Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Review – A Haunting Mix of Spectacle and Simplicity

In 2017, Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice presented an engrossing mix of deeply personal, harrowing descent into psychosis, trauma, and Norse myth, elevated by groundbreaking binaural audio and an unflinching focus on mental health. Eight years later, the sequel, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, arrives on PlayStation 5 not merely as a port, but as an enhanced edition that looks to address the critiques of its initial release, promising the most definitive version to date.

One look at Hellblade 2 and it is easy to see that the game is unequivocally one of the most visually stunning titles in recent memory, pushing the boundaries of photorealism and immersive sound design to lofty heights. The second outing is, simply put, a treat for the senses. Yet in prioritizing this cinematic presentation built upon Unreal Engine 5—the engine beautifully recreates a 10th-century Icelandic landscape with astonishing detail, breathing life into every jagged edge of volcanic rock; every warped reflection on glistening stones and rippling pools; and every expression painstakingly displayed by Melina Juergens’ exceptional performance as Senua—Ninja Theory sacrificed performance, creating a work that functions more as a brutally gorgeous interactive film with its 30 frames per second cap. Thankfully, the PS5 Enhanced Edition shatters that restriction. By including a 60 FPS Performance Mode, and leveraging PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) on the PS5 Pro, this edition improves the feel of the experience, making for a more enjoyable and much smoother adventure. That said, a welcome framerate boost far from resolves all of the title’s sticking points.

Simple Yet Stunning

The area where Hellblade 2 stumbles into controversial design is in its combat mechanics, which remain fundamentally simple. Senua is capable of light and heavy attacks, as well as dodging and parrying, but any deeper combos and maneuvers have been left behind this time around. Hellblade 2 boils down the combat of its predecessor, streamlining already lean systems, in favor of uninterrupted cinematic-to-gameplay (and vice versa) interactions. It’s a gamble that pays off at times, as the indistinguishable gameplay and cutscene moments intertwine seamlessly and thus elevate every beautifully choreographed duel, but it also highlights the more-movie-than-game nature of the sequel.

Even with this simplicity in mind, the accompanying sound design perfectly accents each kinetic scuffle with masterful execution. The return of binaural audio is not just a feature; it is the fundamental core of the game’s psychological experience. The Furies—the voices in Senua’s head—are relentless, whispering doubt, fear, and sometimes unsettling encouragement from specific points around the player’s head. This 3D audio isn’t limited to the internal turmoil; environmental sounds, from the distant roar of a giant to the crunch of footsteps on snow and the echoing drip of water in underground lava tubes, effortlessly immersing the player in their virtual surroundings. Here, Hellblade 2 finds its spirit, putting the player uncomfortably in Senua’s skin.

Not Acing the Pacing

The environmental puzzles also return, primarily revolving around the line-of-sight mechanic where Senua must align obscured runes or fragments of the environment to unlock new paths. These are joined by new sequences where Senua uses her focus to briefly alter reality, switching between different states of the environment to bridge gaps or reveal hidden routes. These sections are straightforward and are clearly intended to serve as narrative breakpoints rather than genuine cognitive challenges, but they also manage to feel like a chore rather than a reward between encounters and already tedious walking segments.

As for the narrative itself, Hellblade 2 picks up after the events of Senua’s Sacrifice, shifting her focus from one of acceptance to that of vengeance, as she confronts the raiders who enslaved her people. This journey takes her to the stark, mythological heart of 10th-century Iceland. The central conflict quickly evolves from simple vengeance to a confrontation with the true causes of darkness and suffering in the land—specifically, the horrifying giants. Senua’s quest involves tracking down and confronting these mythical entities, but this time her efforts are collaborative. She meets and joins forces with new companions, such as the slave Thorgestr and the storyteller Fargrimr, whose own backstories reflect various pains and fears. These allies lift up the story through their engaging personas and top-notch voice acting. This transition from lone warrior to leader loses some of the previous game’s intimacy in favor of a more epic structure, but it still manages to strike its heavy themes with care and respect.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 Review Verdict

[Editor’s Note: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 was reviewed on PS5, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.]