While I need little extra motivation to read patch notes, bugfix sicko that I am, I admire the additional effort Supergiant has gone to in guiding players through Hades 2’s second major update. Not content with throwing the update’s voluminous changelog on Steam (though it’s done that too), Supergiant enlisted Hades 2’s narrator Logan Cunningham to growl through 27 minutes of new features, system adjustments, UI refinements, and much more.
The results, which you can listen to above, are not only delightful, but surprisingly soothing. I felt knots in my shoulders loosen a little when Cunningham purred the phrase “New familiarrrrr”. I reckon Supergiant may have accidentally created a whole new YouTube subgenre—patch note ASMR. If only I had a voice like Cunningham’s. I could be a millionaire.
As for what the patch, titled the ‘Warsong Update’ contains, the short answer is ‘a lot’. Thankfully, Supergiant provides a rundown of highlights at the summit of its vertical tome. For starters, players can now venture beyond the gates of Olympus, battling all the way to the mythical mountain’s apex for a dramatic “Final Confrontation” on the surface. It also adds the Greek god of war Ares, who players can interact with and use his boons. These come alongside a general revamp of the boon system that adds several new ones from “various Olympians”.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned new familiar brings another animal companion who can aid you in battles. The Altar of Ashes has been reworked with adjusted effects and new artwork for cards. Resource gathering has been redesigned to be more efficient, while menus have been revamped with improved animations. Oh, and as well as experiencing the surface’s final confrontation, you’ll also be able to discuss it with “many different characters.”
In a separate Steam post announcing the patch, Supergiant reveals it’s already hard at work on a third major update, which will arrive “some months from now”. Supergiant doesn’t go into much detail about what this will include, but the studio does say it will be focussing on three “major initiatives” following any further patches or hotfixes required in the immediate wake of the warsong update.
These include “Hidden Aspects”, with Supergiant stating the nocturnal arms “still have some secrets yet to be discovered.” Also coming are “Enhanced Guardians” and a further “expanded story”. Regarding the latter, Supergiant says it’s “planning ahead” for events in both the main story and various character subplots “as we prepare for our eventual v1.0 launch.” The update doesn’t specify when Hades 2 will break out of early access, but I’m beginning to wonder whether we might see it before the year is out.
In any case, Hades 2 is already a blast to play, and there’s no reason to believe this update will change that for the worse. Nonetheless, as one of the most inventive indie studios out there, I can’t help but wonder what lies ahead for Supergiant once Hades 2 finally launches.