Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

 Summary

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is an action-adventure, puzzle game that takes place in a dark and haunting world inspired by Norse mythology. Hellblade is rated 17+ due to its frequent violence, gore, and general mature content. This game certainly is not for the faint of heart, it really takes a toll on you mentally but don’t get us wrong this game is absolutely INCREDIBLE. Because of the gory nature and mental illness themes across the game, we think this one should be played by those aged 16 and above. If your child (or teenager) is sensitive to gore or finds mental health themse distressing, then we would suggest that they wait until they are older to play the game where they feel more comfortable with these elements.

This game allows you to embark on a treacherous journey to follow Senua, a fighter who is haunted by her inner demons, as she fights both mythical creatures and the physical manifestations of her mental struggles. You can play this game on Windows PC or through Xbox and it can be downloaded using the developer Steam. While this game may not be for the faint of heart, it’s a fantastic and educational journey that is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.

Gameplay

Hellbalde is a solo-player, puzzle-based journey where the players guide Senua through a hauntingly beautiful world full of mysterious trials. These puzzles are woven into the story, making the experience immersive and encouraging players to trust their gut to move forward rather than listening to the game. You follow Senua, a Celtic warrior who risks her life to save her lover's soul in Helheim, the Viking underworld. Senua suffers from schizophrenia and is forced to confront otherworldly forces and mental demons. The game's unique blend of intense action, environmental riddles, and psychological horror themes really puts players in Senua's terrifying world. Hellblade is an engaging game about the resilience of the human spirit in overcoming personal hardships and a great lesson to anyone struggling in their lives.

Hellblade's combat system is very tough, and you need to use a lot of planning and patience to get through the fights. Because players must learn from each fight and change their strategies to fit, the level of difficulty makes the game a whole lot more interesting. There is an auto-save feature if you die in the game or if you need to stop playing you can start right where your last auto-save was which is handy. One unique thing about Hellblade is that players can only die a certain number of times before they lose all their progress. Yes, you lose ALL your work and have to start over!

While you have the main storyline, you also have a side quest of collecting the Lore stones. Not only does collecting the Lore stones reveal more about Hellblade's world, but it also opens the door to a secret ending. This part of the game teaches players how important it is to explore everything, as it rewards players who learn more about the game's history with secret stories and different endings.

Hellblade is a short but powerful game that can be played for an average of 8 to 9 hours. The time spent is well worth it because the story is deep and interesting, and it comes to life through both gameplay and story parts. There is even a second game coming out in 2024 making fans even more excited for more of Senua's story.

Education

Hellblade is one of the best video games ever, and it's not just because of its beautiful graphics and interesting story. It's also very educational. One of the most important lessons this game teaches is about the awareness of mental health. The main character, Senua, struggles with psychosis throughout the game. This gives players a unique and detailed look at the problems people with mental illnesses face. By going into Senua's mind, players learn more about the complicated side of mental illness, which helps them understand others and clears up some of the myths that surround it. Hellblade is a great way to teach players how important it is to care about and understand people who are dealing with mental health problems in real life.

Hellblade also teaches you how to be patient. The fighting in the game is tough and unforgiving, so players must keep going through tough fights. In a time when everything is fast, Hellblade shows us how important it is to be patient and keep going. Players need to get better at what they do, learn from their mistakes, and go into every battle with a plan. People can learn a lesson from this part of the game that helps them deal with problems by being strong and patient. Hellblade is like a virtual gym where you can build up the mental toughness to deal with life's challenges.

Hellblade is also an interesting look into the ancient Celtic and Viking cultures. The game was carefully made, and every feature of these historical settings was carefully thought out. By following Senua through her journey, players can learn about the beliefs, customs, and daily lives of these ancient societies. By being both fun and true to history, the game is a great way to learn about the Celtics and Vikings and encourages players to learn more about their culture. So, Hellblade is more than just a game, it's also a unique and immersive way to learn and spark an interest in ancient cultures.

Violence/ Adult Themes

In Hellblade, the dark environments are not just a background, they’re a big part of the game's mood. The background is full of gruesome images, from floating dead bodies to piles of lifeless bodies that are spread out across empty landscapes. The way the game looks puts players right into a world that mirrors Senua’s mental difficulties. It creates a dark and intense backdrop that sets the mood for the whole game but will be a disturbing sight for younger players.

During the intense battles, players are shown how bloody a battle really can be. The game doesn't shy away from showing us how brutal battles, with bloody weapons, screams of pain, and graphic injuries. Unsettling images, like a head that is worn around Senua's waist throughout the game (although it is covered), or Senua growing rot on her arm add to the grim realism of the battles. This makes the experience more immersive, reflecting how hard Senua’s trip is but is, of course, quite a grueling sight for players of any age especially younger children.

Along with its dark themes and heated battles, Hellblade uses rough language from time to time, which adds to its mature content such as the f-word, a few s-words, and others. Even though they're not the main focus, swearing is used throughout the story, which makes the emotional battles shown in the game feel more real. This adds to the mature and realistic portrayal of the problems Senua faces on her dangerous trip but again, not appropriate for younger players.

Monetization

Hellblade has an initial purchase of around $35 which then gives players full access to the game. There is no extra downloadable content (DLC) although you do have the option to purchase the soundtrack if you enjoyed the music. Even better, there are no in-game currency or microtransactions. This gives you the whole gaming experience without any secret costs so you can relax and enjoy the game.

Safety

Hellblade is a single-player story game, so your child can play it safely without the worry of then talking to other people online. This takes away worries about any possible bad interactions online. But if you let your child play Hellblade, you need to be aware and monitor your child’s health during gameplay. Mental illness and deep psychological themes are explored in the game and the immersive design makes players experience what it’s like to have schizophrenia by questioning the truth of the game and having constant auditory hallucinations. While this game is a massive educational tool for awareness of mental health issues, you need to be aware of and monitor your child’s mental health if they decide to play this game. You can turn the voices and eerie music sound down in the settings, but it is such a major part of the game.

If you choose to play this game in virtual reality (VR), you need to take extra safety measures. VR can give you feelings of motion sickness or getting lost. Players need to be aware of their physical health as well and make sure that they are setting time limits, and make sure they have enough room to avoid accidents.

Tips and Tricks

Hellblade has a setting that allows players to switch the combat difficulty instantly! Players can adjust the difficulty level according to their skills and preferences at any moment. For more intense fighting or a smoother tale, this feature lets you make real-time alterations to the game. If you're having trouble in a fight, switch to easy mode and then back to hard afterward!