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Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Critics Consensus (Play It)
Review consensus coming soon. VSG issues recommendations for games with 15 critic reviews or greater.
Game Info
From the makers of Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and DmC: Devil May Cry, comes a warrior’s brutal journey into myth and madness. Set in the Viking age, a broken Celtic warrior embarks on a haunting vision quest into Viking Hell to fight for the soul of her dead lover. Created in collaboration with neuroscientists and people who experience psychosis, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will pull you deep into Senua’s mind.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 102
Silver TIER
38% of scored reviews fell within the range of 80 to 86 / 100
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- Action, Adventure
DEVELOPER(S):
- Ninja Theory
PUBLISHER(S):
- Ninja Theory
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- Hellblade
GAME MODES:
- Single player
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
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RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
102
Critic Reviews
83
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
100%
Median Score
85%
Low Score
60%
Brandin Tyrrel (IGN)
August 9, 2017
9/10
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a masterclass of atmosphere, storytelling, and the marriage of mechanical and conceptual design. While there are moments that feel shoehorned in to remind us we’re playing a videogame, the care and attention Ninja Theory has clearly poured into Senua and her story has created something amazing. This is a game everyone should play, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to have lived inside the mind of Senua, however briefly.
Johnny Chiodini (Eurogamer)
August 8, 2017
Recommended
Ninja Theory crafts a highly competent action game and a nuanced, powerful exploration of mental health.
Ashley Oh (Polygon)
September 6, 2017
8.5/10
Hellblade is not an Orphean quest to retrieve a dead lover from the underworld. It’s not some epic tale of revenge. It’s an education and contextualization of being psychologically different in the time of Vikings and Celts. Nearly every facet of the game — whether it’s combat, puzzles or exploration — is deliberate, pointing back to the overarching theme of what people called “cursed” during that time. Hellblade successfully weaves metaphors of grief and loss into fundamental game mechanics and rich folklore, and through these I felt like I truly was able to understand how someone else sees the world.
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Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (102 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DNews | Иван Бышонкoв | 9 / 10 | 08-12-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice can drive you mad. These voices in your head — you can’t stop them, they’re everywhere, always talking, always alongside you. Ninja Theory did an astonishing job representing psychosis in a game and bringing sound design to new heights. | Read review |
| ACG | Jeremy Penter | Recommended | 08-08-2017 | A fantastic and unique title. | Read review |
| Atomix | Rodrigo Martínez | 90 / 100 | 08-09-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an interesting action game that, aside from an enjoyable gameplay and great combat mechanics, offers an interesting premise that could easily delude your perceptions. Easily put, it is a game that defy any expectation that gamers can have of it. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | Ali Matoori | 8 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | In many aspects, Hellblade is a very different video game. Offering an epic atmosphere along with interactive, psychological story-telling, Hellblade takes you on an unprecedented journey, and aims for your feelings in the process. | Read review |
| Bazimag | Ghassem Momtaz | 8.6 / 10 | 09-08-2017 | Senua’s adventure in the underworld and her dealing with her unusual illness, splendid characterization of the heroine which makes its player’s feelings grow stronger, and perfect sound designing alongside awesome visuals; combining all these features together results in a masterpiece named Hellblade. A game that in spite of its valuable elements, due to being a digital only with short story and nearly high price, it is rarely found in Iranian users’ shopping carts. | Read review |
| Cerealkillerz | Gabriel Bogdan | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade lacks substance but with a starting price of 29,99€ you can live with some dull gameplay elements. Ninja Theory really made a bold move with the game that has paid off. If you expect a well thought out gameplay of a Triple A Hack and Slay game you should give it a pass. Anyone else will get a breathtaking story that tackles a difficult topic with an amazing atmosphere and a great protagonist. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Kenneth Shepard | 8 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | Hellblade’s mundane mechanics help underscore a powerful story of overcoming your demons, if you’re willing to subject yourself to the honest portrayal of mental illness it presents. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Ahmed Mohamed | 85 / 100 | 08-16-2017 | Ninja Theory has delivered a game that is equally good and important for the industry in terms of serious storytelling and the ability to create AAA experiences at a low cost. | Read review |
