Hellblade II is awe-inspiring to look at, but its gameplay is lacking

“Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II” may have lots to say about the reality of people with psychosis, but studio Ninja Theory already said much of it, and better, in 2017.

The British studio, under Xbox ownership since 2018, released the first “Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice” as an art house project — it was marketed as an “independent AAA” — with industry-leading visual presentation. It won much-deserved critical acclaim due to the seriousness with which it addressed people with mental illness (rare in a medium that usually dismisses mental illness as “crazy”), and because it was created by a motley crew of just 20 developers.

After 6 years and a staff of 80 people, “Hellblade II” arrives Tuesday (on PC and Xbox platforms) to continue Senua’s story. The first game detailed Senua’s cartoonishly tragic past as she learned to look past her father’s abuse to accept the death of her mother, her lover and her entire hometown. This time, she travels to Iceland to find her missing people and take revenge on those who killed her loved ones. “Sacrifice” was practically a one-woman show with novice Melina Juergens putting on a compelling, if overwrought, performance. “Saga” introduces a wider cast of characters, and the game is largely about how Senua navigates dealing with other people in a new land.

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Iceland, it turns out, seems to be haunted by giants. Senua’s last journey had her fight gods, but the game made clear it didn’t reflect reality. This time, supernatural elements seem to be a shared reality among Senua and Iceland’s native people. The games never outright say Senua has psychosis; you need external media like documentaries and interviews with developers to know this. Thus, the stories layer mythology over its depiction of mental illness. This makes for terrific visuals, and “Hellblade II” makes a strong case for the most impressive looking frames in video games at the moment. Its robust photo mode helps capture this game’s realistic and gritty beauty in every frame.

Its character rendering technology, powered by Unreal Engine, is unparalleled. In many frames, the 3D models look indistinguishable from real people. Finally, here is a game that matches the visuals of that famous “Matrix” demo distributed by Unreal creator Epic Games.

All this visual fidelity comes at a cost. The sequel is a lesser game than its predecessor. There are fewer combat mechanics in play, removing the melee button and directional attacks and replacing them with nothing. Perspective puzzles to make background details match rune symbols return, unevolved from the 2017 model. The scale of the puzzles are also smaller, as the game’s level design has shrunk. The former game had larger areas with vertical structures. This game’s level design is mostly a straight line, with a few small puzzle areas to break up the pacing.

It’s still an eye-popping, immersive experience. The use of binaural audio remains convincing and compelling, paired with moments of genuine beauty and tenderness. When others treat Senua with respect and kindness, the game finally shimmers with much-needed warmth, before reverting back to its exhausting depiction of cold anguish. Juergens puts on a memorable performance, but this is the second game to write for Senua a one-note performance of torment and rage. “You will never leave your past behind,” growls her father’s voice. Try as they might, Senua, and Ninja Theory, just can’t seem to shake off what happened in 2017.

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As such, “Hellblade II” as a gameplay experience is a regression from the first game. As a story, it’s intriguing enough to stay for the ride, especially on the back of Thórgestr, Senua’s first companion and one whose motivations are key for the end conflict. The payoff is questionable, and will likely be the subject of debate. I’ll fall on the side of disappointment.

At $50 and about six to eight hours of play total, “Hellblade II” is worth a peek if you’re interested in what games could look like in the future. Imagine an “Elden Ring” that looks like this! Will I live long enough to see it? So I’m grateful “Hellblade II” exists today to give me a glimpse. I just wish it had a little more to say, and gave us a little more to do.

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