I had about twenty minutes with the game, surrounded by fans eager to get their own run in, and the energy in the booth was contagious. The full release is coming to Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, and PC, so while I played it on Switch 2 hardware, the real focus was on how the sequel feels in action. During my session, I fought through encounters, tried out new systems, and got a sense of how this follow-up expands the formula that made the first Hades a hit.
Hades II Hands-On Impressions from Fan Expo Canada 2025
The moment I started my demo of Hades II, I went straight for the basics to see how it felt. I threw out a few light attacks, held down for a charged strike, and followed up with a heavy swing. The controls clicked right away. Dodging was quick, and once I realized I could hold the dodge to break into a sprint, I started weaving in and out of fights with ease.
Casting was where things got interesting. I tried the bubble trap, which froze enemies in place, then timed an explosion to take out the group. It instantly changed how I approached encounters. I found myself baiting enemies closer, trapping them, and detonating for a clean finish. It felt satisfying every single time.
The mana bar kept me honest. I pushed out bursts of magic when I could, but I quickly learned not to blow it all at once. Running empty in the middle of a fight left me scrambling, so I had to balance attacks and casting carefully. Boons kept runs unpredictable. I picked up freeze, scorch, and snare, and stacking them together turned fights into complete chaos. Watching enemies burn, freeze, and lock down all at once was wild.
I also leaned on the environment whenever I could. Knocking enemies into trees or hazards ended fights fast, and I started looking for ways to set that up in every room. When my run ended, I ended up back at the Crossroads hub. There, I spent ash on upgrades like faster movement and post-room healing. Even in a short demo, it gave me a taste of how progression will keep each run rewarding.
Hades II Already Feels Like a Strong Sequel
Walking away from the demo at Fan Expo Canada 2025, I couldn’t stop thinking about how much Hades II had shown me in just one session. Combat was sharp and responsive, and the new systems like mana, casting traps, and ash upgrades gave each run a different rhythm than the original. I liked how these mechanics pushed me to balance resources without slowing down the flow of fights.
What stood out most was the variety packed into each encounter. Between stacking elemental boons, using the environment to my advantage, and sprinting through chaotic battles, no two rooms ever played the same. Even in a short demo, the unpredictability and energy of each run kept me locked in, and it left me eager to see what more is waiting in the full release.
Hades II is still in early access on PC, with Supergiant Games continuing to refine and expand it ahead of launch. It’s set to release on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Mac, and PC, and based on my hands-on, it already feels like a strong sequel.
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