Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

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It's a good game, but it's not a fun game. It's very different than Yakuza. I'd sit down and play that when I wanted to just take it easy and enjoy myself. With Hellblade, though, I'm more hesitant. It's an interesting experience but not a pleasant one. I normally go for lighthearted games, or at least games that don't take themselves too seriously. There's none of that here. It's all pretty grim and serious. It's almost like I have to take a deep breath and get ready, before diving in.

edit: Damn, just spent an hour figuring my way through the geography and visual puzzles of one of these "levels." I'm finding it more frustrating than I should. It's like the game is speaking a language I'm having trouble understanding. Hopefully I'll start to pick it up as we go along, but it's been a bit of a chore so far. Lots of backtracking and head-scratching.
 
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Ended up grabbing it on PC and it runs pretty well. Game defaulted to 1080p and highest settings. Not sure if that is normal or if it does an auto selection. Either way it runs around 60 for the most part with a few dips into 55 or so, and even fewer bigger dips. Nothing big really so I'll take it.

As for the game itself I've completed one of the first "levels" as you called it. Level I did first =
The bird one
Like you said combat is actually not too bad if not a little basic, but finding out how to do some different type of attacks either while running or using evade button. Definitely seems more of a heavy story based game vs straight up action, which is fine by me. I didn't really know what the game was about going in but agreed that it's a very dark game dealing with mental health. I'm using headphones which makes a huge difference. It's not a horror game but the sounds in the game truly sound they are right behind you. I'm a big fan of horror/psychological games and movies so that alone makes the game worth it to me so far.

Will be interesting to see how her decent into madness continues. Also I assume the guide is voiced by Sean Bean.
 
Was reading that headphones are recommended, because of the whispers you'll hear.
 
Grimmy said:
Was reading that headphones are recommended, because of the whispers you'll hear.
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Yes. Stereo headphones are the best way to play this game, because it was recorded using binaural audio, which records sound the way human ears would hear them. There's a post about it on the previous page. The audio in this game is great.
 
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I'm enjoying it more, now that I've turned the difficulty down to easy. I was working too hard on bosses and some enemies (e.g., shield-bearers), so I turned it down. I'm more interested in the story, visuals, and sound than I am in the combat, anyhow. I do like the combat -- it looks cool when you go into slow-mo.

I've also gotten a feel for the visual puzzles, which were frustrating to me in the beginning. The game does some things differently, and it's taken me a while to learn its language.

It's a good game. I was struggling with it at first, but I've gotten into a groove now.

It's getting a lot of good impressions and press, which is nice to see.
 
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Seen pretty good things around this game, might pick it up later down the line.

Is there a way to turn off the death penalty save trick?
 
the_slayer said:
Is there a way to turn off the death penalty save trick?
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I haven't heard of that. Are you referring to the perma-death mechanic? If so, I've heard that it's more of a "bluff" than a real threat. No one has actually triggered it, afaik.
 
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Just finished.

Impressive visuals. Some scenes were just crazy. I liked the combat. I liked the story, too, although I'm pretty sure I don't understand everything I'm supposed to. They did an admirable job with a difficult, original subject.
 
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I would play but after getting to the beach on the way to the tree, the game has started to chug like a mofo. Looks to be an issue with AMD cards unfortunately. Supposed to be a temp fix until they patch it so hopefully I can try it out soon.
 
Andy said:
Just finished.

Impressive visuals. Some scenes were just crazy.

I liked the combat in general, but it got relentless and too difficult for me at times, so I turned it down to Easy. I loved the visual effect when you'd time a parry just right.

I liked the story, although I'm pretty sure I don't understand everything I'm supposed to. There were points where things felt a bit pretentious to me. Generally, though, they did an admirable job with a difficult, original subject.

I'd like to go back and replay it again sometime, now that I have a better grasp of the story they're trying to tell. I'm pretty sure I could appreciate things on a deeper level on a second run.
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Was it short?
 
