“Hellblade II” could well be the most beautiful video game of 2024

Video games

Heavy on emotions, continually disturbing, Hellblade 2 is a true cinematic experience. A masterpiece that won’t suit most people, and that’s a good thing.

armin hadzikadunic/ jvmag

There are productions that make us smile, there are games that make us feel stronger than ever, and there are also experiences that do not leave us indifferent.

The theme that this saga addresses particularly touches me. After a shocking first meeting in 2017, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is finally knocking on our doors. Development took time. Just like you, I waited for it with the desire to dive back into this cocoon of terror, in which the narration becomes one with the player. Hours have passed, the journey is now over, the emotions remain. Here is my opinion on this unique cinematic experience.

A high-flying technique

I don’t like to start testing with technique, but Hellblade 2 doesn’t really give me a choice. Its construction is made so that we admire each element of the decor. Everything is precise, Ninja Theory masters its subject, the landscapes are breathtakingand if you’ve ever watched people create photorealistic scenes in Unreal Engine 5, well, know that the adventure here is a full-scale demonstration.

I have rarely been so amazed by the technique. The more time passes the more I get used to it, but Hellblade 2 is above the rest. Be careful though, the game is a series of corridors with invisible walls. It’s not an open world which has random phases and several elements to calculate at the same time. A significant point which offers developers the possibility of offering terribly realistic visuals.

But if it is possible today for a game like Hellblade 2, it will one day be possible for more substantial titles. The generation of the future is on the move. Congratulations to Ninja Theory for the quality of the work provided.

No respite

Less than eight hours, yes, it took me less than eight hours to finish Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and that’s good. The game is so intense, that offering a longer experience would be a waste, or even counterproductive.

If you manage to immerse yourself in Senua’s head, you will feel guaranteed pleasure. I came out of certain phases exhausted. The mental load is heavy, not because of the fighting, but because of the incessant noise and growing voices in our head. In addition, danger is omnipresent to the point of not being able to concentrate during duels.

Senua hears voices, like in the first opus, it is almost necessary to play with headphones or a good headset. Your little voice in the left ear doesn’t think the same way as the one in the right. But deep down, there is also another reason, and above the game, there are you, the players, who are locked in with all these entities. Besides, is everything we see in the game really true?

I am familiar with this type of psychological disorder, and the work done by the studio to make us feel this “madness” does not leave me indifferent. Nobody wants to experience that.

On a rail

As mentioned several times in this test, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is a title that goes against today’s codes. Far from an epic open world, here you will experience strong proximity with the heroine of the game. You can’t escape it, and it’s certainly the studio’s only way to get you under its skin. The game is a long ride that offers no, I repeat once again, no freedom.

I put a lot of importance on the subject, I know that some people will want to make fun of this aspect, even though it is a decision that goes in the direction of the project itself. You’re not going to buy a circuit racing game if you don’t like to always turn the same way.

Passable puzzles, notable fights

Hellblade 2, just like its big brother, is not a gameplay game. You are going to play it to live a story and feel the emotions. If you want something different or refreshing, go ahead.

The chapter that you will experience here is heavy, heavy, intense and may turn out to be real. I take as an example a long underground phase which will not suit claustrophobics. You can therefore copy my comments on certain aspects of the game, starting with the puzzles.

Just like in the first opus, eThey border on the ridiculous, they slow down progress and even manage to annoy sometimes. They are not in keeping with the rest of the game, they are placed there just to slow down the player’s progress.

The other major part of the gameplay takes place in the combat. They are more impressive and heavier here, but even if they are striking, there is nothing complicated or technical about them.

Dodge, parry, light blow, and heavier blow: no technique is really necessary. Here, it’s not a Souls-like, nor a slightly faster RPG. Combat nevertheless plays an important role. They are not a priority, but necessary steps for the evolution of our quest.

A different game

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is not going to please everyone, that’s not its goal and it’s better that way. I end this long journey with my head full of memories and my heart full of emotions. I let go of this journey that kept me in suspense from start to finish. Eyes filled with wonder, and the desire to relive certain scenes from the game.

In the world of video games, there are projects for all tastes. Don’t get hung up on a lack of gameplay, a lack of imagination in storytelling, technical shortcomings – nothing is ever perfect. Live the moment, consume according to your emotions and desires. Try new experiences, don’t hide behind ideas and knowledge, at the risk of losing fragments of things and others that will make you feel emotions, the only elements that give us the sensation of existing. Thanks Ninja Theory.

Test context: key offered by Xbox
Available on Available on PC and Xbox Series X|S
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