Hades II Early Access Review: A Worthy Successor

Supergiant Games faces an almost impossible task with Hades II: follow up one of the most acclaimed games of the past decade. The original Hades redefined what a roguelike could be, weaving narrative into the run-based structure so seamlessly that dying felt like progress. After 40 hours with the Early Access build, I can report that Supergiant hasn’t just met expectations — they’ve exceeded them in nearly every dimension.

Melinoe Stands on Her Own

You play as Melinoe, daughter of Hades and Persephone, sister to Zagreus. Where Zagreus was brash and charming, Melinoe is determined and haunted — a witch trained by Hecate to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time who has seized the Underworld. The tonal shift works beautifully. This isn’t a retread of Zagreus’s rebellious escape; it’s a war story about reclaiming home.

Melinoe’s voice performance (by Judy Alice Lee) carries the emotional weight of someone who’s lost everything but refuses to break. Her interactions with the Olympian gods feel distinct from Zagreus’s — where he was a nephew they were delighted to discover, Melinoe is a soldier they’re arming for battle. The relationship dynamics are more complex and rewarding.

Combat Depth Has Doubled

The original Hades offered six weapons with four aspects each. Hades II launches Early Access with six weapons plus an entirely new magic system. Melinoe can:

• Cast Omega abilities: Hold the attack/special button to charge powerful variants that consume magic (Magick resource)
• Sprint-attack: A new mobility option that replaces Zagreus’s dash-strike with directional sprint attacks
• Hex spells: Powerful abilities that charge over time and can turn the tide of boss fights

The result is significantly more build variety. In the original, most runs centered on a weapon + boon combination. Here, you’re juggling weapon choice, Omega variants, Hex selection, and a new Arcana card system that provides passive bonuses. After 40 hours, I’m still discovering synergies.

Art Direction Reaches New Heights

Supergiant’s art team, led by Jen Zee, has outdone themselves. The environments shift from the volcanic depths of Erebus to the silver-lit fields of the surface world, each area dripping with mythological detail. Enemy designs are more varied and visually distinct — you can identify threats at a glance even in chaotic encounters.

The soundtrack by Darren Korb (with vocals by Ashley Barrett) matches the tonal shift perfectly. Where Hades leaned into rock-infused Greek themes, Hades II incorporates more ethereal, witchcraft-inspired compositions. The boss themes are instant classics.

Early Access Caveats

This is genuinely Early Access content, not a finished game with a label. Act 2 feels noticeably less polished than Act 1, with placeholder dialogue, fewer narrative branches, and some balance issues. The resource gathering system — where you collect materials from the overworld between runs — can feel tedious compared to the tight run-based loop.

Supergiant has been transparent about what’s missing: additional story content, more boon interactions, balance passes, and quality-of-life improvements. Based on their track record with the original Hades, I trust these will come.

Performance and Technical State

The game runs flawlessly on mid-range hardware. My test system (RTX 3060, Ryzen 5 5600X) maintained a locked 60 FPS at max settings with zero crashes across 40 hours. Steam Deck performance is equally impressive — Verified status is well-earned.

Load times are near-instant on SSD, and the game supports cloud saves for seamless transitions between desktop and portable play.

The Verdict

Hades II in Early Access is already better than most finished games. The combat is deeper, the protagonist is compelling, and Supergiant’s signature blend of narrative and gameplay remains unmatched. The Early Access rough edges are real but minor compared to the quality of what’s already here.

If you loved the original, this is an immediate purchase. If you’re new to the series, Hades II is an excellent entry point — no prior knowledge required, and the gameplay improvements make it the better starting experience.

Score: 9/10 (Early Access — expected to improve)

Reviewed on PC (Steam). 40 hours played. Early Access build as of March 2024.