Hedon said:
Was it short?
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I'd estimate it was about 10 hours? It's hard to know, exactly, but I played it every day since release, total of 7 days, for 1-2 hours a day. I take longer than your average player, so it might be 8 for most people.
 
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Nice thing about this model -- they only need 300K to break even. Can you imagine? Most of the time we're talking about games needing over a million to sell well, and even that isn't very good sometimes. But 300K seems easily reachable, especially for a well-received, unique game like this. It's at 100K on Steam already (as of a couple days ago), is selling on GoG as well, and of course PS4. So 300K ought to be easily attainable.

I've read some material that explained the story better. It makes me want to replay it, because I would better understand what was going on the second time. Otoh, I want to go back and finish up Yakuza 0's side missions. Hmm.

Anyhow, very interesting and worthwhile game, guys. If you can stand a little repetition on the puzzles (which I didn't mind much myself, but other people complain about), you should enjoy it.
 
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Very interesting piece from Gamespot, "Why Hellblade is More Important to Gaming than You Think." They talk about the disappearance of the mid-tier, AA game, and how games like Hellblade might bring them back. Good insights into risk-taking, creative freedom, the autonomy of a small studio who are publishing the game, and the role of digital distribution.

Makes me want to buy a second copy. :)

 
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Over 100K on Steam, first 10 days. Twice as much as Cliffy's game, which debuted the same day. Unknown how much it sold on PS4, but likely more. Which means it's within range of breaking even, within the first 10 days. Ninja Theory must be happy.
 
Andy said:
Over 100K on Steam, first 10 days. Twice as much as Cliffy's game, which debuted the same day. Unknown how much it sold on PS4, but likely more. Which means it's within range of breaking even, within the first 10 days. Ninja Theory must be happy.
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yeah i read they need 300k to break even.
 
Andy said:
Nice thing about this model -- they only need 300K to break even. Can you imagine? Most of the time we're talking about games needing over a million to sell well, and even that isn't very good sometimes. But 300K seems easily reachable, especially for a well-received, unique game like this. It's at 100K on Steam already (as of a couple days ago), is selling on GoG as well, and of course PS4. So 300K ought to be easily attainable.

I've read some material that explained the story better. It makes me want to replay it, because I would better understand what was going on the second time. Otoh, I want to go back and finish up Yakuza 0's side missions. Hmm.

Anyhow, very interesting and worthwhile game, guys. If you can stand a little repetition on the puzzles (which I didn't mind much myself, but other people complain about), you should enjoy it.
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That's incredible. 300k to make your money back on a game at this day in age is nearly unheard of. Still haven't picked this up but it's my next purchase once my back log clears up.
 
I played Hellblade through a second time. I liked it much more the second time. I’ve never felt that I needed to play a game a second time, right after I completed it, just to appreciate it at another level.

It was much more emotionally affecting, the second time around. The first time, I felt sort of detached from Senua, like I was watching a performance. The second time, I had a much greater sense of empathy. I understood her voices better; I understood her relationships better; and I understood the story better (along with the Norse mythology).

I was better at the combat, too. It was a lot more enjoyable, less frustrating. Same for the puzzles.

8/10 on my first run. 9/10 on my second.

For a video game, it was very original and ambitious. Glad I took a chance on this.
 
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Damn I missed two lorestones for the final achievement! Oh well game was great for sure. I'll play it again sometime.
 
It was #1 PSN download for August in Europe, beating out Uncharted, which is quite a feat (although it was a download-only title, released earlier, so it had some advantage).

It was #2 PSN download in August for the US, right behind Madden and well ahead of Uncharted, another impressive accomplishment.

August 2017's Best-Selling PS4 Games on PSN in the US
  1. Madden NFL 18
  2. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
  3. Sonic Mania
  4. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
  5. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Good to see it doing so well.


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I've continued to think about the game since playing it through. It actually shifted my preferences in terms of what kind of books I read, which is something games rarely do. It made me realize I like stories about people who suffer and struggle with internal, psychological obstacles, not just external, physical ones. I find the former struggle more interesting.
 
