Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II Is Like a Quality Indie Film, Says Developer; Will Feature Highly Cinematic Combat

With just over six weeks until its release, Ninja Theory has at last revealed Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II to select media outlets. The follow-up to the critically acclaimed ‘triple-I’ title from 2017 is set to debut on May 21 for both PC and Xbox Series S|X, taking advantage of the enhanced production capabilities of the Cambridge-based studio since its acquisition by Microsoft in 2018.

Nevertheless, in an interview with Gamesradar, Ninja Theory studio head Dominic Matthews stated:

Despite its growth and success, I continue to see Ninja Theory as a boutique studio. In terms of film production, I view Hellblade 2 more as a high-quality independent film rather than a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster.

Despite the fact that there were numerous production upgrades available for the sequel, the studio was still able to access them. One of their primary objectives was to not only achieve a cinematic storyline, but also incorporate cinematic combat.

According to Dan Attwell, an environmental art director, the following can be understood:

Despite the challenges, we remain committed to our decision to eliminate camera cuts and HUD in order to create a truly realistic experience. In contrast to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, where we only used one piece of photogrammetry, we have incorporated over 370 pieces in Hellblade 2. This all contributes to the immersive world we are striving to create. Our goal is for players to feel like they are in a real, lived-in place, even if they have never been to Iceland.

In addition to this, Benoit Macon, the combat director for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, also includes:

For Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, we dedicated two days to motion capture. However, for Hellblade 2, we significantly increased our time spent recording to 75 days – 60 on our in-house stage and an additional 15 on external shoots.

In this game, all animations are created using keyframes, so there will be no motion capture. However, we aim to film combat scenes on an actual stage to achieve a realistic and cinematic feel. Our goal is to approach combat creation in the same way as our narrative team creates cinematics. Each action Senua takes, such as getting hit or killing an enemy, triggers a unique event, allowing for the development of compelling stories in every battle.

Actress Melina Juergens and the rest of the main cast were able to fully immerse themselves in their roles this time thanks to the use of historically accurate costumes. As for Senua, she has gained control over the voices in her head, known as the Furies, and is determined to prevent anyone else from suffering the same fate as her beloved partner who was sacrificed to the Old Gods. Her mission takes her to the root of the issue where she plans to put an end to it once and for all. The combat in the game will continue to center on intense one-on-one battles, adding a personal touch to each fight.

Despite our curiosity, much remains unknown about Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. We will have to wait until the game is released to uncover more details. Ninja Theory intentionally chose to prioritize a concise and story-driven approach, emphasizing the importance of personally experiencing the game.