Hades II v1.0 Review — The Best Roguelike Just Got Better

The Sequel That Earns Its Existence

Hades II had an enormous target on its back. The original Hades didn't just win Game of the Year accolades — it redefined what a roguelike could be, weaving a fully voiced, emotionally resonant narrative into a genre previously associated with cold mechanical repetition. Following that up was, by any reasonable measure, one of the hardest sequel challenges in modern gaming.

Supergiant delivered anyway.

Hades II v1.0 is not a safe iterative sequel. It expands outward in every direction — new protagonist Melinoë (daughter of Hades, sister to Zagreus), a new underworld inspired by Mount Olympus, an entirely different suite of weapons, and a narrative that stands fully independent of the first game while rewarding those who know its predecessor intimately.

What's New

Melinoë fights differently from Zagreus. Her magical affinity opens an entirely new axis of build-crafting — you're managing a Magick resource alongside health, and the Arcana Card system replaces the old Mirror of Night with something considerably deeper. The weapon roster begins with six entirely original armaments (staff, torches, skull, axe, and more), each with alternate Aspects unlocked over time.

The surface world above Olympus is new territory. Melinoë ventures upward rather than upward-and-out, and the environmental design reflects this with a brightness and vertical openness that contrasts sharply with the warm, enclosed underworld of the first game.

Gods return with expanded boons, new gods join the roster, and the duo boon system has been redesigned with more intentional synergy pathways.

What Critics Said

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"Hades II is a masterwork of game design. Supergiant understood exactly what made the first game special and built something that honors it completely while charting entirely new territory." — IGN, 10/10

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"The bar was set impossibly high. They cleared it." — Eurogamer, Essential

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"More weapons, more boons, more narrative, more heart. Hades II is the rare sequel that justifies its own existence on every level." — GameSpot, 9/10

Metacritic: 95 | Steam Rating: 97% Overwhelmingly Positive

Verdict

Hades II is the best roguelike available. If you played the original, this is essential. If you haven't, either entry works as a starting point — though starting here means you'll immediately want to go back and play the first.

Buy Hades II on Steam 🛒