Rate top gamesHellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
About
A dark fantasy game that takes inspiration from Scandinavian and Celtic folklore, Hellblade is set in a gritty barbarian world full of weird wooden structures and creepily masked enemies.
The player assumes the role of Senua, a traumatized female warrior from the Pict tribe. She suffers from a growing psychosis after her lover Dillion was brutally murdered by Vikings. Carrying his severed head, Senua sets out to Helheim, the underworld of the dead, to bring her lover's soul back. Her grim and bloody journey mirrors her descent into madness. It becomes increasingly difficult for her (and, thus, the player) to tell fact from fantasy, as she hears voices in her head and sees hallucinations.
When not fighting her enemies, Senua has to solve puzzles to move forward. This is where her distorted perception actually comes out handy, enabling her to "focus" and see what regular people can not. The ghostly voices, recorded using the binaural method to create an eery effect, also help to guide Senua or to warn her about dangers. All of Senua movements, expressions and reactions were recorded through motion capture to make them more realistic and emotional.
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Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice reviews and comments
Final Score: A-
For those who don't know, this game is about a Celtic warrior with schizophrenia/psychosis that goes to Hellhiem to retrieve her loved one's soul.
I love mythology and theology. Greek is my favorite, but Norse is a close second.
Then there is the mental health theme.
This are two topics that, at first I thought wouldn't work together but Ninja Theory nailed it.
The mental illness part is very well handed and fells real. I really happy to see this theme handled with the care and respect it deserves.
The gameplay is simple works well.
Some say that the combat is janky and not that good. I disagree.
The slashes fell powerful and meaty. The parry is heavy and you fell the force of the impact.
The only thing I don't like about the combat system is the enemy lock. I really hate that part, and it took a long type to get used to it.
The graphics are pretty damn good looking for a (technically) indie studio.
The facial animations are amazing and really life like.
The voice acting and performance are top notch. You fell what Senua is felling. You look in her eyes and you undestand her.
Now, the sound, the FRICKING SOUND. It is probably the best technical part of the game.
The music is amazing. It fells grandiose and big. I have the Hellblade's OST on Spotify and I have been listening to it non stop.
The ASMR like voices that circle your head all the time while you play are a great way to make you enter Senua's head space. The ambient sounds really suck you in to that scenery.
This is something I have to say.
I can praise this game for hours, but there is a big problem for me.
I can't replay it.
It is such a heavy and gut punching game that it's really difficult for me to get though it again.
If you have some problem, like for example autism it might be difficult to play it at all.
Overall it's a really immersive, engaging experience that will captivate you, while punch you in the gut all though out it's 8 hour duration.
Actor's game is really nice!
Senua's story won't leave you indifferent!
P.S. I recommend to watch a film about the game after you will finish it. It's available from a main menu of the game. Rather interesting.
i've yet to see a piece of media (any media) that so tastefully and properly captures psychosis as well as this game does
and despite its narrative pretensions, the combat isn't bad either
very basic, but not bad at all
don't look up things about it, just give it a whirl