-limited boons and attack tweaks you find early on, it's not uncommon to have completely forgotten about situation-specific Arcana Cards you loaded up before starting the run. And if you start to mess with Omega attacks and casts seriously, that's another layer of possible synergies and split-second tactical options to consider in order to make the most of Melinoë's arsenal and skillset. Have I mentioned dashes go into upgradeable sprints now too?

Down into Hades

As an ARPG sicko, I appreciate having all these toys to play with. But I also can't help but feel that Hades 2 feels messier and looser than its predecessor. One of Hades 1's key strengths was how tight and laser-focused it was. Even if you took the "let's try to bring new players into this space" element out of the equation, it's an all-killer-no-filler kind of game, a gloriously brisk alternative to roguelite giants.

By comparison, Hades 2 is a more lumbering (albeit more polished, sure) affair; a game you have to be in the mood for. Turn away if you want to switch your brain off. Hades 2 instantly feels more demanding and grown-up, and even the narrative reflects that. The cinephile (I hate that word) in me believes this is what most great sequels should aspire to. Don't try to please the masses you've already enticed. Go wild. I don't think it really needed a mana/magic system, for example, but I respect the philosophy behind this sort of inverted iteration.

As huge AAA franchises try to offset out-of-whack development costs by sanding sharp edges off, there's something refreshing and captivating – even if it doesn't always work – about having a critical and mainstream hit evolve into something meaner.

Already completed Hades 2? Here are the best roguelikes to play next

Hades 2 challenge runner Boated has beaten the game on its highest Max Fear difficulty for the second time while, let's be honest, some people have trouble finishing Supergiant's roguelike sequel even once in its most basic difficulty. (I am one of those people.) (Sorry.)

"YES! YES! COME ON!" Boated screams in a new YouTube video after devastating Chronos in Hades 2's final battle, marking the world's first documented 1.0 Max Fear clear. Previously, Boated had completed a Max Fear run in Hades 2's early access version, which balanced weapons, combat, and enemy behavior differently – among many other things – from Hades 2's current 1.0 version.

In either case, Max Fear makes Hades 2's sunless rooms, where everyone is trying to kill you, even less like a nice dinner party. "I'm just mashing, and I'm vomiting," Boated says at one point during their run where Fear, or challenge level, is cranked up to 67. Even at the very start of their run, they quickly realized they "actually need to lock in," and say that "I've never had a big run like this get so real so fast" as powerful enemies swarmed.

Any Fear over 32 was already extreme enough for fellow Hades 2 expert Mininet to create a 16-page Google Doc guide to not dying immediately, so Boated's eventual success here is genuinely astounding.

Helpfully, they walk through their plan heading into the run at the start of the video you can watch above; Boated uses the Witch's Staff starting weapon equipped with Aspect of Melinoe to increase the protagonist's Magick pool and the Power of her Special and Omega Special, and they bring along Melinoe's polecat familiar Gale at level 10, to deal extra damage and supply Flora. Boated also equips the Jeweled Pom keepsake, which gives you a random Hades blessing while at the Fates' Whim.

It all culminates in truly godlike destruction. "My apologies for the screaming," Boated finally says. "It really was just a lot of raw emotion coming out of me there."

"I can't shake the feeling that…": Hades 2 fan gifted with the most holy of Boons somehow predicts major plot twist a year before its reveal.

Hades 2 is a huge roguelike game with endless build possibilities. That can be a blessing or a curse, depending how lucky you are. From which of the Nocturnal Arms you end up favoring to the wealth of Hades 2 keepsakes, godly blessings, and familiar companions to choose from, it's all too easy to get so lost in the sauce that you forget about the basics.

By that, I mean you're neglecting cast and magic builds. I get it, I get it: you've unlocked some of the best weapon aspects in Hades 2 and are far too busy with a belter Persephone Revaal build to care about Mel's humble witchy charms. But I'm here to remind you not to underestimate the power of casts in every single build. Every single one. If you're not making use of them, all you're doing is making your life harder. Allow me to demonstrate.

Here, kitty kitty

First things first: I need you to unlock Circe's Aspect of the Witch's Staff, Descura. It's one of my top three go-to Nocturnal Arms for many reasons, but most importantly, it opened my eyes to the power of casts.

I know what you're thinking. The Sister Blades are your favorite – maybe even the Moonstone Axe if you're a fan of those spicy attack omegas – and you don't want to waste precious Nightmare shards on upgrading your starter weapon. Hear me out, though: Circe's staff gives you two juicy extras in one.

Not only does your Hades 2 animal familiar drop a cast at their location whenever you do, essentially allowing you to be in two places at once, there's a damage-dealing tether linking you and your familiar dealing repeated damage to any foe who touches it. Toula is my go-to for Circe aspect builds.

Like any true feline, the kitty stays put unless summoned to the fight, making for a solid anchor point for you to simply strafe across the rest of the arena like an omnipotent window wiper while she slumbers through decimating those caught in her cast vortex off-screen. Pair this with Hera's Nexus Sprint boon that inflicts domino-like Hitch upon all enemies you run into, and you now have total map mobility.

Your choice of cast boon-giver will factor into how successful this approach is. Personally, I go for anything that deals rapid damage. Our Managing News Editor can tell you all about the iconic boss-melting glory of Hestia's boons, and her omega cast is perhaps my favorite blessing in either Hades game.

Now just imagine the carnage you can deal by stacking two high-DPS cyclones at opposite ends of the field. Buffed with Apollo, Demeter, or Ares' cast-boosting boons like Meat Grinder, and you're essentially doing nothing but running and casting your way to victory with the help of your furry friend.

Even without Circe's aspect, though, casts should still factor into your Hades 2 build. Case in point: Aphrodite's Rapture Ring boon that drags foes into the cast's center and inflicts the Weak status curse upon the lot.

I love doing this on Persephone Argent Skull runs, grouping my foes together like fish in a barrel before tearing through them with the omega special. It's also a great choice for other skull and staff aspects, like Medea or Charon's, or really any weapon that requires a more targeted approach. Take the blades, for example – the Aspect of the Morrigan is my favorite there, and it's even easier to blast through bosses and hordes alike when you can keep your prey in one handy place.

I'm not here to tell you how to play your game. Actually, I guess I am, but it's for your own good. I'm imploring you to play Hades 2 without neglecting the simple stuff, much as it gets harder to care about them once you have access to the critically overpowered likes of the hidden Aspect of Supay. Casts are every bit as important as attacks and specials, and if I hear one more friend or colleague deride them, I am going to fling myself into Asphodel.

Check out the best roguelikes to play next if you've already picked Hades 2 clean!

Miracles do happen, at least when they pertain to Hades 2. One fan on Reddit apparently gifted the great Boon of psychic ability by some combination of Zeus-Athena–luck was able to predict a big twist about Hecate a year before developer Supergiant made it obvious. (Prepare for major spoilers after this sentence!)

"I can't shake the feeling that Hecate is a future version of Melinoë," said the Reddit user, who has since deleted their account (another user recently dredged up the old post). "The more I play through the early access the more I'm convinced."

According to some interpretations of Greek mythology, which the Hades games adapt for their more wholesome, more roguelike narratives, the deathly goddess Melinoë might be another title for the great witch-goddess Hecate. Though, Hecate is also closely associated with dogs and stuff, so the Reddit user still had a decent amount of deductions to make.

"Even Zagreus is sometimes referred to as a different name for Dionysus, and they're clearly not the same person in Hades," notes the user. Still, they can see that Supergiant's Hecate art always obscures at least half of her body.

