Summary
The last few major Xbox first-party releases have ended up receiving quite a divisive reception from both critics and fans, and unfortunately,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2follows the same trend. After almost five years since its first announcement,Hellblade 2has finally made its way into the hands of fans. But whetherHellblade 2was worth the waitis a strong point of contention right now among players.
Coming in at just 5-6 hours long,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is a rather short video game experience. But quantity doesn’t always equal quality in the video game landscape, and for its entire runtime,Hellblade 2remains one of the most visually impressive video games ever made. Presentation isHellblade 2’s greatest strength, even if its cinematic nature isn’t without its own drawbacks.
Hellblade 2’s Cinematic Approach Can Be a Blessing and a Curse
Hellblade 2’s Seamless Cinematics Are Designed to Immerse Players
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2essentially takesGod of War’s one-shot approach to cinematography, and turns it up to 11. The vast majority ofHellblade 2is one seamless, continuous shot, with the camera remaining focused on Senua throughout her entire journey. While control of Senua is occasionally taken away from players, it’s usually only for a brief moment, and the cinematic nature of the game blends all of its moments together fairly seamlessly.
The biggest strength of this cinematic emphasis is thatHellblade 2can feel incredibly immersive. With the camera focusing on Senua throughout her journey, players are able to maintain a strong connection to the character and her headspace, something thatHellblade 2’s stellar audio designreinforces. Keeping the camera alive and active also helps to makeHellblade 2’s world feel more realistic. Combat sequences inHellblade 2are a great example of this, as fights flow from one opponent to another quite naturally.
Hellblade 2’s Seamless Cinematics Quickly Fall Apart
But whileSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’s strong cinematic focuscan enhance the player’s immersion, it can also just as easily break it. With the whole game technically being one seamless experience, players are often expected to control Senua in moments that would otherwise be cutscenes in other video games, which can lead to some awkward, immersion-breaking moments.
For instance, duringHellblade 2’s introductory chapter, Senua is tasked with climbing a sheer cliff face. As players reach the foot of the cliff control of Senua is taken away from them as she contemplates the risks of the climb and eventually takes her first steps up. But then players are given back control of Senua, with no proper on-screen indicators to relay that. This will likely lead to a bit of an awkward moment for many players, with Senua remaining oddly still during this moment of heightened tension until players realize they’re meant to push the left stick forward.
That awkward moment is then made worse by how lengthy and repetitive this sequence becomes. Players are forced to keep holding the stick forward while Senua climbs the entire length of the cliff. While it only takes around a minute, it feels a lot longer. And though this moment of gameplay is meant to mirror Senua’s own struggle to overcome the challenge, it doesn’t really feel like a challenge for the player, who’s simply holding down one button for the entire duration of the sequence. There are quite a few moments like this inSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and each one is likely to take the player by surprise, break their immersion a little bit by reminding them it’s a video game, and frustrate them by taking too long.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.A crafted experience of cinematic immersion:Sink deep into Senua’s world and story, with beautifully realized visuals and encapsulating sound.Senua’s unique perspective:Experience the world through Senua’s eyes and ears, as a Celtic warrior who experiences psychosis.A journey into Viking Iceland:An epic journey across 10th century Iceland, recreated from real locations in stunning detail.Every fight tells a story:Brutal and visceral combat as Senua battles for survival.
