Today marked the 2023 edition of State of Unreal, and the big takeaway from an Xbox perspective is that Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is perhaps looking ever more impressive than we expected. This game is going to be special!
The video in the presentation is short but sweet (you can watch it above), showing off the power of "realtime facial animation" in the game. We don't know about you, but we're more hyped for Hellblade 2 than ever after watching this!
"We're pushing the boundaries of realtime facial animation in Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, as showcased at GDC 2023 with Unreal Engine."
Unfortunately we still don't have a release date for Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 as of yet, although reports have suggested that the game, along with Obsidian's Avowed, will be the next big focus for Microsoft following the launches of Redfall, Starfield, Forza Motorsport and Minecraft Legends. In other words, we're probably looking at a 2024 launch.
To be honest, after watching this, we're happy to wait as long as it takes for Ninja Theory to create something truly special with this highly-anticipated sequel. Our expectations just got raised to another level with this trailer.