I'm going to have voices in my head for a while. Nice game o.0

Great game with visually stunning environments and cut scenes.
Engaging and vivid combat encounters and puzzles.
Wonderful performance by the main Senua actor.
Sound design is fantastic.
Fenrir!

with the recent long-awaited release of hellblade II, newer players are being introduced to this lesser-known franchise. when the original hellblade launched for $30, I stumbled upon it just as it was released. it had never crossed my radar until its launch. the game received either deprecating conclusions or immense praise. as you can tell by my thumbs up, I fall with the latter.

hellblade senua’s sacrifice offers an intriguing iteration of norse mythology. step into the shoes of senua, a norse warrior with psychosis. set in the 8th century, her condition is viewed as a curse from the gods rather than a medical issue. senua’s psychosis sets this video game experience uniquely apart from others, as the constant voices in her head and schizophrenic delusions generate eerie feelings enhancing the overall experience.

whilst in combaat, the voices in her head will whisper eerie warnings, such as “don’t let them get behind you” or simply “behind you.” when senua climbs a ladder, her inner voice constantly repeats, “don’t look down.” additionally, some scenarios feature senua hearing multiple voices simultaneously. a common case is where one encourages her to overcome challenges and another demotivating her, creating a sense of company in a world where you mostly witness senua and her thoughts.

the game is highly cinematic and offers an almost uninterrupted experience in all categories. there’s no HUD or other indicators, just you, your senses, and your sword. the concept is basic yet brilliantly executed. the game doesn’t provide tutorials; senua’s inner voice offers suggestions to approach the game. these contributions make the experience feel less like a traditional video game.

the combat is basic yet amusing, featuring classic moves such as a regular strike, heavy strike, blocking that can be turned into a parry with the right timing, and dodging. there’s also a focus meter that charges gradually, allowing you to move faster than regular enemies and identify them more accurately. the developers keep the combat simple, focusing purely on fun. an added tension is the dark rot, each death causes senua to be covered in dark rot. the game claims that if the rot reaches her head, she’ll have an permanent death, requiring you to restart the game. test this feature for yourself.

I love the dark, gritty, and creepy themes and environments explored by hellblade. the visuals enhance these atmospheres, offering a sight to behold. there’s a lot to appreciate, from colorful greenery to the dark, atmospheric environments. melina juergens, the actor who played senua won multiple awards performance awards for this role and deservingly so. the combined efforts of melina’s portrayal of senua and ninja theory’s realistic human character models allows the characters to deliver raw emotions at such a great extent.

combat isn’t the defining feature of this game. it includes many elements, but none are dominant. the game expects you to engage in what’s best suited for each chapter, whether it’s solving environmental puzzles, undergoing trials that test senua in various ways, navigating mind-boggling staggering environments or engaging in continuous combat.

if you’re looking for a pure sword-fighting action experience, this game may not meet your expectations. a significant portion of the game is spent on puzzles rather than combat. I enjoyed these puzzles and found them to be a great addition, but this may not be the case for everyone. be aware of what you’re getting into. while the game features triple-A visuals and great combat, it also offers much more, which may not resonate with everyone’s tastes. I still strongly recommend giving this game a fair chance before taking my words for granted.

thank you, ninja theory.
here’s to saving up for hellblade II.