Hellblade II: Senua’s Saga. But is a sequel needed?

The first Hellblade I took place for a long time (approximately when it came out). But relatively recently I decided to reflect it. Firstly, there was a second part on the nose. And secondly, Gamevoice released Russian voice acting, which I wanted to check (by the way, it is very good). And just recently reached the second part.

Honestly, I have mixed impressions of the game. The language does not turn to call it bad, but against the background of the excellent and self -sufficient first part – the very expediency of the sequel is lost.

I’ll start, probably with a picture. Visual in the game is excellent, but there are nuances. And these nuances are generated, it seems to me, using Unreal Engine 5.

Perhaps, of course, that I did not work or twisted something somewhere in the settings, but the picture in some places is quite soapy. At first I thought that it might be the point of scaling. But turning on/disabling FSR (I have a card from AMD) on the game “soap” did not affect about in any way. And all sorts of blur in motion, as a rule, I generally remove at once.

Plus, far -located objects, like clouds, were somewhat broke around the edges, giving out all sorts of wrong, for objects of this type, unevenness. In a static picture of screenshots, it is difficult to convey this.

Why do I blame for this UE5? Yes, for the simple reason that this is not the first game on this engine where I observe problems of this type. Something similar I observed in Mortal Kombat 1, Flintlock: The Siege Of Dawn, Black Myth: WUKONG, Lords of The Fallen And maybe in some games on this engine, but where I do not remember. IN Robocop: The Rogue City, By the way, I did not notice such problems – perhaps this is due to the lack of large spaces open for viewing.

But from the point of view of arties, a picture in Hellblade II: Senua ’S Saga It looks just gorgeous, and Icelandic landscapes are fascinating. But the above problems (mainly soap), somewhat spoil the impression. Moreover, since the first part (Hellblade: Senua ’S Sacrifice) I passed about six months ago, I can rather confidently say that the picture looks more pleasant for the eyes there. Strange, in general, this is the fifth anrylo.

As for the plot, it, in general, is not bad, I did not leave the feeling that Senua was replacing in this story of another invented character and nothing would change.

Voices in her head, they do not play the role of such a role as it was in the first part. After all, there Senua from the beginning of the game and to its end, in fact, fought with herself, which poured into the climax of the finals, where she accepts herself (somehow). And there these voices were completely appropriate, focusing the player’s attention on the mental and mental struggle of the main character. The voices remained here, but I did not see much sense in them. Yes, they add atmospheres, but if you remove them, whether something will change in the game globally? I’m not sure.

There is Senua’s spiritual struggle with the image of her father, into a copy of which she is afraid to turn, which is mainly manifested in the final. But replacing the protagonist, showing some backstory where the essence of his father and the conflict existing between them are revealed-what will change?

In one point, the game seems to give the player a moral choice, forcing which of the two satellites to help and it seems that the second will either die or go crazy and attack Senua. I supported Fargrimra, but did not notice any significant consequences of my choice. Maybe if I supported the warrior Astrid, the result would be different, but something I doubt it (By the way, write in the comments if anything is changing from this?).

It is impossible not to note the magnificent game of Melina Jurgens, who plays Senua for the second time. As for the rest of the characters, then against its background they mainly look weaker.

Astrid looks at all any. Mainly because her image, in my opinion, does not correspond to the position in the hierarchy. She looks some kind of fish or meat, but they make me believe that she is the leader of the tribe (clan or that they have there?). I do not want to say that a woman could not be a warrior or even lead a clan. Moreover, there are reliable archaeological finds confirming that such cases were. But I can’t believe in Astrid.

But the image of the father of the Torgestr – God was excellent. You believe in it – a wonderful scum turned out (sorry for the pun). Perhaps the best of the characters, in terms of your image.

Now a little about gameplay. At its core, he remained the same as in the first part. We go ahead, listening to the rack (from other characters and voices inside Senua’s head), we decide simple riddles, try not to miss the secrets with the Laura and from time to time we fight on the arenas.

