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Hellblade 2will launch in a few days, and as Ninja Theory gears up for its highly anticipated release, reports from within the studio have been popping up to get the original’s fans even more hyped for the sequel. The narrative elements in the first installment,Senua’s Sacrifice, were quite well-received and praised.
But, on the other hand, the combat was not really anything special and garnered plenty of criticism. However, from all the details that publisher Xbox Game Studios has provided its fanbase, it looks like the upcoming action-adventure game is taking care of one of the few major problems that plagued the 2017 title.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Looks to Make up for Its Previous Mistakes
The first installment may have lacked with its combat, but withHellblade 2, Ninja Theory is not just fixing the element but is actually evolving the entire thing, as Xbox Game Studios pointsoutthat the element has drastically improved overSenua’s Sacrifice. Although it falls under the action-adventure genre, the publisher states that it is not just “a traditional action game in practice,” because it will not be following the same formula that the majority of similar titles adhere to.
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Calling the combat “calculated and intentional,” the developers are ensuring that each hit comes with its own impact and adds to the overall experience. Benoit Macon, the combat director for the upcomingHellblade 2, has been quite vocal about what his team has managed to accomplish withthe revamping of the fighting aspects, clearly proud of the final result.
“There is a sense of connection between the combat and the narrative,” stated Macon regardingSenua’s Saga, while also sharing that the focus has been on one-on-one combat to create brutally immersive battle sequences. It has not been long since the combat director gavecredit to HBO’sGame of Thronesfor being the reference point for the fighting elements inHellblade 2.
Even the Biggest Games Can Fumble With the Perfect Balance
Finding just the right balance between the combat and the narrative elements can prove to be quite a difficult task to manage, as even the biggest video games can sometimes fumble with achieving that goal. The most recent example of this would be Sony Interactive Entertainment’sStellar Blade, which ended upgoing through the exact opposite problemsthat the firstHellbladeinstallment faced.
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WhereSenua’s Sacrificecould not really do much with its combat, Shift Up ended up making it the standout aspect of its action-adventure title, but that came with an unfortunate catch. Unlike the originalHellblade,Stellar Bladestruggled with maintaining a compelling narrative, to the point where it got a bit too predictable with twists that could be seen coming from far away.
“Making combat meaningful to the narrative” inHellblade 2was one of the focal points of Ninja Theory, according to studio head Dom Matthews. And if it actually delivers on both fronts,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2has thepotential to be a huge hitfor Xbox.
Are you looking forward to the combat-driven narrative inHellblade 2? Let us know in the comments!
Osama Farooq
Senior Gaming Content Editor / Critic
Articles Published :356
Ever since Osama was gifted the glorious PS2 more than two decades back, video games have formed a major part of his life, ranging from spending hours playing through every single Dragon Ball game he could find to witnessing the gaming industry evolve into something extraordinary in modern times. Building his collection of PlayStation consoles throughout the years all the way up until PS5, he prefers single-player experiences like The Last of Us and Persona, while also letting off steam on a daily basis with casual EA Sports FC matches. But the current rise in online multiplayer shooters will never really appeal to his old-school self.
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