Hades II vs Mina the Hollower
Both are mythic action adventures, but one asks for 31 hours of system mastery while the other finishes in 18 with no hand-holding.
Updated 8d ago
Supergiant's hardest swing in years — Hades II isn't a remix, it's a deeper, weirder game that still respects the original's perfect run-based loop.
Mina's burrow-and-whip combat dethrones its Game Boy inspirations — essential for retro action fans.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 7; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 7.
| Measure | Hades II | Mina the Hollower |
|---|---|---|
| Value Mina the Hollower wins on value | ||
| Price now | $29.99 Microsoft Store | $19.99 Steam |
| All-time low | $20.99 | $17.99 |
| Cost / hour | $0.98/hr $29.99 · 31 h main story | $1.09/hr $19.99 · 18 h main story |
| Off its low | +43% low was Jun 2026 | +11% low was Aug 2026 |
| Main story | 31 h | 18 h |
| Health Hades II wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 96% 123k reviews | 88% 9k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 95% 963 votes · vs 96% lifetime | 82% 296 votes · vs 88% lifetime · souring |
| Peak players | 7,334 Aug 2026 · ↓ 19% MoM | 641 Aug 2026 · ↓ 59% MoM |
| Launch peak | 7% of Sep 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | — |
| All-time peak | 112,300 Sep 2025 | 8,760 Jun 2026 · now at 7% |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 8 weeks ago | 2 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 1 in last 90 days | 6 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Platinum |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Hades II
The sheer variety of weapon builds, boon combinations, and engaging narrative drive players to return for hundreds of hours.
from our May 2026 verdict
Mina the Hollower
The burrow-and-whip combat loop is the hook that genre veterans keep returning to.
The initial difficulty spike is the biggest friction point for new players.
from our July 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Hades II if
- You did 64+ heat runs in Hades and want more systems
- You have 30+ hours for NPC arcs and crafting depth
- You loved the original Hades and want a slower stance-based sequel
Pick Mina the Hollower if
- You want an 18-hour campaign with no tutorial padding
- You enjoy Game Boy Color palettes and 60fps pixel combat
- You liked Shovel Knight and want Yacht Club's next game
Bottom line
Pick Hades II if you want a 31-hour roguelike with 96% positive reviews and deep systems; pick Mina if you want Yacht Club's 18-hour, burrow-and-whip challenge at a lower cost per hour.