The review contains minor spoilers!

Solely bought because of sales and never heard of the game before the purchase. Watching the trailer and reading the wiki page diagonally made me think it's something wannabe deep and complex for sensitive teenagers. Review section with passages like "walked n hours with someone constantly whispering in my ears" just convinced me more. So who could resist?

Everything regarding arts, animations and environment overall is great. It makes your journey immersive. Occasionally too immersive if you caught the wave of light insanity and gave yourself time to stop and look around, read lore stones, wander around a perimeter. If you are afraid of some dark scary places then you probably will have troubles as you dive deeper to main character's madness. I can't say there is a hella gallery of views but it's always better if you measure your capabilities and your defined scope of work is of proper quality.

Voices in Senua's head were recorded with the Binaural recording and this is a perfect decision. Not that I was super impressed by slightly different way of sound but it does the work - keeps you in Senua's world. Generally sound is fabulous and some tracks are even epic. I swear anyone who waded through the Sea of Corpses with your legs knee-deep in blood and flames and rain around you and enemies born from crimson fog in front of you spreading their arms to invite you to battle know this moment is made from cool to EPIC exceptionally by music. I heard that actors are not professionals but both acting and voice-acting is on high-level and you don't question it for a second when you play.

As regards the main theme - Psychosis. I am not an expert nor 99.99% of the other players but still have something to say. I like that devs tried to bring such a complex topic to gamers and these efforts must be highly praised. However everything is so metaphoric that I am not sure a lot of players will catch the point. Ninja Theory invited scientists and patients who suffer from the similar illnesses and this level of work approach is just wonderful. You can think this way is the only ethical one keeping in mind the topic but we all know that definition of "accountable developer" is next to species of IUCN Red List. Specifically I need to stress how good the concepts of psychosis misudnerstanding, isolation and having someone who cares are woven into scandinavian mythology. Nevertheless I don't like the underlying message that people who suffers from psychosis can accept it and the illness will empower them. I do think devs must hint the only way which is to seek professional treatment.

The plot is very gripping especially in nordics setting. Senua is a Pict and her land was invaded by Norsemen who sacrificed her husband to their gods. So she is forced to know about these gods so are we. And it was quiet interesting considering my own very limited knowledge about scandinavian mythology.

Now let's talk about less inovative part - gameplay. There are only puzzles and fights. I am very patient and dilligent person so I found puzzles okay but it might be not your case. I saw the fight system is field for criticism but personally I liked it. Controls are okay, there are some variations of hits, blocks and evasions as well as enemies. I am confident if the fighing system would be more complex to the extent a player will need some grind the game will be worse because grind clearly leads to distraction from the main concept.

Among other cons I need to mention breaking fourth wall. The game built mostly on immersiveness shouldn't have such technic in my opinion. This is nonsensical especially in the final.

In the end it turned out that I wasn't initially right about "wannabe deep and complex" but still not fully wrong. Anyway the game is great, the problems are really minor and I recommend everyone to play it.

A milestone in the world of narrative and arts  

Reasons to play:

• Gripping story
  
• Captivating characters
  
• STUNNING graphics
  
• Incredible motion capture performance
  
• Dynamic and immersive soundtrack
  
• Simple yet thrilling combat
  
• Ingenious and appropriate puzzles
  
• Fascinating nordic myths and lore
  
• Awe-inspiring depiction of mental illness
  
• Dark, dreadful, disturbing and engrossing
  
• Might as well be perfect

Negatives:

• Some slower aspects with extensive jogging (no running). But the game is a short one anyways so why complain

An experience like no other that will never leave your mind

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When I opened my eyes to the media of games and the artform of interactive cinema I based this “enlightenment” and preference a lot in nostalgic endeavors in the craft, as much of your subjective takes and so-called taste derives from your beloved upbringing and environment that molded you. But clearly there is a lot to experience in this world that subverts your very foundation. Things that may seem as petty as computer games on a screen do matter to you, and continue to do so throughout your life if you let it. Games can come off as exquisite pieces of (not only) entertainment but more importantly holistic products of narrative, engineering and arts. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is such a game, that not only stands tall with the likes of my favorites but might as well stand supreme. It is everything you might ask for in an experience, if you like to indulge in a game that is a bit on the slower side. Although initially meant to be a review, this will more likely come off as a self-indulgent love letter, but I wholeheartedly abide to this premise if it still can accurately depict my opinion of Hellblade; a classic in the making and an immediate masterpiece in my eyes.

