Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

I do not usually write reviews, but this masterpiece is something else. I tried to completely immerse myself in the world and it definitely pulled me in for quite a ride. The voice acting, the themes, the art, the music and the mechanics made it an unforgettable experience. You can tell how much passion was put in the game and this kind of art is what video games should be.

It is a game that is told in an immersive way and capture your attention to follow the travel with Senua in her search. Play with headphones and just enjoy the trip as the sounds are binaural and adds to the full experience in the game. There is some combat in the game but nothing that takes over or ruins the experience. It more adds to the experience. You will understand more when you play it. The story is very well written and grasps you quickly. If you enjoy Norse mythology you will encounter that in the game also as it binds to the story. Graphically also a very stunning game. There are some puzzles in the game but they are easy to handle. This game is top notch for me in every aspect and I recommend it warmly.

I am on the fence with this one. I understand the developers passion and reasoning behind this title. It's just that they were not able to execute as a 'game' (in my opinion). If it was literally a netflix show, I'd gladly binge it, just not in this form. The game world, environment, sound (You must wear headphones because hearing the voices inside Senua's mind is important to the game) are wonderful and well done. The combat is simple but easy to control, you will "feel" a little weight behind your blocks but the actual swing and connecting feels very light. It's weird. The plot is so-so, I understand Senua's will and conviction she has on her journey and reason why the developer wants to illustrate what somebody who is suffering from psychological problems go through. But I have not and do not personally know somebody who does, I can't connect with the character and story. Somebody who has experience, may feel what Senua's going through. What if here: What if ninjatheory did not explain the meaning and reason for the development of this title prior to the release of the game. It would have been just a run of the mill (with great effort) linear indie game with sprinking of celtic and nordic lore. Most people wouldn't have thought that ninjatheory was trying to with their best intent to illustrate psychological problems and delusions. If it wasn't for the meaning and motive behind the game, I don't believe it would have received its accolades as a game. It is very unlikely that I will finish the game. One of the things that is keeping me from doing that are the puzzles. They are not hard but very tedious and it really doesn't add to the lore/plot. Maybe it was explained early in the game but I do not understand the metaphor with matching the rune characters with some of the random parts of the world in order to unlock a door. Maybe someone who is more cognitive can explain it to me (I'm not being passive aggressive here, I am serious) It was worth playing for a bit but I don't have the urge to finish it.

After a solid 7 hours and a half of gameplay, I have finished this game with positive thoughts about it. While the gameplay isn't it's strongest aspect, it does make up for it with some wonderful acting, music, story and graphics. However, certain aspects keeps it from being an eternal classic. The Good: -Motion Capture should always be this good. -Music is strong and follows the amazing scenery you are in. -It does suspense the right way without jump scares. -The graphics are good. Senua is breathtaking. -The voice acting is great. -The story is simple yet deep and packed with surprises. The Okay: -Puzzle aren't super creative. -Combat is fun but shallow. The Bad: -No matter how you put it, it's mostly a walking simulator. -There is roughly 6 or 7 enemy types in the game. This is a good game you should definitely get, even if it feels like a movie at time. It's by no means perfect, but it is a great experience for anyone interested in mental illness or norse mythology.

After seeing the previews for this game I was somewhat impressed. The visuals looked very nice and the world seemed to be beautifully crafted. I thought for a game with stunning visuals for $29.99 why not. Let's give it a shot. I was thoroughly impressed with the gameplay. The use of mechanics derived from people with psychosis to implement into the game was a very unique idea. I thought a lot of the puzzles were well thought out and at times brilliant. The game also added elements of inter-dimensional traveling which makes it even more interesting. Although short I'm glad I bought this game. It was well worth it to support this new developer. They really delivered and I hope they continue to innovate new IP in the future.