The experience delivered by a video game can vary hugely if the developing team makes sure that enough attention is given to the aspect of psychosis. A perfect example of this is the upcoming Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 title, which, apart from using Unreal Engine 5 and Binaural Audio Tech, focuses on the said element of video games perfectly.
The effect of psychosis on gamers is often something that is missed out on by the studios, who generally treat it as mere noise and as a filler to give depth to their characters, instead of using the element to its fullest potential.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 – Ninja Theory Might Just Be Onto Something
To deliver what the developers feel is a perfect horror experience, a mental health expert by the name of Paul Fletcher was hired by the studio, who gave them insight into how psychosis affects the human brain. This move can easily be what puts Ninja Theory over the edge when compared to its competitors, as not many video games in the modern age prefer to put much effort elsewhere, except on graphics and storyline.
Talking about the manner in which psychosis is employed in the game, Laurie Dunham, scriptwriter, and director of performance capture, stated the following in an interview via Games Radar.
“We tried to be intentional about what we’re doing, to understand where it might have come from for Senua and what its limits are, It’s not everything, but a specific thing that has a specific kind of resonance to her, and a specific meaning to her in the situation. It’s not just noise.”
The title is scheduled to be released on 21st May exclusively for players on PC and Xbox, leaving PlayStation gamers high and dry this time around. It also follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, with a horror/nightmare theme like never seen before in a video game.
Hellblade 2, as discussed before, is also going to be one of the most advanced games of its time, using features such as Nanite Technology made available in Unreal Engine 5, as well as Binaural Tech, enhancing the audio experience at the same time.
Why Are Fans Upset With Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Despite The Game Promising To Deliver A Perfect Experience
While the title has set the standards high by being the first to make use of the latest developing tools in the industry, fans are now beginning to question its benefits, especially if a major chunk of the player base will not be able to run the game, with another chunk being able to run it only with restrictions on the graphic settings.
For those who haven’t heard the news yet, the requirement list to run the game on PC was recently revealed by the studio, and it brings with itself disappointment for many, as mandates such as a minimum of 16GB of RAM and the need for an SSD is something that many gamers simply cannot fulfill. Moreover, the studio has also decided how the game will be locked in at just 30FPS on consoles, which, according to the official VFX Director of the game, helps deliver a ‘cinematic‘ experience.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is available to pre-order on Steam.
