When Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was launched in 2017 it shortly grew to become considered one of my favourite video games of all time. I beat it in a single sitting and keep in mind feeling grateful that I had performed it in a room darkish sufficient to hide how a lot I wept because the credit rolled. As a younger girl who had endured abuse and was desperately wrangling together with her personal psychological well being and attachment points, Senua’s journey resonated and comforted me in a manner no different recreation ever had. So it’d shock you then, that once I heard Ninja Concept was engaged on a sequel, I used to be extraordinarily hesitant.
My largest concern–particularly after Microsoft bought Ninja Concept–was that the following entry within the Hellblade collection would purpose to be one of many huge, AAA experiences which can be taking up the video games business, full with a cluttered mini-map, crafting, aspect quests, and extra. That is to not say these options are inherently unhealthy of course–they do have their place–but to me, this felt at odds with what Hellblade did so nicely. I did not need breadth, I needed the collection to take care of its depth; I needed emotion, artwork, storytelling, introspection, mythos, terror, and magic. The truth is, I used to be so involved that the studio would commerce in its depth for breadth, I did not foresee what really occurred.
Quite than increasing its techniques and scope, or weaving a narrative equal elements intimate and mystical, Senua’s Sage: Hellblade 2 focuses on vastly bettering what its predecessor already did so nicely: visuals and sound. Hellblade 2 is a marvel to take a look at. It is beautiful, cinematic, and hyper-realistic, but nonetheless eerie and ethereal. Its music stays extraordinary, and its sound design is primed to make your pores and skin crawl. And but, I can’t assist however be disenchanted by how pared down and shallow its story and gameplay are. Whereas Hellblade 2 may be a sight to behold, its minimal gameplay and muddled narrative stop it from being a recreation that has any significant influence on me.
Senua’s Saga picks up not lengthy after Senua’s Sacrifice, and follows our heroine as she units off to confront the Northmen who hold raiding her lands and enslaving her folks. She sees this not solely as an opportunity to do what’s proper, however as a approach to atone for the sins she continues to be satisfied she committed–a approach to wash off the blood that she will’t assist however see on her fingers. Nevertheless, Senua quickly discovers that vengeance will not be so easy, and a choice that condemns and brutalizes one group might imply security and survival to a different.
It is a easy plot that’s finally executed in a manner that lacks richness. But there are particular themes right here that carry it a bit additional. At first–and as each therapist will inform you–progress will not be linear. Exploring Senua’s reintegration into society and the way her psychological sickness impacts that course of is an fascinating idea. Regardless of her being in a greater place by the top of the primary recreation, she will not be miraculously cured of her trauma or the internal voices that manifested on account of it. The truth is, she continues to be largely afraid of herself and tormented by the guilt her father instilled in her. I admire that this comes by means of in her latest journey, too.
Moreover, Hellblade 2 hones in on compassion in a manner that’s not novel, however tender however. Between Senua’s companions assuring her that her empathy and distinctive manner of seeing the world is a present, to the sport’s total emphasis on making an attempt to grasp the “man behind the monster” as a way to heal them and cease cycles of violence, there are some requires kindness right here which can be all the time value listening to. I appreciated the sport presenting conflicting concepts on morality and reformation, and whereas it did continuously delve into the previous saying “harm folks harm folks,” it additionally made clear that individuals all the time have a selection and that ache will not be an excuse for cruelty.
And but, the themes fall a bit flat. I believe it is largely as a result of recreation’s dialogue, narration, and Senua’s voices, which by no means attain the identical degree of poeticism or introspection as they do within the first recreation. The voices specifically typically come throughout as a distracting novelty. And certain, it may be argued that anxiousness and trauma is distracting, but when that was the inventive selection Ninja Concept was going for, that sense of turbulence does not reduce by means of. As an alternative, I used to be left annoyed that Senua’s inside monologue grew to become this simplistic little bit of noise that solely actually supplied up both affirmations or self-flagellating remarks–some of which appeared to counteract all her earlier classes discovered in a manner that felt much less like nonlinear progress and extra like an absence of narrative cohesion.
However whereas the voices felt too easy, the sport’s narration felt overly obtuse, that includes legions of phrases mentioned all to convey quite simple messages which can be then repeated dramatically time and time once more. All this comes on high of the truth that this recreation provides a solid of supporting characters who discuss over and below these different voices, resulting in writing coming throughout as muddled and tedious, and finally lacks the identical sense of artistry exhibited within the Hellblade 2’s audio and visuals. I additionally suspect that a few of this could have been simpler to forgive if the sport’s story beats have been bolder, extra intimate, much less repetitive, and fewer predictable, however Senua’s Saga finally commits to being an aesthetic and cinematic spectacle on the expense of telling a profound story that takes each Senua and the participant to new heights.
