Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1461 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,097 out of 1461
  2. Mixed: 178 out of 1461
  3. Negative: 186 out of 1461
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  1. LordOMO
    Jan 7, 2018
    8
    Hellblade is a unique but maybe rather niche game. Some people set themselves up for disappointment, since Hellblade was made by the same developers as for example the recent Devil May Cry game. So let this be said. Hellblade is not Hack and Slash, but rather an immersive Action-Adventure with psychological horror elements. You are playing Senua, trapped on an island, suffering from mentalHellblade is a unique but maybe rather niche game. Some people set themselves up for disappointment, since Hellblade was made by the same developers as for example the recent Devil May Cry game. So let this be said. Hellblade is not Hack and Slash, but rather an immersive Action-Adventure with psychological horror elements. You are playing Senua, trapped on an island, suffering from mental disease(causing her to hear voices and twist her perception of reality in a very dark way). There is no hud, as you try to overcome obstacles, solve environmental puzzles and engage in combat to get closer to the goddess Hella.

    If you didn't know already: Hellblade was developed on a tight budget with no big pubkisher interfering, and it shows (in a good way). The game doesn't follow many of the missteps of recent triple A games. There are no useless collectibles and the game feels very streamlined to it's core elements.
    While gameplay maybe could have been expanded on a little bit, it's completely sufficiant to emtertain for the 8 hours it takes to complete the story.
    Also the graphics are really impressive(maybe except for a few low res textures), especially when taking the limitations into account that they had to work around due to budget constraints.
    Audio is unique and very immersive (but sadly only if you play on headphones).

    All in all Hellblade may not be a huge innovator gameplay wise, but it is a very immersive and streamlined experience that reminds me of some of the great games from the PS2/PS3 era, where games didn't need to be 60 hours, open world, multiplayer and filled with stupid content just for the sake of it.
    Hellblade is just a nice concept that was fleshed out into an 8 hour game with no season pass or other crap. Plus it is priced fairly at half the price of other AAA titles.
    Due to it's unique presentation i think it is also a game that i'd really enjoy replaying maybe once a year (so overall playtime may end up closer to 15 hours or even 20, rather than 8)    … Expand
  2. archaim
    Jul 6, 2020
    8
    Игра не идеальна, но хороша. В ней есть уникальные особенности, которые вас зацепят.
    Очень радует подход разработчиков, которые создали высококачественное приключение за сравнительно небольшие деньги. Так держать.
  3. XxAlbertoBuzzxX
    Jun 2, 2020
    8
    HELLBLADE: SENUA'S SACRIFICE
    ................................................................
  4. bogdanneti
    Aug 4, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Отличная игра для И́НДИ, ключевое слов "И́НДИ", так как проект не тянет на AAA (triple-A, читается «трипл-эй»).

    Из минусов:
    Много беготни, нужно много бегать и это со временем надоедает.
    Однообразные головоломки, первые два часа игры интересно, потом так же само надоедает.
    Скудная боевка.

    Из плюсов:
    Красивая графика.
    Хорошая лицевая анимация, видно каждую эмоция.
    Атмосфера, шепот, голоса в голове и музыка, все это в совокупность даёт сильное погружение в игру, такое ощущение будто ты и сам сошел с ума.
    Интересный сюжет и рассказы о скандинавской мифологии, можно узнать для себя что-то новые.
    Легкая платина, чтобы её выбить понадобиться примерно 10 часов.
    Отличный MAP DESIGN (мап дизайн, построение карты и местности вокруг).

    Обязательно нужно играть в наушниках (желательно с 7.1 , объёмным звучанием)
    Стоит ли покупать, однозначно стоит.    … Expand
  5. alexslork
    Oct 12, 2021
    8
    A good and oppressive atmosphere. Great sound. Good graphics. Great story. Great puzzles.
    There would be more studios like Ninja Theory, who put their souls into their projects, despite the limited budget.
  6. Onask
    Dec 7, 2018
    8
    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, es no sólo el videojuego más adulto de Ninja Theory, sino probablemente, uno de los más sólidos en todos sus apartados.

    Los creadores de Dmc: Devil May Cry o Enslaved: Odyssey to the West nos traen un arriesgado (con presupuesto de indie) juego acerca de la psicósis humana, una terrible enfermedad que atormenta a más gente de la que debería. Nos ponemos en    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, es no sólo el videojuego más adulto de Ninja Theory, sino probablemente, uno de los más sólidos en todos sus apartados.

    Los creadores de Dmc: Devil May Cry o Enslaved: Odyssey to the West nos traen un arriesgado (con presupuesto de indie) juego acerca de la psicósis humana, una terrible enfermedad que atormenta a más gente de la que debería. Nos ponemos en la piel de Senua, una joven celta que ha perdido a su amado y emprende un largo y duro viaje hasta Hellheim, el lugar donde se encuentran las almas de los muertos en la mitología nórdica, para recuperarlo.

    El juego, es una especie de puzle-acción-aventura que nos cuenta una historia muy oscura y tenebrosa acerca de la psique humana y de como funciona nuestro cerebro cuando algo tan grave lo atormenta, así como nos ofrece una gran lección de mitología nórdica muy interesante contada a través de diferentes runas a lo largo del recorrido.

    Los puzles funcionan con la perspectiva del jugador y favorece mucho a todo lo que te narra el juego, el combate es bastante fluido, simple, pero efectivo y satisfactorio, y la historia es muy seria y adulta y a menudo nos dará una tensión sin igual.

    Imprescindible el uso de auriculares para poder apreciar en todo su esplendor Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, que cuenta con un muy elaborado diseño de audio biaural que creará una impresionantemente inmersiva atmósfera, también gracias a la ayuda de la espectacular banda sonora. Gráficamente, teniendo en cuenta su presupuesto, es bastante impresionante y portentoso, con unas capturas faciales y de movimiento que te dejan la boca abierta.

    Por último, recalcar que no es un juego para todos los públicos. No todo el mundo va a disfrutar de lo que ofrece y estoy seguro de que más de uno lo puede llegar a abandonar a la mitad por estrés o tensión, así que cuidado con este título que no es apto para todos los públicos.

    Recomendado.    … Expand
  7. wangnuggets
    Jun 18, 2019
    8
    First of all, the game needs to be played with a good set of headphones. The sound really brings you into the atmosphere of the game. The story in this game is great and touches on a subject typically thought to be taboo. The gameplay gets a bit repetitive and the combat is average, but that's not what the game is about. This is truly a work of art and I would recommend everyone gives this a shot.
  8. Chempion1
    Mar 15, 2023
    8
    Прошел Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice лет 5 назад. Но сегодня просматривая свои трофеи на PS4 вдруг увидел, что в этой игре мне до платины не хватает всего одной ачивки. Что делать? Ну конечно перепройти. Вот я и решил оставить своё мнение об игре.
    Мне, в принципе, понравился сюжет. Он не длинный, не замутнённый, но для такой игры подошёл как нельзя лучше.
    Боевая система мне жутко    Прошел Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice лет 5 назад. Но сегодня просматривая свои трофеи на PS4 вдруг увидел, что в этой игре мне до платины не хватает всего одной ачивки. Что делать? Ну конечно перепройти. Вот я и решил оставить своё мнение об игре.
    Мне, в принципе, понравился сюжет. Он не длинный, не замутнённый, но для такой игры подошёл как нельзя лучше.
    Боевая система мне жутко напомнила сражения в "Prince of Persia" 2008 года, прям один в один. Боёвка мне понравилась, особенно когда к ней приноровишься, противники разлетаются пачками в разные стороны. Размещение врагов на уровне тоже из Prince 2008, они находятся не по всему уровню, а в определённом месте. Не победишь, дальше не пройдёшь
    Графика для PS4, моё почтение. Для инди игры, как называли её сами авторы, очень хорошая.
    Понравились боссы. Их всего 4 штуки, но все они разные с разным же к ним подходом.
    Не плохие головоломки, игра в основном из них и состоит. Иногда приходилось побегать, что бы понять.
    Но самое главное это атмосфера, она густая и не отпускает до конца.
    Теперь о не очень хорошем.
    Игра, нет не выглядит, а чувствуется очень бюджетной. По началу это не заметно, но к концу это просто набивает оскомину.
    Здесь очень много кат-сцен которые нельзя перемотать или пропустить. Ещё Сенуа передвигается так медленно, как другие ходят здесь она так бегает. Это наводит на мысль об искусственном растягивании игрового времени. Просто если даже сократить только одни кат-сцены, то игра прошлась бы часа за 2!, я думаю.
    Так же в игре все люди появляющиеся на экране кроме самой Сенуа, это не оцифровка или графика, а просто видео-кадры простых людей.
    Рядовых врагов всего 5 видов, маловато.
    Итак, игра хоть и бюджетная, но изо всех сил старается быть блокбастером. И это у неё, честно говоря, получается. Ещё она, на сколько я помню, изначально продавалась всего за $40. Так же в Hellblade очень стоящие "ачивки". Бронзы нет вообще. Золота 9 штук, серебра больше десяти. Платину можно выбить за одно прохождение, особо не напрягаясь. Так, что если есть желание поднять свой рейтинг в "трофейном счёте", Hellblade вам в помощь.
    Советую хотя бы попробовать, а вдруг затянет!
    Жаль только сиквел на PS не выйдет.    … Expand
  9. Oz_Momotaro
    Jan 6, 2020
    8
    This is one of those experiential games that you'll either love or just not get. It's got brilliant graphics and mo-cap on the main character (she comes alive, almost literally in front of your eyes) - and is supported by some excellent writing and voice acting. The story is at once soft and personal - exploring the deep recesses of a persons' soul (with all its colour and texture) - butThis is one of those experiential games that you'll either love or just not get. It's got brilliant graphics and mo-cap on the main character (she comes alive, almost literally in front of your eyes) - and is supported by some excellent writing and voice acting. The story is at once soft and personal - exploring the deep recesses of a persons' soul (with all its colour and texture) - but at the same time its a good ol combat slasher. It features some novel environmental and pattern recognition problem solving, as well as a basic exploration aspect - though it is quite limited being a very linear game. The combat is simple enough that anyone can pick it up quickly, though has its own nuances. Perhaps the only downside to the combat is that the enemies are relatively repetitive - once you know their patterns and weak points, its just a matter of combating more of them simultaneously. It would have been better if they had more dynamic AI. What knocks a further few points off is the game size - its relatively small,. In someways this is a blessing as it means you don't need to invest 50+ hours into it to complete it - and the platinum is quite easy. However it also feels like part of the game was pulled out - perhaps because of the cost of development. There is also a bit of a pacing issue - at some points you'd swear that you were nearing the end, only to be dropped back into the same old foes for prolonged 'grinding' (without the incentive of collecting things).And the ending, while perfect within the confines of the story, still leaves you wanting something more.

    Overall - this is an amazing game - with lots of quality in almost every part. Senua such a strong character - perhaps let down only by some lacklustre 'sword fodder' for foes.    … Expand
  10. imerudo
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    More than a game it is a very interesting audio experience, also the graphics section, but it is not a game for everyone, it is a bit tiring looking for objects to open doors and repetitive enemies
  11. Joshs2d
    Jun 20, 2020
    8
    Senua’s journey fighting through her personal demons and psychosis is beautifully represented in this 6-8 hour experience. The graphics, artwork, story and combat all come together for a game I’ll definitely remember even though the puzzles are overdone and at times frustratingly annoying.
  12. Pinitto
    Jul 4, 2020
    8
    No hay como Senua cuando se habla de enfermedades mentales. Logra contagiar la locura y la paranoia. Excelente y recomendable jugar con auriculares
  13. chrisdan23
    Jun 8, 2022
    8
    Mit Hellblade legt Ninja Theory, die Macher von Spielen wie Heavenly Sword oder Enslaved, ein Action Adventure vor, das sich wahrlich einmal etwas traut. In Setting und künstlerischer Gestaltung an die keltische Mythologie angelehnt, spielt sich Hellblade wie ein wahnsinniger Unterwelttrip, der in seiner atmosphärischen Dichte ein nahezu rauschhaftes Erlebnis bietet.

