Hades 2 is Perfect on the Steam Deck So Far - Technical Test Analysis

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Yesterday was an extremely eventful day, and it ended up culminating in one of the most exciting things: A key to Hades 2's technical test (which you can request to get in on the Hades 2 Steam Store page). Hades is as close to roguelike perfection as one can get, combining an addicting and engaging gameplay loop, a great story, wonderful voice acting, and vibrantly beautiful visuals. And from the technical test of the sequel, it seems like this will continue, and I can say it runs especially well on the Steam Deck!

Before we get into the performance on both LCD and OLED models, let me say a little about the actual game itself:

Hades 2 - The Game Itself

The general gameplay is similar to the original game. You will go from room to room and fight off all the enemies using your different attacks and dashing. This is a technical test, so things can possibly change leading up to early access release, but it feels phenomenal already. The combat flows extremely well, the new upgrade systems (Incantations for new events, Arcana Alter for personal buffs, and weapon hub to unlock new weapons and upgrade gathering tools) are awesome, and I really like the witch theme.

I like the concept of gathering random ingredients to bring the cauldron back to your hub area and get permanent upgrades that unlock new events and things you can do. It all works together extremely well and ends up giving me a more refined feeling than the original game, which I didn't think was possible. And we still have the same gorgeous art style and great voice acting, which I can't get enough of.

Now, let's get to the Steam Deck performance.

Hades 2 on the Steam Deck - Performance LCD vs OLED

I went into Hades 2, not knowing exactly what to expect. The first game runs exceptionally on the Steam Deck, but this is a technical test before an early access release. But, as soon as I opened the game, all those fears washed away. It runs magnificently, regardless of the device you are going to use, and while this is a technical test and very subject to change, it bodes well for the future.

And yes, the game does support the 16:10 aspect ratio for resolutions, so there are no black bars above or below!

OLED

I started off playing on the OLED Deck and it is my favorite way to play. The colors pop on the OLED screen, and I was shocked at how well it was running right out of the box. After playing for hours, I can say that 90 FPS is VERY possible, and it is wonderful. I did start to see some battery drain going upwards to 14W or 15W, but this didn't happen often and stuck around the 10W - 12W area. For 90 FPS, this isn't bad at all, and it was completely stable! You can also set a TDP limit around 7W and that will cap the drain, but I did see some dips to 45 FPS momentarily.

As for playing at 60 FPS, I was getting extremely low battery drain at 8.5W, with some minor spikes to 9W. It feels extremely fluid, and I was blown away by how little it drained. Over 7 hours at 60 FPS? That's just nuts.

LCD

As for LCD, performance was largely the same, but with some extra battery drain. I was able to hit a solid 60 FPS with ease, but it did drain around 9.5W - 10W. This is still relatively low for a solid 60 FPS, but it is a higher drain compared to the OLED counterpart. This, combined with a smaller battery, does mean you will get around 3.5 hours on a full charge.

I did try playing at 40, 45, and 50 FPS respectively, but even with the matching refresh rate, it doesn't feel nearly as good as 60.

The Hades 2 technical test ended after I beat Hecate (the first boss), so I couldn't test more, but from what I saw, I have very high hopes! The game is amazing, and I can't wait for the release. Supergiant Games has done it again, and I can't wait to hear more about the release and buy it immediately once available!

While there isn't a release date yet, you can wishlist the game now on Steam!

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