Winner: Hades II
Writeup by Zek Lu
Hades II had to follow one of the most celebrated roguelites ever made, and yet here we are. Playing it for the first time in its full release, I quickly realized I couldn’t put it down. Its gameplay and personality come together in ways few games of this kind ever manage. I’ve never been particularly interested in roguelites, usually treating them as a side activity in larger games, but Hades II made me a believer. Even on the very first run, it’s immediately clear that this is just fun to play.
Boss encounters combine pattern recognition, timing, and improvisation, all while keeping the story alive with fresh and witty dialogue, and this persists even after dozens of runs. From its exquisite hand-painted visuals to Darren Korb’s electrifying soundtrack, from its finely tuned combat to the carefully layered story of Melinoë, this is action RPG design at its peak. Supergiant Games has stuck the landing once again.
Runner-Up: Kingdom Come Deliverance II
Writeup by Abraham Kobylanski
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II fulfills Warhorse Studios’ lofty ambitions introduced in the original title. Henry of Skalitz is sent on a lively, entertaining adventure in medieval Bohemia with an endlessly twisting story of political intrigue (and debauchery), including a beautiful budding bromance with his liege, Hans Capon. Most importantly, tweaks to the original’s unique combat make it actually fun while maintaining its realistic edge. The crafting minigames, where you hammer out your own weapons and brew potions at an alchemy table, are a nice addition that could be developed into full games. Survival in the 1400s is surely more enjoyable in KCD2’s robust world than it would have been in reality, and it’s everything you want in a sequel.
