There’s a difference between good hard games and bad hard games. When difficulty is at its worst, you feel frustrated, and like it’s impossible to make any meaningful progress. But when the greatest roguelikes get it right, your deaths and losses become a fundamental part of your emotional experience. Punishment as a mechanic. Game over as a reward. You lose weapons and resources, but you gain insight, and the joy of a gaming journey that’s all yours. As Hades 2 draws near, its superlative predecessor remains a must play, and is now cheaper than ever.
The Hades 2 release date is almost upon us, as we prepare to unsheathe swords, grit our teeth, and once again wade into the world of warring gods. The new roguelike game has bags of promise and some weighty expectations, but it’s bound to be better enjoyed if you’ve already played the original. Beautiful, frenetic, complex, but incredibly replayable, even if you don’t like Dead Cells, Slay The Spire, and the other stalwarts of the genre, Hades is an absolute must.
As the Prince of the Underworld, you battle through different tiers of the hellish afterlife, gaining new weapons and powers as you go. No two runs are the same. Mobs, environments, and your personal build will change every time you give Hades another go. On the contrary, you can utilize some permanent upgrades – if you find a style that suits you, Hades gives you the opportunity to perfect it, whether you prefer ranged attacks, melee, or a tactical balance of the two.
Although the mechanics, upgrade systems, and combat are normally finely tuned, where Hades excels above its roguelike contemporaries is in characters and story. This isn’t just a display of developer Supergiant’s gameplay-design prowess. It’s a compelling tale mixing bitter love-hate relationships with ancient myth. With the sequel drawing near, the original Hades is now available for its lowest price ever at $8.49/£7.13. You can get it right here.
Before it arrives, check out all the Hades 2 Boons that you’ll need to stay alive. We’ve also compiled all the Hades 2 Gods, so you’ll know precisely who you’re going up against.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.