Summary
Even though it’s still in early access,Hades 2is already a hit. Thousands of fans are taking the journey to the underworld to face down Chronos, and along the way, they’ve been meeting some serious challenges.
Hades 2already hasmore bosses and regionsthan its predecessor did in its full release, and the sequel is only going to get larger as it nears its own official release. In addition to major foes like Chronos himself, there are currently tenmini-bossesplayers are likely to encounter during their quest through the underworld. Here are all the mini-bosses in the current version ofHades 2.
10Goldwrath
By the time playersreach Chronos' lairin Tartarus, things will have gotten very hectic. The final region consists of a mad dash to the boss through a sequence of numbered chambers stocked with some of the fastest and most brutal enemies in the game. Along the way, side passages tempt players for further rewards, and behind one of these doors lies theGoldwrath.
The Goldwrath is essentially a larger version of the common coin bag enemies that can be encountered throughout Tartarus. It has a large and devastating laser attack that can cut through a player’s health bar in an instant, and it also drops explosive coins on the ground around it to deter melee attackers. Unfortunately, this is about all the Goldwrath has going for it. It’s a very predictable foe, and once players learn to dodge its laser, they can take it down without much trouble.
9Verminancer
Rise Of The Rats
Like its fellow Tartarus guardian the Goldwrath, theVerminanceris a larger version of a common enemy encountered in the region where it’s fought, Tartarus. This imposing foe, like its smaller counterparts, summons rats to fight, but they come in much greater quantities than normal. Good crowd control is the key to success in this mini-boss battle.
Unfortunately, provided the player has good crowd control, the fight kind of falls apart. The Verminancer doesn’t pose much of a threat on its own, and if the player can manage the swarms, the mini-boss should go down pretty quickly. The Verminancer simply doesn’t have the moveset or personality to compete with some of the more memorable and unique mini-bossesHades 2has to offer.
8Phantom
An Underworld Nuisance
This bothersome mini-boss is a common sight in the Fields of Mourning, the third biome inHades 2. It’s quite obviously reminiscent of vampires, with its dark robes, pale skin, and long, blood-stained claws. The monster first appears among a crowd of small, relatively nonthreatening enemies which can still serve as very lethal distractions for players who are unprepared.
When it comes to thePhantomitself, the mini-boss can be a major pain. The creature can teleport freely around the arena, needlessly prolongingthe encounter for melee builds. It has a long-range vortex attack that can suck players in and deal massive damage, and a blisteringly fast claw barrage to boot. When coupled with its surprisingly large health pool, the Phantom represents a severe difficulty spike for unprepared players.
7Shadow-Spiller
A Sluggish Shade
TheShadow-Spilleris an early mini-boss and a rather forgettable one. As the name suggests, this large mass of tentacles spreads impenetrable darkness across the arena, but while Melinoë is nearby, the darkness clears enough to see the foe. Aside from this one trick, its only real attack is swinging a large, club-like tendril in a wide arc near its body. This attack is well-telegraphed and relatively easy to dodge.
The only other threat in the Shadow-Spiller fight comes from a small handful of other tentacled foes that periodically fire slow homing projectiles toward Melinoë. These are also pretty easy to dodge, and since the enemies usually lurk outside the Shadow-Spiller’s darkness cloud, it’s also rather trivial to destroy them before engaging with the mini-boss itself. All told, the Shadow-Spiller is a visually interesting but functionally forgettable foe.
6Deep Serpent
Terror From The Sea
Oceanus, the second biome on Melinoë’s underworld journey, is a very nautical realm, which sets it apart quite dramatically from the realms Zagreus traversed in the first game. True to form, most of the enemies here are monstrous sea creatures, like schools of fish, giant crabs, and, of course, sea serpents.
TheDeep Serpentis a larger version of the serpentine enemies that can be encountered throughout Oceanus, and true to form, it packs a bigger punch as well. This monstrous foe blasts projectiles that can completely blanket the screen, which is a major challenge when combined with the limited space in the arena where it’s fought. The Deep Serpent is a hefty challenge, but a very thematically appropriate foe, and it can make for a very engaging fight.
5Queen Lamia
A Regal Rush
TheQueen Lamiais an elusive mini boss that plays heavily into the game’s themes ofhigh mobility and constant movement. The boss and her minions are largely stationary, but the magic projectiles they conjure will persistently track Melinoë across the arena. This makes it a major challenge for players to take down any one foe before the projectiles close in for major damage.
The impassible pools of blood that litter the arena offer another challenge, as Melinoë must dash over them to reach her foes. Getting trapped on a small island without a ready dash at a critical moment could spell disaster. While Queen Lamia looks like just another super-sized enemy encounter, her cleverly-designed arena makes the fight an engaging puzzle for players to practice their hit-and-run tactics.
4Satyr Champion
An Ephyra Throwdown
The city of Ephyra,Melinoë’s first stop on the surface, is a unique biome with only one mini-boss prowling its ruined streets. TheSatyr Championappears visually similar to the satyr warriors that are battled down in Tartarus, but it brings a unique approach to battle. The Champion fights at range with a deadly crossbow, which makes it a cunning foe and a real challenge for melee fighters.
Players will have to keep their wits about them while fighting the Satyr Champion. By controlling the minor enemies this creature spawns in with, Melinoë can maximize the damage from the imprisoned spirits in the pylon the Champion is guarding. This can give players a major edge, but if they’re not careful and quick to dodge, the Champion will still take them down pretty easily.
3Root-Stalker
A Thorny Start
TheRoot-Stalkeris likely the first mini-boss most players will encounter, lurking in the shadowed groves of Erebus. This imposing monster has a relatively simple moveset which serves as an ideal tutorial for the player to get used to the flow of combat inHades 2. Avoiding its spike barrage and the aggressive melee attacks of its companion tendril requires high mobility, which is essential to success against more major foes like Chronos.
This lesson is reinforced by the creature’s circle of grasping roots, which function similarly to Melinoë’s own binding circle, by holding her in place and leaving her vulnerable to punishment. The Root-Stalker will end a lot of early runs, but if players can master its aggressive moves, they’ll be well-prepared to tackle the rest of the game.
2King Vermin
A Familiar Foe
Hades 2introduced a lot ofmajor changes to the series formula, and while many of them are improvements, there are still plenty of fans who are likely to grow nostalgic for the first game. These fans will likely welcome seeingKing Vermin, one of the first game’s most notorious mini-bosses, make a triumphant return in the pipes and passages of Oceanus.
Just like in the first game, King Vermin (or Uh Oh, as it’s named in-game) is a tiny rat with overwhelming power. Its high speed and aggression makes it a difficult foe to get space from, and the explosives lobbed by its summoned minions make it very important for players to keep an eye on their surroundings during the fight. King Vermin is a high-octane challenge and a delightful callback to the first game.
1Charybdis
A Living Legend
The appearance of the mightyCharybdisis an exciting and terrifying surprise for players venturing through the ghost fleet of the Rift of Thessaly. Ancient myth describes Charybdis as a formidable monster and the creator of a massive whirlpool, andHades 2absolutely does justice to this legend.
This titanic monster can’t be attacked directly. Instead, Melinoë must wait for its tentacles to make an appearance on the wreck she’s standing on. Carefully timing attacking the tentacles while at the same time dodging their relentless attacks is a challenge for even a seasonedHadesplayer, and a phenomenal showcase of themovement-based gameplayHades 2demands. Between this thrilling gameplay and the fight’s epic spectacle, tackling Charybdis is a challenge fans won’t soon forget.
