Hades 2

[Eishtmo]

It's not out yet, but they are letting some people do a "technical test" as a lead up to Early Access.

Somehow, I managed to get into the test. I suspect it's because I have an older video card. If you want to try to get in, find it on steam and request to join the test. You're supposed to get an email, but I didn't. Instead I was going to play something else and it was at the top of my play list.

It's more Hades. If you liked Hades, Hades 2 is more of that. The basic ideas are the same: Grab a weapon, go into an area, fight monsters, go to the next room, kill more monsters, eventually fight a boss, move the next area. Die, go back to your home base, talk to the locals for story, give gifts, back to the fight.

It does want you to play a bit different. There's a magic meter and you're strongly encouraged to use it. It refills between rooms, so go ham, and not, like I tend to do, save it for "later." Later never comes. It plays a bit different because of that, so you're not just beating things with a stick, but actually zapping them from range. I mean, you CAN beat them with a stick, but it's not required.

It's the same art style (though some place holder images). Same method of story telling. There is no dog to pet, but there is a frog, so that's pretty even.

Really, the differences are in the details and the goals. I did manage to beat the boss of the only area available, on my second try at them too. Considering the first try I didn't even get off a strike, let alone land a hit, I felt pretty good about it. Likely means it's too easy, but again, it's basically a demo, so that's fine.

Am I posting this as a form of boasting? A bit. But also so you guys can try to get in. Hades 2 is so far living up to name, so keeping it circulation is a good idea.

Oh, there is a vod for a livestream of the game out there from the devs, sorry I don't have a link handy.

 

[ShakeWell]

I'm extremely ready for this. I signed up for the technical test, but haven't seen/heard anything (and I did check my list of Steam games after reading this, Eishtmo).

 

[lincolnic]

I got into the tech test the other day, but when I went to install it I was very sad to discover it was PC only. (I'm a Mac user.) I guess I probably should've seen that coming, but still. I want to pet the frog!

 

[Eishtmo]

Okay, I dug out that video:

Hades II Technical Test - Live Gameplay

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERSJoin Supergiant Games' Studio Director Amir Rao and Creative Director Greg Kasavin for a first look at Hades II Technical Test. Wai...

www.youtube.com

So I finished the test. Only get to complete the one area 5 times and then you can't do it any more. Though I haven't tried a different save, that might work. Nah, I would just be frustrated that I can't play any more. Best to back off for now. Might be the first game I actually buy the early access for. Now, spoilers, in no particular order.

Spoiler: Lots of Spoilers

Mel and Zag are different in personality. Zag was always sure he could pull it off, almost never any doubt of it. Mel, well, not so much. Even when she does succeed, she isn't always sure she deserves it. She often claims it's luck, fate or something that is NOT her own hard work. It's fine that she wants to credit her teachers and allies, but often she downplays her own role to the extreme.

I love that they changed up the core gameplay. I suspect that it does play out differently than the first game. There it was one route out, and that was it. I think this game will have multiple paths to take and for reasons other than completing the game. The fact that the home area is called the Crossroads implies this, but also the fact that there are at least 2 combat area exits, and a third one back in the main area that is guarded but with no explination as to why.

The characters are a new mix of personalities and a couple old favorites. Odysess being there is interesting as it doesn't seem to indicate that he's dead. I do seem to remember he went into Hades once in the stories, so perhaps he is still quite alive, but there's not much story there right now.

Nemesis is harsh, like super harsh. I get it, she think she's the one that should do the what Mel is doing, but she comes down hard about it.

Hecate is kind of a rerun of Nyx, she raised Mel (wow, Persephone didn't get to raise EITHER of her children, that's got to hurt), but insists that she is NOT Mel's mother. The fact that the first boss is Hecate is a nice reversal of the orginal game. She is pretty hard initailly, BTW, the first time I fought her I didn't even get a hit off, let alone in. Got her the second time though (and 4 more times too).

Dora is a shade that hangs out in Mel's tent and I think is supposed to be kind of a Dusa replacement, but they are very far apart personality wise. She doesn't even want to leave the tent, let alone do anything besides occasionally trying to haunt Mel.

Hypnos returns, but is asleep. Charon apparently says it's the best place for him, I can't say I disagree, but we'll see. Skelly is back, as a commander with medals and everything. Still there as a punching bag though.

The god mix is different with old favorites coming back and new ones that were probably missed from the first game. Hephestus being in a wheelchair is a nice touch. Artimis isn't so much a boon granter as an active contact in the field (at least in the first area). Think how Than would occasionally get involved in a fight in the first game. She and Mel treat each other as close family, and I love tha interaction. I think Hermes will show up much the same, or perhaps as a boss later (I could totally see that).

Instead of simply paying to expand and decorate the house, there's a whole craft system that is being built up here. It does much the same thing, giving you access to new powers and traits. I think an interesting thing to point out is the inventory keeps track of the phase of the moon, so that might play a role later. There must be more to the alter (think the mirror from the first game) as I managed to max it out in 14 runs, which feels very quick. Could be a balancing thing, but I'm not convinced. Keepsakes return, you get them the same way.

There are a lot of placeholder images floating around. Charon and Hestia have placeholder images as well as all the keepsakes and most of the boons.

The only visitable encounter in the field is Arachne, which introduces the idea of armor. There is a death defiance (one so far), but I was kind of hoping they'd get away from that and I suspect the armor idea is part of that. We'll see how it goes.

The weapons are a staff and a pair of knives. If a pair of swords and nunchuks show up, we can guess where their insperation came from for this set. The staff is the starting weapon and is much like the spear from the first game, which I hold affinity for as it's how completed my first run of Hades. Long range, slower, hits hard. Knives are short range, fast. Both can be charged with magic for larger scale attack. They should be the bread and butter of a run, and since magic restores between rooms you are very strongly encouraged to do so. Most of the boons effect either the charged up attack or special, so again, do it more and more.

It's more Hades, but it's different enough to provide a new experience. I'm really ready for the next game, and bummed I can't play any more, at least until Early Access activates. I had no crashes, the game played fast and smooth and the controls were crisp and fun.