Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1377 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,049 out of 1377
  2. Mixed: 197 out of 1377
  3. Negative: 131 out of 1377

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  1. nemix3d
    Sep 10, 2023
    10
    So fcking beautiful, the best history of the games ever. The music is 11/10
  2. Magnethead
    Jan 4, 2018
    9
    You should play this game if: You are into narrative driven games, you enjoy exploring complex character background in a beautiful, haunting setting.

    You shouldn't play this game if: You're in it for the gameplay. You enjoy technical challenges to your skill-level, you enjoy building characters in a complex game system or you just don't care about storytelling at all. This is a real    You should play this game if: You are into narrative driven games, you enjoy exploring complex character background in a beautiful, haunting setting.

    You shouldn't play this game if: You're in it for the gameplay. You enjoy technical challenges to your skill-level, you enjoy building characters in a complex game system or you just don't care about storytelling at all.

    This is a real gem in the art of narrative game-design where the focus in on the visual and not only the textual which is refreshing to see.

    Senua's Sacrifice focuses on internal narrative like many indie game titles these days but has a very modern graphic look and powerful soundtrack to support its story about panic, pain and psychosis. The game is around 10 hours long which is perfect length for a game like this that doesn't have sandbox worlds to explore or character creation and levelling to establish an evolving gameplay experience - the mechanics you start out with are more or less the same you end up with.

    The incredible story and talent of the protagonist are what will carry you through this game and stay with you long after it's done. There really isn't enough good things to say about Senua as a character or indeed about how she's acted. She feels real and intense without losing credibility as a fierce warrior, her mental... issues are credible, unpleasant and sometimes eerie to play through. She's equally easy to sympathise with and admire.

    The gameplay mechanics in Senua's Sacrifice revolves around simple but solid mechanics shifting from spacial puzzles to melee combat and back many times. The combat, while not amongst the most challenging of its kind, feels natural and flows well. It won't challenge a seasoned Witcher or Dark Souls veteran but it works well enough to not feel stale. The puzzles, as puzzles tend to do, can frustrate you if you missed some minor detail somewhere and get stuck but they're never unreasonable and the game helps you along very nicely if only you listen to all of the helpful (sometimes...) voices at your disposal.

    However, the narrative is the jewel in this game accompanied by stunning visual arts and a terrific soundtrack. Senua is probably the best female hero-protagonist we've ever seen in gaming so far. She's got a simple, bold ambition - to save the boy she loved - and she travels to Hel to do it. As with many such titles, the game explores her personal history and background along the way and she faces externalised version of inner demons as tends to be the case in such stories, but she does it with tenacity, audacity and without compromise. When you control Senua, she feels vulnerable and powerful at the same time and it's easy to want to help her, not only out of sympathy but because she's inspiring and strong.

    The Norse/Celtic setting works well enough - the Norse legends are recognisable to a Scandinavian and the world has a credible harsh and desolate feel.