| ComiConverse | Jordan Samuel | 3 / 5 stars | 08-17-2017 | I finished Hellblade: Senua Sacrifice with the biggest smile on my face, as the story and world engrossed me with vivid imagery for years to come. Understanding Senua’s mental state, was great. I want more of the creepy storyline and that is a win in my book. It feels like a game handcrafted with care, as each sound and motion captured element propels the story forward. | Read review |
| Critical Hit | Noelle Adams | 8 / 10 | 12-20-2018 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a prime example for anyone making the case that video games are a powerful art form. Creatively ambitious, it’s exceptionally well-thought-out and implemented – making it striking at both a sensorial and psychological level as it delves deep into an exploration of life with psychosis. It has its gameplay flaws but remains must-experience for adult audiences. An instant classic for this generation. | Read review |
| Cubed3 | Az Elias | 7 / 10 | 08-16-2017 | While in strict gameplay terms this lacks depth, and although it feels as if it tries to bite off more than it can chew on the storytelling side of things, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice turns out to be an epic journey through madness and Norse myth, and one that’s worth a play-through or two despite its problems | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Jimmy Donnellan | 8.5 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | At its heart, when you strip everything away, Hellblade is a frank and unrelenting warning about helping others, to not let them drift further and further towards darkness. For that reason alone, Hellblade may just be the year’s most vital game. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Chris Carter | 7.5 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Slowly but surely Ninja Theory has moved into film territory, but they can’t let go of their need to shove action mechanics into everything they do. With the increased focus and acceptance of so-called “walking simulators” there’s a huge market they can tap into, and I hope they end up doing that in the future. I enjoyed pretty much every facet of Hellblade that didn’t involve combat, which unfortunately pops up a little too often on top of the aforementioned technical problems — just enough to grate. | Read review |
| Digiato | Shayan Ziaei | 80 / 100 | 09-08-2017 | as an distinguished and sumptuous game, HellBlade Senua’s Sacrifice reaches it’s goal without hesitating. the mixture of norse mythology with senua’s unique story and psychological elements, is one you’ve never seen, like ever. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Nathaniel Stevens | 9 / 10 | 02-24-2017 | Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice is a hauntingly beautiful journey through the madness of a warrior’s suffering to find her true love. The story is art, the graphics are engrossing and it’s truly everything it was advertised to be. Ninja Theory provided a gaming experience that is a rarity these days in the gaming world and it is not to be missed. | Read review |
| Digital Trends | Gabe Gurwin | 3.5 / 5 stars | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice’s story of mental illness is unlike anything we’ve experienced before. | Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded | Matt Sainsbury | 5 / 5 stars | 08-10-2017 | I have a great deal of difficulty putting in words just how much I love Hellblade. It’s just that powerful. | Read review |
| DualShockers | Jordan Loeffler | 10 / 10 | 08-13-2017 | Despite a bug that forced my first playthrough to end prematurely, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an incredible game that will continue to linger with me as a singular and emotionally affecting experience. For its audio and visual design alone, it is stunning, but for its ability to use the video game medium to bridge our understanding of mental illness while also telling a personal and powerful story, it is a masterpiece. If you feel capable of withstanding the emotional strain it requires, a dark and fulfilling tale awaits. | Read review |
| Easy Allies | Michael Huber | 4.5 / 5 stars | 08-13-2017 | Video Review | Read review |
| EGM | Mollie L Patterson | 8.5 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is the action adventure genre stripped of its excess, until a smaller, more personal journey remains. While it may feel shallow and lacking for some, those wanting something other than the usual big-budget 70-hour fare will find Senua’s story to be unlike anything else in recent years. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Johnny Chiodini | Recommended | 08-08-2017 | Ninja Theory crafts a highly competent action game and a nuanced, powerful exploration of mental health. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Marco Mottura | 6.5 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | The performance capture truly adds a special touch to the already intense cutscenes, the audio department is stunning and visually it’s kind of a treat: too bad that the gameplay elements in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice are just so shallow, bland and uninteresting, dragging down an otherwise deeply fascinating project. | Read review |
