While 2017’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice captivated players with its realistic portrayal of psychosis, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 takes a different approach, while somehow sticking to the same ethos that made the first game great.
It’s not just about bonkers graphics for the sequel. Ninja Theory is laser-focused on delivering a deeply immersive singleplayer experience that puts the story and characters at the center, and forgoes any need for the game to be “bigger” than the original in unnecessary ways.
Ninja Theory Played To Their Strengths Instead Of Going Overboard
Speaking with IGN, Ninja Theory VFX director Mark Slater-Tunstill explained the studio’s decision to not go overboard with Hellblade 2‘s scope:
We want to stick to that kind of very immersive narrative experience. We know our skill sets, we know the sort of people in the team, so let’s not go crazy and make a massive open-world game. Let’s keep it really kind of controlled, immersive, and true to what we’re trying to do as storytellers.
While Hellblade 2 remains a smaller-scale experience compared to some AAA titles, it does expand upon its predecessor. Senua’s journey won’t be as isolated this time around. She’ll encounter other characters in the sequel, along with a revamped combat system that promises more “visceral” encounters.
Hellblade 2 Represents Senua’s Psychosis In A New Way
Studio head Dom Matthews also chimed in, “One of the things that we really wanted to explore in Hellblade 2 was when you’ve got someone like Senua, who has a unique model of the world and a unique perspective of the world, what happens when that comes into contact with other people’s models of the world?”
The emphasis on human connection is a significant shift from the first Hellblade. The original game explored Senua’s internal struggles with psychosis, but didn’t delve into the complexities it brings up for social interactions. Hellblade 2 rectifies this by introducing other characters, and potentially opening up more storytelling possibilities.
However, Ninja Theory is careful not to let ambition overshadow the core experience. The impressive technological advancements at their disposal, like Unreal Engine 5 and sophisticated photogrammetry, are used for a specific purpose – creating a powerful, self-contained story that hits hard.
Motion capture technology has also been upgraded, allowing for more nuanced performances, facial capture, and lifelike interactions. Ninja Theory wants players to be utterly bedazzled by the ‘reality’ of the game, and they’ve left no stone unturned to achieve that.
Hellblade 2 doesn’t want to overwhelm players with magnanimous scale, like Elden Ring or Horizon Forbidden West. It instead wants to go deliver a bigger punch from a smaller package, and uses cutting-edge tech as a tool to do exactly that. In the current video game landscape of bloated 100+ hour games, a smaller, focused experience is very welcome.