    So kämpft die    Mit Hellblade legt Ninja Theory, die Macher von Spielen wie Heavenly Sword oder Enslaved, ein Action Adventure vor, das sich wahrlich einmal etwas traut. In Setting und künstlerischer Gestaltung an die keltische Mythologie angelehnt, spielt sich Hellblade wie ein wahnsinniger Unterwelttrip, der in seiner atmosphärischen Dichte ein nahezu rauschhaftes Erlebnis bietet.

    So kämpft die Protagonistin des Spiels nämlich vornehmlich nicht gegen böse Schergen, sondern vor allem gegen ihre eigenen Wahnvorstellungen, die sich in Form von Halluzinationen und Stimmen in ihrem Kopf manifestieren. Diese, den Spieler ständig begleitenden Stimmen, geben dem Spiel eine Intensität, die nicht einmal das Reboot eines God of War erreicht. Dass das Spiel dabei auf einen HUD komplett verzichtet, trägt nochmals zur Immersion der Erfahrung bei.

    Zugegeben, das Gameplay gestaltet sich recht rudimentär, setzt sich zusammen aus Erkunden, Umgebungspuzzles und Kampfelementen. Im späteren Spielverlauf können die Umgebungsrätsel den Spielfluss zudem schon auch einmal etwas stören und etwas repetitiv wirken. Die überragende künstlerische und grafische Präsentation des Titels lässt einen die leichten Gameplayschwächen jedoch übersehen. Hellblade als Gesamterfahrung wird man nämlich so schnell nicht vergessen. Mir fallen nur wenige Spielerfahrungen ein, die einem so nachdrücklich in Erinnerung bleiben wie Ninja Theorys bisheriges Meisterstück Hellblade.    … Expand
  14. MateoCortes99
    Jul 18, 2020
    8
    Senua es quien lleva el juego por una magistral travesía llena de misterios y rompecabezas que nosotros como jugadores debemos resolver. La brillante y exquisita atmósfera que el juego plantea es impecable y nos deja con un personaje que será recordado por generaciones. Ninja Theory logró un balance perfecto entre ficción y respeto por las personas que poseen psicosis y adaptó esta premisaSenua es quien lleva el juego por una magistral travesía llena de misterios y rompecabezas que nosotros como jugadores debemos resolver. La brillante y exquisita atmósfera que el juego plantea es impecable y nos deja con un personaje que será recordado por generaciones. Ninja Theory logró un balance perfecto entre ficción y respeto por las personas que poseen psicosis y adaptó esta premisa a un mundo del cual hay mucho por explotar. Su gameplay es cómodo e innovador en su sistema de combate que se siente realista y que te mete de lleno como si fueras tu quien en verdad estás peleando. Sus gráficas para ser un juego casi indie con tintes triple AAA es excelente y los escenarios te dejarán con la boca abierta y con una lágrima en tu rostro de vez en cuando. El problema que le veo a este juego es que sus puzzles y carencia en variedad de enemigos llega a ser repetitivo y frustrante al mismo tiempo pues sientes que te dan la misma tarea una y otra vez. Afortunadamente no falla en la ejecución, pero la variedad en una potencial historia y mundo se siente bastante y es lo que Ninja Thoery debe aprender a pilotear para su siguiente entrega.… Expand
  15. FabricioNery
    Feb 24, 2022
    8
    Wonderful game and underrated for being from an independent producer. With excellent graphics and a fantastic story.
  16. Tonis_93
    Nov 8, 2020
    8
    Gioco dalla trama affascinante che tratta il tema della morte in chiave vichinga in una maniera interessante.
  17. davidthesloth
    Jan 24, 2022
    8
    Was not invested from the start, from the over narration and the boring beginning and cryptic lines I was very worried that I would hate this game. However, the more I progressed the more I loved the game. Puzzles are unique, implemented well and are quite the brain teaser. Combat is somehow immersive, like every strike you land and every blow your dealt is meet with a sort of realism andWas not invested from the start, from the over narration and the boring beginning and cryptic lines I was very worried that I would hate this game. However, the more I progressed the more I loved the game. Puzzles are unique, implemented well and are quite the brain teaser. Combat is somehow immersive, like every strike you land and every blow your dealt is meet with a sort of realism and engagement especially when you're in so invested in the boss battles. This is made possible through the adaptive difficulty and the threat of having your progression erased if you perish too many times in the game.

    The lore is deeply rooted to greek mythology and is woven seamlessly into the story. I found Senua's struggle and journey was very emotional, hard fought and rewarding. It is a fantastic and unique game with a beautiful art style and great graphics.

    Only complaint I guess is that the over narration sometimes overstays it welcome and confuses the narrative one too many times for me to keep up with (however there I understand the reasoning behind it) and the very lack of variety of enemies. Amazing game nonetheless.    … Expand
  18. Manziflex
    Jun 10, 2021
    8
    Graphically it remains a masterpiece. The combat system, although very simple, is truly enjoyable. The rest leaves a lot to be desired. At Level design there is still a lot to do, because to me it seems very drawn away. Sometimes the levels are too time consuming.Mine is a very generous and almost gifted 8.The big gap is also the missing voice translation in my language ... which reallyGraphically it remains a masterpiece. The combat system, although very simple, is truly enjoyable. The rest leaves a lot to be desired. At Level design there is still a lot to do, because to me it seems very drawn away. Sometimes the levels are too time consuming.Mine is a very generous and almost gifted 8.The big gap is also the missing voice translation in my language ... which really would have required minimal effort ..… Expand
  19. 102220447925018
    Jan 2, 2021
    8
    Un gran título , que se hace corto, pero la historia te absorberá y acabarás viendo el mundo de otra manera....
  20. TeaFan556
    Jan 4, 2023
    8
    [RU]
    Первая пройденная игра 2023 года и пока лучшая от Ninja Theory! Очень кинематографичная и геймплейно увлекающая. Жаль, правда, что камни трудно искать, символизм не до конца понятен и сюжет не сразу вводит в курс дела. Но это мелочи (правда). Игра все равно замечательная! А, ну и фишка касательно темноты конечно рофельная    [RU]
    Первая пройденная игра 2023 года и пока лучшая от Ninja Theory! Очень кинематографичная и геймплейно увлекающая. Жаль, правда, что камни трудно искать, символизм не до конца понятен и сюжет не сразу вводит в курс дела. Но это мелочи (правда). Игра все равно замечательная! А, ну и фишка касательно темноты конечно рофельная
  21. Badr90s
    Sep 24, 2021
    8
    Ninja theory did a really good job with such a game tells the story of many people around us suffering this kind of dark mental state, this game needs a 7.1 surround headphone otherwise you’ll lose half of what it wants to deliver, the nordic mythology has been shown perfectly that I was interested for a bit to get out of my greek one to this awesome one, bossfights and puzzels were fun too
  22. GemKenneth
    Mar 6, 2023
    8
    It was a unique and exhilarating experience. The gameplay, atmosphere, graphics and art-style are all incredible. I must play for anyone looking to play something special.
  23. FangRu
    Feb 6, 2023
    8
    Really great immersive game. It really pushes you to think. Atmosphere which is created is really ominous and oppressive. Graphics are beautifull. Story is emotional. And narration really fits the game. Overall its beautifully depicted sad and tragic story of loss and heartbreak. 8/10
  24. Boborax1
    Aug 27, 2023
    8
    Score: 8.2/10

    Hellblade is a really unique game.I dropped this game for years for no reason at all and decided to restart it and complete it recently and I really do not regret this choice. It's a really good game with nice graphics and great presentation.The sound design is really what sets it apart from other games ,it's really one of the best ones I've met in a videogame.Moving on    Score: 8.2/10

    Hellblade is a really unique game.I dropped this game for years for no reason at all and decided to restart it and complete it recently and I really do not regret this choice.

    It's a really good game with nice graphics and great presentation.The sound design is really what sets it apart from other games ,it's really one of the best ones I've met in a videogame.Moving on to the gameplay ,I have to say that it's really good and responsive ,also giving you the idea of permadeath pushes you to actually try hard to do well.The story is also fantastically written with the ending being the cherry on top ,giving you an entire different view on things, I will not spoil it ,but it's a great reveal that pieces things together into a magnificent piece .The bossfights were fun and unique ,I can't say I enjoyed the last one though ,even if it made sense story wise.The puzzles were really good and interesting,I also enjoyed listening to the lorestones' stories about the Northmen.Oh and last ,but not least the voice acting is extraordinary,it really brings the characters to life.

    Now moving on to the negatives. There is little enemy variety making things kind of tiring by the end ,the game is short so that saves it kinda.Another thing is that I did not enjoy the first parts that much and I understood why I dropped it back in the day.

    Overall, Hellblade is a very good and intriguing game,much different than the average successful video game and definitely should be on ones backlog .    … Expand
  25. Warrior_of_Doom
    Jul 19, 2023
    8
    The overall score is based on how much fun I personally had with every component of the game
    and the overall experience.
  26. HaloFever
    Jan 9, 2022
    7
    Great game that does something different and wows with its character models. Although I didn’t love it, I appreciate what Ninja Theory is doing and want to see more games stretch the medium.

    Let’s talk about the good. Seeing Senua look at the camera is eerie in a good way. The expressiveness is so real, unlike any game before 2017 and to this day. The camera isn’t pulled back. Senua is    Great game that does something different and wows with its character models. Although I didn’t love it, I appreciate what Ninja Theory is doing and want to see more games stretch the medium.

    Let’s talk about the good. Seeing Senua look at the camera is eerie in a good way. The expressiveness is so real, unlike any game before 2017 and to this day. The camera isn’t pulled back. Senua is big on screen and her anguish is unavoidable. All of the voice work, lighting, art direction, and whatnot is just perfect. No spoilers on the story. You have to experience this for yourself. Hellblade is a good reminder of how good a tight, focused experience can be when compared to the giant open world AAA games that rule the top charts.

    Now the bad. The combat is the “souls like” experience that has been ruining games for me throughout the PS4 generation. Games like “Darksiders 3”, “Jedi Fallen Order”, and “God of War” are all symptoms of an industry chasing the Dark Souls audience at the detriment of the broader audience. On a personal note, I’ve been playing games for dozens of years. My reflexes are only getting slower. My muscle memory is stuck in games that had circle for dodge rolls. Needless to say, I did not really enjoy the combat in Hellblade so much as suffer through it.

    Another gripe about Hellblade is the inability to replay segments of the game. The game saves often so you don’t have to worry about you kid taking over the PlayStation. But if you miss an item you need for a Platinum trophy, you have to play the entire game again. No skipping cutscenes either. You also have only so many lives before you have to start a new game. Permadeath is a fun option but not a fun requirement. The game does offer an “easy” mode and will reduce the number of enemies if you die a few times. (If I had died too many times and had to restart, I probably would have watched the end of the game on YouTube.)

