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Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Posted: 17 Sep 2020, 22:00
by Baul


This game is one hell of an experience coming from Ninja Theory. The guys behind DMC: Devil May Cry amongst other games.

At its core, the game's narrative is an amazing metaphor for Mental Illness. The main character, Senua, suffers from Psychosis (Referred to as "The darkness"/"Touched by the darkness" IIRC in-game.) though she believes it to be a curse. Due to this she experiences voices in her head (Which is done really, really well both in its implementation in-game, using Binaural audio, and how it's used to convey the condition) and is haunted by her past.

Ninja Theory worked pretty closely with specialists, neuroscientists and people with the condition to better and more accurately understand and portray the condition.

NT also donated their first week's worth of sales, which they matched themselves to the UK mental health charity Rethink and another US-based charity. Donating in total $50k to the US charity. Can't find numbers for the UK charity.

The story follows Senua, a Pictish warrior who travels to Hel in order to save her dead lover, Dilion from the Goddess Hela after Norsemen slaughtered him sometime before the game began.

Along the way she encounters the fire giant Surt, The Spirit of illusions Valravn, The Goddess Hela, The Guardian of Hel's Gate Gramr

The gameplay does suffer a little as it takes a back seat to the narrative. The gameplay consists of 2 main parts. Action hack and slash which is pretty basic but quite fun and a puzzle segment where the player has to find a specific shape (A nordic rune) in the environment. Between the two there are stretches of walking sim style stuff where narrative happens.

But this is one of the games you play for the experience, rather than the gameplay.

The game is incredibly tragic and beautiful. More people need to play it. And I need to replay it at some point.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Posted: 18 Sep 2020, 11:18
by Nishizono Shinji
I absolutely love this game. The story is beautifully tragic and the player experience is just something else, if you play with a decent headset the 3D audio is just on another level from most games you will play with the voices in her head seemingly coming from inside your own.
I also can't recommend this game enough, stunning visuals and engrossing storytelling that's on par with anything you'd care to mention.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Posted: 21 Sep 2020, 18:53
by Nishizono Shinji
Just found out one of my favourite bands 'Heilung' are doing the music for Senua Sacrifice 2 :D

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Posted: 23 Sep 2020, 21:35
by Baul
Nishizono Shinji wrote:
21 Sep 2020, 18:53
Just found out one of my favourite bands 'Heilung' are doing the music for Senua Sacrifice 2 :D

I heard of them from the trailer. Glad they're doing the music as well because the song from the trailer was pretty amazing.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Posted: 24 Sep 2020, 07:07
by Nishizono Shinji
Baul wrote:
23 Sep 2020, 21:35
Nishizono Shinji wrote:
21 Sep 2020, 18:53
Just found out one of my favourite bands 'Heilung' are doing the music for Senua Sacrifice 2 :D

I heard of them from the trailer. Glad they're doing the music as well because the song from the trailer was pretty amazing.

There's a live performance of their album 'Lifa' on YouTube I recommend watching it :)

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Posted: 24 Sep 2020, 17:22
by Baul
Nishizono Shinji wrote:
24 Sep 2020, 07:07
Baul wrote:
23 Sep 2020, 21:35
Nishizono Shinji wrote:
21 Sep 2020, 18:53
Just found out one of my favourite bands 'Heilung' are doing the music for Senua Sacrifice 2 :D

I heard of them from the trailer. Glad they're doing the music as well because the song from the trailer was pretty amazing.

There's a live performance of their album 'Lifa' on YouTube I recommend watching it :)

I'll check it out, thanks!