    All in all, Senua's Sacrifice doesn't try to do anything no one arguably hasn't done before, it just does it more beautifully, with superior acting and visuals. Where many narrative-focused games have drifted away from the film elements to a more minimalist, simplistic aesthetic, Senua's Sacrifice uses all the modern tools of visual storytelling to tell a memorable and inspired story.    … Expand
  3. ReubenIsAGod
    Dec 17, 2021
    9
    A sensational visual experience. Also might have confied for me that i am, in fact, depressed and really need to go see/talk to somebody about this.
  4. BBoondocks
    Aug 10, 2017
    9
    This is an amazing game, but it's not a game for everyone. The pace is definately slower than I expected it to be as Ninja Theory, creators of the outstanding Heavenly Sword, is known for giving fans fast paced action games. Exploration and puzzle solving takes a lot bigger role than I previously thought, but I did not mind as some of my favorite franchises like Uncharted or Tomb RaiderThis is an amazing game, but it's not a game for everyone. The pace is definately slower than I expected it to be as Ninja Theory, creators of the outstanding Heavenly Sword, is known for giving fans fast paced action games. Exploration and puzzle solving takes a lot bigger role than I previously thought, but I did not mind as some of my favorite franchises like Uncharted or Tomb Raider have plenty of those as well. But the reason why this game is so great is because it is still different than the upper mentioned games, as a matter of fact it is very different from any game I ever played. Our hero, Senua, is mentally ill and that plays a vital role in the story and also how she sees the world. And it is a frightening and disturbing world, filled with violently killed dead bodies, scary wooden statues and there are these constant noises/voices in Senua's head that makes just walking in the woods crazy as well. The setting is superb, it is based on Celtic and Norse mythology and it is very unique. There is also NO HUD at all on the screen, which is awesome! No mini map, no crosshair, nothing, it is just you and the environment. I love it!
    When the action heats up, combat is as good as it gets. The over the shoulder camera works excellent and Senua is a master with the sword and also have some devastating kicks in her arsenal. The fighting scenes are my favorite parts of the game, it is superb.
    The voice acting is also stellar, and the graphics are gorgeous. If you wanna just hack and slash this is not your game, but if you like exploring, a great story and some fun action, then you will enjoy this for sure. A must play for me.    … Expand
  5. ArchieandErnie
    Aug 15, 2017
    9
    Guns - no
    Explosions - no
    Intelligent storytelling - definitely
    Atmospheric - totally
    Stunning visuals - absolutely
    10/10 - very nearly
    Game Of The Year - quite possibly
  6. ahriyo
    Sep 4, 2017
    9
    A amazing video game, where the narration & the gameplay did find a very good balance.
    The theme is hard, but well managed. The combat system is impressive and immersive, even if not original, it takes you in another world, where you try to survive against your body & your mind.
    I strongly recommand this game, except if you are a sensitive person and/or fear darkness.
  7. RMDsilva
    Jun 12, 2019
    9
    This game is meant to make you feel. It's meant to make you feel desperation, fear, confusion and everything else that comes with real trauma.
    It's not a horror game meant to spook you and make you jump on your chair. It's about feeling your way to the path of the character.
    It mixes gameplay and storytelling immensely well - puzzles don't get boring, combat is always edgy - and you keep    This game is meant to make you feel. It's meant to make you feel desperation, fear, confusion and everything else that comes with real trauma.
    It's not a horror game meant to spook you and make you jump on your chair. It's about feeling your way to the path of the character.
    It mixes gameplay and storytelling immensely well - puzzles don't get boring, combat is always edgy - and you keep being afraid of the next trap the game sets for you.
    I found myself gasping in horror when I failed Senua - as her own despair got to me.

    Understanding why this game was made and how real it is - that's powerful by itself.

    If you can let yourself feel, surrender to it. It's worth it.

    If not, well, it's not a bad game either way.    … Expand
  8. ntsarb
    May 16, 2018
    9
    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a fictional story about love, bravery, loalty, determination, hope. It is about finding the courage and the strength to overcome your own fears and find your path in life.

    Hellblade is also a story about domestic abuse, mental health, social stigma and their consequences to people's lives. It is about showing support, compassion and understanding to those    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a fictional story about love, bravery, loalty, determination, hope. It is about finding the courage and the strength to overcome your own fears and find your path in life.

    Hellblade is also a story about domestic abuse, mental health, social stigma and their consequences to people's lives. It is about showing support, compassion and understanding to those who suffer.

    Hellblade is a computer game that blends historic events with real stories and experiences revealed through the testimonies of people who suffer from psychosis, supported by Health Neuroscience experts from the University of Cambridge.

    The story takes place during a period of bloody war, at the time Vikings invaded Britain. The main character is a young woman, who suffers from a severe form of psychosis; her name is Senua. The player takes control of her actions and experiences the world through her eyes.

    Puzzles and combat rely on fairly repetitive mechanics and navigation in the 3D world is quite restrictive. However, the story is bold and full of surprises. The game implements "permadeath": Senua gradually gets weaker, when badly injured. Even though progress in the game is saved between major events, if Senua dies before the end, all game progress is lost and the story has to be restarted. In practice, the game adjusts the difficulty level to the skills of the player, making it an achievable challenge!

    In the role of Senua, Melina Juergens' acting is fantastic and the scenery is amazingly detailed. It's an impressive project artistic work!

