@@aidankhaos7687"games are improving" Ah yes, because gamebreaking glitches, tons of visual bugs, crashes, microtransactions, etc are such improvements over the PS2 era and before.
Quality over quantity my friend, the first one was fantastic and it also had a similar runtime (about 7 hours) but the experience was amazing. I understand that for some 50 euros / dollars is too much for a 6-7 hour game, but the quality of those 6 hours really matters. This is not some CoD single-player campaign man.
@@jonahbrown5669Did PS2 era games not have bugs in them? Why are you making it sound like every single game released now is broken? Are you only playing Ubisoft games and Madden?
IMO the best part of the first game was the constant looming “permadeath” if the black marks fully engulfed you. That with the voices telling me I was going to get flanked had me on edge in the best way. Also the whole Norse mythological aspect was so fun to interact with.
Permadeath was a lie, BTW. They just said it was in-game to cause stress, but it didn't exist - not that the game was hard at all, only got killed a few times, and I only need 3 attempts at most for the toughest boss.
The first one more or less define single player narrativies for me as an adult, legitimately pushed the envelope for experiences I'd had gaming. I'm an hour or so into Hellblade II and I'm adoring the gameplay and atmosphere, ninja theory has a way of crossing beautiful and haunting in such an amazing way.
It’s wild when you realize that there was less time between A Plague Tale 1 and 2 compared to Hellblade 1 and 2 when Asobo took a much larger leap forward. Especially when Microsoft is asking 50 buckaroos for a 5 hour experience.
They don't want you to buy it, they want you to play it on gamepass so they can proudly say they have a lot of people using the service... while also turning on Ninja Theory saying the game didn't sale well
@@matodragonespor5000 yup, the fate that worked out so well for Tango and Hi-Fi Rush… the current state of Xbox, or what feels more like “Microsoft Gaming” now is infuriating.
@@Jmerithew87 Have you really played Hellblade(1) & 2? It`s a perfect sequel imo, that takes everything from the first game to the next level and develops the characters and lore further. Don`t understand the complaints, what did you want from the second part?
The first one helped me with the suicide of my sister. .I actually reached out to Melina about it and had a pretty solid correspondence between her about it. Great studio and game. I am excited to play this one on a much lighter note.
I've used the first one to explain to friends how it's like because they just don't get it. One of them rings me weekly now to make sure I'm still breathing! *AND* it helped his missus understand the loss of her sister years ago. The way they handled such a delicate issue, and portrayed something that varies massively from person to person in such an encompassing way impressed me massively. Put off playing the first one for so long but was really glad once I got around to it. Although I'm pretty sure I won't be shelling out 500 dabs just to play it. Maybe they'll suck it up and shunt a copy across to PlayStation? I'd gladly drop 50 notes on it, if even as a thank you for the first one...
Heavenly Sword is lost in Sony licensing, so likely we’ll never see another. Pretty sure that’s how Hellblade was born, it’s a play on words Heavenly Sword in reverse. Heaven / Hell, Sword / Blade.
I'll be happy if Ninja Theory doesn't get shut down. This game is on Game Pass which means it's not going to sell as many units as it would've if it wasn't on Game Pass. And we all know what happens to Xbox studios that don't move units.
Maybe with Xbox new stance on multi platform development, Ninja Theory could strike a deal with PlayStation to make a Heavenly Sword sequel or remake 🤩
After playing BG3, My Time at Portia, and Fallout 4 back to back, a 5-7 hour game doesn't sound too bad to me. Not EVERY SINGLE game needs to be a sweeping epic.
Same boat here with BG3, Elden Ring, and Witcher 3. I just started Ghost of Tsushima recently too and I'm already feeling a bit burned out by the Ubisoft-open-world formula. I feel like I'm losing my mind reading so many people say that they want a 20-30 hour game from a $50-60 price tag. So much of those 20-30 hour games are literally just spent traversing the open world. gathering for things to upgrade x or y. Feels like so many people are brainrotten by play time instead of the memorability or the quality of the experience.
I agree but you can’t then make said 5-6 hour game full 60 bucks, that’s insane to me. But I do agree I’m burnt out on open world I really want more last of us linear style games, I haven’t got through GOW ragnorok yet cuz they’ve made that too open world-ish compared to the first. Not every game needs to be crammed into open world formula!!
I get why some people would not like this. But I am just in awe. The craft, the atmosphere, the shere insanity of some moments, acting, same as with first game the only word I can think of is art. And I wish there was more.
I don’t know why this game has so much hate, it’s about the experience it gives you, not every game should be a get good grind fest , just play and enjoy
I just started, just made it into “the cave,” and I’ve never been experienced anything even close to this. The overall experience feels perfect to me. Last night I took my headphones off last night and said… “Wow…” out loud… alone!
If you play this one first, then sunuas sacrifice will be a treat. In my opinion this one should’ve came first due to it’s more mild fighting and gameplay.
I fought the draugrs yesterday and omg was it a short but intense moment. The music either the low tones growls of men is insane. The drums hits you hard and I felt epic with every ennemy I killed. I’ll probably finish the game in 10 hour since I want to find every little secret in it but the atmosphere is on another level. I get it’s not for everyone but it is truly a game most players should try. Yeah, it’s pricey for a 6 hour game, but in a world where people buy fifa for a 100$ every year for the exact same game, it’s not that bad
@@84coti yes this one of the most immersive game there is out there. I played this game twice mainly to re-fight these bad boys, listening to that badass song
I heard that they didn't start development until 2020. So that trailer in 2019 was just a concept if thats the case. Im about 2 hours in, playing with head phones on in the dark. Its very immersive. Game doesn't feel slow or dragged out. Feels like the game is taking me along for a ride and im here for it.
@@lukastembergerI do that with most new games on sub services, however, I do usually continue paying for gamepass cuz there’s always a game me and my buddies can load up together
Already finished the game. I want every kind of game for gamers to play. This one falls strictly into narrative game unfolding in 6 to 7 hours not our general action rpg. Its all audio/visual uplifting the experience. I liked the game but story ends kinda abruptly
People will see a pretty game and spend the AAA standard 80 euros on it, not carring if the story is garbage, there being little to no gameplay, imbalances left and right, etc.... This is why AAA industry still sells, because people will always be distracted da shinies lmao
Remember how much the original game reveal captured me. The first game wasn’t the longest and combat was fairly simple, but I’ve replayed it several times, always in the dark with headphones, and feel DIFFERENT after each sitting. Wish this was available on PlayStation; maybe eventually.
For me it improves the original in every way: - Less frustrating puzzles, and more varied and interesting - Less ambiguous story, you are in a world with other people, makes you feel more like you are not in a videogame and more in a real world - Combat hasn't changed much but the sensation when fighting is so much better. There is more varied enemies. And the choreography is incredible - More variety of scenarios - technically, it's a masterpiece, audio, graphic, art, music, animations, it's an absolute masterpiece I'm 4-5h in, so not sure how it ends but so far it has been worth every minute, every puzzle, every combat. I've felt anger, excitment, fear, ans much more in such a short time. I would say to people, ignore reviews and try for yourself.
I just finished it and I agree on every point. Since I took out time to search for every collectible and just walked my way through enjoying the scenery and atmosphere without running constantly, it took me about 10 hours. I think if you’re finishing in the 5 - 6 hour range, you’re just hard hoofing it running forward the whole game and trying to blaze through it as fast as you can.
You can’t tell people to try it for themselves when it’s $50 for 5-6 hours. That’s too short to justifying trying on a whim. Anyone not on the fence already bought it. Anyone not on the fence is not going to drop that amount of money just to find out
@@Agent_Cobalt Would agree in so much as buying the game outright. Many will pick this up with no additional cost on gamepass however so there is no extra cost to jump in that what they already pay.
