I was 22 when I had my first psychotic episode. I had dropped everything and moved to Austin with a girlfriend who was not a good fit for me, pursuing my dream of (somehow) becoming a professional actor. None of this was going well; the relationship and the jobs I was working were all dead ends that I wasn't really acknowledging or dealing with.
Eventually all the stress and self-deceit came to a head in a giant fight, and I started thinking things that were decidedly false. I came to believe that I was the center of a conspiracy of surveillance, Truman Show style, that was being run by my friends. Every detail that I noticed confirmed this: I saw a car make a weird U-turn which to me was proof positive that it was following me. A dump truck passed the window with a flashing yellow light; this was clearly someone trying to signal to me that they were in on the conspiracy. A cat sitting on the hood of a car must have been some kind of sophisticated spy camera.
I never experienced hallucinations, I was never violent and I didn't cackle maniacally like every single clueless, no-effort depiction of mental illness in Hollywood and elsewhere. The only thing that was missing was my capacity to critically examine my own ideas.
You know how when you're thinking super hard about something for a long time, and you finally figure it out, and you get that big rush of endorphins like "ahhhhh I finally got it." It's a great feeling, but you have to work to get there right? You have to come up with and reject a lot of ideas before you find the one that fits. Well, I was having that "ahhhh" feeling with every fleeting notion. You don't realize how many thoughts you reject as nonsense until you lose the ability to do so.
You might see a squirrel run toward you and think "Wouldn't it be cool if that was some kind of little robot?" then immediately reject that idea without a second thought. That rejection is what was broken in me; even the most momentary flight of fancy became the unassailable truth. I saw the squirrel and it was self-evident that it was being remotely-controlled as a way to keep tabs on me. Not a single thought in my mind that any of this stuff was wrong.
Public mental health facilities in Texas at the turn of millennium were about as you'd expect. I was there involuntarily and kept trying to escape, so I spent a lot of the first few days restrained (more than 20 years later I still get a panicky feeling in my chest when I think about being strapped to that bed). I was shot up with Haldol that left me a drooling, twitching mess. At no point did I receive anything resembling therapy. After a few weeks the doctor assigned to my case finally came back from vacation and I seemed fine so they basically shrugged and let me go.
"Depression with psychotic features" they called it that first time. Eventually, after experiencing more episodes and being institutionalized and re-diagnosed a few more times, they settled on the diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder and I've been stable on lithium for over a decade now. I was lucky and got basically the happiest possible outcome. I don't think that's the case for most people dealing with mental health issues, especially psychosis.
Mental health is like sexuality, in that we as a society are obsessed with it but only seem to engage with it in the most unhealthy ways. In our entertainment media, references to insanity are constant. Calling someone's sanity into question is an easy and common insult. After every mass shooting, the airwaves are crammed with politicians scapegoating the mentally ill. We're finally to the point where (in some circles) it's considered unacceptable to use "gay" or "retarded" as insults, but nobody bats an eye if you call someone "crazy" or "psycho".
But for all of that, it's basically unheard of for someone in power to say anything meaningful about mental health. When Hollywood approaches the topic, the results are universally rancid. Games tend to fall into two camps: crazy-person-as-horror-villain studio hack jobs, or autobiographical indies that actually bring some experience to the picture.
And that's why Hellblade stands out so much to me. It's not an indie; it has the full weight of a storied and talented (albeit small) studio behind it. But they've done the work to actually try to depict psychosis in a realistic way, that brings the player into the experience as an exercise in empathy, not just a cheap aesthetic choice.
It was a marvel to me how the puzzles in the game are built around seeing patterns that aren't really there, exactly like I did during my psychotic episodes. The scene where all the trees have eyes, but they're really just tricks of the light, was so incredibly true to my experience. I never saw things that weren't there; I saw things that were there but misinterpreted them in critical ways, just like Senua.