    It took me 29 hours to complete the story. This includes pausing the game several times, to think twice what I've just heard or seen, or just take a break! It's quite an emotional experience, not for the faint hearted.

    Highly recommended.    … Expand
  9. AstiX
    Aug 14, 2017
    9
    "The hardest battles are fought in the mind."

    Truly a game unlike any other before. It manages to plunge you deep inside your character's mind in a thoroughly thought out way. The immersion is so great my body had chills all over half the time. The graphics are astounding. I kept rotating the camera to look at Senua's face, to watch her ultra realistic face and expressions fueled by    "The hardest battles are fought in the mind."

    Truly a game unlike any other before. It manages to plunge you deep inside your character's mind in a thoroughly thought out way. The immersion is so great my body had chills all over half the time.

    The graphics are astounding. I kept rotating the camera to look at Senua's face, to watch her ultra realistic face and expressions fueled by the amazing performance by the voice and motion actress behind it.

    The combat is not very complex, but it's gritty and feels very real. In fact, the game brought Senua's emotions so close to me that I actually felt her anger at times and slashing monsters became even more satisfying.

    The lengths that the devs have gone to to accurately convey mental illness and allow the player to experience it so realistically is applaudable. At times I felt I was going insane along with Senua as I heard those voices whispering in both of my ears like they were with me in the room, while painfully sifting through the emotional roller coaster of the unstable reality her mind is put through.

    On the bad side, most puzzles were easy to figure out but required lots of running around and backtracking to get them done. Also there's one area that causes framerates to significantly drop even if the rest of the game plays smoothly, and even lowering settings doesn't make a difference.    … Expand
  10. OHIC
    Aug 14, 2017
    9
    This isn't a perfect game in the way that, say, Rocket League is perfect. But everyone has a pantheon in their minds of the triumphs in game design: the names that spring to mind immediately when a friend has been out of the loop and asks you for recommendations on games. Hellblade joins my list immediately.

    There are snags: weird instances of poor level design, chiefly. But overall,    This isn't a perfect game in the way that, say, Rocket League is perfect. But everyone has a pantheon in their minds of the triumphs in game design: the names that spring to mind immediately when a friend has been out of the loop and asks you for recommendations on games. Hellblade joins my list immediately.

    There are snags: weird instances of poor level design, chiefly. But overall, the game radically overshoots in areas that I merely expected to be good. The graphics are an obvious point, but sound is phenomenal (and headphones are essential, or you'll miss out on the 3d binaural effects which cannot be replicated by any other speakers). The swordplay is remarkably well done. I thought it would be serviceable, an interlude between the exploration and the story beats, but it's genuinely great; I can only think of one game that genuinely does this better.

    The acting is beyond any performance I've seen in a game yet. It's part and parcel of the careful research into psychosis. The use of this theme was one with which I expected to have problems - in the history of games, Alan Wake is about as good as it gets for the incorporation of mental illness into a hero's story. The performance of Melina Jeurgens and the actors who play Senua's voices comprise a huge step forward in acting standards in games, and the description of Senua's experience is truthful and respectful.