Just finished this game. Loved the first one, and once again I seriously appreciate a truly immersive experience. I don’t need level up gimmicks or new costumes. Some more difficult puzzles would’ve been nice but overall, just WOW. These 7-8 hours are worth far more to me then 95 percent of RPG’s or live service games
Honestly I love it so far. If you were expecting more of the first, you'll be satisfied. If you were wanting something it was never supposed to be, don't bother.
I think it's fair for people to expect some innovation and evolution of gameplay systems for a sequel tbh not saying you can't enjoy this game for what it is to each there own but all the best sequels build upon the foundations laid by it's predecessor and expand on them from what I've watched theres not much of that in Hellblade 2 apart from the visuals which are admittedly incredible.
Im about 2 hours in and its amazing. Not sure why so many reviews are negative. I will concede its about 70% and experience and 30% a game hut holy crap is it good. Id love to have more of these on Game Pass. We have enough Live Service and 70-120hr games. Its worth the $15 to play.
I'm more hooked on this game already than most other games released in the last two years. This game doesn't feel like work, it feels just right, the graphics are incredible, and the audio + visual immersion is bonkers. A breath of fresh air by today's standards.
For never having played the first, I jumped into this one for the graphical fidelity because that’s something I also thoroughly enjoy about video games. I’ve had a great time so far playing this one and will have to go back to the first.
The first one is nowhere near in graphics, if that's all you're getting then I don't recommend the first one, if on the other hand you've liked the atmosphere, setting, overall experience or the story, then you'll love the first
I don’t know how I feel about 1V1 combat because the first game was only challenging in combat because you were basically being jumped. Especially toward the end. But if they shortened the parry window, then maybe that’s their way of balancing out the challenge🤷🏾♂️ Either way I’ll be checking this game out tomorrow when I get off work😎
@user-rt7eq7cw8o It is better. More visceral, gorgeous aninimation, etc. It's a way better version of the first one in every way. So if someone liked the first one. they should love the second one.
@user-rt7eq7cw8oThey did give you reasons. They said it's more visceral and has gorgeous animations. I personally think it's better too for similar reasons. I replayed the first just before starting the second and the combat feels way better. I think the second game does a much better job at making combat feel scrappy and desperate, whereas the first game had a somewhat arcade-y feel at times that conflicts a bit with the tone of the game (in my view). I say all of that without meaning to say that you cant have your preferences tho. At the end of the day its just opinions and preferences
@user-rt7eq7cw8o You didn't say gameplay, you said combat. Thats what the other person responded to and thats also what I responded to. You can feel as though I don't 'game' if you want. I know myself and the stuff I play. I've beaten both dooms, every from software game, every resident evil game, hollow knight, played most total wars; I've played various genres like rpg, fps, rts, jrp, etc etc etc. I'm not a newbie to gaming by any means and I've been playing for well over a decade. Senua 1 and 2 are easy games, also I don't think the focus is on the swordplay and the combos. This isnt god of war and it has no intention of being god of war. If you come into the game expecting that then you'll of course be disappointed. Also yeah, I think the 1vs1 fights are a better way of doing things than the group fights. It reinforces a really scrappy, chaotic, and desperate combat. I think that that vibe would be mostly lost by gamifying the combat system as you seem to be wanting to do - in my view. We can just agree to disagree too. I've said this before. Games, especially like these, are forms of art and not everyone will connect in the same way. If you don't connect with it thats ok. I'm certain theres something you like that I don't connect with too. That doesn't make your thing any less cool or meaningful to you
Been playing it and its amazing. Definitely not for everyone but definitely the most next gen game than anything out there now. Jawdropping production quality its mindboggling.
@@MrFox101 lol. And that confirms you haven't played it or seen it beyond a UA-cam stream. Because you genuinely cannot downplay it. Nothing comes close.
@khs511 I played it today on my series x. The black letterbox destroys any visual appeal. Imo the first game looks and plays better. I played Jedi Survivor last month on gamepass and that looked better. Before that I played Dragons Dogma 2 and that looked better. Before that BG3 and that looked better.
@@MrFox101 Dragon's Dogma 2 appears more impressive to me, achieving high visual fidelity in an open world rich with interactions and granularity between characters, enemies, and physics. Moreover, the global illumination looks superb.
Man I just finished the game and I feel exactly the same you do Jake. The first game was one of my all time favorites and I was super hyped for the release of the sequel. I think they delivered in every aspect with this sequel in terms of music,Level design, Action, sound design and everything else except the ending of the story. I felt a little empty when the credits rolled and IMO they could've done more with that. But other than that this game was awesome and I recommend everyone to experience this game after playing the first one. Ninja Theory is one of my favorite studios and I hope people support their games so that Microsoft don't cut them like they did with Tango and Arcane Austin. Tnx for giving your first impression on the latest games releasing. I've been waiting for this game so long and it was almost worth it.😅💙
dont mind short games. i never end up finishing long games anyways. Lose interest, or get distracted with something else. About 2 hours in im loving it!
Thanks for this honest review. I know a lot of people don’t prefer these types of games and I don’t blame them, is their opinion. But I’m just glad we finally got a true next gen looking game. To be honest, it’s actually one of the reasons why I own an Xbox series x. To play a true next gen game, not a game that looks cross gen or last gen, because we’ve been getting a lot of games, even next gen games, that doesn’t look next gen at all. Ninja theory did a fantastic job creating a beautiful looking game, finally using unreal engine 5 to its fullest. I like the first hellblade game, still haven’t beat the game yet, but it’s incredible for what it was. So I think I’m gonna buy the sequel and the first game, because I played the first game through game pass and I really want to finish the first game before preparing myself for the sequel. ☺️
I will get it when it is $20. The price is just wrong. I wonder who set it's price as $50. Not everyone is subscribed to gamepass and not everyone wants to.
@@majorshepard2 i have hundreds of un-played games in my steam library. length is irrelevant. I would rather a 5 hour game I want too play. than a 100 hour game I never touch
The combat is unique and the transition inbetween battle & inbetween scenes are really well designed and smooth. No hiccups (character teleporation etc).
Never played the first one and don’t really play linear games, so that being said, I love this game ! Haven’t finished it yet but I’m in awe of the music, story, combat, and the actors !
I absolutely loved the first game for it's story, music and audio design and even though the gameplay loop was very simple due to them mixing in elements that showcased Senua's mental state and how she sees the world it was quite enjoyable and this new game seems to be more of that so I'm in
I don’t mind a short game because as I’m getting older, I have less time to play. So I actually don’t mind. I think it’s perfect. I started yesterday and I’m loving it 🔥🔥🔥
The sound design and atmosphere during the cave section was incredible and terrifying. Makes me realize how much we need a Descent style horror game. Felt like the game needed 2-3 more giants though
You guys are the ONLY review I'm looking at before finishing the game, I'm about halfway through. Thank you for doing such a great job without spoiling.
@LetsLvl_Up yes I know it's on gamepass but the price of the game is still advertised as 50 bucks.. I'm just saying it's really disappointing that ninjatheory released this game after 5 years of development..it seems like they only worried about the graphics.. I watched an entire playthrough and from what I could see, it seems like the same game as the first. Only difference is, you only first one person at a time, the puzzles are waay easier (and the puzzles in the first game were pretty easy), the story is worse, and there's alot more walking.. it's just disappointing...
The first game was an incredible journey, I`m so pumped to play this one in the weekend. I hope this does well with sales, and developers get encouraged to think outside the box instead of us getting the same live-service open world bloat-fest thats the norm in recent years.
They already tried a live service game for Xbox. It totally bombed to the point where most people don't remember it. Bleeding Edge anyone? I think MS is going to shut them down honestly.
