Senua's Saga: Hellblade II

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Senua's Saga: Hellblade II
Developer(s)Ninja Theory
Publisher(s)Xbox Game Studios
Director(s)Tameem Antoniades
Producer(s)Lara Derham
Designer(s)Juan Fernández
Writer(s)Tameem Antoniades
Composer(s)
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platform(s)
Release21 May 2024
Genre(s)Action-adventure, hack and slash
Mode(s)Single-player

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is an upcoming action-adventure game developed by Ninja Theory and published by Xbox Game Studios. The game serves as the sequel to Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017) and is set in 9th century Iceland, drawing inspiration from Norse mythology and culture. It is scheduled to release for Windows and Xbox Series X/S on 21 May 2024.

The game was created with a higher budget and a larger team when compared with its predecessor. The gameplay is similar to the previous 2017 installment. It features combo-based combat, as well as puzzles. The gameplay and visuals have been revamped from the previous game: faster-paced combat, and improved visuals built on a new Unreal Engine, while retaining the psychological horror and focus on Senua's struggle with psychosis.

Gameplay[edit]

The player is engaging in combat with an enemy.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is a third-person action-adventure game. It carries over the concepts and gameplay elements of its predecessor, including permadeath, utilizing puzzles and runes to advance, and an examination of Senua's mental state. A new fighting system, more dynamic and realistic than the previous one, will also be included in the game.[1][2] The sequel introduces a broader array of enemies, each presenting unique challenges that require players to adapt their strategies.[3]

The game’s exploration elements are intricately woven into its narrative, encouraging players to immerse themselves in the dark and foreboding landscapes of Viking Iceland. Environmental puzzles and hidden secrets reward the curious, while the game’s narrative drives forward, propelled by Senua’s personal journey.[4] The use of Unreal Engine 5 allows for stunningly detailed environments and character models, enhancing the overall sense of immersion.[5] The game features dynamic weather systems and realistic physics, affecting both combat and exploration. Players will navigate treacherous terrain, from slippery ice-covered slopes to storm-lashed coastlines, each element crafted to draw players deeper into Senua’s reality.[6]

The psychological horror elements that defined the original Hellblade are intensified in the sequel.[7] Players will once again grapple with Senua’s psychosis, as the game presents a harrowing depiction of her inner demons. The voices that accompany Senua on her journey serve both as a guide and a challenge, creating a gameplay experience that is as mentally engaging as it is physically demanding.[7][8]

Synopsis[edit]

Hellblade II is set in 9th century Iceland.[9] In the game, Senua must exact vengeance against the Viking raiders who inflicted devastating losses on her people in her homeland, Orkney.[10]

Development[edit]

The game is being developed by Ninja Theory, the creators of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (2017). Ninja Theory was acquired by Microsoft in 2018 and became a subsidiary of Xbox Game Studios. While about twenty people contributed to Senua's Sacrifice, the studio has since expanded to employ around one hundred workers, with approximately eighty of them working on Senua's Saga.[11]

The creative director of Ninja Theory, Tameem Antoniades, drew inspiration from the natural landscapes of Iceland while shaping both the setting and narrative of Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.

After the release of the first part, Tameem Antoniades, co-founder and creative director of the studio, decided to take a break and went on a trip, during which he visited Iceland. He was so impressed by the beauty of the place that it inspired him to have Iceland as the game's the main setting. Attwell described the country as a "geological theme park", and Ninja Theory chairman Dom Matthews later called the game "a love letter to Iceland."[12][13] Antoniades stated that the studio wanted to write a story that could be compared to ancient myths and sagas. Antoniades participated in the early stages of development before leaving the company. Following his departure, David Garcia, the director of sound, Mark Slater-Tunstill, and Dan Attwell, the director of environment art, took on the roles of primary project leaders.[12]