Puzzles here are perhaps more diverse than in the first part. But since the game is short, each new type of puzzle does not have time to become difficult. Plus their complexity is not enough – so that in one puzzle, different -type elements of these puzzles are involved. Moreover, in the episode where Senua is testing a certain “hidden people”, there is a final stage where they actually tell us directly – show everything that you learned before. At this moment I was sure that a comprehensive puzzle awaited me in several steps from different elements. But everything turned out to be much easier and more banal. I was even offended. The first part was also not famous for the complexity of the puzzles, but it seems to me that there they were still more difficult.

As for secrets with Lor, for me personally the main problem was that they are here of two types and tell two stories. The bottom line is that while you get to the next such secret, the previous part of this story is slightly disappeared from the head. Especially if you go through the game not in one sitting (which, in general, is not difficult). Thus, this component, one might say, passed me by. As far as I remember, in the first part these stories were divided into chapters, each of which had its own short story. And it was much more convenient for perception.

Well, about the game fighting. It would seem that she almost completely migrated here from the first part. And it would seem that she was even simplified, since at the same time you fight with only one enemy (the rest are somewhere behind the scenes). But at the same time, it was quite unpleasant for me to fight here here. Especially through the parries, the timings of which, having gone through the game, I did not understand normally. Despite the fact that in the first part I had no special problems with them.

Moreover, I did not like this system at all, where opponents are thrown by me one at a time. In the first part, the enemies also did not tear the crowd very much into battle, but still there it was necessary to somehow position themselves in the arena in order not to miss the blow from behind. And the second enemy could well attack Senua while she fights the first. This made contractions more interesting, even despite the rather primitive combat system.

In general, in the first part I liked to fight. And although individual contractions seemed protracted there, they still did not bother. There are about half of the fights exactly what they strained me. And they strained that I just couldn’t fight normally (although I died for the game once or twice, sort of like). This can be personally my problem, but something like that. In general, there was a feeling that something was broken in the fighting, because of which for me she began to feel much less pleasant. From this position, I am even glad that I have to fight enemies here alone (despite the fact that I did not like it objectively).

From what caused delight – this is the “bossfight” with the giantess Iltauagu. This, of course, is the bossfait precisely what is in quotation marks, since there is no battle directly here. But from an audio-visual and narrative point of view-it is furnished so that personally this episode caused me simply indescribable delight.

After the “battle” with Iltauga, I thought whether the game will give me at least one episode that will cause me comparable emotions? Unfortunately, how I looked into the water. There was nothing like this in the game further. The sensations from the fight with the second giant were noticeably weaker. And I did not like the final battle at all, although the results of the final battle from the plot and scenario points of view themselves are perceived well.

And now, when it comes to conclusions, I catch myself thinking that in my whole review Hellblade II: Senua ’S Saga – I mainly scold the game that I, in general, liked it.

And the point here is not that the game is bad. The game is just good. The fact is that a number of points, in it, in my opinion, is made worse than in the first part.

In addition, I do not see the point in it precisely as in the sequel of the story of Senua. Be Hellblid 2 an independent title not related to the previous game Ninja Theory, then, in my opinion, the perception of the game would be much better.

Well, returning to the conclusions. Hellblade II: Senua ’With https://win-bitcasino.co.uk/ Saga – This is a good game with a number of flaws. If you played in the first part, I would recommend going through the second at least for familiarization. If you did not play the first, then perhaps the second will be perceived even better. But in this case, after it I would advise you to play in the first.

And by the way, if you played the first part after the second – write how the game is perceived in this case? Better, write your impressions of both parts and in what order you passed them!

Perhaps that I have everything. Thank you for your attention.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

The best comments

Well, yes. If it were not for the Abuez of his father, he would not have become such a connection with Dillion, would not have become a giant, universal tragedy after his death.

And, agreeing with the delirium of the Abuez’s struggle in the war, I disagree on “mercy on the enemy to be better than your father”.

So this is exactly what I am talking about = \ Home, father-at least in the eyes of Senua and script, ultra-aggressive bad people. To become a new year is just to become like a father, and not to break out of influence.

And yes, why am I writing that they are ultra-aggressive and bad at least in the eyes of Senua? In general, the son of a slave trader says an interesting thing. They created all this game, took people into slavery in order to thus save the world from giants. Subjective, but less evil.

