Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

StrongSenua's Saga: Hellblade II header image
81

Top Critic Average

79%

Critics Recommend

Game Rant
4 / 5
PC Gamer
58 / 100
Eurogamer
5 / 5
IGN
8 / 10
TheGamer
3 / 5
GamesRadar+
5 / 5
Game Informer
9 / 10
GameSpot
6 / 10
Creators: Ninja Theory, Xbox Game Studios
Release Date: May 21, 2024 - Xbox Series X/S, PC

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Review Summary

StrongCritic Consensus

Exceptional visual fidelity and sound design

Powerful storytelling and atmosphere

Combat is repetitive and lacks depth

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an action-adventure game that captivates critics with its stunning visuals and exceptional audio design. While praised for its deep storytelling and immersive atmosphere, some critics feel the game is burdened by repetitive combat and a lack of player agency in crucial moments. Despite these shortcomings, the game excels in portraying mental illness and delivers a cinematic experience, making it a visually striking and emotionally resonant title, though not without flaws.


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Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Trailers

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Official Trailer | The Game Awards 2023 thumbnail

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II – Official Trailer | The Game Awards 2023

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II - The Senua Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2023 thumbnail

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II - The Senua Trailer | Xbox Games Showcase 2023


Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Screenshots

Critic Reviews for Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

There is simply nothing else like Hellblade 2 on the market and that alone kept me enthralled the whole way through. Its pared-down elements might not be mechanically complex, but they give the story a momentum that makes it hard to put down. Ninja Theory tackles themes that are challenging and not often seen in games, with a backdrop that vacillates between the epic and the intimate. It's approach doesn't have widespread appeal, but Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is as close to an interactive movie as we’ve seen yet.

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Despite its greater scale and visual splendour, this sequel fails to escape the shadow of its predecessor with a muddled tale that Senua herself feels out of place in.

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Hellblade 2 continues Senua's story with grace, confidence, surprising brutality and thundering conviction.

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Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is another Viking-worthy feast for the senses that meets the high bar set by its predecessor, even if it never really manages to clear it.

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It's easy to focus on Hellblade 2's flaws because they are so surface level. Combat is repetitive and made an unnecessary focal point. The extra characters dilute instead of adding. I'm still not sure what Hellblade thinks it is, or wants to be. But deeper than that, there is some quality worth rooting for - an interesting protagonist powered by a brilliant performance, ingenious use of the environment for exploration and puzzles, a true electric miracle of motion capture unfolding before our eyes. The temptation is to look at this, at the victories Ninja Theory finds as it flounders to keep pace with the biggest hitters, and wonder what the team could do with a lot more money behind it. But when you consider it keeps getting tangled up in its own triple-A Halloween costume, maybe the question is to wonder what magic it could work with less.

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A masterclass in technical and thematic maturity.

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Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II’s conclusion ends on another strong note, and despite my initial reservations about continuing Senua’s story, I walked away happy to see her conquer new monsters, both literal and metaphorical.

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Hellblade 2 is perhaps the most visually remarkable Xbox title to date, but is ultimately undermined by its emphasis on fidelity over story and gameplay.

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