How Hades 2 Fails Its Protagonist

"Since its inception, Supergiant Games has built up a reputation around high-quality story experiences with deep gameplay systems to match. Yet while all the San Francisco-based studio's games are worthy of praise, it was the first Hades game that raised the bar when it came to roguelike games and their storytelling. It only makes sense, then, that it also became the first Supergiant title to earn a sequel."

"Across Hades' dozens of hours, players got to learn about Zagreus and witness his transformation from melancholic spoiled brat to suave, care-free warrior--the very embodiment of cool. He received a proper and fulfilling arc, one that helped cement the game as an instant classic and proved Supergiant could take a subject as vast as Greek Mythology and deliver a personal story about growth. Through their attempts to escape as Zagreus, players saw his character change, and demeanor soften."

Supergiant Games established a reputation for high-quality narrative experiences paired with deep gameplay systems. The original Hades raised the bar for roguelike storytelling by following Zagreus through a personal arc from melancholic spoiled brat to confident, care-free warrior. Hades II retains many of the predecessor's systems but changes the protagonist, opting for a female lead characterized as stoic and duty-bound. That portrayal leans into matronly stereotypes and misogynistic expectations for female-identifying people. The change sacrifices the transformative character arc that anchored the first game and reduces opportunities to explore new themes meaningfully.

Read at GameSpot