Hades II Technical Test Details

The indie world was taken by storm when Hades was released in 2020. The perfect time-killer during lockdown, it was the biggest Rogue-like since The Binding of Isaac, and managed to get everything right from an engrossing story to pulse-pounding gameplay. On top of that, its character work and voice acting brought the gods of the underworld to life in a way that may even best the likes of God of War in some respects. Riding off that massive success, developer SuperGiant Games announced Hades II in 2023 and has now delivered a technical test for the title ahead of Early Access, which seems to be coming “very soon.”

The technical test for Hades II sees you venture through the game’s first main area as Melinoë, the sister of Hades‘ Zagreus. This entails battling through several rooms and squaring off against underworld demons with their own movesets and quirks that seek to stop you in your tracks. With a small starting health pool, you can only take a few hits before your run is over. Thankfully, upgrades are a-plenty, as boons from deities like Aphrodite and Demeter can give you the edge with buffs that can improve your attack damage, magic regeneration, and much more.

Melinoë controls like an absolute dream. She has a similar attack range to Zagreus, as well as an ensnare and a ranged projectile within her arsenal. The versatility was great enough for me to power through the initial area in roughly 30 minutes by the skin of my teeth with one HP to spare. Once completed, the “thank you” screen mentioned that the Early Access stage of Hades II was imminent, with no release date noted just yet. Signups for the technical test are still available here, and I couldn’t recommend it enough if you get the chance to try out what SuperGiant Games has been cooking up.