HADES 2 was one of the most-anticipated games of 2024, and everyone was shocked by its release.
While we knew that it would launch on Steam in Early Access ‘soon’ it suddenly dropped to everyone’s surprise.
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I’ve been playing Hades 2 in Early Access for a few weeks now, and as someone with more than a hundred hours in the original game, I couldn’t wait to play.
I will admit that when I started playing Hades 2 during the technical test I came away disappointed.
It initially felt more like DLC to the original game with a new playable character than something fresh.
So many aspects of the game are the same, such as the collecting resources, making friends, and your journey through multiple levels of the underworld.
However, once you get past the first area the hub world opens up, and the new mechanics slowly unfold.
Even in this Early Access version there are six layers to explore, which is two more than the first game’s full release.
Without giving too much away the areas mix up the game’s formula far more than they did in the original, giving more variety as you dig deeper.
This is aside from all the extra things you can unlock the more you play, giving you different ways to improve Melinoë.
She’s the new protagonist, and has a substantial upgrade to her cast which offers some protection when she’s standing inside it.
All of the weapons are also new, and there is a mix of old and new keepsakes to change up your playstyle.
With all the new additions, Hades 2 is an improvement over the original, even if it can occasionally get bogged down with collecting resources.
This version is incomplete but still features as much content as a full game, so it’s worth taking the plunge.
If you want to read more about gaming releases, check out Tales of Kenzera: Zau review.
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