In the inaugural moments of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, players are introduced to the protagonist, Senua, embarked on a desperate mission across stormy seas. The warrior has willingly allowed herself to be captured by slavers from the Northmen, seeking to reach Iceland, their homeland, in a bid to liberate her enslaved people. However, her journey takes a catastrophic turn as a fierce storm devastates their ship, leaving Senua barely alive on a rugged shore. With resolve, she sets off to search for fellow survivors along the coastline.
The transition from cinematic cutscene to player control is not immediately obvious. Initially, I was taken aback, realizing only moments later that Senua awaited my input. Typically, games shift their aspect ratio from cinematic formats—such as the 1.85:1 or 2.39:1 widescreen—to a more standard 16:9 for a full-screen experience. Yet in Hellblade II, the cinematic black bars remain, suggesting a glitch or an option to adjust settings that didn’t exist. Eventually, it became clear that the developers at Ninja Theory had chosen to maintain the 2.39:1 aspect ratio intentionally, embracing a cinematic approach that might limit immersion for some players.
This creative choice sparked mixed feelings—annoyance at the persistent letterboxing, tempered by admiration for the studio’s commitment to their aesthetic vision. This ambivalence encapsulates the entire experience of Hellblade II. It portrays a beautifully crafted narrative-driven journey, albeit one that sometimes forsakes interactive gameplay in favor of cinematic storytelling. As a narrative piece, the game is breathtaking, presenting a gripping tale of battling personal and external demons, delivered with a striking level of immersion. Yet, in terms of gameplay, it often feels shallow, offering limited engagement beyond visual splendor, leaving players with a sense that it does not invite further exploration.
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The strength of Senua’s Saga lies in its storytelling. For players unfamiliar with the original Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, the sequel provides a cinematic recap that seamlessly reconnects them to the narrative while establishing its tone. As Senua arrives on the shores of Iceland, battered yet resolute, her quest to find both her people and the Norse slavers unfolds. A fierce sword fight with the slave master Thórgestr leads to Senua overpowering him, compelling him to guide her to his settlement.
From that point forward, the game unfolds as Senua’s saga, presenting her explorations across a desolate Icelandic landscape. Players trek through ruined villages, confront draugrs, and discover allies as they uncover the narrative threads connected to giants from the realm of Jötunheimr who break into Midgard following a volcanic eruption. The encounters with giants are spectacular, merging storytelling with stunning visuals.
Senua washes ashore in Iceland at the game’s outset
Photo Credit: Ninja Theory/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
Hellblade II opts for a more nuanced narrative and steers clear of traditional gaming tropes. Its focus is on themes of guilt and the corrupting forces that can transform individuals into something unrecognizable. The story benefits from a shorter runtime; a motivated player can reach the credits in less than seven hours. While some may feel short-changed, the game’s tight focus ensures that the weight of its themes is both profound and impactful.
Players experience the narrative through Senua’s troubled psyche. Her journey is marked by severe psychosis, a mental health condition that distorts reality and perception. The game depicts her struggles with hallucinations and delusions, manifesting her internal battles through the voices of the Furies—two constant companions that scrutinize her every move. Their whispers frame the internal monologue, advising and taunting her with messages like, “you will fail” and “get up and fight.”
Hellblade II sensitively depicts Senua’s struggle with psychosis
Photo Credit: Ninja Theory
The game excels in conveying the experience of living with these intrusive voices. The continuous auditory interplay in Senua’s mind immerses players in her chaotic reality. To enhance this portrayal, Ninja Theory utilized binaural audio technology, crafting a rich soundscape that amplifies the experience of psychosis. The Furies serve as both cohort and narrator, reflecting on Senua’s circumstances and empowering her—along with players—to make critical decisions. Therefore, high-quality headphones are essential for fully embracing the game’s audio depth; playing at night with great sound technology provides an extraordinary immersive experience.
Beyond audio, Hellblade II impresses with its visuals. Built on Unreal Engine 5, the game showcases breathtaking photorealism that sets a new standard in the gaming realm, even surpassing acclaimed titles like The Last of Us Part II and Uncharted 4. Characters exhibit unmatched realism in their movements and expressions, with intricate details in their appearances. Despite its relentless grey palette and tempestuous opening scenes, the game’s stunning graphics shine brilliantly when the environment is illuminated by sunlight.
