Expert's Rating
Pros
- Exciting saga that kept me hooked up to the final scene
- Top-notch graphics and sound
- Fully featured photo mode
Cons
- Limited gameplay
- The beautiful graphics come at a price
- The story is good, but doesn’t quite get there
Our Verdict
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an atmospheric, intimate saga wrapped in a stunning setting, all at the expense of free and varied gameplay. If you don’t mind that playability takes a backseat, Hellblade II is a must-play for its exciting story and beautiful environments.
Best Prices Today: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was stuck in development for a long time. First announced in 2019 and long known as the game that showed off the graphical muscle of the Xbox Series X, it was finally released on May 21, 2024… to unexpected silence. So, it was with trepidation that I embarked on this adventure.
![Senua’s Saga Hellblade II](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1_237297.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Microsoft
Microsoft
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</div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Microsoft</p></div>
Storytelling over action
On the surface, Hellblade II might look like any action or adventure game, like God of War or even Zelda.
But Hellblade II is no ordinary action game. It’s a game that scales down its gameplay moments to instead focus on its storytelling—a narrative that revolves around the outcast warrior Senua and her fight against both inner and outer demons.
This isn’t to say that classic game sequences are missing. There are secrets to find, enemies to destroy, and a few puzzles to solve. But the way forward, between all the action moments, consists mostly of marked paths with little opportunity for significant exploration.
![Senua’s Saga Hellblade II](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2_595474.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Microsoft
<div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox"><div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="Senua’s Saga Hellblade II" class="wp-image-2339220" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy" /></figure><p class="imageCredit">Microsoft</p></div>
</div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Microsoft</p></div>
Despairingly beautiful
In Hellblade II, you’ll be treated to many dialogue-filled walks through beautiful environments. From rainy beaches and terrifying caves to vast fields and smoking volcanic rocks. Across overgrown plains, gilded with magical sunrises. Through burnt villages where bloody, masked bodies cover the ground.
No matter where you are as Senua at any given moment, Hellblade II is incomparably beautiful—both in terms of technical visuals and environmental design. The fact that many scenes offer magical lighting, enhanced by excellent use of HDR, is icing on top.
![Senua’s Saga Hellblade II](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/3_1c6836.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Microsoft
<div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox"><div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-large enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="Senua’s Saga Hellblade II" class="wp-image-2339221" width="1200" height="675" loading="lazy" /></figure><p class="imageCredit">Microsoft</p></div>
</div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Microsoft</p></div>
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