Should I play Hades 2 in Early Access, or should I wait for the full launch? Here’s what we think

If you're anything like me, you probably only started playing the first Hades when it received its full 1.0 launch towards the end of 2020. I'd seen it around, sure, and was generally aware of Supergiant Games' works given how praised titles like Transistor were, but my first experience with the studio's games was with Hades. Like everyone else under the sun, I was immediately hooked - hot gods, tight rogue-lite combat, a killer soundtrack, a compelling narrative/ gameplay loop, did I mention some really hot gods? It had it all!

Then, when Hades 2 was announced in 2022, once again promising an early access release, I found a bit of a dilemma on my hands. You see, I'm not always the biggest fan of early access games. I completely get why they exist, it can be a great way to build up an audience, as well as tinker with complicated systems so that the broader player base doesn't end up having too easy or difficult a time. But personally, I like to play the full thing, if only so I don't lose focus on it and end up never going back to it. Hades, though, is one of my favourite games, so I didn't know if I could resist the temptation of picking up its sequel when it surprise dropped earlier this week. Spoiler alert: I couldn't.

Hades II - Early Access Showcase [4K]

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Yeah, OK, fine, I succumbed to my desires (don't judge me) and dived right back into hell again, so to speak anyway. But there's a but. But! I'll only play a little bit, just get a taste, and that'll be enough to keep me going until Supergiant manages to finish things up. Sorry, hang on, I can hear something… "Just one more run…" Ah. Balls. Alright, fine, just one more! And then one more. And then, well, you get the point.

Of course, you might still be wondering if you yourself should pick it up. Yes, you! The one with the Thanatos body pillow. You should definitely buy it, because Hades 2 sits in a much different place in early access than the first game was when it was released. There is already so, so much to do, so many builds to develop, gods to thirst over - so far I've only run into one character who has neither character art, nor a 3D model, but for the most part Hades 2 feels pretty feature complete.

For one, there's the main quest, which sees the younger spawn of Hades, Melinoe, on a quest to save her family, similar to the task her brother Zagreus once set himself. The sequel's new locales feel incredibly distinct to the first, so I've never felt like I'm retreading familiar ground either. And, if you're feeling a bit flirty, you can even invite certain companions for a bath, which is probably not going to go down well for the people who are already so horny for all these gods they might die. Hell, even if you've not played the first one, so far nothing has happened that makes it a necessity, so don't let that hold you back either.

I honestly can't believe how much stuff there is to do already, especially considering it's not even the full release - there's somehow even more than when the original game launched. I've not even come across any rough edges, to the point where I'm struggling to think of a flaw. To be honest, the only reason you shouldn't pick up Hades 2 right now is if you've got too many other games to play, and considering how busy this year has been, I wouldn't blame you. Other than that, just get it, you won't regret it, and you might even be able to help Supergiant make it an even better game than the first one.