While Hades II has been out in Early Access for about a year now, we still don’t know when it’ll be finished and fully launched. Perhaps you’re holding out until the game is complete, or you’re a console player beholden to the whims of publishing agreements and don’t know when you’ll be able to play it. No matter what, we’re all in the same boat: waiting to get our hands on the complete version of Hades II.
You’ve no doubt played Hades at this point. It’s developer Supergiant Games’ most lauded game, and for good reason: it freaking rules. While waiting for its sequel, you can of course revisit the OG, but why not spend some time with one of Supergiant’s other great games? After all, Hades wasn’t their first game to receive critical acclaim, and–dare I say–it might not even be the studio’s best.
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Bastion
Venture Through a Broken World
In some ways, Bastion set down a foundation Hades and Hades II would build upon. It’s an isometric action game with various weapons for you to use in delivering serious damage to enemies. It’s fun and fast-paced, but never quite as challenging as Hades, making Bastion a nice entryway into the world of action RPGs.
You’ll be dodge-rolling through several beautiful environments that showcase some of Supergiant’s best and most colorful artwork.
The storytelling is really what makes Bastion standout. You play as The Kid in the aftermath of the cataclysmic event known, fittingly, as The Calamity. You’ll traverse the shattered pieces of the world as you learn its secrets while trying to find, and save, other survivors.
Narration is key to Bastion’s story. Most of the plot is told while you’re playing; longtime Supergiant collaborator Logan Cunningham’s captivating and almost sultry voice weaves a wonderful tale while you’re playing, so you’re always engaging with both the gameplay and the excellent story.
Transistor
Cyberpunk Tear-jerker
Supergiant’s second game, while its shortest, might be the studio’s best. Set in a cyberpunk sci-fi world, it’s something of a love story, following Red as she fights through a growing robotic threat and pieces together a mystery. Red’s voice is stolen, but that doesn’t make her any less engaging as a character; she’s one of Supergiant’s most memorable protagonists. By the end of Transistor, you’ll be fighting back tears.
Transistor switches things up with its gameplay, opting for a system that blends real-time movement and turn-based strategy. “We were seeing if we could capture the kind of drama and suspense of turn-based strategy games where you’re biting your nails, wondering if things will go horribly wrong. We wanted to see if we could capture it in an action/RPG setting,” creative director Greg Kasavin told Game Informer about its development in 2021.
And capture that feeling the developer did–Transistor has some of the most nail-biting bouts from the developer’s pre-Hades work.
Perhaps the best element of Transistor is its score. Supergiant’s games are known for incredible music, and Transistor’s music might be composer Darren Korb’s best work. He blends electric guitars with instruments like harps and accordions to create a sound he called “Old-world Electronic Post-rock,” in a PlayStation Blog post. It beautifully complements the cyberpunk setting and art. Ashley Barret, as she did for Bastion, provides vocals on some tracks, including “The Spine” and “In Circles,” which might be two of the soundtrack’s best songs.
Pyre
Freedom, Through Sport
From a gameplay perspective, Pyre is Supergiant’s most unique game compared to the rest of its catalog. It doesn’t focus on combat or weapons. Instead, Pyre is something of a sports title. You control a team of three characters, each with unique abilities, with the goal of launching an orb at the opposing team’s pyre in a game that’s almost like handball or soccer. You only control the character who holds the orb, keeping you on your toes and forcing you to strategize.
Pyre’s story is unique and a real draw. You play as a group of exiles trying to earn their freedom (through sport, of course). Though not a roguelite like Hades, the structure of Pyre is cyclical and begs to be played again and again, both from a storytelling perspective and because the gameplay is just that fun. Its art style is a bit of a blend of Supergiant’s previous two games, with the colorful palette of Bastion mixed with the clean, somewhat shiny art of Transistor. And, as you would expect from a Supergiant game, its score absolutely slaps.
With Supergiant’s Past Games, The Wait for Hades II Will Fly By
Source: Supergiant Games
I know–just like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Grand Theft Auto VI, nothing can quite make the wait for Hades II’s full launch bearable, especially if you’re waiting until the game is complete to finally check it out. If you’ve done all you can in the original Hades, do yourself a favor and fill the Hades-shaped hole in you with Supergiant’s other titles. From Bastion’s storytelling to Transistor’s score to Pyre’s exciting sport, you won’t be disappointed.
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