Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an independent work from the development team Ninja Theory. The title was released in 2017 for
Playstation 4 and PC, in 2018 for Xbox One, and in 2019 for Nintendo Switch. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an auteur project with a strong narrative component, which gained attention especially for its in-depth exploration of the theme of psychosis.

PLOT

Senua, our protagonist, is a Celtic warrior afflicted by a form of psychosis that manifests through voices and hallucinatory visions. The young woman embarks on a journey into the realm of the dead (known as “Helheim”) in order to save the soul of Dillion, her deceased partner. During her journey, she will be hindered by warriors and mythological creatures, as well as her own nightmares.

CONSIDERATIONS

Ninja Theory put in an incredibly meticulous effort for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, involving scientists and people affected by psychosis to bring to the screen a character that is as believable as possible. The result was an incredibly immersive experience, aided by exceptional graphical/artistic quality and, above all, a unique audio component. Throughout our adventure, we are accompanied by the voices that plague Senua’s mind, a factor that makes Hellblade an intense game, to say the least. As for the gameplay, the combat phases are not particularly complex, although they are very spectacular, while the environmental puzzles, despite being repetitive, serve primarily to give the player a breather, who at times might feel overwhelmed by the emotional weight of the story.

IN CONCLUSION

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice takes us for about 7-8 hours into a truly fascinating world, built on the cultural foundations of Celtic civilization. The theme of psychosis, treated in a way that is anything but superficial, is a central part of a video game work that is sure to leave a mark. Touching and courageous. It is highly recommended to play it using headphones.

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