User reviews

This wasn't just a game. This was an experience. Those looking for typical hack and slash games can feel free to stay away from this title. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is about story and experiencing that story from Senua's perspective. Always. You'll never get a moment to step outside of her skin and see if what she just went through was real or just another battle in her unhealthy mind. The game is absolutely stunning but its gorgeous graphics are secondary to the AMAZING sound that is pinnacle to the experience and so very well done. When its award season rolls around Ninja Theory will undoubtedly sweep this category. The puzzles are well done, especially in the latter stages. If there is one thing keeping the game from being perfect, its that the same combat that starts the game is the same combat you'll experience at the end of the game. That said, I can't recommend this game enough. I hope many creators follow Ninja Theory's blueprint for "AA" games.

Whew, where to start?

I just finished the game, and it clocked in at 6 hours. Now as a game, especially for 29.99, those are not great numbers. However, as a memorable experience that was like nothing I ever played before? Worth it.

You are playing a story, more a passenger than a pilot. The fights are not deep, but they are fun and very tense with hints of permadeath and save wipes cropping up if you suffer too many defeats. The puzzles are cool, not terribly challenging, but enough to give you some good "AHA!" moments.

The main reward comes in the story and the emotional ride. The main character suffers from several forms of mental instability, but since its back in the Celt days, it all becomes swept into a blanket description of "The Darkness."

This is where this game really hit me personally. I live with Bi-Polar Depression, Severe Anxiety, and mild Schizophrenia. I had to take breaks from the game because it really nailed these conditions in the game. Constant whispers, doubt, mania, self hate, and misleading thoughts plague you the majority of the game. People who don't suffer from these types of conditions can gain an light understanding of what people who do go through on a daily basis. It was rough for me in spots, but overall, incredibly rewarding and a one of a kind ride.

Congratulations Ninja Theory, this is absolutely incredible. Hellblade is one of the greatest games I have ever played, I hope you all have given this game a chance. One of the most compelling stories set in a stunningly beautiful world. With a backdrop of Norse mythology, you'll follow Senua as she seeks to find something she once lost. This harrowing game will test you in ways you'll never think possible. I give Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice a masterpiece/10. Do give this wonderful game a shot, you will not be disappointed.

This piece of interactive art is an absolute musthave for all the connoisseurs.

One of the best single player game I've ever played! Beautiful graphics, great story, and very inspiring quotes. Its very first game ever to show how psychotic illness affects people and it's done in a very wise and creative way. Now I just waiting for the sequel!

Ninja Theory really went where no one has gone before...at least not this well. Amazing, horrifying, touching. This is a must play with headphones when your kids are sleeping.

Combat mechanics can at times feel a step behind what the player is intending but other than that, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a beautifully crafted story-driven title. The mature subject matter requires an open mind and allowing ones self to become immersed in the world that Sunua is experiencing.

Upon completion of the game I encourage players to watch the mini-documentary (can be accessed from the main menu) as it details the developers inspiration and motivations for tackling a subject that to this day is still not totally understood.

I am blown away by this game. I cant fully put it into words of how well this game was made and thought through.

I am not usually into sword fighting games but this came up on Xbox One as a free download with my gamer pass. I'm glad I gave it a chance because it is amazing. The story and voice actors did such a good job. The voices didn't sound like they were reading a script. It was like I was watching real people in a real movie. I have experienced so many games with bad stories and bad acting, so this was a breath of fresh air. Also the characters and scenery in it are super creepy at times! Which I love. Great job. I will be looking to see what other games they have done after I post this.

I really liked the game "Enslaved: Odyssey to the West" from this studio. But "Hellblade" I was able to pass. I started it twice and both times I quit playing after a couple of hours. The game didn't pull me in.

Pros: visually attractive, atmospheric.

Cons: very monotonous, not interesting gameplay.

The story did not hook me and, probably, that's why there was no incentive to play further. And the gameplay is really, really boring.

Honestly there is not enough gameplay to make this a game, too many cut scenes, basic moves list and the game itself is clutching on to it's storyline to make it arguably a great game. As mentioned in the title, should've been a movie. The puzzles are way too easy for a 18 rated game. Resident evil biohazard, another 18+ game had puzzles that literally took forever to figure out, but when you did you felt satisfied. The puzzles in this are pointless and have no real substantial meaning to any parts of the story line. Senua's sacrifice? More like senua's desperate need for the love of dillion.

It's a harrowing experience. And proof that video games are more than entertainment, more than hours upon hours of mindless gameplay.

From a replayability perspective, this game is short and nothing changes if you want to replay it. You just do it for the story. So I want to put this warning here about what this game is what is not. It got me thinking about gaming in general and why gaming is not only a way to waste to time but to experience something else the other medium are not as good for.