    All-in-all Hellblade is a worthwhile experience because of how it shows psychosis and how it presents the protagonist. The gameplay could have been more engaging, and I highly recommend “easy” mode for this experience.    … Expand
  27. That_DL_Kid
    Oct 2, 2017
    7
    This is a graphically beautiful game with a great storyline. It is too bad that gameplay couldn't keep up. I loved the fighting mechanics and all the fights but I found them to be spread too far apart. I also found myself not knowing where to go several times and that frustrated me. I found finding runes to open doors very boring and it makes up most of the game. They game had a lot ofThis is a graphically beautiful game with a great storyline. It is too bad that gameplay couldn't keep up. I loved the fighting mechanics and all the fights but I found them to be spread too far apart. I also found myself not knowing where to go several times and that frustrated me. I found finding runes to open doors very boring and it makes up most of the game. They game had a lot of good qualities but I don't think it lived up to the hype and I don't feel I got my money's worth from it. Wait for it to go on sale if you really want to play it.… Expand
  28. BorderlineBunk
    Aug 29, 2017
    7
    I gotta say when I started out I loved this game as so many others did, but I finally reached a point where I had to put the controller down and write a review. The games atmosphere, story, graphics, and audio are all top notch which you'll see in every review. But I don't play games to look around or listen. I play for a fun gameplay experience. The puzzles are lackluster. They don't hurtI gotta say when I started out I loved this game as so many others did, but I finally reached a point where I had to put the controller down and write a review. The games atmosphere, story, graphics, and audio are all top notch which you'll see in every review. But I don't play games to look around or listen. I play for a fun gameplay experience. The puzzles are lackluster. They don't hurt the game, but to me they don't really add anything either. I found myself annoyed anytime I came across one, but this brings me to my main gripe with the game, the combat. Its painfully easy. I've been sitting here hacking away at enemies for way too long. I chose the auto difficulty option, which I got the hang of very quickly and I've only fallen in battle maybe twice the whole game so I'm imagining that the difficulty is quite high at this point, but that just translates to the enemies being able to take sword slash after sword slash. The second to last boss fight took me about 30 minutes to complete. I'm so sick of the combat at this point I just want to beat this game so I can call it done. Senua's slow movements and painfully long combat sequence takes a game that should've only taken 4-5 hours to complete and doubles it. I respect the level of polish they put on this game and its still worth playing which is why I gave it a 7, but Ninja Theory really should've invested more time into actual gameplay mechanics instead of doing hours of whispered voice recording that constantly plays in your ear. Play this game for the story and brilliant atmosphere, but set a reasonable difficulty, dont do the auto scaling because it makes the game much less enjoyable.… Expand
  29. zwolsa
    Mar 16, 2020
    7
    This is an awesome game. The story is great, so is the presentation, the acting and the sounds. I would give it a 10 if there wouldn't be some parts, that i found terrible and that finaly prevented me from finishing the game. I love the puzzles in sometimes unreal surroundings and the story. When i'm playing, i'm interested to hear/see/experience a story, like a book or a movie. HellbladeThis is an awesome game. The story is great, so is the presentation, the acting and the sounds. I would give it a 10 if there wouldn't be some parts, that i found terrible and that finaly prevented me from finishing the game. I love the puzzles in sometimes unreal surroundings and the story. When i'm playing, i'm interested to hear/see/experience a story, like a book or a movie. Hellblade does a great job here. But as a story driven player the fights are simply too difficult for me, even on "easy" setting. Some of them lasts for 12 minutes or more with wave after wave of enemies, that attack you oftentimes from behind, while you fighting against another one. And some parts are just trial and error, like escaping a maze under time pressure. I hate that. That's bad game design, there is no excuse for this. And there are no hints or anything that makes it easier after x attempts. This was were I stopped playing it and i watched the rest on youtube. Summarized, when you not bothered by the parts that bother me, you're getting an awesome game. For future games the developers should think about the balancing. Why not make it really easy for players like me and really hard (what it is anyway) for the soulslike players. This what the difficulty settings are for.… Expand
  30. Empyrea
    Aug 30, 2020
    7
    I have mixed feelings about this game and I cannot rating this game with more than a 7. I don't want to spoil anything (although it's really not a spoiler) but you'll understand better everything when you watch the extra video that you can watch at any time although they recommend you to watch after beating this game. Let's say only that something isn't right with Senua. If you've playedI have mixed feelings about this game and I cannot rating this game with more than a 7. I don't want to spoil anything (although it's really not a spoiler) but you'll understand better everything when you watch the extra video that you can watch at any time although they recommend you to watch after beating this game. Let's say only that something isn't right with Senua. If you've played the last God of War, the landscapes, enviroment and suits will remind you this game although the rest it's quite different. This game have moments of puzzles and others of fighting. About fighting press the Option button to see how to properly fight and use the R2 button when you see that shomething shines for a second in the left down corner of your tv. And if you find yourself stuck don't doubt to pause the game and look for help in the internet. In my opinion, the best of this game is its graphics and the fighting (althoug you can easily die). If you find yourself down in the floor don't give up, just press the X button while moving to a side to keep playing. Although it's not a bad game, it's not great either but it's interesting.… Expand
  31. Instable
    May 27, 2018
    7
    Немного не понимаю восторженных отзывов. Геймплей этой игры очень бедный! Головоломки и драки чередуются друг за другом в крайне неуклюжей последовательности. Из-за этого играть становится невыносимо скучно, несмотря на отличный сюжет.Немного не понимаю восторженных отзывов. Геймплей этой игры очень бедный! Головоломки и драки чередуются друг за другом в крайне неуклюжей последовательности. Из-за этого играть становится невыносимо скучно, несмотря на отличный сюжет.
  32. frederik1478
    Jun 21, 2023
    7
    I enjoyed this game. I had some good story times with it even if I think the gameplay is mostly low point even if I enjoy the combat .

    The surround sound in this game is amazing to hear all the voices from all directions. It is truly a good experience to have to play this game. The problem is that walking from A to B is mostly boring even if you hear all the voices so at some point you    I enjoyed this game. I had some good story times with it even if I think the gameplay is mostly low point even if I enjoy the combat .

    The surround sound in this game is amazing to hear all the voices from all directions. It is truly a good experience to have to play this game.

    The problem is that walking from A to B is mostly boring even if you hear all the voices so at some point you might begin to long for some radio in the background. Just in the moments where you are Just walking with no dialogue.

    This is mostly in one and done kind of game, but it is an experience that you will remember and that is always worth playing.    … Expand
  33. abekdd
    Apr 17, 2019
    7
    La epopeya de Senua podría ser, perfectamente además, el indie más importante de todos los tiempos. De hecho, su categoría de AA queda en ocasiones olvidada debido al impresionante aspecto visual, a todos los niveles, que Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice ofrece al usuario. Así, tenemos en este título de Ninja Theory una compleja historia en la que sumergirnos, ya que tendremos que abrirnos pasoLa epopeya de Senua podría ser, perfectamente además, el indie más importante de todos los tiempos. De hecho, su categoría de AA queda en ocasiones olvidada debido al impresionante aspecto visual, a todos los niveles, que Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice ofrece al usuario. Así, tenemos en este título de Ninja Theory una compleja historia en la que sumergirnos, ya que tendremos que abrirnos paso en medio de la mitología nórdica en la piel de una enferma mental. De esta manera, a lo largo de todos los compases tenemos constantemente la misma duda: ¿todo lo mostrado es real? No es un juego que recomendaría a todo el mundo debido a algunas de sus mecánicas jugables, como la posibilidad de perderlo todo, pero a nivel personal me quedo con una muy buena historia que no merece continuación ninguna.… Expand
  34. DwarfPerkele
    Oct 10, 2017
    7
    For the most part, I enjoyed Hellblade. The graphics are beautiful, the setting is unique and really creepy. The story is interesting and made me want to find out how it ends. I really liked the combat system; fast, brutal, and has a bit of a strategy element to it when there are multiple opponents.

    I was a tad disappointed that the game looked a lot like an RPG (like Horizon Dawn Zero,    For the most part, I enjoyed Hellblade. The graphics are beautiful, the setting is unique and really creepy. The story is interesting and made me want to find out how it ends. I really liked the combat system; fast, brutal, and has a bit of a strategy element to it when there are multiple opponents.

    I was a tad disappointed that the game looked a lot like an RPG (like Horizon Dawn Zero, Witcher 3, etc.), but it was actually only a mix of combat and puzzles, and little else. 90% of the puzzles involves finding shapes that resemble runes in your environment, and it gets really repetitive. There's little to no interaction between the character and the world except where it's required for you to advance to the next area. No items you can pick up except when the story requires it. No people to talk to. If you can interact with an object (usually a door), you probably should if you want to finish the game. The only exception are rune stones, which info-dump a bit of mythology on you. While I found the info dumps interesting, their connection to Senua's story was tenuous a lot of time. I would have much preferred (for example) murals, paintings, carvings, statues, or other art that actually depicts the stories in question so that Senua could have observed them, learning the story.

    The game is also really short, which was a bit disappointing. Still, despite all the flaws, I enjoyed the game and thought it was worth the money.    … Expand
  35. emporio2866
    Feb 2, 2019
    7
    Игра очень понравилась, хоть и короткая!
    Великолепная графика - Ninja Theory умеют работать с движком Unreal на уровне Epic Games, только в прошлой игре Endlaved была третья версия, а тут уже четвёртая.
    Художественная составляющая на таком же высоком уровне, как и качество текстур! Игра просто оргазм для глаз. Звук - тут не рассказать, это надо слышать... он бесподобен!!! Актёрская    Игра очень понравилась, хоть и короткая!
    Великолепная графика - Ninja Theory умеют работать с движком Unreal на уровне Epic Games, только в прошлой игре Endlaved была третья версия, а тут уже четвёртая.
    Художественная составляющая на таком же высоком уровне, как и качество текстур! Игра просто оргазм для глаз.
    Звук - тут не рассказать, это надо слышать... он бесподобен!!!
    Актёрская игра главной героини также выше всяких похвал, за что актриса и получила заслуженный приз.
    Графика, звук и актёрская игра создают потрясающую атмосферу безысходности.
    Геймплей представляет собой симулятор ходьбы с решением головоломок, разбавленный несложной, но зрелищной боёвкой.
    Сюжет простой и всё, что я о нём могу сказать будет спойлером, но он неплохой.
    Игра проходится за 10 часов, но она и не корчит из себя AAA-проект и стоила на старте 2200 кажется, а не 4к, так что претензий ноль, чего не скажешь о Last Guardian!
    Платина простейшая, так как сложность не влияет ни на что и можно играть на лёгком, хотя я прошёл на харде и в боях даже был челлендж ближе к концу.
    Очень советую купить, ведь это очень необычный проект, созданный независимой студией и изданный ей же, а не под крылом крупного издателя. Поддержите, она того стоит!
    Оценка не 10 и 10, потому что 10 из 10 - это Last of Us и Witcher 3, а эта игра просто хорошая... не раздавать же всем десятки, как это делает один "худощавый непродажный блоггер", у которого чуть ли не каждая Call of Duty 12 из 10:)    … Expand
  36. ToshLichev
    Sep 19, 2021
    7
    There is very little you can say about Hellblade without spoiling the game because it is an entirely narrative experience. The gameplay really is just a more or less rudimentary component that only serves as a way for you to experience the story the game wants to tell. Thankfully the plot in question is quite intriguing due to its spin on mental illnesses and our perception of them,There is very little you can say about Hellblade without spoiling the game because it is an entirely narrative experience. The gameplay really is just a more or less rudimentary component that only serves as a way for you to experience the story the game wants to tell. Thankfully the plot in question is quite intriguing due to its spin on mental illnesses and our perception of them, although I do have to note that some of the praise it has been receiving may be a bit over the top.