"We are fighting Chronos after all, the literal embodiment of time, so some future/past selves shenanigans aren't completely out of the question," says the post, which still has only 84 upvotes as of writing. In any case, the writer is essentially correct – Hades 2 ultimately reveals Hecate went to the beginning of time and raised Melinoë to fulfill her singular purpose: taking down Chronos.

"Insane redditors strike again, holy shit," says one comment on the original Reddit thread. "congrats bro."

First major Hades 2 update fixes all sorts of glitches and makes one of the most annoying minibosses easier.

Hades 2 Keepsakes are an important part of your build that grant extra powers, from chances to improve Boons and get more of them to damage upgrades and chances to cheat death. Since you can pick can equip four different ones over the course of full run, you'll also need to consider when you use them and how they can work with other effects in Hades 2 to get the most out of them. So, to help you unlock these valuable charms and know which ones are worth bringing, I've laid out all the best Keepsakes in Hades 2 and how you unlock them.

Best Hades 2 Keepsakes

Of the 33 Keepsakes in Hades 2, a good chunk of them are thankfully pretty good, offering excellent improvements themed around various Hades 2 characters that you'll want during almost any run. Having spent many hours trying a lot of them out, the following are therefore what we consider to be the best Keepsakes in Hades 2, in no particular order:

• Luckier Tooth from Schelemeus: The Luckier Tooth is essentially a Death Defiance which can come in very handy if you're not using the Death Arcana Card or if you've already burned through all your Death Defiances and need an emergency one to fall back on. Toula the Hades 2 Familiar also provides a Death Defiance if you want another.
• Moon Beam from Selene: If you're able to get a Hex from Selene early, I recommend equipping the Moon Beam at your next chance to get a Path of Stars upgrade to appear. With Full Moonglow and a fully upgraded Moon Beam, you can apply up to 10 upgrades to your Hex, which can make it ridiculously powerful in some cases.
• Any Olympian Boon-givers' Keepsake: Boons are the main way you gain power during a run, and the Keepsakes you get from Olympians that make their Boons likely to appear and provide a chance to rarify one are hugely useful for all runs. This is mostly down to your personal build preferences, but I recommend the following:
  • Cloud Bangle from Zeus
  • Iridescent Fan from Hera
  • Beautiful Mirror from Aphrodite
  • Adamant Shard from Hephaestus
  • Everlasting Ember from Hestia
  • Sword Hilt from Ares
• Gorgon Amulet from Athena: Athena is usually limited to Mount Olympus on the Hades 2 Surface path, but this Boon lets her show up anywhere to provide you with a Boon when you're out of Death Defiances. Her Boons are excellent too, so if you've had a terrible time and have lost all your Death Defiances or aren't using any to begin with, this is an essential pick.
• Concave Stone from Echo: This Keepsake gives you a chance to choose a second Boon after picking one from a Boon-giving Olympian. Since having more Boons is basically never a bad thing, this Keepsake is an all-round great pick for one region.

So, those are the best Keepsakes for pretty much any run, but many of them take a while to unlock as some characters don't show up until you've made significant progress. With that in mind, I also recommend the Knuckle Bones from Odysseus or Evil Eye from Nemesis as good early-game Keepsakes. Both are good for making Guardian boss fights easier, with the Knuckle Bones reducing the next Guardian's health and the amount of damage they deal to you. The Evil Eye causes you to deal more damage to the last foe that vanquished you, and that will often be a Guardian.

Other Keepsakes have much more niche uses but can still come in handy. Circe's Crystal Figurine is arguably essential if your Hades 2 Arcana Card selection includes the Judgement card. Also, if you make it through a Guardian boss fight – such as the Hades 2 Scylla or Hades 2 Eris boss fights – by the skin of your teeth, you can switch to Narcissus' Aromatic Phial before using the healing fountain found afterwards to restore more health and improve one of your Boons too.

How to unlock Keepsakes in Hades 2 and upgrade them

To unlock any Keepsake, you need to give the relevant character some Hades 2 Nectar – gift them one phial and they should give you their Keepsake in return. Note that some characters won't always be in the mood for gifts, so you might have to wait until later to get some Keepsakes (there are three that can't be unlocked until very late in the game).

Any Keepsakes you earn will go into the Keepsake case found in the Crossroads training ground where you can equip one before a run. Once you've cast the Kindred Keepsakes Incantation, the same case can be found in the post-Guardian fountain rooms at the end of most Regions, letting you change Keepsake mid-run.

Keepsakes are also levelled up simply by completing encounters while using them, so the more you use one, the faster it will level up. Later in the game, you can also cast the Quickening of Sentimental Value Incantation, which doubles the rate at which Keepsakes rank up, which obviously helps a lot!

As well as choosing the right Keepsake, you'll definitely want to unlock and upgrade the best Hades 2 Aspects for all six weapons, and our Hades 2 tips might even help you out too.

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The first post-launch Hades 2 update is here, fixing a number of issues in the roguelike and tweaking more than a few other aspects. Among all the adjustments is a tidy little change for one of the minibosses that should make the battle just a bit more bearable (only a smidge, mind).

The highly anticipated sequel from Supergiant Games bashed its way out of Early Access just last week, and with the proper release comes a smattering of rebalances as more people take the war to Chronos. Many of the hotfixes listed involve small, but no less annoying, glitches.

For instance, the Gorgon Amulet was using the effect of Yarn of Ariadne for whatever reason, but now it's sorted. Dogs spawned by Lycaons have been prevented from activating Unseen Ire. A situation where Hecate should mention Gigaros but doesn't has been rectified.

Lots of stuff like that – spoiler protection is on in the patch notes, if you've not encountered everything yet. But the most exciting change comes for the battle against any Phantoms you across, the vampiric hellspawn in the Fields of Mourning.

Their physical moves all drain health, and prior to now, they could do so from your raised serpents, essentially allowing them to use your allies against you in the form of HP resourcing. Irritating!

But not any more. They're still a tricky fight – none of their other attacks have been modified – but this will take the edge off. I'd expect more of these sort of changes in the weeks ahead, as Supergiant finesses Hades 2 further amid the growing playerbase.

"The game is the design document": Hades 2 devs don't have "long, elaborate" plans that "lay out the future of the things we're making" because Supergiant is "a heavily iterative studio"

When I first played Hades 2, way back in the mists of time that enveloped its early access launch, my entire strategy revolved around Hephaestus. The forge god's explosive Blast effects helped me smash my way through Chronos and Eris in those early builds, but then something went wrong. When I finally returned to The Crossroads for my Hades 2 review, I couldn't leverage those same boons to get the effect I needed to take out the game's toughest bosses. It was time for a change in strategy.

In my pursuit of Hephaestus' burst damage, I'd ignored most of Hades 2's new arrivals. The game tries its hardest to prevent that from happening – the very first god you meet is newcomer Apollo, and in an attempt to make space for a bigger roster, characters like Artemis have been shifted towards random encounters rather than handing out boons. But between the clang of hammer against forge and the familiarity of the likes of Zeus, Poseidon, and Aphrodite, I hadn't invested much time into Hades 2's new gods and goddesses.

But then I got a tip-off: Hestia. The goddess of the home is not exactly the biggest Olympian celebrity – she rarely features in ancient Greece's most famous myths and legends, preferring instead to remain at home at tend the hearth, and in the initial early access release she didn't even have key art. A brand-new character hidden entirely beneath a shroud was easy to overlook, especially while I was focused on hammering my way through the underworld instead. Hestia had mostly been consigned to the background, but that was all about to change.