It is a downside that rears its head once more when inspecting Hellblade 2’s gameplay, which is considerably extra irritating than its storytelling. Whereas taking part in by means of Senua’s Saga, you’ll primarily do three issues: stroll, resolve puzzles, and struggle. In idea, that must be sufficient to make a participant really feel like they’re taking part in a game–I imply heck, strip down Zelda and it is principally the identical factor, proper? But Hellblade 2 reached factors the place it felt extra like I used to be watching a barely interactive film. Nearly all of my time felt spent crawling by means of caves or strolling alongside seashores, and rare puzzles and simplistic fight stored me from feeling any sense of reduction, connection, or satisfaction with the sport.
And certain, I’ve heard it argued that the unique Hellblade’s puzzles and fight have been nothing extraordinary–I would say that is honest, as the sport primarily targeted on deep, introspective storytelling. However contemplating Hellblade 2 does not have that, I had some hope new and improved mechanics may lie in retailer for us. As an alternative, issues have been pared again. Nearly each battle is similar: you face off in opposition to an enemy, parry their assault, press a button to kill them, then have interaction with the following one. Whereas within the earlier recreation you needed to navigate the sphere, handle a number of enemies, and will kick and struggle a bit extra dynamically, all of that has been reduce in favor of circling round a single enemy till you may get in a parry.
It is clear that the explanation for this new fight system is to make battles extra scripted and cinematic, as it is simple to include tense moments, rolls, combos, dramatic deaths, and extra when the participant is proscribed to hitting a pair buttons in opposition to a single opponent in a really small area. However the massive downside here–well, apart from the fight itself–is that a number of video games have confirmed that fights can really feel choreographed and cinematic whereas permitting gamers to have interaction with enemies in additional significant methods. Fight in Hellblade 2 feels not similar to an afterthought, however just about non-existent. The truth is, I would argue that the top consequence feels much like a quick-time occasion, but extra tedious.
Fixing puzzles is simply as easy a course of, and primarily consists of discovering methods to distort actuality as a way to acquire entry to new areas and vantage factors. From there, you’ll discover hidden runes that assist your progress. It is barely much less tedious, however not one of the puzzles scattered all through the sport are notably participating or tough, which means you by no means really feel challenged or notably glad with your self.
This is not to say Hellblade 2 is devoid of any outstanding options. The truth is, you would be hard-pressed to discover a extra visually putting first-party Xbox title. From its lighting and framing to the hyper-realism of its characters and places, each little bit of Hellblade 2 feels cinematic and spectacular. Whereas its story and techniques might use some love, it’s abundantly clear that these environments–from the animal skulls that adorn dilapidated homes to the towering mountains and huge oceans that reach previous the place the attention can see–were fully adored by the crew. Equally, the sport’s movement seize and performances are next-level, with every of the sport’s major solid bringing a degree of melodrama and stress to the sport that elevates a script that’s in any other case a bit flat and predictable.
The sport’s sound design and music are maybe much more notable. Although the obvious reward is leveled on the recreation’s binaural audio, there are such a lot of different components that come collectively alongside this selection that elevate it. The deep groans of rotting buildings and shrieks of villagers in ache are so lifelike they really feel palpable. Senua’s up-close and breathy panic conjures up instantaneous stress, whereas far off, guttural singing strikes worry. Although the fight itself may be subpar, the music that performs whereas Senua faces off in opposition to the draugr is intense and riveting.
However whereas few video games can rival Hellblade 2’s sound, graphic constancy, and expertise for rendering beautiful vistas and characters so expressive you’ll be able to inform once they’re tensing their jaws, I could not assist considering how beautiful the sport can be if what was depicted was extra various. There are just a few memorable set items I will not spoil, however even in comparison with its predecessor–which led gamers by means of tombs, razed cities, haunted woods, chamber halls, and allow them to face off in opposition to giants, a rotting boar, towering stag-headed monsters, and the god of illusions–there is surprisingly little variation in Hellblade 2’s settings and monsters. Although the caves Senua crawled by means of succeeded in inducing the claustrophobia the sport warns you about at its begin, massive chunks of the sport happening surrounded by stone is not totally interesting. It is yet one more substance downside in a recreation that’s regrettably filled with them.
Primarily based on its new naming conference, using “saga” in Hellblade 2’s title, and Microsoft’s acquisition of developer Ninja Concept following the success of Senua’s Sacrifice, it appears as if Hellblade is slated to be a collection in addition to a staple in Xbox’s first-party lineup. That mentioned, at this level, I do not precisely perceive the place the collection is headed, if to not the field workplace. There are many video games that show video games will be artwork, however as some studios lean tougher into proving that in a single particular manner that cribs from Hollywood, we’re seeing some video games that really feel afraid of being video games. With an excessive amount of deal with cinematics and too little on creating an expertise that’s participating, Senua’s Saga fails to achieve the identical highs as its predecessor–even if it does look beautiful while making an attempt.