| Forbes | Mitch Wallace | 9 / 10 | 08-09-2017 | Ninja Theory, you moved me. Hellblade’s gameplay is polished, the writing is fantastic, the acting is superb, and the ending managed to make me cry. But even then, all of this pales in comparison to everything this art piece truly represents. | Read review |
| Game Debate | Stuart Thomas | 8.5 / 10 | 08-20-2017 | Games have come a long way since I was a youth. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a clear example of a game as an art form with a strong message and a complex, layered narrative. It’s true that you’re sort of along for the ride and most of your interactions are through your emotional response to what is depicted rather than through the mechanics of the game, but is that such a bad thing? | Read review |
| Game Informer | Joe Juba | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Given the heavy subject matter, calling Hellblade “entertaining” feels inappropriate. However, it is undeniably memorable, telling a compelling tale that explores subject matter many consider taboo | Read review |
| Game Rant | Denny Connolly | 4 / 5 stars | 08-11-2017 | With Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Ninja Theory attempts to deliver a AAA experience in a $30 package and delivers on just about every front, with only a few problems. | Read review |
| Gameblog | Gianni Molinaro | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellbalde : Senua’s Sacrifice is a Hel of a game. A gorgeous, scary, crazy, oppressive and unique experience with a great setting and story, different and loveable heroin and some interesting gameplay mechanics. Maybe the best surprise of summer 2017. | Read review |
| GameCrate | David Jagneaux | 9 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | Mental illness is a seldom discussed and often misunderstood topic. While Hellblade is far from a direct and immediate exploration of psychosis and how it affects people, it uses a powerful narrative mixed with symbolic gameplay elements to weave a tale of horrific trauma and unsettling experiences. Hellblade is easily one of 2017’s very best games, and the best game I’ve played all year that isn’t Zelda. | Read review |
| Gamefa | Saeed Aghababaie | 9 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | I’ve been playing video games for years now and until now I hadn’t experienced an adventure like the Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. From the moment I saw the trailers of Hellblade and read about it, i liked the game and I was waiting to try it out but I couldn’t even imagine falling in love so deep with this game. You can see that ninja theory has done all he can to make Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. You can feel the effort they’ve made for making a masterpiece like Hellblade. And it’s not just this game; Although they’re not one of those big fancy studios they have always made great games because they make them with their hearts and Hellblade is their ace. This game shows that you don’t need a lot of money to make great games. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a must-have! This game won’t be like any other games you have played. The price is only 30 dollars but the experience is much better than most of those games you bought for 60. | Read review |
| GameMAG | xtr | 7 / 10 | 08-24-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice evokes the strongest feelings of empathy thanks to a great production, deep character development, animation work, special effects and unique sound. Unfortunately, boring tasks with runes and too simple fights in limited arenas with waves of enemies are not the best elements for an original and emotionally strong project. I hope that with good sales on PSN and Steam big publishers gonna work with Ninja Theory again and studio will release a game of DmC level or something even more great. | Read review |
| GamePro | GamePro | 84 / 100 | 08-08-2017 | Not without flaws, but full of interesting ideas | Read review |
| Gamerheadquarters | Jason Stettner | 9.2 / 10 | 04-16-2018 | The Conclusion | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Captain Camper | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was just a few short steps from a masterpiece. Poorly constructed puzzles and a number of frustratingly pointless illusion mechanics seriously hinder the experience at times, but a disturbingly brilliant narrative and plot make for a truly worthwhile experience. Even now, hours after putting down the pad, the game has invoked a deep discussion between the voices in my own head – and that’s no small feat. | Read review |
| GamesBeat | Dean Takahashi | 95 / 100 | 08-08-2017 | The ending of the game will leave you wondering just what was real and what was an illusion. I thoroughly enjoyed the dramatic arc of each major scene. It starts out calm, moves to disturbing, and then descends into chaos and madness. I think the storytellers and designers exercised tight creative control, with a game that is understated as well as explosive. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Synzer | 9 / 10 | 08-09-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a unique game that intriguingly captures mental illness and offers a punishing-yet-fluid set of mechanics, all wrapped inside a compelling journey through a vibrant world. I felt like I was with Senua every step of the way, and couldn’t wait to see what was around the next corner. | Read review |