Burn, baby, burn

Hestia's divine responsibilities are relatively broad, but mostly revolve around the heart, the home, and sacred fire. As a result, her boons in Hades 2 revolve around her signature 'Scorch' effect. As your abilities inflict damage on enemies, they'll take burning damage every second. The more damage you deal, the more Scorch damage they'll eventually take, and a powerful enough build will have enemy HP bars melting away before your eyes.

As a fan of Melinoë's quick-striking twin blades (which top our Hades 2 weapons tier list), I soon latched onto a combo that I'd stick to for most of the game. Hestia's Flame Strike boon, which inflicts Scorch with every attack, synergizes beautifully with the rapid attack speed of Lim and Oros, and it's not long before I'm taking Hestia's keepsake into the start of every run to ensure that I've got the most powerful version of it I can get. By the time I've fought my way out of Ephyra or Erebus, I'm usually a few more Hestia boons deep too, so my Scorch bonuses are really stacking up.

It's a complete game-changer. Bosses that were causing me significant trouble with my ill-fated Hephaestus builds were suddenly burning to ash almost in front of my eyes. The only thing that prevented Hestia from running riot over the rest of the game is that Scorch effects wear off with each new phase of a boss fight, but it's easy to build the burn damage back up. For fights like Prometheus and Typhon, which had repeatedly derailed even my most-powerful runs before I found this new approach, I suddenly had room to breathe, a chance to continue dealing damage while I was dodging around their attacks, and not feeling like I had to rush into danger just to stand a chance of defeating them.

Perhaps it was a cheap tactic, and perhaps I was too slow to adapt. But in my defense, in the face of Zeus' lightning or Poseidon's roaring waves, Hestia's soft-speaking maternal vibes were easy to gloss over at the start of the game in favor of something a little more electric. But since learning the error of my way she's become an absolute staple, a character who pairs with almost every other god with duo boons that push that deadly Scorch effect even further. She's easy to miss, but the oldest goddess of Olympus is one you definitely shouldn't overlook if you're struggling with Hades 2's bigger challenges.

My favorite Hades 2 upgrade turns Melinoë into a giant, and I love it all because of the tiny detail that comes with it.

Hades 2 has smashed past the first game's peak player count on Steam, bringing in over double the amount of players in its first weekend.

Hades 2 is already the top-rated game of 2025 in terms of critical reception, so it's no surprise to hear that people are pretty hot on it now that it's finally out as a full release. The original Hades arguably also stands as one of the most beloved indie games ever made, and a sequel that is seemingly even better was pretty much preordained to be a hit. This is supported by an "Overwhelmingly Positive" rating on Steam, with 95% of user reviews being marked as "positive" (in terms of both all-time reviews from the beginning of early access and recent reviews).

According to SteamDB, Hades 2 hit a new player count peak this past weekend, with 112,947 players jumping into the game during the first weekend following its full release. However, this number really puts into perspective just how popular Hades 2 already was ahead of launch, as the game's previous peak came with its release into early access in May 2024, at just 9,380 less than its new record.

The new figure also puts Hades 2's record player count at over double the peak of the original Hades (via SteamDB). However, the original game's number of 54,240 actually didn't come with its launch or even during its massive GOTY sweep – it actually happened last year, around the early access launch of Hades 2. Even with the full release, Hades 2 caused the original game to spike up to 19,029 players – its best number since that 2024 peak.

"The game is the design document": Hades 2 devs don't have "long, elaborate" plans that "lay out the future of the things we're making" because Supergiant is "a heavily iterative studio."

Gathering Hades 2 Poppy Seeds is essential to growing Poppies back in the Crossroads, but you need to reach the final Underworld layer to have a chance of digging them up. It makes getting these flowers a massive pain in Hades 2 and a slow process, particularly as you need quite a few to unlock the Argent Skull's best Aspect and more. So, to help you dig up Poppy Seeds that you can grow into Poppies, here's where you need to go and how you can get more.

To find Hades 2 Marble, you've got to make it all the way to the final region of the Underworld, which means it's far from the easiest reagent to collect, and you'll need it for several incantations. Thankfully, these spells are far-from mission-critical in Hades 2, but you'll still need a lot if you want to cast them all and more. With that in mind, here's where you get Marble in Hades 2 and some tips for increasing your chances of finding outcroppings as you delve deeper into the Underworld.

Hades 2 devs "don't have long, elaborate design documents that lay out the future of the things we're making," as Supergiant is "a heavily iterative studio" instead.

Supergiant studio director Amir Rao says as much in a new interview with content creator Haelian (below), which took place just days before Hades 2's 1.0 launch. During their discussion, the YouTuber mentions that when he'd asked Rao years prior during a Hades 1 early access stream if the devs planned to "create dual boons for all the god combinations" in the game, Rao gave "the most diplomatic, corpo answer I've ever heard." Laughing, Rao explains that there's a reason for that – the devs don't always have solid plans in the first place.

"Our studio, the way we make things… we don't have long, elaborate design documents that lay out the future of the things we're making," he begins. "The game is the design document. We're a heavily iterative studio. We make things in-game, and then we always leave time to iterate on those things, edit those things, take them out if they're not working, all that kind of stuff.

"Then we put them into an early access update, and then, you know, some of that stuff we iterate on right away in a patch, some of it gets iterated on in a future major update," he continues. "Some of it takes us a few updates to figure out what we want to do with it, then we make the change."

So, as for those "diplomatic, corpo" answers the pair joke about, Rao says, "often, those non-answers are real because an answer does not exist, not because I'm hiding it. I don't know where the iterations are going to take us. I don't know who is going to have the idea." Furthermore, he adds, "We're still kind of learning. And so, you know, we structure a lot of our processes around learning, like what do we need to learn? Like, what do we need to know now? And what stuff can we afford to know later?"

All in all, he admits, this process "doesn't lend itself to setting in stone what will happen," be that in the early-access, design, or development processes. After launching the best-rated game of 2025 with Hades 2, though, it's clearly a method that works.

Hades 3 is not "preordained," studio director says as Hades 2 leaves early access, and for now Supergiant is focused on the reaction to its new roguelike sequel.

Getting Hades 2 House Soot is pretty annoying as you can only collect it after you roll credits, and that means finishing the game first. The reagent is crucial for waking Hypnos with one last End to Deepest Slumber draught, which means you probably want to find some ASAP to wrap up Hades 2 and finally get the Soundest of Sleepers prophecy crossed off your Fated List. It's even trickier to get than Hades 2 Thalamus seeds, and that's really saying something. Here's how to get House Soot in Hades 2, including when and where you'll receive it and how to put it to good use!

How to get House Soot in Hades 2

House Soot is given to Melinoe by Hades, her father, in exchange for some Hades 2 Nectar after beating the game and seeing the True Ending (Mel's task will be complete and the credits will have rolled).

You'll find Hades in his usual chamber in Tartarus while doing an Underworld run, along with Persephone, his wife. Give Hades the Nectar and you'll be rewarded with the Jewelled Pom Keepsake and a strange dust bunny. That's your House Soot! It's important to note that, as far as I know, you will only ever get (or need) one House Soot in Hades 2, much like Entropy and Gigaros.

Next time you return to the Crossroads, you'll be able to use the House Soot to brew up a third and final End to Deepest Slumber draught, which will help you rouse Hypnos once and for all. After going back through the many layers of his dreams to wake each version of the god, Hypnos will startle awake and leave the Crossroads in a hurry. It's a shame, but at least that's one more Fated List item you don't need to worry about!

