Ninja Theory
Hellblade 2 brings the madness with a trailer showcasing its incredible graphics
Ninja Theory wowed fans at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 with a new look at Hellblade 2, with impressive use of Unreal Engine 5 and a release date.
We finally have a date (although a tentative one) for the highly anticipated Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2. The Ninja Theory game was present in the Xbox Games Showcase 2023 and has proven to be pretty much ready with a spectacular new in-game trailer. In it, we immersed ourselves once again into a unique setting and in the head of Senua. And as in all the previous videos and images, the game boasts of squeezing the most out of the new Unreal Engine 5 and reaching an unprecedented graphic level.
Regarding the date, a bare 2024 is still better than nothing. Melina Juergens, the actress who plays Senua in the game, assured before the trailer that they are currently doing reshoots, that is, re-recording certain very specific scenes after they have already recorded everything for the first time. This means that if the reshoots go well we could see Hellblade 2 during the first half of 2024 and at worst, at the end of the year. Seeing how it looks and everything it promises, we’re just hoping it’s done when it’s ready!
One of the most anticipated games on Xbox
How things have changed for the Hellblade saga and for its creators, the devs at Ninja Theory (who in the past have also given us gems like Enslaved or the controversial DMC: Devil May Cry). If the first game was a small project with which they wanted to delve into the world of mental illness and Norse mythology, this sequel has become one of the most essential releases in the entire catalog to come from Microsoft. So much so that it was even announced by Xbox themselves more than three years ago, making it one of the first flagships of the Xbox Series X|S.
If it has taken such a long time, it’s because Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 wants to push the graphical limits of the platform and the game had to migrate to Unreal Engine 5 in the middle of its development (although seen what has been seen it has done so successfully, because it looks amazing). set in 9th century Iceland, the project also seeks such a degree of realism that even costumes have been made by hand for the actors, who have also received combat training to nail motion capture sessions.
The protagonist, Senua, will once again be played by Melina Juergens, of which Ninja Theory revealed that “she has been training for the role for two years”. The studio, which won a BAFTA Due to their exhaustive and curious approach to the field of mental illnesses, this time wants to be “especially realistic and brutal”. They’re looking to control even the smallest detail of the game and there is no better sample than the choice of Heilung for the game’s soundtrack. This band takes its lyrics from ancient times and plays with spectral voices, dark soundscapes, and shamanic rhythms. A series of combinations that have led them to be defined in their spotify tab as a group that induces trance and evokes “the dawn of civilization”. Perfect for a title set in Norse mythology.
Of course, Ninja Theory is aware of the expectations placed on Hellblade 2 and seems ready to exceed them all.