    While I do recommend that you play Hellblade I can't ignore the fact that it is more of an interactive movie which gets rudely interrupted with unnecessary combat sections. I also can't forgive the devs for not fixing an absurd collectible glitch which makes you miss out on the platinum due to a bug in the rune count - if you can't do it perfectly you add chapter select, if not you lose a point.    … Expand
  37. Alexnhchong
    Feb 27, 2020
    7
    This is a game that I really wanted to love - after all, who doesn't like an underdog success story: a small indie studio taking on greedy corporations like EA and Activision Blizzard with a AAA title that shows there is still a market for single player games. Unfortunately, for every good I could identify, there always seems to be some fault that, in my opinion, hold this title back.This is a game that I really wanted to love - after all, who doesn't like an underdog success story: a small indie studio taking on greedy corporations like EA and Activision Blizzard with a AAA title that shows there is still a market for single player games. Unfortunately, for every good I could identify, there always seems to be some fault that, in my opinion, hold this title back.

    Graphics for instance: the character models are EXCELLENTLY DONE but the environment (short draw distance, texture pop-ins etc) is surprisingly shoddy. I played it on a PS4 Pro so perhaps you can attribute this to the hardware (or the lack thereof) but if God Of War managed to look stunning (both character models and environment) on the exact same PS4 Pro, then I think the blame lies squarely on the developers. Don't get me wrong, it is still miles better than anything Ubisoft could produce but that's also why I bought Hellblade at full price and Watch Dogs at 95% off.

    Another example: combat. When I first began my journey as Senua, I loved the combat mechanics. I wouldn't say it's the best but it was surprisingly solid (and not just a button-mash fest). But as I fought more and more enemies, it became apparent that most of them have only been programmed to perform 3/4 actions (some in a certain sequence as well). What that meant was that fights became boring and (especially if you manage to not die, which is not hard considering the repetitive AI mechanics) extremely laborious. What was initially fun ended up feeling like a chore.

    The voice acting as well. Usually when voice actors/ actresses fail to perform, we blame it on the script. But in this instance, I feel the blame lies either on the sound director (or whoever chose the voice actors/ actresses) as well as the actors/ actresses themselves. The two that caught my mind in particular are Dillion and Senua (great visual performance for the latter, the voice though I felt didn't carry enough weight).

    I can go on and list other observations I've made but I think by this stage (if you've managed to read through what I've written) you should already have a gist of what I'm talking about. So all in all, I am disappointed. The game is not a bad game, not at all. But it had so much potential to be so much greater. Reminds me a bit of The Order 1886.    … Expand
  38. ElObjetivo89
    Apr 17, 2020
    7
    Great atmosphere but a bad gameplay and irregular narrative.

    Senua tiene cosas buenas. Es una experiencia bastante inmersiva y muy disfrutable.
    Pero mando en mano es un mal juego, que no se siente fluido y solo tiene 3 o 4 tipos de enemigos.
    El final me ha parecido muy malo, pero eso es cuestión de gustos.
  39. mynameiscalled
    Sep 26, 2021
    7
    So, I took my time starting this journey, had the game in my collection for about 4 months before I finally decided to commit. As you might expect, the hype was high. And all justified.

    Game is gorgeous, dark and makes you feel eerie and spooked, even when there is no immediate danger on sight. The psychosis was scary, unpredictable and set the overall tone of the game. Voices, whispers,    So, I took my time starting this journey, had the game in my collection for about 4 months before I finally decided to commit. As you might expect, the hype was high. And all justified.

    Game is gorgeous, dark and makes you feel eerie and spooked, even when there is no immediate danger on sight. The psychosis was scary, unpredictable and set the overall tone of the game. Voices, whispers, hallucinations. Hard to describe the sensation without playing yourself.

    The only part that drew the overall points down was probably the combat - I would have enjoyed the game more if it were to be a puzzle/story mode exploration trip - the combat was kinda slow and not very satisfying. Whenever a combat stage popped, in my mind I was like “ugh this again”. Other than that, the game was superb! Pick it up!    … Expand
  40. ksejoshot
    Jul 16, 2020
    7
    Buen juego pero demasiado repetitivo. Recomendado por menos de 15 euros en ofertas, así es como me hice con el a través de GOG.
  41. Shenandoah
    Sep 5, 2020
    7
    No PS5 patch planned, No VR support for PSVR, no plans for Hellblade 2 for the Playstation platform. I’m very disappointed.

    „An update for the PC version of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is currently in development. There are no plans to bring this update to any other platform at this time.“
  42. Oshiri_Maeda
    Jan 3, 2021
    7
    Fantastic visual and audio design, good story and boring gameplay that often kills the pace.
    8 hours of gameplay. plan them to enjoy the movie, don't stretch through too many days not to loose the atmosphere. Lights off and headphones on. Solid 7.
  43. Bizancio_Askatu
    Apr 5, 2021
    7
    Hellblade is a strange game. Some of the key points like atmosphere, Senua facial movements and voice acting are superb, but others like combat, puzzles and rhythm are just barely acceptable, and they are sadly the core of this videogame.
    Sometimes I felt like playing a walking simulator with some tiresome "find the shape" puzzles and suddenly I am in the middle of a fight against huge    Hellblade is a strange game. Some of the key points like atmosphere, Senua facial movements and voice acting are superb, but others like combat, puzzles and rhythm are just barely acceptable, and they are sadly the core of this videogame.
    Sometimes I felt like playing a walking simulator with some tiresome "find the shape" puzzles and suddenly I am in the middle of a fight against huge Northmen not remembering the combat controls as I have not used them during the last 2,5 hours.
    The trick of the Furies voices gets tiring fast and after 4 hours i was really annoyed about them.
    Also the trial and error part of escaping the labyrinth is a horrible design idea as is using real actors footage.
    As a summary, i would said that only the awesome acting of Melina Juergens, the graphics and the atmosphere save this game.    … Expand
  44. Tedd-Deireadh_
    Nov 18, 2021
    7
    Я не понял этой игры и не понимаю высоких оценок. Для инди проекта это ещё неплохо, но мне не сильно вкатило. На один раз, выбить платину и забыть. Ничего запоминающего нет, а прикол со звуком по началу стремный, но потом привыкаешь и все. Боевка средняя, история просто непонятная, но хоть не долгая - на неделю можно растянутьЯ не понял этой игры и не понимаю высоких оценок. Для инди проекта это ещё неплохо, но мне не сильно вкатило. На один раз, выбить платину и забыть. Ничего запоминающего нет, а прикол со звуком по началу стремный, но потом привыкаешь и все. Боевка средняя, история просто непонятная, но хоть не долгая - на неделю можно растянуть
  45. nfs7379
    Sep 4, 2022
    7
    7/10.......................................................................
  46. DarthJ
    Aug 28, 2022
    7
    Немного не понимаю восторженных отзывов. Геймплей этой игры очень бедный! Головоломки и драки чередуются друг за другом в крайне неуклюжей последовательности. Из-за этого играть становится невыносимо скучно, несмотря на отличный сюжет.Немного не понимаю восторженных отзывов. Геймплей этой игры очень бедный! Головоломки и драки чередуются друг за другом в крайне неуклюжей последовательности. Из-за этого играть становится невыносимо скучно, несмотря на отличный сюжет.
  47. Icekyng
    Jun 14, 2018
    6
    I am a quarter in and got on PS4. It throws you no tutorial at all and the combat feels stodgy but then I found out I can dodge and use r2 for a slow down effect. Bit repetitive already and lining up the focus to open a door didn’t work even though was doing it right. 6 out of 10 at the moment, but I am intrigued. Care and attention has been put into this game and I will finish it out ofI am a quarter in and got on PS4. It throws you no tutorial at all and the combat feels stodgy but then I found out I can dodge and use r2 for a slow down effect. Bit repetitive already and lining up the focus to open a door didn’t work even though was doing it right. 6 out of 10 at the moment, but I am intrigued. Care and attention has been put into this game and I will finish it out of respect for that.… Expand
  48. karco
    Aug 8, 2017
    6
    Typical Ninja Theory game: good story, great art and sound (especially idea with voices in the head), mediocre gameplay (except maybe two or three puzzles in Odin's trials). I recommend to play this game on easy, because battle system is primitive and somewhat clunky, enemies are useless bulletsponges and encounters are too frequent.

    9/10 for story. 5/10 for gameplay. And I think,    Typical Ninja Theory game: good story, great art and sound (especially idea with voices in the head), mediocre gameplay (except maybe two or three puzzles in Odin's trials). I recommend to play this game on easy, because battle system is primitive and somewhat clunky, enemies are useless bulletsponges and encounters are too frequent.

    9/10 for story.
    5/10 for gameplay.
    And I think, that gameplay is the most important part of any game so 6/10 overall.    … Expand
  49. wesker2012
    Dec 21, 2017
    6
    Great graphics, cinematic atmosphere, and sound with an interesting new core concept of hearing voices. Everything else though was very lackluster. The combat and puzzles were very annoying. A lot of times, it was hard to know what to do. The combat took forever and wasnt very enjoyable.
  50. DrZomboid
    Feb 4, 2018
    6
    I like different game but this is sick, bit boring and unclear.
    This game needs better story, less film grain and better graphic solutions in few areas.

    Anyway the game can be beautiful sometimes, no HUD gives movie vibes.
  51. revelc
    Aug 9, 2017
    6
    Game is very boring, story is questionably awful, and incredibly linear gameplay. The only reason I tried it because of the graphics and the media coverage. I recommend wait for sales or skip entirely. There are better games coming out in the upcoming months. This title should've been $15 at most.
  52. arostislavna
    Oct 5, 2017
    6
    A good story, however absolutely no replay-ability whatsoever.

    Oddly some of the graphics towards the start of the game feel washed out, or feel like old-tech (like backgrounds from RE5 on 360/PS3)

    Buy it on sale.
  53. drowblade
    Sep 7, 2017
    6
    Good story, good atmosphere, good soud. Sorry, bad gameplay, boring enemies, and 3 bosses. 3! God damn, 3 bosses! WTF?! Riddles for schoolgirls, 70% of game - walk, walk, walk. Yes, this game is not AAA, but it is not justification. And, of course, you dont want to replay this game. Because it is disposable.
  54. mikepatyaev
    Aug 24, 2017
    6
    Hellblade is a slap in the face of the giant and greedy publishers, for the sake of the game industry i hope this game will be a success in critics and sales.I highly recommend it if you love games that can be more than just fun experiences...a true work of art and i hope to see more indie developers
  55. Kalfyra
    Aug 9, 2017
    6
    Gameplay is boring, and have horrible cinematography/atmosphere (there are so many better example around... just look at cinema production). Still i appreciate the effort on creating something new even if it actually didn''t give me any kind of experience about mental illness. Vote: 6,5
  56. Hyper-Dash
    Aug 16, 2017
    6
    The narrative is the driving force that will keep you going. It's fantastic and you really feel for the protagonist. It'll suck you in and you'll immerse yourself in the game world.

    Unfortunately, the weak gameplay is what keeps this game from what it could've ultimately achieved. The combat on one hand is compelling and satisfying. But most of the time you're wandering around solving    The narrative is the driving force that will keep you going. It's fantastic and you really feel for the protagonist. It'll suck you in and you'll immerse yourself in the game world.

    Unfortunately, the weak gameplay is what keeps this game from what it could've ultimately achieved. The combat on one hand is compelling and satisfying. But most of the time you're wandering around solving uninteresting, boring puzzles.