Back to the game. The mental struggle and the reality of Senua is superbly represented here. I've read people saying it doesn't make any sense and they were bored. And I think you have to start with the right expectations.

The graphics, the lighting especially, the sounds, the gameplay, all amazing.

The graphics and motion captures are the best at this moment in a game. It bring the character as close to you as possible, while avoiding the uncanny valley.

The sounds. I never thought I would say this about simple sounds in a game. They are such a big part of this experience. The game would not be the same without the auditory experience. The first hour of the game was full of atmosphere and extremely disturbing. I had to quit after one hour because the voices are so real and so exhaustive. I struggled with anxiety so I recognize the symptoms, though I didn't hear exactly voices, everyone is talking to the self more or less during the day. In extreme cases, it is very tiring. The game manages that in just one hour, while keeping the experience real, not annoying but draining.

The gameplay. The claustrophobia of fights, And how hard is to fight more than one opponent. And at the same time, it's fun. You can sense the force that goes into each blow, the struggle to stay alive with every breath. The fight is simple but it feels right.

There are puzzles here that make sense, not in your world, but in Senua's world. These are not puzzles just to proceed further, they are puzzles that delve into Senua's mind and after a while, you'll try to think logically about them. And that is amazing, because really they should not make sense. It made you feel Senua's reality is real. And it is. That's the whole point of the game.

Also, beautiful story, not only about mental illness, but about grief, love, stigma (more damaging than the simple mental illness), death, self-love, and how hard is to fight with your own mind. As hard as fighting dozens of murderous vikings and barely surviving.

"The hardest battles are fought in the mind."

'Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017)' is a phenomenal game. It's incredibly immersive, putting you squarely inside the head of its schizophrenic protagonist and keeping you there throughout. Every aspect of the game works to put you in her head-space; it really is remarkable. The piece's excellent sound design conveys the hallucinations, delusions and intrusive thoughts that plague its hero, making them an integral part of the experience. The gameplay does this, too, as the voices will often warn you of danger or give you a hint. This is a great way of conveying both sides of the equation, portraying mental illness as something far more nuanced than the 'monster' it is so often reduced to. The game sees the lead character embark on a quest to bring back her dead lover, alternating between combat and puzzles as it tells its amazing tale. Whether or not Senua's journey is entirely physical is irrelevant; it's totally real. It feels real, too. The battles, while not overly complex, are often gruelling and ominous, a feeling that is bolstered by the affair's potential 'perma-death' (the validity of which doesn't really matter). The whole experience can be described as gruelling and ominous, actually. It's amazingly atmospheric and surprisingly emotionally resonant. Ultimately, it's utterly captivating, a triumph in every aspect. It may only be short, around seven hours in total, but it's certainly worth your time. 9/10

I absolutely loved this game in just about every way. Everything about this game is amazing, the characters, the story, the graphics, the voice acting, and (in my opinion) the gameplay.

I'm a victim of depression myself and I loved this game for it's depiction of mental illness. A lot of society nowadays sees a psycho when they see someone with a mental illness it love to make jokes about it. Well, that can't be found in this game. Instead, Tameem Antoniades and the mental health advisor take mental illness very seriously and try to show it for how it actually is rather than what people think it is. But they also show how horrible it really is and what people who have them face in a metaphorical way. They face rejection, abuse from their peers, and the dark side of their condition. I love how for once, there's a video game that takes mental illness seriously.

But the story is where the strength of this game lies. I even prefer it above God of War 2018, because this story feels more grounded and endearing by comparison to me (not to say GOW isn't endearing, but that's beside the point). In this story, you might fight gods and monsters too, but it feels quite a bit more intense because you're an actual human who's fighting a battle against their own personal darkness, there's no reason to fight a plethora of gods or destroy entire realms, and that really helps the story. Senua as a character is extremely relatable, not just to people with mental illness, but to anyone at all metaphorically. And I like how the Viking setting doesn't feel superfluous, but interesting instead, and it does something innovative with the "go to hell to save someone" plot unlike Agony or Dante's Inferno. Now this time, the character's sympathetic, vulnerable, and they don't try too hard to make it seem messed up, instead trying to make it feel genuinely frightening.

There have been a few complaints about the gameplay, but I didn't mind. Sure, it might be easy even on hard mode, but considering it's permadeath feature, it wouldn't be fair to make out difficult and that would really kill the immersion that's been built up so well. The mechanics themselves are very good in my opinion, fights feel incredibly intense, and boss fights even more so.

The graphics are also some of the best (if not THE best) I've ever seen in video games. Each environment is brimming with life and detail and really makes you feel like you're actually there.

And the ending to this game is one of the best I've seen not just in a recent video game, but one of the best I've ever seen in any video game.

I definitely recommend this game. It's good moments easily outweigh the bad by a long shot, and it's a game that more people especially today need to play.

