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Supergiant Games has released the Patch 1 preview for Hades II, a work-in-progress update that expands the True Ending route, introduces a Cauldron incantation to return to earlier story points, accelerates the unfolding of several character-linked prophecies, and implements the Crossroads Renewal project including reduced decorative costs. The preview also contains a number of balance adjustments to boons, Daedalus upgrades, keepsakes, and the Well of Charon, plus numerous improvements to level design, visual effects, voice lines, and music that refine the narrative and presentation around the True Ending.
The preview build includes many bug fixes and quality improvements across combat, encounters, and UI, and it adjusts pacing for story epilogues and special encounters. Players are advised to back up save files before opting into the preview branch, and to expect that the preview may change before the full patch release; Supergiant has not provided a target date for the full patch.
Full Patch Notes
How to play the Patch 1 preview
- Back up save files:
- Windows: %USERPROFILE%\Saved Games\Hades II\
- macOS: %USERPROFILE%\Library\Application Support\Supergiant Games\Hades II\
- To unlock preview on Steam: right-click Hades II in library > Properties > Betas > select [preview]. The game will update and show Hades II [preview] in the library.
- Note: Preview is work-in-progress and subject to change; some translations remain in progress.
High-level additions
- True Ending enhancements: added new events before and after the True Ending, increased required Underworld clears, and revised segments of major True Ending scenes. Most True Ending changes affect the Underworld route; Surface route mostly unchanged.
- Returning to an earlier point: new Cauldron incantation allows returning to an earlier story point to re-experience key events such as the True Ending.
- Fated Prophecy adjustments: several character-related prophecies, including the epilogue-linked prophecy, should now unfold faster.
- Crossroads Renewal: many decorative items have reduced Kudos costs; excess Kudos already spent will be refunded.
Boons and Blessings
- Witch’s Staff (Circe) Smolder Ring (Hestia) now also applies Scorch from the bonus Cast when Casts overlap.
- Anvil Ring (Hephaestus): increased damage for Common rarity.
- Controlled Burn (Hestia): increased bonus from Poms of Power.
- Ares: increased Plasma pickup range.
- Sword Ring (Ares): increased damage.
- Carnal Pleasure (Ares x Aphrodite): increased effectiveness.
- Success Rate (Hermes): now also affects Nurture of Hera (Selene x Hera).
- Shadow Pounce (Artemis): increased effectiveness.
- Gigaros Dash (Hades): no longer staggers foes when it deals direct damage.
- Life Tax (Hades): increased effectiveness; restorative effect no longer reduced by Vow of Scars (Oath).
- Last Gasp (Hades): increased effectiveness.
- Howling Soul (Hades): improved aiming of the projectile.
- Fight Fight Fight (Echo): increased effectiveness.
- Various other minor fixes and adjustments to boons.
Daedalus Hammer Upgrades
- Elephant Rockets (Coat – Shiva): increased damage.
- Chakra Collider (Coat – Shiva): increased damage.
Keepsakes
- Jeweled Pom (Hades & Persephone): fixed so you no longer keep the bonus Hades blessing if not at the Fates’ Whim; fixed issue causing it to never grant Last Gasp (Hades).
Well of Charon
- Yarn of Ariadne: now also raises chance of finding Duo Boons (as in the original game).
- Mist Veil: now restores Magick lost for any reason (not just from using Omega Moves).
Foes and Dangers
- Unrivaled Prometheus: adjusted hitboxes of certain Heracles attacks in this encounter.
- Headmistress Hecate: slightly reduced hitbox of flame attacks to better match visuals.
- Phantom (Fields): reduced effectiveness of Life-drain effect and removed this effect from some attacks.
Special Encounters
- Added preview icon for location exits leading to an Infernal Contract (after the True Ending).
- Nemesis no longer can appear more than once a night while progressing through the Underworld.
- Circe appears slightly more often.
Level Design and Environments
- Various minor fixes and improvements to multiple locations.
Crossroads Renewal Project
- Added Primordial Chaos theme to the Music Maker.
Crossroads Cauldron
- Disintegration of Monstrosity: no longer required to cast as soon as you can afford it.
- Greatest Gift of Gaia: reduced requirements for this to be revealed.
Fated List of Minor Prophecies
- Melinoë, Help Us: increased priority of key events so this prophecy can be fulfilled faster.
- Silk and Spitefulness: increased priority of key events to be fulfilled faster.
