Hades II

Hades II is the sequel to the acclaimed roguelike from Supergiant Games, in which the main protagonist is Melinoë, daughter of Hades and Persephone, setting out to battle the Titan Kronos. The player undertakes repeated runs through the underworld and the surface world, collects blessings from the gods, and assembles a build from weapons, spells, and abilities that changes with every attempt. New additions compared to the first game include incantations, potion brewing, and an expanded map with new biomes, through which the player advances toward the final confrontation. Between runs, the heroine returns to the Crossroads, where she grows herbs, brews, and develops relationships with other gods and underworld characters. The game also introduces the Arcana system, sets of cards with permanent passive abilities that replace the Mirror of Night from the first game and let players fine-tune their build even before entering the underworld.

On PlayStation 5, Hades II released only with version 1.0 in fall 2025, meaning it arrived straight away as a finished game without the early access phase that PC players went through. The console version makes use of the DualSense controller, so unlocking doors, a bow's string tension, or the tension of weapons can be felt through the adaptive triggers and subtle vibration. The game runs at a stable frame rate suited to the console's performance, so fast battles against Kronos's forces feel smooth even in hectic moments, and it offers the same complete content as the PC version at the time of the final release. The version also runs smoothly at high resolution thanks to the console's power and supports PlayStation Network trophies that track progress across individual weapons and Titans.

Why play it: For PlayStation players, this is the chance to experience a complete, polished Hades II without having to follow its gradual development, plus with DualSense haptic feedback that enhances the feel of the weapons. Anyone who prefers playing on a TV with a gamepad in hand over sitting at a computer gets the same content as PC players in one complete, immediately playable package. The DualSense's adaptive triggers and vibration also add a tactile dimension to the battles that versions on other platforms don't offer.