Hades 2 (Switch) Review – Olympus Higher, Tartarus Deeper

Making sequels to successful projects is always difficult, especially since Hades II was Supergiant Games’ first sequel. But early access and then the full release left no doubt that the highly successful Hades has received a worthy successor. Now it’s coming to Switch, becoming a temporary console exclusive. We miraculously managed to avoid breaking the console during our endless runs, and we’re sharing our impressions.

• Developer: Supergiant Games
• Publisher: Supergiant Games
• Platforms: PC, Switch, Switch 2
• Release date: September 25, 2025

A review copy was provided by Achivka, the country’s largest video game distributor.

The conclusion of the first Hades was a quintessentially happy ending: all the gods reconciled, Persephone returned to Hades, and some time later, they had a daughter, Melinoe. It is she we’ll play as in the second game, because the family idyll didn’t last long—the burden of saving the world fell on the fragile shoulders of the grown Melinoe.

The Titan of Time, Kronos, suddenly appeared and captured the underworld, taking our heroine’s family captive, and also laid siege to Olympus—so the gods themselves are having some problems. This, however, doesn’t stop them from periodically bestowing gifts on Melina, which are largely the focus of the entire game.

Conceptually, the second part builds on the first – it has everything we loved about it, but bigger, cooler, and more interesting. Runs to clear locations, earning gifts and resources, crafting and upgrading weapons and items, jaw-dropping bosses that make you want to throw your console into a wall after the tenth failure, and, of course, plenty of trial and error – this is literally the perfect roguelike.

Now we can not only descend into the underworld but also ascend to the surface, where the Olympian gods require our help—meaning the game has two fully-fledged paths, each with its own enemies and bosses. And the structure of some levels has become more branched.

Like her brother Zagreus in the first game, Melinoe has several attacks and a dash, and over time, she unlocks more weapons. However, her attacks can now be charged. Charging them enhances or even completely changes their properties, but it requires time and magic , the local equivalent of mana.

There’s also a purely magical ability—a sigil, which can also be charged. Initially, it creates a small area of ​​slow, but when empowered by gifts, it can transform into a powerful attack with area-of-effect damage. Selene’s Lunar Spells stand apart—a separate type of gift with independent upgrades that, depending on your choice, can become either a powerful ultimate or a solid support ability.

Between runs, we set up our “nest,” called “Rasputy”—a sort of field camp built by Melinoe and her mentor, the sorceress Hecate, where a wide variety of gods and heroes familiar from ancient Greek mythology find temporary or permanent shelter. You can interact with them and build relationships, developing the storyline.

There’s a fairly extensive leveling system here – Melinoe herself can develop her skills using stylized tarot cards called Arcana, which grant various bonuses. Weapons, as in the first game, have aspects that sometimes dramatically change their properties. You can also take souvenirs from various characters, which also have useful properties, and even acquire familiar pets to assist you in battle. Combine this with random gifts during runs and the need to adapt to them, and you get an incredible variety of playstyles.

Crossroads upgrades and pleasant bonuses in the regions are achieved through casting spells in a cauldron. These, like leveling up and trading, require resources—these can be earned during runs, mined there (various tools are provided for this, which also need to be crafted), and even grown in a garden.

The result is yet another element of the overall gameplay mosaic, featuring simple yet addictive mechanics. Moreover, the roguelike structure strongly encourages repeat runs—for example, some weapons require several units of a resource, of which only one can be obtained per run.

Technically, the game is flawlessly executed for an indie project – the signature “super-giant” visual style, established in Bastion and further developed in Transistor and the first Hades, the traditionally meticulous approach to the soundtrack , and responsive controls – the game literally flows and plays beautifully both on a portable device and in its dock. I also note the excellent Russian text localization.

With the chthonic nymph Melinoe, the world of Hades gained more magic, but Hades 2 is a kind of magic all its own. It loves to hurt, but is inexplicably addictive, right down to the last checkbox and entry in the Book of Shadows—and it’s a definite must-have for anyone who loves Hades, roguelikes, ancient Greek mythology, a little suffering, and just good games. The latter is especially true—a quality product attracts regardless of genre preference. And I know what I’m talking about, because I’ve never been a fan of roguelikes.

The game is built on simple yet addictive mechanics, and their interplay creates such an incredible number of combinations that the game seems limitless. The plot is essentially decorative, but following its development and interacting with the characters is engaging—and it’s also completely inexplicable why.

Neither the repetitive gameplay, typical of all roguelikes, nor even the unforgettable feeling of pain when you have to die for the tenth time in a row in a boss fight, despite the coolest “now-it-should-definitely-work” build, are off-putting. Although some people actually enjoy it—the main thing is not to break the console.