Ninja Theory
For the first two hours ofSenua ’s Saga : Hellblade 2,I was fully transported into Senua ’s headspace . Every aspect of the sequel ’s designing was work in concert to pull me into her idea and never let me go . And then I found my first collectible .
I escape out on the firstHellblade , but was familiar enough to eff what the oecumenical consensus was regarding its strengths and weaknesses . I do it it was a narrative - take secret plan about a very serious mental health condition . What I never see about , and thus did n’t make out to gestate until I came across it , was something as “ gamey ” as collectibles . In most game , collectibles can be a way to reward exploration , total lore to the world , or simply be an added objective for those who want to do and see it all . In the case ofHellblade 2 , however , it ’s one little piece of a larger issue : The series ’ TV game inherent aptitude give away theserious flavour and subject matterthat the rest of the subversive experience is so attached to .
Ninja Theory
Wall hugging
At first , Hellblade 2gripped me like few games have . You already have a go at it just how telling this game is from a visual standpoint from dawdler and screenshots , but it’sthe 3D audiothat push it into a league of its own . That first vista of Senua nigh drown in the ocean while compete voice attempt to further and demoralize her instantly established an empathetic link between us . The mingy perspective of the camera , the framing of Senua and her detailed facial animations , and the deficiency of a head - up show ( HUD ) all made certain that link remain unbroken .
When I found the first payable — a totem of sorts with a column of rune indicate which one you found and how many more there were — I was hurl out of that mindset . Afterwards I found a second type of collectible that only exacerbated the issue . Unlike the first , which appears off side paths in a very elongate game , this second type are obscure behind piece of the environment that resemble faces if paid attention to . If you blemish one , you could then carry down the focus push button to divulge a concealed way to the collectible .
From that point on , I could n’t blank out I was playing a game for more than a short reach of time . Every new area had me walk around all the boundaries in search of a secondary path hiding a mysterious or second - guessing whether or not I should keep moving forward and risk of exposure not being able to return if I had missed something . I should n’t be rub up against the corner of the mathematical function during an emotionally charge scene attempting to show me another layer of Senua ’s genial land .
It may go like a nitpick , but it ’s just one constituent that shows how hard it can be for a TV plot to balance difficult , undiscovered themes with traditional plot design instincts . It ’s not that a plot ca n’t put up a serious geographic expedition on psychosis while still offer received gamification hook , butHellblade 2goes a step too far . The sequel goes to such length to connect you with Senua that insert any element of a metagame invites players to distance themselves from her . Combat is a better object lesson of compromise in this regard . You do have a light and heavy blast you may do basic combos with , plus a pulley block you may time to parry flak , but it stays grounded by keeping the screen light of HUD elements and wee all the vivification realistically fell .
Because the themes ofunderstanding and accepting psychosisare alone delivered by putting the player in Senua ’s shoes , there ’s no real agency to compensate if anything pulls the actor out of that Department of State of mind . Collectibles are too gamey of a conception to immix with how seriouslyHellblade 2demands to be take . If you may , I highly suggest ignoring them on your first playthrough to try and preserve the experience .
Senua ’s Saga : Hellblade 2is out now on Xbox Series X / S and PC .
