Beginner Tips to Get Started in Hades II

Hades II is out! Well, it's out in Early Access, but considering it has more content than the first game already, it's an experience a lot of fans are already getting stuck into. Whether you're a long-time veteran or are jumping in at the deep end in Supergiant's sequel, we've got a few tips and tricks to help you get started.

1. Make the Most of Melinoë

If you're an old-school Hades player, you're probably going to fall into a pattern of attacking and dashing like you did in the first game, but if you don't take a minute to learn the uses of Melinoë's different abilities, you might be left feeling a little underpowered.

The biggest change is your Magick pool, which will refresh after each location, so even if you can't regenerate it automatically, be sure to spam your charged abilities to make combat go a little smoother. Your Cast especially should not be forgotten. Unlike in the first game, it has a use even if not buffed by a god's boon. Whether charged or not, being able to ensnare enemies can relieve a lot of pressure from you, so be sure to use it.

2. Keepsakes, Get Your Keepsakes

After a couple of runs, you'll get access to Nectar, a consumable that can be given to gods and your allies at the camp at the Crossroads in order to further your relationship with them, whether that be romantic or not. In the early game, we'd recommend grabbing as much Nectar as you can and gifting just one to each character you can, even if you don't really like them that much.

That's because when you first gift someone some Nectar, they'll return the favour with a Keepsake. These are special items you can take on your runs that give powerful buffs. Good ones to start with are the Knuckle Bones, Hecate's Wheel, and the Luckier Tooth, which you get from Odysseus, Hecate, and Schelemeus.

3. Get Hold of the Moonlight Axe as Soon as Possible

This is less of a general game tip and more of a direct bit of advice if you want to get as far as possible quickly. The Moonlight Axe requires a good deal of Silver to unlock, but once you've got it, it pays for itself quickly enough. High damage if a little slow, and the only block mechanic in any of the weapons released so far make the Moonlight Axe a must have for new players.

Like the shield from the first game, the Moonlight Axe and its block let you make mistakes without necessarily being punished for them. The block isn't as strong as that of Zagreus' shield, but it can be a lifesaver in most of the game's fights, allowing you to get to grips with the combat like your own mythological training wheels. Some purists might dislike the sound of that, but for most of us, it allows you to ease yourself into the game without feeling like you're just slamming your head into a wall over and over.

4. Ashes Over Psyche

In Hades II, there are two resources absoultely vital to improving Melinoë and your chances of reaching Chronos. Ashes allow you to activate Arcana Cards, which actually provide upgrades like extra health, the all-important Death Defiances, and other upgrades. Psyche improves your Grasp, which means you can activate more cards at once, but this is only really useful when you have the cards to activate in the first place. So, we believe it's best to farm Ashes more than Psyche first, so you can see which upgrades you like and which ones you value most as you step into the Underworld.

5. Spend Your Money

Like with 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 via his shop. While you might want to save your money when you don't see anything you like prior to a boss fight, instead we'd recommend spending that money anyway. Grab a Pom, get some extra Magick, spend that money, because you might just get yourself a Charon Credit Card. That's not what they're officially called, but these cards can be used for getting extra Psyche, Ashes, and expensive Fate Fabrics back at your camp, which will prove useful in the long run.

6. Let the Moon Guide You

One of the new gods you'll meet in Hades II is Selene, and she effectively acts as your only way to get the Call ability from the previous game. By pressing F on your keyboard, you'll get access to one ability which you choose when you first meet Selene. These abilities can be vital in your runs, and a great one to start with is the Nightmare Form. For the damage it does and the impervious abilitiy it grants you with, it has a very low Magick cost. All of Selene's abilities will drain your 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 couple of extra Magick bottles to make sure you can use them more than once in a fight.

7. Daedalus Hammers Above All Else

If you see a Daedalus Hammer as a potential boon, go for it. That's the tip, it's really as simple as that. The Daedalus Hammers give your weapon a buff, whether that be stronger basic attacks, different kinds of specials, or a new ability that completely changes how you play. Whatever they may offer, these hammers are the backbone of most of your builds, and can always be useful for a tricky godless run.

8. Take Your Time Fighting Time

Chronos is a tricky old bastard, so he is, and you don't have to worry if you don't take him down on your first run. You don't even have to beat the first boss on your first run because guess what? You're not really meant to. As you progress in Hades II, you'll naturally get stronger, but there's no time limit on when you have to beat Chronos. Whether it takes 10 or 100 runs, each night that you set out should allow you to chip away at the story and the path to the Underworld. Sometimes you'll run across a godly build and other times the RNG gods will simply not be on your side. It's just one of those games. So long as you're having fun, don't feel pressurised to do better each time. There are loads of things to unlock, and it'll take time to unlock them, so just keep having fun, and let each death be a lesson.