Hellblade II presents astonishing visuals
Photo Credit: Ninja Theory/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
As players traverse the harsh environments, meeting others along the journey, the game visually correlates the desolation of the landscape with Senua’s personal struggles. The solitary terrain mirrors her isolation, while the ruins illustrate the inner turmoil she faces. The anamorphic aspect ratio lends a cinematic quality reminiscent of a gritty Western film, with Senua at the forefront embarking on an arduous quest. The exceptional visuals are matched by stellar voice performances, especially from Melina Juergens as Senua, who expertly conveys the character’s depth and emotional struggles. Her portrayal deserves recognition during the award season.
However, the game’s technical prowess comes at a cost, necessitating powerful hardware for optimal performance. Playing on an HP Omen 16-xf0060AX, even with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 and AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS, achieving a consistent 60fps at 1080p proved challenging, prompting adjustments to graphical settings for a stable frame rate around 50-60fps.
Senua perseveres amid her psychosis
Photo Credit: Ninja Theory/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
The game’s pacing can primordially work to its advantage, as the narrative’s slower progression aligns well with lower frame rates, creating an experience akin to a cinematic film. However, to truly appreciate the game’s graphical allures at 4K would necessitate an exceptionally high-end system, leaving those with mid-range setups to make certain sacrifices.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II reviewed on HP Omen 16
Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 laptop GPU (8GB GDDR6 dedicated).
Memory: 16GB DDR5-5600 MHz RAM.
Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe TLC M.2 SSD.
Despite its ambitious storytelling, Senua’s Saga suffers from superficial gameplay. Progression typically involves navigating linear paths with minimal emphasis on traversal mechanics. Although exploration is part of the experience, the rewards are limited, primarily featuring Lorestangir posts that share lore or concealed faces within the environment that lead to minor secrets. The absence of varied gameplay elements, such as puzzles or challenges, makes the exploration feel somewhat stagnant and could lead to the experience resembling a walking simulator.
Can you spot the face among the rocks?
Photo Credit: Ninja Theory/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
The combat mechanics also feel limited. Players can execute light and heavy slashes, dodge, or block enemy assaults. Timing a block correctly leads to a staggered enemy, opening up for counterattacks. Additionally, Senua wields a mirror that charges with successful hits, allowing the player to slow down time during combat once the charge is complete. Unfortunately, this simplicity may detract from the overall experience, as the combat offers a series of repetitive patterns rather than a deeper, more engaging system.
Combat in Hellblade II prioritizes visceral realism over mechanical complexity
Photo Credit: Ninja Theory/ Screenshot – Manas Mitul
Despite these shortcomings, Hellblade II presents a unique experience that vividly differentiates itself from traditional gaming offerings. While there have been notable narrative-driven games before, few have displayed the level of confidence in eschewing conventional gameplay elements like Ninja Theory does here. This clarity in vision allows the title to emerge as something closer to an interactive film rather than a conventional game.
In an industry where boundaries are continually pushed, Hellblade II represents the potential for video games to transcend traditional understanding. While it sidesteps meaningful exploration and presents no side quests or variable play styles, the game remains unequivocally dedicated to its core vision: delivering a raw, harrowing narrative experience complete with immersive environments, stunning visuals, and compelling performances. As an exploration of mental health, Senua’s Saga stands distinct against the backdrop of mainstream big-budget games.
Pros
- Strong narrative and character focus
- Visually groundbreaking
- Impressive audio design and soundtrack
- Authentic representation of mental health issues
- Cinematic storytelling experience
Cons
- Limited combat and exploration depth
- Repetitive gameplay mechanics
- Potential performance challenges
Rating (out of 10): 8
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II launched on May 21 for PC and Xbox Series S/X. Review conducted on an HP Omen 16-xf0060AX laptop provided by HP.
Pricing begins at Rs. 4,399 on Steam and Xbox Store for PC and Xbox Series S/X. The game is available on Game Pass.
