Hellblade 2 Review: Everything You Need to Know About the Xbox Exclusive

Hellblade 2 Review: Hellblade 2, officially titled Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, is the sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, a dark fantasy action-adventure game that explored the themes of mental illness, Norse mythology, and Celtic culture. The first game followed Senua, a Pict warrior who embarked on a perilous journey to Helheim, the Norse underworld, to rescue the soul of her dead lover. Along the way, she faced not only the horrors of the Norse gods, but also her own psychosis, manifested as voices, visions, and delusions.

Hellblade 2 continues Senua’s story, as she leads a band of warriors to the land of the gods, Iceland, to confront a new and terrifying threat. The game promises to deliver a more epic and immersive experience than the first one, with stunning visuals, intense combat, and a rich narrative that explores Senua’s inner turmoil and outer conflicts.

Who is developing Hellblade 2?

Hellblade 2 is being developed by Ninja Theory, a Cambridge, UK-based studio that is known for its innovative and cinematic games, such as Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, DmC: Devil May Cry, and Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Ninja Theory was acquired by Microsoft in 2018, and became part of the Xbox Game Studios family. Since then, the studio has been working on several projects, including Hellblade 2, Project Mara, a psychological horror game that takes place in a single apartment, and The Insight Project, a research initiative that aims to use gaming technology to improve mental health.

Ninja Theory has been praised for its creative vision, technical prowess, and sensitive portrayal of mental health issues. The studio has collaborated with neuroscientists, psychologists, and people with lived experience of psychosis to create an authentic and respectful representation of Senua’s condition. The studio has also used cutting-edge technology, such as performance capture, photogrammetry, and Unreal Engine 5, to create realistic and immersive worlds for its games.

When and where can I play Hellblade 2?

Hellblade 2 was announced in December 2019, at The Game Awards, with a stunning trailer that showcased the game’s graphics and atmosphere. The trailer was captured entirely in-engine, and featured a haunting rendition of the song “In Maidjan” by the Icelandic band Heilung. Since then, Ninja Theory has released several behind-the-scenes videos, revealing some of the locations, inspirations, and challenges of developing the game.

However, the studio has not yet revealed a release date for Hellblade 2, nor a gameplay trailer. The game is expected to launch sometime in 2022, exclusively for Xbox Series X|S and PC. The game will also be available on Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service that offers access to hundreds of games for a monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass subscribers will be able to play Hellblade 2 on day one, without any additional cost.

Why should I be excited for Hellblade 2?

Hellblade 2 is one of the most anticipated games of the year, and for good reasons. The game is a sequel to one of the most acclaimed and influential games of the last decade, which won multiple awards and accolades, including five BAFTAs, three The Game Awards, and a Royal College of Psychiatrists award. The game is also a showcase of the power and potential of the Xbox Series X|S and PC platforms, as well as the Unreal Engine 5, which enable the game to achieve stunning levels of realism, detail, and performance. The game is also a testament to the creative vision and passion of Ninja Theory, a studio that has proven its ability to craft immersive and meaningful stories, with compelling characters, gameplay, and themes.

If you are a fan of dark fantasy, action-adventure, or narrative-driven games, you should definitely keep an eye on Hellblade 2. The game promises to deliver a thrilling and emotional journey, that will challenge your skills, your senses, and your sanity.