Summary
WhenHellblade: Senua’s Sacrificeoriginally launched all the way back in 2017, it took the gaming world completely by surprise. A shorter game by a very small team,the firstHellbladewas a true Indie darling, delivering a deeply personal narrative with some first-class presentation. But naturally,Hellbladewasn’t a perfect game, and there were plenty of features that fans hoped would be improved upon in the sequel,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
Some of the biggest criticisms of the firstHellbladerevolved around its fairly simplistic gameplay.Hellblade’s combat was deemed a little too repetitive, and though creative, its puzzles lacked depth towards the latter half of the game. From the momentSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2was first announced in 2019, these two features have been at the forefront of every fan’s mind, and unfortunately,Hellblade 2’s puzzles haven’t really received the upgrade fans were hoping for.
Hellblade 2’s Puzzles Feel Like a Step Backwards
Hellblade 1’s Puzzles Were Genuinely Innovative
The vast majority ofpuzzles in the firstHellbladerevolved around the use of perspective. Players would be shown a specific symbol, and they’d have to match that symbol to a collection of objects or structures in the environment, such as a shack’s wooden beams, or a collection of trees. WhileHellbladewasn’t the first game to use perspective in its puzzles, it did feel sufficiently innovative at the time of its release. These puzzles also went hand in hand with the game’s narrative, reinforcing the idea that Senua’s “Darkness” allows her to see the world differently.
ThoughHellblade’s puzzles weren’t too difficult, they were kept engaging throughout the entire experience with the occasional addition of new mechanics.Hellblade’s Valravn sequence is probably the best example of this. Coming an hour or two into the game,Hellblade’s Valravn sequencehas players lining up symbols just as they’ve done several times up to this point, but it adds a few unique layers to the puzzle. Gateways that remove and change certain aspects of the environment are introduced during this section, requiring players to pass through the right gateways before they can line up the symbols successfully.Hellbladehas a few of these little puzzle evolutions, and they go a long way in keeping the game engaging.
Hellblade 2’s Puzzles Feel Iterative
Unfortunately,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2fails to really improve upon its predecessor’s puzzles, and in some ways, it even feels like a step back in terms of difficulty and player engagement. One sizable issue withHellblade 2’s puzzlesis that some of them practically solve themselves due to how quickly the game’s camera locks onto the solution. Any symbol-based puzzle inHellblade 2can be completed by simply heading to where the glowing symbols are, holding down the trigger, and panning the camera slowly around the environment until it automatically locks onto the correct part of the scenery.
Another core criticism ofHellblade 2’s puzzles is that they don’t really evolve during the course of the game. While players will be using floating orbs and blue fire pits this time around, many ofHellblade 2’s puzzles function almost identically to the first game’s Valravn gateways, with players needing to change the environment to find the correct perspective for a puzzle. Though these puzzles often look visually stunning, they severely lack depth, both in terms of strategy and compelling gameplay mechanics. And with theslow speed ofHellblade 2’s movement, these puzzles can often feel like more of an obstacle merely preventing access to the rest of the game’s content.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.A crafted experience of cinematic immersion:Sink deep into Senua’s world and story, with beautifully realized visuals and encapsulating sound.Senua’s unique perspective:Experience the world through Senua’s eyes and ears, as a Celtic warrior who experiences psychosis.A journey into Viking Iceland:An epic journey across 10th century Iceland, recreated from real locations in stunning detail.Every fight tells a story:Brutal and visceral combat as Senua battles for survival.
