Ninja Theory has released footage showing the stunning Icelandic vistas that inspired The Game Awards 2019 as an exclusive for the Xbox family of devices (PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X). Hellblade 2 will continue following the Pict warrior, Senua, and will utilize Epic Games’ new Unreal Engine 5.
incorporates elements of the thriller genre, exploring mental illness – psychosis, specifically – and depicting it as accurately as Ninja Theory could manage with the help of mental health experts and historians. Crossing Norse mythology with Eighth Century melee combat, Hellblade earns its namesake with some ominous depictions of the infamous Norse realm of Helheim, complete with combat against tumultuous mythological beings that could either be hallucinations or very real. Either way, they are deadly.
Further revealing what influence Hellblade 2’s setting, Ninja Theory has released footage showing the sunning Icelandic vistas that inspired the sequel. Titled The Dreadnought Diaries, the video is narrated by Ninja Theory’s Tameem Antoniades, Hellblade’s director. Antoniades travelled to 40 different locations around Iceland to discover the country’s beauty and to properly create assets to use in Hellblade 2, including the capture of sounds and echoes and more. The intent, according to the director, is to base everything in Hellblade on something real. Fans who wish to see a glimpse of the team’s journey can watch the video below.
When developers go out of their way to experience the settings influencing their games, immersion should not be an issue for gamers when the title is finished. If Hellblade 2’s setting looks even remotely close to what the above video depicts, the game is sure to be as beautiful as it is haunting when combined with the elements of psychosis from which Senua suffers. Even when something is based on fantasy, mythology, or simple fiction, bringing some form of realism or familiarity to the story is crucial to keeping audiences engaged.
Suspension of disbelief only holds so much water, and unless there’s inexplicable magic or science fiction component to the lore, taking a work of art too far out there will cause fans to get lost. Research, particularly of the kind conducted by the Ninja Theory team, doesn’t just bring realism, but also authenticity, ion, and, therefore, immersion. If Hellblade 2 is half as beautiful as Iceland’s vistas, it’ll be a pleasant sight to behold… minus the demons.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will be available on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Source: Ninja Theory
