Melinoe — The Player Character
In Hades 2, you play as Melinoe, daughter of Hades and Persephone — and sister to Zagreus from the first game. In actual Greek mythology, Melinoe is an obscure goddess of ghosts and nightmares, associated with the restless dead.
She was said to be half-dark and half-light, representing her dual nature. Orphic texts describe her as frightening mortals in the night. The game takes this fascinating minor deity and builds an entire story around her.
Chronos — The Main Villain
The game's primary antagonist is Chronos (Titan of Time), who escapes imprisonment and overthrows the Olympians. In mythology, Cronus (note the different spelling) swallowed his children to prevent being overthrown — which is exactly what happened anyway when Zeus freed his siblings.
The game cleverly merges Cronus (the Titan king) with Chronos (the personification of Time), which are two separate figures in Greek mythology but were commonly conflated even in ancient times.
Hecate — Your Mentor
Hecate serves as Melinoe's teacher and guide in the game. In mythology, she's one of the most powerful and complex deities — a triple-formed goddess of magic, crossroads, and the night. She was uniquely honored by Zeus, who gave her power over land, sea, and sky.
Other Characters
Moros (Doom) — A primordial spirit of impending fate. Nemesis — Goddess of divine retribution. Eris — Goddess of discord who threw the golden apple. Selene — Titaness of the moon. Prometheus — The fire-bringer chained to a mountain.
Each character in Hades 2 is drawn from real Greek mythology, often pulling from the most obscure and fascinating corners of the mythological tradition.
What the Game Gets Right
Supergiant Games does extraordinary research. The family relationships, the personality traits, the divine domains — nearly everything has a basis in actual mythology, even when the game takes creative liberties with the plot.