Hades 2: Fear Mechanics Explained

Hades 2 has its own post-game that lets Melinoe restrict herself and add modifiers to her runs. Here’s how her Fear Mechanics work.

Find Echo in Hades 2 (Image via Supergiant Games)

The Oath of the Unseen, or the Fear Mechanics in Hades 2, is unlocked after you beat the game once. After beating Chronus, the altar is found at the start of each run, in the area between the surface and the underworld. There are currently 67 levels of Fear that you can play, and each becomes more difficult as you progress. Here’s a brief guide on how Fear Mechanics work in Hades 2.

How Fear in Hades 2 Works

Fear in Hades 2 Altered — The Oath of the Unseen altar (Image via Supergiant Games | @Vytautas/YouTube)

The Oath of the Unseen in Hades 2 adds difficulty to your post-game runs. From timers to stronger bosses and mobs, Fear is a system that will test players on their loadouts and skill. After acquiring the ending of Hades 2, players can choose to continue playing with modifiers to their runs. These provide you with rewards through testaments and a test of skill. A total of 67 Fear can be achieved in the game, along with 48 testaments.

Testaments are mini quests that require you to equip a certain aspect and defeat a specific guardian in a run. These testaments add extra fear without any debuffs to Melinoe. The main mechanic to add difficulty is Fear. Fear is a scale, based on which modifiers you include in your runs. More Fear generally means more difficulty, as modifiers stack on top of each other.

There are several modifiers that give 1-3 Fear depending on their nature. For example, Desperation is one of the easier modifiers, as it limits players to a certain time (9/7/5 minutes) per region. If they don’t, they die instantly. It provides up to 3 Fear at max level. You use this modifier to increase Fear levels without any modifiers to Melinoe or her foes. However, there are various modifiers that will create stronger bosses and mobs and reduce healing on Melinoe or more. As you slowly put on more Fear, you will receive better rewards.

Best Fear Modifiers in Hades 2

Desperation: Adds a time limit (9/7/5) to every region. Does not count time spent at shops or NPC interactions. Your remaining time carries over to the next region. Provides 3 Fear at max level.