The creators of the sequel wanted to shift the emphasis from portraying Senua's internal battle with insanity to examining how she interacts with the outside world, shaped by her unique worldview. To accurately depict psychosis in Senua, they once again consulted with Paul Fletcher, a professor at Cambridge University, and individuals experiencing the disorder.[14][15] Melina Jürgens, the motion capture artist and voice actor for the protagonist, expressed her disapproval of the portrayal that her character had "overcome all her adversity and healed." She emphasized that individuals with psychosis typically never fully recover from their condition.[16] Her intention was to depict Senua's transformation from a "victim of psychosis" to someone who can not only manage her condition but also utilize it as a tool to accomplish her objectives. Ninja Theory has described Senua as a "beacon of hope" in the sequel.[17] To further embody Senua's character, Jürgens traveled to Iceland to experience the area's harsh climate firsthand. She also studied various martial arts and fencing techniques, developing her own repertoire of tricks. Jürgens spent nearly eight hours getting ready for the Senua costume, including hair and makeup.[18] Additionally, the animators underwent military training to accurately mimic the movements of opponent characters. Abby Greenland and Helen Golan reprised their roles as the Furies—the voices that Senua hears.[19]

Senua's Saga features an improved fighting system, emphasizing its "seamless" integration with the story. The primary inspiration for the battle system was the Battle of the Bastards episode from Game of Thrones.[20] To effectively portray Senua's struggle for survival, the developers focused on in-person combat, aiming to make it feel urgent, unpredictable, and immersive. They used motion capture technology to record a variety of battle animations over a 75-day period, covering different skirmish scenarios.[21][22]

Ninja Theory created an elaborate segment of the game before proceeding to full-scale development. Unlike the first game, which used Unreal Engine 4, the sequel was developed using the newer Unreal Engine 5.[23] This upgrade allowed for improved character models, animations, and other visual components, as well as better utilization of the Xbox Series X/S console. On the Series X/S, the developers capped the frame rate at 30 frames per second to achieve a more cinematic experience.[24] The studio employed Epic Games' MetaHuman framework for facial animations. Motion capture was conducted in Ninja Theory's new office, which was specially equipped for this purpose. The developers collaborated again with 3Lateral, a subsidiary of Epic Games that specializes in motion capture digitization.[25] 3Lateral contributor Uroš Sikimić stated that the team aimed to make the end result "as photorealistic as possible, while also experimenting with new cinematic techniques". Additionally, Ninja Theory partnered with Ziva Dynamics, a company specializing in visual effects, and Altered AI, which creates voiceovers using artificial intelligence. Altered AI's technology was used to generate content during the early stages of development.[26][27]

The developers then used satellite data in conjunction with the generated graphic resources to reconstruct the Icelandic landscape from the ninth century. Numerous other components, such hair and cosmetics, as well as clothes made by costume designers utilizing materials and methods unique to the era shown in Senua's Saga, were scanned to generate 3D reproductions using a similar process. Attwell claims that Robert Eggers' directing techniques, namely his dedication to historical authenticity in the portrayal of diverse issues, served as an inspiration for the company. Similar to the prior experience, the creators replicated audio hallucinations using the binaural recording approach. The studio enlisted Heilung on the soundtrack, believing that "their skill, depth and substantiveness in the music blends perfectly with our playing and gives it a special weight.[28]

Marketing and release[edit]

Senua's Saga: Hellblade II was announced on December 13, 2019, during The Game Awards 2019, where the debut trailer was showcased. It marked the first Xbox Series X console exclusive to be announced, coinciding with the unveiling of the console earlier that day.[29]

