Hades 2 romance explained: All options and how it works

Hopefully, players will be able to romance on the go if and when Hades 2 comes to the Switch, but that might result in some awkward scenes on the bus if a saucy portrait pops up on the extremely bright Switch OLED display.

If not, the game runs very well on the Steam Deck, so you’ll be able to embarrass yourself just about anywhere.

Romance might have completely flown over your head if you have been trying to beat Chronos in Hades 2, as the boss fight proves a real challenge early in the game.

But, as we'll discuss below, some of these relationships are platonic, though there are plenty of flirty encounters to be had even now, in early access, so we won’t keep you. Read on!

How does romance work in Hades 2?

In Hades 2, the player can romance certain characters by gifting them Nectar and bringing them to the hot springs, inviting them to the Taverna or to go fishing at the Crossroads.

It’s worth noting that not all of these encounters are necessarily romantic. Communal bathing was very common in Ancient Greece, for instance, so shedding your toga for a dip doesn’t exactly insinuate that Melinoё and the other characters want to smooch.

If you unlock the Empath’s Intuition Incantation, you will have a visual representation of your relationship with all characters and vendors. It will also tell you what gifts they want (or don’t).

As Hades 2 is in early access, the romance aspect of the game is not fully fleshed out yet, and more encounters are likely to be added down the road.

Below, we’ll go over how to unlock each of these activities.

How to unlock the hot springs in Hades 2

To unlock the hot spring, you have to carry out the Rite of Vapor-Cleansing Incantation.

The ingredients required are:

• Moly (x2)
• Lotus (x2)
• Nightshade (x2)

Moly is located in Erebus, an area unlocked after defeating Charon. After there, you can find Lotus in Oceanus once you have beaten Scylla and the Sirens.

Nightshade is a little more complicated. First, you have to perform the Flourishing Soil Incantation, which nets you a Nightshade seed. This, in turn, can be sown in soil plots in Crossroads

Once performed, the hot springs Baths will be available and you will gain bath salts, which can be gifted to characters as an invitation.

Then, the game will move to a dialogue sequence that will deepen Melinoё’s relationship with them, romantic or otherwise.

More Bath Salts can be purchased from the Wretched Broker or dug up with the Silver Spade.

How to unlock the Taverna in Hades 2

To unlock the Taverna in Hades 2, you must perform the Rite of Social Solidarity Incantation.

The ingredients required are:

• Nectar (x2)
• Garlic (x2)

Nectar can be found in many places. You can select it as an Encounter reward in all biomes, trade for it with the Wretched Broker (if you have performed the Kinship Fortune Incantation, which also grants you one Nectar), purchase it from Charon, summon Moros twice or use the Sweet Nectar recipe at the Cauldron.

Garlic can be grown in soil plots, but you need to find the seeds on Mount Olympus by digging them up with the Silver Spade.

After you have performed the Incantation, the Taverna will be restored and you will receive one Ambrosia, which in turn can be used to invite characters there. More Ambrosia can be purchased from the Wretched Broker.

How to unlock the Fishing Pier in Hades 2

To unlock the Crossroads Fishing Pier in Hades 2, you need to perform the Rote of River-Fording Incantation.

The ingredients required are:

• Driftwood (x4)
• Cattail (x2)

Driftwood can be found all over the Rift of Thessaly, but you need to perform the Unraveling a Fateful on Incantation in order to allow Melinoё to breathe long enough in this surface area.

Cattail can be grown in soil plots using Cattail seeds found in the Oceanus biome by digging with the Silver Spade.

Once performed, you will be granted one Twin Lures, which can be used as an invitation. More Twin Lures can be bought from the Wretched Broker or dug up by the Silver Spade in various locales.

Who are the romance options in Hades 2?

Currently, six characters can be romanced in Hades 2.

• Hecate
• Dora
• Nemesis
• Moros
• Odysseus
• Eris

They can be found at the Crossroads, but some won’t be present until you have made your way through more of the game.

Once you have unlocked the hot springs, Taverna and fishing pier, they can be invited along to join you in order to further your relationship with them.

The list could increase as more content is added to the game, and the amount of encounters and dates will no doubt increase as well.

If love has run its course in Hades 2, you can always swoon and chase hearts in games such as Baldur’s Gate 3, the newly invigorated Fallout 4, the space-romping Starfield or as the Arisen in Dragon’s Dogma 2.

• Hades 2 can be purchased for PC (Steam) from CDKeys

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