Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is more than horror, it’s torture. It’s relentless pain, mind bending terror, agonising discomfort — made all the more real by an incredible display of visual and audio techniques.
Senua’s journey through the rugged landscapes of 10th-century Viking Iceland is the best visual experience on Xbox to date.
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The detailed textures of desecrated villages, the play of light and shadow in dense forests, and the screeches of creatures unknown all contribute to a world that feels both real and nightmarish.
It’s full of “wow” moments, from Senua standing at the edge of a sun kissed lake, to facing down a monstrous storm. Every moment is a testament to the developers at Ninja Theory and their visual artistry.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II plays out more like a film than a video game, with cinematic camera angles and wonderfully acted narrative. However, too often it feels like the gameplay is taking a backseat.
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Vengeance and Mental Struggle
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II follows the journey of Senua, an Icelandic warrior returning from the realm of Hel, seeking vengeance on the Viking raiders who devastated her home.
The game is as uncomfortable as it is beautiful. Delving into mental health themes, with a focus on Senua’s intriguing psychosis.
Players witness the plague in Senua’s mind, highlighting how her perceptions are influenced by her mental state. Though in comparison to the first game, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua’s come a long way.
The game suggests that many events are playing out in Senua’s mind, as in the first game, though everything has an effect. It’s clear that what she’s doing, the pain she’s going through, is real and has weight.
There’s an interesting bonus video available in the extras menu to expand on this, featuring an interview with a man who suffers from psychosis. The themes of mental health are so strong, a disclaimer is shown when you launch the game and the developers have created a dedicated webpage to direct those seeking help.
Gameplay and World
I played through the first game many years ago, but there’s no need to watch a YouTube recap before launching the sequel. As you start the sequel, Ninja Theory ensures you’re caught up on Senua’s story.
Gripping a flaming torch tightly as Senua navigates caverns deep underground is heart-pumping enough, but the added threat of the flame going out and creatures pulling you apart is something else entirely. The tension is palpable as shadows dance through the water and the flickering light barely keeps the encroaching darkness at bay.
While navigating through a dark underground river, there’s a moment that forces Senua to place her torch on a ledge and duck underneath the surface. The unexpected result had me holding my breath alongside her as it all unfolded.
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There’s a variety of puzzles on show, from perspective-based challenges to world manipulation. Each puzzle highlights Ninja Theory’s technical prowess. Perspective puzzles, in particular, stand out as you must align symbols and pathways to progress, merging visual art with gameplay mechanics in a seamless experience.
That said, the original game offers very similar puzzles, and this sequel doesn’t take the mechanic much further.
The path Senua walks (I don’t use the word walks lightly) is as linear as they come. There’s no traversing through bushes, stepping off the beaten track, or climbing somewhere you shouldn’t. There’s also no threat of falling from high places. The developers meticulously craft every step with intent, guiding you through a tightly controlled yet profoundly immersive narrative-driven experience.
Though the world is full of secrets, the only moments that take you off the main track are discovering “Faces” and sacred pillars. These discoverables are always satisfying to come across, with the Faces blending seamlessly into the environment, often requiring keen observation and exploration to find.
These hidden elements add depth to the world, rewarding players who take the time to look around and engage with their surroundings.
Thankfully, if you miss some, you’re able to return to a previous chapter from the main menu, with the number of remaining Faces and Pillars displayed. This feature is something I’m grateful for as I missed a few in my first play through.
There’s no “yellow paint” to guide Senua, but white paint is a different story. The way forward is often marked, indicating a ledge or a place to crawl under. This subtle guidance system integrates naturally into the game’s environment, holding the player’s hand and guiding them forward.
Fighting for Survival
Despite Senua’s incredible skill with a blade, she is dragged down at every opportunity. It’s heartbreaking to see her struck down and beaten, moments from death more times than I can count — but it’s by design.
Often, combat feels choreographed, with the kill animations blending seamlessly to introduce the next bad guy. While it looked great, it made me feel like I wasn’t in control of how the battle was playing out.
