Savantcore
Unconfirmed Member
Metacritic - 81
OpenCritic - 84
OpenCritic - 84
Eurogamer - Essential
Ninja Theory crafts a highly competent action game and a nuanced, powerful exploration of mental health.
GamesBeat - 95
It might have been madness for a small studio like Ninja Theory to take on such a herculean task, but I'm glad they made the trip.
Hobby Consolas - 91
Hellblade approaches psychosis in a videogame in a mature and original way. The game has a perfect balance of combat, puzzles and exploration, with great sound and graphics, but it falls too short, clocking in at about 8 hours of length.
Trusted Reviews - 90
Hellblade triumphs equally as action game, mythic quest and psychological character study, bringing together some amazing visuals, great performances and ingenious design. It's short-lived but perfectly paced with a blend of action and puzzles that grows in richness and complexity as the game goes on. While some might prefer Enslaved or the DMC reboot, I'd call it Ninja Theory's best work yet.
Gadgets 360 - 90
Marrying combat, narrative, and strong characters, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is greater than the sum of its parts, making it well worth its asking price. It might not be the sequel to DmC: Devil May Cry, but it's a tense, dramatic experience that's worth the price of entry.
PlayStation LifeStyle - 90
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a complete experience for a bargain price. Struggling through life as a psychosis sufferer is an alarming experience, and Hellblade provides an illuminating glimpse into the lives of those afflicted by such terror.
God is a Geek - 90
One of the most inventive games of the year, showing that time and patience can be behind a challenging, smart, and incredibly interesting game.
IGN - 90
A masterclass of atmosphere, storytelling, and the marriage of mechanical and conceptual design. While there are moments that feel shoehorned in to remind us we're playing a videogame, the care and attention Ninja Theory has clearly poured into Senua and her story has created something amazing. This is a game everyone should play, and I'm thankful for the opportunity to have lived inside the mind of Senua, however briefly.
WCCF Tech - 90
Blending powerful imagery, unrivaled visuals quality, an excellent combat system and a unique setting that mixes Norse mythology with mental illness, Ninja Theory fully delivers on their independent AAA pitch with Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. This is one of those titles that, albeit not flawless, should be experienced by every gamer at some point.
AngryCentaurGaming - Buy
Just a damn unique title
IGN Spain - 88
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is an excellent demonstration of quality with an absorbing history and an outstanding artistic direction. Joining concepts such as Norse mythology and psychosis was not easy, but the mixture has been respectful and interesting.
EGM - 85
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is the action adventure genre stripped of its excess, until a smaller, more personal journey remains. While it may feel shallow and lacking for some, those wanting something other than the usual big-budget 70-hour fare will find Senua's story to be unlike anything else in recent years.
IGN Italy - 85
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is the action adventure genre stripped of its excess, until a smaller, more personal journey remains. While it may feel shallow and lacking for some, those wanting something other than the usual big-budget 70-hour fare will find Senua's story to be unlike anything else in recent years.
GamePro Germany - 84
It is so unique and so interesting that it can not be overlooked.
TheSixthAxis - 80
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a profound sensual experience that's unmissable. The way it highlights psychosis and incorporates it isn't just a part of the aesthetic, but it also makes for fascinating gameplay. This is a phenomenal achievement for the discussion of mental health that we'll be talking about for years to come.
GameSpot - 80
Hellblade's most notable achievement is the handling of an incredibly sensitive subject matter within an engaging and well-crafted action/adventure game. At its heart, the story is about Senua's struggle to come to terms with her illness. In the process, she learns to find the strength within herself to endure, and to make peace with her past. And in a profound and physical way, we go through those same struggles with her, and come away with a better understanding of a piece of something that many people in the world struggle with.
Game Informer - 80
Psychosis in video games is often used to justify a villain's world-destroying ambitions, or as a vehicle to present gameplay gimmicks. Hellblade goes beyond those conventions, using Senua's mental illness as the core from which the entire tale radiates. That approach results in some phenomenal and unsettling narrative moments that knock you off-balance. However, in pursuit of that achievement, Hellblade weaponizes the real-world frustration it causes in exploration and combat. That's where it falters as a game, even while it captivates as a piece of interactive art.
Gameblog.fr - 80
Hellbalde: Senua's Sacrifice is a Hell of a game. A gorgeous, scary, crazy, oppressive and unique experience with a great setting and story, different and loveable heroine and some interesting gameplay mechanics. Maybe the best surprise of summer 2017.
Push Square - 80
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is not going to appeal to all tastes, and nor does it try to. As a character action game, it has decent if underdeveloped combat and a mixture of some excellent and some overplayed puzzles. But it's the way that the title utilises the unique attributes of the medium to raise awareness of mental health that elevate this release beyond the sum of its parts.
PC Gamer - 78
Hellblade could benefit from more exploration and enemy variety, but it's a powerful portrait of the strength of will over personal demons.
SpazioGames - 75
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice demonstrates that videogames can be the perfect medium to tell a story about complex themes. The depiction of a disease like psychosis is believable and deep. The story works out very well, but the puzzles and the combat system are the game elements that push back the the overall quality of this very interesting project.
Destructoid - 75
Slowly but surely Ninja Theory has moved into film territory, but they can't let go of their need to shove action mechanics into everything they do.
Gamereactor - 70
Ninja Theory's latest game offers concepts and gameplay mechanics that aren't for all.
Everyeye.it - 65
Ninja Theory's last effort is intriguing and fascinating both at a conceptual and executive level - primarily due to its dark tones and its unusual emotional intensity - but at the same time unfortunately quite weak and questionable in terms of pure gameplay.
Metro GameCentral - 60
A technical masterpiece with some of the best swordfighting combat in years, but the storytelling and puzzle elements come across as muddled and awkwardly mismatched.
The Jimquisition - 10
An unplayable, broken piece of crap.
So About That Time I Gave Hellblade A 1/10...
Sometimes you don't quite consider every facet of something until the thing is done. Unfortunately this was the case with a previously published review for Hellblade.