Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Critic Reviews

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is something of a rarity; a linear, story-focused game of reasonable length for just one player. It offers something different, something thought-provoking, and it is insanely impressive.

Whether you’re a fan of the original Hellblade or a newcomer to the series, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 offers a deeply engaging and unforgettable experience. Its blend of realistic graphics, compelling narrative and innovative sound design makes it a standout title of the year.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a work of art from start to finish. It is a pleasure to play, with intriguing characters, a captivating story, and awe-inspiring creatures to fight. This is certainly one saga I won’t forget in a hurry.

Despite the backing of a company as large and as well-funded as Microsoft, Ninja Theory have, in my opinion, nurtured their independent spirit and kept it well and truly alive in every facet. It's brutal. It's breath-taking. It's brilliant. If this is “Independent AAA”, sign me up for more.

Hellblade 2 continues Senua's story with grace, confidence, surprising brutality and thundering conviction.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is nothing short of stunning and more than capable of taking your breath away by some of the set pieces.

Haunting, confrontational, and deeply cathartic all at once, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is a stunning feat of video game art. Ninja Theory doesn't tiptoe around its heavy themes but welcomes them with well-honed empathy, tempered by an even keener creative edge this time around to deliver an unforgettable narrative adventure experience that's hard to watch, yet harder to turn away from.

Although the original Hellblade was a unique addition to the action adventure genre at its time, it doesn’t even come close to be comparable to Hellblade 2, as Ninja Theory’s latest release is also their best yet. Hellblade 2 improved drastically over its predecessor while offering deep and engaging gameplay from start to finish and arguably the best visuals and sound design we’ve ever seen in a video game to date, making it the best Microsoft exclusive of the last decade.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II sets the bar for what a sequel should be. A truly immersive and powerful story experience equipped with graphical and audio prowess never before experienced in a game.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an absolutely beautiful game, not just in its visuals, but also the audio and Senua’s actual journey from the original game to what she’s become in this sequel. There’s a famous quote stating video games can’t be art; I’d argue that Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II proves this inaccurate. Artistry across different senses and technology come together to craft an amazing and meaningful tale worth experiencing. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a linear narrative driven action game that is unique, intense and incredibly immersive. With a focus on mental health and illness, there’s nothing quite like Hellblade II, a visual and audio experience unlike anything we’ve experience before, raising the bar of what ‘next-gen’ should mean. Once again, a Hellblade game is going to be in my GOTY contention.

There is a layer of kindness interwoven within the cruelty, implying that even the world’s greatest monsters were once human. In an increasingly divided age, this simple message of choosing empathy over hatred feels especially poignant. As monolithic megacorps shutter Bafta-winning studios, a game like Hellblade II deserves to be cherished. Who knows how many more such cerebral epics this risk-averse industry will produce.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is the game that Xbox has been looking for for so long. A masterpiece on par with its predecessor that shines through its sound, its graphics and a memorable performance by Melina Juergens. A candidate for Game of the Year.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is the crowning achievement of a team that has been able, over the last few years, to devote itself to every aspect of its work with particular and affectionate intensity, succeeding in the complex attempt to surpass what has been done in the past and outlining a production of great cultural depth. The production is touching, violent, brutal and physical, complete and brilliant. A must have.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is a true masterpiece: a deep and highly immersive narrative experience that manages to make us feel all the protagonist's torment within an impressively realistic world. Ninja Theory reveals itself to be one of the most valuable studios in the Xbox stable here, reaching levels of absolute excellence in graphics, audio, narration, and acting. A must-play.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is, at its core, a short game, but an excellent one. But it's not for everyone. It's a bloody and often disgusting experience based on strong emotions and immersion in a character that just won't let you go. It's more of an artistic experience than a traditional game.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a stunning and immersive storytelling experience that really puts the player into the mind of its titular character. It’s even more narratively-focused than the first game (not to its detriment), with a bigger emphasis on how Senua sees and interacts with the world around her. The whole experience from start to finish has been beyond memorable.

This new adventure of Senua is somewhat less bleak than the previous game, as she has her demons under control and knows how best to deal with them. That said, her mental state is still problematic and she runs into intense situations in this new adventure in Iceland. The game's structure is the same as the previous installment, so you know exactly what to expect. In that regard the game is an almost perfect execution on all levels: engaging story, beautiful graphics, a strong soundtrack, outstanding voice-acting, and a compelling presentation.

Ninja Theory manages to place Senua in the Olympus of videogames with the most visually and sonorously powerful game we have seen so far. A spectacular, stunning and awe-inspiring journey.

It’s been a longer time coming than we’d hoped, but Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II manages to live up to expectations rather nicely. Vastly improved (and brutally presented) combat, a captivating story and incredible technical work mean that even the few slower moments can’t bring down what will surely be a jewel in Xbox’s crown for some time to come.

Hellblade II is a Celtic-Nordic odyssey that focuses on the issue of working through universal human traumas and on a natural depiction of the world as perceived by a person experiencing psychosis. The sequel is an audiovisual masterpiece with a strong message, even if it still seems very limited on a gameplay level.