Just finished the game. It may as well just be an extended tech demo for UE5. It's mostly just a walking sim with repetitive and boring puzzles. You need to mod the game to remove the ridiculously large letterbox borders. You need something like a 4070 or better to get a solid 60FPS. Combat is somewhat engaging at first but it quickly becomes repetitive. The game has no ending, it just stops. The credits roll and you go "is that it?"
Bought Xbox just to play this game. Once was not enough. So it's the first game to play 2nd walkthrough immediatly after finnishing. Most cinematic=movie like and photorealistic experience ever. Great camera movement (blocking). Dark tone and hard topic are not apealing to wider player audiance. Amazing game.
I mean, there are tutorials, they're just not forceful or anything, like when they give you a mechanic and the voices tell you to use it, there's no prompt or anything but the tutorial is there in a way
no huds too! i mean you can turn them off in a lot of games nowadays but this was the default for this game. plus the added bars actually made it more cinematic experience and fully immersed you. you gotta have a potato rig and often plays fornite or other "trendy" games to not appreciate hellblade 2.
This is a great review. It really expressed a lot of the same feelings I had about the game. One thing I missed was the engagement of combat against multiple parties. I kept waiting for the game to let me fight multiple enemies before I realised it never would. The first game had it's issues with this but it was fun and I never expected them to solve the problems by just cutting it completely and choosing to interrupt combat by taking over the character to prioritise visuals over gameplay.
I honestly still loved this entry of Senua's Saga. The visuals were so close to lifelike that some cutscenes looked breathtaking and especially when you see Senua up close, it's like she was real. The environments and biomes looked stunning. I think one of my favorite moments was the first giant boss where all the lava was shooting up in the air synchronized to the music was definitely a highlight of the game and I definitely give props to Ninja Theory for utilizing Unreal Engine 5 to make the game look gorgeous. It's still a 10 out 10 game for me!
Waited a long time for this one! I'm downloading it right now and giving it a shot. Hellblade 1 was short, succinct and straight to the point, I loved every bit of it. It didn't feel short, if that makes sense, it felt like a complete package and, as long as this part ticks that mark, it's gonna be a banger.
I’ve lived with psychosis for 11 years and loved both games. There are a bunch of PlayStation fanboys who, if you click on their profiles, either didn’t play or played for 10 minutes, spamming one star reviews, and even so the game has 4.3 stars despite that, it’s a solid sequel. All the people talking shit about length as if the first wasn’t short and narrative focused too. Play the games for yourself. Who tf expects a 40 hour game as a sequel to a 7-8 hour story focused game about mental health? It’s free on game pass, chill.
It's meant to be a cinematic experience (spatial audio, captivating sceneries, etc). Its not a Call of Duty or a Souls like, just think of The Walking Dead and Heavy Rain, they were no fun games to play (at least to me), but their story was great, this one at least has the combat gameplay.
I feel like everyone making massive open worlds and making games over 100hours to complete, this was perfect for me, a nice change, a short, detailed story which i will remember!
I'm assuming many people who are upset wanted a 20+ hour game with side quests and stuff like that. This game and the first game are very cinematic driven. I think $50 is fine for a 6-8 hour game
If it had the same emotional power I wouldn’t mind so much. The first one will always hold a high place in my heart. Quality over length is preferred. But this one feels hollow when all is said and done.
@@GrowishGambino The first game was short but cost $30. Seeing as now Ninja Theory developed this sequel under Microsoft, $50 for a same length game isn't shocking. It's Microsoft who determines the price, not Ninja Theory.
@@ironiccookies2320 30 bucks was already pushing it pretty hard for a very shallow 5-7 hour game with very little replay value. Being acquired by MS doesn't suddenly normalize a 20 dollar price hike either. In fact it should warrant a lower cost of entry since the backing isn't solely on the studio anymore.
8:43 I've played the first game and was genuinely gutted when Microsoft made the sequel a platform exclusive. A short game that leaves you wanting more sounds perfect IMHO. I'll hopefully be able to pick this up when they eventually release it for the PS5. Assuming Microsoft continues with their new more open platform approach.
The first game was mind boggling for people who understood what the story was trying to convey. As someone who does live with psychosis, it is incredible to have a way to show others what that's like and how genuinely terrifying it can be at times. My girlfriend didn't understand what it was like until she played the original a few years ago and now she has a much better understanding of what I go through on a regular basis. The game isn't for everyone, but for me personally, the best psychological game of all time. Hoping the sequel lives up to the hype.
I keep seeing reviews say combat felt worse. Am i the only one who thinks this game has the most rewarding feeling parry system? It feels so good when you get that blue light
The combat hasn't changed much mechanically but it feels so much better. The sensations you feel when fighting have nothing to do with the previous one.
Thanks so much for your hard work, and well put together video, Jake! The 'Before You Buy' videos are among my absolute go-to starting points when researching a game. I'm about four hours in, and I only played the first game for a few minutes, so I don't have much to compare it to, but I've been absolutely loving this. It's definitely not like most games. It is quite simple in its mechanics, but as an experience... Wow. It is so intense so much of the time. When you confront that first giant, holy crap. The music is mind blowing, the visuals are awe inspiring... So impressive. Also, the pacing feels really great. Just as the momentum seems like it might slack off a bit, BAM, something else big happens and blasts you into the stratosphere again. $50 does seem a bit steep for how short and simple the game play is, though. But, if you can play it on Game Pass, no question about it, this is excellent!
I just finished the game tonight. Amazing graphics, amazing atmosphere with one of my favorite video game characters, I didn't mind it being a short game but the ending left me wanting more but not in a good way too. From the trailer I thought we would get more of a struggle between light and darkness within her, (something we all deal with). I enjoyed her journey still, just wish we got more of the ending throughout the game.
I really enjoyed it, i loved the squad you slowly built up throughout the story. Its weird how i really only got into the combat near the end, i was horrible at dodging and parrying throughout most of the game.
to be fair these are issues u experienced right when the game came out. literally the first day. But now the game has fixed those issues within a days span after it was released. the movement is smooth, its better than a slippery laggy movement in call of duty. the servers and logging into a game is smooth. its better than actually having to keep restarting call of duty and waitng to join a match for 10mins. and the game is not cod or overwatch, and it does have some personality. what do u want to see, ppl flying and shooting lasers out of their eyes and bunny rabbits running around??? ppl literally turn invisible in this game. i dont see that in cod or in overwatch. I hope u werent paid to hate on this game right away.
Can't believe I've found a review which literally mirrors my own thoughts on this game 😳 I'm a big Hellblade stan. The first one is my top 1 still (rdr2 and Alan Wake are next). I'm not even mentioning how often I've played Hellblade back then, so ofter I still remember most of the quotes correctly. Not only it helped me through my depressed times and anxiety but also was a huge inspiration for me as a writer. That's how i love it. The sequel definitely lacks of many things, either its in the script or gameplay. I enjoyed it, but as the review said to the end it hadn't felt like satisfying. And I'm still convinced this game is just not for everyone, like Dear Esther or Everybody's Gone to The Rapture which are def my types. If you guys dont like don't even try it, it may become a waste of time. Or money.
Seven years in the making-three for pre-production and four for active development-for a five-hour "experience", three hours of which are cutscenes? It does look impressive for what it essentially is a very static game, but man this wasn't it at all. For the studio's future, one can only hope that they didn't spend too much money.
Ok, why did they dumbed down the combat, the puzzles tho? Is paying 60$ for 5h long campaign that is objectively a downgrade to the first game ok? Sure it's super impressive graphically and technically but man, it's just not good enough as a game
@@zaltmanblerozeSo not everyone deserves to play it... those who embrace the first game would only luv it.... Plenty of complains since hellblade 1 about the game to boring midway so yeah... it aint for u if u dont hv gp and straight up conplain to a small studio
@@Arka69682 Awful take. I doubt the devs want their fans telling prospective players that they don't "deserve" to play if they don't have a glowing first impression. I guess I'll pass on this one then
I absolutely loved this game from start to finish. It's so easy to focus on negatives when what we have here is a stunning, tragic, gritty story - beautifully told, with incredible acting. I'm not even remotely disappointed with the game. Funny, if this was a PS exclusive, I guarantee the comments section here would look VERY different and everyone would be singing the game's praises. I play on both Xbox and PS and don't understand all the hate towards Xbox. Stop being so toxic and let others enjoy what they want.
