Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Reviews

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is ranked in the 91st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
XboxEra
Austin "Proven"
8.8 / 10.0
Jan 22, 2024

Hellblade is simply a great experience, and after finishing it for the very first time recently, I am even more excited for Hellblade II. The game is available on Game Pass, so if you haven’t taken the journey to Hellheim yet or want a quick refresher before the sequel releases on May 21st, it’s a game I fully recommend.

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8.5 / 10.0
Jan 10, 2022

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice brings with it an eventful journey, not only marked by Senua's struggle, but by the question and unease it raises for the player regarding psychosis. This constant struggle, both in game and in real life has produced incredible results for Ninja Theory, including special thanks from players with the same condition. A beautiful game, leaving mouths watering for its successor.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Recommended
Jun 23, 2021

Hellblade is a gritty, poignant, atmospheric adventure that tackles head-on what oft-times remains a taboo to discuss: mental health. Does it succeed?

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Unscored
Oct 5, 2019

Hellblade enters not at the point of trauma but everything that comes after. The anguish, the self doubt, the violent attempts to feel anything at all, and finally, the recognition that this trauma is permanent.

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9 / 10.0
Jul 16, 2019

When you think you’re seeing a render in-game that looks too good for Switch, that’s because essentially a video is playing. Yes, the actual game part is lower resolution, and yes, of course if you can play it on PS4, Xbox One, or PC, you’ll get the better looking experience, but if you are a Switch-only console household then you’re getting a great looking game that sounds amazing, and tells a story with one of the best takes on mental health in a long time. Play it on handheld with headphones and you’ll be shocked, just don’t be surprised if it looks blurry (and sub-HD) on the big screen.

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Yes
May 13, 2019

This port has reminded me of how Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is such a great game

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8 / 10.0
May 4, 2019

While the main appeal of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice,  – Psychosis and mental instability – was not for me there is still plenty of fun to be had with the game.

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 22, 2019

While some gameplay elements left more to be desired, Senua’s journey is well worth seeing through

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3.9 / 5.0
Apr 22, 2019

A tragic, compelling love story that demands you play it till the very end...

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7.5 / 10.0
Apr 15, 2019

Hellblade is just as good on Switch as it was on other platforms, so now’s the perfect time to pick it up if you haven’t already had the chance to experience the journey of Senua’s Sacrifice.

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8 / 10.0
Apr 15, 2019

An outstanding game that work pretty well on a consola like Switch, especially on TV mode. Its performance on handheld mode is not good. That paired with some boring/repetitive mechanics that were on the other versions make this Switch version the less recommendable of them all, but still a fun and interesting game.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

91 / 100
Apr 13, 2019

A new example on how Switch is capable of succeding in any challenge, with no sacrifices in the process. It's not as graphically astonishing as the other versions but it feels really, really close. A gaming experience everyone should try.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

90 / 100
Apr 12, 2019

Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice is an incredible audiovisual experience, regardless of the platform you are playing it on. While in handheld mode the level of immersion might be somewhat reduced, the audio is where it really counts and that aspect is every bit as good on the Switch as on the more powerful consoles. If you have yet to play this game, listen to the voices in your head and pick this up, you won't be disappointed!

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9 / 10
Apr 11, 2019

Despite familiar echoes and mechanical touchstones from other games, Hellblade’s psychological bent and the constant voices in Senua’s (and therefore your) head give it an identity very much of its own.

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8 / 10.0
Dec 20, 2018

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.

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Dec 10, 2018

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is stunning, combining a tense and gripping story with perhaps the best representation of mental health in gaming.

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4.5 / 5.0
Jul 10, 2018

Starring an amazingly strong story, graphics, and art design, Hellblade shouldn't be missed. However, the gameplay will drag this game away from perfection, but not far enough to be ignored.

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9.5 / 10.0
Jun 7, 2018

Hellblade is a brilliant game. At first psychological issues that the heroine has can be annoying, but after some time you notice how well they are implemented. Animation is spot on. Fight is challenging at times. The story is immersive. This is a game everyone should play and listen to all the Norse stories brought to you by rune-touching.

Review in Polish | Read full review

games(TM)
games™ Team
Top Critic
8 / 10
May 31, 2018

Intense, powerful, important and very well done

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8 / 10.0
May 18, 2018

A dark and unusual story that is enriched by one of the impressive and unconventional hero’s you will ever see. While some tedious puzzles hamper the experience, there is enough strength in the story to make it worthwhile. Senua’s willpower and strength will be something you admire from start to finish. The combat is limited but fluid. The hard hitting attacks make the occational battle something to look forward to. Hellblade is an unusual game that will have a strong emotional impact on you. They may not necessarily be emotions you want to invoke, but it seems as though this is what the game sets out to achieve. This is a game you are unlikely to forget.

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