Hades 2 sneaks in one final early access patch before it hits 1.0

Just a few weeks ago, Supergiant Games rolled out its final Hades 2 update ahead of its 1.0 launch. But given just how revered its predecessor was, Hades 2 must strive for absolute perfection if it wants to outdo the original. So, Supergiant is squeezing in a final final patch for the game - but sadly there's still no word on when that 1.0 date will be.

Even in its various forms throughout early access, Hades 2 has been so engrossing that it found a place on our best rougelikes list. Despite not being the finished article, it's still a mesmerizing game that is absolutely worth playing right now. However, it's understandable that many will want the security of a 1.0 launch before parting ways with their hard earned dough. That moment really doesn't seem far away now. Patch 10, which dropped at the very start of July, was "likely" going to be Hades 2's last early access update, but just three weeks on, Supergiant is rolling out Patch 11.

It's not a monumental update that radically changes the game or adds in some unexpected new content, but it does deliver some welcome improvements and final balance changes before the 1.0 party kicks off.

Three weapons have been put under the microscope and tweaked. Umbral Flames now has increased projectile size and orbit speed, Moonstone Axe has had its damage increased for Attack sequences, and Black Coat's blocking will feel more responsive while channeling Omega Attack. Seven weapon Aspects have also been tweaked, but I'll spare the details as doing so may lead to spoilers if you're still early on in your Hades 2 journey.

Over 20 Boons and Blessings have been rebalanced or improved as well, affecting gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, and Icarus.

Toula, the Cat, one of Hades 2's Animal Familiars, has also had a bit of a rework. You'll now benefit from "improved bonuses from Familiar Bonds, and innate movement speed, pounce accuracy, and active time between naps; she is also less prone to getting stuck on obstacles."

As well as tuning loads of different enemies, the overall number of encounters you'll face in Mount Olympus and the Summit have been dialed down - while Hades 2 prides itself on being a challenging roguelike, it seems things were getting a little too tough in these late game areas. To further help players out, "several locations on Olympus now have more places to take cover against enemy fire."

That's just a small flavor of the dozens of changes Patch 11 just brought to the game. If you want to pore over every detail to ensure your favorite build is still going to perform, head to the full patch notes here.

This does now seem like the true, final update before the full, 1.0 Hades 2 release date. In a message at the top of the patch notes, Supergiant says that "as the Fates would have it, there is indeed this one more," which sounds to me like there won't be any more last minute surprises. Well, apart from actually revealing the 1.0 date - that would be a very pleasant surprise indeed. With Gamescom coming up, maybe we'll hear something there?

Until then, here are some more of our favorite single-player games that you can dive into right now. If you're wanting to take Hades 2 with you on the go, also be sure to check out our list of the best handheld gaming PCs.

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