Greek mythology has had a prominent place in the gaming landscape for quite some time now, with titles likeGod of War,Assassin’s Creed Odyssey,Smite, and of course,Hadesall directly adapting characters, stories, and themes from the mythology. Thanks to these games, and Greek mythology’s prominence in movies and TV shows and bookslikePercy Jackson, characters like Zeus, Poseidon, and Ares are all household names. However, Greek mythology doesn’t stop at the Olympians, andHades 2could introduce a whole slew of gamers to some of the mythology’s lesser-known gods and goddesses.
In the firstHades, the Greek gods of Olympus played a fairly major role in the story, all helping Zagreus escape the underworld with their helpful Boons that granted him extra abilities and stat boosts.Hades 2looks like it’ll follow a similar formula, this time putting players in the mystical boots of Melinoe, Zagreus half-sister, who’s attempting tostop Chronos from reaching Mount Olympus. This givesHades 2the perfect opportunity to shine a light on some more unknown mythological figures.
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Hades 2 Should Give the Spotlight to Some Lesser-Known Greek Gods
Zeus and the rest of his Olympian cohort are seen constantly throughout pop-culture, especially within the gaming landscape. Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of Greek mythology has a general understanding of Zeus, Poseidon, Ares, Hades, Aphrodite, Athena, and Hermes, and all of their general abilities. These character archetypes are seen time and time again throughout pop-culture, with most portrayals of these characters being largely the same. Even if their personalities don’t align, the general appearance of these characters and their powers are often the same across pop-culture. Zeus is instantly recognizable with his white toga and long white beard, no matter whether he’s inGod of WarorHercules.
The Olympians have already had more than enough time in the spotlight, and that’s certainly true for theHadesseries. The entire Olympian ensemble can be found frequently throughoutthe firstHades, with each bestowing their gifts upon Zagreus to help him escape his father’s clutches. Even some of the lesser-known Olympians like Dionysus and Demeter made frequent appearances inHades, with some of their abilities being just as worthwhile as the likes of Zeus and Ares.
Hades 2has the perfect opportunity to really dive into some of Greek mythology’s lesser-known characters, and by the look of the first trailer, it seems as though it’s already doing that.Hades 2’s central protagonist Melinoeis a very obscure character in Greek mythology, with barely any literature written about her role in the pantheon. Similarly, while her mentor Hecate is mentioned a lot more in the mythology, she doesn’t often appear in pop-culture. Other figures like Moros, the personification of impending doom, and Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, have also been teased.
Hades 2has already made a great start in showing off some lesser-known gods and goddesses, and it just needs to continue down this path for the final product. It would be great to see more unknown gods come to the forefront, such as Aether, the god of light, Celaeno, “the dark one,” Iris, the god of the rainbow, Mnemosyne, goddess of memories, and Morpheus, the god of dreams. All of these gods could provide Melinoe aid in her fight against Chronos, just as the Olympians did for Zagreus, granting her new abilities based on their powers. Including these lesser-known gods and goddesses is an excellent way forHades 2to stand out from the crowd even more than it already will, stepping out of the large shadow being cast by its predecessor.