    Yes, it's only a 7-9-hour game. It blows my mind, however, that people would happily snap up an average but longer game in preference to one that pushes the limits of what a game can communicate. I'd rather have the game that beams beauty from beginning to end and sets a new standard for tomorrow's games.    … Expand
  11. Xzenor
    Mar 4, 2020
    9
    Beautiful game. It's a fairly good 3rd person slasher until you put on headphones. With headphones it becomes an experience instead of just a game.
  12. SuperkenGaming
    Nov 29, 2017
    9
    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
    Best story telling of the year
    Senuas Sacrifice is a psychological action adventure game with a dash of horror elements. Here you play Senua, a Pict warrior battling her way through Helheim to rescue the soul of a man that loved her… But you’re not on this journey alone... The games focus is mental illness… And I feel the game does a great job of this...    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
    Best story telling of the year
    Senuas Sacrifice is a psychological action adventure game with a dash of horror elements.
    Here you play Senua, a Pict warrior battling her way through Helheim to rescue the soul of a man that loved her…
    But you’re not on this journey alone...
    The games focus is mental illness…
    And I feel the game does a great job of this... of filling you with constant anxiety
    as you journey you’ll hear voices…
    These voices never leave you...
    They’re constantly going, whispering the way you should be going while at the same time telling you to go back, they’ll encourage you and discourage you, these voices were probably my favorite part of the game, and because of them I played the entire game with headphones…
    letting them whisper to me as id fight and solve puzzles…
    this is a very linear game that takes around 7 hours to complete,
    You’ll be going through this gorgeous world and frequently be stopped by a gate…
    On this gate are symbols... its then up to you to find the symbols in the world to unlock the gate…
    Turning this into a perspective puzzle game...
    The screen will start filling with the symbol when its near, you then can focus to find it, and then it’s onto the next symbol…
    And to stop this from getting tedious the game will add different elements to each section, such as portals that will take away a section of an area, or add to it, fix a broken bridge or staircase..
    Constantly keeping the game feeling fresh and new...
    Along your way you’ll run into lorestones that will tell you the story from Norse mythology.
    These can be cleverly hidden as well giving you incentive to explore…
    My least favorite part of this game however is its combat...
    There as boss battles which I actually really enjoyed...
    But I didn’t enjoy the combat encounters with smaller enemies…
    the combat at first feels cinematic, you have a regular attack, heavy, and melee to break shields, you can block and doge, and you’re able to focus to temporarily slow down time...
    But the game just throws way too many enemies at you to defeat in these thankfully rare moments...
    The multiple enemies don’t necessarily make things hard, especially thanks to the voices telling you to look out before an enemy can strike you…
    the fights just drag on for too long most of the time killing the pace and emersion of the game…
    The rest of the game however comes together perfectly…
    You’ll feel all sorts of emotions, good and bad while playing this game, and there really is a beautiful story to be told here…
    No matter the type of gamer you are, you owe it to yourself to pick this on up.
    I give Hellblade: Senuas Sacrifice
    a 9/10    … Expand
  13. Theros
    Mar 24, 2019
    9
    I gave it a minus one to the score only because of easy, yet repetitive combat and simplistic puzzles. Otherwise, this was an awesome experience! Kudos to NT!
  14. MaxShine
    Sep 2, 2017
    9
    A very fresh and different style of a game in a time when many games follow a standard formula. The developers succeeded at creating a highly atmospheric and immersive game with absolutely beautiful graphics. The game was released without any bugs, it runs absolutely smoothly without any frame drops. All of this is something that AAA titles more and more often fail to deliver on. This gameA very fresh and different style of a game in a time when many games follow a standard formula. The developers succeeded at creating a highly atmospheric and immersive game with absolutely beautiful graphics. The game was released without any bugs, it runs absolutely smoothly without any frame drops. All of this is something that AAA titles more and more often fail to deliver on. This game is an excellent example that sometimes less is more, smaller, detailed areas can be much better than large open world, empty, soulless, artificial areas with frame drops. The game is also not packed full of useless 'features' and gimmicky stuff. The combat is basic, but fun, competent and not depending on luck or button mashing.
    This story is beautifully told and if someone is interested in norse lore this game is a must have anyways. Many AAA titles these fail at telling a story. This nice, little game does it excellently.    … Expand
  15. Amsheagar
    May 12, 2018
    9
