\n<\/p>\n
Imagine the most perfect barbecue \u2014 a prolific spread of smoked meats, all the right sides, every pie, type of cookie or cake, and even your grandmother\u2019s famous dinner rolls. But there\u2019s a catch: most of the food is kept behind glass to be unlocked at a later date, and you are starving<\/em>. That\u2019s what it\u2019s like playing the Hades 2<\/em> technical test<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Spoilers for the <\/em>Hades 2 technical test.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Hades 2<\/em>, like its predecessor<\/a>, is a roguelike. You play as Melino\u00eb, the long-lost daughter of Hades and sister of Zagreus, the first game\u2019s protagonist. Unlike her brother, Melino\u00eb isn\u2019t trying to break out of hell. Instead, she\u2019s trying to break into it as Chronos, Titan of Time, has taken over, kidnapping Melino\u00eb\u2019s mother, brother, and father. Reaching the depths of the Underworld is a tough task, with powerful monsters often stymying Melino\u00eb\u2019s efforts, sending her right back to the beginning to try again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n It\u2019s tempting to look at trailers for Hades 2<\/em> and assume Melino\u00eb is a female reskin of Zagreus. But the game plays like a true sequel, where combat feels just similar enough to be familiar but just remixed enough to feel different and exciting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Unlike her brother, who used his martial prowess to escape hell, Melino\u00eb relies on her magical abilities as a witch. Her staff delivers powerful magical bursts at range while her sickle and dagger weapon allows her to get up close and personal. She also has two basic magical cast attacks: a projectile and an area attack that roots enemies in place. New in Hades 2 <\/em>are what the game calls omega casts that augment your basic and cast attacks. Instead of tapping an attack button, you hold it down, giving the attack an extra oomph. Your omega melee attack extends out from Melino\u00eb in a line, damaging anything in its path. The omega projectile cast makes the attack hit more enemies harder, while the area omega cast not only roots enemies in place but deals a bit of damage after a short time. Each omega cast has a mana cost \u2014 a new resource in Hades 2<\/em> \u2014 and can be further augmented based on the godly boons you acquire.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Speaking of the gods, they\u2019re back, there\u2019s more of them, and all of them are smokin\u2019 hot<\/a>. Running into the gods has been the best part of my time in Hades 2 <\/em>so far. I love how they react to Melino\u00eb, the tenor of their conversation changing based on when they speak to her and where. Demeter, her grandmother, tells her how much she looks like her mother. Hephaestus, the blacksmith god, insults the quality of her weapons. The gods even have words about each other depending on the boons you\u2019ve chosen. In one really cool moment, Hecate, the fire goddess, remarked on how what she was offering me would clash with a boon from Poseidon I had already picked up. Each attempt on the Underworld feels different, not only for the different boons you collect each time but for the different conversations you have with your godly benefactors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Since this is only a technical test, the game only allows you to progress as far as the first major boss. However, because of the cyclical fight-die-repeat nature of the game, all the content in the technical test isn\u2019t exhausted until you\u2019ve beaten the first boss at least five times. I\u2019ve made it through one successful run, and while I know I still have four more attempts left, I\u2019m reluctant to try. Supergiant has said that the technical test will run \u201clonger than a week, shorter than a month,\u201d<\/a> and once it\u2019s done, early access will open up very soon after. (The technical test and early access will be on PC, with console launch information to come later.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n From the bit I\u2019ve seen, Hades 2<\/em> is likely to be just as if not more thrilling than its predecessor. Wherein lies my barbecue problem. I\u2019m torn between eating my fill of the delicious food that\u2019s available now or waiting until I have the whole spread to gorge myself on. No matter what I choose, though, I\u2019ll be eating well.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n