Hades II is out! Well, it’s out in Early Access, but considering it already has more content than the first game, it’s an experience many fans are already into. Whether you’re a veteran or jumping into the deep waters of Supergiants’ sequel, we’ve got some tips and tricks to help you get started.
1. Get the most out of Melinoë
If you’re an old-school Hades player, you’ll probably fall into a pattern of attacking and running like you did in the first game, but if you don’t take the time to learn how to use Melinoë’s various abilities, you may feel a little underpowered.
The biggest change is your Magick pool, which refreshes after each location, so while you can’t auto-regenerate it, be sure to spam your charged abilities to make matches go a little smoother. Cast in particular should not be forgotten. Unlike in the first game, it has a utility even if it is not enhanced by a god’s blessing. Regardless of whether it’s charged or not, being able to capture enemies can relieve a lot of pressure, so be sure to use it.
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2. Preserves, get your preserves
After a few rounds, you’ll gain access to nectar, a consumable item that you can give to gods and your allies at the crossroads camp to further your relationship with them, romantic or otherwise. In the early game, we recommend taking as much nectar as you can and giving one to every character you can, even if you don’t really like them that much.
That’s because once you gift someone nectar, they’ll return the favor with a Keepsake. These are special items that you can take with you on your runs and that provide powerful boosts. Good ones to start with are Knucklebones, Hekate’s Wheel and Lucky Tooth, which you get from Odysseus, Hekate and Schelemevs.
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3. Get the moonlight ax as soon as possible
This is not so much a general game tip as direct advice if you want to get as far as possible as quickly as possible. The Moonshine Ax requires a fair amount of silver to unlock, but once you get it, it pays off quickly. High damage, if a bit slow, and the only blocking mechanic in any of the weapons released so far make the Moonlight Ax a must have for new players.
Like the shield from the first game, the moonlight ax and its blocking allow you to make mistakes without necessarily being punished for them. The block isn’t as strong as Zagreus’ shield, but it can be a lifeline in most of the game’s fights, allowing you to get into the fights as your own mythological support wheels. Some purists might dislike the sound of that, but for most of us it allows you to get into the game without feeling like you’re just banging your head against the wall over and over again.
4. Ashes over psyche
On Hades II, there are two resources that are absolutely critical to improving Melinoë and your chances of reaching Chronos. With Ashes, you can activate Arcana Cards, which actually give you upgrades like extra health, the all-important Death Defiances, and other upgrades. Psyche improves your grip, meaning you can activate multiple cards at once, but this is only useful when you have the cards you’re going to activate in the first place. So we think it’s best to farm Ashes more than Psyche first, so you can see which upgrades you like and which ones you value most when entering the Underworld.
5. Spend your money
Like Hades, Charon is arguably the most important NPC in the entire game, as he gives you access to extra boons, Daedalus hammers, health, and more through his shop. While you may want to save your money when you don’t see anything you like before a boss fight, we’d instead recommend spending the money anyway. Grab a Pom, buy some extra magic, spend the money, because maybe you’ll get yourself a Charon credit card. That’s not what they’re officially called, but these cards can be used to get extra Psyche, Ashes, and expensive Fate Fabrics back into your camp, which will prove useful in the long run.
6. Let the moon guide you.
One of the new gods you meet in Hades II is Selene, and she’s practically the only way you can get the Call ability from the previous game. Pressing F on the keyboard gives you access to one ability that you choose when you first meet Selene. These abilities can be crucial in your runs, and a great one to start with is Nightmare Form. It has a very low magic cost for the damage it does and the impenetrable ability it gives you. All of the Selene abilities will drain you of Magick, but considering they have their own upgrade trees that can make them some of the strongest abilities in the game, they’re worth it and even worth picking up a few extra Magick- bottles to ensure you can use them more than once in a match.
7. Daedalus hammers over everything else
If you see a Daidalos hammer as a potential boon, then buy it. That’s the tip, it’s that simple. Hammers of Daidalos give your weapon a boost, whether it’s stronger basic attacks, different types of special attacks, or a new ability that completely changes how you play. Regardless of what they can offer, these hammers are the backbone of most of your builds and can always be useful for a difficult godless run.
8. Take your time to fight
Chronos is a tricky old bastard and you don’t have to worry if you don’t take him in the first round. You don’t even have to beat the first boss on the first try, because you know what? You’re not really supposed to. As you progress in Hades II, you will naturally become stronger, but there is no time limit on when you must beat Chronos. Whether it’s 10 or 100 runs, each night you go out will give you the opportunity to advance your story and path to the Underworld. Sometimes you’ll run into a divine build, and other times the RNG gods just won’t be on your side. It’s just one of those games. As long as you’re having fun, don’t feel pressured to do better every time. There are a lot of things to unlock and it will take time to unlock them, so just keep having fun and let every death be a lesson.