    Hellblade is a story centre game about a woman who is fightning with psychosis. The gameplay and the fight are very simple, but i didnt feel bad. I have worried about Senua, the main character during the fights, and i have never felt this in other games. The most parts of the game are walking and storytelling, but also there are some puzzles. The whole game is very frightening andHellblade is a story centre game about a woman who is fightning with psychosis. The gameplay and the fight are very simple, but i didnt feel bad. I have worried about Senua, the main character during the fights, and i have never felt this in other games. The most parts of the game are walking and storytelling, but also there are some puzzles. The whole game is very frightening and terryfying. There is a dark atmosphere, that must be experience once. The 3D sound effects are fantastic with headphone. This is very realistic. The music is very good. The graphic is average, but this is not a triple A game, so that is not problem. i hope, there will be more games like this.… Expand
  16. dypsomaniart
    Aug 12, 2017
    9
    I just finished this game and it was amazing.
    It's a brutal story of suffering and anguish and not for the faint hearted though.
    Graphics are outstanding, the motion capture acting for the characters and voices is extremely good, and the sound is amazing. I would have liked the option to completely remove antialiasing filters, as I prefer jaggies to slight blur (which gives me eyestrain    I just finished this game and it was amazing.
    It's a brutal story of suffering and anguish and not for the faint hearted though.
    Graphics are outstanding, the motion capture acting for the characters and voices is extremely good, and the sound is amazing.
    I would have liked the option to completely remove antialiasing filters, as I prefer jaggies to slight blur (which gives me eyestrain headaches), but it's prbably not too bad on a smaller screen.
    The movement speed of Senua feels slow initially after other games, but you get used to it and it suits the game, although it made traversing some of the larger terrain puzzles feel tedious early on.
    I left the difficulty on auto, and found the fights challenging and exciting, but not too punishing. Pretty well perfect for me. I only died half a dozen times all up, but there were a lot of close calls! some of those fights are intense!
    This game is just an amazing journey to experience.
    I miss the voices already.    … Expand
  17. ClarkKunt
    Dec 25, 2018
    9
    Truly unique game. Visuals, story telling, atmosphere and sound design are next level ****. Game suffers from occasional frame drops tho.
  18. Krzych
    Aug 18, 2017
    9
    From artistic standpoint the game is a masterpiece. It makes a huge impression. The setting, story, cutscenes, sound, art design... Very impressive. Graphics quality is almost on point, texture quality is a bit lacking at times and some postprocessing effects tend to be overdone, but on the other hand, how this game looks and what it does in some moments and areas... unlike anything I haveFrom artistic standpoint the game is a masterpiece. It makes a huge impression. The setting, story, cutscenes, sound, art design... Very impressive. Graphics quality is almost on point, texture quality is a bit lacking at times and some postprocessing effects tend to be overdone, but on the other hand, how this game looks and what it does in some moments and areas... unlike anything I have seen in years of playing games. It has a bit of a bad start, but after first boss the game is getting really good. Gameplay is very diversified, there are lot of aspects, logical, action, combat, even some thriller/horror parts. It is also fully independent, DRM free, half of price of "AAA" games that aren't even playable in first months and are usually "synthetic" and have no emotional or intellectual value. I consider this game a huge success. Hate and rants from reasonless or soulless people are even making it more so. Not even mentioning people who don't understand that there different genres of games. I wasn't even aware of this game and it came out of nowhere for me, and I am SO glad that it did.… Expand
  19. CalvinSchettini
    Aug 8, 2017
    9
    Amazing gameplay, i loved how they tell us the story, with the voices inside her head! And the battles are great to, i was missing great games this and last year, with this game i take all that feeling back.
  20. auditbadger
    Nov 12, 2018
    9
    I think that this is truly a unique game and I would recommend that if you are a fan of this type of genre then I think you should give this game a try.
  21. AJ_kvpy
    Aug 10, 2017
    9
    I am giving this game a 9 only because it is a bit of a walking simulator.
    In terms of story and atmosphere, it is amazing in every way, hands down. The 3D sound in the game with headphones is phenomenal. Trust me this game needs to be played with headphones. Graphics are awesome and crisp. Well optimized on PC. Fighting is surprisingly fluid and tense. Specially fights with bosses.
    This    I am giving this game a 9 only because it is a bit of a walking simulator.
    In terms of story and atmosphere, it is amazing in every way, hands down. The 3D sound in the game with headphones is phenomenal. Trust me this game needs to be played with headphones. Graphics are awesome and crisp. Well optimized on PC. Fighting is surprisingly fluid and tense. Specially fights with bosses.
    This game is a must buy and you wont regret it. Quality stuff from ninja theory!    … Expand
  22. blazeaglory
    Aug 16, 2017
    9
    So far, at about an hour into the game, I am loving it. A bit boring and linear at times but the graphics and content make up for it. It seems like a graphic novel masquerading as a game tho.

