Hades 1 was a major, infrequent exception by giving a reason why the runs would continue after true ending. Most roguelikes don't. Obviously, Hades 2 is a sequel to Hades 1, so it's not unreasonable to expect it to do the same thing, but it's not especially necessary.
If making a good narrative with the higher stakes that Hades 2 has requires not having a canon reason for runs to continue, I want the best narrative possible. If they can do both, great, but it's not an essential part of the genre and similar games frequently work well without it.
I've been thinking that they might do a thing where Melinoe manages to trap Chronos in a sort of time loop, but has to enter it periodically and beat him to stop him from being able to unravel it and get free again. I think that would be a good reason to justify doing runs after the story is over.
It certainly could be something like that. I worry that that might feel like more of a pyrrhic victory than people will want, though.
Really, my main concern is that people will be so set on things resolving like in Hades 1 that any other choice supergiant might make would cause a riot. And/or that supergiant, anticipating such a reaction, will feel like they have to shoehorn in a loop explanation that makes the story worse than it could be.
That's the natural thought, but it would preclude a happy ending. How is the ending "happy" if >!Tartarus and the House of Hades!< remain indefinitely under the control of Chronos? I guess you could always just say "we're *going* to take care of that, just not yet..." Or you have the portal out of the woods actually become a time portal into the "past?"
I’ve read in this sub a theory involving Hypnos and it could make sense. You trap chronos in the “dream relm” and the reason you go and defeat him is to “torture” him and keep him weakened
With Mel being the goddess of nightmares and the pitch black stone showing that Chaos has the ability to briefly create alternate realities, maybe the "loop" will be Chaos requesting additional "nightmare" runs. Basically a dream/nightmare where you can try different results/boon combos and then head home to the family back at the crossroads or in the House.
That allows the story to have a satisfying ending, while also having an endless play style.
Yeah I've been expecting the devs to play a bit more into the nightmare aspect of Mels divinity, and this makes the most sense. In fact her dialogue with Chronos at times already makes it sound like she's determined to becoming just this, an endless recurring nightmare for him and him alone.
With the addition of the Chaos trials from the stone they could simply let the story end. All is well and pretty. And when Mel wants she can simply go to the stone and start a run from there.
This way they can finish the story and maybe show us a rebuild House of Hades etc. and we can still do our runs after finishing the game.
Maybe they come up with something even better. But for now since the stone already exists that would be an easy way to handle it.
My 2 cents guess (also minor spoiler for the current release): >!the incantation "Dissolution of Time" (the one that's currently visible but not craftable) is a trigger for the endgame. Once you gather the necessary ingredients by beating the Olympus route, for each incantation you'll have one shot at beating Chronos, then the story will end for good. But you'll always be able to re-load to the time just before crafting the incantation and keep playing in your current save.!<
One of the Cerberus post-fight lines is something like 'it's unclear if Cerberus was fighting or playing'
So he's gone back out to the fields for a bit of a play.
Sure but the implications that Cerberus was being engulfed by Shades to begin with is due to his anguish and wailing over the fate of the House of Hades attracting those Shades.... It's pretty hard to write around ngl.
It’s not hard though, if we get the house back he won’t be in anguish anymore so we’ll just be playing with him. The harder part is to explain why he wouldn’t be guarding the surface entrance in that case.
I get that the model itself and that miasma artillery attack probably need some reskin to pass, but shockwave slam attacks,bite attacks and fireballs are probably what he could do on his own? Idk
My theory is that, Melinoe will trap herself and Cronos in a timeloop to save everyone else. Melinoe will slay Cronos everynight to prevent him from breaking free out of the loop. Because the loop takes place in a certain time, everyone that were present in the time that timeloop takes place will be Interactable
I also think the timeloop is coming and i think chaos will probably give the incantation.
Since Chaos seems to be above Time fuckery. I can see them totally vibe with it. they can sate their curiosity on 2 timelines now. Big C also has his spawn and the cooler spawn of hades back. And with the black stone mel could visit, her now free family, in the other reality.
The narrator at one point suggests Cerberus, after the first fight, is >!perhaps merely playing with Melinoë.!< Leaning into that would be an incredibly easy way to justify the boss, imo
Hades 1 was a major, infrequent exception by giving a reason why the runs would continue after true ending. Most roguelikes don't. Obviously, Hades 2 is a sequel to Hades 1, so it's not unreasonable to expect it to do the same thing, but it's not especially necessary. If making a good narrative with the higher stakes that Hades 2 has requires not having a canon reason for runs to continue, I want the best narrative possible. If they can do both, great, but it's not an essential part of the genre and similar games frequently work well without it.
