Hellblade 2 will make Hellblade look like an Indie Game, according to director
Saga or Sacrifice
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Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has accrued a mountain of fans in the years since its release. And those fans were pleasantly surprised to learn that the series would continue with Hellblade 2: Senua’s Saga. Now, director Tameem Antoniades has revealed the intended scope of the sequel for the first time.
Senua’s Surprise Success
Hellblade: Senua’s sacrifice is acclaimed for a reason. The game provided an unflinching and introspective examination of mental illness when it released in 2017. And not only that, but it was also a well put together action-adventure game. Hellblade was claustrophobic when it need to trap the player in Senua’s struggle, but without sacrificing tense, adrenaline fuelled combat encounters.
A unique take on Norse myth, Hellblade gave recognisable tales a darker and more personal retelling. Encounters with gods and giants are a filtered through the unreliable perspective of a Pict warrior named Senua. Senua grieves, struggles and fights for vengeance. Seeing Senua reclaim control over her story is a truly cathartic experience. Especially after feeling as though you’re battling her demons right alongside her.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sequel
Where will the series go next? After Senua’s descent into Hel and back (or perhaps just the depths or her own mind, as the two can be seen as one and the same) fans might reasonably expect another game of similar scope. But not so according to Antionades. Hellblade 2 is aiming to fully surpass the original in terms of scale and quality.
“The goal with Hellblade 2 isn’t to perfect it, but to create an experience that feels more believable and more refined. Its ambition in terms of scale is bigger. I think Hellblade 2 will make Hellblade look like an indie game,” said Antionades. In pursuit of these goals, developers at Ninja Theory are focusing in on ‘realism’. Actors are being taught proper combat techniques, locations have been scouted and photographed. Real costumes have been designed, produced and scanned into the game.
It will be intriguing to see how these ‘real’ elements mesh with the myth of Senua’s world. If done right, this could be a sequel that will echo through the ages.