    This game could have more things to do than just line up ravens, walk the path, look at things, etc.. They could have little things to fight instead of the same creatures over and over again and    So far, at about an hour into the game, I am loving it. A bit boring and linear at times but the graphics and content make up for it. It seems like a graphic novel masquerading as a game tho.

    This game could have more things to do than just line up ravens, walk the path, look at things, etc.. They could have little things to fight instead of the same creatures over and over again and the puzzles could be a little more challenging and on topic such as maybe digging a grave and putting the bones back in the certain headstone, something other than just looking at things. BUT like I said, the atmosphere more than makes up for it and Im only an hour in. Im not bashing this game by any means, just a tad bit linear at times so far.

    Also, the fighting is super easy. The villains could be a little harder to beat maybe? But who knows, maybe it gets harder as it goes? Im sure it does.

    I give it an 8-9 out of 10    … Expand
  23. Othman_MrAbdoon
    Aug 19, 2017
    9
    this is my game of the year so far.
    repetitive puzzles is the only negative thing I can say about this game. they were ok the first 2-3 times, but cmon enough is enough.
    other than that I absolutely loved everything about this game. the story is great and well written and well acted. the story is the game's selling point. the plot was good but what I meant is the presentation of the    this is my game of the year so far.
    repetitive puzzles is the only negative thing I can say about this game. they were ok the first 2-3 times, but cmon enough is enough.
    other than that I absolutely loved everything about this game. the story is great and well written and well acted. the story is the game's selling point. the plot was good but what I meant is the presentation of the story. they did a great job to make you feel the protagonist's mental illness and self-struggle.
    the environment look gorgeous and yet scary sometimes, they perfected the desolate-feeling environment of the game.
    the combat is simple most of the times, but get intense in some of the harder battles. it's decent, but no-one will play the game for the combat:)    … Expand
  24. nitorita
    Oct 8, 2017
    9
    INTRO
    A dark action adventure game that focuses primarily on storytelling. The graphics are bleeding edge compared to most other AAA games as of recent, which is a pleasant surprise.
    Lots of work was put into making sure the textures and models were clear and realistic enough that they could even be passed off as being taken straight out of a movie. The high production value is also    INTRO
    A dark action adventure game that focuses primarily on storytelling. The graphics are bleeding edge compared to most other AAA games as of recent, which is a pleasant surprise.

    Lots of work was put into making sure the textures and models were clear and realistic enough that they could even be passed off as being taken straight out of a movie. The high production value is also not something you see everyday in a video game.

    STORY
    Hellblade talks about an exile who lost the man she loved and is having difficulty coping with that reality. Broken and suffering from psychosis, she embarks on a lonesome journey to "defy the darkness" in an effort to bring him back from death.

    Her visions get increasingly worse as she heads deeper into "Hel", defying the voices in her head who constantly tell her to give up on her love and to move on. In a way, the story plays out similarly to the stories of the first few God of War games.

    The story can be somewhat confusing at times due to the use of Norse mythology, but if you take the overall plot of Senua's suffering at face value, it becomes understandable. The goal of the game is to immerse the player into the world of demons that Senua travels through.

    GAMEPLAY
    This game is primarily an adventure game with added fighting scenes and puzzles. Puzzles are a primary factor of this game and they act as trials required to progress the story. Some of the puzzles are difficult while some are straightforward.

    Permanent death exists in this game if you die too much, but you are explicitly warned about it in the very beginning. If you fear the permadeath aspect, lower the difficulty in the settings. I personally haven't found it to be a big deal though, since the game is pretty generous with dying and I think each new area you reach "resets" your lives.

    The combat appears simplistic due to the limited actions available and the predictable enemies, but it doesn't mean you can blindly fight and expect to win. You most certainly cannot just "mash" the attack button. Not knowing when to dodge or block an attack can cost you a life. Don't expect it to be a walk in the park as the enemies usually gang up on you in groups and come at you in waves.

    Difficulty by default is set to "Auto". This means that if you die too much early on, the game will scale down its difficulty immediately. This is likely where all of the other reviewers got their notion of "easy" from: They've died too much. If you want to have the full experience, manually set the difficulty higher yourself.

