Hell2Modding vs MelonLoader

Hell2Modding is a free modding plugin and framework for Hades II, for players modifying the game and developers building mods for it. It uses ReturnOfModding as its base and lovely-lib for runtime patching. The main loader, d3d12.dll, goes beside Hades2.exe in the game's Ship folder; removing or renaming that DLL returns the game to an unmodded state. The project links to instructions for installing with r2modman, a community-created mod template, and the Hades Modding Discord. It lists Windows support and Steam Deck support through Proton, and uses injection to load mods. Plugin support, load-order control, and mod profiles are listed. The GitHub repository lists an MIT license. Its Releases page has a Nightly build created by GitHub Actions, with a SHA256 value and instructions for checking the downloaded DLL. The listed plan is free, with no plan limits stated.

MelonLoader is a free mod loader for Unity games using Mono or Il2Cpp. It injects mods and supports plugins, load-order control, and dependency handling. Mods and plugins are placed in separate folders in the game installation directory, and game logs are written to a MelonLoader/Logs folder. The project provides an installer guide and manual installation instructions for a release archive. For Il2Cpp games, the listed requirement is the.NET 6.0 Desktop Runtime; the repository says it is installed automatically on Windows. Windows startup loading uses a proxy DLL, a method the project identifies as Windows-only. Linux instructions cover WINE, Steam Proton, and native use, while Android and Oculus Quest support is marked as work in progress. Debug mode is intended for work on the loader, plugins, and mods. Configuration also includes a Mono debug server, and the Il2Cpp Assembly Generator can be set to run without contacting its remote API. MelonLoader is licensed under Apache License, Version 2.0 and listed at free.