I’m back to talk more about my game awards for 2025. In the last post in which I wrote about this topic, I was musing about Hades II (Supergiant Games). I have written several posts about this game because it’s been the most frustrating game I’ve played this year by far. I know many people were blown away by it and think it’s unequivocably better than the first game in all aspects. Those people, not coincidentally, aren’t playing the game for the story or the relationships. I don’t understand that mentality when it comes to this game, but I accept it’s true.
For anyone who is into it for the latter reasons, though, there are plenty of reasons to be dissatisfied with the sequel. The relationships in the first game took time to develop (arguably, too much time) and I felt I earned each deepening step. It felt organic (well, as organic as it can be in a video game), and by the end, I was truly touched by how close I felt to two of the NPCs.
The same writer wrote the dialogue for both games. Something must have happened to him between the two games because the way he wrote the women in the sequel was atrocious. I’m just going to put it in plain words. Or, something may not have happened, but he didn’t have the chops to write a female protag, and he relayed way too heavily on aping the charactars from the first game.
One of my favorite NPCS in the sequel (Moros) was very similar to one of my favorite characters in the first game (Thanatos). Except whereas Thanatos was pragmatic about being the god of death, Moros was more conflicted as to his role, especially in relation to his sisters (the Three Fates). He comes off very much as naive and earnest, which is not what you expect from Doom. I like him for it, but I would not have minded a streak of something darker in him.
On the other hand, *sigh* Nemesis. She’s based on Megaera, who is one of my top three favorite NPCs from the first game. Megaera was also the first boss, which made for an interesting dynamic. Plus, her fraught relationship with her two sisters made things complicated and interesting as well. I loved everything about her, and I would have done anything for her.
When we started an intimate relationship, it meant something. In this game, it happened so easily, I was astonished. I was able to give, ah, nectar? I think? And then aphrodisiac? Whatever it was, I was able to give the presents liberally and often. Then, I was able to bed a few NPCs before I even beat the last boss of the downward path.