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Amazing storytelling, but are the games overrated? | The Hellblade Saga - Dual Review
651 View2024-07-26I recently played both games of The Hellblade Saga, starting with Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice first in anticipation of the then-upcoming Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, then playing Hellblade II afterward when it released.
Both games are available on Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service, so I was able to play both of them for basically free, which is amazing for the newly released Hellblade II.
The most basic of basics
Gameplay wise, both games share the same basic formula: a lot of walking around, intense cinematic and disturbing cutscenes, a little bit of simple but fun combat, and, last but not least, some creative puzzle solving. Almost all of the gameplay components in this game feels basic, but it doesn't stop it from being decent in its own right. Especially since it’s so short-lived, the game ends before it becomes repetitive or boring. Although one might say it’s short length is a downside of its own.
The puzzles are very simplistic but still unique and creative in design. It's easy to pick up and solve them, but it's still something I haven't seen before in games. Almost all of the puzzles are visual in nature and not something that is spatial (moving blocks) or needs precise movement or fast timing (platforming). Players may need to look closely at the environment to see what they’re missing.
The games largely share the same combat formula. A typical third person hack and slash gameplay where you can dodge, parry, and hit enemies, but with zero depth and variety; there are no other weapons aside from your sword; no upgrades and progression; nor a selection of abilities and moves. Although to its credit, Hellblade 2 received a substantial upgrade to its combat animations which feel even more lifelike and organic. To the point that I was initially having a hard time figuring out if what I was seeing was a cutscene or am I in actual control of the character.
Gameplay wise, both games share the same basic formula: a lot of walking around, intense cinematic and disturbing cutscenes, a little bit of simple but fun combat, and, last but not least, some creative puzzle solving. Almost all of the gameplay components in this game feels basic, but it doesn't stop it from being decent in its own right. Especially since it’s so short-lived, the game ends before it becomes repetitive or boring. Although one might say it’s short length is a downside of its own.
The puzzles are very simplistic but still unique and creative in design. It's easy to pick up and solve them, but it's still something I haven't seen before in games. Almost all of the puzzles are visual in nature and not something that is spatial (moving blocks) or needs precise movement or fast timing (platforming). Players may need to look closely at the environment to see what they’re missing.
The games largely share the same combat formula. A typical third person hack and slash gameplay where you can dodge, parry, and hit enemies, but with zero depth and variety; there are no other weapons aside from your sword; no upgrades and progression; nor a selection of abilities and moves. Although to its credit, Hellblade 2 received a substantial upgrade to its combat animations which feel even more lifelike and organic. To the point that I was initially having a hard time figuring out if what I was seeing was a cutscene or am I in actual control of the character.
A visual treat, that comes at a cost
Visually, both Hellblade 1 and 2 were great for their time. Hellblade 1, a game released in 2017 (seven years ago), still holds up very well and can pass as a game released today. It’s probably one of the best-looking Unreal Engine 4 games out there. Of course, a game that old will still show signs of aging, and in my experience, it showed the occasional old-game jank. Lack of accessibility options, occasional stutters, and crashes on my newer system are present.
Hellblade 2, on the other hand, leverages the full power of Unreal Engine 5 with enhanced models, lighting, and support for new technologies such as Frame Gen and DLSS, but at the cost of running with absolute dogshit performance. I was only able to run the game at around 30-40 FPS in most heavy scenes on my RTX 3080 rig, thankfully modded with an unofficial Frame Gen tweak so I could experience it above 60. Another thing I disliked, though, is the game’s soft-locked aspect ratio to 21:9, meaning on common place 16:9 displays, there WILL be black bars, like when I tried it on my Xbox Series X.
At face value, Hellblade 2 is definitely probably one of the best-looking games right now, alongside Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing modes. But I’m not so sure the visuals warrant the heavy performance hits, as both Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk ran relatively decently compared to Hellblade 2.
Visually, both Hellblade 1 and 2 were great for their time. Hellblade 1, a game released in 2017 (seven years ago), still holds up very well and can pass as a game released today. It’s probably one of the best-looking Unreal Engine 4 games out there. Of course, a game that old will still show signs of aging, and in my experience, it showed the occasional old-game jank. Lack of accessibility options, occasional stutters, and crashes on my newer system are present.
Hellblade 2, on the other hand, leverages the full power of Unreal Engine 5 with enhanced models, lighting, and support for new technologies such as Frame Gen and DLSS, but at the cost of running with absolute dogshit performance. I was only able to run the game at around 30-40 FPS in most heavy scenes on my RTX 3080 rig, thankfully modded with an unofficial Frame Gen tweak so I could experience it above 60. Another thing I disliked, though, is the game’s soft-locked aspect ratio to 21:9, meaning on common place 16:9 displays, there WILL be black bars, like when I tried it on my Xbox Series X.
At face value, Hellblade 2 is definitely probably one of the best-looking games right now, alongside Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing modes. But I’m not so sure the visuals warrant the heavy performance hits, as both Alan Wake 2 and Cyberpunk ran relatively decently compared to Hellblade 2.
Strongest points: storytelling and presentation
The storytelling is perhaps the biggest selling point of The Hellblade Saga, both games delve deep into Senua's psyche, portraying her battle with psychosis through a blend of narrative and gameplay. The story is both harrowing and compelling, making players feel a deep connection to Senua's journey. The first game is more scary and disturbing, while the second one is more action packed and cinematic.
The storytelling is perhaps the biggest selling point of The Hellblade Saga, both games delve deep into Senua's psyche, portraying her battle with psychosis through a blend of narrative and gameplay. The story is both harrowing and compelling, making players feel a deep connection to Senua's journey. The first game is more scary and disturbing, while the second one is more action packed and cinematic.
The atmospheric sound design (including the disturbing voices that whisper in the character’s head) and haunting visuals enhance the narrative and takes it to the next level, never before experienced in a video game, at least for me.
As the game recommends, I would also recommend playing this with headphones on instead of speakers. However, at this point, these games are practically interactive movies, and while awesome ones at that, it might not resonate well with players who are looking for more control and more gameplay in their games.
As far as the praises go, I still find The Hellblade Saga a bit overrated for what it offers to the average gamer. Sure, the storytelling is top-notch, but everything else feels basic. Gameplay wise, the only reason it doesn’t feel repetitive or boring is because it’s a tight, short-lived experience. Considering it is available for almost-free of charge via Microsoft's gamepass subscription, It's still worth trying out, especially since it will only take a short amount of your time.
As far as the praises go, I still find The Hellblade Saga a bit overrated for what it offers to the average gamer. Sure, the storytelling is top-notch, but everything else feels basic. Gameplay wise, the only reason it doesn’t feel repetitive or boring is because it’s a tight, short-lived experience. Considering it is available for almost-free of charge via Microsoft's gamepass subscription, It's still worth trying out, especially since it will only take a short amount of your time.
Score: 6/10
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