Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Reviews
Graphically and audiovisually the game is rock solid, but in terms of gameplay and replay value it collapses considerably. The story is beautiful and intense, Iceland and Senua's journey are beautifully depicted. The serious psychological problems that Senua experiences, after a terrible amount of suffering, are also well explained. It is therefore a shame that the overall picture is a little disappointing and you are still left with some questions about the game. Of course you can think what you want, that is everyone's right, but asking fifty euros for this is a bit too much ( Xbox Game Pass is an alternative).
Review in Dutch | Read full review
If you are seeking an interactive, heavy themed, intense movie this is your game.
Hellblade 2 remains the most technically impressive experience I’ve ever played through. Through the chosen medium of games, Ninja Theory tells a compelling narrative that, if you can put up with some rather archaic gameplay, will leave you deeply satisfied - and maybe just a little traumatised.
With its unique presentation, cinematic narrative with amazing storytelling, game-changing visuals, beautiful sound design, and digestible length, Xbox Games Studios and Ninja Theory have a successful franchise on their hands.
Ninja Theory tells a gripping and adult story in a surreal world that is incredibly beautiful to look at despite its horrors. If you like cinematically staged games with a gripping story, go for it.
Review in German | Read full review
Despite offering the best visual experience and a legendary story, the gameplay systems of Senua's Saga: Hellblade II hinder the final result. But it's still a worthy Viking tale that you'll enjoy!
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is the best-looking game we've ever played - a true visual powerhouse backed by an emotionally charged story and gripping dark fantasy setting, if you can look past some of its shortcomings.
While the story & gameplay's broad strokes might be familiar, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2's execution, perspective, and overall production values are just stellar and highlights Ninja Theory's strengths in delivering what it does best: story-heavy cinematic gaming. The characters are fleshed out and well-written, with proper focus on your main character and her turmoils that carry over from the first game, the fighting feels weighty and challenging without being completely frustrating, and the HUD-less approach to presentation is welcome.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is a technical achievement for the gaming industry, the visuals are impressive and realistic in a way we haven't seen before and the audio design is very impressive. The game itself though, we think it could've offered more as puzzles are repetitive and combat is quite limited. However, the storytelling is strong in this chapter of Senua's journey, though it feels heavy and depressing.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Next gen graphics and presentation is now among us, next gen game design on the other hand, will be running late.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
But then, games can be a lot of things. The are fewer boundaries in gaming than any other form of artistic media, and titles that challenge established understanding of the medium push the margins further out. Hellblade 2 doesn't offer meaningful exploration, it doesn't come loaded with side quests and activities, and it doesn't let you play your own way. It has a strict vision for what it does offer: an uncompromising and harrowing story, immersive environments, photorealistic visuals, and excellent sound and performances. And with its sensitive and important representation of mental health disorders, Senua's Saga stands distinct among formulaic big-budget games.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II marks a triumphant return of Senua’s adventure with a balanced gameplay, powerful representation of psychosis and incredible visuals.
Hellblade 2 sticks to what its predecessor was good at, delivering a technically, visually, and narratively impressive experience, even if it's one that feels a bit too familiar and straightforward from a gameplay perspective.
Hellblade 2 doesn't have the enchantment of the first whisper.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is a fantastic experience and a great sequel, but it is one the finishes rapidly and without a warning.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Though Hellblade 2 has the power to force your jaw open and give you goosebumps, too often the whole project ends up feeling like a very expensive tech demo – an absolute tour de force of technical achievement bogged down in its own sense of gravitas and mystery. Keeping you off the stick for so many of its most impactful moments, and not giving you enough to play with when you do have control, hobbles the potential of this visual and aural masterpiece enough to make the whole experience feel like it was constantly trying to find a foothold on that dread Icelandic scree, and never really getting to its feet until you come staggering over the finish line.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade II keeps virtually the same scope and structure of the independent triple-A game made in 2017 by Ninja Theory. The story is just as poignant, the visuals are stunning, and the experience is one that every Game Pass user should check out for themselves. However, those hoping for a more traditional game in the vein of the God of War reboot will inevitably be disappointed, and this is unlikely to have nearly that level of success, which is what Microsoft still desperately needs.
It isn't perfect and whether or not it surpasses its predecessor is up for debate – this is a story that is different in scope – but Hellblade 2 is one of the standout experiences of the year so far and has been worth the wait.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is a visual stunner for Xbox even if its gameplay isn't too creative.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 can be a mentally taxing experience by design, especially if one already has their own litany of mental health struggles. It is a necessary part of a game that explores its themes touchingly and tastefully, a beautiful and astoundingly stylish production. Like its predecessor, the presentation outstrips the gameplay, which suffers from repetition and a lack of escalation or variety. It’s a damn fine thing in totality though, one well worth digging into.