I was late to the Hellblade party when it originally came out back in 2017. I ended up playing it on Game Pass last year out of boredom not knowing what to expect and I ended enjoying the hell out of that game. Hellblade was a gorgeous game and the story was engaging and encapsulating. The puzzles were complexed and at times frustrating but it never made me not want to continue. That feeling of finally getting past a puzzle and furthering the complex story was worth all the time I spent playing.
Hellblade 2 very much continued what Ninja Theory envisioned this sequel to be and I even think they may have far exceeded what we the players may have thought what this game would be with Senua’s Saga. This game is so good. I don’t think it’s crazy to say that it might be GOTY, so far.
HELLBLADE 2 IS A VISUAL MASTERPIECE
The moment you fire up this game you are blown away by just as beautiful this game is. Mind you, the first game was beautiful as well so there was a template but once Ninja Theory made the switch to the Unreal 5 engine it’s light years different than what the first game was visually, It’s like you’re playing in an actual movie in real time. The character design and the character acting is seamless. There aren’t any awkward pauses in the dialogue and as you progress through the game the visuals and details get more intense especially during boss battles. It’s really hard to describe what this game looks like. I don’t want to discuss this game in complicated terms but the painstaking work that included shooting scenes on location in Iceland, the motion capture and everything that went into how this game looks is second to none and thankfully this game isn’t a one trick pony that teases you with visuals and nothing else. Nope. Hellblade is a visual masterpiece and when we talk about some of the best looking games ever made, this game will be in the conversation.
YOUR MIND IS PLAYING TRICKS ON YOU
Unlike it’s predecessor Hellblade 2 immediately gives you a sense of urgency as you try find and save the remaining slaves from the shipwreck within the first 15 minutes. The visions and the voices are so carefully scripted into the game and they torment you throughout your playthrough. Every part of the game feels like you have to “fight yourself” while trying to do the right thing. It was weirdly anxiety inducing and I loved it.
The overall feel of the game as it relates to Senua is based on the study of neuroscience and psychosis and how a person that deals with it sees the world while managing to navigate the world. Practically everything that Senua interacts with in this game elicits a reaction from her psyche and it questions her and helps her define logic, at times it’s against her and berates her so much so she questions herself even when she knows she’s right
Senua’s mind is much more pronounced and influential in the game even though it doesn’t change the outcome. The influence of your mind is a constant throughout this game and it’s very visceral because when we think about how our own minds’ work. You can relate.
COMBAT and PUZZLES
The combat in the original Hellblade was very plain and straightforward and lacked any substance or variety. For me, playing the first game, combat was the low point. In the sequel it’s improved a bit but not much, what you got in terms of combat in the first game remains here but with a little more variety but nothing that would make anyone say the combat is top notch. To be fair, Hellblade is NOT a fighting game, it isn’t God of War so combat isn’t really why you would buy this game or play it. It’s about the story and the puzzles so for me and this review I won’t be overly critical of the combat but it isn’t much better than it was the first time around and I was hoping for big changes in that area. Combat still seems a little mashy. Boss battles are quite nice but again, I would have liked a lot more from combat.
The puzzle element of the game is also a major element of the game if not the crux of Hellblade 1 and 2 but surprisingly there aren’t any new added elements to the puzzles and how they’re resolved and the game still remains incredibly straightforward and linear. You have to use the environment around you in a way the brings the puzzle together so you can move forward in the game. Simple enough. Just like the combat I would have liked to see more from the puzzle element of the game. If there is any flaws at all about this game this would be it. The puzzles an combat haven’t made any real changes to the overall flow of the game since its predecessor.
PLEASE USE YOUR HEADPHONES
I don’t normally use headphones when I play games unless it’s multiplayer but in this case and for the sake of this review. I absolutely did. I’m no audiophile so I won’t try to speak intelligently on the benefits of certain types of audio but with this game in particular, you almost have to play it with headphones or you really didn’t play it at its best.
This game was made with the use of headphones in mind. The audio team that helped create all the sounds and voices that you hear. The subtle blows of the wind, the leaves, your footsteps and of course your mind which is always talking to you. Hellblade 2 uses audio in way no other game has in recent memory and while you can play the game without the benefit of headphones, once again, you won’t get it at its best.
FINAL THOUGHTS
What Ninja Theory has created with the Hellblade series has been a masterful cinematic display that continues with Hellblade 2. I don’t want to make any early proclamations but Hellblade 2 could very well be game of the year and at the very least it should be nominated and it would be well deserved. Everything we wanted and thought was missing from Hellblade was addressed to some degree although that combat is still pretty boring, the visuals in this make it feel like you’re playing your favorite action hero in a movie, it’s that impressive. The time, effort and money spent to make this game is evident based on what you get when you’re playing this game.
While this is a very short game at about 9 hours or so for a straight playthrough it doesn’t take away from what this game is.
The story sucks you in and involves you, it throws you into the belly of the mind and it gives you a sense of how powerful the mind is and can be, consciously and subconciously. It’s a trippy psychedelic experience that isn’t a weird one
The audio is top notch and that creates another experience on top of the existing experience so much so that the game still kind of lives in your head after you take the headphones off. It’s an experience I can say that I haven’t had in any other game that’s quite like this.
I can say finally, XBOX has a “AAA” winner with Hellblade 2 and when you put together your best games list of any generation you can add this game to it. BUY THIS GAME. Play it on Game Pass if you wish but buy it as well, it’s a must own title