    For 30 euros, I didn't regret buying this game. It was a worthwhile experience and it's something that I will still remember years from now, thanks to the storytelling. But I wished the gameplay had more to offer.    … Expand
  57. Dubeau
    Aug 9, 2017
    6
    I never understood those kind of games. Yes the graphics and the story are amazing, but this is a game right ??? I mean you got some sequence of focusing, which means backtracking with the RT button to open a sequence of a story that will open a path or a door...euh and you have some fighting which is a repetitive button mashing of two buttons essentially. No levelling, crafting, weapons,I never understood those kind of games. Yes the graphics and the story are amazing, but this is a game right ??? I mean you got some sequence of focusing, which means backtracking with the RT button to open a sequence of a story that will open a path or a door...euh and you have some fighting which is a repetitive button mashing of two buttons essentially. No levelling, crafting, weapons, or anything actually. Oh, you get to walk, semi run, move upward and downward (fascinating stuff). For me that's an interactive movie with a very hype pricing. Going from point A to point B to see a story with limited interaction or gaming. This is exactly what Hellblade is about...They would have made a 3D movie with this story, I would have given a 80% easy and be absolutely delighted. I give this a 55% because they did something interesting in terms of story, especially regarding mental problems. But I find the gaming side appalling and just ordinary...… Expand
  58. OfTheMagi
    Aug 8, 2017
    6
    I am going to concede immediately and strongly that this game is artistry. When I concede the point, I am not speaking of 'graphics' -- much too small a word to convey the various immersive elements Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice excels at. This effort is beautifully photo-realistic and lovingly rendered with art direction that is at once daunting and aloof, allowing the player to share inI am going to concede immediately and strongly that this game is artistry. When I concede the point, I am not speaking of 'graphics' -- much too small a word to convey the various immersive elements Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice excels at. This effort is beautifully photo-realistic and lovingly rendered with art direction that is at once daunting and aloof, allowing the player to share in Senua's sense of penetrating a foreign and hostile hellscape, but it is also intricate and personal, as Senua reacts and flinches, balks and lunges at her own personal demons given form in another culture's landscape and mythology before her. But, those are just the visual elements. The sound design is perhaps some of the best I have ever played through. Unlike so many games, the music is not so omnipresent that it becomes a character unto itself competing with the one I am controlling, rather it is utterly organic to the experience Senua is having. It so flawlessly punctuates the game play that I only noticed how well it was carrying me emotions when I had to mute my TV to answer a call. The mind-expanding surround of Senua's psychotic voices so mimic psychosis in the real world that there is a psychiatric caution preceding the game, similar to those that other games have for epilepsy patients. If you suffer psychosis, this game might be too 'real' for you. And, that is brought to bear with technical mastery in the sound mixing of this game. The principal character's psychotic voices speak from all directions, to her, to themselves, to each other, even to you. I turned on subtitles to get some distance from it myself, not that I was about to think any of Senua's voices in her head were my own, but just to be sure. You can insert a nervous laugh here, and if you were playing, you'd be hearing one as it circled behind you. Yes, this game is art. But, one does not play art. This is also a game. And, unfortunately, it is in game mechanics that I had to start deducting points from what would otherwise be a 10. The game is brief all-told. Playing it, you will guide Senua through a series of environments in which she does the same several exploration puzzle-solving maneuvers over and over. You will face several Vikings and have combats that look great, owing to beautifully realized motion-capture. Then you will fight a boss with a pattern of attack you must memorize in order to counter it in a few specific ways. The duration and complexity of each of these puzzle areas, and the duration and complexity of each boss's attack sequence will increase, otherwise you'll be doing the same several things through only enough different environments that you can feel the repetition begin to weigh on the game. And, then it will end, having given you less than 24 total hours diversion, less than 12 if you're good, about 6 if you're great. The artistry of the game should not be minimized, and the game is worth the retail price just to experience it, but set your expectations to that level. You will be playing interactive art, more than you will be playing a game, and it will only take as long as visiting a good museum.… Expand
  59. UnderOverRated
    Mar 12, 2018
    6
    Graphics are top notch, atmosphere and audio is incredible but unfortunately lacks actual gameplay. The player is so God Damn slow, as well as the camera (patch in some settings for Christ sakes) . For a game that has portals on opposite sides of a level and a battle system, your character is so clunky its almost unbearable. Puzzles are repetitive as well as the combat. The audio andGraphics are top notch, atmosphere and audio is incredible but unfortunately lacks actual gameplay. The player is so God Damn slow, as well as the camera (patch in some settings for Christ sakes) . For a game that has portals on opposite sides of a level and a battle system, your character is so clunky its almost unbearable. Puzzles are repetitive as well as the combat. The audio and visual stimulation with a good set of headphones are the main reason why this game didn't completely suck for me. Good narrative and creepy atmosphere. One of the best in that category. I don't regret playing it but I had to force myself to get through it.… Expand
  60. michaelb1928
    Jun 13, 2019
    6
    Really tried to like this game but the gameplay just didnt do it for me, initially the game starts out really strong, the atmosphere they build is fantastic with one of the best openings ive ever played in a game, but after the first boss "room" where the gameplay consisted of boring tedious puzzle solving with some good if not basic combat i thought that was a good idea for that roomReally tried to like this game but the gameplay just didnt do it for me, initially the game starts out really strong, the atmosphere they build is fantastic with one of the best openings ive ever played in a game, but after the first boss "room" where the gameplay consisted of boring tedious puzzle solving with some good if not basic combat i thought that was a good idea for that room hoping to see more mechanics in the next but unfortunately the rest of the game is filled with these boring puzzles that involve you walking around at a really slow pace looking for glyphs, The story itself was interesting and i did keep with it far enough but i was never really invested in it and later on after yet another door presented me with 3 glyphs to go find i decided to drop it, i imagine i was very close to the end but my heart at that stage was not in it and that door was the tipping point, i can understand why people would like this game if they can overlook or maybe actually enjoy the puzzle solving mechanic but its simply not for me, thhe game isnt bad, im giving it a fair score in my opinion as it has a great concept although the main protagonists performance was fairly shoddy and i never felt anything for her other than annoyance at her ear screeches that consistently made me have to turrn down the volume on my headphones. Combat as i said earlier was fun but very basic, there is no difference in it later on in the game except the variance in enemies and how many get thrown at you at once. Overall not a bad game , good ideas, great atmosphere, boring gameplay… Expand
  61. StyxWitcher
    Apr 21, 2019
    6
    #Hellblade #RPG #action
    https://vk.com/adventurestocollapse
    Том II: "Приключения в Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice завершены". -Начинаем мы за кельтскую героиню Сенуа которая отправляется в Скандинавию в мир Мертвых...ради спасения своего возлюбленного Диллиона из рук Хель, носящая с собою его голову. -Спутниками путешествия возглавляют душераздирающие голоса до видений... проклятие    #Hellblade #RPG #action
    https://vk.com/adventurestocollapse
    Том II: "Приключения в Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice завершены".
    -Начинаем мы за кельтскую героиню Сенуа которая отправляется в Скандинавию в мир Мертвых...ради спасения своего возлюбленного Диллиона из рук Хель, носящая с собою его голову.
    -Спутниками путешествия возглавляют душераздирающие голоса до видений... проклятие охватившее ее под названием "Гниль" которая разрастается с каждой смертью, черная метка.
    -Брось вызов Богам.
    -Панические страхи до взгляни страху в лицо.
    -Путь закрыт Семью Печатями открывающими с помощью Рун, вашего бурного воображения.
    -Камни Воспоминаний поведают вам историю.
    -Взгляните Зрением найдя иллюзию для преображения в материю.
    Мысли в слух.
    -Наконец то завершилось путешествие.... Cенуа убивают мечем Грама...тьма, в которой она перерождается в Хель или Хель завладела душой Сенуа .... шестое чувство подсказывает мне что Сенуа является Хелью. В конце концов она сбрасывает голову Диллиона в бездну.
    -Сюжетная игра, которую я перепроходить не собираюсь, но ощущения от испытанного не безразличны.
    Я потратил два дня в разбирательствах ради прохождения, выскакивали ошибки мешающие прохождению которые решил изменениями в файлах, спас интернет. Пиратская версия GOG 1.03. Да у меня еще компьютер горяч, в этом наверняка еще заключалась проблемка, так или иначе после изменений в файлах, прошел за два дня.

    Оценка: 6 из 10.
    Жанр: action-adventure
    Год выхода: 2017 г.
    Платформы: Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
    Режим: Однопользовательская игра
    Разработчик: Ninja Theory
    Дизайнер: Ninja Theory
    Сценарий: Ninja Theory    … Expand
  62. sergio123456
    Oct 23, 2020
    6
    Un walking simulator distinto, pero que en ocasiones se vuelve tedioso en sus mecánicas. La manera de combatir es muy repetitiva, así como sus puzzles.
  63. simon574
    Apr 12, 2020
    6
    TL;DR: Atmosphere is good, gameplay is bad. This would work better as a film.
    I really like the theme and presentation of this game. The graphics are beautiful, and the main character has a very wide range of facial expressions. The story is so-so, the game tries to portray psychosis and mental illness. Senua is constantly hearing voices, and very convincingly so. At the same time she is    TL;DR: Atmosphere is good, gameplay is bad. This would work better as a film.
    I really like the theme and presentation of this game. The graphics are beautiful, and the main character has a very wide range of facial expressions. The story is so-so, the game tries to portray psychosis and mental illness. Senua is constantly hearing voices, and very convincingly so. At the same time she is portrayed as a warrior in a weird norse mythology fantasy world, which sometimes gets in the way of the "mental illness" theme, I feel they want to show me two different things at once.
    Speaking about gameplay, it's terrible for the most part. The surroundings look accessible at first glance, then you discover all the invisible barriers. Sometimes Senua can duck under a wooden bar or crouch under a rock (scripted!), but generally the tiniest rocks can act like an unsurmountable wall because the level designer said so. I managed to soft-lock the game once when I tried to go somewhere I wasn't supposed to and Senua was stuck between invisible barriers.
    There are about 5 different enemies you have to fight over and over again. The game expects you to fight like a robot, you have to press the right button on cue or you're dead. In my RL experience (martial arts) you have to be creative and try different things to find your opponent's weaknesses. In Hellblade, the enemies are primitive state machines which don't take the player's actions into account.
    Then there are some rune puzzles, where you have to "find" certain patterns in the level geometry or have to align shapes by altering your position and camera angle. I feel this is completely scripted too as in more than one occasion I have aligned the shapes correctly but the game wouldn't accept it. When I moved around a bit, and ended up with a slightly worse solution the game would happily spawn the missing part of a bridge or light up a rune. I then figured out the controller vibrates when you stand at the "right" position, making this a lot easier but at the same time less enjoyable. If you want to see a game where a similar mechanic is executed masterfully, play "The Witness".
    I still played through the game and had a good time for the most part, just lower your expectations when it comes to gameplay mechanics.    … Expand
  64. MrMiggins
    Jun 8, 2021
    6
    As 3rd person puzzle adventures go, there's some real genius on display here. The puzzles often take the form of optical illusions that are quite satisfying to find solutions for. Combat is crisp and precise. The graphics are great. The story and lore will please any fan of Norse mythology.

    But, this game is also very unforgiving. There are no mini-maps and it is possible to get    As 3rd person puzzle adventures go, there's some real genius on display here. The puzzles often take the form of optical illusions that are quite satisfying to find solutions for. Combat is crisp and precise. The graphics are great. The story and lore will please any fan of Norse mythology.

    But, this game is also very unforgiving. There are no mini-maps and it is possible to get completely lost sometimes. The boss battles are very challenging. I found myself having to replay them over and over again. They can be quite long, and if you die you'll have to start from the beginning of the boss fight again. It can get quite frustrating at times.

