The announcement ofHades 2has raised many questions about what figures from Greek mythology will be represented in the much-anticipated sequel. Although the original game had a great cast of gods, each with their fleshed-out personalities, much of the focus was on the Olympian pantheon and even thenHadesexcluded some notable figures. There are also only a few famous heroes in the game, with Achilles and Theseus being the most notable inclusions.
There is a case to be made for absent heroes like Heracles to make an appearance inHades 2, but there is arguably an even more fascinating direction to take. Supergiant Games has already shown a deep knowledge of the Greek mythos by having the leads of both games be obscure gods whose popularity only soared thanks to the series, and it might be interesting to extend this knowledge into showing heroes who would still be alive during the game’s events.
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Hades 2 Should Show Some Living Greek Heroes
One of the biggest differences betweenHadesand its sequel is that the protagonists' journeys go in opposite directions. In the original game, Zagreus intends to escape from the underworld and live on the surface, butHades2’s Melinoeis going deeper into it to save her father. This could imply that at least for the beginning portions of the game, players can leisurely explore the surface.
Even if it is limited to the hub Melinoe returns to after each death, there would be a greater insight into the living world’s state during the game’s events. It is never exactly clear around what period the first game takes place, but with thepresence of Achilles and Patroclusalongside the constant new arrivals to the underworld, there are some implications that it is set at least during the Trojan War if not at the end of it.
Considering the ties to characters from theIliad, it would be fair forHades 2to not only draw parallels to theOdyssey, but potentially include others who would be alive during its events if not a little after. Depending on how much time has passed after the first game, Odysseus could be in the middle of his 20-year voyage, meaning he and Melinoe could theoretically meet. Some of that time is spent with Hecate’s mother Circe, and since Hecate is a mentor to Melinoe, it wouldn’t be improbable for Odysseus and Circe to be present at the game’s hub together.
Another potential candidate for an appearance inHades 2is Jason, leader of the Argonauts, but this depends on how long he lived after his voyage. While it might be interesting to have one of the most famous Greek heroes appear in the game as a living person, his adventure happened sometime before the Trojan War as one of his companions was a younger Peleus, who fathered Achilles after the myth’s events. Jason’s end is also tragic as he spent his final years alone after losing favor with Hera.
With the moreserious toneHades 2appears to be taking, showing a lonely Jason toward the end of his life could fit in line, but considering how one of the best features from the first game was about getting to know its cast, a subplot about a hero learning to forgive himself for his past mistakes would help to balance any grimmer parts inherent to including him after his voyage.
Something tricky about including living heroes inHades 2is that, by the first’s games events, most of them had already died or were about to meet their ends. While there will no doubt be more of them met as the game descends into the underworld, it would be interesting to see the game tackle a setting where the age of its heroes is about to take its last breath and explore what the ramifications of that can be.
