Xbox studio Ninja Theory is back to show off more of the development process behind its impressive-looking Hellblade sequel - Senua's Saga: Hellblade II. To be clear upfront; there's no new gameplay in here, but there is plenty of info to dig into about the team's upcoming 10th century Icelandic adventure.
Speaking of Iceland — the game's location — the dev team is using scans of the entire country to create Hellblade 2's landscapes. These scans are then combined with real imagery taken from trips to Iceland to utilise a technique called photogrammetry - something that was used by Playground Games to recreate its open world depiction of Mexico in Forza Horizon 5.
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While Ninja Theory's dark and atmospheric adventure looks very different to what Playground built in 2021, FH5 did look nice and crisp when it came to the game's environmental detail, so we have high hopes that the team can pull off similar results here.
Our biggest takeaway from this latest dev diary is just the sheer amount of care and attention that the team is putting into building Hellblade 2. We know the title has been a long time coming, but when you see clips like this you can start to understand why!
Hopefully, we see more of the actual game in action real soon because we've been dying to see more of it since The Game Awards 2021. Xbox's upcoming summer showcase sounds like a good fit, doesn't it?
Are you hyped to see more Hellblade 2? Let us know if it's on your most anticipated games list!
Comments 18
Could have least shown some footage of Senua just walking through a couple of landscapes in series x, showing full character control of in game footage in landscape.
One has to wonder, would Ninja Theory be able to do this kind of work for its next game had Microsoft not purchased the company - or really any publisher with significant cash flow, for that matter?
I do like to see developers being allowed to achieve their goals and be proud of their achievement, rather than simply becoming a game farm.
@Kaloudz had lots of fun with DmC, still think it was damn good.
@Kaloudz
You never know we might get a bit of hack and slash with Hellblade 2.
@KaijuKaiser Differences is attitude?
I mean, look, if this was a trip they took last month, I'd be upset.
But much of this work was going on before and during the pandemic with some of the on-site work being done in 2022 to help finalize some artistic details.
Now, if all subsequent diaries don't show any actual game progress, then I'll start wondering.
If the goal is to capture the full history of the game's development, you have to start before there is game.
@BrilliantBill Fair enough.
In Ninja Theory's defense:
I just don't necessarily equate Ninja Theory to a larger studio and am willing to give that developer a little more leeway than others.
Not much more, though. I mean, at this point, any release beyond February 2024 would be met with backlash - unless Ninja Theory comes out and says it's open world that the spans across the entirety of Iceland.
Yes, overall, Microsoft does need to start showing us the fruits of their investment in purchasing all these studios.
@Kaloudz That is my concern for the game. The devs can't just drop everything and make Senua like Kratos or Dante. That would be kind of silly. Tonally, the games are disparate. So how do you find a balance with more, further developed combat and retain the feel of the series?
@BrilliantBill Spencer intentionally dropped several bits on information in his interview the other day. He said he was going to Ninja Theory to check on Hellblade on Wednesday, and that Everwild was in active development . If not proof of life, there were at least signs of life.
@Dezzy70 that would make it appeal to me much more. This game will be a graphical showcase tho. I expect them to work closely with MS and use the full RDNA 2.0 and Shaders that PS5 don’t have and that can set this game apart for the years to come. Not sure it will be a game that suits my play style , but i would bet money that it will be one of the best looking games on any platform for a while. Maybe until Gears 6, if they can push the engine to it’s max.
@GamingFan4Lyf Yes, overall, Microsoft does need to start showing us the fruits of their investment in purchasing all these studios.
Come June i think we will all be seeing what they got cooking and be very happy. Covid slowed HB2 down with its video capture. Not making excuses but it did and i am sure they are grinding away the best they can to make some of that time back. I think this game graphically turns heads in June.
@Green-Bandit
Yes it seems to be heading towards being a graphical showcase, but it as to have the gameplay for me whatever that turns out to be.
Not sure if it will be a console or game pass seller though. Has always felt so far like a niche game to me and if so I’m very surprised as I thought Xbox might try and make it a general public AAA game some how.
@Dezzy70 we will have to wait and see, but the nature of the first one doesn’t strike me as mass appeal. Great game. But not a system mover.
@Green-Bandit
I know I’m being me, but if I was spending all that time and money developing a game as a business I would want it to be a system / game pass seller. A general public must have game.
I think that is the way I would approach every big AAA game. It must make money and bring in lots of new console sales and game pass subscriptions.
What’s the point of trying create a gaming empire like Microsoft are trying to do if you don’t get the sales and the money in and increase your percentage stake in the gaming market over you competitors.
My #1 most anticipated game right now! I can’t wait for this, but I’m so happy they’re taking their time with it.
@Dezzy70 i agree with that, but at the same time, so games are tailored to the mass market and some are for the hardcore players. Take Elden Ring for an example. Sure it sold way more than just the hardcore, but most of those players hated it, cause it was hard and they couldn’t advance. It wasn’t tailored to their play style and commitment. HB2 is kinda that, not so much from a challenge level, but more from the character being someone that talks to herself in her mind and has mental illness. Not sure thats up for Harry Potter level of mainstream. I do agree that Xbox needs more games that sells systems and are big GP hits and i think they will have some of those, i think Banjo is still a game they need to take a shot at that 10+ year old market. You make an excellent Banjo game and bundle it with the Series S for $250 and that would be a system seller around the holidays. But i agree with your point completely and think that HB2 is just not a title that is 20 million in sales like a Spider-man.
@Kaloudz Yes, that is kind of the scenario I envision. Could be that Senua has more fleshed out combat or tailored & varied combat scenarios. A Plague Tale told a story about children losing their innocence before the sequel introduced far more killing. Still, the devs tried to keep it somewhat grounded.
Senua, likewise, isn't a murder machine nor incredibly powerful.
@BrilliantBill
You can still have new IP that sell well and make money and sell systems and also set up great system sellers for follow up game.
Look at HFW, last of us, Uncharted, GOW reimagined and spider man to a degree.
Xbox just need to create that game. But just as important get some momentum and advertising behind them and become the games to have and console or game pass to own. That is their issue they have very little public awareness and the competition have years of public awareness due to various reasons created over years.
I mean they could have started that trend with Halo Infinite and produced a BOTW a GOW both established IP that got reimagined and big advertising budgets etc for public awareness.
Instead we know what happened.
@Kaloudz Thanks. It is a good game, well put together. It's not that I don't want Xbox to put out an action heavy adventure game, just that I think it would be a tough switch for Hellblade. We'll see.
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