Combat is let down The first one had better combat Im glad they changed the SAT level puzzle tho😂 Cinema in-game and cutscenes flow seamlessly Better combat could save this The creepy feeling of the voices diggin in ur head is still nightmare inducing at times
I am roughly three hours in, and I love it. Visually it is stunning on my Xbox. I downloaded it from gamepass and I am blown away by it. I have played long games such as Skyrim, The Witcher 3 and RDR 2. And I don't mind a short game. I played the original hellblade on PS4 and actually preferred it to The GOW reboot
I fell in love with the first game. I was going through a rough time and while my psychologist helped a lot the game did a lot more for me than years with her about accepting your differences and struggles rather than think of the just a curse or rot you can't control. But unfortunately I'll have to wait until they patch or optimize it better because I keep getting a lot of frame drops at random, be it just walking around, fighting or cutscenes and it also throws the lipsync off and I DON'T want it to ruin my impression of the game. I hope they fix it soon.
The overall consensus I've been seeing is "good, but not as good as the first one" which sucks, but I'm gonna play the hell out of it anyway since I loved the first one and I can play this one on Gamepass
I couldn't play the first one, I never felt connected, but this one I really enjoyed, especially combat felt way juicer, each hit felt good, I know a lot people may not like this game and that's fine but to me this was quite a nice surprise.
!['Hellblade II' is bafflingly disappointing… [REVIEW]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/x2PAhL9UCyg/mqdefault.jpg)
I don't mind short games. But 7 years to make a 6 hour game? I don't think these next gen visuals are worth this long of a wait.
They actually stayed the game in 2019
Games are improving. Guess what that means? Longer production is going up. The better the finished, and polished.
@@aidankhaos7687"games are improving"
Ah yes, because gamebreaking glitches, tons of visual bugs, crashes, microtransactions, etc are such improvements over the PS2 era and before.
Quality over quantity my friend, the first one was fantastic and it also had a similar runtime (about 7 hours) but the experience was amazing. I understand that for some 50 euros / dollars is too much for a 6-7 hour game, but the quality of those 6 hours really matters. This is not some CoD single-player campaign man.
@@jonahbrown5669Did PS2 era games not have bugs in them? Why are you making it sound like every single game released now is broken? Are you only playing Ubisoft games and Madden?
I like how we got some interesting thoughts and straight up gameplay
And this free grain of salt, neat
😂
You know how this goes by now.
I subscribed because video games, but I also heard that pizza's on him.
IGN could never
IMO the best part of the first game was the constant looming “permadeath” if the black marks fully engulfed you. That with the voices telling me I was going to get flanked had me on edge in the best way.
Also the whole Norse mythological aspect was so fun to interact with.
Morse Code Mythology.
And yes, loved the Nordic gods stories as well. Baldr one for example.
I thought the permadeath thing of the first game was a myth?
@@retroman3960 yeah i guess it was
@@retroman3960You didn’t know that when it first came out though. You believed it.
Permadeath was a lie, BTW. They just said it was in-game to cause stress, but it didn't exist - not that the game was hard at all, only got killed a few times, and I only need 3 attempts at most for the toughest boss.
I watch these videos with no intention of buying games I just like the content
good for you
The first one more or less define single player narrativies for me as an adult, legitimately pushed the envelope for experiences I'd had gaming. I'm an hour or so into Hellblade II and I'm adoring the gameplay and atmosphere, ninja theory has a way of crossing beautiful and haunting in such an amazing way.
It’s wild when you realize that there was less time between A Plague Tale 1 and 2 compared to Hellblade 1 and 2 when Asobo took a much larger leap forward. Especially when Microsoft is asking 50 buckaroos for a 5 hour experience.
That Plague Tale sequel was so damn impressive.
@@Erlaxis I feel like it really set the bar for what a narrative could be. It was so much more than a “walking simulator”.
They don't want you to buy it, they want you to play it on gamepass so they can proudly say they have a lot of people using the service... while also turning on Ninja Theory saying the game didn't sale well
@@matodragonespor5000 yup, the fate that worked out so well for Tango and Hi-Fi Rush… the current state of Xbox, or what feels more like “Microsoft Gaming” now is infuriating.
@@Jmerithew87 Have you really played Hellblade(1) & 2? It`s a perfect sequel imo, that takes everything from the first game to the next level and develops the characters and lore further. Don`t understand the complaints, what did you want from the second part?
The first one helped me with the suicide of my sister. .I actually reached out to Melina about it and had a pretty solid correspondence between her about it. Great studio and game. I am excited to play this one on a much lighter note.
Hope you are doing well now man❤
@@rrr5108.. I am my friend. I really appreciate that.
❤
I've used the first one to explain to friends how it's like because they just don't get it. One of them rings me weekly now to make sure I'm still breathing! *AND* it helped his missus understand the loss of her sister years ago. The way they handled such a delicate issue, and portrayed something that varies massively from person to person in such an encompassing way impressed me massively. Put off playing the first one for so long but was really glad once I got around to it. Although I'm pretty sure I won't be shelling out 500 dabs just to play it. Maybe they'll suck it up and shunt a copy across to PlayStation? I'd gladly drop 50 notes on it, if even as a thank you for the first one...
I’m sorry for your loss, I know how hard it is to lose a love one, hang in there friend
I fell in love with Ninja Theory when they made Heavenly Sword. Would be cool to see them return to that type of game.
Heavenly Sword is lost in Sony licensing, so likely we’ll never see another. Pretty sure that’s how Hellblade was born, it’s a play on words Heavenly Sword in reverse. Heaven / Hell, Sword / Blade.
I'll be happy if Ninja Theory doesn't get shut down. This game is on Game Pass which means it's not going to sell as many units as it would've if it wasn't on Game Pass. And we all know what happens to Xbox studios that don't move units.
Heavenly sword was a game you could actually play. This is 90% walking in a straight line
Maybe with Xbox new stance on multi platform development, Ninja Theory could strike a deal with PlayStation to make a Heavenly Sword sequel or remake 🤩
@@aries4378but what if microsoft shut them down?
After playing BG3, My Time at Portia, and Fallout 4 back to back, a 5-7 hour game doesn't sound too bad to me. Not EVERY SINGLE game needs to be a sweeping epic.
Same boat here with BG3, Elden Ring, and Witcher 3. I just started Ghost of Tsushima recently too and I'm already feeling a bit burned out by the Ubisoft-open-world formula.
I feel like I'm losing my mind reading so many people say that they want a 20-30 hour game from a $50-60 price tag. So much of those 20-30 hour games are literally just spent traversing the open world. gathering for things to upgrade x or y. Feels like so many people are brainrotten by play time instead of the memorability or the quality of the experience.
Which one is it? Games are long people complain. Developers find a sweet spot, gamers complain. Which one is it?
@@RappyFXOr maybe, just maybe, we want more long, high quality games like BG3, Elden Ring and Witcher 3?
I agree but you can’t then make said 5-6 hour game full 60 bucks, that’s insane to me. But I do agree I’m burnt out on open world I really want more last of us linear style games, I haven’t got through GOW ragnorok yet cuz they’ve made that too open world-ish compared to the first. Not every game needs to be crammed into open world formula!!
as someone who doesn't have as much time for gaming these days, i agree. Some games really drag out - i don't want to play the same game for months.
