Hades II

Hades II is the sequel to the acclaimed roguelike from Supergiant Games, in which the player, as Melinoe, daughter of Hades and Persephone, tries to overcome the Titan Chronos. The game builds on repeated runs through the underworld and the surface, collecting the gods' boons, and assembling builds from weapons, spells, and abilities that shuffle differently with every attempt. Compared to the first Hades, it adds incantations, potion brewing, and a wider map with new areas through which the heroine fights her way toward the decisive confrontation. Between runs, Melinoe returns to the Crossroads, where she grows herbs, brews potions, and develops relationships with other gods and characters of the underworld. The game also introduces the Arcana system, sets of cards with permanent passive abilities that replace the Mirror of Night from the first game, letting you fine-tune your build before setting out.

On Nintendo Switch 2, Hades II launched on the same day as the version for the original Switch, meaning in autumn 2025 together with the final 1.0 release. Thanks to the new console's more powerful hardware, this edition offers a higher resolution and a more stable frame rate than the version for the first Switch, so fast fights against numerous enemies feel smoother both in docked and handheld mode. Content-wise it's exactly the same game with the same story, characters, and weapons, just with noticeably smoother technical performance. The new console's faster storage also shortens loading between individual attempts to make it through the underworld compared to the first-generation Switch.

Why play it: Anyone who owns a Switch 2 and wants to play Hades II on the go gets a noticeably smoother experience compared to the original Switch while keeping all the content. It's the best choice for players who prefer handheld play but don't want to compromise on the game's technical side and combat speed. The short runs of roguelike gameplay also naturally suit playing in short bursts, to which the Switch 2's improved performance adds even more smoothness.