Summary

• Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 will be released as an Xbox Series X/S console exclusive and on PC.
• The game will be available on Xbox Game day one and can be pre-installed for subscribers, but will alternatively be available digital-only for $49.99.
• The combat in Hellblade 2 has been revamped to feature more diversity and impact, with a focus on faster, intense battles and realistic animations.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is an exciting game from developer Ninja Theory, and details about its release are finally coming together after years of anticipation. As a follow-up to 2017's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Hellblade 2 dives back into the story of Senua, a Celtic warrior struggling with visions and voices that have haunted her since her youth. The title was first announced in 2019 and showcased at a number of events over time, sticking to a fairly public development cycle that helped promote the first game ahead of its launch.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 developer Ninja Theory had plenty of work making major titles to be published by larger game companies in the past, from the Journey to the West-inspired Enslaved: Odyssey to the West to the controversial DmC that rebooted Capcom's Devil May Cry series. With Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, the studio went fully independent while still gunning for AAA visuals and polish. Ninja Theory was acquired by Xbox Game Studios in 2018 after the success of Hellblade, returning the developer and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 to the hands of a larger publisher.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 Release Date & Price

The release date for Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 was revealed at the 2024 Xbox Developer_Direct, available on the official Xbox YouTube channel, which established that Hellblade 2 will launch on May 21, 2024. As a natural effect of the Xbox Game Studios acquisition, Hellblade 2 is releasing as an Xbox Series X/S console exclusive alongside a PC launch on the same date. It will also be available on Xbox Game day one, and can be pre-installed for subscribers to prepare for immediate access once May 21 rolls around.

For those who would rather purchase the game outright, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is sticking to a digital-only release plan that prices it at $49.99. Despite the involvement of Xbox Game Studios, this model replicates the independent strategy of the first game, which likewise launched digitally before later receiving a physical edition in 2019. The price sits comfortably between the $29.99 charge for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice and the $60-70 range that's standard for AAA titles, making it a potentially more appealing prospect than expensive competitors despite the increase from its predecessor.

Story Details Of Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 picks up after the narrative of the first game, following Senua as she sets forth into the colder climes of Iceland. The damage wrought by Norse raiders is a major part of the first game, so the story of Hellblade 2 is pushing Senua further in confronting her demons, even if it's leaving the realm of Helheim behind. In Iceland, Senua has to go head-to-head with threats from Norse mythology like giants and the undead draugar, making new enemies and allies along the course of her journey.

Like the first game, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 deals with the voices and hallucinations that Senua struggles with as symptoms of psychosis, taking an unusually careful and informed approach to the subject. The way that she processes the world around her influences the progression throughout the game, and the possibilities of wielding these elements to her advantage may have expanded after her journey to come to with them. Ninja Theory is still being coy about many more specific story details, but they're all going to fit within a similar runtime to Hellblade, probably clocking in under 10 hours.

Gameplay Details Of Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

Combat is a big part of the Hellblade games, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 revamps the combat to give it more diversity and impact. The sequel features a greater variety of enemies and a focus on faster, more intense battles rather than spongy foes that can draw out single encounters. One big part of this is using extensive motion capture for realistic animations, with Senua's actress training for two years to master the fighting. Binaural audio, which was used exclusively for boss encounters in Hellblade, takes on a more comprehensive role in Hellblade 2 to create a consistent sense of immersion throughout combat and exploration.

Hellblade 2 will also feature the music of the experimental folk band Heilung, which will likewise take advantage of binaural audio.

Although the game overview at the Xbox Developer_Direct and a number of the trailers released for Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 focus on the combat, that's not the only pillar of the gameplay. Hellblade 2 is presumably following the first game in balancing combat, environmental puzzles, and walking sim elements, although it's possible that the balance will tip more heavily in favor of action this time. The Icelandic setting should provide plenty of opportunities for fascinating vistas to explore and exciting set pieces, and considering the modest overall runtime, tightly engineered progression will go a long way in consistent engagement.

A big selling point of Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is the idea that Ninja Theory is attempting to make the most of the expanded team size and budget for the sequel, which could yield some impressive results considering how much the studio managed with the original Hellblade. The $49.99 purchase should also be a complete package, as the only DLC the first game ever received was a license for the soundtrack. Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 has a strong legacy to live up to, but if all goes well, it should be able to take the best aspects of Hellblade and build on them.

Source: Xbox/YouTube, Ninja Theory/YouTube