    Hellblade is a largely linear game. Weapons and items don't exist in the game, nor are there any side quests or even people for that matter. You'll be doing a lot of walking and listening to the story unfold in her mind. The game does not have an "NG+" after it is over; you simply play through it once and then your save file is erased for you to start over, if you so desire.

    SUMMARY
    Not much can be said about this game without spoiling it. I recommend this game to anyone who wants to experience a unique story about psychosis. You won't regret spending the time to play this game, but don't set your expectations too high since the combat is not the main factor of the game.

    The game is somewhat short. You should be able to get around 7-10 hours out of the game, assuming you don't die too much or get stuck on the puzzles for too long.

    I'm giving this game a very generous 9/10 for being a one-of-a-kind experience. No other game will ever mirror this one with its high quality cinematic execution and focus on mental illness.    … Expand
  25. ayush42
    Sep 9, 2017
    9
    It was a game full of surprises, twists and i mean mind twists and turns. Great Psychological thriller game. Enjoyed playing it. One thing i didn't like about this game is that it was made a bit draggy maybe because of the short story, apart from that it was good whether it is graphics or whatever, it was nice.
    Voices, mind games, everything was amazing.
  26. aditya1101
    Dec 22, 2020
    9
    Loved this game and it's use of audio to simulate psychosis for the player. There are some weak areas in the game but overall it was a super unique, super compelling experience and I'm really glad I decided to pick this game up and give it a try
  27. feather7
    Apr 28, 2018
    9
    Nice idea, really interesting story. And amazing visual quallity. One thing is wrong, only ticket is possible buy. Not BD disk.
  28. Alenori
    May 12, 2020
    9
    As someone who has interacted with closely, and spent time with people who have psychosis, this game is a great representation. Players expecting this game to be like any others fail to see how this game is independent of any other Ninja Theory games. Every part of this game regarding puzzles, challenges, and areas are worked around the psychosis that Senua faces. Combat is good, theAs someone who has interacted with closely, and spent time with people who have psychosis, this game is a great representation. Players expecting this game to be like any others fail to see how this game is independent of any other Ninja Theory games. Every part of this game regarding puzzles, challenges, and areas are worked around the psychosis that Senua faces. Combat is good, the puzzles are implemented in a good fashion albeit some issues with them at times, and the areas that Senua faces bring into the fold or even exacerbate the areas of psychosis Senua suffers.

    This isn't a movie, it is a journey, they player isn't meant to feel like this is just another game, from the way Ninja Theory sets the camera, slightly off-putting the players giving them a sense of unease, the voices, and the Actress whom is one of Ninja Thjeory's own employees.    … Expand
  29. Donnattelli
    Oct 4, 2020
    9
    Underrated game, the combat is unique and doesn't have a hud wich is great, the multi enemy combat is the best ive seen from other games nowadays, the bosses are also really good and the story is incredible and well told, you have many storys told by different people about a world full of gods, recomend
  30. fake_nikpap
    Jul 14, 2022
    9
    Really nice game with a beautiful narrative. If it's raining outside and you have a free afternoon just play this for 6 hours. It's amazing!
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Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best PC Game of 2017
14
#14 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Jeuxvideo.com
    Jun 3, 2018
    85
    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice takes us on a long road to hell paved with contemplative yet stressful scenes, and an impressive respect for Norse myths and legends.
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  2. CD-Action
    Oct 30, 2017
    90
    Hellblade can disappoint you with repetitive puzzles, linear structure and the fact that it was stripped down to most basic, indispensable mechanics. But Hellblade is not about gameplay. It’s about darkness and fear and despair. The emotional weight of this game is unbearable. Forget about The Last of Us, To the Moon or Telltale’s The Walking Dead. Hellblade is soul-crushing in a way I never thought a game could be. Remember Requiem for a Dream? That’s what Hellblade does to you. I will NEVER forget Ninja Theory’s masterpiece. [10/2017, p.38]
  3. PLAY! Zine
    Oct 12, 2017
    75
    If Heavenly Sword had an opposite, it would without a doubt be Hellblade. A dark, gritty, psychotic, atmospheric hell-ride through the forest of insanity. It looks great but plays like a gloomy record. Not everyone will enjoy this dark adventure. But what it does, it does great. Maybe even too great, if I may say so.
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