Hades II vs EXODUS

• Perspective: Isometric
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Greek Mythology (Underworld & Olympus)
• Platforms: PC, macOS, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2
• Unique Feature: A groundbreaking sequel that doubles the scope of the original with two distinct paths (Underworld and Surface), and introduces a deep new 'Magick' and 'Omega Move' combat system.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Omega Centauri Cluster (40,000 Years in Future)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Unique Feature: Time Dilation Consequence System where missions lasting days result in decades passing on the home planet.

• Animal Familiars: Unlockable companions that Melinoë can bring on a run. Each familiar, like Frinos the Frog or Hecuba the Hound, provides unique passive bonuses, such as resource gathering, combat assistance, or stat boosts.
  Frog, Hound, Polecat, etc.

• Reagents: A wide variety of materials gathered during runs using different tools (e.g., Cinder, Pearl, Moss, Thalamus). They are essential for casting Incantations to unlock major game features.
• Ash & Psyche: Core currencies earned from clearing encounters. Ash is used to unlock Arcana Cards, and Psyche is used to increase the 'Grasp' limit to equip more cards.
• Nectar: A valuable resource found during runs or from Incantations. It is gifted to characters to build relationships and unlock their unique Keepsakes.

• Greek Mythology
• Roguelike
• Action RPG
• Indie
• Witchcraft
• Family
• Immortality

• Sci-Fi
• Time Dilation
• Evolution
• Transhumanism
• Sacrifice
• Interstellar Exploration
• Underdog Survival
• Narrative Sandbox
• Space Opera

• Witch's Staff (Descura): Staff
  A well-rounded starting weapon that blends close-range strikes with ranged projectiles.
• Sister Blades (Lim & Oros): Daggers
  Dual daggers that excel at rapid, close-range attacks and feature a thrown-dagger special.
• Umbral Flames (Oros & Lim): Wands
  Dual wands that fire bouncing projectiles from a distance.
• Moonstone Axe (Zorephet): Axe
  A slow but powerful weapon that hits in wide arcs and can create a defensive shield.
• Argent Skull (Revaal): Projectile
  A unique weapon that uses ammo to fire powerful, explosive shells.
• The Black Coat (Xinth): Fists/Firearm
  A hybrid weapon that combines powerful punches that can block attacks with a ranged special that fires seeking rockets.

• None (Boons & Arcana): The game does not feature an armor system. Melinoë's survivability is determined by her base health, passive upgrades from the Arcana Cards, and temporary defensive Boons granted by gods like Aphrodite and Hephaestus.

Progression is driven by multiple interlocking meta-systems. The 'Arcana Cards' provide permanent passive upgrades, unlocked with Ash and activated using a 'Grasp' limit that is increased with Psyche. The 'Cauldron' allows players to cast 'Incantations' with gathered reagents to unlock new features, familiars, and story elements. Each of the six 'Nocturnal Arms' (weapons) has multiple 'Aspects' that fundamentally alter its playstyle.

Progression centers on the Gauntlet, a unique tool that fuses stolen Celestial Remnants with human engineering to unlock 'unleashed' abilities. Players invest in specialized skills and form bonds with elite companions whose unique adeptness alters combat outcomes. The skill system is designed for high player agency in the narrative sandbox.

The game world is double the scope of the original, featuring two distinct, multi-region paths. The 'Downward Descent' takes players through the Underworld (Erebus, Oceanus, Fields of Mourning, Tartarus) to fight Chronos. The 'Surface Route' is an ascent to Mount Olympus (City of Ephyra, Rift of Thessaly, Summit) to break the Titan's siege.

The game takes place across the Omega Centauri cluster, containing ten million stars and over a million habitable worlds. Key regions include the moon of Lidon, built atop extinct Detenir ruins. Exploration involves interstellar travel between Star Systems and high-relativistic missions across planetary surfaces.

• Awakened Bears: Uplifted Ursidae
  Highly intelligent sentient species, potential allies or companions.
• Awakened Ravens: Uplifted Corvidae
  Sentient aerial scouts and companions with advanced problem-solving skills.

• Melinoë: Playable Protagonist
  The immortal Princess of the Underworld, sister of Zagreus, and a skilled witch trained by Hecate.
• Hecate: Mentor / Boss
  The Goddess of Witchcraft and Crossroads who mentors Melinoë and serves as the guardian of Erebus.
• Chronos: Primary Antagonist
  The Titan of Time and father of Hades. He has escaped his imprisonment and conquered the Underworld, serving as the game's final boss.
• Apollo: Olympian God
  A new Olympian god who aids Melinoë. The God of Light, his boons often inflict the 'Daze' status effect on enemies.
• Nemesis: Rival
  The daughter of Nyx and an agent of retribution. She serves as a friendly rival to Melinoë at The Crossroads.