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Hades 2 has finally left early access, but that doesn't mean developer Supergiant Games is already thinking about – let alone actually working on – Hades 3.

Supergiant studio director Amir Rao was asked about the devs' plans for after Hades 2 in a recent interview with content creator Haelian (below), which took place a few days before the roguelike sequel's 1.0 launch. Rao explains that a third game isn't something that the devs have been discussing at all – it's not some "preordained" thing.

"Basically, our process is really natural and has always been the same around this," Rao begins. "So, when we're working on our games, we're not talking about the next game. The culture is really about focusing on what we have and if we have a really good idea or have a really good thought, it should go into the game we're making... we should put that energy towards the game that is actually the game that's coming out."

This partially comes down to the fact that "the response to the game is an important part of the experience of making it." He continues: "That's part of why early access is so amazing for us, right? We get a response, a human, real response to everything we're making in progress. You know, is the humor working in the game? Is this character working? Are these boons working? Are these weapons working? Is anyone picking this? Is no one picking this?"

Rao notes that this sort of feedback is "really incredible," and is also what "allowed the original Hades game and Hades 2 to be what it is." On top of all that, he adds: "An important part of that is how will people respond to the finished game, and how will that response affect us and change us?"

So, as for what happens now, Rao says that "for sure what we're doing next is just focused on 1.0 and seeing what people are saying about it," including monitoring for anything that the devs "need to fix," for example. "Then there will be a break and then we'll process this and figure out what the future holds for us," he continues. "But yeah, it's not preordained. It's not something we secretly know right now or anything like that."

The studio director's comments also line up with a message shared in Hades 2 itself following its 1.0 launch yesterday, in which the devs said that "the conclusion of Early Access also means we expect to wind down on updates to Hades 2 once we ensure our launch is as problem-free as possible. Then, we'll return to shadows for a while and plan our next move."

So, the future remains a mystery – but clearly we're not the only ones uncertain of what it might hold.

Be sure to check out our Hades 2 review to see why it's currently Metacritic's best-rated game of the year.

After four-and-a-half years in development and a year-and-a-half in early access, Supergiant's roguelike sequel Hades 2 has finally gone 1.0. Hades was arguably the best roguelike game out there, but our Hades 2 review is not alone in suggesting the follow-up might be even better than its predecessor. But now that launch is here, there's still one question: What's next for Supergiant Games?

A partial answer comes for early access players booting up the 1.0 version today, who will be greeted with this message before the main menu: "The conclusion of Early Access also means we expect to wind down on updates to Hades II once we ensure our launch is as problem-free as possible. Then, we'll return to shadows for a while and plan our next move."

For now, Supergiant is prepping to "deploy hotfixes or patches in case of any issues," as the devs say in a Steam news post. "Beyond that, it's too early to say what's next for our team! We'll likely take some time to reflect and recharge."

Hades proved to be Supergiant's breakout hit, but the studio has a long line of beloved indies going back to the 2011 action-RPG Bastion. They followed up with Transistor in 2014, which blended real-time combat with turn-based strategy and a wild upgrade system. Then came Pyre in 2017, which itself blended sports games, a fantasy setting, and choice-driven visual novel-style storytelling.

Just about the only common threads tying Supergiant's games together are gorgeous visuals and impeccable soundtracks, but those aren't bad trademarks to hang your hat on. Personally, I'm hoping that whatever the studio does next, it's just as much of a left-field surprise as something like Transistor or Pyre. Regardless of what that next game looks like, there's a whole lot of Hades 2 to tide fans over in the meantime.

If you're just getting started in the sequel, check out our guide to Hades 2 weapons.

Around halfway through my journey towards conquering Hades 2, I picked up an innocuous upgrade. There was little to differentiate this boost from any of the dozens of other boons I'd already selected in my quest – I chose it to help me survive as long as possible against the combined forces of my enemies. But a few encounters later, I realized it had made a tiny change that had a huge impact on how I felt about the rest of the game.

This article contains very minor Hades 2 spoilers.

After Melinoë unlocks the ability to move freely around the surface world and conquers Polyphemus the Cyclops on the outskirts of Ephyra, the next phase of her journey takes her to Thessaly. As in any other region, there's a friendly mythological figure here to give her a helping hand, and in Thessaly it's Circe, an enchantress best known for waylaying Odysseus on his journey home. In Hades 2 she offers Melinoë bonuses that affect her Arcana upgrades, her familiars, or her physical presence.

It's one of the latter that I take the first time I meet Circe. Offered a choice between shrinking Melinoë to gain move speed or dodge chance, or making her larger to increase her HP and damage, I opt for Big Melinoë, and watch as she shoots up several inches before Circe's eyes. The witch of Aiaia coos over my new form before I dash off to beat the rest of Thessaly, but there's still plenty more for me to discover.

Growth hormone

As I progress, there's something else that's different about Melinoë that I can't quite put my finger on. It's not until I bump into Eris, Thessaly's final boss, that I realize what it is. Strife Incarnate gets a couple of dedicated voice lines about my enhanced size, which is a nice little easter egg, but it's only when Melinoë responds that I notice another change – the pitch of my character's voice has dropped. It's almost imperceptible, but it's in-line with my new body. It's a tiny detail, but I'm delighted when I work it out.

And from there, I start to notice more and more similarly minute flourishes. The next time I come across Circe, I pick the shrinking spell to discover Melinoë's voice gets higher-pitched instead. On a completely different journey, I discover that Hecate has a specific voice line that she'll only speak if you manage to defeat her without taking a single hit, where she admonishes you for not even giving her a chance to win. Another time, browsing through the Keepsake display case between regions, I hear the notes of Arachne's theme played as a delicate chord when I select her silken sash.

It's no great secret that Hades 2 is filled with little moments like this. It's an aspect of the game that's been around in some form since the original, although the much greater scope of this sequel means there are plenty more places to seek them out. As a mythology nerd, it's particularly fun to find Supergiant's most subtle nods – like the narrative interplay between the various characters of the Odyssey, all of them oblivious to the presence of their foes and friends within this story. And as a Baldur's Gate 3 fan, spotting the kinds of easily-missed interactions that only show up when a specific character is confronted with a specific item is exactly the kind of thing that has me flirting dangerously with the idea of a new journey along the Sword Coast.

In my Hades 2 review, I mentioned that I found the game's progression curve uneven, and felt that some of its harder bosses were only as difficult as they were in an attempt to stretch out the overall experience. That sensation made some of the climb towards the late game frustrating, getting in the way of what I'd enjoyed so far, and masking what I'd loved about Hades 2 until I reached the true ending of the game.

In those moments where I felt most at the mercy of the game's hardest bosses, it was the little details like this one that kept me diving back in for another run even when I was sure I was going to get unceremoniously booted back to the Crossroads. It's those same little details that are keeping me going well into the endgame. I know there's still tonnes for me to find, and there are many, many nights to go before I've found Hades 2's every secret - big or small.

Hades 2 Metacritic score makes it the new highest-rated game of 2025, so Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's inevitable Game of the Year award pile might be a little smaller.

Hades 2 reviews are out, and not only is it currently surpassing the beloved original, but it's now the highest rated original game of 2025, beating out Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

Since it was released back in April, it's been a given that Game of the Year awards are going to be heaped onto Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The excellent JRPG unsurprisingly got extremely high reviews, cementing it as the highest rated game of 2025 on both Metacritic and OpenCritic, with contenders like Hollow Knight: Silksong, Death Stranding 2, and (the real game of the year) Donkey Kong Bananza failing to overtake it. However, just as it seemed like no one had a chance of beating out the French JRPG, a new (well, old given the early access release was over a year ago) contender has entered the ring.

