On May 21st, 2024, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II premiered on Xbox Series X/S and PC. It is the next instalment of the game created by Ninja Theory, recounting the story of the eponymous Senua, a Pict warrior. The first part, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, premiered in 2017 and soon after received high praise. Hellblade 2 has already replicated the success of its predecessor, garnering reviews of 8/10 and 9/10 just days after its release.
Want to know more about this hot title? We're here with answers!
Storyline:
Senua’s Saga is the Hellblade sequel, set in the timeline after the events of the first part, in the 10th century. This translates into the personality of the main character, who, in the new part, although she has not ultimately defeated her demons, has learned to control them much better. It's worth noting - if you haven't played the first part and are not familiar with this character - that Senua suffers from psychosis, which she herself sees as a curse. She inherited it from her mother, but her difficult childhood under the watchful eye of a tyrant father only exacerbated its course. Thus, visual and auditory hallucinations and visions constantly accompany her.
This time, Senua voluntarily surrenders herself into the hands of Nordic slavers, who take her to Iceland. She does this to find her previously abducted and enslaved people. Upon arrival, she learns that due to the destroyed barrier between worlds, giants have begun to trouble people, and the local population of Iceland tries to appease them by offering them slaves as sacrifices.
During her journey, our heroine will once again confront various terrifying, Nordic mythology-inspired monsters, but also… nightmares, which are a product of her, after all, disturbed mind.
Gameplay:
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an action-adventure game, but it also includes elements of logic games and psychological horror. Exploration and interaction with the environment are typical of adventure games, but often we will also have to solve various puzzles or manipulate the environment in unusual ways.
Combat in Hellblade 2 is typical of action games and takes place in real-time, but sometimes these sequences are interspersed with quick-time events. For example, when Senua, weakened by battle, falls, and we have to quickly press a button to avoid her being dealt a mortal blow by an enemy. Permadeath is also an important gameplay element.
Importantly, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, like its predecessor, lacks a traditional HUD - there is no map showing the way to the goal or enemies, nor are there health or stamina bars. Narration, Senua's haunting hallucinations and memories, and the constant spectre of her abusive father, known as The Darkness, serve as our guide. The visions, known as the Furies, are also helpful.
Key features:
- Continuation of the outstanding Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
- Highly immersive world based on Norse beliefs and myths
- Lack of traditional HUD, replaced by sometimes terrifying storytelling
- Psychological, horror, logic, and fantasy elements
- Outstanding, almost photorealistic graphics on Unreal Engine 5
