Supergiant Games is doing the unthinkable: rather than move on to a new game, as they’ve done thrice prior, the studio is concocting a sequel. Hades 2 is the first time the team has made a follow-up to one of its games, and it’s now a hotly anticipated title for anyone earnest for a little more hell to flee.
There’s a lot of curiosity over what direction Hades 2 will take. Whether you have questions about the new lead, or if you’re curious about which deities will deign to assist this time around, we’ve compiled it here. Here’s all we know so far about Supergiant’s next game.
Hades 2 release date
Currently, there’s not a firm launch date for the 1.0 version of Hades 2 just yet. That’s because Supergiant is taking an approach similar to what it did with Hades, where it will host an Early Access period. The plan is for additional content to roll out over the Early Access period.
The Early Access launch of Hades 2 is expected to arrive sometime in Q2 2024.
Will Hades 2 be Early Access?
Yes, as mentioned before, Hades 2 will use an Early Access model. Because of that, the version that goes live in Q2 2024—the Early Access version—won’t have all of its eventual planned content. Story and relationships are expected to grow as part of the Early Access process.
Prior to the Early Access, there will be a technical test. It will contain much less content than what’s in store, even for the Early Access launch, and remain limited to a select number of players. The technical test’s primary purpose is to polish up Hades 2 ahead of the EA launch.
What is Hades 2 about?
While the first Hades saw Zagreus attempting to escape the underworld and overcome his daddy issues, Hades 2 is a direct sequel that follows after the events of the first game. Chronos, the Titan of Time, has escaped his bindings and is now waging war on Olympus.
It looks like it’s up to our new lead Melinoë to stop the Titan, as many of our former Olympian pals may be otherwise occupied.
Who’s the main character of Hades 2?
The lead this time around is Melinoë, a god you won’t be familiar with if you’ve only played the original Hades. The classic myth of Melinoë portrays her as a daughter of Persephone’s, which also lines up with her sickle weapon. She has a knife as well, a combination that makes for a compellingly witchy design.
Here’s what Supergiant has to say about our new Princess of the Underworld:
Like her brother Zagreus from the original game, Melinoë is not a character of our own invention, and is based on an ancient Underworld deity thought to be related to Hades. What little ancient mythology exists about her was more than enough to make us want to explore her story and connection to her family, and in so doing, expand on our vision of the Underworld.
With Supergiant leaning into the witchcraft side of mythology, Melinoë seems like an ideal protagonist.
Every new god and demigod in Hades 2
It’s not just a new princess due up, though. Many new gods have been unveiled as part of the Hades 2 lineup. Whether they’ll provide Melinoë with Boons and help or simply aid her efforts to take down Chronos remains an unknown.
Hecate
If you’re going to involve more witchcraft and magic in your story, Hecate is a great way to do so. She’s frequently associated with both themes, as well as the moon and the night, and seems to serve a mentor role to Melinoë if the reveal trailer is to be believed.
Moros
A child of Nyx, Moros is the personified primordial deity of impending doom. Think of him less as “death,” and more like the sense of doom; the finality of mortality, encompassed in one being. Pretty hardcore stuff.
Apollo
The missing member of the Pantheon from the last game, Apollo finally makes an appearance in Hades 2, and we even get a look at his Boon orb on the field, confirming he’ll be offering some tangible help for Melinoë on her journey. I’m hoping for lots of archery and sun-based attacks.
Nemesis
If Moros is all about doom, Nemesis is all about retribution and hubris, or simply arrogance in the face of the gods. She seems a surefire bet for playing the Meg to Melinoë’s Zag, but we could see a surprise twist. Either way, I know many, many fans are simply excited for the musclebound sword-wielding warrior woman to break them. Here’s to them.
Dora
We don’t have an exact confirmation of who this could be, but my bet’s on Pandora, the walking embodiment of morbid curiosity. Considering Melinoë may be dabbling in the realm of magic and even time, if Chronos is involved, Dora may know a thing or two about getting in over your head.
Is Hades 2 still a roguelike?
Yes, Supergiant Games confirms that Hades 2 will be a “rogue-like dungeon crawler” where you use dark sorcery to combat the Titan of Time. Much of Hades 2 looks to be building on the foundations set by the first Hades, with lots of replayability built in around failure and overcoming obstacles.
What platforms will Hades 2 be on?
The Early Access for Hades 2 will go live on PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store sometime in Q2 2024.
As for final platforms, Supergiant Games says it plans to have Hades 2 be eventually available on both PC and console platforms. Confirmation of when those will arrive is expected closer to completion.
Will Early Access Hades 2 saves transfer over to the full game?
Yes, Supergiant Games has confirmed that it is “committed” to making sure save data works throughout development in the Early Access period, leading all the way up to v1.0.
Additionally, anyone who purchases the Early Access of Hades 2 will automatically receive the finished v1.0 as soon as it’s available.