Hades 2 reviews are out, and the game has nabbed a 94 on Metacritic and 93 on OpenCritic. Over on Metacritic, this places it one point higher than Hades 1, while it matches with the original's score on OpenCritic. However, a score of 94 and 93 does put Hades 2 above the competition on both sites.

On Metacritic, it's currently the third highest rated game of the year behind the Switch 2 Zelda ports (notably, ports of games not released in 2025), although it beats the previous high score of 93 by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. On OpenCritic it's also behind the 94-scoring Japanese language learning-JRPG hybrid Shujinkou – which, granted, only has seven critic reviews on the site and not enough user reviews to have a user score. However, Expedition 33 has a score of 92 on the site, meaning Hades 2 is now the leader of the pack on both websites.

The GamesRadar+ Hades 2 review by Ali Jones gives it 4.5/5, and says "Hades 2 is a hugely ambitious sequel that occasionally stretches itself too thin in an attempt to make up for its increased scope, but that only distracts temporarily from a game that's intricately crafted in every facet of its existence. Impeccable combat and flawless characterization across a huge roster make for a follow-up that surpasses even its excellent predecessor."

Now granted, a higher review score doesn't actually mean too much when it comes to Game of the Year awards season (we saw this last year when Black Myth: Wukong was in over a number of higher rated titles), and I still fully expect we'll see an Expedition 33 sweep at most shows this year, but Hades 2 has definitely made a mark.

After 105 runs in Hades 2, I suddenly unlocked three huge side stories I thought were bugged and I guess I'll be here 'til launch.

The Hades 2 release time for PC and Switch 2 isn't far off, letting you finally check out the full game after over a year in early access. The game was already massive after several major updates during early access, but the 1.0 launch will see the complete story implemented so that you can you play through Melinoe's entire campaign against Chronos through the Chthonic depths (and elsewhere).

Conveniently, Hades 2 will also be coming out at the same time around the world. That means all you need is a little time zone conversion to find out when you can hop in on PC or Nintendo Switch, so I've laid out the exact Hades 2 release time for several regions below.

But while you wait, consider checking out our Hades 2 tips that we've assembled from over 100 hours playing and get a head start on Hades 2 Arcana Cards which boost Melinoe's power.

Hades 2 release times for PC, Ninentdo Switch, and Switch 2

Hades 2 releases globally at 4PM UTC on September 25 on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, as well as Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.

Here's when you can expect to start playing in your region:

• USA Pacific: September 25 at 9AM PDT
• USA Eastern: September 25 at 12PM EDT
• UK: September 25 at 5PM BST
• Central Europe: September 25 at 6PM CEST
• Australia: September 26 at 2AM AEST
• New Zealand: September 26 at 3AM NZST

A global simultaneous release time also means any sort of time-zone trickery, such as the old New Zealand clock trick, won't let you get into the Crossroads early, so you'll just have to be patient.

It's also worth reiterating that Hades 2 is not launching on PS5 or Xbox Series X, with no announcements about whether it will be in the future either. However, based on the success of the first game and it's eventual launch on those consoles 11 months after its initial 1.0 release, a console release for Hades 2 in the next year seems highly likely.

Take a look at the Hades 2 weapons that you'll be able to equip Melinoe with and see if you've got an early favorite.

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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

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

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.

Supergiant Games has revealed that Hades 2 1.0 will be released on September 25 as a Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 console exclusive.

After saying the game was gearing up to finally launch back in June, Supergiant Games has confirmed that Hades 2 1.0 is finally releasing on September 25, 2025. Considering how much this series loves to shadow drop, this is somewhat of a surprise, but that's still only a couple of weeks away.

The game was shown off with a new cinematic trailer, before going into some gameplay with a frankly banger soundtrack choice. Nintendo confirmed that the game will run at 1080p / 120fps on Switch 2 when in docked mode, with the handheld running at 1080p / 60fps. Supergiant later confirmed in a tweet that the game will run at 60fps on the original Nintendo Switch.

Supergiant confirmed shortly after the game's appearance in the Nintendo Direct that the September 25 release date will be the same for Steam and the Epic Games Store, with the game having cross saves across PC and Nintendo. There will also be a physical edition released on November 20, 2025.

However, it was called a console timed exclusive on the Nintendo Direct, so PS5 and Xbox players will have to wait a bit longer, but Hades 2 will be coming to the consoles. This was the case for the original game too, where it released on PlayStation and Xbox 11 months after the Nintendo Switch release, so be prepared to wait almost a year if you don't have a PC or Nintendo console.

Donkey Kong Bananza is getting DLC that lets you explore DK Island, complete with a new roguelike mode that's available today.

Supergiant Games updated Hades 2 to add achievements before removing them two hours later, which is very interesting timing with there being a a Nintendo Direct this week.

Hades 2's Early Access release was patched at the start of the month in what Supergiant said "will likely be our final patch before our v1.0 launch" before releasing another update last week. So we know that Hades 2 approaches, and based on how the original Hades and the early access launch of Hades 2 were both shadowdropped, I can see a shadowdrop in the near future.

We know that – much like the original on Switch – Hades 2 will be a console exclusive on Switch 2 at launch, and would you know it? A Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase has been announced for tomorrow. Now, normally speculating over showcases is a fool's errand, but Supergiant may have inadvertently given up the game early.

Earlier this week – as spotted by a Reddit user – Hades 2 was updated on Steam to add achievements. Checking the update history on SteamDB shows that on July 29 at 18:59 UTC Hades 2 had achievements added, and then less than two hours later were removed – presumably after users noticed it (the aforementioned Reddit post was made around an hour and a half earlier).

The comments suggest that the random addition of achievements to the game could signal a full release, and the timing of this week's Nintendo Direct is definitely adding some momentum.

Of course, you can't say for sure until it happens, but signs are pointing to Hades 2 getting shadowdropped onto the Switch 2, and the full release arriving on Steam tomorrow during the Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase.

After 6 years, Hollow Knight: Silksong fans are so used to silkposting on Reddit that they can't quite believe the Gamescom demo is real: "I will never heal from the emotional pain that sub inflicted on me."

Terraria has become the poster child for robust support of a venerable indie game, with so many "final" updates that it's become a long-running joke in the community. Hades 2 developer Supergiant seems to be channeling that spirit in reverse, packing in yet another early access patch just before the 1.0 launch can arrive.

"While we said our prior patch would likely be our last before our v1.0 launch," Supergiant says in its Steam update notes, "as the Fates would have it, there is indeed this one more, which includes further improvements, balance adjustments, and fixes based on your feedback and what we've observed. Thank you for playing in Early Access!"

Patch 11 is focused on balance changes and quality-of-life tweaks, so don't expect to see much new content here. You can hit the link above for the full patch notes, but perhaps the most notable bit is that, once 1.0 hits, "any Zodiac Sand or Void Lens resources you have when you load your save progress at that time will automatically be converted to Prestige." Presumably, that's to prevent you from just grinding past the proper ending the second it's actually available.

That's not too far off from the approach we saw with Patch 10 earlier this month, which similarly offered a broad balance sweep in lieu of any major new content. Supergiant did, indeed, say that Patch 10 would "likely" be the final early access update, but I guess there's just a bit more to test out before 1.0 finally arrives. I suppose we'll soon see whether Patch 11 is, indeed, the one and only "one more" before the game properly launches.

Take one more run at the best roguelike games.

The best thing about playing Hades 2 in Early Access is the impermanence of it all. Last update's overpowered boon is this update's stinker, the weapon I loathed most is now my go-to for a wildly high DPS build, and I will ever mourn the loss of Hephaestus' original, utterly broken Smithy Sprint. I might not always be thrilled about certain changes, but one thing's for sure: Hades 2 has kept me guessing for over a year now.

Alas, with the Unseen Update being the third and final Early Access content drop, that's all about to change. The upcoming v1.0 – aka, full game – launch seems to be next on the cards for the Supergiant team, heralding a new beginning and a bittersweet farewell for anyone like me who's grown to love the unpredictability.

Violent delights

Catch me in the Mourning Fields, because I think I'm experiencing the five stages of grief over Hades 2. Sure, I'm psyched for my PC-less, Switch 2-owning friends getting one of the hottest new games of 2025, but I cannot lie: I feel slightly possessive over it.

It's similar in a way to being complimented so much on wearing a certain item of clothing that you don't want to tell others where you bought it. Yes, I am feeling a bit gatekeeper-y over a very popular video game and I know I need to get over myself.

But can you blame me? There's a unique camaraderie that comes with seeing a game through multiple iterations in Early Access that you just don't get from a full release. Even when the meta gets a nasty shakeup thanks to a newly-nerfed boon, weapon, or arcana card, it just gives players further incentive to try something new.

Of course, trying something new is part of what makes a roguelike what it is, and with Hades 2 fast on its way to a top spot on our list of the best roguelikes out there, learning to take the randomness in your stride is paramount to having a good time with the genre.

I keep reminding myself of that. It's not like the unknowability factor is going completely out the window in the full release of Hades 2, even if it does mean less substantial changes overall. The full release will make it even easier to try and plan out a given run in advance, with the story itself set to be fully fleshed out as of v1.0. It also means I'll (hopefully) never again have to suffer through the loss of a staple favorite boon unless Supergiant sees fit to patch them.

That's a pretty likely scenario – unlike the first two major updates Warsong and Olympian, the Unseen Update has been more about retooling, rebalancing, asset refreshes, and fleshing out smaller subplots. Already, I can feel Supergiant shifting focus from narrative progression to smoothing out the kinks and adding finishing touches to the core experience – something that's both exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.

Violent ends

Now well past the 70-hour mark in my Hades 2 Early Access journey, I'm using the Unseen Update as a fond farewell to the game as it stands right now.

I'm most excited about how the Umbral Flames have been reworked slightly, making them snappier and more precise (though still not as powerful as the Black Coat or Sister Blades, but that's personal preference talking) – and I'm also thrilled about being able to progress some of my Hades 2 relationships.

Really, these expanded pathways are the most worthwhile part of it for me. Romance, while not a pivotal aspect of the first Hades, cemented the roguelike as one of the best LGBT+ games for anyone looking for an authentic side dish to the action-packed main course. Now, Hades 2 is upping the ante by giving Mel four potential paramours – Moros, Eris, Nemesis, and Icarus – and I'm hellbent on collecting the full set.

As I mentioned earlier, the Unseen Update is less about moving the main story forward as it is about fleshing out the connective tissue. I'm not mad about that at all – Hades is known for its thousands of lines of unique dialogue, and while many of these might be triggered by main story events, plenty of them are not. I want to save something for the full release, though, but getting closer to Hades 2's supporting characters has been something of a fond farewell (for now).

There's something poetic about this last update getting us more acquainted with the people we meet in Hades 2, the active experience of playing a witchling goddess. Once again, Supergiant pushes its game against the edges of the roguelike genre by offering up emotional, immersive moments that feel almost RPG-like in nature, and that closeness is something I'm not taking for granted as we leave Early Access.

If I could pinpoint where I am right now, I'd say I'm firmly at the acceptance end of the proverbial grief cycle. I don't think I ever felt anger, really – Early Access games either launch or fold completely, and the former was never going to happen with Hades 2. It's something I've been prepared for all along, but it still feels surreal to think so many of us could hold this game in our hands mere months from now. I'll see you guys at the finish line – moonlight guide us all.

Check out all the new and upcoming PC games to watch for as 2025 rolls out if you just can't wait for Hades 2

Early access roguelike Hades 2 just got a massive update packing over 5,000 words worth of patch notes, but now more than ever many fans will likely be eyeing the road ahead as developer Supergiant teases that it's now "starting to prepare" for the long-awaited 1.0 launch.

Hades 2's third major update is, fittingly, The Unseen Update. (Mission failed: I've seen it!) You can read the full patch notes here, or listen to a 38-minute dramatic reading here, but the standout changes and additions are pretty easy to summarize.

• Nocturnal Arms have new "Hidden Aspects" adding additional fighting styles
• The divisive Umbral Flames weapon has been "revamped" entirely with a new "snappier fighting style"
• Stronger Guardians can be challenged at the Oath of the Unseen via the new Vow of Rivals
• You can unlock Godsent Hexes, "dazzling Moon magick upgraded with the power of the Olympians"
• "A variety of characters" have "new optional story events" that advance your bond and bring you "closer than before"
• New Warden enemies may appear in Erebus and Ephyra
• New art and music have been added, including "new visual flourishes such as ambient effects on character portraits"

"After more than a year of Early Access development, we're now starting to prepare for our v1.0 launch!" Supergiant says in its latest Steam post. "We're heading into the final phase of Hades II development, which involves adding the story's true ending and other finishing touches. Please note we do not yet have a v1.0 launch date, though we'll share more as soon as we can. We really appreciate your patience on this!"

The focus of the 1.0 launch will be the true ending to Melinoë's story, Supergiant says, with no plans for "additional regions, encounters, abilities, and so on," though there will be another polish and balance pass on Boons and abilities. Once this is all finalized, the devs can also add achievements to the game, and the good news is "you will not need to start from the beginning" to earn them.

"Sometimes the last stretch of development on a game can make all the difference, so we have always taken this phase seriously and appreciate your continued support," the post adds.

"As we wind down our Early Access phase, our goal remains ensuring we've created our biggest, most replayable, most feature-rich game yet, and — most importantly — a worthy successor to the original Hades.

"We have a big game to wrap up! While we can't yet say when our v1.0 launch will be, we're very excited to be getting close, and to share the complete experience with you. This also means some of the most important work on Hades II is still to come, so may moonlight guide us!"

Hades 2 is coming to Switch 2 before any other console, and devs say "we know we can push some of the graphical features"

Hades 2 is getting "closer to the finish line" as developer Supergiant celebrates the first anniversary of its early access release.

In a tweet posted yesterday, Supergiant acknowledges the passing of one year since Hades 2's surprise early access release. While the return to early access - a repeat of the format the studio used for the original Hades - means that the game still isn't complete, Supergiant makes a big show of how much more content the sequel boasted, even at its first launch.

Supergiant says that "it's been incredibly exciting and eye-opening as we've worked to realize the potential so many of you see in our game." Hades 2's early access has been pretty productive, with several major updates already released.

Each of those has brought the game closer to its full release, and Supergiant thanks fans "for all your feedback and patience as we get closer to the finish line."

Sadly, there's still no exact release date in sight. In March, the studio told fans that it still hadn't locked down a launch window, but it did recently reveal that Hades 2 would be coming to Switch 2 before any other console. That could mean that it'll be ready to launch alongside Nintendo's new console next month, but I think it's more likely to be evidence of a brief period of console exclusivity somewhere down the road.

