Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is the follow-up of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The first game came out in 2017 so it’s been 7 years since the first one. Senua’s Sacrifice made me a fan and now after a long wait, we have the second game in the series. The original was really good and the second one doesn’t live up to the first one. Even though the original had some flaws it still felt like a complete game. Hellbalde 2 has some amazing action sequences but despite that, it feels incomplete in both narrative and gameplay.
It does not build up on the game and narrative that made the original such a great deal. Some of the gameplay things and narrative ideas feel like they are going in the opposite direction. For players that did not like the first game, will not like this one as well.
There is a lot of walking in the game that can make it seem like a walking simulator. If you like the original then chances are that you will like this one as well though with some shortcomings. It’s nice to play the character once again and feel the same as the original. All this makes you wonder, is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II worth it? Let’s find out
Premise (Spoiler Free)
Shortly after the events of the first game slavers arrive at Senua’s village. Soon she goes out on a quest to stop slavers at their source. On the quest to stop them, she sets out on an adventure in Iceland. She still has a voice in her head. These voices give her encouragement, doubts, and some story narration.
This time around, there is more social stuff. Don’t get me wrong you will still be fighting the creatures of the mind. Additionally, you will also be fighting humans as well. It also means that there are more characters in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. The original game had limitations and there were fewer characters to deal with. There are even characters that will follow you on the journey.
Still, Feel The Same With Some Extra
The game does a good job of mixing illusion with reality. This narrative is evident even when other characters are near you and have their stories. The focus is not only on beautifully acted and rendered Senua but other characters as well. It shows that developers know how to deliver character with good performance.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II feels similar to the previous game. The sound, your surroundings, the feel of the environment, performance of the main character all feel the same. You will be running around, listening to the voice in your head solving puzzles, and engaging in combat.
Puzzles and Stuff
Puzzles got repetitive in the last game and this time developers are just presenting less of them. Don’t get me wrong, identifying shapes in the environment to open a block path is still a thing. Puzzles are much easier this time around. Some new puzzle types let you change the environment and they are easy. All of this makes it less engaging than the previous game which is a negative for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
It is not like anyone requested an RPG or open-world experience but the least they can do is make a better game than the last one. One of the major negatives are long cutscenes in which you just press forward on the joystick. The character will be running ahead, climbing, or crawling. Such cut scenes are really long and there are a lot of them. These scenes won’t have any emotional or story significance. These cut scenes can get boring as you get more and more of them.
Combat
In combat, everything feels the same but also different. Combat is still simple but deliberate. There is a focus on timing dodges, parries, basic strikes, and blocks. There are special abilities to slow time and save yourself. It’s the same as the original one but there is some extra stuff. There are new enemy types that are fun to fight against. Some of the enemies will throw stuff at you which you can dodge or hit with a sword.
One of the biggest changes is the fact that enemy encounters are one-on-one combat sequences. You will be fighting one-on-one so you don’t have to worry about getting smacked in the back. The window for parrying is short and strike timing is hard to read. It can get challenging. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is not that hard but fighting still feels like a struggle. The way Senua reacts to attack and the way you fight makes you feel overwhelmed similar to The Last of Us Part 2. Compared to the original, this one is hard so, keep that in mind.
Even with all the negatives, every encounter did not feel bad. There is more quality than quantity in the game. Finishers are extreme, and encounters feel unique. The game does not have repeatable stuff which is a good upgrade from the original game. The one thing that feels out of place is the transition between encounters. Since you fight one enemy at a time, even if multiple enemies are surrounding you it feels out of place.
General Gameplay
The clang of the sword, the splash of blood, and the mud, all look incredible. There are some big moments that make up for the slower moments. The memorable moments make it worth the slower moments.
One of the major issues is the fact that just when the game starts to pick up it ends. It can be a complement but at the same time, it’s a negative aspect. In a sense, it feels like the game has been cut short. The playtime for the game is short and can be finished within 6 to 7 hours. Even though the original was not that long this game feels more shorter than the original. The game is cut short despite having a decent enough story.
Players would want to spend more time with characters that have been introduced here but are cut short. The end credits can take you by surprise since you didn’t expect Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II to just end abruptly. It’s good what Senua has accomplished but it does not feel like she has earned much.
Once you complete the game you can select one of the characters to narrate the story according to their perspective. You can select a chapter with a new narrator to experience it in a new light.
Visuals
Some of the scenes are memorable not just visually, but movement and choreography-wise as well. The way Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is presented is good and it’s plausible. The visuals are really good and it is applaudable, to say the least. From the Icelandic landscape to the way the characters look, all of it is incredible. The look on your character’s face to the feel of the enemies, all feel good. The lighting makes everything even better.
Verdict (Is Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Worth It?)
If you are a fan of the original Hellblade, there is stuff to like here. Going through the game and completing it is still good even with all the negatives that the game has. It’s not like you will lose a lot since the game is short. Getting into the world of Senua is still good and some of the moments are memorable that are going to stay with you for a long time. I just hope that we could have gotten a little more of it. Despite all its negatives, There is still a good amount of stuff to like about Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.
The narration of the story and the obstacles that the main characters face are commendable. The main character has voices in her head and these voices play a huge role in the story. One of the major issues is the one-on-one combat which leaves much to be desired as it is not properly executed. The game is criminally short which makes the situation even worse. If you are a fan of the first game then there is enough stuff to satisfy you. If you were not that big of a fan of the first game then there is not much to like here.
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