With father Senua is still more interesting. From a modern point of view there is no forgiveness to him. And if you think about it? At one time, in one social network, I read the post of man who was indignant at the fact that he, mentally ill, is forbidden to have children. In the comments they wrote to him that everything is correct, because the mentally ill are unpredictable, and therefore dangerous. Especially for children. With a mentally ill person, there should be exclusively those who understand his problems, are ready to endure the pressure of the same schizophrenia and work as an intermediary of such a person in his communication with the world.

But we are so smart now. And there is medieval Scandinavia, cruel tribal customs. And Senua Shiza is hereditary. What was the father to do? Let your daughter communicate with everyone? So that she was quickly accused of all witchcraft and burned?

In fact, Dillion worked as a modern support, a mentor assigned to a mentally ill as moral support. And he supported her very wisely! And the father acted not as an evil evil, but as a person of his time. In fact, Senua’s satellites from the sequel supported her exclusively, because the circumstances changed and there are common interests.

In general, when the sequel was announced, I suggested the story about revenge with the message that either I need to find some kind of balance between mind and rage, or even come to a banal one: revenge is bad.

In fact, the theme of the sequel was directed in the final of the first part, more precisely, in the epilogue, when Senua received a new motivation and not only left, but invited us to follow himself.

Only I assumed that there would be a swing. The older Senua, the more glitches, the calmer Senua, the more it is normal. Therefore, the message that revenge could be bad even in the sense that if Senua will tear and throw it straight, he will be crazy again, only this time differently, otherwise. And all the efforts of the first part of the release from the schiza will go nafig.

In the sequel (at least for now) otherwise. On the one hand, the idea of ​​gaining herself is just through the Shiza, since it is Shiza who makes it special for new acquaintances, the one that should lead them forward. I even have a hint that, perhaps, of all kinds of leaders who led people along and did miracles along the way, with problems similar to Senua’s problems. But it was precisely such problems that made them leaders.

On the other hand … we look at the epilogue of the first part. We look not at Senua, not a location where it comes to her senses. And she comes to her senses in the skeleton of the ship familiar to us. And this already means that we did not go into any caves in the grief.

Here the path before that was simultaneously real and complete hallucinations. We walked through the forest, through burned settlements, made our way through real obstacles and our fears embodied in glitches. And in the finale stood stupidly in one place, maybe they darted from side to side, but we did not roam the caves.

And the sequel, Senua is looking for a hidden people, the game gives impressive visual effects, shows bizarre tricks with space, but when the visual ends, I look at these columns with stones and I understand that all these feats of Senua would look quite strange.

But this is so, by the way. Because so far I do not particularly understand where the reality ends and the glitches begin. In the final of the first part, Senua almost came to atheism. I got to the thought that Hela is a lie, a lies of his father. In the sequel, a giantess seems to have seen not only Senua, but also both her companions. Collective glitches due to volcanic gases? Or … what? What’s what, how and where?

It is somewhat strange to talk about the depths of the fighting in Hellblade, but in the first part there was a little more. Yes, in the second part it is well set, there are gorgeous animations and all that. But for me she was pain.

And what did not like in the switching of reality?

Under the idea for the sequel, I mean not gameplay, but the plot. Here the plot is an extinguishing owl on the globe. Senua does not need it, and without it it is not a sequel.

P.WITH.: I don’t understand who was so lit up our previous comments there, but do not care. Minus again!

Yes, I myself am the same opinion.

Specifically slave traders, as evil, was described in the first part. Do not forget the hallucinations with a friend or how is it there. Significant hallucinations with Dillion were only later, and at first Senua, the psyche of Senua dragged herself from the bottom of a friend. And the friend underwent and died precisely because of those with whom we are fighting in the sequel.

And dillion crucified (execution, however, is different, but the association is more or less) the same people.

Therefore, in the sequel, we seem to pay those who pulled us out of darkness. And the father is needed, as a standard of evil, what can you become. Only the father is everything, but the God is alive, therefore it is his fate that becomes the decisive choice of Senua.

And so the figs with him would be, it would be someone to regret there, but it is for Senua that such a choice is important, otherwise again in the darkness and meets.