| GameSpew | Richard Seagrave | 8 / 10 | 08-11-2017 | Ninja Theory ought to be praised for what it’s achieved – an adult story that’s told like no other, combat that’s skilful and harrowing, unique environmental based puzzles and light, scenic adventuring. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Alessandro Fillari | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade is a spellbinding and sympathetic game about loss and redemption. | Read review |
| GameZone | Tom Caswell | 10 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Expertly crafted both in story and gameplay, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is at the same time both a unique experience and a derivation of some of gaming’s best. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Ravi Sinha | 8 / 10 | 08-11-2017 | It could be a whisper or a shout but Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice will stay with you. Deftly crafted with stunning detail and an expert depiction of psychosis, it’s a journey that’s as torturous as it is heart-breaking. | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Hunter Wolfe | 85 / 100 | 08-22-2017 | Hellblade could have been carried alone by its insanely beautiful graphics and standout voice performances — some of the best of 2017 — but while these scenarios were always refreshing interruptions from long, meditative walks through Helheim, they distracted from the game’s greater focus on demystifying a taboo mental disorder. | Read review |
| GBAtemp | Pranavsingh Dhunnoo | 7.5 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | As part of their “independent AAA game proposition”, Ninja Theory delivers a visually impressive game with a short but interesting story that touches on a delicate subject and couples it with some interesting mechanics that nevertheless don’t fully condense properly together. | Read review |
| GearNuke | Khurram Imtiaz | 8.5 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an extremely well written game with a great story lore and challenging combat system. The only thing that it lacks is a good puzzle design otherwise Hellblade offers an experience that should easily rival a big blockbuster game. | Read review |
| Geeks Under Grace | Joe Morgan | 8.3 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has shown that video games are mature enough as a medium to capably deliver an entertaining experience while respectfully tackling difficult topics. It’s beautiful and emotionally engaging, worth every moment spent in the warrior’s mind. | Read review |
| Generación Xbox | Pedro del Pozo | 8.3 / 10 | 04-05-2018 | Hellblade is one of the best interactive experiences of this generation and a true technical show. However, the gameplay of the game is not equally calibrated and often loses pace in some areas. | Read review |
| Giant Bomb | Brad Shoemaker | 4 / 5 stars | 08-09-2017 | This intense exploration of a young woman’s personal anguish is a triumph of interactive storytelling. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Chris White | 9 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | One of the most inventive games of the year, showing that time and patience can be behind a challenging, smart, and incredibly interesting game. | Read review |
| GRYOnline.pl | Przemysław Zamęcki | 8.5 / 10 | 08-07-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a beautiful and unusual game for a very select audience. If you want to rest from various open worlds and focus on a very personal and linear story with tons of cool little details, this is something for you. I don’t think there ever was a game that displayed the madness of a troubled mind in such a way. Hellblade is a great single-player adventure! | Read review |
| Hardcore Gamer | Jordan Helm | 3.5 / 5 stars | 08-27-2017 | For all the warranted concern of AAA developers veering too far from gameplay into pure cinematic awe, there’s no denying Ninja Theory’s narrative depiction of mental health is an infectious one — the type of narrative that has been long overdue in this industry. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Hobbyconsolas.com | 91 / 100 | 08-08-2017 | A new example on how Switch is capable of succeding in any challenge, with no sacrifices in the process. It’s not as graphically astonishing as the other versions but it feels really, really close. A gaming experience everyone should try. | Read review |
| IGN | Brandin Tyrrel | 9 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a masterclass of atmosphere, storytelling, and the marriage of mechanical and conceptual design. While there are moments that feel shoehorned in to remind us we’re playing a videogame, the care and attention Ninja Theory has clearly poured into Senua and her story has created something amazing. This is a game everyone should play, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to have lived inside the mind of Senua, however briefly. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Biagio Etna | 8.5 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a deep, fascinating game, however, which precedes the narrative component to the gameplay: the important thing is to know what you are buying. | Read review |
