Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Review – MORE LIKE DULL-BLADE

Who almost forgot that this game was coming out? No, seriously. Microsoft almost seems to have as well. With the amount of marketing this sequel has received (or lack thereof, I should say) it’s almost as if they’ve shipped this game off to die. That honestly might be the case here, since Hellblade II is just as bland and tedious as the original. If not more.

So I Hear You Like 3-Hit Combos?

Being a linear, 7-hour experience, you’d expect a dense, layered adventure full of interesting twists and turns. Instead, Hellblade II gets players to trot around bleak-looking environments, solving half-decent puzzles and taking part in battles that will bore you to tears after the first couple of encounters. Yes, it is cool how Senua now skillfully executes each enemy after they’ve been smickety-smacked around enough, followed by a flashy transition from one enemy to the next. However, therein lies the problem. Every single battle boils down to a 1-on-1 contest which barely requires any strategic thought. Casually block a few times, spam some light and heavy attacks, and Bob’s your uncle.

Don’t even worry about the surroundings now. Simply wait for an attack pattern to end and start wailing on them to win. Rinse and repeat. To make things even easier, Senua can temporarily slow down enemies like in the original game and essentially mash buttons for the most basic of basic combos until they’re defeated, making the dull combat more mindless than it already is. All these aspects considered, hardly any of the game’s opponents will give Senua a run for her money, even on the highest difficulty. Since it only takes a few seconds to figure out a foe’s attack patterns, you’ll find yourself interrupting and dodging assaults in no time at all, especially since this sequel has a severe lack of enemy variety and bosses as well.

Immersive Fluff

The game’s puzzles present a similar problem too. Most of them involve Senua seeking out three seals in the environment, or finding these orb thingamajigs to manipulate the world around her. That last one is a lot less exciting than it sounds. There are a few cool set pieces that Senua needs to overcome and a neat puzzle that’s all about keeping a torch lit above water, but those are about all the good ones I could remember. Completionists who enjoy exploring every nook and cranny of a game can discover hidden collectables which offer extra content once they’re all found for a new playthrough. Although, I personally don’t think it’s worth the hassle.

For those who weren’t too keen on the inward, self-reflective story of the original, Hellblade II won’t do much to intrigue them. In fact, I could not care less about it if I tried. It seems as if the devs didn’t either, since there’s barely any meaningful character interactions or moments that will compel you to keep playing. I’ll admit the acting is quite strong, but the overall feeling of the narrative is like when a person tells you that someone you’ve never met just passed away. Your level of emotional investment will be minimal at best. This story tries to tell a very sombre tale of self-empowerment and learning to rely on others, but it doesn’t really end up saying anything of substance at all.

Fortunately, Hellblade II is optimised rather well on PC, something I don’t say every day. While I do not have an absolute beast of a rig, I was still hitting around 55-60FPS on the maximum settings with DLSS on Balanced. The graphics, particularly in the eyes and movement of the characters look fantastic. The binaural audio and Senua’s inner voices sound really cool too, especially on headphones. Although, what is up with the constant letterboxing? I never thought those forced black bars looked good during gameplay, and I still think the same here.

Decision

At the end of the day, Hellblade II doesn’t give you enough reasons to care. Whether it be the dull, unevolving combat or its flat, forgettable story and characters, there just isn’t much to latch onto here. Apart from some adequate puzzles and set pieces sprinkled in, the impressive visuals and performance capture only take it so far. Try it on Game Pass if you’re a fan of the original. But for everyone else, you’re not missing much. If you’re looking for a great story and great gameplay, why not try Star Wars: Jedi Survivor instead! You can find our review here!

By Anthony Culinas – Reviewed on PC

Playable

Hellblade II is an unequivocally bland game, with repetitive combat and puzzles that lack any overarching sense of excitement. While it is well-optimised on PC and features impressive graphics and audio, the overall package lacks substance, particularly in its story and character interactions.

This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Microsoft. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.