So Hellblade II is going to end up on countdown list in a year called “Games that should have been an Expansion.”
Falcon is compiling the list as we type. 😆
More like "Games that should've been movies"
Or a dlc
Exactly what I wanted... which is more HellBlade. It's not for everyone but this one is definitely for me
Glad for you. Enjoy it
@majorshepard2 Ty you sir! I don't see any point of yucking someone else's yum especially in subjective art.
Exactly, if you're not interested in the core story/material then don't even bother playing
@@kylemckinney_22 but even if you should not bother. It Ford not make any of their points invalid. Just enjoy what you want to enjoy
Because your skills are not good
I get why some people would not like this. But I am just in awe. The craft, the atmosphere, the shere insanity of some moments, acting, same as with first game the only word I can think of is art. And I wish there was more.
I don’t know why this game has so much hate, it’s about the experience it gives you, not every game should be a get good grind fest , just play and enjoy
yeah definitely this is masterpiece, people salty for no reason
I wish the developed some type of platforming gameplay … so much more they could flesh out. Gameplay is like handicap level. I don’t get it.
@@WhatisReal11 wtf hellblade isn't lara croft
@@redragon9588ur right it’s a boring walking sim for people who can’t use a controller without having an aneurysm
The first transition from cinematic to gameplay was so clean. Awesome game so far
some cool stuff in it for sure
I just started, just made it into “the cave,” and I’ve never been experienced anything even close to this. The overall experience feels perfect to me. Last night I took my headphones off last night and said… “Wow…” out loud… alone!
If you play this one first, then sunuas sacrifice will be a treat. In my opinion this one should’ve came first due to it’s more mild fighting and gameplay.
Same I actually screamed once of how cathartic the game is lol
I fought the draugrs yesterday and omg was it a short but intense moment. The music either the low tones growls of men is insane. The drums hits you hard and I felt epic with every ennemy I killed. I’ll probably finish the game in 10 hour since I want to find every little secret in it but the atmosphere is on another level. I get it’s not for everyone but it is truly a game most players should try. Yeah, it’s pricey for a 6 hour game, but in a world where people buy fifa for a 100$ every year for the exact same game, it’s not that bad
@@84coti yes this one of the most immersive game there is out there. I played this game twice mainly to re-fight these bad boys, listening to that badass song
@@84coti first is way better, enemies more terrifying and custom combat options
I heard that they didn't start development until 2020. So that trailer in 2019 was just a concept if thats the case.
Im about 2 hours in, playing with head phones on in the dark. Its very immersive. Game doesn't feel slow or dragged out.
Feels like the game is taking me along for a ride and im here for it.
Bros about to beat the game by midnight 😭
I expect it's worth the $10 for a month of game pass on PC. Which is how I'm getting it.
Ya, but your supporting aids...of course that's your choice, but you aren't supporting the devs at all with gamepass
got it for 2$
So you'll subscribe for a month to play it, then unsubscribe?
@@lukastembergerI do that with most new games on sub services, however, I do usually continue paying for gamepass cuz there’s always a game me and my buddies can load up together
@@lukastembergerI’m guessing they are like me and already have gamepass and will whether or not they play this particular game
Already finished the game. I want every kind of game for gamers to play. This one falls strictly into narrative game unfolding in 6 to 7 hours not our general action rpg. Its all audio/visual uplifting the experience. I liked the game but story ends kinda abruptly
I love narrative driven game like this, but unfortunately the story wasn't worth waiting 7 years, nor the gameplay. Sad
@mostafasham1524 shows you haven't played it, hater.
@@Kaas465 Selling a lot of insecurity here, didn't say the game was trash,was a bit disappointed that's all, plus the game is on 'Xbox Game Pass'
The graphics are insane. If only all games could look like this lol. The graphics blow me away
Artstyle >realistic graphic but i agree this game looks beautiful
All 30 frames of it in the five hour long linear walking game !
@@anthonya04 maybe on console. On PC smooth 60+ on ultra settings.
You're easy to please. To each their own.
People will see a pretty game and spend the AAA standard 80 euros on it, not carring if the story is garbage, there being little to no gameplay, imbalances left and right, etc....
This is why AAA industry still sells, because people will always be distracted da shinies lmao
Nice to hear your thoughts but it’s incredible to me that you can talk about the game for 12 minutes and not mention the incredible audio.
He did mention the 3d audio he say it was still as good as the first one
Remember how much the original game reveal captured me. The first game wasn’t the longest and combat was fairly simple, but I’ve replayed it several times, always in the dark with headphones, and feel DIFFERENT after each sitting. Wish this was available on PlayStation; maybe eventually.
I thought it was coming to playstation after a year? I might be wrong though so def search it up
Yessir the review I’ve been waiting for. Thanks Gameranx!
thanks for stopping by!
Same me too
@@gameranxTVthanks for dropping by our TL’s
@@gameranxTVyour a great reviewer Jake!!!! Can’t wait to play this in gamepass!!!
It’s not a review
For me it improves the original in every way:
- Less frustrating puzzles, and more varied and interesting
- Less ambiguous story, you are in a world with other people, makes you feel more like you are not in a videogame and more in a real world
- Combat hasn't changed much but the sensation when fighting is so much better. There is more varied enemies. And the choreography is incredible
- More variety of scenarios
- technically, it's a masterpiece, audio, graphic, art, music, animations, it's an absolute masterpiece
I'm 4-5h in, so not sure how it ends but so far it has been worth every minute, every puzzle, every combat. I've felt anger, excitment, fear, ans much more in such a short time.
I would say to people, ignore reviews and try for yourself.
You're right, there's nothing like forming your own opinion about the game without being influenced by anyone else.
I just finished it and I agree on every point. Since I took out time to search for every collectible and just walked my way through enjoying the scenery and atmosphere without running constantly, it took me about 10 hours. I think if you’re finishing in the 5 - 6 hour range, you’re just hard hoofing it running forward the whole game and trying to blaze through it as fast as you can.
I don't think the first games story was ambiguous. If you pay attention, it's really easy to understand what's happening
You can’t tell people to try it for themselves when it’s $50 for 5-6 hours. That’s too short to justifying trying on a whim. Anyone not on the fence already bought it. Anyone not on the fence is not going to drop that amount of money just to find out
@@Agent_Cobalt Would agree in so much as buying the game outright. Many will pick this up with no additional cost on gamepass however so there is no extra cost to jump in that what they already pay.
Regardless this game came out finished. No hiccups. Runs flawlessly. I love it. Visuals and audio is some of the best we’ve ever seen.
Just finished this game. Loved the first one, and once again I seriously appreciate a truly immersive experience. I don’t need level up gimmicks or new costumes. Some more difficult puzzles would’ve been nice but overall, just WOW. These 7-8 hours are worth far more to me then 95 percent of RPG’s or live service games
Honestly I love it so far. If you were expecting more of the first, you'll be satisfied. If you were wanting something it was never supposed to be, don't bother.
I mean 5hrs is insane for $50
I don’t see why anyone would not want everything from the first game to be expanded upon especially the gameplay
lol people wanting more than the first game with better graphics isn't bad thing
I think it's fair for people to expect some innovation and evolution of gameplay systems for a sequel tbh not saying you can't enjoy this game for what it is to each there own but all the best sequels build upon the foundations laid by it's predecessor and expand on them from what I've watched theres not much of that in Hellblade 2 apart from the visuals which are admittedly incredible.
@@tatokainjones9029so is 5, 6, or 7 hours? You guys need to make up your minds.
Graphics look amazing tho. This isnt even PC capture either. Thats impressive.
Eh I have seen better games on playstation 5 and even playstation 4
@@KingJohnMichael give us some titles!
@@KingJohnMichael Such as?
@@KingJohnMichaelbrother I have both and there is not a single game on either that looks this good 😂😂😂
@@KingJohnMichaelnothing on ps4 looks this good nice try play station suck up 😭
Im about 2 hours in and its amazing. Not sure why so many reviews are negative. I will concede its about 70% and experience and 30% a game hut holy crap is it good.
Id love to have more of these on Game Pass. We have enough Live Service and 70-120hr games. Its worth the $15 to play.
What are you playing it on? What's your display resolution and fps? Don't be shy on specifics
I'm more hooked on this game already than most other games released in the last two years. This game doesn't feel like work, it feels just right, the graphics are incredible, and the audio + visual immersion is bonkers. A breath of fresh air by today's standards.
For never having played the first, I jumped into this one for the graphical fidelity because that’s something I also thoroughly enjoy about video games. I’ve had a great time so far playing this one and will have to go back to the first.
The first one is nowhere near in graphics, if that's all you're getting then I don't recommend the first one, if on the other hand you've liked the atmosphere, setting, overall experience or the story, then you'll love the first
The first game is better in every way besides the graphics
I love it really, the idea of a game that touches mental health in times like the game does, I don't know I just love it!
I don’t know how I feel about 1V1 combat because the first game was only challenging in combat because you were basically being jumped. Especially toward the end. But if they shortened the parry window, then maybe that’s their way of balancing out the challenge🤷🏾♂️ Either way I’ll be checking this game out tomorrow when I get off work😎
@user-rt7eq7cw8ogameplay was never a focus
@user-rt7eq7cw8o It is better. More visceral, gorgeous aninimation, etc. It's a way better version of the first one in every way. So if someone liked the first one. they should love the second one.
@user-rt7eq7cw8o Who said I was arguing? You have your opinion, I have mine. Move on.
@user-rt7eq7cw8oThey did give you reasons. They said it's more visceral and has gorgeous animations. I personally think it's better too for similar reasons. I replayed the first just before starting the second and the combat feels way better. I think the second game does a much better job at making combat feel scrappy and desperate, whereas the first game had a somewhat arcade-y feel at times that conflicts a bit with the tone of the game (in my view). I say all of that without meaning to say that you cant have your preferences tho. At the end of the day its just opinions and preferences
@user-rt7eq7cw8o You didn't say gameplay, you said combat. Thats what the other person responded to and thats also what I responded to. You can feel as though I don't 'game' if you want. I know myself and the stuff I play. I've beaten both dooms, every from software game, every resident evil game, hollow knight, played most total wars; I've played various genres like rpg, fps, rts, jrp, etc etc etc. I'm not a newbie to gaming by any means and I've been playing for well over a decade.
Senua 1 and 2 are easy games, also I don't think the focus is on the swordplay and the combos. This isnt god of war and it has no intention of being god of war. If you come into the game expecting that then you'll of course be disappointed. Also yeah, I think the 1vs1 fights are a better way of doing things than the group fights. It reinforces a really scrappy, chaotic, and desperate combat. I think that that vibe would be mostly lost by gamifying the combat system as you seem to be wanting to do - in my view.
We can just agree to disagree too. I've said this before. Games, especially like these, are forms of art and not everyone will connect in the same way. If you don't connect with it thats ok. I'm certain theres something you like that I don't connect with too. That doesn't make your thing any less cool or meaningful to you
Been playing it and its amazing. Definitely not for everyone but definitely the most next gen game than anything out there now. Jawdropping production quality its mindboggling.
Seriously? It doesn't look that good at all.
@@MrFox101 lol. And that confirms you haven't played it or seen it beyond a UA-cam stream. Because you genuinely cannot downplay it. Nothing comes close.
@@khs511 Idk all you do is walk and +3hr of cutscenes. The game is very limited so in such a static world/game it is not that impressive to be honest.
@khs511 I played it today on my series x. The black letterbox destroys any visual appeal. Imo the first game looks and plays better.
I played Jedi Survivor last month on gamepass and that looked better. Before that I played Dragons Dogma 2 and that looked better. Before that BG3 and that looked better.
@@MrFox101 Dragon's Dogma 2 appears more impressive to me, achieving high visual fidelity in an open world rich with interactions and granularity between characters, enemies, and physics. Moreover, the global illumination looks superb.
Man I just finished the game and I feel exactly the same you do Jake. The first game was one of my all time favorites and I was super hyped for the release of the sequel. I think they delivered in every aspect with this sequel in terms of music,Level design, Action, sound design and everything else except the ending of the story. I felt a little empty when the credits rolled and IMO they could've done more with that. But other than that this game was awesome and I recommend everyone to experience this game after playing the first one. Ninja Theory is one of my favorite studios and I hope people support their games so that Microsoft don't cut them like they did with Tango and Arcane Austin. Tnx for giving your first impression on the latest games releasing. I've been waiting for this game so long and it was almost worth it.😅💙
dont mind short games. i never end up finishing long games anyways. Lose interest, or get distracted with something else. About 2 hours in im loving it!
Thanks for this honest review. I know a lot of people don’t prefer these types of games and I don’t blame them, is their opinion. But I’m just glad we finally got a true next gen looking game. To be honest, it’s actually one of the reasons why I own an Xbox series x. To play a true next gen game, not a game that looks cross gen or last gen, because we’ve been getting a lot of games, even next gen games, that doesn’t look next gen at all. Ninja theory did a fantastic job creating a beautiful looking game, finally using unreal engine 5 to its fullest. I like the first hellblade game, still haven’t beat the game yet, but it’s incredible for what it was. So I think I’m gonna buy the sequel and the first game, because I played the first game through game pass and I really want to finish the first game before preparing myself for the sequel. ☺️
This game revolves a lot on the ambience , definitely not a walking sim if you enjoy the world around you
fun game
If you enjoy or not. Walking is walking. I may be being pedantic, but could you explain bc I actually think I misunderstand what you meant.
@@raveneden7028hes just restarted, ass games are ass.
@@AlejandroKirkisObese Lil playstation obsessed kiddo that can't afford both consoles or a PC spotted.
Taking in ambiance while walking is walking while taking in ambiance.
Walking sim is still a walking sim whether you enjoy the views or not 😄. The graphics and ambience have nothing to do with the gameplay.
basically this is a deep cut steam sale. around 15 to 20 bucks in a few months and sounds worth.
20 bucks for 5 hours is not with my money personally
15 bucks is still a lot. This is a high seas game
I will get it when it is $20. The price is just wrong. I wonder who set it's price as $50. Not everyone is subscribed to gamepass and not everyone wants to.
@@majorshepard2 i have hundreds of un-played games in my steam library. length is irrelevant. I would rather a 5 hour game I want too play. than a 100 hour game I never touch
$7-10 max
The combat is unique and the transition inbetween battle & inbetween scenes are really well designed and smooth. No hiccups (character teleporation etc).
Never played the first one and don’t really play linear games, so that being said, I love this game ! Haven’t finished it yet but I’m in awe of the music, story, combat, and the actors !
I absolutely loved the first game for it's story, music and audio design and even though the gameplay loop was very simple due to them mixing in elements that showcased Senua's mental state and how she sees the world it was quite enjoyable and this new game seems to be more of that so I'm in
Thanks Jake, you boys have literally saved me thousands of dollars over the years. These reviews are life savers man
ouchh lol
The boss combats in the original were super badass
I don’t mind a short game because as I’m getting older, I have less time to play. So I actually don’t mind. I think it’s perfect. I started yesterday and I’m loving it 🔥🔥🔥
The sound design and atmosphere during the cave section was incredible and terrifying. Makes me realize how much we need a Descent style horror game. Felt like the game needed 2-3 more giants though
You guys are the ONLY review I'm looking at before finishing the game, I'm about halfway through. Thank you for doing such a great job without spoiling.