| IGN Middle East | Islam Ibrahim | 9 / 10 | 08-09-2017 | Ninja Theory has tried to provide a game with a distinctive fighting style with a strong story for the main character, a unique environment, and a promise of an experience that matches the games with huge budgets and at a lower price. I can say that the studio succeeded in its quest with Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice With 10 hours of gameplay fighting to save her beloved from the dark, in a dreary, bleak environment full of exciting and mysterious details, we are facing one of the most powerful games of the year, at a price of up to half of what other AAA games will cost you. | Read review |
| IGN Spain | David Soriano | 8.8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an excellent demonstration of quality with an absorbing history and an outstanding artistic direction. Joining concepts such as Norse mythology and psychosis was not easy, but the mixture has been respectful and interesting. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | Nathan Misa | 4.3 / 5 stars | 08-28-2017 | Hellblade offers an engrossing single-player cinematic experience coupled with Ninja’s Theory’s tight melee combat systems and responsive controls. An enthralling sensory onslaught for the eyes and ears. | Read review |
| Kinglink Reviews | Kinglink Reviews | 4.5 / 5 stars | 07-10-2018 | Starring an amazingly strong story, graphics, and art design, Hellblade shouldn’t be missed. However, the gameplay will drag this game away from perfection, but not far enough to be ignored. | Read review |
| LevelUp | Rodrigo Villanueva | 8.4 / 10 | 08-16-2017 | Dense, immersive and beautiful, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a genuine surprise. With a unique atmosphere, outstanding sound design and solid controls, it could have been masterful had it not been for the creeping shadow of repetitiveness, an exhausting dose of backtracking and some frustration to stop it, especially towards the end. Having said that, this is a truly remarkable and affordable experience. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 6 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | A technical masterpiece with some of the best swordfighting combat in years, but the storytelling and puzzle elements come across as muddled and awkwardly mismatched. | Read review |
| New Game Network | Charlie Nicholson | 85 / 100 | 08-13-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is every bit as vicious, epic and dramatic as its predecessors in the Ninja Theory library, but interweaving a delicate storyline through simple, yet ruthless mechanics makes it one of the most visceral portrayals of psychological turmoil in recent video gaming. | Read review |
| Nintendo Enthusiast | Eli Pales | 7.5 / 10 | 04-22-2019 | While some gameplay elements left more to be desired, Senua’s journey is well worth seeing through | Read review |
| Nintendo Life | Gavin Lane | 9 / 10 | 04-11-2019 | Despite familiar echoes and mechanical touchstones from other games, Hellblade’s psychological bent and the constant voices in Senua’s (and therefore your) head give it an identity very much of its own. | Read review |
| NintendoWorldReport | Matthew Zawodniak | 7.5 / 10 | 04-15-2019 | Hellblade is just as good on Switch as it was on other platforms, so now’s the perfect time to pick it up if you haven’t already had the chance to experience the journey of Senua’s Sacrifice. | Read review |
| NZGamer | Ben Wilson | 9.5 / 10 | 08-24-2017 | An emotional inferno, worth your suffering. | Read review |
| OnlySP | Adam Speight | 3 / 5 stars | 08-07-2017 | Despite the lack of cohesion between these elements, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a grand achievement. The game development community will surely look to the performance of the game’s sales to decide whether the shorter, lower-budget Triple A game is a viable proposition. However, the game’s quality provides a solid case for Ninja Theory’s experiment being a success. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Yasin İlgün | 8.5 / 10 | 08-07-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an unmissable experience with its simple but impressive story and unique storytelling. | Read review |
| Pardis Game | Kasra Karimi Asl | 8.5 / 10 | 08-19-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is easily one of the best games in the recent years in terms of creating deceptive spaces and offering new experiences. Ninja Theory has proved once again that with enough time and budget, even ideas that aren’t even originally from the developers themselves, can become games beyond our expectations. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Leif Johnson | 78 / 100 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade could benefit from more exploration and enemy variety, but it’s a powerful portrait of the strength of will over personal demons. | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | Garri Bagdasarov | 9 / 10 | 08-11-2017 | Hellblade is one of my favorite titles this year. Its incredible use of sound and visual manipulation to completely immerse you in its experience is a credit to Ninja Theory. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a prime example that you don’t need a massive budget to create something extraordinary. | Read review |