Facing enemies isn’t overly challenging; if you feel the fighting is too easy you can always up the difficulty. I left it at “Dynamic” by default, meaning the game would adapt to my play style.
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When you pause the game, the controls are displayed, but, much like the first game, there’s no tutorial. You’re left to figure things out on your own. Thankfully, it’s relatively easy enough.
Whether you’re fighting an armoured slaver, a flesh eating draugr or an interdimensional mirror monster, combat remains the same. Enemy variety is minimal. Each offering similar movements and move sets — all the way through the story.
Early on, you unlock an ability to slow time and increase your attack speed. This move almost always annihilates enemies in front of you. This is very satisfying, especially when you’ve already copped a few hits.
Fighting is a repetitive task. Combat sequences usually involve an enemy surprising you, you defeat it, immediately another enemy appears, you move on to the next enemy, and the next – one by one – until the sequence is complete.
Every fight plays out in a similar way and there’s no need to watch your back. I feel I’d singing combat praises if I could swing around, fight
Despite the game featuring towering giants, there are no major combat sequences with any other monsters or creatures that aren’t humanoid. Sure, there’s a slight interactive cut scene where you press a button to throw a spear, but that’s the bulk of it. Every enemy is similar in size and despite a couple of weapon changes, they all feature very similar combat styles.
Audio Masterclass
Manic laughing and blood curdling screams from ear to ear, voices offering conflicting ideas, waves crashing around you as you hold on for dear life — this is a masterclass of 3D audio in gaming.
Senua’s inner monologue plays aloud, voices surrounding you as you play.
You can hear every detail, such as the earth cracking beneath your feet or the swirling sounds of death overcoming you as you step into black, waist-deep water… Senua’s Saga is more of a symphony first and a video game second.
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Was that sound in Senua’s mind or is there something lurking in the darkness? It’s a question I constantly asked myself and it kept me on my toes.
I echo Ninja Theory’s request to experience the game at its best: Headphones are a must.
You’ll need high quality 3D audio to have the best audio experience. I played with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.
Graphics and Accessibility
Hellblade 2 is no short of a visual feast. However, the Xbox Series X|S version of the game is held back when it comes to frame rates. Combat could benefit significantly with a 60fps boost, much the like PC version.
Frame rates aside, the facial animation and attention to detail set a new standard. There were dozens of moments when I questioned if what I was looking at was a 3D model or a real person. And the likeness to actress Melina Juergens was uncanny.
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I experienced a bug during a fight sequence where the camera wouldn’t focus on the enemy and I couldn’t see what I was swinging my sword at. At first, I thought this may have been all in Senua’s mind, but then the camera started clipping through enemies and I knew it wasn’t right.
This was only through one short sequence, I didn’t experience this elsewhere in the game and have no other bugs to report.
The game offers numerous accessibility features, including menu narration, adjustable SFX mix, subtitles, closed captions, and various display settings. Players have the ability to adjust camera bob, combat actions, and motion blur. By default, motion blur is set at 10; lowering it can improve visual comfort and gameplay, at least in my experience.
Additionally, a photo mode allows players to explore and capture the game’s visual details. This can be quickly accessed by pressing “Up” on the D-Pad.
Should I buy Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II?
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II shines with its incredible audio and stunning visuals, offering an immersive experience that is both intense and captivating. The game’s focus on Senua’s psychosis and its portrayal of mental health are handled with care, making it a standout in terms of narrative depth.
However, the game falls short in terms of combat and gameplay, with mechanics that don’t significantly advance beyond the first game. The linear progression and repetitive combat sequences may leave some players wanting more variety and complexity.
Despite these shortcomings, Hellblade 2 remains a noteworthy entry in current-generation gaming, particularly for those who scream for more storytelling and immersion.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will retail for $69.95 and is coming to on Xbox Series X|S and PC on May 21st, it’ll also be launching on Xbox Game Pass.
Quest Daily scores Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II:
8/10
A review copy of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 was supplied to Quest Daily by Xbox for the purpose of this review.
