Hellblade 2 is scheduled for a May 21 2024 release but the game is already creating waves among fans. Recently, in an interview with the developers, fans got to know about the intricate thought processes behind the portrayal of psychosis.
Senua, the titular character in the first game Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, suffers from psychosis. While the game dealt with the matter in a way that was praised by both fans and critics, not everybody was a fan. One fan’s declaration about how the portrayal failed to address a core aspect of psychosis apparently led the development team to rethink and recreate the aspect by consulting people who suffer from the disorder.
Hellblade 2 Wishes To Do Away With the Stigma
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a culmination of over 7-years of work by Ninja Theory. During this time, the acquisition of the company by Microsoft Gaming led to greater fan expectations of the Hellblade sequel.
Explaining their process in the fight against stigma regarding mental health issues, Laurie Dunham, script-writer and director of performance capture of Hellblade 2 said in an interview,
Coming in, the big takeaway from the first game for me was how it really resonated with people, who maybe have had the same experience as Senua and couldn’t find a way to communicate that with other people. That idea of being seen and understood is so important, and is [why we choose to] approach the sequel in a very similar way – to speak and listen to people with lived experience, to get their insights and make something that’s faithful and accurate.
To aid in the research and support, Ninja Theory hired Paul Fletcher, a psychiatrist and a professor of neuroscience at Cambridge University. He is also part of Hellblade 2 in a similar advisory role as of the first game. In his own words, one particular reaction to the first game from a survivor of psychosis paved the way for much of the change in intent that is there now.
While fans and critics lauded the game for its portrayal of such sensitive topics, one fan felt hard done by it. The article read,
Well, this, this does not reflect my psychosis. This is a mistake, it doesn’t deal with a very core part of it, which is how it affects my relationships with others, and the social component.
This paved the way for the studio to build more on Senua’s relationship with her surroundings and people in the game. In the words of Laurie Dunham, Senua’s relationship with those around her is “absolutely key” to the game. It shows how Ninja Theory incorporated feedback from the first game and built on it rather than hushing it up.
Hellblade 2 Promises To Be One Hell of a Ride
Further exploring the world of Senua, Hellblade 2 is slated to be way better than the first installment in the franchise.
With both the inner and outer voices of the character playing an integral part in the game, the uncomfortable nature of the contradistinction is being focused on by the developers in a bid to raise awareness against the stigma regarding psychosis.
Players are in for a treat when the game releases due to the excruciating attention to detail on the developers’ part. If the game succeeds, it would be a huge step in fighting stigma against a myriad of mental health conditions.
What do you think of Ninja Theory’s innovation and change in Hellblade 2 due to feedback from the first game? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