| Polygon | Ashley Oh | 8.5 / 10 | 09-06-2017 | Hellblade is not an Orphean quest to retrieve a dead lover from the underworld. It’s not some epic tale of revenge. It’s an education and contextualization of being psychologically different in the time of Vikings and Celts. Nearly every facet of the game — whether it’s combat, puzzles or exploration — is deliberate, pointing back to the overarching theme of what people called “cursed” during that time. Hellblade successfully weaves metaphors of grief and loss into fundamental game mechanics and rich folklore, and through these I felt like I truly was able to understand how someone else sees the world. | Read review |
| Press Start | Brodie Gibbons | 8 / 10 | 08-14-2017 | I know Hellblade won’t be the catalyst to us understanding mental illness overnight, but, again, it needs to be stressed that Ninja Theory took a bold risk here and their art is going to change perceptions somewhere down the line. It’s a game where the difficulty of its subject matter trumps its combat, which is unfortunate. How a group of twenty people can make one of the most affecting games of the year, when teams of hundreds routinely fail to do so, is beyond me. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Ivan Nikolai Barkow Castilho | 80 / 100 | 08-15-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has an interesting plot, a good fighting mechanic and excellent graphics. The quality of the audio is out of this world. The problem is the combat variety (in the end, you’ll be bored) and due to the focus on the narrative, many people may find the game monotonous. However, those who give a chance will find a good story. | Read review |
| Push Square | Sammy Barker | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is not going to appeal to all tastes, and nor does it try to. As a character action game, it has decent if underdeveloped combat and a mixture of some excellent and some overplayed puzzles. But it’s the way that the title utilises the unique attributes of the medium to raise awareness of mental health that elevate this release beyond the sum of its parts. | Read review |
| Rely On Horror | Jordan Leendertsen | 9.5 / 10 | 08-15-2017 | An achievement in horror storytelling. | Read review |
| Rock, Paper, Shotgun | Samuel Horti | Recommended | 08-12-2017 | Hellblade is brave for tackling psychosis so directly, and braver still for pouring so much of its efforts into its narrative. It’s unlike anything else I’ve played this year, and for that reason it deserves a slice of your time. | Read review |
| Saudi Gamer | عصام الشهوان | 8 / 10 | 08-12-2017 | A unique experience in the way it presents its world and story. The gameplay itself might be simple, but it succeeds in making you empathize with the game’s heroine. | Read review |
| Screen Rant | Rob Gordon | 4.5 / 5 stars | 12-10-2018 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is stunning, combining a tense and gripping story with perhaps the best representation of mental health in gaming. | Read review |
| SECTOR.sk | Matúš Štrba | 8 / 10 | 04-18-2018 | Unique and really powerful experience about mental illness, but combat mechanics and puzzles are its weak spots. | Read review |
| Shacknews | Charles Singletary | 9 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade overcomes very minor hiccups with incredible presence, immersive design, and an overall package that truly leaves an impression | Read review |
| Sirus Gaming | Enricko Ozoa | 6 / 10 | 04-19-2018 | As the title states, if you’re going to play this game, then it’s best that you play it on a PC. If you have an Xbox One X? Then good for you! You get to have a better experience than most with this title. | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Aaron Riccio | 4.5 / 5 stars | 08-17-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice‘s strongest sequences mirror specific physical symptoms or psychological fears. | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Martin Kubeš | 80 / 100 | 08-21-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is an unique title in many ways. It has great story, perfectly tuned technical aspects and also a great depiction of psychological problems of an individual. Sadly, that alone won’t be enough for every player and some might consider it boring. It’d be a shame, because Hellblade has many things to offer. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Domenico Musicò | 7.5 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Offering exactly the same contents of the PS4 version, Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice on Xbox comes as a no brainer for the ones who love narrative and mature themes in a videogame, but may not be so palatable for the ones who primarily ask interactivity to a game. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Samuel Guglielmo | 9 / 10 | 08-28-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice manages to tell a thoughtful story about mental illnesses while also providing exciting gameplay and some absolutely fantastic visuals and audio. For anyone looking for a tight, well-paced, linear action game, this is it. | Read review |
