Less than three weeks away from launch, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is generating substantial amounts of buzz. The blockbuster Xbox first-party title’s marketing campaign is about to kick off next week, and hype is running high for the much-awaited sequel.
Developer Ninja Theory has also offered regular glimpses into their fastidious character creation process for the game’s protagonist, Senua, and the lengths they go to imbibe a sense of realism are extraordinary, especially in the costume department.
Senua’s Costumes Were Impeccably Crafted For Hellblade 2
The studio uploaded a dev diary last year dubbed ‘Crafting Senua’, which revealed a fascinating approach taken by the team for costume design and character creation. Unlike many games that rely solely on digital tools for the same, Hellblade 2 takes a more old-fashioned route:
These are crafted with expert costume designers using traditional materials and techniques accurate to the time period to achieve a level of realism and detail that simply wouldn’t be possible using purely digital techniques.
The impact this approach has on the actress portraying Senua, Melina Juergens, is particularly noteworthy. Juergens remarks in the video diary that the full makeup and costume significantly enhance her connection to the character. In the first Hellblade game, her costume was entirely digital, somewhat hindering this immersive experience.
Ninja Theory’s Radical Approach To Hair Design
Ninja Theory’s fixation on realism extends beyond just the fabric and stitching. The hair and makeup team initially attempted to utilize Juergens’ natural hair for Senua’s digital counterpart. However, they ultimately opted for an air weave styled with ash and pigment to achieve the desired visual effect.
To translate these carefully-crafted physical elements into the digital realm, Ninja Theory partnered with 3Lateral, a company specializing in high-fidelity character scanning. The process involves capturing terabytes of data from Juergens, a significant leap from the mere gigabytes used for the first game.
This immense amount of data allows for the creation of a photorealistic digital Senua, faithfully replicating the intricate details of her costume and physical appearance.
Hellblade 2 goes above and beyond when it comes to immersion, and takes the littlest details with the utmost seriousness. Alongside the graphics, Ninja Theory is damn near blurring the lines between games and reality.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is slated for release on 21 May 2024 across Xbox Series X/S and PC. Game Pass subscribers can play the game on day one at no additional cost.
