Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Reviews
Offering exactly the same contents of the PS4 version, Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice on Xbox comes as a no brainer for the ones who love narrative and mature themes in a videogame, but may not be so palatable for the ones who primarily ask interactivity to a game.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While some gameplay elements left more to be desired, Senua’s journey is well worth seeing through
Slowly but surely Ninja Theory has moved into film territory, but they can't let go of their need to shove action mechanics into everything they do. With the increased focus and acceptance of so-called "walking simulators" there's a huge market they can tap into, and I hope they end up doing that in the future. I enjoyed pretty much every facet of Hellblade that didn't involve combat, which unfortunately pops up a little too often on top of the aforementioned technical problems -- just enough to grate.
A tragic, compelling love story that demands you play it till the very end...
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a very bold game that manages to talk about mental issues in a truly emotional way, using the gameplay dynamics of an action adventure. It's an authentic manifesto of how videogames can deal with serious matters in a way that fits perfectly the medium. And if you'll decide to go along with Senua in her descent to darkness, you'll probably remember her for the rest of your life.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Hellblade could benefit from more exploration and enemy variety, but it's a powerful portrait of the strength of will over personal demons.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a true mixed bag. It’s easily one of the most visually stunning games you can play and the sound design is exquisite. On the other hand there it’s no doubt fairly simple and at times boring. If you aren’t looking for an action packed game and instead looking for something a little more heady, Hellblade just might be the game for you. Even the slower sections of this game are mesmerizing and darkly beautiful.
Immediately, Hellblade smacks the player with one of its core storytelling mechanics, and it takes the form of Senua’s psychosis. Wearing headphones (yes, headphones are preferred), disembodied voices seem to circle all around your head, whispering small nothings in your ear. They fade in and out, sometimes unintelligible, and sometimes downright teasing you or criticizing you for your actions. This particular manifestation of psychosis is known as “voice hearing,” and damn if it isn’t an off-putting feeling. To hear them tell it, Ninja Theory worked really hard to create the closest representation possible of voice hearing, using several actors that would run around a 3D microphone in the foley room, and their effort seriously pays off here.
Hellblade is not fun in the way that a triple-A game is expected to be—even when it dives into pure horror—but it is a game that brave players will relish the opportunity to experience, even in its slower moments.
One of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice strong points lie in the games ability to entertain and immerse you in the experience, and on that point alone it is worth the price of entry. The game is definitely not going to appeal to all tastes, and nor does it try to. But if you are willing and open to new experiences and gameplay mechanics, then you will be rewarded with a thoroughly entertaining and somewhat disturbing video game. And one of the best new franchises of 2017.
Hellblade lacks substance but with a starting price of 29,99€ you can live with some dull gameplay elements. Ninja Theory really made a bold move with the game that has paid off. If you expect a well thought out gameplay of a Triple A Hack and Slay game you should give it a pass. Anyone else will get a breathtaking story that tackles a difficult topic with an amazing atmosphere and a great protagonist.
Review in German | Read full review
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is an unique title in many ways. It has great story, perfectly tuned technical aspects and also a great depiction of psychological problems of an individual. Sadly, that alone won't be enough for every player and some might consider it boring. It'd be a shame, because Hellblade has many things to offer.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
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.
Hellblade is great if you are looking for a cinematic experience with superb graphics and puzzles, or if you just want a quick platinum trophy. It’s not for you if you want an action fighting game.
Hellblade doesn’t have huge flaws, but it fails to excel in too many areas to be an essential purchase. I’d still highly recommend Hellblade for the simple fact that it made me think and feel things that no other game has. There are plenty of games out there with more scintillating combat or intellectually taxing puzzles, but not many that can put you in the head of a Pict warrior suffering from psychosis. That alone makes it worth a purchase.
If you are looking for a new experience and you are interested in psychology, don't miss Hellblade. Amazing atmosphere, breathtaking combats and challenges, stunning visuals, and marvelous sound and music will entertain you for around 8 hours.
Review in Persian | Read full review
A unique experience in the way it presents its world and story. The gameplay itself might be simple, but it succeeds in making you empathize with the game's heroine.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice has an interesting plot, a good fighting mechanic and excellent graphics. The quality of the audio is out of this world. The problem is the combat variety (in the end, you'll be bored) and due to the focus on the narrative, many people may find the game monotonous. However, those who give a chance will find a good story.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Ninja Theory ought to be praised for what it's achieved – an adult story that's told like no other, combat that's skilful and harrowing, unique environmental based puzzles and light, scenic adventuring.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was just a few short steps from a masterpiece. Poorly constructed puzzles and a number of frustratingly pointless illusion mechanics seriously hinder the experience at times, but a disturbingly brilliant narrative and plot make for a truly worthwhile experience. Even now, hours after putting down the pad, the game has invoked a deep discussion between the voices in my own head – and that's no small feat.