Have you set the difficulty to "auto"? If you keep dying, it will make the game easier than it is on easy mode, and if you never die, it will make the game harder than it is on hard mode. Also, are you focusing on enemies when the voices tell you to? That helps a great deal. This game is not very difficult, so if you're having this much trouble, you're probably overlooking something major.

I watched a youtube video about how well the game performed on my graphics card, and it taught me all I needed to know about combat. Played it on Hard.

Don't just block attacks, try to press the block button a fraction of a second before the enemy attack hits - this lets you counter with a powerful flurry of blows while the opponent is staggered.

You can also stagger the opponent by kicking them ("melee" button, as if the sword isn't melee, lol), or better yet by running and kicking which turns into a flying kick. Works fantastic against shield users.

And of course dodging works too.

The health regeneration seems to be rather quick in the game, and when your health gets too low you get knocked to the ground and have a chance to pick yourself up to dodge the next blow - just don't get hit again for a bit after that and you're fine.

And when facing multiple opponents, pay attention to the voices - they warn you when an enemy behind you is attacking.

TL;DR you can't beat the opponents in this game by just button mashing, but it's really not hard once you learn how to fight.

From a new player, thank you for the tips you've all been sharing.

I have just learned this the hard way. Space bar, space bar, space bar until they are out of reach. I'm only halfway though Surtr's domains and dying a lot (perhaps I should chosen the other door first), I couldn't even begin to imagine the boss fights, so I decided to take a look at the forums.

Back to Auto it is. I had switched to Easy hoping to see an improvement, but nope. Sooooooo good to know, can't wait to try it. The game's fighting tutorial does not do a very good job at teaching these tricks... or just how to fight, honestly. It's a shame because, othen than the constant dying, I absolutely love everything else (the storytelling, the visuals, the acting. the rune puzzles).

Do I need to do anything in particular in order to get up? The voices tell me so, but Senua just stays lying on the ground, no matter what keys I press, and whoever she is facing just strikes the final blow.

IIRC just mash Jump or something.

I haven't noticed any difference while adjusting the difficulty level to Easy or Auto, but knowing what to do in combat, now at least I feel it's fair. I have actually beaten Surt and Valravn without dying too much!

This advice has been incredibly useful to me today! Kicking is the only thing that reliably works against shielded opponents, as that destabilizes them and lets them unprotected for a while. Of course, focus is more powerful, but you need to "recharge" it first.

I have been tapping evade (space bar) with a little of steer right/left just in case, and it seems to do the job. Sometimes I get up, sometimes I don't (I guess I'm too injured by then).

The river of blood fight was -well- a bloodbath! I knew after getting Gramr I would have to put it to good use, but it was brutal. Sure felt tougher than Surt's or Valravn's boos fights.

I actually ended up enjoying how there are five different types of enemies, each with a different attack pattern and behavior, and you need to study them to apply the best strategy. But this observation and study comes at the price of dying - a lot. I actually shouted with joy when I finished the battle.

Focus is essential for these fights as the "ghosts" are mini-Valravns that can only be killed off with it. I just wish that the game had explained better how to recharge the Focus mirror (sometimes one successful evade and one block would be enough to activate it). Positioning, choosing what enemy to face first and evading a lot was also crucial.

I know this is an older post but my comment is a question. If you're going to 1st playthru a game, any game, on godmode why even play the game? Just save yourself the extra money of buying a video game & watch the movie (a vdeo of the cutscenes). Because all 1st playthru godmode is, is an interactive movie. Failure is part of life. Learn from it, figure out what you're doing wrong or not doing right & become more capable because of that learning combined with practice & determination. I'm glad there's no real life godmode for early stages of life. If it ever went away we'd have a world full of people crawling around on all four limbs because as infants they got frustrated with falling down when learning how to walk & decided not to figure it out. Godmode as a means of beating a game is rather sad.

I also haven't seen any content past the second fight.
For me it is just unplayable on "Easy".
Uninstalled the game !
It was a waste of my money !!!

I know this is old, but since this thread got another answer recently, I'll answer your question:
Because I like having fun. And I decide how I want to have fun.
I'm self employed, I do not have 10hrs a day for a challenging game when I just want to enjoy the story.
Imagine: I do play Dark Souls. Without cheats. Just the way it was meant. And I'm having a blast. But I decided to play Dark Souls that way. Because I want to have fun.
I wanted to enjoy Hellblade because I've been following the development for years and I loved the way they approached psychosis and the other topics being portrayed in the game. I love the soundtrack. The voice acting. The story behind Senua's actress. The cutscenes.

If I choose to play the game the way I'm having fun with, it is absolutely not your place to tell me otherwise. You're entitled to your opinion - but I really do not appreciate being called sad because I enjoy playing a game in godmode.

I don't tell you how to have fun. So don't go and tell me how to have fun either.

Edit: And since you ignored that this whole "godmode" discussion came to be because the game's easy mode is not easy, I honestly don't understand what made you think your comment with a hidden question and that insulting end was a good idea.

You can not button mash your way through this game.

Combat is about awareness and reacting to your opponents.

If your one of those that deserves rewards without effort, skip this game, and the next one.


(I own it on steam because I didn't want to wait for it to come to GoG. Sadly it seems this will be the case case for the second title as well)

Let's not "police" how each one enjoys their games. Not everybody has the time, or the will, or even the physical ability to practice and improve their reaction or coordination skills. And it's OK. I wouldn't want anybody to miss this amazing story just because of the difficulty of the combat mechanics. That's why I wish the easiest mode was more accessible.

By the way, I see I never posted again in this thread, but I did complete the rest of the game. :) The Beast gave me a little trouble but other than that I think I was familiarized enough with the mechanics. The ending was one of my favourites in any game I have played.