    I admire its ambition, but its not exactly fun. It's mostly dour and depressing and often pretty terrifying. It's on the one hand technically very impressive but at the same time quite stressful and disturbing. It's mercifully fairly short, but It's not a game I'll ever go back to.    … Expand
  65. GretchenGrinch4
    Jan 6, 2021
    6
    this is, without a doubt, one of the best narratives of any game made recently. the graphic style is great and at times unsettling. i applaud ninja theory for this excellent vision. however, the combat system is just plain terrible and basically ruins an other wise brilliant game. and the cliche
    reliance on chase scenes was also a big drawback.
  66. JrDouble
    Aug 19, 2023
    6
    Not a bad experience overall, but definitely not a very video-gamey video game. Very simple gameplay, very empty world, but mostly satisfying combat with somewhat interesting puzzles. The game is held back a lot by it's Incredibly pretentious story and choice to explore psychosis through the protagonist. I understand this is what the developers were going for, but it the incessant chatterNot a bad experience overall, but definitely not a very video-gamey video game. Very simple gameplay, very empty world, but mostly satisfying combat with somewhat interesting puzzles. The game is held back a lot by it's Incredibly pretentious story and choice to explore psychosis through the protagonist. I understand this is what the developers were going for, but it the incessant chatter of voices within the protagonist's head were not an experience I cared to ever revest after completing it.… Expand
  67. coustoe
    Aug 12, 2017
    5
    Spend Millions on a Triple A Title, but make the ugliest Golem Main Character Possible. Doesn't take that much, not paying you $40 so I can play my ugly self in a game. I can already do that in real life.
  68. Skitte
    Sep 15, 2017
    5
    Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a game made by Ninja Theory, developed entirely on Unreal Engine 4. It took a long wait to finally see this game make it on the market. I finished it in 2 days, roughly. I just couldn't finish it on one playthrough. I had high hopes for this, but ultimately, I can't really recommend it. It looks good on PC; the game really proves the power of Unreal 4, butHellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a game made by Ninja Theory, developed entirely on Unreal Engine 4. It took a long wait to finally see this game make it on the market. I finished it in 2 days, roughly. I just couldn't finish it on one playthrough. I had high hopes for this, but ultimately, I can't really recommend it. It looks good on PC; the game really proves the power of Unreal 4, but as what the game offers, it's not enough for me, plus the wrong steps they took. First of all, the story is kind of... nice, the presentation hooks you up immediately, but as the story moves on, it becomes a mess, you might just lose interest. It's kind of the same dialogue, it's kind of the same thing told with other words. What I liked is the topic. I haven't seen many other games tread psychiatrical problems this way. Then... where the problem appears. THE GAME IS EXTREMELY TEDIOUS around the half of it. THE GAME IS FILLED WITH WAAAY TOO MANY PUZZLES, ONE AFTER ANOTHER. They aren't hard, but you'll sigh everytime you have to look for certain symbols, running in circles and noticing that SENUA IS GODDAMN SLOW. I get it it's a game about mental problems, but the puzzles broke the immersion and the atmosphere just fade away after going through a gate and another puzzle waiting for me. The last thing that I want to say, the combat. It's extremely simple, but it's enjoyable, it's not like it's the main part of the game, but it contributes. Some fights are rewarding, some hard, some that you wish would end sooner, but ultimately, it didn't tire me.
    Also, I really paid attention to detail, voices and art style. They really immitate The Nordic/Viking lore. This area of the game has been extremely well done.

    TL;DR:
    Pros:
    - Presentation and Topic
    - Graphics
    - Voice Acting and Art Style
    - Psycosis was extremely well potrayed.
    Neutral:
    - Execution of the Story
    - Combat

    Negative:
    - Puzzles *I think the game would be 2-3 hours without those filling puzzles*
    - Execution of the story
    - Senua is too slow in walking and even running
    - Writing becomes tiring to listen to and even read. *I took my headphones off at the last scene, the puzzle and voices really drove me nuts I couldn't wait to finish it*

    Conclusions:
    The game isn't terrible by any means, but it isn't really what I have been waiting for. I can't recommend to casual puzzle, action or story rich gamers. It's basically a walking simulator with an attempt to a great story. I could say to only hardcorre fans to puzzle to try this, fans of walking simulators and eventually if you are curious how psychotic people cope with this mental issue.    … Expand
  69. CadeARudolph
    Aug 8, 2017
    5
    I am baffled at all of the reviews here. Most of them seem like they have been paid for (check, two of them use the exact same language about greedy developers). How in the world are people complaining about paying $60 for games that easily provide 20-300 hours of enjoyment? Movies cost like $10-$30 (with snacks) for 2 hours of enjoyment. People are so entitled and greedy nowadays.I am baffled at all of the reviews here. Most of them seem like they have been paid for (check, two of them use the exact same language about greedy developers). How in the world are people complaining about paying $60 for games that easily provide 20-300 hours of enjoyment? Movies cost like $10-$30 (with snacks) for 2 hours of enjoyment. People are so entitled and greedy nowadays. Games at $100 a pop would be great values.

    With that said, this game suffers from a lack of execution despite the overabundance of creativity. This could have easily been a game on my iPad. The only innovative feature is the story, which I respect and appreciate. The combat is repetitive and grows tiring quickly. There is nothing interesting about this game from the perspective of gaming. It would be a great animated movie. This is a step in the right direction, but too many miscues for me to recommend.    … Expand
  70. thefather
    Aug 9, 2017
    5
    Meh..
    Meh..
    The game is Meh.. , just another PS4/Xbox port for PC (tessellation anyone?? anno 2017???) don't waste you money (even it is a cheap one). The game play is boriiiing, the graphic is sub bar (PC gamer), atmosphere is not there for me.
    Short - game not worth!
    It is not even a near miss!!
  71. nyxkahos
    Apr 17, 2019
    5
    I honestly wanted to love this game. The trailers I saw or clips that were available seemed amazing. I refuse to watch streamers or game plays of most games because I want the experience to be completely new to me. So i decided to buy it on steam for a birthday gift to myself. Really wish I had knew the return policy for steam, since i have never returned or requested a refund. Until II honestly wanted to love this game. The trailers I saw or clips that were available seemed amazing. I refuse to watch streamers or game plays of most games because I want the experience to be completely new to me. So i decided to buy it on steam for a birthday gift to myself. Really wish I had knew the return policy for steam, since i have never returned or requested a refund. Until I played this game. It seemed real interesting and I was loving to intro of the game at first. It had the whole Getting you into the schizo mood and setting the stage. But for how close you are stuck over the shoulder of the character felt annoying, would of been nice to scoot back just a bit. I didnt need the character fully in front of me but I didnt like feeling like a parrot over the shoulder, it felt almost nauseating at times. Getting the clips of audio from stones was nice and even the visual clips of a person talking to you. The one thing I ended up hating quickly was the endless letter searching and the stupid fighting. At some point I was hoping for just a little something different to kind of switch it up, but it felt like endless repetition. I own and have played Dark Souls, which is what some people had compared the fighting to in some reviews but I honestly feel the fighting in this game was far worse. In DS you could at least learn the technique for what you were fighting and beat it. Monster after Monster on Senua's sacrifice was the same thing one after the other till I finally turned it off. In DS you could at least move left to right an maneuver an inch but in Senua's Sacrifice all you have is forward and back. You can not really turn or step left or right so if you have a monster behind you and one in front, or ends up next to you, you cant do anything. Blocking doesnt always work either. Its either block and hope it works or block and it doesnt work at all. What I loved to hear was a voice stating to "remember your training"...What training? This character obviously never had any and was just born because all the character is allowed to do is step forward and back in fighting. I love to play an array of games so when I bought this one I was already playing something else. So sadly couldnt get store credit or money back for this game because I didnt get to it and start it till 2 months later. This is Sadly the first and ONLY game I have ever played in my life that I disliked so much since i started playing games on PC in the late 90s. I give it 5 for creativity and graphics. But it felt like it missed a lot of substance story wise for a beginning and the limited fighting movements were complete garbage. I badly wanted to emerge myself in this game and love it, but it felt like an inexperience EX who was good at story telling but no idea what they were doing. Not appealing enough to want to keep up with or ever return to.… Expand
  72. Phased
    Jan 4, 2020
    5
    Sound design and graphics: great. Boss fights and illusion mechanics are kind of cool but... fighting overall is too repetitive and boring, and even though the game is short it feels like most mechanics overstay their welcome.
  73. gbaluq
    Oct 6, 2021
    5
    I have heard and read so much great things about Hellblade, that my expectations were really high before playing it. Ninjas did not meet those expectations... the game is quite well written, the story is promising although ends quickly, the main character is interesting at first but kind of boring, so each of those elements left me wanting a little bit more. And on top of that theI have heard and read so much great things about Hellblade, that my expectations were really high before playing it. Ninjas did not meet those expectations... the game is quite well written, the story is promising although ends quickly, the main character is interesting at first but kind of boring, so each of those elements left me wanting a little bit more. And on top of that the mechanics implemented into the game are very repetitive and irritating in some instances, I felt like some of them were added just to extend the experience, without adding any content. Other were super simple, but took time to wonder around and waste time on accomplishing something banal. I was also slightly disappointed with the fights, even though I was not expecting too much out of them in the first place. Regardless the low rating I am giving to this product, I think this is the game everyone should try and have their own opinion, things which were pissing me off may be seen as a good qualities by someone else. Good things: graphics, story, sound
    Bad things: fights, puzzles, few bugs, too much hype ;)    … Expand
  74. Amocoru
    Aug 9, 2017
    4
    Generic enemies you'll see over and over again with almost no change. The game feels like you're solving the same puzzle every level. The combat is just spamming the attack button and sometimes rolling. I don't care if it's an Indie company. Too much went into graphics and gameplay suffers because of it.
  75. srknbyz
    Aug 10, 2017
    4
    Puzzles for children and for just waste your time over and over again. Fight against same things hundred times. Weak story and expected ending. Just graphics and atmosphere good. Seriously couldn't find out what's this hype for.
  76. wnsguddnjfem
    Sep 6, 2017
    4
    The graphic of this game is not bad. but playing is very boring with same patterns, same weapon....
    and i can't understand narratives, scripts...and the description of psychotic symptom was not impressive
  77. CavalierAU
    Oct 20, 2017
    4
    While the Norse mythology setting is appreciated -- the main character's plight of bringing back her boyfriend from death is extremely melodramatic, it doesn't coalesce well with the setting nor her depiction as a strong warrior. Senua can barely keep it together in the cutscenes yet she's cutting down 10ft tall 'Northmen', there's a huge disconnect between gameplay and herWhile the Norse mythology setting is appreciated -- the main character's plight of bringing back her boyfriend from death is extremely melodramatic, it doesn't coalesce well with the setting nor her depiction as a strong warrior. Senua can barely keep it together in the cutscenes yet she's cutting down 10ft tall 'Northmen', there's a huge disconnect between gameplay and her characterisation.

    A 'psychological warning' is presented at the start of the game which only reminds us of how protective of delicate sensitivities this industry has become. If you're cynical to melodrama and overacting, this story will get old fast.

    This 'visual novel' features very shallow gameplay: a small scattering of combat scenarios against only a few different enemy types, and the simplest of puzzles that typically only require you to look at shapes at a certain angle. An entire section of the game is pitch black darkness that's somehow presented as a new challenge, which only serves to frustrate the player.

    Much attention to detail was paid in modelling Senua, and she looks realistic. However she can only barely interact with her lifeless environment. She can climb ladders, open doors, vault over small ledges and carry a torch. That's it.

    Supporting characters aren't 3D modelled but are blurred actors in costume, which feels cheap. I don't believe for a moment that the scrawny actor playing 'Dillion' was some kind of masterful warrior. He looks like a celtic bard.

