Hades 2: The Sequel That Proves Even Wizards Can Overcomplicate a Good Spell
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Hades 2 is a dazzlingly crafted sequel with Supergiant's signature magic, but Jeff reckons it's also overcomplicated its perfect roguelike formula with a bewildering array of resource systems and unnecessary design bloat, leaving him wondering *why* they tinkered so much.
Right, let's talk about Hades 2, shall we? This wizard's been peering into the crystal ball (or, you know, scrolling through the internet) and found a cracking take on Supergiant's latest from Ari Notis over at Polygon. I've been tinkering with their observations, adding a sprinkle of my own digital dust, and fair warning: it's a wild ride.
Blimey, mate, Hades 2 is finally upon us, after a whopping 15 months in early access. And let's be absolutely clear from the get-go: Supergiant Games, bless their cotton socks, has never, *ever* missed. We're talking about a studio with a track record so pristine, you could eat your dinner off it. From the genre-bending brilliance of Bastion and Transistor (I've even got a tattoo of the latter, fair dinkum!) to the narrative genius of Pyre, they've always pushed the boundaries. So, when they announced a sequel to Hades, the 2020 roguelike that practically redefined the genre and bagged more awards than a dragon hoarding gold, expectations were, shall we say, astronomic. Like trying to cast a 'Summon Greater Deity' spell and expecting it to go perfectly.
For those who've perhaps been living under a rock (or, you know, the actual Underworld), the first Hades had us playing as Zagreus, the surprisingly charming son of Hades himself, attempting a perpetual jailbreak from his old man's oppressive kingdom. It was an isometric action-fest, sure, but its real magic was how every 'failure' wasn't really a failure at all. You'd die, get sent back to the House of Hades, and somehow, you'd be *further* along – a new upgrade unlocked, a juicy bit of character lore revealed, or a step closer to understanding the tangled family drama. It was a perfectly brewed potion of story and gameplay, always moving forward, always engaging. No wonder it spawned a legion of fans and more attempted copycats than a dodgy spell-book merchant.
Now, Hades 2 switches things up a bit. We're stepping into the elegant (and probably pointy) shoes of Melinoë, Zagreus's younger sister and a formidable witch in her own right. The big bad this time? Chronos, the Titan of Time, who's gone and imprisoned Hades, Zagreus, and most of your favourite chthonic chums. Your quest, then, is to rescue them, restore the House, and, quite literally, 'kill time.' A rather cheeky nod to the roguelike genre, wouldn't you say?
On a fundamental level, Melinoë's quest to save Hades feels wonderfully familiar to Zagreus's escape. You're still slicing and dicing from that classic isometric perspective, wielding a variety of magically imbued weapons. The boons from the Olympian gods? Still here, still utterly delightful. Hestia for fire, Aphrodite for weakening foes, Apollo for dazing them, and Zeus, well, Zeus goes zap. Combining these boons to turn Melinoë into a dashing, sprinting lightning storm or a fireball-hurling devil is just pure, unadulterated joy. Supergiant's combat is so fine-tuned, you'd swear every single pixel knows its exact place. It's marvelously responsive, like a perfectly cast spell that hits its mark every single time.
And the artistry, mate, oh the artistry! The hazy glades of Erebus practically creak with ancient wisdom, and Oceanus shimmers like a freshly polished Aegean pearl. The visuals are gallery-worthy, backed by Darren Korb's rich, melodic soundscapes, complete with Ashley Barrett's achingly gorgeous vocals. Even for a minute, playing Hades 2 feels like coming home. It's that familiar, comforting magic that Supergiant consistently conjures. You just *know* this is a Supergiant game, and that's usually a bloody good thing.
But here's where my inner wizard starts to wrinkle his brow, like when a potion suddenly develops an unexpected purple shimmer. While coming home feels grand, it doesn't always mean everything's where it should be, does it? It's like finding your parents bought a new stove – you know how to cook, but it just doesn't *feel* right. Ari Notis's review from Polygon cleverly frames this as Hades 2 being the 'strawberry basil negroni' – a delicious riff, yes, but one that adds needless complications to an already perfect formula.
