It's a good thing Supergiant's had good game feel, good art, good music, and good writing across four different games, because otherwise I would not fucking bother with this at all.
I played enough to beat the first zone's boss five times, like the pop-up says is the intended limit of the technical test. It's alright, maybe a little easy if you're really good at Hades (I consider myself Okay at Hades, and once I got through 2/3rds of the upgrade deck I won three times in a row). The new gods/goddesses are cool - Jen Zee and crew's art is as amazing as ever - but I feel like Zeus's art in particular is a bit of a downgrade. I hate the Banshee enemy that just projects a damage zone in front of itself and chases you; I imagine it's meant to force you to learn how to sprint and use your rooting cast ability. I'm also iffy on the charge attack mana bar mechanic because so much else relies on you using it.
Otherwise, I mean, it sure is more Hades. There are more Boons, more abilities, more resources, more unlockables, more characters, more biomes, more bosses, whatever. It's Hades II; it's exactly what it professes to be. I think the first game sold more than the rest of their catalog combined. People love that shit. And that's like, fine, you know. It's... safe.
I cannot begrudge that in these times. But I do find it creatively unfulfilling after each other Supergiant game to date was a fascinating new world, building mechanically and thematically upon the last. Perhaps they were always just seeking their own Don't Starve type release that could sustain the studio indefinitely. Who can say.
I'll still probably play it when it comes out, but I'm liable to grumble while I do.
