The rogue-like action of Hades ends when you beat a run, but only one path you unlock is considered the “true” ending of the game. As Zagreus ends up back at the House of Hades again and again, you learn how to better reach the surface toward a hidden truth. Only by reaching the surface many times will you reach a satisfying conclusion to the story of the Underworld’s Prince.
Death isn’t permanent if your run is interrupted by the enemies trying to stop Zagreus from escaping the land of the dead. The companions in Hades 2 that you meet along the way help build relationships that reveal more about why Hades works so hard to prevent his son from reaching the surface. You need to complete multiple runs to encounter the right people needed for the true ending.
Every run is divided into four regions Zagreus must travel past, each with a powerful boss blocking the way forward. As you overcome all odds and reach the surface, your path will always be blocked unless you defeat the final boss Hades, the ruler of the Underworld. After getting past his father, Zagreus will have an opportunity to explore Greece before his ties to the Underworld drag him back underground.
The first time you reach the surface, you’ll encounter Persephone, the mother of Zagreus who was not aware of her son’s existence. Zagreus swears to meet his mother again before falling ill and having to return to the Underworld, but you have to complete another run to see her again. The questions you get answered by Persephone each time you manage to find her all help you slowly reach the true ending in Hades.
You have to complete ten separate runs to unlock all the dialogue leading to the true ending with Persephone. While you do have to overcome many challenges in each attempt to accomplish this, Hades will stand aside on your final run, letting you skip the final boss entirely. Make sure you have unlocked the weapon aspects in Hades that will help you get past runs faster as you accumulate god Boons for a strong build for Zagreus.
Talking to Persephone for the final time will cause her to return to the Underworld, where Zagreus and her will meet with Hades for some touching dialogue. The final scene shows the family finally reunited and sailing back to the House of Hades through Charon while Orpheus and Eurydice sing a song welcoming their return. The credits then begin to roll, showing that the true ending has finally been unlocked in Hades.