Unfortunately, gameplay in Hellblade is not nearly as interesting as the narrative. Hellblade’s unique perspective definitely helps to sell the experience. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a game cover the subject of mental illness in a way that’s so visceral and affecting. The brutal, unfiltered look into a mind suffering from psychosis makes this game particularly special. The use of the Furies and hallucinations of gods and monsters is what makes the storytelling in Hellblade as interesting and effective as it is. It’s never made obvious which parts of Senua’s quest are real supernatural elements and which ones are creations of her damaged mind, forcing the player to question the world just as much as Senua herself does. Ninja Theory went to great lengths to ensure that Senua’s delusions accurately represent real-world psychoses, and the results are extremely unnerving. The Furies are a key part of the narrative but also factor into gameplay instead of tutorials teaching you what to do, Furies will give hints for what you’re supposed to do. The voices in her head, known as Furies, are heard to the player through binaural audio that simulates what someone’s voice would sound like when they’re standing near you in real 3D space. Hellblade follows Senua, a Pict warrior in the 8th century who suffers hallucinations due to psychosis. It seemed impossible for a game like this to run on a portable system, which makes it all the more incredible that Hellblade has made very few compromises in the transition to Switch. The technology used for motion capture and sound design was impressive enough to be the subject of a mini-documentary on the game’s main menu, and the stellar performance put on by the actors who play Senua and the voices in her head work together to sell the narrative in a horrifyingly personal way. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a game that was highly acclaimed for its storytelling when it released in 2017, and for good reason.

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