Summary
The firstHellbladetook the gaming world by surprise upon its launch back in 2017. A game made by a small but beloved team,Hellbladereceived a lot of love from critics, many of whom heavily praised the game’s cinematic nature, its depiction of psychosis, and its complex narrative themes. There was a strong desire from fans to seeaHellbladesequel, especially after the game’s ending which sees protagonist Senua look directly into the camera and state that there are more stories to be told. And after years of waiting, fans finally got their wish, withSenua’s Saga: Hellblade2releasing last week.
Now owned by Microsoft, the pressure was on for Ninja Theory to use all of its newly acquired budget and larger development team to deliver a sequel that truly improved upon its predecessor, and depending on who’s asked, it either succeeded or failed in doing that.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2has received a mixed reception from fans and critics, and that might put the future of the series in jeopardy. But if theHellbladeseries does continue, there’s one obvious path it could take.
The Next Hellblade Project Seems Obvious Now
Hellblade 2 Sets a New Benchmark for Cinematic Games
By far the biggest point of praise surroundingSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is just how cinematic the entire experience is. Developer Ninja Theory has managed to set anew gold standard for games using Unreal Engine 5, with its visuals being some of the best seen in a video game, and its motion-captured animations being some of the smoothest ever seen. Practically every single frame inHellblade 2is worthy of being a wallpaper, with gorgeous lighting, realistic shadows, and incredibly crisp detailing.
ButHellblade 2’s cinematic qualities extend beyond its visuals. Much like its predecessor,Hellblade 2uses binaural audio again to depict and reinforce the symptoms of Senua’s psychosis.Hellblade 2’s cinematographyis also great, with the camera often being used in creative ways to capture Senua’s emotional turmoil.Hellblade 2also has a strong focus on story, complex narrative themes, and evolving character arcs.
Hellblade’s Weakest Feature is Gameplay
Whenthe firstHellbladereleased, its story and cinematic qualities were heavily praised, but its gameplay received quite a bit of criticism.Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2ends up repeating its predecessor’s mistake, delivering combat that feels incredibly cinematic but mechanically lackluster, and puzzles that feel far too simplistic and uninventive. It’s clear that Ninja Theory’s main goal was to makeHellblade 2as cinematic as possible, and while it achieves that, it does seemingly come at the cost of gameplay.
The Next Hellblade Might Be Better Off as a Live-Action Adaptation
According to many fans and critics,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2feels more like a movie than it does a video game, and maybe that’s the route Ninja Theory should take the series on. While some games use their gameplay mechanics to reinforce certain narrative or character elements,Hellblade 2very rarely ties the two together. Simply put,Hellblade 2’s storyprobably wouldn’t be impacted too much if its gameplay was removed entirely. With live-action video game adaptations entering a new golden age, it might be a good idea for theHellbladeseries to look to a new medium for its next project.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.A crafted experience of cinematic immersion:Sink deep into Senua’s world and story, with beautifully realized visuals and encapsulating sound.Senua’s unique perspective:Experience the world through Senua’s eyes and ears, as a Celtic warrior who experiences psychosis.A journey into Viking Iceland:An epic journey across 10th century Iceland, recreated from real locations in stunning detail.Every fight tells a story:Brutal and visceral combat as Senua battles for survival.
