Hades 2 has landed in Early Access as of May 6, and so far, it's everything we'd hoped it would be. The Princess of Hell has proven herself even more powerful than older brother Zagreus, wielding arcane magic alongside the various boons and blessings granted to her by the various Olympian Gods, mythic entities, and faithful companions she encounters on her quest to kill the Titan of Time: Chronos.
The Hades 2 Early Access version is availanle to PC players, however, and despite being impressively polished already, developer Supergiant has yet to wrap up all the narrative threads that comprise its latest roguelike.
That's good news for you console players, since by the time the game sees completion, it'll be in your capable hands. But that leave us wondering: when will Hades 2 launch on PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X?
For now, here's a collection of Hades 2 tips and guides as per its current state in Early Access. We'll also save some space below to keep you updated on the Hades 2 console launch as the time draws nearer.
Hades 2 console launch
Having just launched into early access on PC as of May 6, there is no sign yet of a Hades 2 console launch in the imminent future. Supergiant took two years perfecting the first game in Early Access before launching on Switch in 2020, with Xbox and PlayStation versions coming a year later. While a three year wait for Hades 2 might sound agonizing, you can take comfort in the fact that Hades 2 is already in a much more complete state that its predecessor was as it entered early access back in 2018. The Hades 2 roadmap guide will help you out if you want a closer look and what's still to come.
Does this mean Supergiant won't need quite as long to finish it up? Time will tell (pun intended), but check out our Hades 2 console launch guide for more detail on that.
Hades 2 protagonist
Hades 2's main character Melinoë is the immortal princess of the Underworld, though much like Zagreus, she's far from alone on her journey. There are plenty of Hades 2 characters to meet on her journeys, ranging from helpful spider Arachne to the god-in-training Icarus.
Supergiant has outdone itself with the sheer range of Gods and boons, old and new, and things are set to only get bigger and better as the game develops in Early Access. For example, getting to the surface in Hades 2 is not quite possible yet - though you can get pretty damn close once you beat Eris, Strife Incarnate. Here's how to beat Eris in Hades 2 if you're struggling with that.
Hades 2 story
In terms of the Hades 2 story, we will be stepping into Princess Melinoë's shoes to battle through Erebus, Oceanus, the Mourning Fields, and finally Tartarus. Here, Melinoë confronts her grandfather Chronos, the Titan of Time who has overthrown the House of Hades and subjugated the denizens of Hell under a new dictatorial rulership.
Hades 2 is a direct sequel to the original game that is said to take place "sometime" after the events of Zagreus' Underworld escapades. Also set in and around Greek myth, Hades 2 centres around Chronos, the Titan of Time, who's known to be a "wicked father" to Hades and his brothers. Escaped from imprisonment in the Underworld, Chronos now wages war on Olympus. While it is a direct follow-up to the first game, Supergiant makes it clear that you don't need to know anything about Hades or Greek mythology to get stuck into the sequel.
Hades 2 bosses
Hades 2 features a litany of boss battles, split between the Surface and Tartarus. Passing from Erebus to Oceanus requires you to beat Hecate, and after fighting past all manner of aquatic beasts, it'll be a matter of defeating Hades 2's Scylla and her musical Sirens. Finally, the Mourning Fields Boss? That's your old pal, Cerberus.
Melinoë's chances of reaching any of the aforementioned biome bosses is greatly increased by using Hades 2 Arcana cards effectively. Another key factor will be the gear you're working with. Much as in the first game, knowing which weapon to pick in Hades 2 can spell success (or lack thereof) before you even begin your run. There are four weapons in Hades 2 Early Access: the Moonstone Axe, Witch's Staff, Sister Blades, Umbral Flames, and Argent Skull. Trial and error will be your friend here. Enter: Schelemaus, the bearded skeleton who bears an uncanny resemblance to a certain old friend of Zag's.
Look ahead to future releases on the horizon with our roundup of upcoming PS5 games, upcoming Xbox Series X games and upcoming PC games to anticipate in 2024.
