Hades II is Supergiant Games' follow-up to their GOTY-winning roguelike, casting you as Melinoe, Zagreus's sister, on a quest to defeat Chronos the Titan of Time. The game introduces a magick system with Omega attacks, a crafting loop via gathering and incantations, and entirely new gods offering boons. Currently in Early Access, it already features dozens of hours of content across multiple surface and underworld regions. The combat is faster and more spell-focused than the original, with the Arcana card system replacing the Mirror of Night.
Hades II features distinct areas with increasing difficulty. This guide covers every major location in progression order — what to do, what to get, and when to move on. For the step-by-step path, see our walkthrough.
Area Progression Order
| Order | Location | Difficulty | Key Rewards | Recommended Build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erebus | Rooms 1-15 | Nightshade, Bones, early boon selection | Sister Blades |
| 2 | Oceanus | Rooms 16-30 | Silver, Coral, mid-tier boon upgrades | Sister Blades |
| 3 | Fields of Mourning | Rooms 31-45 | Moly, Fate Fabric, advanced Arcana unlocks | Witch's Staff |
| 4 | Tartarus | Rooms 46-60 | Cinder, rare crafting materials, story progression | Witch's Staff |
| 5 | Surface Crossroads | Hub area | NPC bonds, incantation crafting, permanent upgrades | Witch's Staff |
Erebus — Starting Area
The first underworld region featuring shadow-themed enemies and relatively straightforward rooms. Hecate serves as the first boss, testing your ability to dodge her triple-phase spell patterns. Contains gathering nodes for Nightshade.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Rooms 1-15 |
| Key Rewards | Nightshade, Bones, early boon selection |
| Recommended Build | Sister Blades |
| Key Equipment | Sister Blades |
What to Do Here
- Learn the basics of magick casting — this is where you practice without heavy punishment.
- Collect starting resources and your first equipment upgrade.
- Clear all main content before moving to Oceanus.
- If you're struggling, read our beginner's guide.
Oceanus — Early Game
An underwater-themed region with water currents that push you around during combat. The Scylla and the Sirens boss fight requires managing three enemies simultaneously. Tougher enemy variants with ranged attacks appear here.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Rooms 16-30 |
| Key Rewards | Silver, Coral, mid-tier boon upgrades |
| Recommended Build | Sister Blades |
| Key Equipment | Sister Blades |
What to Do Here
- Focus on mastering arcana cards — it's critical from this point on.
- Farm for Sister Blades if you don't have it yet.
- Complete all objectives for maximum rewards.
- Prepare for the difficulty spike in Fields of Mourning.
Fields of Mourning — Mid Game
A melancholic grassland region with ghost-type enemies that phase in and out. The boss Infernal Cerberus hits hard with triple-headed attacks. Gathering Moly plants here is essential for several key incantations.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Rooms 31-45 |
| Key Rewards | Moly, Fate Fabric, advanced Arcana unlocks |
| Recommended Build | Witch's Staff |
| Key Equipment | Sister Blades |
What to Do Here
- This is the main skill check. Bring an optimized build.
- Witch's Staff becomes accessible here — prioritize getting it.
- Master grasp system for the boss encounters.
- Check our boss guide if you get stuck.
Tartarus — Late Game
The deepest underworld region with the toughest standard enemies. Chronos awaits as the final boss with time-manipulation mechanics that freeze zones and rewind your position. Preparation with strong boon combos is essential.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Rooms 46-60 |
| Key Rewards | Cinder, rare crafting materials, story progression |
| Recommended Build | Witch's Staff |
| Key Equipment | Witch's Staff |
What to Do Here
- Full build optimization is expected by this point.
- Witch's Staff should be your primary, fully upgraded.
- boon combos mastery starts mattering here.
- Farm resources for the push into Surface Crossroads.
Surface Crossroads — Endgame
Melinoe's home base between runs where you interact with NPCs, tend the garden, brew incantations, and equip Arcana. The hot springs restore health between training sessions. Unlocking all workstations here is a long-term progression goal.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Hub area |
| Key Rewards | NPC bonds, incantation crafting, permanent upgrades |
| Recommended Build | Witch's Staff |
| Key Equipment | Witch's Staff |
What to Do Here
- This is endgame. Best-in-slot gear and a perfected build are mandatory.
- See our boss guide for endgame fight strategies.
- The reward loop: clear content → upgrade → push harder content.
- Experiment with Argent Skull for variety once you've mastered the meta.
Exploration Tips
- Clear areas in order — Erebus → Oceanus → Fields of Mourning → Tartarus → Surface Crossroads. Skipping areas means missing resources you'll need later.
- Check every corner — Hidden caches and secrets are often in non-obvious locations.
- Match your equipment — Some areas favor different equipment types.
- Read the walkthrough — Our walkthrough provides exact progression milestones for each area.
- Don't rush — Clearing an area fully gives more resources than speedrunning two areas.
More Hades II Guides
- Hades II Hades II Overview
- Hades II Best Builds
- Hades II Tier List
- Hades II Walkthrough
- Hades II Beginner's Guide
- Hades II Tips & Tricks
- Hades II Weapons Guide
- Hades II Combat Guide
- Hades II Boss Guide
- Hades II Crafting Guide
- Hades II Classes & Characters
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