One of the biggest changes between the firstHadesgame andHades 2is obviously the change in the protagonist. In the first game, you took control of Zagreus while he tried to ascend Tartarus to both escape his father (Hades) and find his mother (Persephone).
InHades 2, you play Melinoe as she descends into Tartarus to take back the House of Hades and rescue her family (Zagreus and Persephone included). Melinoe is not the same type of fighter that Zagreus is, she’s a literal witch. For example, Melinoe has access to a whole new attack system called Omega Moves. Let’s take a deeper look at this mechanic so that you can understand exactly how Omega Moves work.
Hades 2 Weapon Spoilers below:Don’t look at the images/video if you want to fully discover the Nocturnal Arms for yourself.
What An Omega Attack, Omega Cast, Or Omega Special Is
Video above courtesy ofFoolJuice on Twitch.
To put it simply, the term ‘Omega’ here is just a bit of flowery language, they’re just charge attacks. If you hold the input down for your Attack, Special, or Cast, a bar fills above Melinoe’s head with the Magick cost underneath it, and when it’s full you can let go of the button to unleash the Omega Move.
The Magick costs, by default, of all three Omega Moves are different,and certain Boonsor Daedalus Hammers can augment the Magick cost even more. Regardless, this new system not only builds upon the charge attacks of the first game such as the Bull Rush Zagreus could use with the Aegis Shield, but it also makes you learn the new Magick system and how best to manage your mana.
Explanation of Each Omega Variant
How They Work & How They Differ From Weapon To Weapon
Now, let’s take a deeper look at what the Omega Moves actually do. As it turns out, the only one of the three Omega moves that is the same regardless of which of the Nocturnal Arms you use is the Omega Cast. Regardless of the weapon or the Aspect, the Omega Cast still puts down a large arcane circle that, after a short duration, explodes and deals damage to any enemies trapped inside its area of effect.
Now of course there are some Daedalus Hammer options or even Boon options that modify how the Cast works, but in general, you can assume it’ll work the same on any loadout. For the other two attacks, however, here’s how they differ from weapon to weapon
The Argent Skull, Revaal
Omega Attack
Melinoe sounds out 2 waves of Magick both in front and behind her.
Melinoe locks onto a nearby enemy and dashes (and attacks) behind them when the input is released
While holding the Attack input, Melinoe slowly builds up to firing larger and larger ghosts, with each one casting 5 Mana to cost once it starts
Melinoe starts spinning with the Axe outstretched, with the duration depending on the charge time.
Melinoe picks a spot, and then one of the three ‘Shells’ rises up into the air and crashes down like a comet on said spot.
Melinoe casts a large ball of Magick energy forward.
Melinoe throws a flurry of daggers in a fan-like spread.
Melinoe summons two spectral flames to circle around her for a duration.
Melinoe spins the Axe in front of her for a short duration, blocking anything (in front) that hits the spinning axe before slamming the axe down to create 3 giant shockwaves moving forward.
Melinoe charges up the energy in the Skull before launching forward with said Skull to the end of her chosen location, releasing energy waves on either side of her while moving.
Obviously, these descriptions differ depending on certain Boon or Hammer choices, but for the most part, this is the default function of each Omega Attack and Omega Special. It is worth noting that, in general, Omega Attacks use between 10-20 Magick (with the Torch being an outlier) and the Omega Specials vary a bit more as they use between 10-25 Magick.
Overall, Omega Moves is a new system that is built upon the foundation ofHades 1’sCharge Attacks, and these make effective use of Melinoe’s new Magick Meter. While it may take a bit of getting used to at first, you’ll quickly find that these Omega Moves simply add more depth to an already pretty deep combat system. Plus, the Omega moves do a lot to make Melinoe really feel like a different character both mechanically and thematically.
