• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Up On Xbox Game Pass

J-Roderton

Member
https://www.windowscentral.com/hellblade-senuas-sacrifice-now-available-xbox-game-pass

Hellblade-Senuas-Sacrifice-1024x618.jpg


Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was one of the most well-received games of 2018, and now Xbox Game Pass subscribers can get in on the action as part of their membership. The game is now available to download through the subscription game service on Xbox One, coming eight months after its initial release for the console.

Looks like another good addition for December.
 
It's a great game. Some called it "a walking simulator", but I enjoyed the combat and puzzle solving, and the story is pretty decent as well.
 

CatLady

Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
Not sure if it's my type of game, but since it costs nothing to try it with GamePass I'm in.
 

V2Tommy

Member
Amazeballs game. Play it with headphones, as the audio was recorded with the intent of being heard specifically on headphones.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
Game looks and sounds great.

But watching videos, it looks like you fight the same 2-3 different vulture dudes over and over again????
 
The HDR on my tv makes a noticeable difference on the one x compared to the ps4 version. I think it’s also native 4K as well. Looks great. I’ll probably go through this game again just to see what it looks like.
 

Humdinger

Member
Good game, guys, check it out. Try to press on past the first hour or two, which can be (imo) overly obtuse and difficult. The game takes a while to hit its stride, but when it does, it's really remarkable and unlike any other game I've played.
 

Hendrick's

If only my penis was as big as my GamerScore!
OK, so I finally got around to playing this and sadly the gameplay sucks and I can't do it. I love everything else, the character, the plot, the environment...but man, the game play is just trash. I'm really starting to think that developers have just not been able to figure out how to make a beautiful game with a strong narrative also fun to play.
 

Eiknarf

Member
People call everything and anything “walking simulator” these days.

I bought the physical disc three days ago and love it. I think I’m at the end, and I plan on keeping this disc (that’s how I know if I really like a game or not; if I sell it/trade it in after I’m done, or keep it)
 

Eiknarf

Member
It's a great game. Some called it "a walking simulator", but I enjoyed the combat and puzzle solving, and the story is pretty decent as well.

What’s an actual Walking Simulator title? The only legit one I can think of is Journey on the PS4
 

dcx4610

Member
Finished this on PC recently. One of the best gaming experiences of my life.

Excellent acting, great graphics, great music, great story. It's not for everyone but if you like games like ICO, Hellblade might be up your alley. Make sure to play with headphones.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
I must be in the minority. Played about 40 minutes of this game and deleted it.

There was probably 30 minutes of unskippable cut scenes, 9 minutes of walking down linear paths with the red symbol thing to open doors, and a fight lasting 1 minute.

Trash.

Good thing it was a GP game. Wouldn't have been pissed if I bought it for $40.
 
Last edited:

Eiknarf

Member
Finished this on PC recently. One of the best gaming experiences of my life.

Excellent acting, great graphics, great music, great story. It's not for everyone but if you like games like ICO, Hellblade might be up your alley. Make sure to play with headphones.

What’s ICO?

Sorry guys. I don’t know all these abbreviations I keep seeing in these message boards.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
What’s an actual Walking Simulator title? The only legit one I can think of is Journey on the PS4
Have you played Hellblade?

If not, download it on Gamepass and give it a go. I guarantee you that in the first half hour, you do nothing but watch cut scenes, get lead down linear paths. I don't think that first fight scenes with the 3 shadowy warriors even happens yet.
 

dcx4610

Member
Hellblade has some walking moments but it's mostly for story and exploration. I'd say the game is mostly puzzles with some hack and slash thrown in. If you are expecting an action game or God of War, you're going to hate it.

The closest game I can compare it to is ICO or Last Guardian. I love how it doesn't explain the game or controls at all. You figure them out yourself just as Senua does.
 

Eiknarf

Member
Have you played Hellblade?

If not, download it on Gamepass and give it a go. I guarantee you that in the first half hour, you do nothing but watch cut scenes, get lead down linear paths. I don't think that first fight scenes with the 3 shadowy warriors even happens yet.

Yeah. I bought the physical PS4 disc three days ago- and I like it
That’s why I joined and kinda bumped this thread
 

Eiknarf

Member
i couldn't get into it. it bored the hell out of me and the "puzzles" are contrived af.

I definitely understand why people don’t like Hellblade

I was a gamer since I was a little boy.

