Hellblade 2 is set to release on May 21st across Xbox Series X/S and PC. With its release being so close and a lack of promotion from Microsoft, many people don’t recognize or know the differences between Hellblade 1 and 2. As a matter of fact, there are many differences between both the game from its graphics to basic gameplay with the newly added motion-captured combat system. Hellblade 2 has the potential to be an even greater game than its prequel and will set the graphics and gameplay standard for the upcoming years in the gaming industry.
Major differences between Hellblade 2 and Hellblade 1
Hellblade 1 when released was known for its graphics, gruesome story and fluid gameplay with good combat. With Hellblade 2, developers at Ninja Theory wanted to create a game even better game in almost every aspect. This release has the potential to be one of the best games in 2024 with its better graphics, new motion-captured battle sequences and even the horrifying yet great storyline. Here are the major differences between both the games:
Graphics
Hellblade 1 was the graphical peak when it was released and now with Hellblade 2, Developers are again trying to reach new heights as the game will be developed in UE5 and utilizing all its features. From facial expressions to varied weather, Hellblade 2 has all the latest and greatest features players can expect from the AAA game.
Combat
Hellblade 1 was a combat and story-oriented game so the developers used motion capture to make the combat feel even more real. The combat is the main part of the game as players will defeat many new and old enemies to progress in the story.
Story
The story from the first game continues forward with the new release as Senua is still trying to revive her deceased lover Dillion. The story will become more gruesome and horrifying as Senua explores her past and relives some of the lows in her life again. The story’s small details are also scattered across the whole in small puzzles for players to discover as well.
New Exploration Challenges
Hellblade 2 will be introducing new puzzles in the game which will be required to solve to progress in the story. Some puzzles will also show details about the story fragments. The puzzles vary from aligning various patterns to make a symbol or even finding different stones to see more details about the story.
New Enemies (new attack patterns)
The game also introduces many new enemies with distinct attacking patterns which will become challenging as the players further progress in the story. Not only are there new enemies but also the old enemies are getting new attacks to make the combat feel more challenging from Hellbalde 1 and also to give the players more variety.
Digital-only release
Following the recent trend of Microsoft of releasing only Digital-only games for Xbox Series X/S, Hellblade 2 is also only getting a Digital-only release but there is speculation that it might get a Physical copy like its predecessor later down the year like Hellblade 1 when it released for PS4.
Price
Hellblade 1 was priced at a very reasonable price of $29.99 because of the thought process of the developers that the game is half of what an AAA title should be. Now with Hellblade 2, the price of the game has increased to $49.99 as the game has more to offer to players. PC players will also find the Hellblade 2 on the Xbox GamePass on May 21st along with many new games added to the pass.