    If there were still video stores to rent from, I'd only recommend renting this 5-hour title. Play through it once and then watch the other ending on YouTube.    … Expand
  78. Chulja
    Oct 29, 2017
    4
    Overrrated. My Opinion. Starts with big "Ahs" and "Ohs" for the style, the presentation and the upcoming expectations. Ends with "Oh no, not find a pattern again". Boring, so boring that I quit, even if the playtime should not be too long.
  79. SplitMind
    May 4, 2019
    4
    The intentions and ambitions for this game are great, however the execution lets it down very badly.

    The story is intriguing, the atmosphere compelling and the audio disturbing, and that's the end of what I found positive. The puzzles form the main content of the game, and they are absolutely infuriating in their tedium and repetition. It is the exact same formula for each puzzle but    The intentions and ambitions for this game are great, however the execution lets it down very badly.

    The story is intriguing, the atmosphere compelling and the audio disturbing, and that's the end of what I found positive.

    The puzzles form the main content of the game, and they are absolutely infuriating in their tedium and repetition. It is the exact same formula for each puzzle but the keys are placed is slightly different locations each time, meaning a lot of wandering around in badly lit areas. By the time I'd reached the third puzzle I had clocked on that this was what I could expect for the rest of the game and subsequently quit playing after just a couple of hours of gameplay.

    I did find the combat somewhat enjoyable but again this became repetitive very quickly and enemies lacked diversity also.

    The graphics are excellent but undermined by my above points. I was really looing forward to this game after hearing so many good things and am massively disappointed to have been met by what is essentially a walking simulator.    … Expand
  80. dudukin
    Jun 5, 2021
    4
    Such a disappointment. Don't understand the hype this game is just so boring. Dreadful story dreadful puzzles and dreadful gameplay. The combat was fairly decent but you won't be doing that a lot. What a waste of time and money.
  81. Beelfro
    Jan 16, 2022
    4
    After really enjoying "A Plague's Tale: Innocence" I wanted more of that dark moody stuff. So I Googled "Games similar to..." and this game came out as the first result. After very briefly reading one of the many stellar reviews, I purchased the game.

    Right after the first few seconds, some voices in my head started telling me that this was going to be an amazing game. Until I had to    After really enjoying "A Plague's Tale: Innocence" I wanted more of that dark moody stuff. So I Googled "Games similar to..." and this game came out as the first result. After very briefly reading one of the many stellar reviews, I purchased the game.

    Right after the first few seconds, some voices in my head started telling me that this was going to be an amazing game. Until I had to actually start playing.

    Mindlessly mash some buttons whenever a baddie appears in front of you, slump around like a headless chicken trying to find shapes in the environment to open gates, rinse and repeat.

    And the most baffling thing about this game, is that you can lose your savegame if you get killed too often, with no option to turn that off in the settings (AFAIK). In a game this boring? Having to slump through the whole thing again? No effin way.

    I ended up "playing" this thing with a walkthrough constantly open on my tablet, until I decided to simply not bother anymore.

    In my opinion, this is an experience more than it is a game. I would have actually enjoyed just walking around, taking in the dark yet beautiful scenery, and interacting with the lorestones for some Valhallian history. The developers could at least have included that as an option. It seems to me that this would be the perfect game for that. It would at least justify the full price I paid for it (40$ CAD).

    But, unlike Senua, I don't feel like making the sacrifice of slumping through this, just because I splurged the full price for it.
    Now, those voices in my head are laughing at me, saying "he just wasted 40$, heehee", and I keep seeing red dollar sign shapes everywhere.    … Expand
  82. turbosnail
    Dec 2, 2019
    3
    Perhaps my expectations were too high, but after an hour of gameplay I realized "this is it; nothing happened so far, and nothing more is going to happen."

    If you are looking for an action / adventure game, *this is not it*. Stay far away from this! If you are looking for an audio-book about the inside of schizofrenic people and a video of rocks, rocks and more rocks (and some wood)    Perhaps my expectations were too high, but after an hour of gameplay I realized "this is it; nothing happened so far, and nothing more is going to happen."

    If you are looking for an action / adventure game, *this is not it*. Stay far away from this!
    If you are looking for an audio-book about the inside of schizofrenic people and a video of rocks, rocks and more rocks (and some wood) and you don't mind the absence of any gameplay; go buy this.    … Expand
  83. Seraphiel
    Apr 23, 2018
    3
    I am very frustrated by this game because what could have been a perfect game is rendered mediocre by lack of attention to actual gameplay.

    What does this game do well? Firstly, the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. The depiction of mental illness is managed tastefully and accurately and the voices in Senua's head very often mirror your own thoughts. Indeed, the voices will often warn    I am very frustrated by this game because what could have been a perfect game is rendered mediocre by lack of attention to actual gameplay.

    What does this game do well? Firstly, the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. The depiction of mental illness is managed tastefully and accurately and the voices in Senua's head very often mirror your own thoughts. Indeed, the voices will often warn you when an enemy is about to attack from behind and, after a while, you are forced to admit to yourself that you've come to rely on the voice much like Senua has. That part is great.

    What part is mediocre: The story. There's really not much there for all the game's feigned deepness and, without spoiling things, the end is a massive anti-climax.

    The aspect that lets the game down is really everything about the gameplay. There are three things you will do in this game: Combat, puzzle solving and moving between areas for combat and puzzle solving. Now, I'm not averse to either one if they are done well but both are exceptionally boring and repetitive here.

    COMBAT: With the exception of two semi-bosses there are three enemy types. (1) Viking with shield, (2) fighter with two swords and skeletal cow's head (3) large guy with a giant axe. Be prepared to fight these three copy & pasted enemies over and over and over again in more or less the same order. In this game once you've had one fight then you've basically had them all. Even the repetitive nature of the encounters could be worthwhile if the combat mechanics were interesting or fun but instead you will find yourself doing exactly the same thing in each encounter; block, stab, block, stab, block, stab, charge magic mirror *killing spree*, block, stab etc etc etc. If you're fighting giant axe guy then you will substitute dodge in place of block but that's about as diverse as combat gets in Hellblade.

    PUZZLES: 90% of the puzzles involve lining objects up in order to make a symbol appear. This is never particularly difficult but often involves lots of repetitive running about at Senua's irritatingly slow jogging pace. No matter how you look at it, this puzzle is simply not very fun and the repetitive nature of this was tedious and boring. The other puzzle is to look through a magic portal which makes reality on the other-side subtly change, this was a fun mechanic the first few times but, again, it is used to death in one section and then never used again.

    Often it feels that the actual gameplay was an afterthought. I suspect that the game developers created a pseudo-walking simulator and then thought "this feels empty and short lets add some filler in to pad it out a bit".

    This brings me to my final point, the game is very short. I would estimate a four - six hour play time depending on how quickly you progress. I finished it in around 5 hours and that included exploring all the areas fully. I certainly wasn't sorry to see it end as, by that time, I was thoroughly bored but if you measure game value in a ration of gameplay hours to money spent then the game is probably not worthwhile.

    In summary: I really really wanted to like this game and the game deals with some concepts fantastically but it is let down by a lack of real depth and by poorly implemented gameplay.    … Expand
  84. Ghoster
    Jul 29, 2018
    3
    This game was during release compared to Tomb Raider games. Don't know why, but it's nothing like TR! While TR is action packed game full of action this one is walking simulator where you - well, walk! Walking with some puzzles which are always the same. There is really small amount of fight after each hour of walking and watching sequences. Problem is in fight is - it's bad doneThis game was during release compared to Tomb Raider games. Don't know why, but it's nothing like TR! While TR is action packed game full of action this one is walking simulator where you - well, walk! Walking with some puzzles which are always the same. There is really small amount of fight after each hour of walking and watching sequences. Problem is in fight is - it's bad done (developers should play Dark Souls for a while to check how fight should be done properly). Most disappointing is ending with probably worst boss fight ever which last forever followed.
    Maybe for somebody who was prepared this game is walking simulator and not real game experience was better, but overall not good at all.

    Only thing AWESOME in this game is voice acting. I loved inner voice and specially Shadow voice! Two thumbs up for that!    … Expand
  85. Steyraus
    Aug 22, 2020
    3
    This game is literally look at a shape , find that shape in the environment, walk walk walk , walk, 2 minute fight, find shape in the environment. Repeat... Ninja Theory were smart making this games small and fast to capitalize on what is popular with games journalist and You Tuber at the time "Muh Mental Illness" . They ate this junk up , like a banana sunday, but the banana is a turd. ItThis game is literally look at a shape , find that shape in the environment, walk walk walk , walk, 2 minute fight, find shape in the environment. Repeat... Ninja Theory were smart making this games small and fast to capitalize on what is popular with games journalist and You Tuber at the time "Muh Mental Illness" . They ate this junk up , like a banana sunday, but the banana is a turd. It allowed them all to wallow in their one self diagnose mental issues and promote the game at the same time.
    One of the most overrated game ever. Even visually its not even on par with average looking games of this generation and the 3D audio was a complete gimmick, nothing that hadn't been done better already.    … Expand
  86. portmanteau
    Aug 8, 2017
    3
    drudging,dour, linear, clunky and not at all fun, at least for me. Buyer beware, this is a Psychosis simulator & partially playable ( basically on-rails ) story. The swordplay, is not bad.. but the movements are leaden and heavy. I can imagine a lot of people will get much out of the skillfully rendered atmosphere, but for me the intensity is not balanced out with the gameplay, you cannotdrudging,dour, linear, clunky and not at all fun, at least for me. Buyer beware, this is a Psychosis simulator & partially playable ( basically on-rails ) story. The swordplay, is not bad.. but the movements are leaden and heavy. I can imagine a lot of people will get much out of the skillfully rendered atmosphere, but for me the intensity is not balanced out with the gameplay, you cannot traverse simple obstacles, you plod along, and if the story is your main goal, great, if not... look elsewhere. I can see why it's digital only, no refunds.… Expand
  87. Doctordarkspawn
    Aug 9, 2017
    3
    Full disclosure: I grapple with suicidle tendancies and anxiety.

    Now that we've got that out of the way, Hellblade is not what I wanted to play when I sat down to play a game by ninja theory. The game is essentially just a roadmap of mental illness and disturbing imagry using the norse pantheon as a canvas. The game succeeds in making the game ABOUT mental illness, and portrays it    Full disclosure: I grapple with suicidle tendancies and anxiety.

    Now that we've got that out of the way, Hellblade is not what I wanted to play when I sat down to play a game by ninja theory. The game is essentially just a roadmap of mental illness and disturbing imagry using the norse pantheon as a canvas.

    The game succeeds in making the game ABOUT mental illness, and portrays it well. The game does not succeed in being fun or interesting. It is near a walking simulator. Combat, when it does happen, is basic, and short. The game is more concerned with forcing you to watch suffering of Senua and others rather than actually tell a story.

    Bottom line: If I wanted to watch a snuff film I would have. The game is more concerned with portraying mental illness then giving me gameplay worthy of a 30 dollar price tag. It isn't worth that. It's worth maybe ten, for what your geting.