If you've been holding out for the full release, check out our Hades 2 review for a look at what you can expect.

Hades 2 is getting its first console launch on the Nintendo Switch 2, and the developers at Supergiant Games have praised the system, saying "with the extra power of Nintendo Switch 2, we know we can push some of the graphical features." They also revealed that Hades 2 is coming to Switch 2 before other consoles.

Hades 2 should look better than ever thanks to the extra juice the Switch 2 has. In a new Creator's Voice video shared to Twitter, the game's development team talks through porting the early-access PC game to Switch 2.

"We learned so much from developing the original game on Nintendo Switch, and we wanted to take those learnings forward to Nintendo Switch 2," says Amir Rao, Supergiant co-founder. "That meant, for us, being completely uncompromising when it comes to performance. We really, really, really want our games to perform at 60 frames per second. With the extra power of Nintendo Switch 2, we know we can push some of the graphical features."

I first played Hades on my roommate's Switch, so even though I'm mostly a PS5 boy, I'm glad it's coming to the Switch 2 first.

"Something we did feel was incredibly important was the briskness of the play experience," says Greg Kasavin, creative director at Supergiant and former editor-in-chief of GameSpot. "You could pick it up and start playing. You can just mash that button as you load the game and you're playing within seconds. That experience is really important to us."

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is one of the best games I've ever played in that regard. I remember booting it up after getting home from school and just mashing X until I got into a multiplayer lobby.

If you've not played Hades 2 yet because, like me, you're waiting for it to get out of early access, it sounds quite different from the original. While a lot of the gods of Olympus have returned, there are some new ones like the witchy Hecate, who Kasavin says wasn't in the first game because "her story was too vast, and she was too significant of a character to be relegated to a side character." So, there's plenty of new stuff to get stuck into.

In the meantime, check out all the other upcoming Switch 2 games that you have to look forward to.

Hades 2 was released into early access just under a year ago, and since then it's been pretty popular on PC and Mac. Supergiant Games just released a massive new update for the game last month that included a "final confrontation" boss fight. With such a big thing being added, it may seem like the game is pretty close to that fated 1.0 release, but those of you waiting to play the game on console or just waiting for it to leave early access may be holding on for longer than you'd hope.

At the Dope Indie Game of the Year Awards, Hades 2 took home the award for 'Best Early Access' over the likes of Manor Lords, Enshrouded, and Supermarket Simulator. While the game's creative director, Greg Kasavin, accepted the award on the stream, the Supergiant Games Twitter account also took time to acknowledge the win and has given some potentially bad news alongside it.

The tweet reads, "Whether you’ve played Hades 2 already or are holding out for the 1.0 launch (whenever that will be), know that Early Access development is vital to letting us make the most of this game!" The tweet implying that the full launch isn't anytime soon naturally has a few people worried. And while the original game spent just under two years in early access before its full launch, many are hoping that process will be quicker for the sequel.

Of course, there's always the chance Supergiant is being coy and there's actually going to be a surprise launch in the near future (the early access release was dropped out of nowhere a week after the Hades 2 beta ended, after all). But maybe that's just me coping. To be fair to Supergiant, Hades 2 was already massive when it first launched into early access, but console players not being able to get in on the fun is a shame from someone who played the original on Switch exclusively (not Hades 2 though; I've been playing it on PC, sorry I can't relate).

If you're desperately waiting for Hades 2 to grace your platform of choice, you could always check out our list of the best roguelike games to pass the time.

Hades 2 is my favorite trashy TV show. What's better, it's interactive. Warsong, the roguelike's latest major update, marks the third theatrical exploit in Melinoë's journey, charted through Early Access to an unpredictable (and therefore incredibly exciting) release schedule. The plot thickens with each episode as new and familiar faces alike get added to the mix, stirring up enough domestic drama to put The Bold and The Beautiful's 38-year foibles to shame. Meanwhile, rebalanced boons and arcana systems mean that the game is constantly changing – and what do you mean there's a new animal familiar?

It's everything I love about playing Hades 2 in Early Access. Just like a soap opera, missing even one update can spell the difference between knowing the cast inside out and losing the plot entirely. The final v1.0 release version is bound to look very different from its current standing, but there's something rewarding about the challenges of having to relearn an ever-changing meta while staying on top of all the narrative twists and turns Hades 2 has to offer – and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Murphy's in-laws

In Early Access, whatever you love most about a game is bound to change. Especially when, in the case of a roguelike, those things you love often amount to the most broken gameplay strategies. The same can be said of fan-favorite TV characters, their innate purity dooming them to a dramatic, devastating exit further down the line.

This kind of TV-adjacent theorizing informs much of my Hades 2 guesswork as I try to predict where Supergiant will zig before it starts to zag. I was still mourning the loss of Smithy Sprint – a boon so overpowered that I knew it was graveyard-bound the moment I put it to work – when Warsong launched in the midst of my staunch Avowed marathon. I mainly rely on my Xbox Series S these days, having made peace with my 5-year-old gaming laptop's incumbent obsolescence, but Hades 2 is keeping that HP Pavillion from the scrap heap. That's because once again, having scratched the surface of yet another new-and-improved Hades 2, I'm reminded why I love the thrill of playing Early Access games on a PC.

You might think it would be aggravating, seeing beloved strategies getting ousted overnight, but the good news is that Hades 2 always gives as much as it takes away. It's all in the name of keeping the roguelike balanced, fun, and fair. Case in point: Supergiant's steadfast mission to redistribute the specialities of different gods and their boons in order to make space for new additions.

Hephaestus, Hera, and Hestia have long been my go-tos when it comes to Hades 2's slate of new kids on the block. I was thrilled for Dionysus being added in October's Olympian update, and am similarly ecstatic to see how god of war Ares flexes his expert muscles in the fight against Chronos now that he's entered the arena, but my main desire for the latest patch was to see at least one of my gods-of-choice get a little extra juice. My prayers were answered in the form of Hera's reworked boons.

Hera's new Extended Family boon is an easy trade-up for newly nixed Nasty Comeback. With Ares now specializing in so-called "revenge" boons – blessings that punish foes whenever Melinoë takes damage – it makes more sense for Hera to zero in on bestowing her queenly gifts elsewhere. Extended Family rewards the player for diversifying their godly portfolio, boosting Mel's damage by one percent per god whose boons you have accepted on a given run. It's a nice way to sweeten the deal and encourage broadening my Early Access horizons, but I was especially impressed to discover that Zeus' retooled Thunder Rush makes a nice replacement for my beloved Smithy Sprint. Pair all of this with Ares' boons showing a penchant for mercilessly amped up damage output, and suddenly I have four new family favorites. Immediately, though, I've become wary. Hera, Zeus, Ares, and Hephaestus have proven flat out deadly when combined, and even though I have only made it through to the final confrontation on Olympus this one time, I'm already concerned for which of my right-hand boons might be on Supergiant's chopping block. Especially if they're reading this.

It's keeping me on tenterhooks, but just like a mid-season cliff-hanger, the aspect of not knowing is what keeps me coming back for more Hades 2. My laptop gets worryingly creakier by the day, and I know the full story will be saved for the official v1.0 launch, but getting to experience so many iterations of the same game is a unique opportunity that can only be granted through Early Access – and, more specifically, through our most benevolent deities at Supergiant Games.

