Fell in love with Greek mythology again
I bought it for Halloween, and now I want to go back to all those stories I used to read.
I just played Hades II and loved it. So many gods and goddesses from Greek mythology, and so many little stories connected to them.
I've always been a fan of Greek mythology, ever since I was a kid. I read all the Percy Jackson books, and even the ones that were just about mythology and short stories. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods is the one I keep remembering here. Not so much a new Percy Jackson adventure, just Percy telling the myths. I loved reading those.
Even as a kid I would find books about the Odyssey and read smaller chapters for fun. So when I bought Hades II for Halloween, there was already a lot there for me to recognise.
The Hades games connect those short stories through casual interactions between characters that make you want to talk to them more and know more about them. If you've read Homer or some of the shorter tales from Greek mythology, you'll keep finding things you remember.
One of my favourite moments was Dora. It made me smile. It felt like the perfect hint. Apparently all that childhood reading was preparation for this.
And it goes well beyond the big names. Moros, who is Doom, is a good example. Thanatos and Nyx across the Hades games too. Then there's Charon, the ferryman, and all the other figures around them. Even the harpies. There is so much more to this world than the gods most of us can name straight away.
Some of these characters come from stories I remember, and others make me want to find out where they came from. I like that the game gives them personalities and connections instead of just using a familiar name.
The artwork and the personalities
The artwork is sublime. It matches the personalities of the deities so well, and even the powers you get from them feel connected to who they are.
The clever play on words and the personalities, made modern but kept consistent and believable, is the perfect mix for me.
Even the Duo Boons are great plays on how the gods would behave. Boons are the powers the gods give you. You get a power, but you also get a little bit of their personality with it.
The weapon aspects have small nods to other mythological cultures too. Those are more little connections that make me want to look something up.
Then there are the stories around Odysseus. The characters are well connected and keep surprising me with what they have to say.
It makes me wonder how all of this is connected behind the scenes. What makes one of those conversations happen? How much depends on what you've already done, who you've met, or what you're carrying? I would love to know how they put all of that together.
Now I want to connect the rest
Playing it has made me want to explore the differences between Titans, gods, and figures that are things like Doom, Death or Strife. Chaos too. All the relationships, and where everyone fits.
A Titan is still a god. Being a personification doesn't stop someone being divine either. So these aren't neat, separate groups. A family tree can help, but there are different tellings, and not every version puts the relationships together in the same way.
I also want to go past the usual god-of-something labels. Zeus and thunder, Poseidon and the sea. Hades ruling the dead, while Thanatos is Death. Hecate and magic, Charon ferrying the dead. Gods, personifications, shades and creatures like the harpies all sharing this world.
I like how much there is to find once you start following one of those names. You can recognise a reference, enjoy a conversation, and then realise there's a whole other story you want to read.
A few references for the mythology: Hesiod's Theogony, the Odyssey, and the Homeric Hymns. The dialogue I remember is paraphrased, not an exact quote.
This game has made me want to revisit the first Hades, experience both games together, and read the Percy Jackson collection all over again. Well done.
Andrés