| Telegraph | Tom Hoggins | 3 / 5 stars | 08-21-2017 | There is something bewitching in how the immediacy of video games can lead to places other mediums cannot. | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Davide Mancini | 7.8 / 10 | 08-22-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a very bold game that manages to talk about mental issues in a truly emotional way, using the gameplay dynamics of an action adventure. It’s an authentic manifesto of how videogames can deal with serious matters in a way that fits perfectly the medium. And if you’ll decide to go along with Senua in her descent to darkness, you’ll probably remember her for the rest of your life. | Read review |
| The Jimquisition | Jim Sterling | 7 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Video Review | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Dave Irwin | 8 / 10 | 08-08-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a profound sensual experience that’s unmissable. The way it highlights psychosis and incorporates it isn’t just a part of the aesthetic, but it also makes for fascinating gameplay. This is a phenomenal achievement for the discussion of mental health that we’ll be talking about for years to come. | Read review |
| ThisGenGaming | Robby Bisschop | 9 / 10 | 04-12-2019 | Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice is an incredible audiovisual experience, regardless of the platform you are playing it on. While in handheld mode the level of immersion might be somewhat reduced, the audio is where it really counts and that aspect is every bit as good on the Switch as on the more powerful consoles. If you have yet to play this game, listen to the voices in your head and pick this up, you won’t be disappointed! | Read review |
| TrueAchievements | Mark Delaney | 5 / 5 stars | 04-17-2018 | Senua is a remarkable character who instills all of her energies into the player in such a way that will never be forgotten. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Ishmael Romero | 3.5 / 5 stars | 08-09-2017 | Still, I must recommend this game, as what it does is very important. To take something like psychosis and give it not only a voice, but a clear picture is not an easy task, yet Ninja Theory has succeeded. | Read review |
| Use a Potion | Use a Potion | 9 / 10 | 04-16-2018 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice delivers a genuinely gripping and haunting adventure that’ll keep you hooked in thanks to its engaging narrative, stunning visuals, and clever puzzle-solving. It manages to offer an experience that’s both thoughtful and action-packed, which ensures that it stands out as a remarkable and unforgettable release. | Read review |
| VG247 | Brenna Hillier | Recommended | 08-08-2017 | For the majority of its run time, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice felt like something much more meaningful than a generic action video game. It felt like a work with something to say, and it made me want to listen, even when what I heard frightened me so badly I could barely press on. | Read review |
| VGN | Jacopo Mungai | 8.7 / 10 | 04-11-2018 | If you never tried the game before, you should definitely buy the Xbox One version, especially if you own the hi-end Xbox One X model, in order to enjoy the nordic setting created by Ninja Theory in its huge 4K-majesty. | Read review |
| Video Chums | A.J. Maciejewski | 7 / 10 | 04-19-2018 | As an interactive story, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is in a class of its own. | Read review |
| VideoGamer | Alice Bell | 9 / 10 | 08-10-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is beautiful, discomforting, and compelling. It might challenge what you like about games, but challenge is good. You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t try it. | Read review |
| Washington Post | Christopher Byrd | Recommended | 08-09-2017 | Few mainstream video games have tried, let alone achieved, anything close to the emotional intensity that courses through this game. | Read review |
| Wccftech | Alessio Palumbo | 9 / 10 | 08-09-2017 | Blending powerful imagery, unrivaled visuals quality, an excellent combat system and a unique setting blending Norse mythology with mental illness, Ninja Theory fully delivers on their independent AAA pitch with Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. This is one of those titles that, albeit not flawless, should be experienced by every gamer at some point. | Read review |
| We Got This Covered | Charles Blades | 4 / 5 stars | 08-23-2017 | Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice might not deliver when it comes to hack-and-slash combat, but its world, characters, and approach to storytelling help it to redefine what we might come to expect from AA games moving forward. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | Jordan Garcia | 9.8 / 10 | 08-12-2017 | Striking a balance between superb visuals, outstanding sound design, excellent character writing and a well-written story which spans wonderfully rich Celtic and Norse mythology, Hellblade will go down as one of my favourite games of this generation and perhaps even longer than that | Read review |
| Windows Central | Asher Madan | 4.5 / 5 stars | 04-06-2018 | It’s a unique title which succeeds in its mission of giving gamers a glimpse into how people deal with psychosis and loss. | Read review |
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