Poll: As Hellblade 2 Draws Near, What Do You Think Of The First Game?

As someone with schizophrenia and anxiety disorder myself it was a great experience that made me feel heard. 10/10

Wasn’t for me. Felt like a walking simulator. I will give the second a go because of the hype but I doubt I will complete it.

I found it incredibly boring as a game. Great visuals and sound though. It apparently captures mental health in a very accurate way.

7/10. It was close to being great. I was hoping they would expand on the combat and get away from the walking sim a little bit in a sequel. It sounds like they focused all their resources on making the same experience but better visually. The first was was already impressive visually. I'm not liking the total avoidance of combat in reveal trailers for the sequel and them saying it will be the 1v1 style of the first one where it was essentially just a qte segment. I hope I'm wrong but my current prediction is they improved in the areas I did not think needed improvement and the areas I wanted improvements were left alone.

Wasn’t for me. It was just a little too slow.

But it looked great, atmosphere was too.

I’m sure the sequel will look stunning and I hope those that play it enjoy it.

Didn’t score it, as no option for tried it but not for me.

Played it last year for the first time and already knew about "the lie". Also played it with brightness to the max as I am w bit of a scaredy cat. Regardless of that I have enjoyed my time with it (8/10)

Genuinely hated the first game. The plot and presentation felt incredibly overwrought, the whole "AcTuAlLy iT's AbOuT mEnTaL iLlNesS!1" thing was executed in such a pretentious and ridiculous manner that it was bordering on insulting. Great example of style over the substance, but I hated the aesthetic and art design, so there was literally nothing for me to enjoy. Pathetic that MS holds this up as a big exclusive we're supposed to look forward to - aside from the technical side, everything else about it seems like an afterthought. Xbox has really fallen off these last two gens, very sad to see after the glory of the 360 years. I'd be surprised if we get another Xbox, after the updated Series console.

I've never played the game. It looks excellent, and it is thematically interesting, but I don't think I'd like it from a gameplay-perspective. Power to those who do!

Definitely was not for me, but doesn’t mean others would not enjoy.
The sequel doesn’t sound like it will be for me either.
Walk along hear voices etc, fight people only one on one.
This could have been so much more for me and only 7 ish hours long.
And how long to make this game about 7 years. This should be a massive AAA next generation block buster of epic production with new ideas and combat and open adventures in a vast world with multiple adversaries to combat at once and stunning as big as the tv screen bosses.

Don’t get me wrong I hope it does well, but they could have done far much more and created a game to appeal to the masses and got heads turning for Xbox and momentum.
Also it would help if Xbox advertised and PR.
It’s almost like an under the radar game.

I didn't think I would like the first but I did really enjoy it ,for anyone who hasn't tried it yet do yourself a favour and wear earphones/headset while playing ,the different voices are amazing

Loved the original despite boring combat. Story was too damn good to be ignored. Played portions with headphones and I must say, I havent experienced anything like it.

9/10 for me. Very few games do I get so involved with the world, that I purposely walk slowly just to take it all in. Can’t wait to see with they did with a bigger game and bigger budget.

I liked the first one well enough, but I'm honestly not too interested in the second one. I'm sure it'll be great, though.

The first is one of my favorite games of all time. Can’t wait for the second.

I enjoyed it a lot, was annoyed that I missed one of the Runes and the only way to address that was to do another playthrough.

Think I've played it twice since it first launched on Xbox. It's one of those games I love but don't have a strong compulsion to play again.

I really liked the first game and was impressed by the sheer ambition of it. I also think Senua is a very compelling character. I’m looking forward to the new one and am surprised at the negativity that some people have decided to express about it. 🤷‍♂️

It was brutally boring. Stopped playing after about 3 hours.
Great graphics though, but that's it.

I expect the same from the sequel.

Amazing game. Even played it in VR on PC a while back. I am somewhat concerned about HB2 due to zero marketing from MS and the fact we haven’t seen any actual gameplay in the run up to the launch. This may be another Redfall. I hope I’m wrong, but with the nonsense MS has pulled of late I can’t say I trust them anymore.

The first game wasn't for me I found it very boring

I just LOVED to death the first one.

Yeah, the gameplay was kinda... anecdotal. And yeah, the puzzles were... well they were just puzzles. Signs in the trees, and all that.

But man, that performance. That lore. That story. That ambiance.

It was a masterpiece, in my humble opinion. The ending left me silent. Speechless. And I still think about it, regularly.

I bought it on physical the first day it was available.

I cannot wait for part two.

(hoping that Ninja Theory is not about to be closed, after that)

Wasn't really a game designed for me. If it wasn't for the Mental Health and Audio, the basic Game-play loop wasn't that enjoyable. The Combat wasn't the best and puzzle areas rather dull/boring so I never finished the game. I've tried several times but still have yet to finish.

I am also in no rush to play HB2 - it looks stunning, but I've not seen anything that makes me believe the Game-play loop will be any better - an interactive 'movie'.

If it didn't have the 'praised' approach to the Mental Health aspect of this and the superb Audio, I doubt it would have got the Awards it did. It loses a LOT by not playing on a decent headset as a result, notice how 'average' the Game-play loop is.

watching someone playing this for 30 minutes was painful enough. i'll never touch these "games"

Solid 8
Hopefully the sequel expands the combat

I never got the Mental Issue stuff in the first game, and it make me ill by giving me severe motion dizziness

Great game though due to its design its one i never felt the need to replay. I'm looking forward to the sequel though i shell wait for the PS5 release as i expect its heavily downgraded on SS and i want to play at its best.

I want to like it so much, but that whole Valravn section is the worst.

