The Critic Who Hates Everything Finds Something to Love
There are few voices in game criticism as notoriously hard to please as Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw. For nearly two decades, his fast-talking, acerbic reviews have been a staple of the gaming world. So, when he turns his attention to a game as beloved as ‘Hades II’, everyone listens. In his latest review on his new show, ‘Fully Ramblomatic’, Yahtzee went into Supergiant’s latest creation with his signature skepticism, initially worried it was just more of the same. But what he found was a game so packed with content and so cleverly designed that it left him floored, calling it a “fucking flex” of game development.
His review reveals that ‘Hades II’ isn’t just a worthy sequel; it’s a game that redefines what a sequel can be by hiding an entire second game within its structure.
More of the Same, or So It Seemed
Yahtzee’s initial impression of ‘Hades II’ was one of cautious disappointment. The first game was a masterpiece of subverting expectations, turning the lord of the underworld from a stock villain into a “gruff but caring grumpy dad.” The sequel, on the other hand, seemed to be playing it straight. You play as Melinoë, Zagreus’s sister, and instead of ascending *out* of the underworld, you descend *into* it to fight the Titan of Time, Chronos-a straightforward, “stock evil revenge-seeking bad guy.”
This reversal felt less like a clever subversion and more like a simple inversion. For the first several hours, Yahtzee felt he was playing a beautiful, well-made, but fundamentally familiar game. It was ‘Hades’, but with a new protagonist and a different direction of travel. He was ready to write it off as a great, but not groundbreaking, follow-up. And then he found a door.
The Twist That Changes Everything
About six hours into the game, a previously locked door in the hub area finally opens. But this door doesn’t lead to another part of the underworld. It leads up. What Yahtzee discovered on the other side completely changed his view of the game. This door leads to a second, entirely separate path: an ascent up Mount Olympus to fight Chronos’s forces there. In his words, it was like discovering “an entire fucking second Hades game bolted onto the side of this one.”
This isn’t just a side mode or an alternate level. The Olympus path features its own unique environments, new characters, different bosses, and a separate storyline. It is, for all intents and purposes, a second, parallel campaign. This revelation turned his initial skepticism into awe. It wasn’t just ‘more Hades’; it was a monumental expansion of the first game’s ideas, delivered as a mid-game surprise.
A Cure for Boredom and a Funny Plot Hole
This dual-path structure, according to Yahtzee, is what makes ‘Hades II’ a game he could “officially never get bored of.” If you get stuck or frustrated on the main path down to Chronos, you can simply switch gears and try a few runs on the more difficult Olympus path for a change of pace. This provides incredible variety and ensures the gameplay loop never feels stale.
He also humorously pointed out a new plot hole this system creates. In the first game, Zagreus’s entire motivation was driven by the fact he couldn’t survive on the surface. Yet in ‘Hades II’, his sister Melinoë can, simply by crafting a special potion. Yahtzee joked that Zagreus was just “one bowl of minestrone away from resolution” the whole time.
FAQs
1. What is ‘Fully Ramblomatic’?
‘Fully Ramblomatic’ is the new name for the iconic video game review series by Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw, formerly known as ‘Zero Punctuation’.
2. What was Yahtzee’s main takeaway from ‘Hades II’?
His biggest praise was for the game’s secret dual-path structure, which effectively provides two full campaigns (descending into the Underworld and ascending Mount Olympus), making the game massive and endlessly replayable.
3. Did Yahtzee like ‘Hades II’ more than the first game?
While he didn’t make a direct comparison, his awe at the sheer size and smart design of the sequel suggests he considers it a monumental achievement and a brilliant evolution of the original’s formula.
4. What were his initial concerns about the game?
He was initially worried that the game’s premise was just a simple reversal of ‘Hades I’ and that it would feel too similar, lacking the subversive cleverness of the original.
5. Did he have any criticisms of ‘Hades II’?
His main frustration came from the high difficulty of the Olympus path, which he found himself stuck on after mastering the main Chronos route. He also specifically expressed his frustration with the character Prometheus in a jokingly profane way.
6. What was Yahtzee’s final verdict?
His verdict was overwhelmingly positive. He declared ‘Hades II’ a game he would “officially never get bored of” and praised its design for never making him resent its difficulty, unlike some other games he has reviewed.
Conclusion
In the end, Yahtzee Croshaw’s review of ‘Hades II’ is one of the highest compliments a game can receive. He was not just impressed; he was genuinely surprised and delighted. The discovery of a second, hidden game within the main one showcased a level of ambition and generosity from Supergiant Games that is rare in the industry. It proves that ‘Hades II’ is not just a sequel that rests on the laurels of its predecessor. It’s a bigger, smarter, and more surprising experience that has managed to win over even the most cynical critic in gaming. It’s not just a great sequel; it’s a new standard.