05/21/2024
The long-awaited sequel has finally come home. This time we see a more confident and stronger Senua who has allowed herself to be captured by the Viking Marauders who attacked and burned down her home. She draws purpose from the death of her loved ones and accepts her condition as part of who she is. She no longer views the voices in her head as a hindrance but more as an ally as she seeks to take the fight to her enemies on their home turf. Before making it to their destination, they're shipwrecked, and thus begins Senua's Saga. This is where I'll stop talking story and move on to other things.
The game is gorgeous. What Ninja Theory as put together with the Unreal Engine 5 is nothing short of breathtaking. Everything from the stunning landscapes to the actor models is incredibly life-like and jaw-dropping. This is a true next-gen visual experience for the senses.
While we're talking about senses, the audible experience in Sensua's Saga is otherworldly. One of the greatest and most interesting aspects of the Hellblade franchise is its use of audio. You need to use a good headset. I used the Turtle Beach Stealth 500 and 600s for -part of my experience as I'm currently reviewing them and they work great for this game.
The binaural audio is so cool and incredibly well done. Their use of audio is mind-melting. When playing the game, it feels as though you're right there in the world. the ocean waves, the wind - those voices. It feels like some invisible entity is speaking to Senua while circling her in a judgemental way. And much like the original game, these voices are her inner monologue. They still tell her what she should have done, they try to instill self-doubt and even point out things she needs to see. The soundtrack is also one that will go down as one of the very best in games. I don't know what they call the Icelandic chants (throat singing maybe?) but it's ominous, effective, and very satisfying.
The original game was a small double-A title that gained triple-A successes so surely that means this is one of those large sprawling AAA titles right? Wrong. Senua's Saga is still very much a small and intimate game that spans 6 chapters. It took me about 6 hours to complete. Now I didn't get all the collectibles - I don't think I even managed to get half of them and I did die a bunch of times. For someone looking to get everything collected, you're looking at roughly 7-8 hours total playthrough for a 100% completion.
If like me, you need to go back you can go back to a previous chapter and view the checkpoints to seek the collectibles you missed.
The combat is still pretty simplistic in nature. You have a dodge, quick and heavy attacks, and the mirror which acts as a sort of power-up skill slowing time down just enough for Senua to mercilessly butcher her enemies. Scattered throughout the journey - you'll still have puzzles to solve. So, some of them involve seeking out symbols in the area and others involve triggering different versions of the space to open areas. It does require a little back and forth at times but I still felt satisfied with accomplishing these tasks.
For me, I loved this game from start to finish but if you didn't enjoy the original title, I'm not sure this one will turn your thoughts around. The game is a visual and audible masterpiece. The people at Ninja Theory and Microsoft Game Studios should really be proud of what's been accomplished and delivered with Senua's Saga Hellblade 2.
Senua's Saga Hellblade 2 was developed by Ninja Theory and published by Xbox Game Studios available on Xbox Series consoles and Microsoft Windows PCs. You can play Senua's Saga Hellblade 2 May 21, 2024
