Alex’s most anticipated game of 2024 – Hades II

2023 was an absolute whirlwind. Part of me is actually glad that 2024 seems a bit quieter, so I can catch up a bit of my backlog before 2025 is swallowed up by a return to Vice City. But even if 2024 can’t match the year we just had, there are a number of stunners lined up.

One game in particular stands out for me, and that’s Hades II. There, I said it. There’s no turning back, Supergiant’s return to the underworld full of new battles, interesting characters and new builds to try out is pretty easily my most anticipated game of 2024. It honestly would have been my most anticipated game of the year it came out. Supergiant Games struck gold, oil and everything in between with the first Hades in 2020, and so it’s hard not to get hyped for the sequel.

That’s even with the sequel launching in early access. As if we will not get the full game in all of 2024, we will have to wait a little longer to see the final product. It’s worth remembering that this is exactly how it went with Hades. However, I hope Supergiant understands that expectations are a little different for Hades II, and that they will put a little more into the early access release this year.

Even if we don’t get our hands on the full game, it’s hard not to look at Hades II and not get a little hyped. The first game is the genre-defining roguelike, the game that many others want to be and still get solid reviews even if they are nowhere near those heights. Nothing inspires another run like Hades, where you not only get flashy visuals and spirited, fast-paced combat as you try to escape from the underworld, but you also slowly unravel the story of Zagreus and each of the other major characters in the game.
Many other roguelikes do this, but Hades’ writing and voice performances make you push through each realm of the underworld so you can give your favorite god that extra bit of ambrosia, or hope to unlock a new conversation with Megaera and Thanatos to learn more about them and your shared past.

Hades II is one of the few games where if it just gave us more of the same experience as the first title, it would definitely be one of the best of 2024. I’m already in love with the flipped design this time around, how we have to break into Hades instead of breaking out of it, and that we seemingly have a stronger core story this time around. There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding this game, with Supergiant playing their cards close to their chest, and I can’t wait to discover every secret that lies in Hades II.

It’s a little easy to pick a sequel as my most anticipated game of 2024, but that’s honestly what creates the most excitement for me. It’s hard to fall head over heels for an experience you can’t quite imagine. While with Hades II I’m pretty sure I know what I’m doing right, and I couldn’t be happier with the idea of another roguelike made by the people who made the best in the genre. Sprinkle in some music by Darren Korb – which, by the way, is always a hit if you haven’t played Supergiant’s other games – and you have an almost guaranteed formula for success.

There are several other titles I’m looking forward to next year. Space Marine II is going to scratch that bloody Warhammer itch I always have, and I also have a morbid curiosity about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. But other than that, things are looking a little quieter for me this year. I’m hoping for some big surprises to prove me wrong.