The length of a video game is becoming a big issue nowadays; many gamers make their decisions regarding the purchase of a game depending on how long it is. For instance, if a developer and publisher are asking $70 for a game, gamers would want that game to not have a short campaign that spans just 3–4 hours. This is the dilemma that fans of Ninja Theory’s Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 might face when it launches later this year.
Ninja Theory’s dark, puzzle-based psychological thriller is almost here. The game mixes a bunch of genres, just like its prequel, to give fans a very unique gameplay experience. But the latest buzz around this title is that it would be very long. And so, one wonders, would it be worth buying? Or should fans just cast this game aside?
Should fans give Hellblade 2 a chance despite it being a nine-hour experience?
When Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was launched back in 2023, they presented a game that was basically Modern Warfare 2, but with a shorter campaign. A $70 game released with a 3.5-hour campaign is not acceptable.
There were a bunch of people who complained about it, and numerous gamers suggested this was not the right move. But Activision and developer Infinity Ward had their own reasoning; it was being suggested that they had to deal with a much shorter development cycle.
Modern Warfare 3 was made in just 16 months; hence, it was like that. But how does it excuse them for charging $70 for that game? They did charge that price and gave their fans an unsatisfying single-player experience, yet this game became one of the best-selling titles of 2023.
On the other hand, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is releasing for $50 later this year. It would reportedly have a 9-hour campaign. It is getting harder for people to decide if they want to go for this game or not. It depends on preference; if one wants a 70-hour experience like Far Cry 5 which has nothing to offer but repetitive missions, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is up for grabs.
If a gamer wants a quality experience that helps them experience some of the best performances ever given in a game, they can go for Hellblade 2. While Ninja Theory is no match for Activision in popularity, they have proven their metal in storytelling. No multi-million-dollar Call of Duty was able to match the incredible storytelling that Ninja Theory did with the original Hellblade.
People tend to overlook the fact that the criticism of Activision was only surface-level when Modern Warfare 3 launched. People bought that game and played it. Some criticized that experience, others learned to love it, while the remaining suggested they never play single-player campaigns at all. Problem solved.
On the other hand, there are some companies for whom a tightly written single-player experience is still a prime focus. And if people can go ahead and pay $70 for The Last of Us: Part 1, Hellblade 2 is at least bringing something new to the table.
How does one justify the $50 price tag, though?
Original Hellblade was launched with the motive of allowing gamers to experience how a person with psychosis feels. Hearing those voices in one’s head, trying to be one of them, or trying to shut them up, how does it feel? They did it through some clever sound design and asking gamers to use headphones or surround sound systems.
With Hellblade 2, the developers are taking things much further than that. They are now recording sound using binaural technology to create 3D surround sound. Besides Unreal Engine 5, this would be one of the most impressive things in the game. Hence, the $50 price tag might be justified by the technologies at work in this game. And for those thinking it’s too pricey, there’s always Xbox Game Pass.
