I just got back from walking my doom hound to find some very exciting news waiting for me in my inbox: there’s a technical test coming soon for Hades II.
This technical test is the next step for the game as Supergiant prepares to launch the action-roguelite sequel into Early Access. You can register your interest in participating, as I have just done, over on the game’s official Steam page. Please note, however, that only “a relatively small subset of players who express interest” will be able to participate.
The plan is to roll it out in waves, so if you don’t make the first round of invites, don’t despair. After the technical test is complete, the Early Access version will launch “relatively soon after.”
The developers expect the test to last “longer than a week, shorter than a month” and there’s still no official release date for the Early Access launch, but it’s getting tantalizingly close.
Will your save data pass on from technical test to Early Access? No chance, Dear Reader. The closed off nature of the test means it will stand alone.
There is a nice slice of content for people to play, however. Here’s how Supergiant described it:
The Technical Test contains the first major area of the game, and other early-game characters, systems, and content. (If you played the original game, imagine a version where you couldn’t get past Tartarus even if you vanquished its guardian.)
If you end up clearing the first major area a number of times, the game will gently suggest that you discontinue play, as Early Access shouldn’t be far behind!
Still with us? Of course you are! If you want to keep reading about great hand-picked rogues, the following articles represent a huge collection of the best roguelike games ever made.
Next, there are genre-specific lists that delve into the best roguelike games of all types. I’ve pulled out the best examples from each category, alongside the links to more in-depth articles!
The best turn-based roguelikes: Caves of Qud | There are some seriously incredible turn-based roguelikes out there. Of all the modern games, these are the closest to the original Rogue.
Awesome first-person rogues: Gunfire Reborn | We almost went with Blue Prince for this spot, but most people checking out first-person rogues probably want to wield a gun, you know?!
Cool roguelike deckbuilders: Balatro | Sorry, Slay the Spire fans, but this poker-solitaire deckbuilder has stolen Mike’s heart and won’t give it back.
Exciting roguelike platformers: Spelunky | Now, don’t get us wrong, Dead Cells is an incredible game, especially with all the DLC switched on. But when it comes to impact, you just can’t beat Spelunky.
Amazing action-roguelites: Hades 2 | And finally, let’s wrap things up with our favourite of them all. There’s no beating the original Hades, although Hades 2 comes pretty close!