Pong.
Atari 2600.
Coleco vision
Intelevision.
TurboGrafx.
Five official mint condition upright arcade machines (that required a quarter, which I turned off). Those being: Tempest. Donkey Kong Junior. Miss Pac-Man. Centipede and Street Fighter 3.
XBOX
XBox 360

Then I had kids and took a five year break

Four months ago I got a PS4 and already have 20 games

I now notice I like “the more straight forward” games (for lack of a better expression). Because I now prefer the straightforwardness of The Last of Us and BioShock and Uncharted 4… that’s probably why (the same reason) I also really like Hellblade.
 
Last edited:

Eiknarf

Member
Wow! I just finished Hellblade and gotta say that I loved it. Glad I bought the physical disc and can’t believe that only a handful of people made this on a fraction of the budget

Quick question: is the permadeath aspect true? If I had died a certain number of times would I really have lost my save progress and have to start over?
 

dcx4610

Member
Wow! I just finished Hellblade and gotta say that I loved it. Glad I bought the physical disc and can’t believe that only a handful of people made this on a fraction of the budget

Quick question: is the permadeath aspect true? If I had died a certain number of times would I really have lost my save progress and have to start over?

It's fake. The devs wanted a way to convey fear and dread to the player to feel like every moment and action mattered. It worked on me. I thought it was a brilliant idea. The rot will never reach her head no matter how many times you die.
 

Eiknarf

Member
It's fake. The devs wanted a way to convey fear and dread to the player to feel like every moment and action mattered. It worked on me. I thought it was a brilliant idea. The rot will never reach her head no matter how many times you die.

Holy shit
That’s genius cuz it worked on me
 

Eiknarf

Member
I love it when the gutteral, super harsh war chanting/metal music cranks up to 11 during sword combat with the savages.

Hahaha
Yeah! I’d go from sitting during the visual puzzle solving to jumping to my feet with the controller and yelling at the TV when fighting the savages - I needed to rest after some things
 

Eiknarf

Member
Quick hypothetical

For a game that “takes place” (or is about being in) one’s own head, why do you think they didn’t make it a First Person Perspective? Especially with the “headphones recommendation”?

Curious
 
Quick hypothetical

For a game that “takes place” (or is about being in) one’s own head, why do you think they didn’t make it a First Person Perspective? Especially with the “headphones recommendation”?

Curious
I think because it better conveys the conflict as you can see it taking place, you're not Senua but rather a passenger watching the breakdown of her mental state.
 

Eiknarf

Member
I think because it better conveys the conflict as you can see it taking place, you're not Senua but rather a passenger watching the breakdown of her mental state.

Ahhhh makes sense
That’s cool

The whole time I was playing I was loving the third person aspect of the fighting and thought “I wonder what it would be like if it switched to first person while she was walking and doing the puzzles?”

But I think you’re onto something
 

Sorne

Member
Holy shit, I just finished this game over the last two days and wow.. Why did I not play this before? What a trip. Beautiful graphics in big open environments, great acting and overall a really good story.
There were many times I just stood still and took in the view and atmosphere.
Just a few minor parts that annoyed me, like sometimes the waves of enemies was a bit too much.
The second part of the game definitely was it's strongest, and the game was actually pretty damn scary at some points.

Well done, Ninja Theory. Now I'm curious why you're making a game like Bleeding Edge, when you can make these types of games instead.
 

quickwhips

Member
Holy shit, I just finished this game over the last two days and wow.. Why did I not play this before? What a trip. Beautiful graphics in big open environments, great acting and overall a really good story.
There were many times I just stood still and took in the view and atmosphere.
Just a few minor parts that annoyed me, like sometimes the waves of enemies was a bit too much.
The second part of the game definitely was it's strongest, and the game was actually pretty damn scary at some points.

Well done, Ninja Theory. Now I'm curious why you're making a game like Bleeding Edge, when you can make these types of games instead.
They have two teams working one is bleeding edge. If bleeding edge is world of warcraft arena battles for console then count me in. And another team working on something else.
 

Sorne

Member
They have two teams working one is bleeding edge. If bleeding edge is world of warcraft arena battles for console then count me in. And another team working on something else.

Okay great, thanks. I'm hoping it's something in the same style as Hellblade in terms of genre and gameplay.
 
I love it when the gutteral, super harsh war chanting/metal music cranks up to 11 during sword combat with the savages.

This entire scene is just pure glory, only made better by the music (vid stops short of full fighting).



I know you're supposed to play with headphones but if anyone has surround sound absolutely give it a go. I found it more enjoyable and you can really appreciate the sound design.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom