Ninja Theory’s penchant for cinematic action has hit its apex with Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. A swan dive into an avant-garde film merged with action gameplay, Hellblade 2 is a title where every shot is as purposeful as you’d expect from a director like Tarkovsky or Kubrick. Well, until you get lost solving a puzzle.
Ninja Theory's action-adventure game is a linear affair that follows Senua into a foreign land as she aims to take revenge on the Northmen who ravaged her home. You’re controlling Senua, but often you’re not. Every moment is directed for you, moving you from place to place and asking you to physically engage only when needed.
Hellblade 2 is an experience, one where every button press is purposeful. There are no button prompts - you’ll have to rely on the pause menu to know what button does what - but Ninja Theory has worked hard to make every mechanic and action meaningful enough that you always know the best time to use them.
Senua’s Saga follows a very similar structure to its predecessor. For much of the game, you’ll be walking as Senua’s psychosis belittles your protagonist, chattering all around you in a wonderful example of the wonders of 3D audio. Every now and again, a puzzle gates your progress, asking you to find a new perspective to complete a symbol to open it.
These typically result in a cinematic combat experience, tasking you with fights against slavers, draugr, and more in intense battles to the death. With a light attack, heavy attack, block and evade, Ninja Theory’s combat is simplistic but extremely well executed.
Your sword swings sing with purpose, your perfect parry exudes satisfaction as the screen fills with a blue glow, and your foe opens up for a flurry of hits. Every enemy is slain with a unique execution before the camera follows you into the next fight.
These are the moments where Hellblade 2’s gameplay comes together magically, with each chapter weaved together like a great cinematic tapestry. While the lonesome treks through ransacked villages and photorealistic valleys are stunning in their melancholy, Ninja Theory’s action set pieces are as engaging as the game gets. Yes, the puzzles are engaging, and the narrative is gripping, but the fights are where it feels the typically action-focused studio can show its chops.
These moments also benefit from the godly technical wizardry that’s been put into Hellblade 2 over its 4-year development. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, Senua’s Saga is as realistic as games have ever been with stunning micro-details pouring out of every character’s pore, every rock’s crevice and every ray of sun ripping through thick, painterly clouds.
Hellblade 2’s visuals are certainly only possible due to its extremely tight 2:39:1 aspect ratio, the same aspect ratio used by the PS4 exclusive The Order: 1866. It’s certainly filmic, and the majority of scenes look phenomenal with it. Still, there are moments where it hinders more than helps, especially when doing something as simple as exploring a village where you wish you could see more than the letterboxed frame allows. Of course, this massive reduction in aspect ratio means the visuals can be pushed further, but I’m not sure if the trade-off is worth it.
Unfortunately, for some, Hellblade 2 isn’t a fun game, a fact that will certainly be thrown around gaming discussions around console exclusives and game recommendations for years. In fact, despite some truly awesome moments, it’s often dour, many times traumatic, and in many scenes, it’s a struggle for survival. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is a phenomenal use of gaming as a medium for storytelling, but it’s not the “fun” experience some come to gaming for.
That said, it’s certainly a game that Game Pass needs, although certainly not the one Xbox needs. This is not a system seller game, a scary thought amidst Xbox’s recent studio closures. However, as an example of the types of games, the types of experiments, only possible with Xbox Game Pass, Hellblade 2 is a stunning one.
As the climax of what cinematic video games can be, Hellblade 2 is a huge success for Ninja Theory. Senua’s Saga is a thoroughly emotional adventure, one that takes you through some of the most bombastic moments to put to screen, let alone put to games. It’s more dismal than PlayStation’s recent God of War games, but it offers a vibe often not explored in many games.
If you’re a fan of exploring what’s possible with gaming, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is a perfect example of what can be done with games when developers with a budget are allowed to roam free. It’s an idea perfectly executed in the most lavish way possible, but it’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea.
