Supergiant Games has announced Hades II, the sequel to the popular rogue-like game Hades. In the game, players will take on the role of Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld.

Hades II Release Date: Early Access 2023

 

The sequel to the “god-like rogue-like” mythos-based Hades was initially unveiled during The Game Awards 2022. This is Supergiant Games’ fifth game and their first sequel. Like its predecessor, Hades II will enter early access prior to its official release. Supergiant announced that early access will begin sometime in 2023. The release date for the full game is still TBD.

The full game can be expected to be available for both PC and console platforms. A more detailed announcement will be put out by Supergiant Games once completion nears. According to them, work on Hades II began in earnest in early 2021.

Hades II Story

“Hades II is the bewitching sequel to our rogue-like dungeon crawler, in which you’ll battle beyond the Underworld using dark sorcery to take on the Titan of Time.”

This time, you will play as Melinoë as she takes on Chronos, the Titan of Time. Supergiant boasts the “all-new, action-packed, endlessly replayable experience” that Hades II will provide. Of course, as it’s set in the same world as the prequel, it also retains and even expands its roots into Greek mythology with some added witchcraft.

While no prior knowledge of Hades is required, callbacks and connections are plenty in Hades II. Supergiant does not intend to fix what’s broken, and so Hades II will follow the format of the forerunner and have a story that unravels in each and every run. The sequel, however, will feature new gods, locations, challenges, and upgrade systems to keep the experience fresh.

Supergiant also spoke about the protagonist Melinoë. Much like her brother Zagreus, she already has mythology surrounding her, albeit not expansive. She is known as an ancient Underworld deity thought to be related to its ruler, Hades. The little stories that exist about Melinoë was “more than enough to make us want to explore her story and connection to her family,” said Supergiant. “[In doing so, we] expand on our vision of the Underworld.”

There is also the factor of witchcraft. At the center of this ancient practice is Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft and crossroads. In classical mythology, Persephone plays a significant role in the story of Hades and the Underworld. She has also been an influential figure in witchcraft, myth, and folklore in various cultures for thousands of years. Due to her enduring popularity and cultural significance, Supergiant “felt that a new game was necessary to properly explore and do justice to her fascinating story.” It would seem this is also the female figure seen training Melinoë in the reveal trailer.

Hades II Gameplay

For the most part, it carries over many parts of its antecedent. The camera angle, the dash mechanics, and the boons from various Olympians were shown to be similar. The blog post confirms that there will be new upgrade mechanics apart on top of those that Hades players are already familiar with, such as the weapon upgrades, keepsakes, and companions.

Melinoë is equipped with legendary weapons of Night, each of which she can infuse with ancient magick. At least 4 new gods are being added, one of which was named: Apollo. Apart from new gods, new non-Olympians will also be introduced to join Hades’ evergrowing cast of lovable and admirable NPCs.

There is the existence of the Arcana Altar and Tools of the Unseen, the functions of which are currently unknown apart from making our protagonist stronger.