Zagreus is the character players spend the most time with, and being with him as he fights tooth and nail to escape the underworld makes each run feel like a collaborative effort. His journey is full of fleeting victories in a sea of disappointment. While Hades 2 will focus on a different story with Zagreus’ sister Melinoe taking the lead role, that doesn’t mean Zagreus should be abandoned entirely. His skill set has proven to be immensely fun, and his weapons all offer a great deal of variety. Supergiant shifting gears to focus on Melinoe’s fight against Cronos is an inviting idea, but having Zagreus also playable would expand Hades 2’s horizons that much further.
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Zagreus Could Provoke Different Gameplay Choices in Hades 2
Supergiant has promised that “new locations, challenges, upgrade systems, and surprises await” in Hades 2 alluding to Melinoe playing and developing her skills in a very different way to how Zagreus did. Yet Hades does not feel old or outdated yet, so throwing out the baby with the bathwater seems unwise. It was a surprise to many when Hades 2 was announced at The Game Awards 2022, as it’s not a huge stretch to assume it won’t have to be too much of a departure from the first to succeed. The best way to keep development time down and quality up would be to reuse and develop Zagreus’ abilities by bringing him back, even if only for a little while.
The way Zagreus moves, attacks, and defends with a smattering of effective weapons is enough to keep players coming back. Hades 2’s new protagonist looks to be more magic-oriented, which is an interesting departure, but seeing the polarizing play styles between Zagreus and Melinoe in one game could make each stand out more, showing that enemies can be overcome in a number of different ways. Hades isn’t short of gameplay options, but the protagonist of the original also being available in its sequel could make the series feel even more diverse.
Hades 2 Could Forge a Great Sibling Rivalry
Zagreus’ regular bickering with Megaera makes for some brilliant moments in Hades, and the fights they have at the end of Tartarus are always fun. They get better in-part because the characters become familiar adversaries, and it feels like they are constantly trying to one-up each other. In Hades 2’s lore, Melinoe is a daughter of Hades, meaning she has significant ties to Zagreus. Having players assume control of the protagonist of the first game sporadically could provoke an interesting story dynamic, and the stark differences between them on a gameplay level could serve to elevate the story.
Zagreus is a delight to play as in Hades, and while it’s important for the sequel to stand on its own two feet, that doesn’t mean it can’t lean on the lighting in a bottle from 2020. More gameplay diversity is almost always a good thing, and while Zagreus’ absence may be story related, if he has the time on his hands to make a reappearance he should provide the perfect yin to Melinoe’s yang.
Hades 2 is expected to go into Early Access in 2023.
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