With its masterful achievement which finally shows what the Xbox Series Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 immerse yourself in a visceral and oppressive universe. However, he also annoys with his uninteresting fights. Such a design deserves much better gameplay.
“ Every monster was once a man… »: this sentence, as a filigree of hope, runs through Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, a long-announced Xbox exclusive which has finally captured the public with its extraordinary achievement. Breathtaking, gloomy, visceral, this new adventure of Senua, heroine who survived an already nightmarish first journey, plunges into a Nordic universe which combines extreme violence and captivating landscapes. Little-known folklore (do you know Huldufólk?) and ultimately simple to understand story. The result is a primarily cinematic experience, designed as a showcase for the Xbox Series X.
Senua begins her new quest aboard a slave ship, run by the Bjarg clan, who continues to lead her people towards a disastrous end. She will later discover that her enemy is acting under the duress of a curse linked to giants. While some are ready to fight them, others prefer to undergo sacrificial rituals. Always guided by voices born from her mental disorders, Senua decides to free the majestic and frightening creatures from their burden. Just because ” every monster was once a man “. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is first of all just an immersive trip.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2’s combat is painful
Launch
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is available starting May 21 on Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PC. It is also found in Xbox Game Pass.
We knew that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 would be very beautiful. On the other hand, we did not think that it would be as beautiful. The Ninja Theory studio mobilizes the different technologies of Unreal Engine 5 to give birth to a visually incredible game (we would dream of only playing productions of this quality). There are no qualifiers to describe Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, as the screen is covered with details and visual effects, with astonishing photorealism. Each environment is an uppercut, an opportunity to put down the controller to admire and delight. We can guess that Ninja Theory put their heart into the work, with every second thought of as a work of art. It’s prodigious.
Every second is thought of as a work of art
Certainly, detractors may consider that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is only one corridor in 30 fps, mixed with black bands to save a few pixels. This would insult the artistic direction which gives an undeniable character to a game which sometimes descends into horror. Such a graphic level can only encourage one to explore Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 while enjoying the show, which is ultimately more like an interactive film (the facial animations are dazzling) than a video game. We sometimes wonder if Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 wouldn’t be better in a format without a controller.
The plastic beauty of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 comes with the added bonus of immense work on the soundtrack. In addition to sounds which permeate the Icelandic atmosphere and give it a sacred soul, we delight in sound effects which constantly assail, with a precision which commands respect (you have to play with headphones, or with a home cinema, if possible). There are also all these voices that sow ideas in Senua’s head. Talkative, they are there constantly, materializing so well the psychoses from which the heroine suffers. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 speaks all the time, and whispers everywhere. But this contributes to this constant oppression. In terms of immersion, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 goes very, very far. You also have to have a strong stomach to resist this pressure, certainly virtual, but terribly palpable. On this point, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is a lesson, with highlights that leave you speechless.
On the other hand, these praises no longer hold when Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is returned to its video game reality. That is to say when the duty to press buttons extricates us from dream waking nightmare. Like its predecessor, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 suffers from terribly basic mechanics. There are laughable enigmas, which delay more than they awaken our intellect. Above all, there are the fights, painful because they are boring, choppy and not very technical. There is improvement compared to before (the staging is more fluid), but we quickly realize the deception. We are even sad to see that Ninja Theory has put all its soul into a wonderful production to send us enemies who end up all looking the same. There, the immersion, which reaches such high peaks during walks, takes a big hit. The contrast is terrible.
Smoke effects
A well-stocked forest
It is therefore necessary to take Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 for what it is, in this case an immense embrace nourished by technical and artistic mastery, unfortunately trapped in a boat gameplay loop. This is why we think he would have been much more comfortable in a less interactive format. It remains a proposition which demonstrates certain know-how. But those who hope for a real leap forward in the action part, compared to Hellblade; Senua’s Sacrificemust change their minds. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is a sensory journey like no other, which still lacks the experience of touch to be fully accomplished. A stone’s throw from a masterpiece.
The verdict
We liked
- Stunning achievement
- The soundtrack is amazing (play on headphones)
- full immersion
We liked it less
- Difficult battles
- Clone enemies that break immersion
- It’s short, though.
Between constant sound pressure and visceral violence not far from disgust, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 captivates with its incredible work on immersion. Thanks to Unreal Engine 5, it shines with its breathtaking production. The cinematic experience is successful, and we feel all the work accomplished by Ninja Theory.
On the other hand, we would have liked this visual foundation to accommodate much more refined gameplay. In the wake of its predecessor, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is overtaken by its demons, namely laughable puzzles and tasteless combat. A shame for a story centered around a heroine who has to deal with mental disorders.
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