Senua's Saga is scheduled for release on May 21, 2024, for Microsoft Windows and Series X/S. It will be available on the Xbox Cloud Gaming service and the Xbox Game Pass subscription service on the day of release. The game will not have a physical edition, and will be similar in length to its predecessor.[30]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shapiro, Micah (13 December 2019). "Everything You Need to Know About Senua for Hellblade 2". Game Rant. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  2. ^ Cardy, Simon (4 April 2024). "Hellblade 2 Is Shaping Up to Be Another Beautiful Nightmare". IGN. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  3. ^ Brosofsky, Ben (21 January 2024). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 - Release Date, Story So Far, & Gameplay Details". ScreenRant. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Hellblade 2 is a "love letter to Iceland" that's more than a sequel". PCGamesN. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  5. ^ Welsh, Oli (4 April 2024). "3 years in, Hellblade 2 on Xbox Series X finally gives us a next-gen moment". Polygon. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  6. ^ Clarke, Jon "Sikamikanico" (4 April 2024). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade II | Preview Round Up". XboxEra. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Senua's Perception Of Her Psychosis Will Change In Hellblade 2". GameSpot. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  8. ^ Scully, Kevin; Wald, Heather; Gould-Wilson, Jasmine; West, Josh (7 October 2022). "Hellblade 2: Everything you need to know about Senua's Saga". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  9. ^ Thurlow, J. Scott (28 November 2023). "Hellblade 2's Historical Setting Explained". Game Rant. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  10. ^ Gould-Wilson, Kevin ScullyContributions from Jasmine; Wald, Heather; updated, Josh West last (7 October 2022). "Hellblade 2: Everything you need to know about Senua's Saga". gamesradar. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  11. ^ published, Josh West (4 April 2024). "6 years after its acquisition, Ninja Theory is ready to set a new standard for Xbox Series X exclusives with Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2". gamesradar. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b Welsh, Oli (4 April 2024). "3 years in, Hellblade 2 on Xbox Series X finally gives us a next-gen moment". Polygon. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  13. ^ LeBlanc, Wesley (21 May 2024). "Ninja Theory Co-Founder, Hellblade Director Tameem Antoniades No Longer At Studio". Game Informer. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  14. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (21 May 2024). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Releases In May". Game Informer. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Hellblade 2 finally gets May release date". Eurogamer.net. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  16. ^ BAFTA Guru (5 December 2018). Making Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice | Melina Juergens on Motion Capture and Acting in Games. Retrieved 16 May 2024 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ published, Jasmine Gould-Wilson (19 January 2024). "Hellblade 2 turns Senua into a "beacon of hope", and a very different kind of horror game heroine I've been longing to see". gamesradar. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Hellblade 2 Actress Shows Off Her Gruelling Training To Create A More Realistic Senua". GameSpot. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  19. ^ Nunneley, Stephany (17 June 2021). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 combat will be "real and brutal"". VG247. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  20. ^ published, Josh West (4 April 2024). "Hellblade 2's combat is inspired by one of Game of Thrones' most brutal battles: "We wanted to recreate it in-game with full control from the player"". gamesradar. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2's Combat Looks Beautiful And Feels Badass". GameSpot. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Game of Thrones Fans are Definitely Buying Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 - Its Combat System Takes Direct Inspiration from the Greatest GoT Battle Sequence". fandomwire.com. 10 April 2024. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  23. ^ Orland, Kyle (16 March 2016). "Epic looks outside of gaming for new uses of Unreal Engine". Ars Technica. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  24. ^ Meo, Francesco De (14 December 2021). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Early Comparison Video Highlights Massive Character Models, Animations and Visual Improvements Over Its Predecessor". Wccftech. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  25. ^ Founder, Rupert Loman (23 January 2019). "Epic Games acquires 3Lateral". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  26. ^ Meo, Francesco De (14 December 2021). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Early Comparison Video Highlights Massive Character Models, Animations and Visual Improvements Over Its Predecessor". Wccftech. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  27. ^ Founder, Rupert Loman (23 January 2019). "Epic Games acquires 3Lateral". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 16 May 2024.
  28. ^ Ninja Theory (18 January 2024). Developer_Direct 2024 – Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Retrieved 16 May 2024 – via YouTube.
  29. ^ Gera, Emily (13 December 2019). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is the first game announced for Xbox Series X". VG247. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  30. ^ Scullion, Chris (18 January 2024). "Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 will be a digital-only release costing $50". Video Games Chronicle. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

External links[edit]

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