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There's been a lot of talk about how well Hellblade - Senua's Sacrifice handles the sensitive topic of mental illness but while that sounds like a cue for an issues-heavy "walking simulator", Hellblade is anything but that. This action adventure, fairly priced at £24.99, balances combat, exploration and storyline without letting any of these aspects blot out the other.
The story follows the exploits of Senua, a celtic warrior who travels to the underworld in search of her deceased love. This would be a mammoth task in itself but she struggles with psychosis, hearing voices that undermine her well-being and in some cases risk pushing her over the edge.
The game looks fantastic, Senua herself being motion captured by a woman who clearly has acting chops, despite actually being an employee of Ninja Theory, the team behind the game. The landscapes you make your way through grow increasingly warped as you progress, leaving you to question whether what you're seeing is really there of if its influenced by Senua's state of mind.
Combat is also excellent; the fighting systems not particularly complex, but it looks amazing in action, swords sparking as they clash and the game does give you a few chances to pick yourself up if you're knocked down. You'll rarely be killed outright. And as you may have heard, the issues addressed by the game are treated sensitively - you'll actually feel for Senua , a woman who risks sacrificing her own sanity for the one she loves.
The game isn't perfect, however. As breathtaking as the levels are (you can use the game's photo mode to get some amazing shots), some of the rune puzzle are a pain. The idea is that you line up certain objects, objects in the level, to make a rune shape to unlock a door. Sometimes, it can be hard to track down the exact part of the scenery you're supposed to be using and you can end up stuck for half a hour at a time.
But despite this, Hellblade hangs together remarkably well. It weaves an amazing tale, combat is used sparingly and is never frustrating and you'll be with Senua every step of her journey. It's such a spectacle to behold that you'll want to play through it again. And as for the game deleting your save? The general consensus is that it's not real - I certainly didn't suffer it despite dying multiple times due to bumbling the wrong way down a corridor, repeatedly.
Furthermore, the way the game puts you in Senua's shoes regards her voices is both disturbing and fascinating. The game is best played with headphones so you'll have whispers coming from both sides, giving you the impression that they're behind you, next to you, jumping around. It's disconcerting to say the least.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a compelling, engaging tale and if you've got a PS4 or PC, even if you're not usually into the genre, it's well worth checking out.
Post edited by Hannard on 27/08/2017 at 23:28.
The story follows the exploits of Senua, a celtic warrior who travels to the underworld in search of her deceased love. This would be a mammoth task in itself but she struggles with psychosis, hearing voices that undermine her well-being and in some cases risk pushing her over the edge.
The game looks fantastic, Senua herself being motion captured by a woman who clearly has acting chops, despite actually being an employee of Ninja Theory, the team behind the game. The landscapes you make your way through grow increasingly warped as you progress, leaving you to question whether what you're seeing is really there of if its influenced by Senua's state of mind.
Combat is also excellent; the fighting systems not particularly complex, but it looks amazing in action, swords sparking as they clash and the game does give you a few chances to pick yourself up if you're knocked down. You'll rarely be killed outright. And as you may have heard, the issues addressed by the game are treated sensitively - you'll actually feel for Senua , a woman who risks sacrificing her own sanity for the one she loves.
The game isn't perfect, however. As breathtaking as the levels are (you can use the game's photo mode to get some amazing shots), some of the rune puzzle are a pain. The idea is that you line up certain objects, objects in the level, to make a rune shape to unlock a door. Sometimes, it can be hard to track down the exact part of the scenery you're supposed to be using and you can end up stuck for half a hour at a time.
But despite this, Hellblade hangs together remarkably well. It weaves an amazing tale, combat is used sparingly and is never frustrating and you'll be with Senua every step of her journey. It's such a spectacle to behold that you'll want to play through it again. And as for the game deleting your save? The general consensus is that it's not real - I certainly didn't suffer it despite dying multiple times due to bumbling the wrong way down a corridor, repeatedly.
Furthermore, the way the game puts you in Senua's shoes regards her voices is both disturbing and fascinating. The game is best played with headphones so you'll have whispers coming from both sides, giving you the impression that they're behind you, next to you, jumping around. It's disconcerting to say the least.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a compelling, engaging tale and if you've got a PS4 or PC, even if you're not usually into the genre, it's well worth checking out.
Post edited by Hannard on 27/08/2017 at 23:28.