Simplicity is a term I keep throwing around, both for the reason of praise and disdain, and I never am quite sure if I understand myself why I tend to pinball between its ambivalent usage. Hellblade is a simple game as far as games go. There is a lot of linear traversing (with little thrill and skill expression), puzzles that revolves around simply looking around and combat that is more or less mashing the attack button and pressing block sometimes. But this inadequate depiction of Hellblade’s gameplay, although sporting truths, can’t be further from the reality of its masterful execution. The value of Hellblade surely derives a lot from its novelty (the initial playthrough and subsequent narrative experience) and I can not comment on how it fares in a second round, but something tells me that the packaging of this kind of product and the emotive immersion the audiovisual design impose will never grow old no matter where or when we are in the time and space of gaming and arts. This is the case with for example Playdead’s INSIDE. A game I have replayed at least 5 times despite the fact that you hold in D to run across a 2D space for the biggest portion of the game. Hellblade contains a lot more variables, but never stretches its versatility to redundancy or inflate the product with meaningless bling and curveballs. Simplicity is king, if it derives from an authentic choice of style and meaning and not accidental laziness or lack of intent.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice deals with the titular Senua and her gradual descent into madness. It concerns personal trauma and mental illness in form of schizophrenia and hallucinations. Senua is a briton warrior that makes it her quest to avenge her loved one by traveling to the hell of the invading norsemen and slay the goddess of death herself, Hela. This includes fighting other Nordic mythological beings and understanding the meaning of their runes. Guiding your way is the voice of your previous comrade Druth (who is well reversed in the Nordic myths), but also your own enigmatic self that manifests in a multitude of voices that either beckons, encourages or scorns you. Senua is a warrior that faces dangers at her own courageous behest, but is all the while weak and feeble in mind. Broken from grief, disturbed by deeply rooted trauma and confused in her own sickly state of mental dysphoria and shattered personalities. The world is a dangerous one, but all the while playing we come to the realization that maybe Senua is her own worst enemy.

Despite being a relatively easy game, the way the gameplay manifests itself with very little handholding does reminisce of Dark Souls and you partake in Senua’s journey with as much information and uncertainty of mechanics as Senua herself. This way the game does not come off as a “game” per-se, but functions as a truly artful and narrative experience much in the same vein as a movie or a book would. Therefore, even describing the gameplay to you dear reader would in a way dilute the experience as an exposition of a book’s character or motive would unveil the magic in the act, or an understanding of a game’s logistics would take away the joy of exploring. Experience is key. This said, the pacing of Hellblade is cleverly layered with both body and mind, where the usage of the beautifully crafted world is exemplary in the mindgames and puzzles while the battles are so stunningly set, every move you make (or especially ability to parry attacks in a sheen of glory) absolutely captivates the moment and satisfies you. Both body and mind.

Hellblade is beautiful beyond compare and I spent much time in photo mode, just for the joy of appreciating the sets, surroundings and lighting. Although Senua’s appearance might at first glance have this realistic uncanniness to it; with an overly dramatic delivery attached, I came to realize such a depiction of a character really sells the realism of the unexpected heroine and product as a whole. The actress playing Senua looks the part, and despite being a greenhorn in the field of acting she manages to sell the humanity of Senua to us. The motion capture performances are excellent, the voice acting superb and the story balances suspense, emotion, intellect and scope with the gumption of blockbuster installments. The soundtrack ties it all together with folkish ferocity and dynamics and is yet another highlight in a game that can not miss. Hellblade is a game like no other, and I can barely fathom that a sequel now has dropped. All I can hope is that it sticks the landing, because overtaking the excellency of Senua’s Sacrifice might be a task far too steep.


10/10

Storytelling & Graphics are amazing. Worth it.