I’m certain we’d all wish to wind again time to expertise Hades for the primary time. The hermetic gameplay paired completely with its sharp artwork model, charming voice solid, and rocking soundtrack by Supergiant’s resident composer Darren Korb. Simply once I’d thought I’d escaped the realm of Hades (with over 100 profitable runs, thoughts you!), they pull me again in with Hades II and level me again to not solely the depths of Tartarus, however to the height of Mount Olympus! I’ll keep away from additional spoilers, however be warned that monitor titles can spoil ideas and characters to the Greek mythology-savvy.
With double the sport content material, it’s applicable that Darren Korb’s Hades II soundtrack is almost twice the size of the primary recreation’s. Simply because the Hades-oriented route retraces some acquainted websites and faces, the primary quarter of Hades II’s soundtrack delivers a lot of the identical attribute instrumentation—shimmying shaker percussion, electrical guitar noodling, and lightweight orchestral thrives run by means of with a near-constant theremin melody. Tracks like opener “Dying to Chronos” and hub theme “The Crossroads” evoke the primary Hades’ title theme, “No Escape,” although rife with scratchier industrial parts extra befitting the brand new protagonist, the witch Melinoë.
It’s fascinating to listen to prolonged (seven- or eight-minute) area themes like “Fringe of Erebus” or the ticking-clock “Into Tartarus,” contemplating the in-game music restlessly shifts with each seconds-long encounter with various enemies, boon-granting gods, and supporting characters. When the soundtrack is given room to breathe other than the breathless sound design, it’s a completely totally different listening expertise. At occasions, I discovered lengthy tracks a tad repetitive (particularly parts already completely coated in Hades), however I used to be typically impressed by the advanced melodic layering I missed throughout gameplay.
I like the moments when Hades II’s music steps exterior of its consolation zone. The Oceanus area themes — “Track of the Sirens” and “Track of the Deep” — are uncharacteristically ambient and haunting, with tender, creeping vocals foreshadowing the area boss. The storm breaks with rock anthem “Coral Crown” or its embittered rematch monitor, “I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes Then Drown You to Dying).”
Equally, an early Olympus-route area monitor, “The Necropolis,” ensnared my consideration with its more and more unhinged flute solos courtesy of Josh Plotner, as did late-game tracks just like the pressing and imposing choirs of “Mom of All Storms” and the fiery brass of “Olympus Aflame,” each that includes VGM composer-superstar Austin Wintory. Notable, too, are the varied makes use of of ticking clocks on Chronos-related tracks, notably the urgency in “Visions of the Previous.”
Hades’ issue modifying Excessive Measures, used to beef up bosses with new movesets, returns within the type of Hades II’s Vow of Rivals, which additionally beefs up boss themes! “Rock and a Exhausting Place” and “The Finish of Time” stand out, with their double-pedal kick drums amping up their rock parts to steel ranges. Lastly, Hades II ramps up the variety of NPC characters with their very own chambers or who will intrude by yourself run. Tracks for these encounters are a breath of contemporary air and sometimes levity, creating robust impressions of the characters they signify.
“Lap of Luxurious” is a lounge-style muzak monitor, “Fading Fading” intertwines its tragic character’s destiny with its melody, the woodwinds on “Winged Apprentice” are youthful with a touch of foreshadowing melancholy, and “Reflection Affection” (you’ll be able to guess which mythological determine that belongs to) has a beautiful classical guitar efficiency by Pau Figueres.
Taking part in Hades II is a stressed, albeit nice barrage on the senses, and contemplating every run could be as quick as ten or fifteen minutes, the sonic throughlines in its music make sense. The theremin, say, will probably be there to information you thru the bursts of character themes and motion tracks which will final for just a few seconds. Pinning this wild beast of a soundtrack down into complete songs and a tracklist should have been an actual problem.
It is a uncommon case the place you must play by means of the sport’s upward and downward runs first and meet (and listen to) all you’ll be able to earlier than listening to the soundtrack by itself to raised respect its breadth. However, hey, who may ask for a greater prescription than enjoying Hades II?
Hades II Unique Soundtrack was first made accessible for digital buy as of Might 2024 with its early entry launch. The whole, four-hour OST was made accessible for buy and streaming in September 2025. Really useful tracks embody “The Titan of Time,” “The Necropolis,” and, in fact, “I Am Gonna Claw (Out Your Eyes Then Drown You to Dying).”
Dying to Chronos.
