Hades II vs Mina the Hollower
Deep, system-heavy runs versus retro, burrow-and-whip action — pick your pace and commitment.
Updated 23d 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 Aug 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 Aug 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 | $19.99 |
| 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 | At its low vs $19.99 low |
| Main story | 31 h | 18 h |
| Health Hades II wins on player health | ||
| Steam reviews | 96% 122k reviews | 89% 8k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 95% 1k votes · vs 96% lifetime | 88% 577 votes · vs 89% lifetime |
| Peak players | 9,038 Jul 2026 · ↑ 13% MoM | 1,564 Jul 2026 · ↓ 82% MoM |
| Launch peak | 8% of Sep 2025 launch peak · as of Jul 2026 | — |
| All-time peak | 112,300 Sep 2025 | — |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 11 days ago | 4 weeks ago |
| Patch cadence | 3 in last 90 days | 18 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 deeper systems.
- You enjoy sinking 30+ hours into evolving NPC arcs.
- You like slower, positional combat with resource planning.
Pick Mina the Hollower if
- You crave fast, reflex-based action with retro pixel art.
- You prefer immediate challenge without tutorial hand-holding.
- You're a Yacht Club fan excited for their next hit.
Bottom line
Play Hades II if you want a sprawling, system-dense sequel; play Mina the Hollower if you value tight retro action and front-loaded difficulty.