This article contains MINOR SPOILERS for Hades 2.
Along with being one of my first proper roguelite experiences, Hades was one of the first games I played that really cemented my love for Greek mythology. While older games like God of War shone a light on the war between the Olympians and the Titans, Hades explored the deeper recesses of the Ancient Greek pantheon, introducing me to lesser-known figures like Zagreus, Megaera, and Patroclus. Hades 2 leaps into this lively pool of Greek mythology once more, and arguably, dives even deeper than its predecessor.
Revolving around Zagreus’ sister Melinoe, Hades 2 sees players exploring both the deepest depths of Tartarus and the highest peaks of Mount Olympus, with plenty of familiar and fresh faces appearing aon both routes. Nemesis is one such mythological figure. And while Nemesis is my favorite character in Hades 2 due to her close relationship with Melinoe, her striking visual design, and her connection to the cast of Hades 1, she isn’t the character I ran to first when starting a fresh Hades 2 save last week.
Before Anyone Else, You Should Cozy Up To Hades 2's Odysseus First
Hades 2's Keepsakes Explained
I’ve been playing Hades 2 fairly consistently since the moment it hit early access back in May 2024. I’ve learned quite a bit about the game over the last 16 months, and that includes which of Hades 2‘s Keepsakes are worth using, and which are best left at the Crossroads.
For those new to the Hades series, Keepsakes are items that provide special bonuses for the duration of a run, such as an increased chance of finding Boons from a specific Olympian, or an increased pool of Magick to draw from. Players unlock new Keepsakes by increasing their relationship with an NPC, which is done by gifting them Nectar.
Hades 2‘s Keepsakes can be swapped between Regions after casting the Kindred Keepsakes Incantation.
Odysseus' Keepsake Is One of Hades 2's Best
When Hades 2‘s 1.0 release date was finally revealed during the Nintendo Direct a few weeks ago, I decided I was going to start from scratch on the big day. Though all of my early access progress carried over to 1.0, I wanted to experience Hades 2 from the beginning again, albeit with a much more experienced set of eyes that already knew exactly what to look for, and where to find it.
Upon starting a fresh Hades 2 save file and getting my first bottle of Nectar, I made a beeline for Odysseus, the long-dead King of Ithaca. As well as being one of my favorite heroes from Greek myth – thanks in no small part to EPIC: The Musical – Odysseus presents players with one of Hades 2‘s best Keepsakes, the Knuckle Bones:
- Knuckle Bones — The next Guardian (boss) loses 5/10/15/25% of its health, and you take -10% damage from the Guardian
Hades 2 is home to some challenging boss fights, and Odysseus’ Knuckle Bones Keepsake helps to make them just a tad more manageable by reducing their health and the amount of damage they deal to the player. Though the Knuckle Bones initially reduce a Guardian’s health by just 5%, leveling up the Keepsake by wielding it in more encounters will increase that up to 15%, and gaining the Cherished Heirloom duo boon from Hera and Demeter will increase it to 25%.
One drawback of Hades 2‘s Knuckle Bones Keepsake, however, is that it expires after just one region. This means players will want to equip it ahead of the boss fight they struggle with the most. For instance, I like to wait to use the Knuckle Bones until I reach Mount Olympus, as I still have trouble dealing with the region boss’ AoE attacks.
The Other Best Keepsakes in Hades 2
There are 33 Keepsakes to unlock in Hades 2, and while Odysseus’ is certainly one of the most useful, there are plenty of others that are worth your time. Here are just a few of the best Keepsakes in Hades 2:
- Luckier Tooth (Schelemeus) — After you fall to 0 health, automatically restore 51/76/101/151 health
- Engraved Pin (Moros) — When you fall to 0 health, enter a ‘Doomed’ state where you need to defeat all enemies in 10 seconds. Clearing all enemies will revive you with 30/45/60/90 health
- Aromatic Phial (Narcissus) — Fountains restore 20% of health, and the next encountered fountain upgrades a random Common Boon to Rare/Epic/Heroic
- Concave Stone (Echo) — Once per night, after choosing a Boon, get a 25/50/75/100% chance to take one more
- Crystal Figurine (Circe) — After the next Guardian, gain two inactive Arcana Cards
- Transcendent Embryo (Chaos) — Gain a random Common/Rare/Epic/Heroic Chaos blessing that’s replaced every eight encounters