MeinMMO editor Dariusz played the current playtest of Hades 2 and was convinced by the hype game on Steam thanks to a new skill already in the second run.
Hades 2 is one of the most desired games on Steam, and the predecessor from 2020 is still considered a fantastic game. On Steam, the mythological roguelike has a strong 98% positive reviews from over 230,000 ratings.
Currently, a test for Hades 2 is ongoing, for which anyone can register on Steam. With a bit of luck, you have the chance to be selected for the test and check out the first area of the highly anticipated game before the early access release.
I also registered for the test and spent a few hours in Hades 2. Already in my second run, I realized that the roguelike could meet my quite high expectations and that we might be in for a very successful continuation.
Attention, Spoilers: In the following article, I will discuss some new features of Hades 2. If you want to discover new skills and similar features for yourself and experience the game without knowing new content in advance, you should not continue reading.
New skills that enhance the “cool” experience
In Hades 2, there are already new skills in the playtest that were not present in the predecessor. For example, during our runs, we encounter the goddess Demeter, who is introduced to us as the “goddess of the seasons.”
From Demeter, we receive, among other things, a skill called “Icy Strike,” which increases attack damage and creates a frost effect. Enemies affected by frost can no longer move. They are – as the name suggests – frozen.
However, even though I love skills that allow me to freeze enemies, there was another new skill that I liked even better – because it fit perfectly with my imperfect playstyle.
A skill that perfectly matches my lack of skill
During my second run, I received a skill that refills my life to 100% upon entering a new room, as long as I have at least 80% of my total health bar remaining.
My problem in games like Hades is often that I am occasionally inattentive. Sometimes I also get greedy and want to take down the enemy with my current attack spam before he can attack again – and just then he attacks. And sometimes I simply dodge poorly and jump right into the next attack.
I never take much damage, but I keep taking small hits. One could say I am just not very good. Nevertheless, I still enjoy Hades (1) – I just wish I could enter a boss fight with full health more often.
This was made possible by the new skill of Hades 2. It perfectly masked my imperfection and allowed me to reach the first boss fight in my second run despite my lack of skill. And achievements are known to be worth their weight in gold for keeping players engaged.
Doesn’t this make the game too easy with such skills?
Now the talented players among you are surely wondering if Hades 2 doesn’t become too easy and casual-friendly with such skills. My assessment: No, not necessarily.
I ruthlessly lost the boss fight and could only take away just under a third of the health bar. It is still necessary to first understand the attack patterns of the bosses before there’s a chance of victory. You still need to dodge skillfully.
Moreover, the skill has no impact on the boss fight itself and may be inactive after the fight – should you win but have less than 80% health. Good players who approach the boss with full health without this skill will probably prefer to choose a skill that enhances their attack and sprint.
The skill only helped me to take a look at the attacks of the first boss for the first time with less playtime. And after that, I didn’t have the luck to get this skill again and had to make it to the boss fight on my own – and with less health.
Conclusion: Good chances for a worthy successor
Hades 2 seems to me like a worthy successor to the popular first part in the first playtest. It brings fun new skills, a really beautiful graphic style, and also other gameplay innovations that I consciously want to let you discover for yourselves – I don’t want to spoil too much.
In the few hours I played, I also didn’t encounter any bugs, crashes, or performance issues. Hades 2 has run really well so far. However, I certainly haven’t played enough to provide a truly informed assessment.
In any case, I am very excited about the release of Hades 2 and believe that fans of the first part will also enjoy the second part.
As of today, April 24, 2024, a new game called Rotwood is launching on Steam, which resembles Hades in its gameplay and even offers coop. MeinMMO editor Lydia has already played it and summarized her experiences for you:
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