GAME · RELEASED
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Follow Senua through a dark journey inspired by Norse myth, where close combat and environmental puzzles are tied to her experience of psychosis.
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Developed and originally published by Ninja Theory. First released on PlayStation 4 and PC on August 8, 2017; Xbox One, Switch and VR came later
Senua travels into a version of the Norse underworld carrying the memory of someone she has lost. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice stays close to her point of view: voices speak around her, the world can feel uncertain, and each new place tests what she thinks she can trust. It is a serious story, with frightening imagery and difficult subjects. The voices are part of the game's representation of psychosis, not a set of reliable hints or a joke. Ninja Theory worked with people who had lived experience and mental-health specialists while developing that portrayal.
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The game is a third-person action adventure. You guide Senua through narrow paths, examine strange symbols and solve puzzles that often depend on looking at the environment from a different angle. When enemies appear, combat happens up close with a sword. Read their movement, make space to evade or block, then attack when an opening appears. There is no party to manage or large quest log to clear. The journey is focused and mostly linear, so taking a moment to look at the scene can be more useful than running ahead. Headphones can make the layered voices easier to place around Senua, but they are not required to play.
Ninja Theory first released Hellblade for PlayStation 4 and PC on August 8, 2017. Xbox One and Nintendo Switch versions arrived later, as did a VR edition. This profile uses the game's official cover and developer-supplied screenshots showing Senua, the world and combat. The images avoid giving away late-story scenes.
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