Fittingly for its mythological setting, there's something sisyphean about the way Hades 2 plays with difficulty. A single boss might stand in your way night after night, a frustrating roadblock that no combination of weapons and boons will let you pass. And then it dies once, and then again, and suddenly it's just a trivial part of your journey, a minor strength check rather than a genuine obstacle. It's an approach that flies in the face of the traditional difficulty curve, and one that at times made some of Hades 2 feel unfair – until everything clicked into place and reminded me how technically excellent this game is.
That excellence came as little surprise. Supergiant has been making some version of its Hades series for nearly a decade now, and from the moment it launched into early access this sequel's divine hacking and slashing imitated its predecessor. A new cast and some new toys overhaul the original game enough to ensure you don't feel like you're simply retreading old ground, protagonist Melinoë replacing her brother Zagreus to lead an overhauled cast that bands together to offer a few tricks worthy of Melinoë's witchy upbringing.