    Wait until it goes on sale, or if you want something light and fun, pass entirely. The game tries to be a train-wreck where you cant look away, but I felt myself alt-tabbing more than any other game built on atmosphere I've ever played.    … Expand
  88. Darkzentai
    Aug 12, 2017
    3
    Promising looking game that's just boring .
    To put it simply with no spoilers it's a walking simulator with a bit of combat and some dull puzzles.
    Very disappointing shame really I was looking forward to hellblade being good .
  89. morse
    Feb 7, 2020
    3
    There are bad games, and then there are boring, pretentious non-games like Hellblade. The graphics, presentation and atmosphere are great (if you ignore the excessive use of effects) but where is the game? The puzzles (if you can call them that) mostly involve searching for different angles to look at things, and combat is extremely repetitious and tries (and fails utterly) to challengeThere are bad games, and then there are boring, pretentious non-games like Hellblade. The graphics, presentation and atmosphere are great (if you ignore the excessive use of effects) but where is the game? The puzzles (if you can call them that) mostly involve searching for different angles to look at things, and combat is extremely repetitious and tries (and fails utterly) to challenge the player simply by throwing waves and waves of similar enemies at them. Initially, the idea of mental illness as the focus of the game's story seems intriguing, but it becomes apparent very quickly that this topic is ill-suited for a video game as it weakens player immersion greatly. This happens mainly because at every turn, we are reminded that Senua's experiences are a result of her mental illness, and are not "real". Furthermore, Senua's backstory is mostly not "shown" but just "told", which makes it even more difficult for the player to identify with the character. Honestly, given the gameplay and story deficiencies, I am quite surprised at the good score this game gets here in Metacritic.… Expand
  90. timyzs
    Nov 13, 2022
    3
    Despite all the good reviews, I find this 'walking simulator' not fun and not engaging. Combat feels clunky, story is not memorable. 3/10 for me and this is personal.
  91. BigChase41
    Mar 6, 2022
    3
    Good game BUT, slow motion is for **** Console players obviously want a handicap lame
  92. MasajaMasta
    May 31, 2023
    3
    As an opposite to the authors of this game, I will spare you some time. Why the score is so low?

    I feel tricked. I thought this would be an innovative game. This is at its core mechanically a very simple-minded casual game with a very basic not think-trough (because of the camera) fighting system that bases too much of its strengths only on the main character while also trying to be    As an opposite to the authors of this game, I will spare you some time. Why the score is so low?

    I feel tricked. I thought this would be an innovative game. This is at its core mechanically a very simple-minded casual game with a very basic not think-trough (because of the camera) fighting system that bases too much of its strengths only on the main character while also trying to be dark,
    but its darkness is fully gimmicky and has nothing to do with real-world dark psychology. Also, that throws the idea of "this is a visual medium, show, not tell" out of
    the window. So it takes the worst writing lessons and the whole time just tells you 90 % of the story throw constant monologues through readed text.

    So if you like story games where the screenwriters constantly just tell you how you should view something and tell you what something is like and tell you what somebody is like and tell you how you should feel about it instead of just showing and leaving you to have your own conclusions... Boy oh boy, you will definitely love this one:]

    The scenery is always closely the same but with different effects put on it like fire, shattered glass, or "drowsy", such great stuff. Also making half of this game looking for shapes in the environment that is mostly in different shades of grey while the character covers 1/3 of the screen because of the camera placement simply proves that in the end makers of this game had no idea what they were doing, and definitely no clear vision for this game. So 80% of it is exactly like a walking simulator. As I said, it's a game for casuals. Just so you know. I didn't know. Because all the reviews I was reading of this game didn't mention it! Also, it wasn't marketed that way! If that is "not being tricked" I don't know what is. Maybe It would be ok but the story is too busy trying to be artsy to be actually good and showing me why should I care about anything. The music is good and there is definitely too little of it. By the way, the main protagonist is the only thing that looks good (amazing even, such beautiful eyes!), everything else just doesn't (I love how corridor structured the game is, or how some of the grass has textures and some not, or how your hands clearly don't touch the doors that you constantly have to open again and again and how many textures in the scenery look like ps2 game (i hate this line but I ain't joking here) so on and so on...). And unfortunately, all of those close-ups of her face to show off the gimmick made her acting look forced and not natural (it feels more like an over-excited movie art student who couldn't hide the excitement of making a movie!). It takes you out of the experience too much. Well... I could go on and on and on. But I stop here. You get the idea.

    I hate that a "Story game" now just means a game where they talk a lot:) Because when we have movies where they "talk a lot" that definitely means we also have a great story here, are we not?:)    … Expand
  93. Goncii28
    Mar 5, 2023
    3
    Hellblade has interesting ideas, concepts and moments of psychosis. Unfortunately, the gameplay is absolutely awful. The puzzles are tedious, repetitive and poorly design. The combat is mediocre and the pace is really messy.
  94. theTRUTHson
    Jan 22, 2019
    2
    Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator WalkingWalking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator Walking Simulator… Expand
  95. juancmontoya2
    Aug 16, 2017
    2
    Why aim for AAA game graphics if it'll be the only thing you accomplish? The gameplay is not fun or interesting at all. Indie games excel in having fun and diverse gameplay wrapped in stylized graphics. Super realistic graphics don't make a game.
  96. beanofwar
    Aug 10, 2017
    2
    Chattering voices, while part of the story, are annoying. The movement is extremely slow and cumbersome. The viewpoint for 3rd person is way too close to the character, and kind of makes me queasy to watch for too long. The combat is very basic (rhythm combat style with obvious visual queues of when to block vs dodge) and very basic attack strategies. Slow walking/jogging duringChattering voices, while part of the story, are annoying. The movement is extremely slow and cumbersome. The viewpoint for 3rd person is way too close to the character, and kind of makes me queasy to watch for too long. The combat is very basic (rhythm combat style with obvious visual queues of when to block vs dodge) and very basic attack strategies. Slow walking/jogging during exploration/puzzle sections. Beautiful looking game, but I'm ready to turn it off and never come back.… Expand
  97. z80
    Jan 13, 2018
    2
    Amazing graphics and atmosphere at the first glance. It holds for half an hour until you realize how boring and shallow the game actually is. Walking through a insulated trippy corridor with stupid and mind-boggling puzzles along the way. The way the character's way is blocked by every tiny branch, brick or 1 ft ledge is pathetic. I can barely remember a recent game that made me hate it soAmazing graphics and atmosphere at the first glance. It holds for half an hour until you realize how boring and shallow the game actually is. Walking through a insulated trippy corridor with stupid and mind-boggling puzzles along the way. The way the character's way is blocked by every tiny branch, brick or 1 ft ledge is pathetic. I can barely remember a recent game that made me hate it so much and so fast.… Expand
  98. gamerz4life
    Apr 11, 2021
    2
    Yes I applauded Ninja Theory when they said they were attempting to make a AA game that could compete against the AAA market (yet they sold out to Microsoft not a year after with grins on their faces) but be better than the indie market. However, I then played this game and boy did I not know what I was getting into and the marketing for this game was designed so you wouldn’t know thatYes I applauded Ninja Theory when they said they were attempting to make a AA game that could compete against the AAA market (yet they sold out to Microsoft not a year after with grins on their faces) but be better than the indie market. However, I then played this game and boy did I not know what I was getting into and the marketing for this game was designed so you wouldn’t know that this is not a game after all.

    At first I looked at this game like ‘oh this is how they saved some money here or there’ but the further you get into the game, you realize that what they really did was cut corners. They had one of their workers be Senua and do the motion capture and voice. The other characters? Well they don’t really exist in game, in that if you hear the voice of the couple other ‘characters’ that supposedly exist Senua turns around to face the screen, staring straight at you, which is terribly off-putting and 4th wall breaking, all because they didn’t want to animate anyone else. And then there’s some weird SEGA CD video being put in for the 2 men she knew. A video recording next to Senua who is a game generated person.

    No more needs to be said on the mental illness factor, by now we all know they consulted with top people in the mental health field, I mean it’s all Ninja Theory told us over and over!!! But is anything actually told or learned about this supposed mental illness Senua is dealing with? Nope. It was just used as a selling factor and boy did people eat it up just based on that. How sad. The voices are more annoying than anything. The best part of the game was when the voices stopped. The real mental thing that happens in this game is that you’re trying to hold onto your own sanity to finish this trash heap.

    Not enough people have commented on gameplay. I don't know why but Ninja Theory decided to not have any sort of tutorials whatsoever, including simple little prompts that pop up on screen to tell you what the buttons do. Now this wasn't my first rodeo so I wasn't completely lost but when the first thing the game wants you to do is 'focus' and you either have to pause the game to look at the button controls or start pushing every button on the controller to see what will happen, it pulls you out of the experience a bit. Warning: Senua’s run is as fast as a character in a real game’s walk and she gets stuck with ladders quite a few times and you have to figure out how to mess with the buttons to force her up and down them.

    Not to mention combat. The button response time felt like it needed work. I'd be hitting dodge or block and nothing would happen, resulting in me getting hit and at a disadvantage as I tried to recover so I could move before another hit took place. But with the no button prompts comes the fact that if you're doing good enough eventually you'll see this white symbol appear, where you're like I wonder what that is? Well game won't tell you. But if you accidentally hit focus during that moment, you enter into bullet time mode that slows down the enemies and lets you do a lot of damage before they can attack you. Then you get to the parts where the enemies have multiple states and you can only attack them in bullet time so you waste time trying to perfectly dodge to build up focus. All trying to pad time onto the game.

    The puzzles start out okay. It seems like two different ones in a pretty big area until you continue past the first two bosses and it becomes the same ‘line up the symbols’ puzzle over and over and OVER again. Not only that but it becomes where you just turn around and go ‘oh there it is’. No work needed, how fricking lazy. Would it really have been that hard to toss a few different type puzzles to open doors? Answer: no, no it wouldn’t have been.

    No memorable music. The only good music is the end battle song and the end credits song, neither of which were made for the game which makes sense. Music wasn't made to put you in the setting, not when the voices were too loud to hear anything else anyways. Speaking of which I could not hear the characters speak for the life of me. I turned down music and vfx and it didn't make a difference. Who releases a game without having made sure you can hear what's going on?

    The ending spits in your face, there is no boss fight, you never go against Hella and the multiple enemies you fight? There’s no point, the game wants you to die to trigger the awful ending cutscene. (Just die, don’t fight!!) It’s especially terrible with the ending line 'I have no more story to tell' then immediately says 'come join me for another adventure'. They want a sequel! Of this non-game!

    Do NOT buy this 'game'. Don't be tricked like I was. This was nothing more than an art project to Ninja Theory, it was never meant to be played or experienced as a story. You will not care a lick about the characters because the creators sure didn’t. The worst 8 hours of ‘gaming’ I’ve ever done.    … Expand
  99. timyz
    Apr 17, 2023
    2
    I will just go straight to the point. Despite all the glowing reviews which I can agree to disagree, I must say this "walking simulator" left me feeling utterly unimpressed.

    -The combat was about as smooth as sandpaper.

    -The story was so forgettable, I'm already struggling to remember any of it.

    A solid 2/10 for me.
  100. leafyguy
    Nov 28, 2022
    2
    This might be for some people but i was expecting a combat focused adventure with creepy vibes. what i got was boring basic combat annoying constant voices unbearably slow pace and constant infuriating puzzles. Uninspired viking zombies that looks like it was ripped straight from god of war. Needless to say i hated this and was annoyed i wasted money on it
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Awards & Rankings

50
#50 Best PS4 Game of 2017
17
#17 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
26
#26 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 68 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 68
  3. Negative: 1 out of 68
  1. Screen Rant
    Dec 20, 2018
    90
    Both proof that small development teams can make great games, and that video games can handle heavy themes in their own way.
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  2. Critical Hit
    Dec 20, 2018
    80
    Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a prime example for anyone making the case that video games are a powerful art form. Creatively ambitious, it’s exceptionally well-thought-out and implemented – making it striking at both a sensorial and psychological level as it delves deep into an exploration of life with psychosis. It has its gameplay flaws but remains must-experience for adult audiences. An instant classic for this generation.
    Read full review
  3. 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.
    Read full review
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