Hades set the Game Awards ablaze in 2018 with its original World Premiere trailer. It launched in Early Access later that night, further engulfing fans (and critics) in its epic tale of the Olympians and the Underworld. The roguelike’s hot stream continued into 2020 when it exited Early Access in September and then took home two statuettes (“Best Indie Game” and “Best Action Game”) at the Game Awards two months after that.
So what can developer Supergiant Games do for an encore? How about announce Hades II at the 2022 Game Awards with another magical World Premiere trailer.
Supergiant shared quite a bit about Hades II in a sprawling Development Announcement and FAQ on their official website. The game is said to be a direct sequel, though this time around, players will take control of Melinoe, “an immortal witch and sorceress”:
As Melinoë, the immortal Princess of the Underworld, you’ll explore a bigger, deeper mythic world, vanquishing the Titan’s forces with the full might of Olympus behind you, in a sweeping story that continually unfolds through your every setback and accomplishment. New locations, challenges, upgrade systems, and surprises await as you delve into the ever-shifting Underworld again and again.
Like her brother Zagreus from the original game, Melinoë is not a character of our own invention, and is based on an ancient Underworld deity thought to be related to Hades. What little ancient mythology exists about her was more than enough to make us want to explore her story and connection to her family, and in so doing, expand on our vision of the Underworld!
Hades II has been in development for almost two years, and fans won’t have to wait long to try it out. Supergiant said they’ll have more to announce about their Early Access plans in 2023, but the game will “soon” be available for the PC on both Steam and the Epic Games Store.
The developer is also planning to “eventually” release Hades II for consoles, but those plans will be announced at a later date.
