Roguelike games aren’t typically known for having a substantial cast of strong characters butHades, Supergiant’s fourth outing afterBastion,Transistor, andPyre, bucks the trend. The House of Hades is littered with mythical people that all have a place in the surprisingly compelling story. The gods in particular are fascinating, as the constant flaws of characters like Zeus, Poseidon, and Athena come out in small but significant dialogue moments.Hades 2is thefirst sequel that Supergiant Games has committed to, which isn’t a huge surprise as the critical and commercial acclaim was high, but this also means that there is more pressure this time.
Players will be forgiven for thinkingHadesis a by-the-numbers roguelike, as so much of its gameplay focuses on fast-paced, pinpoint combat and endless upgrades to make each run a more prosperous attempt. The fun of Supergiant’s 2020 release isn’t just restricted to its enemy encounters, however. The story is engaging, and does well to take into account the trial-and-error design philosophy, with Zagreus' failures resulting in interesting dialogue when back at the House of Hades. The sequel will have a mountain of other stories and characters from Greek myth to use, but seeing as the first game hogs the most well-known ones, Supergiant may be at a disadvantage this time.
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Hades Breathes New Life into Old Greek Personalities
Greek Mythology is peppered with compelling characters, and many of them were wonderfully adapted inHades, a game that adopts the roguelike format wonderfully. The obviousgods of Olympus like Zeus, Poseidon, Artemis, and Ares are present, as well as more obscure names like Sisyphus, Megaera, and Patroclus. It’s a great balance, and allows for otherwise rigid, familiar personalities to enjoy renewed vigor in an entirely new story about Zagreus' desperate escape from the Underworld.
The gods' input is felt not just when they speak, but also when theybestow Zagreus with boons to help make the run a success. Deflecting projectiles with Divine Dash feels like the player truly has Athena’s support, and the same can be said of all the other gods that offer upgrades. This won’t necessarily be the chosen method of progression inHades 2,but if it is then it may be presented with the problem that the characters that are offering assistance aren’t as iconic as the ones present in the first game.
Unfamiliar Characters Could Make Hades 2 a Fresh Tale
The issue of characters may also be a great opportunity if the hurdle is navigated effectively. People have expectations of gods that they are familiar with, so when players encountered Persephone or Hermes for the first time, there was always a chance that they wouldn’t align with their predisposition. These pre-set understandings may be forged by learning about Greek Mythology first-hand, or even from something as current as thePercy Jacksonseries.Hades 2will include Apollo, Hecate, and Nemesis, and though they may be familiar to some, their relative obscurity means that the expectations are more tempered this time around.
This is a potentially huge opportunity for Supergiant to put its own spin on them, and allow players a glimpse into a side of the Mythology that otherwise wouldn’t have known about.Hades 2has the freedom to use its artistic license to be more experimental with character development, and adapt pre-existing people in a less rigid way to makeHades 2a fresher, less predictable palette of personalities. Aphrodite was always going to be flirtatious, and Ares couldn’t have been anything other than stoic.Hades 2is facing a significant challenge making its cast as memorable as what came before but, likeHeracles and the twelve labors, it’s a task that Supergiant is more than capable of achieving.
