Long ago, there was nothing but chaos. And from chaos, as we all know, came Titans, then Olympians and so on. Also, long ago, but not that long ago, Supergiant Games released a game called Hades (2020). Received to universal acclaim for its story, characters, gameplay, and soundtrack, Hades has been described as one of the greatest games of all time and has won many honours and awards, including Game of the Year from six different award ceremonies. I’ve been following Supergiant Games since Bastion in 2011, and every single game they release has gotten better. Hades blew me away — I was instantly hooked. And when it lit up the award ceremonies with nomination after nomination and win after win, I thought Supergiant Games had peaked. Fortunately, I was wrong.
Five years later, Supergiant Games has released their first ever sequel, Hades II (2025). Since Hades was so good, Hades II had some big shoes to fill — and it has. Hades II received universal acclaim and was nominated for awards as well. It manages to build on everything Hades did well while still feeling entirely fresh. There’s more incredible music (thank you, Sirens), voice acting that triggers my ASMR response (looking at you, Selene), and an engaging plot following new and returning Greek myths — all built around a revitalized gameplay loop that echoes the original.
Hades II follows Melinoë, the mortal daughter of Hades, God of the Underworld, and Persephone, Goddess of Vegetation. She is also the sister of Zagreus, the protagonist of the first game. The game starts by dropping players off in the deep end, quickly revealing that Melinoë’s task is to kill her grandfather, Chronos, the Titan of Time. It never feels jarring, though, because the familiar and refined Hades gameplay loop kicks in immediately, delivering stylish combat, interesting upgrades, and rich characters and world development. Every character sports an updated design, packed with style. Most of the locations are new and fresh, and anytime you revisit a place from the previous game, it feels exciting despite having seen that same level hundreds of times.
Just like Hades, this game has amazing sound design, and the voice work is some of the strongest I’ve experienced to date. The delivery is so great, I find myself excited even for the smallest bits of dialogue. And then there’s the music. I listened to the Hades soundtrack long after finishing the first game because it was just that good. Now, some nights I go to bed with “I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes then Drown You to Death)” still ringing in my head.
As the game unfolds, it becomes clear that Hades II has added far more depth, introduced in steady waves that make the world feel like it’s slowly opening up while also enhancing the gameplay and characters. Despite being hours into the game, I only recently discovered that there are actually two routes. At first, it seemed like a cheap way to pad out content, but the more I play the second route, the better the game becomes — introducing more locations, new characters, additional mechanics, and a deeper layer of character development.
Yet again, Supergiant Games hit a new peak. If you liked Hades, I don’t need to convince you to play Hades II. And if you haven’t tried Hades, I strongly suggest you do — it’s a game that broke the mold. After that, pick up Hades II and I know you will not regret it.
I want to quickly mention how wild it was that Hades II was up against Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Donkey Kong Bonanza — both massive AAA titles from two of the biggest fish in the game development pond (Sony and Nintendo, respectively). To me, that alone shows how much Hades II is punching above its weight class. Unfortunately, it did not take home Game of the Year, but it did earn Best Action Game. As a note, if you’ve ever enjoyed a video game at all, please check out the game that did win Game of the Year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025); it is so worth it. Beyond the awards, though, I hope you’ll support the gaming community with your time, your resources, and your love. Behind every game are passionate people who care deeply and work tirelessly to bring these incredible worlds to life.