What's the point of checking any reviews if you're already halfway through? You need to be told if you're enjoying it or not? LOL
This is literally the only game on Xbox that I wish I could play. But 50 bucks for a 5 hour game is kinda wild to me
Free on Game Pass
@LetsLvl_Up yes I know it's on gamepass but the price of the game is still advertised as 50 bucks.. I'm just saying it's really disappointing that ninjatheory released this game after 5 years of development..it seems like they only worried about the graphics.. I watched an entire playthrough and from what I could see, it seems like the same game as the first. Only difference is, you only first one person at a time, the puzzles are waay easier (and the puzzles in the first game were pretty easy), the story is worse, and there's alot more walking.. it's just disappointing...
The first game was an incredible journey, I`m so pumped to play this one in the weekend. I hope this does well with sales, and developers get encouraged to think outside the box instead of us getting the same live-service open world bloat-fest thats the norm in recent years.
They already tried a live service game for Xbox. It totally bombed to the point where most people don't remember it. Bleeding Edge anyone? I think MS is going to shut them down honestly.
Just finished the game. It may as well just be an extended tech demo for UE5.
It's mostly just a walking sim with repetitive and boring puzzles.
You need to mod the game to remove the ridiculously large letterbox borders.
You need something like a 4070 or better to get a solid 60FPS.
Combat is somewhat engaging at first but it quickly becomes repetitive.
The game has no ending, it just stops. The credits roll and you go "is that it?"
Bought Xbox just to play this game. Once was not enough. So it's the first game to play 2nd walkthrough immediatly after finnishing.
Most cinematic=movie like and photorealistic experience ever. Great camera movement (blocking). Dark tone and hard topic are not apealing to wider player audiance.
Amazing game.
the best thing about hellblade games is that there are no tutorials
I LOVE the games don’t get me wrong but you don’t really need a tutorial when there is only 4 action buttons, pretty easy to figure out lol
I mean, there are tutorials, they're just not forceful or anything, like when they give you a mechanic and the voices tell you to use it, there's no prompt or anything but the tutorial is there in a way
no huds too! i mean you can turn them off in a lot of games nowadays but this was the default for this game. plus the added bars actually made it more cinematic experience and fully immersed you. you gotta have a potato rig and often plays fornite or other "trendy" games to not appreciate hellblade 2.
I loved that. Made it feel really immersive for me
I played the first one in VR - somewhat unique it was still 3rd person but You WERE in the world..was amazing!
The first game is one of the best I've ever played.
W taste
@NikZedika “Someone doesn’t dislike a game as much as I did, they must not be as tasteful as I”. L mentality and maturity
@NikZedikafucking pathetic taste and attitude
@NikZedika You're so 5'11 bud
@NikZedika How old are you? My 10 year old son is more mature than you.
This is a great review. It really expressed a lot of the same feelings I had about the game. One thing I missed was the engagement of combat against multiple parties. I kept waiting for the game to let me fight multiple enemies before I realised it never would. The first game had it's issues with this but it was fun and I never expected them to solve the problems by just cutting it completely and choosing to interrupt combat by taking over the character to prioritise visuals over gameplay.
I honestly still loved this entry of Senua's Saga. The visuals were so close to lifelike that some cutscenes looked breathtaking and especially when you see Senua up close, it's like she was real. The environments and biomes looked stunning. I think one of my favorite moments was the first giant boss where all the lava was shooting up in the air synchronized to the music was definitely a highlight of the game and I definitely give props to Ninja Theory for utilizing Unreal Engine 5 to make the game look gorgeous. It's still a 10 out 10 game for me!
Man gaming these days is such a let down
Waited a long time for this one!
I'm downloading it right now and giving it a shot. Hellblade 1 was short, succinct and straight to the point, I loved every bit of it. It didn't feel short, if that makes sense, it felt like a complete package and, as long as this part ticks that mark, it's gonna be a banger.
I’ve lived with psychosis for 11 years and loved both games.
There are a bunch of PlayStation fanboys who, if you click on their profiles, either didn’t play or played for 10 minutes, spamming one star reviews, and even so the game has 4.3 stars despite that, it’s a solid sequel.
All the people talking shit about length as if the first wasn’t short and narrative focused too. Play the games for yourself. Who tf expects a 40 hour game as a sequel to a 7-8 hour story focused game about mental health?
It’s free on game pass, chill.
It's gamer like you are the reason studios get shut down. Accepting mediocrity just because it's cheaper on gamepass.
@@zerenadli Where is the mediocrity? Game having a short length is a bad thing now?
@@-piolho- it's mediocre because of the short length coupled with terrible combat mechanics and uninspired puzzles. Exactly ad MrMattyPlays described.
@@zerenadlianother pony yawn
@@notafanboy355 try to not be a fegboy
It's meant to be a cinematic experience (spatial audio, captivating sceneries, etc). Its not a Call of Duty or a Souls like, just think of The Walking Dead and Heavy Rain, they were no fun games to play (at least to me), but their story was great, this one at least has the combat gameplay.
I feel like everyone making massive open worlds and making games over 100hours to complete, this was perfect for me, a nice change, a short, detailed story which i will remember!
I'm assuming many people who are upset wanted a 20+ hour game with side quests and stuff like that. This game and the first game are very cinematic driven. I think $50 is fine for a 6-8 hour game
It's more like 5 hours and no that price is insane.
Your standards are real low lmao 50$ for 6 hours is crazy smh
If it had the same emotional power I wouldn’t mind so much. The first one will always hold a high place in my heart. Quality over length is preferred.
But this one feels hollow when all is said and done.
@@GrowishGambino The first game was short but cost $30. Seeing as now Ninja Theory developed this sequel under Microsoft, $50 for a same length game isn't shocking. It's Microsoft who determines the price, not Ninja Theory.
@@ironiccookies2320 30 bucks was already pushing it pretty hard for a very shallow 5-7 hour game with very little replay value. Being acquired by MS doesn't suddenly normalize a 20 dollar price hike either. In fact it should warrant a lower cost of entry since the backing isn't solely on the studio anymore.
I loved the first one and look forward to playing this one too!
That voice at the end gave me the heebie-jeebies a little
Naah.. its cheap as fcuk. It could have been better.
8:43 I've played the first game and was genuinely gutted when Microsoft made the sequel a platform exclusive. A short game that leaves you wanting more sounds perfect IMHO. I'll hopefully be able to pick this up when they eventually release it for the PS5. Assuming Microsoft continues with their new more open platform approach.
The first game was mind boggling for people who understood what the story was trying to convey. As someone who does live with psychosis, it is incredible to have a way to show others what that's like and how genuinely terrifying it can be at times. My girlfriend didn't understand what it was like until she played the original a few years ago and now she has a much better understanding of what I go through on a regular basis. The game isn't for everyone, but for me personally, the best psychological game of all time. Hoping the sequel lives up to the hype.
I keep seeing reviews say combat felt worse. Am i the only one who thinks this game has the most rewarding feeling parry system? It feels so good when you get that blue light
That's the Xbox tax for you
The combat hasn't changed much mechanically but it feels so much better. The sensations you feel when fighting have nothing to do with the previous one.
Most rewarding? Sheeesh try playing Sekiro bro
@@davesharma25 useless comment.
@@Kaas465 lmaooo how is my comment useless
Thanks so much for your hard work, and well put together video, Jake! The 'Before You Buy' videos are among my absolute go-to starting points when researching a game.
I'm about four hours in, and I only played the first game for a few minutes, so I don't have much to compare it to, but I've been absolutely loving this. It's definitely not like most games. It is quite simple in its mechanics, but as an experience... Wow. It is so intense so much of the time. When you confront that first giant, holy crap. The music is mind blowing, the visuals are awe inspiring... So impressive. Also, the pacing feels really great. Just as the momentum seems like it might slack off a bit, BAM, something else big happens and blasts you into the stratosphere again. $50 does seem a bit steep for how short and simple the game play is, though. But, if you can play it on Game Pass, no question about it, this is excellent!
