Video game review
When it comes to making a sequel to an acclaimed video game, lightning rarely strikes twice. For every Uncharted 2 and Silent Hill 2, there are a dozen Devil May Cry 2s and Resident Evil 6s. So imagine my wariness when Supergiant Games announced a sequel to Hades, one of the best games I’ve ever played. On top of the fact that Supergiant had never made a sequel before, I had the usual questions: Why? Would it stand up to the original? What would be new, and what would be lost?
I shouldn’t have worried. Hades II, developed and published by Supergiant and now available on Nintendo Switch and PC (for only $30!), is exactly what a sequel should be: creative, surprising — and just as good as the original, its few flaws included.
The first Hades, released in 2020, followed Zagreus, son of Hades, as he attempted to escape the Underworld. The stakes were light — he wanted to see his mother, rebel against his irritable father and get to know his broader family — but the narrative and dialogue were brilliantly crafted, compelling in a way few stories are. The combat was snappy, responsive, engaging and near-endlessly replayable even after the credits rolled.
Hades II establishes a similar pattern, but with higher stakes and an even bigger world to explore. This time around, you control Melinoë, sister of Zagreus and a witch with unique magical powers. (Zag was more the “punch them until they explode”-type.) But the situation is far more dire: Chronos, the Titan of Time and Mel’s grandfather, has wrested control of the Underworld from Hades and is laying siege against Mount Olympus and the Greek gods who live there. Mel’s goal is twofold: save both the Underworld and Mount Olympus (and all those pesky humans in between), a task for which she is singularly suited.
Like its predecessor, Hades II is roguelike. If you die on your attempt to get to the depths of the Underworld or the heights of Mount Olympus, you have to start over. But that’s the gameplay loop: You’re expected to fail many, many times before you succeed. But failure brings knowledge, and material you collect along the way, which help unlock permanent new skills, upgradable weapons and companions for Mel to use on her perilous journey. In effect, even if you fail a run, you likely accomplished something of value — a satisfying feeling in the face of constant defeat.
The combat here rivals the original game, with new weapons, called Nocturnal Arms, offering gameplay styles familiar and new. But like Zag during his adventure, Mel isn’t alone. During her runs, she’ll come across Olympian gods — some you saw in the first game, some completely new — who will grant you temporary boons to power up your weapons and abilities. (I may have fallen in love with a pair of whirling torches and a hex-granting goddess, but each player will find their favorites.) It can seem a bit overwhelming at times, but the sheer amount of customizable combinations is part of the joy of Hades II.
The sequel also retains the original’s lightning-fast pacing (and will absolutely test your reflexes throughout): Areas can, and will, fill quickly with enemies lobbing all sorts of nonsense your way, and if you don’t learn how to time your dodges and attacks, you will take damage — and lots of it.
But if you took a hit because you were distracted by the beautiful art style, I don’t blame you. With its stark contrasts and vivid shading, Hades II is lush in every sense of the word. The fact that Hades II is twice as big as the original — with eight levels full of randomized rooms and enemies, versus four in the first game — and maintains that level of exquisite detail is all the more impressive. And it’s all paired beautifully with a score that weaves between haunting and heart-pounding, a delightful layer on top of so many others.
The heart of Hades II, though, is its story. If you didn’t play the first game, you will be a bit unmoored in the opening hours since the two are so intertwined. But even without that background knowledge, Hades II’s narrative captivates all on its own. The people you meet along the way always have something interesting to say, from the plight of Chronos’ attack, to age-old feuds. And as the plot advances, with Chronos’ machinations becoming ever more personal, you can’t help but want to keep playing, just one more run, to see what comes next.
For all that praise, I have two complaints. The first is fairly minor: Story progression is sometimes halted by a lack of material, which means having to grind for said materials so you can progress. It’s nothing game-breaking, but it does mess with the game’s pacing. The second, though, is more serious: the main story’s ending, an oddly limp conclusion to a gangbuster run-up. (The game offers oodles of postcontent credit, plenty of which is tied to the story, but my hours of time with it haven’t changed my initial opinion that the ending feels rushed and incomplete.)
Still, Hades II is one of the best games of 2025. A baffling conclusion aside, it’s one of those rare sequels that’s on par with its predecessor. Full of phenomenal dialogue, combat, art and music, it’s an absolute must-play. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have another run to complete.
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