Melinoë's witchy powers are a prime example. The 'cast' ability, a simple projectile in the first game, is now a Solomonic circle that immobilises enemies. Which, fine. But then you can also *charge up* your basic attacks for alternate effects, effectively doubling your moveset. And if you grab a boon from Selene, the moon goddess, you unlock a randomized power with its *own mini skill tree* that resets every run. Suddenly, that svelte, elegant combat toolkit from Hades 1 feels a bit... bloated. Like trying to fit three extra spell components into an already perfect incantation. It's not bad, but you start to wonder if all this extra 'oomph' was really necessary, or if it just adds another layer of mental gymnastics mid-fight.
The real bloat-monster rears its head back at the Crossroads, Melinoë's hub area between runs. This is where the game starts piling on systems faster than a goblin hoard raiding a pantry. You've got Arcana Cards for passive abilities, which you unlock with Ashes. But how many you can *activate* depends on your Grasp, which needs Psyche. Want new weapons? You'll need metals. But to *mine* them, you first need to pop over to the Cauldron – a giant pot of magical stew that swaps resources for permanent upgrades – and perform a 'Night's Craftwork' incantation. For *that*, you'll need a Moly flower. Are you tracking all this, mate?
And that's just the tip of the iceberg! The Cauldron demands Moly, Moss, Iron, Lotus, Cattail, Glassrock, Nightshade, Shaderot, Fate Fabric, Garlic, and – I kid you not – *literal Rubbish*. It's a shopping list longer than a dragon's memory. Don't have the bits you need? No worries! You can trade Bones at the Wretched Broker (once you've summoned him with a Cauldron spell, naturally). Or complete tasks for Moros (once he's been summoned). Or plant seeds at your farm (once its presence has been summoned by the Cauldron). Yes, you heard me right, a farm! A few plots where you plant seeds and then go on runs while they grow. It's more 'Mandatory Gardening Lite' than Stardew Valley, mate, before you can get back to smiting titans.
The farm makes itself 'most useful' when you try to unlock a second series of biomes, set outside the underworld. And this, mate, is an exercise in attrition and resource management that would make even a tax collector weep. First, a spell that requires Shadow (from Ashes, Psyche, Fate Fabric – which you get from the Wretched Broker, naturally). Then, you've actually got to complete part of a run in this aboveground segment. *Then*, you need to gather four different types of plants, including something called Thalamus. But here's the kicker: you can't just 'find' Thalamus. You have to *grow it* on your farm. And the seeds for Thalamus? They only show up in *one specific type of chamber* that has no guaranteed chance of appearing on your runs. Bloody hell! It's like Supergiant decided to implement a 'magical bureaucracy simulator' within their glorious action roguelike. I come to the House of Hades to wield godlike powers, not to meticulously manage my magical crop rotation and wait for RNG to bless me with a seed!
There's certainly a school of thought in modern gaming where 'more is more' is the mantra – piling on systems, features, and resources to justify a sticker price. But as Ari Notis rightly points out, 'I don’t come to the House of Hades to parse a Destiny wiki’s worth of proper nouns.' And I completely agree. We come for the thrill, the exquisite combat, the character, the sheer joy of smiting chthonic nightmares. Hades 2 provides all that, yes, but it also provides a baffling amount of resource-management busywork.
And this brings me to the nagging question that just keeps rattling around my digital brain: *why*? Why now, after 15 years of straight bangers where Supergiant consistently pushed the medium forward, did they return to an existing formula and then complicate it so much? Is it even possible to 'improve' upon something as perfectly balanced as the original Hades? It makes me think of the classic martini – countless variations exist, but everyone knows the truly best recipe (and yes, a certain British superspy famously swears by it). The original remains the gold standard. Will Hades 2, for all its strawberry basil brilliance, have that same staying power?
Make no mistake, despite my gentle grumbles, Hades 2 is a truly terrific game. It's meticulously crafted, relentlessly engaging, and an undeniable work of art. It’s a bloody blast, and will no doubt grace many 'Game of the Year' lists, including, probably, my own. It makes it crystal clear who's still king of the roguelike form. But even wizards, with all their immense power, need to know when to stop adding ingredients to the potion. Riff on the classics all you want, but sometimes, mate, the menu just needs a completely new drink. My hope is Supergiant remembers that for whatever magical adventure they conjure up next.
Tags: Hades 2, Supergiant Games, Roguelike, Game Review, Game Design
Original article: Polygon