Was able to squeeze in a couple hours today, so far so good in my opinion
So you half beat it lol
@@UwUOwl 1/3 not 1/2
I think I liked it more than you did but your complaints are valid. Especially the parry window being shorter. Drove me insane the whole way through.
Sorry but this game is a work of art..on every level
man i was waiting for this!!!!
thank you for waiting!
I loved the bit where Senua shouted 'It's Hellblading time!'
If these insane graphics mean we’re gonna have to wait 7 years for 7 fucking hours of gameplay, no thanks.
Don't forget to tip
Pandemic
Didn't start development till 2019-2020 don't open your mouth if you are gonna spread bs do your research
I don't care that it took so long and that it's short. I love this game and series.
I just finished the game tonight. Amazing graphics, amazing atmosphere with one of my favorite video game characters, I didn't mind it being a short game but the ending left me wanting more but not in a good way too. From the trailer I thought we would get more of a struggle between light and darkness within her, (something we all deal with). I enjoyed her journey still, just wish we got more of the ending throughout the game.
Looks pretty cool. Simple and short experience, which I love. I will play it if/when it comes to PS5.
I really enjoyed it, i loved the squad you slowly built up throughout the story. Its weird how i really only got into the combat near the end, i was horrible at dodging and parrying throughout most of the game.
I've been waiting for this for so long, it saddens me to hear your criticism though.. might wait for a sale instead..
It’s on Gamepass
@fogstorm5531 yeaah but a lot of people cancelled gamepass due to issues with how xbox are doing things
@@MCwolfiepeople who canceled gp for that bs gotta be abit on the special side.
@@MCwolfienot proven and worthless comment
@@xtentiong.f2537 your a sheep xD
to be fair these are issues u experienced right when the game came out. literally the first day. But now the game has fixed those issues within a days span after it was released. the movement is smooth, its better than a slippery laggy movement in call of duty. the servers and logging into a game is smooth. its better than actually having to keep restarting call of duty and waitng to join a match for 10mins. and the game is not cod or overwatch, and it does have some personality. what do u want to see, ppl flying and shooting lasers out of their eyes and bunny rabbits running around??? ppl literally turn invisible in this game. i dont see that in cod or in overwatch. I hope u werent paid to hate on this game right away.
Can't believe I've found a review which literally mirrors my own thoughts on this game 😳
I'm a big Hellblade stan. The first one is my top 1 still (rdr2 and Alan Wake are next). I'm not even mentioning how often I've played Hellblade back then, so ofter I still remember most of the quotes correctly. Not only it helped me through my depressed times and anxiety but also was a huge inspiration for me as a writer. That's how i love it.
The sequel definitely lacks of many things, either its in the script or gameplay. I enjoyed it, but as the review said to the end it hadn't felt like satisfying. And I'm still convinced this game is just not for everyone, like Dear Esther or Everybody's Gone to The Rapture which are def my types.
If you guys dont like don't even try it, it may become a waste of time. Or money.
Been dying to get this review from yall! Great work like always Jake :)
You could have finished the game yourself while waiting for this video. Lol.
Seven years in the making-three for pre-production and four for active development-for a five-hour "experience", three hours of which are cutscenes? It does look impressive for what it essentially is a very static game, but man this wasn't it at all. For the studio's future, one can only hope that they didn't spend too much money.
Stick with your open world games bro there are gamers who prefer short quality games not 200+hr shi
@@lordnazarick1091 But apparently not enough to actually buy games and prevent studio closures tho...
@praisetheoak did they close though?
@@praisetheoakplay Cod then. Keep supporting dumb ubi games with 5 different editions and $50 passes
Ok, why did they dumbed down the combat, the puzzles tho? Is paying 60$ for 5h long campaign that is objectively a downgrade to the first game ok?
Sure it's super impressive graphically and technically but man, it's just not good enough as a game
Why are people complaining about the price? It's on gamepass.
Not everyone has gamepass.
@@zaltmanblerozeSo not everyone deserves to play it... those who embrace the first game would only luv it.... Plenty of complains since hellblade 1 about the game to boring midway so yeah... it aint for u if u dont hv gp and straight up conplain to a small studio
@@Arka69682 Awful take. I doubt the devs want their fans telling prospective players that they don't "deserve" to play if they don't have a glowing first impression. I guess I'll pass on this one then
Game Pass aside, the game itself costs 50 dollars. Way too expensive for so little content. It shouldn’t cost more than 30.
This game proves that many players consider amazing graphics to be more important than actual good gameplay with depth.
No this game completely hinges on it's story, the graphics just help with immersion.
You nailed it. I was really stoked for it and then slightly underwhelmed
This requires a very deep sale before even thinking of buying it, seriously 5 hours?
Almost like games are repayable and you can take time
@@notafanboy355 Ah, but that begs the question, what replay value does this game really have?
@johnm7491 sone since theres collectibles and a new game plus kinda
And for most its not 5 hours unless you are rushing not taking anything in
Looks like a lot of people didn’t play the first one.
Gamepass it, not worth buying.
You called it subjective but unironically you felt like a voice in my head explaining all of my feelings toward this game.
I absolutely loved this game from start to finish. It's so easy to focus on negatives when what we have here is a stunning, tragic, gritty story - beautifully told, with incredible acting.
I'm not even remotely disappointed with the game.
Funny, if this was a PS exclusive, I guarantee the comments section here would look VERY different and everyone would be singing the game's praises.
I play on both Xbox and PS and don't understand all the hate towards Xbox.
Stop being so toxic and let others enjoy what they want.
I'm so sad this isn't on PS5. The first one is one of my favorite games of all time
Combat is let down
The first one had better combat
Im glad they changed the SAT level puzzle tho😂
Cinema in-game and cutscenes flow seamlessly
Better combat could save this
The creepy feeling of the voices diggin in ur head is still nightmare inducing at times
Litterally the exact same combat 🤡🤡
It's literally same combat as first one
@@wintervolcano5266 they promised better combat
@@wintervolcano5266 Clearly you didn't play both
@@Gabex42 clearly u didnt finish middle school English 🤡🤡
This looks closer to something like Ryse than Hellblade. Walk, gawk, setpiece and/or slow, timing based 1v1 fight, repeat.
Pretty accurate. For me though, still very fun. I also loved Ryse too though. lol
I am roughly three hours in, and I love it. Visually it is stunning on my Xbox. I downloaded it from gamepass and I am blown away by it. I have played long games such as Skyrim, The Witcher 3 and RDR 2. And I don't mind a short game. I played the original hellblade on PS4 and actually preferred it to The GOW reboot
I fell in love with the first game. I was going through a rough time and while my psychologist helped a lot the game did a lot more for me than years with her about accepting your differences and struggles rather than think of the just a curse or rot you can't control. But unfortunately I'll have to wait until they patch or optimize it better because I keep getting a lot of frame drops at random, be it just walking around, fighting or cutscenes and it also throws the lipsync off and I DON'T want it to ruin my impression of the game. I hope they fix it soon.
The overall consensus I've been seeing is "good, but not as good as the first one" which sucks, but I'm gonna play the hell out of it anyway since I loved the first one and I can play this one on Gamepass
people complaining about the price of a game on gamepass is wild
i wish we could get rid of the film grain
Film grain makes games like this look better
@@juriahndavilaarvelo4899 not for me it looks pixilated I like a clean image
I couldn't play the first one, I never felt connected, but this one I really enjoyed, especially combat felt way juicer, each hit felt good, I know a lot people may not like this game and that's fine but to me this was quite a nice surprise.
This may be the best graphics I seen on a game... ps5 needs to step it up
Games beautiful looking but 5 hours for the same game that’s prob a little worse the first one. I’m all set.