coughlinjon

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

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I am two hours into Hellblade and I am super impressed! Ninja Theory made so many bold decisions in this game - from scope and pricing ($30 AAA that feels properly priced) to presentation (no HUD, no visual tutorial system, simple controller layout that leaves buttons unmapped). 

 

I really want to talk with people about it :) I'll post more here once I've finished the game. I might be able to wrap it up today.

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Does the art direction get any better than what we've been shown so far? Like in terms of colors used or the population of the environment? I read there aren't going to be any NPCs but I'm curious, because from the start I have been really turned off by how plain and muted it was compared to their previously three games.

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Man, this game. Until two days ago I didn't even know it was in development, and it has shot up to be my GOTY since then. It's such a bold project. From the start it was definitely one of the most chilling games I've ever played (you have to play with headphones), but I was waiting for it to become rote (fight some guys, do some puzzles, bossfight, repeat) but after the first two 'dungeons' they turn the formula on its head and dive into some experimental gameplay, and then explode out with amazing setpieces. So glad to see an AAA dev throw an AAA budget at new ideas and great, well-researched storytelling.

 

@syntheticgerbil there are NPCs, but not in the traditional sense, there are no sidekicks or villagers, but you do see some other characters. The overall style is pretty bleak, but that fits with the opressing atmosphere of dread and tragedy. That's not to say the environments are dull, they really did a good job making some impressive vistas, and they play a lot with the weather and time of day.

 

I feel like it both fits in the line of Ninja Theory games and also stands out because of the wildly different tone. I didn't play that much of Heavenly Sword or Enslaved (though I loved their aesthetic) but I feel like those are way more action-packed. Hellblade has a really sweet combat system too, but they use combat more as a story beat and not so much as the main gameplay. The majority of the time you'll be exploring the environment and learning about Norse lore and the workings of mental illness, as told through the parable of Senua.

 

Spoiler

The second set of dungeons has been my absolute favorite so far, gosh I can't believe they made a Papa Sangre/Nightjar level, it works so well. And that fucking hellish maze, dear lord.

 

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I absolutely loved Hellblade! I was cautious about it after hearing that Ninja Theory were going to try to depict mental illness in a game with brawler mechanics, but it's so much more than that. I think they handled Senua's mental illness really well, maybe one of the best versions it in anything I've seen/read/played. It informs her personality and abilities (in an interesting way), but she is not wholly defined by it. It's easily one of my favourite games this year.

 

I think the art design and visual fidelity are all top notch. There is an attention to detail from the moment you land on shore to the surreal Norse fantasy architecture that you journey through. The animation and particularly the facial mocap is the best I have ever seen, and performance of Senua by Melina Juergens is very strong, and heightened by the very intimate way that it's framed. I'm just kind of gushing at this point.

 

I really like the combat too. It was a good feel to it, and enough depth and complexity to it if you want. I like also that they use the binaural voices in Senua's head as part of combat, to show that there is no escaping them and at times they are useful. It complicates the notion of mental illness in a way that games can do but books/films cannot. There's not a huge amount of combat, but there is a new wrinkle thrown in about every hour to keep it fresh. I have been trying to describe it in my head and Hellblade is kind of like Devil May Cry meets Gone Home. Does that make sense?

 

There's also a "Special Feature" documentary that walks through some of Ninja Theory's ideas and process for making the game. It's an interesting watch once you have finished the game.

 

 

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Finished it yesterday, oof woof. That ending was intense.

 

I love how they make it feel like you become more powerful towards the end without offering any skill trees or XP boosts. It's just like oh shit, now I can decimate three or four dudes with one chop. Not sure if that's me getting more skilled at timing or them tweaking the damage, but it felt great.

 

Spoiler

I'm kinda sad that more games have used the 'stop fighting and let go' plot device, because it made it feel a little cliche here, but it's also the first time where it really fit thematically, and I actually felt powerful enough to go "no fuck you, I got this, I can do this, I'm gonna keep going" and push and push against overwhelming odds, knowing that it was probably pointless.

 

 

They really did a good one here. I hope more people check it out and sing its praises.

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