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Cool twist on an accolades trailer.

 
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Playing through a third time...

I found Valravyn (at the start of the game) to be the toughest challenge in the game. I always get confused in his puzzle. Master of Illusion. He is also a tough fight. Beat him yesterday.

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On to the land of Surt.

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I have yet to buy this... As a physical game collector, I dislike the idea of digital only. I understand why it's that way, & what a great price!

The one big turn-off I have is seeing how limited/simple the fighting seems... I don't know if I would have any fun with this game. I'm more a Dark Souls 3/Bloodborne/HZD kind of gamer
 
Mike O'War said:
I have yet to buy this... As a physical game collector, I dislike the idea of digital only. I understand why it's that way, & what a great price!

The one big turn-off I have is seeing how limited/simple the fighting seems... I don't know if I would have any fun with this game. I'm more a Dark Souls 3/Bloodborne/HZD kind of gamer
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I understand your concerns about the combat. I ended up enjoying it, but it is not a particularly complex system -- melee kicks, fast and slow sword strikes, dodge, parry, and evade. There is also a "focus" meter that gradually fills and which enables a slow-time mechanic. There isn't a lot of enemy variation. Maybe half a dozen different types (not including the bosses). They do require different strategies and good timing, and fights can be challenging at times, but it's not at the level of Dark Souls.

Some people complain about the way the encounters feel boxed in, without a lot of room for you to maneuver. But that's a deliberate choice, to reflect her inner world.

Combat is not that big a part of the game, though. The big turnoff for me (and most people) is not the combat but the visual puzzles. They can take a long time to work out sometimes, and they are overdone. I enjoyed the game more on my second run, because the puzzles weren't so time consuming and didn't interrupt the flow.

Despite those problems, I think the game is an amazing accomplishment, one of the best I've played all year, and certainly the most creative/innovative game I've played all year. I also love the spirit and courage behind making it. And the development model.

BUT it is not for everyone. Their philosophy was building a game that would find its own small audience. And it has. But it's not a game for most people. If you're not feeling drawn to it based on subject matter and what you've seen, then it's probably not something you'd like.
 
Hellblade sales 'better than expected', will break even months ahead of schedule

Going indie helped Ninja Theory's hack-and-slash perform well commercially.


Developer Ninja Theory is set to break even from harrowing hack-and-slash Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice months ahead of schedule, partly thanks to its decision to publish the title independently, the studio's chief creative director has said.

Hellblade, which depicts a Celtic warrior's battle with mental illness, was due to break even between six and nine months after its early August release, but it will have made its money back "and then some" three months after it came out, Tameem Antoniades told VentureBeat.

The decision to publish the game independently—the first time Ninja Theory has done that—was a big help because it means it gets the bulk of the money from sales, rather than a big-name publisher taking a slice. "It sold better than our expectations. [Self-publishing has] opened up a bunch of doors and possibilities that we just didn’t have until this point," he said.

Antoniades said that Ninja Theory will release more data on the sales in a development diary "to help encourage [other developers] to do more games like this".

http://www.pcgamer.com/hellblade-sa...ted-will-break-even-months-ahead-of-schedule/

 
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Good dev diary, provides an overview of the game, the risks, the reception, sales, AA, etc.

I get teary when they talk about how the game was received. It really is a remarkable artistic achievement, to tell this sort of story (well!) in videogame form. I'm like that Gamespot reviewer they quote -- I've seen depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and a host of other psychological/emotional problems up close, and this game handled mental illness expertly and with great sensitivity.




It's hit 500K now, so it's in profit, well ahead of expectations. Tameem A. says an interesting thing, that less than 5% of developers reach a break even point with their games. I didn't realize there was such a high failure rate.

They did a good and difficult thing. They deserve all their success. I look forward to whatever they do next.
 
I didn't pay much attention to this before it came out so this ended up being the surprise of the year for me. Such a great experience and great to see it being a success.
 
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