Indie devs react to Hades 2's stealth launch: "Good thing we picked a quiet news week to launch a video game"

One Hades 2 actor has raised concerns that they might be recast as a result of a contract dispute connected with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA video game strike. Developer Supergiant has issued a statement assuring fans that no actors have been recast.

"It's possible you may hear me get recast in a particular game that is very popular," Marin M. Miller, the voice actor behind Athena, Alecto, and Tisiphone said in a Bluesky post on February 19. "If I am, it was not because I stepped away from the character willingly." In a follow-up post, Miller made clear that they were talking about Supergiant, and encouraged fans to email the studio asking it to flip to a SAG-AFTRA Interim Contract for its actors.

Today, Supergiant itself has issued a statement on Bluesky. "We have not re-cast any of our characters in Hades II, and wish to keep working with each and every member of our wonderful cast," the studio says. "We have respected and will continue to respect any actor needing to pause work during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA video game strike. While none of our games have ever been subject to SAG-AFTRA contracts for a variety of reasons, we wish SAG-AFTRA the best in their negotiations to compel larger signatory studios to provide the kinds of protections we think actors deserve."

The SAG-AFTRA video game strike has been ongoing since 2024, and notably includes demands for better protections against AI. "We offer the strongest AI protections in the industry to our talent, as we think their work is irreplaceable," Supergiant says in today's statement. "Our games are intentionally made by human beings; no generative AI is being used in the creation of the voiceover, artwork, or any other content that goes into them."

Hideo Kojima's Overdose hit a snag this year because "scanning and filming were suspended" due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, but work on Death Stranding 2 continued as normal.

Hades 2: The Warsong update has been revealed, and it adds a final boss to the last level even though the game's still in Early Access.

The roguelike sequel first launched in Early Access last May, and as of yet there's no release date for its 1.0 update, but that's not stopping developer Supergiant from dropping some, well, giant updates. There have been a handful of smaller patches with balancing changes and bug fixes, but Warsong is only the second "Major Update" we've seen, and it's pretty major indeed.

You can get the full patch notes here, but the biggest highlight is definitely the addition of "the final confrontation on the surface," so basically, the Hades 2 equivalent of the Hades boss fight in the first game.

While that's technically the main draw here, all of us real ones know that it's the addition of a brand new pet sidekick, or as they're known in Hades 2, the Animal Familiar. Melinoe's new furry companion is the fifth to be added in Early Access, and the li'l guy is called Gale the Polecat. For the unaware, let me bless your timeline real quick. Polecats are in the same family as weasels, badgers, and otters, except they're way cuter than any of those combined. Just look at this little stinker!

Anywho, the other Big Thing is Ares, the original God of War Hades fans have been missing since the first game. Ares was popular for his powerful boons and powerful jawline, and now Hades 2 players can benefit from his unique blessings at long last.

Elsewhere, Warsong tidies up some menu screens and adds new and reworked art to the Altar of Ashes, as well as over 2,000 new voice lines, what seems to be a singing minigame at the Crossroads, and a whole lot of Boon reworks.

Warsong is available as a free Hades 2 update now, and Supergiant already has plans for a third Major Update, which should be releasing "some months from now."

In the meantime, see where the original Hades lands in our best roguelike games list. Spoilers: it's high.

I suffer from a very unique, very painful curse whereby life keeps getting in the way of my Hades 2 fixation. If a family holiday to Spain (poor me) coinciding with the initial Early Access launch wasn't stressful enough, last week saw me catching a train out of town for my cousin's wedding on the very night that Supergiant's latest story update dropped. Days later, after scouring the patch notes and jealousy watching people talk about it on Reddit, I have finally started ascending Mount Olympus to see all it has to offer – and wow, is it kicking my ass in the best way possible.

The last two days have reminded me why Hades never fails to pull me back in, no matter how much time has passed – in this case, almost five months – since my last run. Now armed with the final addition to my Nocturnal Arms collection, I'm gritting my teeth through hordes of automaton defenders, reveling in the joy of seeing Dionysus and Athena again, and loving every minute of uncovering the mysterious intentions of a brand new Titan up on the surface. The best thing about this update for me, though? Realizing that the Black Coat might actually be my new go-to weapon in Hades 2, teething problems and all.

Fist bump

Equipping the Black Coat for the first time, I had no idea what to expect, but I knew what I was hoping for. The new Steam banner for Hades 2 shows princess of the underworld Melinoë sporting what looks suspiciously like a pair of gauntlets, not dissimilar to the Twin Fists of Malphon as seen in the first Hades. Those bad boys have seen me through more completed runs than any other weapon in Zagreus' arsenal, allowing me to lean into my love of up-close melee combat bolstered by truly disgusting dash builds. I've long wished the same brawler's fate for Zag's little sister, and now, I feel that hope flicker in my stomach once more.

After testing it out, I'm pleased to announce that yes, Mel is officially a fistfighter worthy of entering the ring with the likes of Mike Tyson. Part jetpack, part rocket launcher, part hard-hitting melee machine, the Black Coat is a weapon I never knew I needed so much in Hades 2. Picking up a new piece of gear is always a bit of a struggle for me in roguelikes, especially when I already have such a clear favorite in the Sisters Blades' Aspect of Artemis. I soon remember that with Hades 2 still being in Early Access, though, this splendid gift comes with a mean tradeoff. I take to the Black Coat's moveset like a shade to the River Styx, but now, I'm left grappling with the sad fact that my favorite boon has been removed from the game. It's moments like these that make Early Access worthwhile. Now, I can give myself a new challenge: how can I maximize the potential of this new item while experimenting with retooled boons?

First, I start out with the basics. Hephaestus' definitely overpowered boss-melter Smithy Sprint is no more, and after being thoroughly underwhelmed by its less potent replacement, I decide to take a chance on another divine entity. Hera's Hitch boons have always been a staple when it comes to clearing rooms of foes quickly, with one of the strongest being her sprint. Nexus Sprint applies Hitch to all enemies you run past in a given encounter, chaining them and allowing you to deal a percentage of damage to all Hitched foes by attacking just one. Pair that with the Black Coat's jetpack-like traversal that lets Mel effortlessly weave across the screen, I already have a recipe cooking up in my mind.

Next up, Hestia. I luck out by finding two Hestia chambers in Ephyra, going with Smolder Ring and Natural Gas to turn my Casts into burning rings of death. Running into Apollo later on and selecting his Super Nova boon makes my Casts expand in size, engulfing even more enemies in a fiery inferno as I run around and Hitch them together. The result? Truly devastating. The luck of the gods truly feels on my side during this run; finding a Heroic tier Nasty Comeback deals a blistering 1250% damage back at my attackers after Mel takes some herself, Dying Wish damages all Hitched foes after one of them is slain, and Apollo's vampiric Self Healing boon offsets incoming damage by recovering 30% HP whenever Mel gets hit. What did I tell you? This build is an unexpected winner. Or so it seemed. Sadly, my two remaining Death Defiances let me down in the fight against Prometheus, his blasted eagle gobbling each one up like so many regenerated livers before it. 

The Black Coat did not lead me to victory this time around, but it's still showing promise as one of the best Nocturnal Arms in the whole game. True, I'm still working through exactly what its omega attack can actually block (note: not said eagle's AOE onslaughts) and I really think those rocket launcher specials ought be a little more targeted and precise, but I am already sold on how powerful the latest Hades 2 weapon can be. How will it evolve over the course of the game's development, I wonder? The answer is, like all things Hades, in the hands of the Fates. Or, you know, Supergiant. 

Here's how Hades finally helped me fall in love with roguelikes.