- Voice and Vanity: increased priority of key events to be fulfilled faster.
- Born to Win: now revealed sooner and more reliably.
- Natural Talent: fixed issue preventing appearance in some cases.
- Denier of Suitors: reduced requirements to fulfill this prophecy.
Art and Visual FX
- Added artwork to some True Ending scenes before the credits.
- Added animations for certain characters in some True Ending scenes.
- Added portrait variant for Hecate.
- Added blinking animation to Melinoë’s hesitant portrait.
- Added death animation for the Yargonaut.
- Updated animations for opening and closing certain menus for smoother transitions.
- Numerous other minor visual fixes and improvements.
Voice and Narrative
- Added new events with Chronos, Zagreus, Hecate, and Hades on the path to the True Ending.
- Added new events with Chronos, Zagreus, Hecate, Schelemeus, Hades, and Persephone after the True Ending.
- Added more contextual voice lines for Melinoë and Hecate in specific situations.
- Adjusted several events after the True Ending to align with other changes.
- Scylla now reveals Bewitching Eyes sooner.
- Icarus can be persuaded to return to the Crossroads sooner.
- Other minor narrative fixes and improvements.
Music and SFX
- Artemis’ singing in the Crossroads no longer cuts off abruptly at a certain distance.
- Updated sound effects for Cinerary Circle (Hades).
- Fixed some Keepsake equip sounds playing late.
- Other minor audio fixes and improvements.
Settings
- Danger Pulse: new toggle to turn off persistent flashing at critical Life levels.
- FPS Limit: new option to limit maximum frames per second while VSync is off.
Miscellaneous Improvements
- Improved compatibility with macOS Tahoe security permissions.
- Inventory details for Gigaros and Entropy appear sooner.
- Updated inventory hints for several resources.
- Added feedback when Keepsakes from Athena and Selene cannot be used in certain situations.
Bug Fixes (selected highlights)
- Fixed Argent Skull (Hel) not firing reliably while Melinoë is backed against a wall.
- Fixed Argent Skull (Medea) text erroneously stating passive bonus applied to Omega Special.
- Fixed cases where rewards could be claimed while under Time Piece (Chronos) effect.
- Fixed Calling Card (Zagreus) unexpectedly refreshing all uses for the night after ranking up.
- Fixed Back Burner (Apollo) not applying its bonus with certain moves.
- Fixed Steady Growth (Demeter) resetting its countdown after being Rarified.
- Fixed Rapture Ring (Aphrodite) dragging foes after they are slain.
- Fixed Seismic Servo (Hephaestus x Poseidon) not always working as expected on Hephaestus boons.
- Fixed cases where Unseen Ire (Hades) could be gained twice unexpectedly.
- Fixed Corrosion on Sight (Medea) not affecting Lubbers.
- Fixed Numbness (Path of Stars) not applying properly.
- Fixed Mirrored Thrasher (Daedalus – Staff) disabling your Attacks in certain cases.
- Fixed interaction between Inverted Blaze and Dividing Blaze (Daedalus – Flames).
- Fixed high-cost Hermes boons in shops not always having improved rarity.
- Fixed Charybdis projectiles not splitting after striking certain obstacles.
- Fixed Jetty getting stuck while resurfacing in some cases.
- Fixed several cases where Melinoë could end up out of bounds.
- Fixed Raki occasionally pecking already-defeated Guardians.
- Fixed a persistent slowdown effect after Gale blocks an attack.
- Fixed visual issues with Demeter’s Freeze interacting with other VFX.
- Fixed visual issues with Infernal Troves.
- Fixed incorrect text on the Victory Screen.
- Fixed incorrect Gold preview when Nemesis offers Quick Buck (Hermes).
- Fixed Past Deeds screen not showing the foe that ended your night in some cases.
- Fixed Odysseus and Dora appearing too close together in the taverna.
- Fixed visual effects persisting during Melinoë’s Return to Shadow escapes.
- Fixed text formatting not resetting after resetting the Oath of the Unseen.
- Fixed Play Screen showing location as The Crossroads despite just having left for the night.
- Fixed other minor and miscellaneous issues.
Hades II is a roguelike action role-playing game developed by Supergiant Games, in which players control Melinoë, Princess of the Underworld, as she ventures beyond the Underworld to confront Chronos. The full 1.0 version was released on September 25, 2025, for PC (Windows/macOS), Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.
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