This is an incredible explosion of sensations, from the narrative til the gameplay. This is not just "a game", it's also a message, an history to be told cooked with love and passion by the creators.

I cannot believe this is a 2017 game. It's beyond amazing in so many ways. I can understand that it can be depressing for some people and it might touch certain delicate strings on mental illness but this was beautifully done - from the shots, performances - all the way to the grainy filter look for that cinematic feel. From start to finish this was a terrific experience unlike any game I've ever played before.

Seriously... Don't play this game if you won't be using headphones ("On ear" are better). An important part of the experience is to isolate yourself from the real world and entering this game and it's ambience.

This won't be your game if you are looking for an open world, npc's or grinding. This is a personal story, a struggling one, you become part of Senua in her journey, never knowing if what ou see is real or a construction of her mind.

Excelent work by the developers. Can't wait to live the next experience.

I really liked the setting! Grafics and gameplay are AMAZING!

The nordic lore integrated in the game helped me to get the feeling for the game.

The fighting mechanism was fantastic, Simple but very immersive!

I wished there were more boss fights, especially at the end, and less runesearching.

Summary Play the intro to experience the cool psychosis effect and atmosphere. Then stop before the repetitive gameplay, poor script writing, and simple puzzles bore you to death.

Story/Plot I can't say much because after roughly three 'levels', I was too bored to keep playing. The broader story *seemed* like it could have potential, and if it was a movie, I might have kept watching just to see how it panned out.

Script The most frustrating element, because it's pretty bad, yet makes up by far the majority of the game. It seems like something written by community theatre actors, rather than professional storytellers or scriptwriters. It tries so hard to be meaningful, but in ways that are either obvious or sound like those self-help books filled with ultimately hollow sayings.

Acting Pretty good considering the script seems hard to work with.

Atmosphere Absolutely amazing. This is clearly what gets it high ratings in many cases. The visual design is high quality. The setting is gritty and dark, with just enough nature and sunlight for contrast. And different 'levels' have their own themes.

Most of all, the psychosis effect is superbly managed in both visuals and audio: you really feel like you've lost your mind at times. (Except when the script of the 'voices' is a bit lame and pulls you out of the story). And it is integrated into the game - hints and warnings and distractions and hallucinations affecting puzzles and battles.

Gameplay Boring, repetitive, and treated like filler for the script. Many puzzles are just opportunities for the voice actors to talk the script over what you're doing, followed by long walks to let the script finish. The puzzles are simple and only take time because they involve hunting or guessing what the authors wanted you to find (mostly shapes or pathways hidden in the scenery).

The battle is a simplified version of the usual block/counter-if-timed-correctly, dodge, quick hit, heavy hit of most action games. And ultimately, it just doesn't feel like it belongs in a game like this. It's like 90% adventure/puzzle, 10% Dark Souls style hack and slash. I can't imagine many people who like the former will appreciate the latter.

This game was awful, painfully depressing, like watching kittens drown. repetitive enemies, stupid simple, repetitive puzzles

No real story line, only one character to interact with, No other npcs to get invested in, repetitive environs. I'm not sure what this was supposed to be. It wasn't scary, the combat was overly simple. just hours of watching this character struggle and suffer for not much of anything. If I had to say something positive the graphics looked really good but there wasn't much variation in environs and character wise that only applies to the main character, the enemies mostly reminded me of the ones in prey. I have been gaming since before there was an internet and I can't think of any game that was so bad and so disappointing as this one.

IMHO people giving this 8,9,10 stars either own stock in it or should see a therapist immediately LOL

This game blew me away. Everyone told me it would but wow, what a story!

Here are my positives right off the bat.

• The narrative is amazing.

• Senua is an amazing character with an amazing arc in this game.

• The exploration of psychosis in gaming is very interesting, the game feels hypnotic at times. You feel her confusion and frantic feelings throughout the story.

• The sound design is amazing. Play with headphones!

• The puzzles are so cool and clever, very different from many other games.

• The setting and lore is fun and deep.

• The style and artistic expression of the story telling is crazy good.

Here are my negatives

• The combat's camera and arena. People like to dunk on this games combat, and I agree that it is rough to a degree but not for the reasons people give. Let me explain. The combat itself is fine, it is simple, feels weighty, and has a good rhythm to it. It makes sense in a narrative game about mental health and grief. The problem is the camera, the arena sizes, the poor lock on system, and the amount of enemies in these small arenas. Those issues combined makes a decent combat system feel clunky and bad. I like the combat, there are just other factors that bog it down. I am hopeful the combat in the sequel will be better.

I only have one negative, and it was frustrating enough to bring it down a point. If the issues with combat sequences were fixed this game would be an easy 10. Play it on gamepass now!

The breathtaking graphics and intriguing story, alone, make "Senua's Sacrifice" worth playing, even though the game's few to many frustrating puzzles may break the immersion every now and then.