In real life, a mentally unstable person, I believe, was unusual for – they were eliminated by natural selection.

Exactly. We can say that dilogy demonstrates both possible ways of crazy in the old days. Either you are an end, or you are a leader, idol, savior, miracle worker, prophet. Any third way then is an exception to the rules.

So far in the process, but … there is a meaning here. In the first part, Senua has two problems – the so -called clinical grief from the loss of the only ray of light in life, the guy who has become a support, and the Abuez of his father.

And the point is that in the first part she coped only with clinical grief, released the guy, took his death and received a new motivation – revenge.

In the sequel, firstly, she takes revenge, and secondly, she understands how avenging, because Abuez has not gone anywhere and dictates the maximum harmonious and bloody MSTU, and she resists for which she is scolded by the voice of the abuser and the voices of gossipers. Well … So I call them to myself-girlfriends-gospels.

What I like? Senua stands legs, it is collected, strong and the further, the more it leads. Visual experiments are gorgeous! Although I play on a map without RTX and generally with a settings file for 4GB video memory, which means that the picture leaves much to be desired.

What I don’t like? At least the idea of ​​fighting Abuez in the war. War is a place of pragmatic and effective solutions, and not “mercy on the enemy to be better than a father”.

In the development process, one of the main creative directors Tamim Antoniades left, this clearly affected the development.

Switching due to the lack of obvious logic of the solution is not felt as a puzzle, soon as an annoying obstacle, a way to stretch the timing. Like bulbs in Alan Wake 2.

I have to play the first one, after the second I was going, I was going to and never gathered.

I understood the thought. But I meant a little different. In my opinion, Ninji simply added an existing problem with his father to resolve the conflict from the year. And if in the place of Senua there was another abstract character (at least the same Astrid), nothing would have changed fundamentally.

In real life, a mentally unstable person, I believe, was unusual for – they were eliminated by natural selection. As an option, such a person would be sacrificed by the logic that he has some unnatural behavior, which means that the connection with spirits is strong or the type of that and means he will be a great victim.

In general, your assumption on the topic of the sequel, it sounds more interesting than what happened in the end.

Yes there is clear logic. And I don’t know what kind of bulbs in Alan Wake 2. 🙂

Thought is clear. Thank you.

In my opinion, the problem of Senua was comprehensive, where one struck another and vice versa. And again, in my opinion, these questions were closed in the first part.

And here it turns out a certain tensioning of the owl on the globe, where the problem with his father’s Abuez needs just for a beautiful ending. As for me, my father is simply not needed here. It would be even cooler if the Godi himself threw something in her face something like “Come on, finish me, become me!”, Or” Well, achieve me, I have already won!”, Or” There should always be a king!”=).

And, agreeing with the delirium of the Abuez’s struggle in the war, I disagree on “mercy on the enemy to be better than your father”. Senua does not spare him in order to be better than his father, namely, so as not to become a new one. Therefore, I believe that the father’s problem is superfluous here and looks like a pulmonary owl pulling on a globe, to please the Senua slide line.

There it was also necessary to change reality, including turning off the light with some kind of artifact in the form of a llama (it was dull; in this place I quit watching a stream).

On the contrary, I have the least complaints about the fighting. Yes, it is a monotonous one, but it is perfectly set. The remaining aspects of the game cannot boast of atoning impressions of advantages, only disadvantages and puzzles – their worst part, it would be better if they were looking for runes or was it just a walking simulator than these switching of reality.

The idea for the sequel is the same, only with a normal action gameplay, which was expected from them after the first part. A million copies are secured (in the Gampass, true). But “I am an artist, I see so”.

My opinion is that Ninja did not have a real idea for a sequel. And Mikey demanded him. I did not like the gameplay only the fighting. Puzzles of norms, only complexity is not enough for them.

Well, it is equally possible and something else – he could leave, because he did not see the real idea for the sequel, and he did not want to engage in squeezing the juices from Senua.

I do not claim it so. But the motive is possible.

The sequel is not necessary, but it could be made good, and it was made bad – poor gameplay, bad from the point of view of history, only a visual is good. But Ninja made a good visual in the first part, without money Mikes.