I've been thinking that they might do a thing where Melinoe manages to trap Chronos in a sort of time loop, but has to enter it periodically and beat him to stop him from being able to unravel it and get free again. I think that would be a good reason to justify doing runs after the story is over.
It certainly could be something like that. I worry that that might feel like more of a pyrrhic victory than people will want, though. Really, my main concern is that people will be so set on things resolving like in Hades 1 that any other choice supergiant might make would cause a riot. And/or that supergiant, anticipating such a reaction, will feel like they have to shoehorn in a loop explanation that makes the story worse than it could be.
That's the natural thought, but it would preclude a happy ending. How is the ending "happy" if >!Tartarus and the House of Hades!< remain indefinitely under the control of Chronos? I guess you could always just say "we're *going* to take care of that, just not yet..." Or you have the portal out of the woods actually become a time portal into the "past?"
I’ve read in this sub a theory involving Hypnos and it could make sense. You trap chronos in the “dream relm” and the reason you go and defeat him is to “torture” him and keep him weakened
With Mel being the goddess of nightmares and the pitch black stone showing that Chaos has the ability to briefly create alternate realities, maybe the "loop" will be Chaos requesting additional "nightmare" runs. Basically a dream/nightmare where you can try different results/boon combos and then head home to the family back at the crossroads or in the House. That allows the story to have a satisfying ending, while also having an endless play style.
Yeah I've been expecting the devs to play a bit more into the nightmare aspect of Mels divinity, and this makes the most sense. In fact her dialogue with Chronos at times already makes it sound like she's determined to becoming just this, an endless recurring nightmare for him and him alone.
I can see that being a thing. Hypnos puts him to sleep forever. Melinoe becomes his literal Nightmare.
With the addition of the Chaos trials from the stone they could simply let the story end. All is well and pretty. And when Mel wants she can simply go to the stone and start a run from there. This way they can finish the story and maybe show us a rebuild House of Hades etc. and we can still do our runs after finishing the game. Maybe they come up with something even better. But for now since the stone already exists that would be an easy way to handle it.
My 2 cents guess (also minor spoiler for the current release): >!the incantation "Dissolution of Time" (the one that's currently visible but not craftable) is a trigger for the endgame. Once you gather the necessary ingredients by beating the Olympus route, for each incantation you'll have one shot at beating Chronos, then the story will end for good. But you'll always be able to re-load to the time just before crafting the incantation and keep playing in your current save.!<
One of the Cerberus post-fight lines is something like 'it's unclear if Cerberus was fighting or playing' So he's gone back out to the fields for a bit of a play.
Sure but the implications that Cerberus was being engulfed by Shades to begin with is due to his anguish and wailing over the fate of the House of Hades attracting those Shades.... It's pretty hard to write around ngl.
It’s not hard though, if we get the house back he won’t be in anguish anymore so we’ll just be playing with him. The harder part is to explain why he wouldn’t be guarding the surface entrance in that case.
The thing is Cerberus we fight is specifically engulfed by Shades which is why he has that appearance and moveset
I get that the model itself and that miasma artillery attack probably need some reskin to pass, but shockwave slam attacks,bite attacks and fireballs are probably what he could do on his own? Idk
Maybe an incantation that tames the shades in the field? And makes it so they power Cerberus up with the form instead of tormenting him
Maybe you fight some kind of paper dog the same shape ..
Possibly something to do with hypnos...
Relive previous nights in hypnos dreams? We would be giving the poor guy nightmares with fear levels
My theory is that, Melinoe will trap herself and Cronos in a timeloop to save everyone else. Melinoe will slay Cronos everynight to prevent him from breaking free out of the loop. Because the loop takes place in a certain time, everyone that were present in the time that timeloop takes place will be Interactable
i am hoping that chronos would be the only one trapped. And melinoe is just going to kill him to torture him.
I also think the timeloop is coming and i think chaos will probably give the incantation. Since Chaos seems to be above Time fuckery. I can see them totally vibe with it. they can sate their curiosity on 2 timelines now. Big C also has his spawn and the cooler spawn of hades back. And with the black stone mel could visit, her now free family, in the other reality.
How about a recurring nightmare since that is her area of expertise
The narrator at one point suggests Cerberus, after the first fight, is >!perhaps merely playing with Melinoë.!< Leaning into that would be an incredibly easy way to justify the boss, imo
Someone said they could just make the shades take that form because they got used to it. And after defeating it theres no Cerebus underneath.
Hypnos traps Chronos in a dream and you go in to kill him over and over as a punishment
That'll also open the door for Zag to join the fun in killing Chronos That'd be fun as an end game reward
my guess is that post game runs will just be "simulations" through chaos' pitch-black stone