There’s one aspect in which Hellblade 2 is looking to improve over its predecessor, as Ninja Theory seems to have revamped the combat elements that were introduced in Senua’s Sacrifice. Although the first installment was praised for various concepts being so carefully integrated into the experience, such as psychosis and death, not everyone was on board with how it handled the combat, which started to feel repetitive and monotonous.
Fortunately, the combat director for Hellblade 2, Benoit Macon, has assured the players looking forward to the sequel that things are going to be different this time around.
The Combat in Hellblade 2 Will Be More Layered
As Hellblade 2 approaches its release date, Benoit Macon sat down for an interview and shared details about how Ninja Theory is approaching the fighting elements in the sequel. “We think that a sense of brutality, a sense of struggle, is reinforced in one-on-one combat,” stated Macon, explaining that one is less aware of their surroundings when engaged in a duel.
That elevates the tension of the situation, as according to the combat director, “you’re always wondering what’s going to happen.”
Macon went on to state that the team created “a big pool of animations that can trigger from anything,” so the element of surprise during the battles in Hellblade 2 will be quite apparent. Different situations and actions will result in unique reactions, as the combat director says, “If Senua gets hit, it triggers something; if she kills an enemy, it triggers something different and so on,” resulting in the fights being much more layered than what the first game managed to achieve.
The action set pieces in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will also have narrative significance because every battle that Ninja Theory has created for the sequel builds up the story.
It Took Ninja Theory 75 Days to Get Through the Motion Capture Phase
It is clear that Ninja Theory is committed to making the combat in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 much more complex than the first installment, which is why the developer went all out with the production and ensured that no stone was left unturned. Where it only took less than 20 people to develop Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, the scope is significantly bigger in the sequel, as it took 75 days for the developer to just get through the motion capture phase.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 combat director concluded that the team’s “guiding principle” is simply “what you see is what you get,” which is why the studio recorded stunt performers for such an extensive period.
With Benoit Macon admitting that the Battle of the Bastards from Game of Thrones was the source of inspiration and reference for the combat in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, it seems like Ninja Theory is prepared to provide its player base with an edge-of-the-seat experience.
Are you excited for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2? Let us know in the comments!