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There's been a lot of talk about how well Hellblade - Senua's Sacrifice handles the sensitive topic of mental illness but while that sounds like a cue for an issues-heavy "walking simulator", Hellblade is anything but that. This action adventure, fairly priced at £24.99, balances combat, exploration and storyline without letting any of these aspects blot out the other.
The story follows the exploits of Senua, a celtic warrior who travels to the underworld in search of her deceased love. This would be a mammoth task in itself but she struggles with psychosis, hearing voices that undermine her well-being and in some cases risk pushing her over the edge.
The game looks fantastic, Senua herself being motion captured by a woman who clearly has acting chops, despite actually being an employee of Ninja Theory, the team behind the game. The landscapes you make your way through grow increasingly warped as you progress, leaving you to question whether what you're seeing is really there of if its influenced by Senua's state of mind.
Combat is also excellent; the fighting systems not particularly complex, but it looks amazing in action, swords sparking as they clash and the game does give you a few chances to pick yourself up if you're knocked down. You'll rarely be killed outright. And as you may have heard, the issues addressed by the game are treated sensitively - you'll actually feel for Senua , a woman who risks sacrificing her own sanity for the one she loves.
The game isn't perfect, however. As breathtaking as the levels are (you can use the game's photo mode to get some amazing shots), some of the rune puzzle are a pain. The idea is that you line up certain objects, objects in the level, to make a rune shape to unlock a door. Sometimes, it can be hard to track down the exact part of the scenery you're supposed to be using and you can end up stuck for half a hour at a time.
But despite this, Hellblade hangs together remarkably well. It weaves an amazing tale, combat is used sparingly and is never frustrating and you'll be with Senua every step of her journey. It's such a spectacle to behold that you'll want to play through it again. And as for the game deleting your save? The general consensus is that it's not real - I certainly didn't suffer it despite dying multiple times due to bumbling the wrong way down a corridor, repeatedly.
Furthermore, the way the game puts you in Senua's shoes regards her voices is both disturbing and fascinating. The game is best played with headphones so you'll have whispers coming from both sides, giving you the impression that they're behind you, next to you, jumping around. It's disconcerting to say the least.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a compelling, engaging tale and if you've got a PS4 or PC, even if you're not usually into the genre, it's well worth checking out.
Post edited by Hannard on 27/08/2017 at 23:28.
The story follows the exploits of Senua, a celtic warrior who travels to the underworld in search of her deceased love. This would be a mammoth task in itself but she struggles with psychosis, hearing voices that undermine her well-being and in some cases risk pushing her over the edge.
The game looks fantastic, Senua herself being motion captured by a woman who clearly has acting chops, despite actually being an employee of Ninja Theory, the team behind the game. The landscapes you make your way through grow increasingly warped as you progress, leaving you to question whether what you're seeing is really there of if its influenced by Senua's state of mind.
Combat is also excellent; the fighting systems not particularly complex, but it looks amazing in action, swords sparking as they clash and the game does give you a few chances to pick yourself up if you're knocked down. You'll rarely be killed outright. And as you may have heard, the issues addressed by the game are treated sensitively - you'll actually feel for Senua , a woman who risks sacrificing her own sanity for the one she loves.
The game isn't perfect, however. As breathtaking as the levels are (you can use the game's photo mode to get some amazing shots), some of the rune puzzle are a pain. The idea is that you line up certain objects, objects in the level, to make a rune shape to unlock a door. Sometimes, it can be hard to track down the exact part of the scenery you're supposed to be using and you can end up stuck for half a hour at a time.
But despite this, Hellblade hangs together remarkably well. It weaves an amazing tale, combat is used sparingly and is never frustrating and you'll be with Senua every step of her journey. It's such a spectacle to behold that you'll want to play through it again. And as for the game deleting your save? The general consensus is that it's not real - I certainly didn't suffer it despite dying multiple times due to bumbling the wrong way down a corridor, repeatedly.
Furthermore, the way the game puts you in Senua's shoes regards her voices is both disturbing and fascinating. The game is best played with headphones so you'll have whispers coming from both sides, giving you the impression that they're behind you, next to you, jumping around. It's disconcerting to say the least.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a compelling, engaging tale and if you've got a PS4 or PC, even if you're not usually into the genre, it's well worth checking out.
Post edited by Hannard on 27/08/2017 at 23:28.