When Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was released in 2017, it received plenty of praise for its tense combat encounters, incorporation of Norse mythology, and depiction of psychosis. Now seven years later, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II arrives and is better in every way, from its more interesting puzzles, more fleshed-out world, and incredible set pieces that shine on Xbox Series X. Developer Ninja Theory is doing its best work yet, really coming into its own as a studio.
Senua’s Sacrifice was largely an intimate affair. Besides a few foes, most of the game was an internal battle as Senua talked not with other characters but instead with the voices inside her head, all with their own distinct personality. Don’t worry, they’re still around and constantly chiming in with a mixture of doubt, encouragement, and every feeling in between. However, Senua’s latest journey features her journeying into Iceland, looking for revenge against the Vikings who murdered some of her village and took the rest as slaves, and she winds up coming across many human characters throughout the way, each with their own story of growth to be explored.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II can sometimes be overwhelming from an audiovisual standpoint. Senua’s own voices chiming in while she has a conversation with another person is initially jarring but soon becomes commonplace, as you expect the interjections. One of the most interesting developments was getting a real sense of the character’s thought process, as her own opinions often are formed while listening to the extremes expressed by her inner dialogue. It’s rare to form such a connection with a video game character, but Senua really feels fully formed in the sequel, as I felt like I actually knew her by the end of this nine-hour journey.
While it’s easy to focus on the stellar audio design, the visuals need to be praised as well. While the original was technically sound, going through its depiction of Helheim could often feel drab and repetitive. The sequel is a much more interesting experience to look at, as the art direction is top-notch as Senua explores gorgeous hillsides, villages soaked in red, and dangerous caves. The enemy design is also impressive, as Senua goes up against some fearsome creatures come nighttime. Unlike the original, the game is letterboxed, which leads to some fantastic cinematic moments, although the more limited widescreen view does take a bit of time to get used to.
The gameplay has also seen vast improvements from the original. Combat is more integrated into the core experience, which was a struggle of the original — it sometimes felt like an exploration/puzzle game with fights jammed into it. Here, you more seamlessly go between fighting segments and exploration, although it should be noted that fights are still sometimes few and far between. This isn’t a game where you’ll kill thousands of enemies; Instead, violence comes out of the necessity to survive, and this is brilliantly illustrated by the game’s detailed animations, which lead to some incredible combat encounters that allow the parry-based gameplay to shine. Puzzles are also a big step up from the first game, although the mildly annoying “find the sigil” sections return, but there are some really brilliant sections that left me quite satisfied after figuring out the solution.
However, the most praise has to go to the game’s story and characterization. There’s a genuinely interesting story told that examines the role of leadership, what people will do to protect their loved ones, and how easily one can fall into the darkness that constantly lurks around humanity. Hellblade II’s story is often dark, but there’s always light — a belief that things can be better and that people deserve the chance to truly live and make mistakes — even if it’s dim. It’s one of the more thought-provoking stories that the medium has offered in the past year and is a real highlight.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is one of the year’s best games and the best reason to boot up your Xbox Series X. Gorgeous in both visuals and themes, it’s a mature effort that shows the growth of developer Ninja Theory. This is one of the best action-adventure games of this generation and one that must be played.
SCORE: 9/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: The publisher provided an Xbox Series X code for our Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II review. Reviewed on version 1.0.3.0.
