Though the game has technically been available in an Early Access state for almost a year and a half, the 1.0 launch for Hades 2 is set to bring in fans of Hades who have been waiting for the game's full release to jump in.
But Hades 2 is significantly larger and more complex than its predecessor, and it can be hard to figure out what to do in Hades 2 as a beginner.
Hades 2 Price, Preorders, & Other 1.0 FAQs
Learn everything you need to know about Hades 2 before the game finally launches with this list of answers to common questions about the game.
Whether you're a big fan of Hades finally diving into the sequel or you're new to roguelikes entirely, this list offers eight things you can do to get better at Hades 2 – beginner tips that will help you get started on the right foot and understand how to play Hades 2 effectively.
8 Understand The Gameplay Loop
Complete Runs to Progress The Story & Unlock New Content
If you are new to the Hades formula, or new to the Roguelike genre in general, it may take some time to understand the gameplay and progression of Hades 2. As a roguelike, Hades 2 tasks players to complete runs by using random offerings of Boons and other bonuses gained along the way.
Dying is not the end – if Melinoë drops to 0 Life, she will return to the Crossroads, the main hub of Hades 2.
At the Crossroads, Melinoë can build relationships with a wide cast of characters from Greek mythology, concoct Incantations in the Cauldron that aid her ultimate mission to defeat Chronos, and partake in other activities that unlock new permanent bonuses that carry across runs.
Though Melinoë loses all of her Boons and other power-ups, she will keep all resources and non-Boon items gained during each run. As you continue to complete runs, develop relationships, and progress further through the Underworld and Surface routes, you will progress the main story of Hades 2, too.
7 Don't Neglect Melinoë's Cast
Use It Defensively & Think of Her Cast as an AoE Snare
In Hades, Zagreus' Cast launched a Bloodstone in a direction as a projectile attack. In Hades 2, Melinoë's Cast takes the form of a circle of magic that can ensnare enemies that step within its bounds.
You can charge your Cast by holding down the input to turn it into an Omega Cast, which deals damage to snared enemies.
Melinoë's Cast is very useful in combat when used defensively. Because it snares enemies, you can use it as a kind of wall to get away from a group of enemies and keep them away from Melinoë'. It won't stop most bosses, but against normal enemies, use your Cast on cooldown for a source of easy crowd control to get the upper hand in combat.
6 You Can Sprint After Dashing
Hold Down the Dash Input to Move Faster After Dashing
With some upgrades via the Mirror of Night, the Dash in Hades allowed Zagreus to rapidly dodge out of the way of attacks. In Hades 2, Dash works a little bit differently. For one, Melinoë cannot Dash as often as Zagreus could.
However, if you hold down the Dash input, she will leap into a sprint and move significantly faster after dodging. This is one of the most integral movement skills players should master when starting Hades 2, as this new Sprint mechanic allows Melinoë the ability to quickly navigate the battlefield (and avoid enemy attacks more easily).
5 Lean Into Each Weapon's Strengths
Try Different Boons With Different Weapons to Find Synergies
In total, there are six new weapons in Hades 2 that Melinoë can wield. At first, you only have access to the Witch's Staff, but over time, you will unlock the Sister Blades, the Umbral Flames, the Moonstone Axe, the Argent Skull, and the Black Coat.
Each weapon also has a set of four Aspects that can be unlocked. These alternate Aspects fundamentally change how each weapon feels to play, adding much more variety to the combat options in Hades 2.
Because Boons do not change based on your weapon, some Boons are much more synergistic with specific weapons than others.
For example, Hestia has a Boon that gives Melinoë the ability to inflict Scorch with every Special attack. This isn't great on the Moonstone Axe because of how slow its Special speed is, but with the Sister Blades, the rapidly-firing Special makes this Boon extremely powerful.
4 Unlock Keepsakes For Equippable Bonuses
Gift Nectar to Every NPC to Unlock Their Keepsake
You may find bottles of Nectar during your first few runs through the Underworld. Nectar is one of several items that can be gifted to other characters to increase Melinoë's relationship with them. Every character that can be gifted items must be gifted a Nectar first.
The first time you give Nectar to any character or God, they will give you back a gift in return in the form of a unique Keepsake. These unique equippable items can be slotted back at the Crossroads to grant Melinoë a unique bonus for her next run.
You can swap Keepsakes in and out between runs, and the more encounters you complete with each Keepsake equipped, the stronger they will become.
Gift Schelemeus your first Nectar to unlock the Luckier Tooth, which will revive Melinoë once each night without using a Death Defiance.
3 Don't Underestimate the Value of Defensive Boons
A Good Offense Is Only Useful If Melinoë Is Alive
One of the best tips for players starting Hades 2 for the first time is to choose defensive boons over offensive ones for your first few runs. Hades 2 is a very different game from the original Hades, and combat generally feels much faster and more unforgiving.
Hades 2: All Incantations, Alchemy, & Cauldron Recipes
A complete list of all incantations currently available in Hades 2.
Spend your first few hours in Hades 2 learning the game's new mechanics and getting used to the way Melinoë feels to control. If you choose defensive Boons over offensive ones, you'll get to see more of the game and progress further in your early runs.
2 Prioritize Broadly Useful Arcana Cards First
Death Defiance Should Be The First Arcana You Unlock
After completing your first run, Melinoë will return to the Crossroads. Spend time talking to everyone here, then when you progress into Melinoë's training area at the bottom-right of the zone, interact with the Altar of Ashes to access the Hades 2 Arcana system.
The Arcana are essentially Hades 2's version of the Mirror of Night from Hades. The first card you should prioritize is the Death card, which requires 25 Ashes to unlock.
Death grants Melinoë a number of Death Defiances based on the upgrade level of the card. As its name suggests, Death Defiance restores 40% of Melinoë's Life when she reaches 0 HP, one time in each run for each Death Defiance.
1 Unlock All Gathering Tools ASAP
More Tools = More Materials = More Incantations
When progressing through the Underworld or Surface regions, you may see resources like ores, fish, or digging spots that randomly spawn in each location. These grant useful materials that can be used to cast Incantations, sold for Bones, or planted in the Garden (once unlocked).
To collect these resources, you must first unlock the Tools of Night. To do this, you must perform the Night's Handiwork Incantation, which reveals each Gathering Tool. You must gather 1x Moly to perform this Incantation, which can be collected by hand in Erebus, the first region of the Underworld route.
Unlike in the early days of the Early Access, Melinoë always has access to all Gathering Tools during each run after they are unlocked. You can improve the potency of each tool in a tab on the same menu used to upgrade each of the Weapons of Night.
Hades 2
- Released
- September 25, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Supergiant Games
- Engine
- Proprietary Engine
- Franchise
- Hades
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
