Ninja Theory is an independent studio known for Heavenly Sword,
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and the Devil May Cry reboot.
Each title from the studio focuses on layered combat
strong character performances, and unique visuals.
Their newest game, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice,
leverages these strengths to deliver an emotional journey
that redefines interactive storytelling.
When starting Hellblade, a disclaimer warns of things to come:
“People with experience of psychosis and professionals in psychiatry
“have assisted in the depictions presented in the game.”
Ninja Theory asks a lot from the player in an effort to face these issues head on,
emulating the effects of psychosis in ways that may make you uncomfortable.
Keeping spoilers to a minimum, Hellblade’s story revolves around Senua
as she journeys through a hellish landscape to save her beloved’s soul.
A mixture of Nordic and Celtic mythology sets the backdrop
for a deeply personal journey that focuses on Senua’s inner struggle
as much as the physical threat from the grueling landscape
and overwhelming minions of darkness.
While she is physically alone,
voices in her head frequently whisper and comment on her actions.
What they say is often innocent or unimportant, but at times,
these voices do assist with puzzles or even play a part in saving your life.
They offer a compelling layer to Senua’s character,
and every word they utter, even the seemingly unimportant ones,
is said with such conviction that it’s impossible to ignore.
Early in the adventure, an evil substance seeps into Senua’s arm
and a foreboding message appears: “The dark rot will grow after each failure,
“and if it reaches Senua’s head, her quest is over
“and all progress will be lost.”
While we never faced such an end,
the threat is enough to dramatically increase the tension.
As the quest unfolds, the environment twists and distorts,
enemies become more furious, and danger permeates through every crevice.
The constant escalation contributes to themes of madness and despair
as Senua’s plight becomes ever more desperate.
Combat is violent and forceful.
During each encounter, the camera locks into combat mode
forcing you to fight or die.
Light and heavy attacks can be chained together to perform various combos
while kicks can stun or break an enemy’s guard.
Senua can also lunge, dash, and parry with a well-timed block.
Lastly, performing well during fights builds a focus charge
which can be unleashed to slow enemies down
and make them far more vulnerable to attacks.
Enemies frequently try to exploit your blind spots,
but the voices in Senua’s head regularly assist by alerting you to their presence.
It’s refreshing that there are no unlockable skills
or experience points to grind.
Senua’s abilities are a reflection of her as a character
which helps add emotional weight to each situation,
and getting bogged down in stats and combo multipliers
would feel out of place.
There are a handful of enemy types that get doled out
at a deliberate pace to keep encounters interesting.
Additionally, boss fights are high stakes affairs
that put your combat prowess to the test.
Your attachment to Senua
combined with the underlying fear of losing progress
results in palpable dread.
While most of the bosses can be felled in combat by hacking them to death,
each has a unique and captivating design that fits with their theme.
Exploration is largely linear
and takes place in large outdoor environments
with some smaller more intimate locations.
Vast oceans, dank caves, and ruined villages help construct a believable mythology.
Lorestones act as audio logs and are scattered throughout the environment
to offer insight into historical events.
The game’s puzzles primarily revolve around manipulating your visual perspective.
At multiple points throughout the journey,
doors are sealed by runes that you need to find in the environment to progress.
Despite the linear areas, finding rune locations
and lining up the precise perspective can be obtuse.
While later sections feature a few clever twists on the formula,
the repetition eventually hurts the pacing.
Visually, Hellblade is stunning.
Soaring vistas, believable faces,
and atmospheric lighting pull you into the world’s dark spaces.
On PlayStation 4 Pro, an option to play at sixty frames per second
comes at the cost of slightly downgraded visuals,
but it’s nice for players to be able to choose their preference.
Playing with headphones is a must and urged by Ninja Theory
to take advantage of the binaural audio design.
The voices in Senua’s head engulf your senses
as if they were your own.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a unique achievement
in interactive storytelling.
An engaging combat system and rich mythology
serve as backdrops to a profoundly emotional tale.
Stepping into the mind of Senua and playing a small role in her life
is an inspiring experience that leaves a weighty impression.
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