• Jun Aslan: Playable Protagonist
  A former salvager turned Traveler who leads humanity's fight against the god-like Celestials.
• C.C. Orlev: Elite Companion
  Jun's advisor and squadmate, voiced by Matthew McConaughey. A veteran who provides strategic guidance.
• The Mara Yama: Antagonists
  Twisted, sadistic predators who feed on fear and hunt the human survivors of the cluster.

• Underworld Run
  The primary gameplay loop where players fight through the four regions of the Underworld (Erebus, Oceanus, Fields of Mourning, Tartarus) in a procedurally generated sequence to confront Chronos.
• Surface Run
  An alternate gameplay loop where players ascend to Mount Olympus through three regions (City of Ephyra, Rift of Thessaly, Summit) to break Chronos' siege and defeat the final boss, Typhon.
• Incantations
  A core meta-progression system where players gather specific resources from their runs to cast spells at The Crossroads, permanently unlocking new features, characters, and story events.

• Celestial Heists: Main Quest
  Infiltrate god-like structures to secure Remnants and bridge the technology gap for humanity.
• Generation Quests: Narrative Sandbox
  Resolve conflicts created by your previous actions decades prior due to the effects of time dilation.

The game is available as a single standard edition for $49.99. A physical retail version for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 is scheduled for release on November 20, 2025. Owners of the original Switch version get a free upgrade to the Switch 2 version.

Archetype Entertainment envisions an 'expanding universe' with tie-in novels by Peter F. Hamilton ('The Helium Sea'), TTRPG handbooks, and animated series episodes. Future story expansions are expected to explore different eras of the Centauri Cluster.

• Q: What is Hades II?
  A: Hades II is the first direct sequel from Supergiant Games. It is a roguelike action RPG where you play as Melinoë, the Princess of the Underworld, fighting to defeat the Titan of Time, Chronos.
• Q: How is it different from the first Hades?
  A: It's a much larger game with two separate paths to explore (the Underworld and the Surface). The combat is more tactical, introducing a 'Magick' resource and powerful 'Omega Moves'. It also has deeper meta-progression with new systems like Arcana Cards and Animal Familiars.
• Q: Do I need to play the first Hades to understand the story?
  A: No, the game features a standalone story, but players of the first game will recognize returning characters and appreciate the continuation of the narrative.
• Q: Is there a multiplayer mode?
  A: No, Hades II is a strictly single-player experience, with no plans for multiplayer integration.

• Q: What is EXODUS?
  A: EXODUS is a new AAA sci-fi action RPG from former BioWare developers that centers on interstellar travel and the scientific concept of time dilation.
• Q: Who is the lead actor in EXODUS?
  A: Matthew McConaughey portrays the key character C.C. Orlev in his video game debut.
• Q: How does Time Dilation work in gameplay?
  A: When you travel through space at relativistic speeds, time passes faster at home. A mission lasting days for you can span decades for your loved ones, causing the world to change significantly when you return.

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. These specifications are for the full 1.0 version of the game. Due to its stylized 2D art, the game is highly optimized and accessible on a wide range of hardware.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will be excellent on most modern hardware. Even laptops with capable integrated graphics can run the game well, though a dedicated GPU is recommended for the best experience.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature for this game, but beneficial for reducing latency.
• Game Name: Hades II

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. Official hardware specifications are TBA for the early 2027 launch window. The game utilizes advanced features of Unreal Engine 5 including Nanite and Lumen.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will be heavily dependent on GPU TGP and high-speed NVMe storage to handle seamless interstellar transitions. **Modern high-end laptop GPUs (NVIDIA RTX 4070 Mobile / RTX 5070 Mobile and above) will likely be required for optimal performance at high settings.**
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP is essential to handle the high-fidelity Celestial environments and complex character models.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The heavy use of AI for reactive encounters and UE5's advanced lighting will require top-tier thermal management.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A modern multi-core mobile CPU is critical for managing the 'narrative sandbox' and large-scale planetary exploration.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Recommended for the best performance in fast-paced third-person combat.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS (including Frame Generation) and AMD FSR. Essential for maintaining high frame rates at relativistic speeds.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Nanite Geometry, Lumen Lighting, and AI-driven NPC density are the primary performance drivers.
• Game Name: EXODUS

• Upscaling Tech: Supports NVIDIA DLSS (including Frame Generation) and AMD FSR. Essential for maintaining high frame rates at relativistic speeds.
• Key Settings Impact: Nanite Geometry, Lumen Lighting, and AI-driven NPC density are the primary performance drivers.

• G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature for this game, but beneficial for reducing latency.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP is essential to handle the high-fidelity Celestial environments and complex character models.
• Cooling Thermals: The heavy use of AI for reactive encounters and UE5's advanced lighting will require top-tier thermal management.
• C P U Power Limits: A modern multi-core mobile CPU is critical for managing the 'narrative sandbox' and large-scale planetary exploration.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Recommended for the best performance in fast-paced third-person combat.