A journey through the mind.

Very few games tackle mental health issues, and even fewer do it as well as Hellblade. This adventure game meshes simplistic combat with gorgeous visuals and audio that is simply outstanding to create an experience unlike any other before it. Now Xbox One owners can finally see what all the fuss was about when this game originally launched, and it feels good.

Developer Ninja Theory has a pretty solid track record. Enslaved was a cult classic and their take on Dante in DmC, while controversial, was immensely solid. Hellblade marks them stepping outside of large publisher deals and instead opting for a more personal experience. It feels like a AAA game in production, but comes in at smaller price. The end result is an experience every game should opt to take.

MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99

The problem with games that attempt to tackle subjects such as mental illness is that they rarely handle it with the proper care it requires. Hellblade follows the journey of Senua as she dives deep into the depths to save the soul of her lover. It is a twisted tale that uses incredible audio and visual moments to really showcase the experience. It does an amazing job of giving the player a sense of what Senua is experiencing, and the performances are second-to-none.

I cannot recommend enough that this game be played with headphones. Immersing yourself into the world is a must. The audio is cleverly designed to come from all angles and volumes. It is jarring, disturbing, and effective. Even with subtitles the full experience is not gained. There are minor voices that seep into the headphones that simply will not be heard through a normal setup. It should be a requirement on the box.

As a game, Hellblade is broken down into three parts. First is the journey, which sees Senua visit a variety of areas. Then there is puzzle-solving, which ranges from inventive to downright frustrating. Finally we have combat. This is a simplified system that relies on a small set of moves. It feels good though and the enemies telegraph their moves just enough to keep things interesting. Also worth noting that each time Senua fails, she grows closer to the darkness – a mechanic that threatens to remove all progress if it spreads further.

All of these pieces come together to craft an excellent experience. None of them work on their own and Ninja Theory has done an amazing job of piecing them together.

For Xbox One the developers have included support for the X and it shines. There are three visual modes to choose from. Framerate, performance, and graphics. Each one has their own benefits and they all look stellar. Hellblade is a screenshot-worthy game through and through. The environments are beautifully macabre and the character models are simply stunning. The facial emotions Senua displays are downright eerie at times.

Hellblade is an amazing achievement in game design. It is something I think everyone should play. Again, I cannot stress enough to do it with headphones on and immerse yourself into its world. It is games like this that really showcase what talented developers can achieve. It is also worth mentioning that proceeds from the Xbox One sales are going to mental health research, so yeah, buy this amazing title already.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.