Boring combat and puzzles and a forgettable story, actually did it even have a story? I've forgot. Great sound design and good graphics though but that's about it. 5/10 feels generous but that's what I'd give it.

Hellblade 2 is going to flop worse than Alan Wake 2.

So should i say "iwill let you guus test the game and play the full game on ps5"

I m so so not liking xbox right no,

@somnambulance I actually scored it a 6/10 on the poll but when I was typing my comment it made me realise that the game was probably worse than that and yeah I've never played Alan Wake 2 because it is digital only so I'm waiting for a deep sale. I wasn't actually comparing them based on quality just on sales performance.

As others have said while it looked great I found the actual game play a bit dull.

I am not expecting to jump into the second one either as I don't think this franchise is for me. I am sure it's going to review well (assuming no major home goals) & it will pick up a bunch of awards but as I said not something that floats my personal boat.

One of the most boring games I've ever played! slowly walking everywhere with mediocre combat and a irritating voice that couldn't shut up, their previous game was DmC which was fast and exciting so they just did the opposite of that for Hellblade!

I really enjoyed it but of course Phil ruined the experience. No Physical version and I won't purchase things I cannot hold. Will play it eventually when Xbox has a few games to rent for $10.00. Maybe somebody will do a physical in the future.

I could rant, but I’m tired of being so negative this last week. Will just say ‘Not my cup of Tea’.

Will try the sequel though, maybe it’s gameplay will be better, maybe it will make me give the first another shot, who knows.

I found it to be boredom in it's purest form! I hated everything about it which includes the weird art style, repetitive combat, only able to walk, voices which got irritating and on the nose story about mental health. My only positive was that it at least was mercifully short

All that said I would love to see NT go back to their old game's style like Enslaved or DmC after Hellblade 2 if they are able to survive Microsoft execs that is 😬

I'm a licensed MH provider, much of my work days are spent working on a BHU, doing groups/ 1-1 therapy.

I've spent years watching patients react to internal and external stimuli that I am unable to see or hear.

Although I've only played 2hrs? about, I can't even begin to explain how surreal it was.

This game is beautiful to look at and hear. After a few hours I felt like I was going crazy. Must use headphones to truly appreciate this game

Played the game last fall in anticipation of HB2.

I thought it was one of the most artsy fartsy games I’d ever played, but really enjoyed it. Can’t wait for #2

If it’s anything like DmC, I don’t want to play it. Sounds like it’s totally different tho?I had meant to play it; I’m disordered myself and like narrative games. I don’t like god of war combat stuff tho and hate devil may cry.

There are too many games to play, and I’m slow, so I haven’t gotten to it.

I never finished it as there were far too many puzzles for me. Not into that.

I really liked Hellblade and Im looking forward to Hellblade 2! Tried to replay Hellblade recently but it just not the type of game that you can play more than once imo.

I liked the unusual setting and atmosphere, but the combat was clunky and the play areas were overly confined. I had hoped that Ninja Theory might address the issues, so was disappointed when I learned that the combat has been simplified even further with one-on-one encounters, and the play time is still short.

I'm going to try it again today couldn't get into it when i tried last year.

Loved the first game. I finished the game thinking it was a masterpiece. No the gameplay wasn't great, but it absorbed you into a heartbreaking world, full of twists and turns leaving you vulnerable as to what's to come next.

Can it do it a second time? That I'm not so sure, we already know what to expect and I think not knowing is what made the first game great.

It was probably a 6-7. I thought it was ok. Played it with headphones on and iy was kind of annoying after a while. Endless talking, almost all of it made no sense.

I'm happy for those that enjoyed it, but I found it very slow and incredibly boring, not interested in playing the sequel

Didnt rate it because not my kind of game. Felt like a Playstation exclusive... 3rd person, on rails, cinematic set piece adventure game. I bounced off it after a couple hours, those games almost never hold my attention and this one was no different even with its extremely slow everything.

@Jenkinss I'm curious what you consider to be "on rails" set piece type game?

I guess I don't understand how, Spiderman, God of War, Ghost of T, Forbidden West, Bloodbourne etc.... fit that definition. The Last of Us? Returnal/ -
It's such a goofy framing or pseudo dig that makes no sense.
I didn't play the open world Gears 6?, but the others i played were similar style of game to Unchartered- just different themes.
Like the ***** the call all Xbox stuff dudebro shooters.
You people are ridiculous

Marmite game it seems, put me in the loved it camp.

@Jenkinss It was a Playstation exclusive for a while before going to Xbox.

A great opening hour - especially with headphones.

Really didnt enjoy it at all.
As someone who has worked with people suffering serious mental health for 15 years, and who now suffers with issues of my own including PTSD, the idea that these games 'accurately portray' these conditions could not be more insulting.

Really enjoyed Hellblade 1, with a couple of caveats. The art design, the ultra-dark tone and the sound (headphones essential) were very much my cup of tea. Combat was functional at most, but it was more about the cinematic experience - I know not every gamer digs that type of game, but I think there's a place for them.

What it was lacking was a 'Gravity Gun' or a 'Blades of Chaos' moment. The gameplay in the first 2 hours of Hellblade was pretty much identical to the gameplay in the final 2 hours; for a game to really be great, I feel like it needs to have the balls to keep evolving as you play; to do something in the second half that adds a whole new layer/dimension to the game mechanics.

I loved it played through it twice as someone who lives with mental health problems this game really does a great job at tackling it the sound design is top class and the mechanic they use was absolutely genius because it really makes you feel senua’s pain

@CallMeDuraSouka Yes obviously I was talking about Bloodborne, a Fromsoft soulslike, and Returnal, a roguelike 3rd person shooter. You are a master of game identification, well done. You should have added Littlebigplanet to the list.

Solid 8 for me.