Why No One Cares About Hellblade 2

This Senua's Sage Hellblade 2 situation is sad.

There is a lot to love about this game, but it seems like the pursuit of this insane technology, graphics, and putting the art before the game really gets in the way of something truly great. This is because of the limited run time of the game, boring and repetitive gameplay, or gameplay inconveniences just to name a few that ruin this game. Sucks to see a studio have so much potential here and to feel like it has been wasted...

==JOIN THE DISCORD!==

0:00- The graphics aren't what you think
2:00- The pursuit of art and technology
6:10- Detrimental effects
9:12- The "Pressure" to make games like this

[vextakes]

I’ve been reading some comments and I want to make it clear. I think Hellblade 2 is an insanely creative game and Ninja Theory uses all this technology to fulfill an artistic vision.

However, it doesn’t mean people would want to play the game. In fact, I think many people would find this style of game actively annoying and it may be too niche for its own good. This is backed up by player numbers despite gamepass, should be higher to be sure the game is selling well. This is especially scary because this game most likely has a very large budget behind it and I’m not sure if it will overcome that. And it’s a shame, because of how will of an experience this game is.

[luizarthurbrito]

This 'game' is a tech demo, a gpu benchmark, a headphone test, an interactive movie, but not a game. Most people like to PLAY games instead of watching continuous cutscenes where every now and then you have to hit a button. I wish more developers would be on the bleeding edge of graphics but the ones doing it just have the most boring ass generic games possible.

[west]

The game is a direct sequel to Hellblade : Senua's Sacrifice. The gameplay is the same and the story is continued. The first game was short and the 2nd one is short as well. Everyone who was a fan of the first game knows what to expect in the sequel. Why is this game getting so much hate for not being something that it never sought out to be? I don't get it.

[dominiksmiech]

Hellblade II is not for everyone, just like the first part, the most important thing in this game is the audio and the voices, this is what makes this game stand out from the rest.
By the way, for Ubisoft, the Gold Edition is the basic version for $110, the Standard Edition for $70 is an incomplete game.

[stefannita]

I agree that the mindless pursuit of graphical fidelity while neglecting gameplay design is a problem, but I don't think this particular game deserves to be lumped in with the likes of Avatar and Ubisoft. Those games use eye candy to try to appeal to a broad and casual audience. With Hellblade 2 it looks like they just wanted to make a really ambitious and detailed art piece. They said from the start the game would be short, while those other games are filled with shallow cookie-cutter content and microtransactions. I don't have a problem with Hellblade 2. It's a niche product and I don't think it's part of the problem.

[BlackAera]

This game is exactly what it wants to be, an audiovisual storytelling experience. I liked Hellblade 1 and I am sure I will like Hellblade 2. Not every game is made for mass appeal and niche games can lean into more focused and unique experiences. It's not for everyone but if it's for you, it's the best you can find.

[reizen]

I have played hellblade 1 and for people like me this game is worth it. The game gives a certain immersion that I dont find in other games. Hellblade 2 is more like a grab a coffee, get cozy and enter in a world where focus is to feel one with the character.

[rx]

Probably the most immersive game i've played and Graphics definitely was the key part of this immersion
I played the game in one sitting,
0 Loading Screens, 0 Transitions.
Game switches between gameplay and cinematic seamlessly.
You're seriously looking at Steam Stats of a single player game that launched on Gamepass.

[justwentfullchuu]

"voices won't shut up"
That's the point.

[sagarpandita]

I am not getting the hate from everyone, it's supposed to be like that. The voices and the sensory experiences are the main highlights of this as if we have psychosis. Yes i know the game should have been longer but it's doing exactly what it's supposed to do. First part was also based on the same struggles of senua as is the second one. Maybe just maybe every game should not be the same hack and slash but more of an experience to be felt. I have told many people before and telling them now, this game is not for everyone and they have certainly not made this to please every type of gamer.

[Oceanborn]

You're not really surprised that the 2nd game is the same as the 1st one, are you?

[italiener]

It's not "ruined", it's how they go about making this series/saga, being more about the sensory experience than gameplay.

[medialjanos]

The voices try to simulate the auditorial hallucinations during a psychotic state where most people will hear multiple voices inside or somewhere close around their heads. Usually the only way to mute these kind of voices is the administration of anti-psychotic substance(s) (, or alternatively, stop administering the drug(s) which caused the psychotic episode for a non-schizophrenic subject). I didn't even finish the first game (I didn't like the first fight, I expected the game to more like a "walking simulator") but this was explained during the intros of the games (professional psychiatric doctors helped the game developers depicting psychosis simptoms which the main character seemingly lives with).

[mr.t]

I see a lot of people complaining about this review claiming that the game was "supposed" to be like this and that it was for fans of the first game. That it being a niche audio visual art piece was expected. While that is a perfectly fine goal, that is not at all how xbox marketed it. I was told this was going to be Xbox's next big game, their titan that could stand against the likes of Spiderman, god of war, ghost of tsushima, tlou, horizon, etc. Instead we got a game (that is barely a game) that wouldn't be enjoyable for the vast majority of people. It's not hard to see why people were disappointed.

[bpcgos]

After seeing Digital Foundry video, yeah its shows what UE5 actually capable of on this gen console that cannot be done in the gen before

[whamcogames]

I played through it on an RTX 3050 @ 1440 high, hit a couple slow spots so I turned down a couple settings, ran just fine without much visual difference.

[leiterfurkundenzufriedenhe]

I definitely think the game is way too short and the gameplay is at least a whole tier (if not two) down from the previous game but the numbers them selves are pretty similar to the first hellblade, I also get when ppl feel like the voices get annoying but thats the point of hellblade, imagine not being able to put down the headset and having those voices be part of your life wherever you go, thats what the games are actively trying to convey

[tomthomas]

People keep saying the graphics for this game low vs high is almost ni difference, tried it on my modest 6600 yet all i see is pixelated dof, grainy and blurry image..

[jonmartin]

It is a niche game, where all its elements from visual, sound, walking, combat are deliberately placed to provide the experience and story ninja theory wanted to create. It is not going to be for everyone, but for me it is a great immersive experience. The interaction provides the player the personal touch to understand the main protagonists thoughts and emotions and is very much necessary to run side the impressive visuals. I think we need to get away from what games should be especially in a time where the majority of modern games feel the same.

[Hrorwulf]

I'm glad this game exists.
It's very important games like this exist.
This is a very different game that explores and pushes the boundaries of what the medium can do in ways that are more nuanced than just "graphics" and "playtime".

Senua's Sacrifice and Senua Saga are important games and will be remembered as trailblazers.

The game is not for everyone, but that's a good thing too, because a game that is for everyone doesn't speak intimately to anyone. This game does have a very narrow target audience, and it's very effective for that audience.

This is a good game, for their audience. And that is good, and I hope more studios keep pushing boundaries and appealing to different audiences.