And Senua? Possibly my favorite protagonist of any game. Melina Jeurgens gives it so much of herself, and her character design is such a breath of fresh air in an industry full of gross fan service. She looks like a real person! She's still pretty, but doesn't look like a RealDoll that someone dressed up in cosplay gear.
I could only play this game in short sessions because it's so damn intense. The story hits hard, and Senua's agonizing deaths were challenging. Mechanically, the game is really quite light. Only a couple gameplay verbs are made available as the story progresses very linearly. Hellblade aims to challenge the player on a sensory, emotional and intellectual level more than a gameplay one. For me, it was deeply effective and affecting.
With the sequel on the horizon it's exciting to imagine what Ninja Theory has in store for us next. It really feels like the conversation around mental health is starting to turn; the crazies are finally out telling their stories, taboos and misinformation be damned. I love how indie developers have stepped up and started raising the level of discourse around mental health and I really hope that more and bigger studios follow suit. Fear of retaliation or judgment can make mental illness a really isolating experience. It really does feel good to feel seen, and playing a game like Hellblade is really great reminder that I'm not alone.
Eventually all the stress and self-deceit came to a head in a giant fight, and I started thinking things that were decidedly false. I came to believe that I was the center of a conspiracy of surveillance, Truman Show style, that was being run by my friends. Every detail that I noticed confirmed this: I saw a car make a weird U-turn which to me was proof positive that it was following me. A dump truck passed the window with a flashing yellow light; this was clearly someone trying to signal to me that they were in on the conspiracy. A cat sitting on the hood of a car must have been some kind of sophisticated spy camera.
I never experienced hallucinations, I was never violent and I didn't cackle maniacally like every single clueless, no-effort depiction of mental illness in Hollywood and elsewhere. The only thing that was missing was my capacity to critically examine my own ideas.
You know how when you're thinking super hard about something for a long time, and you finally figure it out, and you get that big rush of endorphins like "ahhhhh I finally got it." It's a great feeling, but you have to work to get there right? You have to come up with and reject a lot of ideas before you find the one that fits. Well, I was having that "ahhhh" feeling with every fleeting notion. You don't realize how many thoughts you reject as nonsense until you lose the ability to do so.
You might see a squirrel run toward you and think "Wouldn't it be cool if that was some kind of little robot?" then immediately reject that idea without a second thought. That rejection is what was broken in me; even the most momentary flight of fancy became the unassailable truth. I saw the squirrel and it was self-evident that it was being remotely-controlled as a way to keep tabs on me. Not a single thought in my mind that any of this stuff was wrong.
Public mental health facilities in Texas at the turn of millennium were about as you'd expect. I was there involuntarily and kept trying to escape, so I spent a lot of the first few days restrained (more than 20 years later I still get a panicky feeling in my chest when I think about being strapped to that bed). I was shot up with Haldol that left me a drooling, twitching mess. At no point did I receive anything resembling therapy. After a few weeks the doctor assigned to my case finally came back from vacation and I seemed fine so they basically shrugged and let me go.
"Depression with psychotic features" they called it that first time. Eventually, after experiencing more episodes and being institutionalized and re-diagnosed a few more times, they settled on the diagnosis of Bipolar I disorder and I've been stable on lithium for over a decade now. I was lucky and got basically the happiest possible outcome. I don't think that's the case for most people dealing with mental health issues, especially psychosis.
Mental health is like sexuality, in that we as a society are obsessed with it but only seem to engage with it in the most unhealthy ways. In our entertainment media, references to insanity are constant. Calling someone's sanity into question is an easy and common insult. After every mass shooting, the airwaves are crammed with politicians scapegoating the mentally ill. We're finally to the point where (in some circles) it's considered unacceptable to use "gay" or "retarded" as insults, but nobody bats an eye if you call someone "crazy" or "psycho".
But for all of that, it's basically unheard of for someone in power to say anything meaningful about mental health. When Hollywood approaches the topic, the results are universally rancid. Games tend to fall into two camps: crazy-person-as-horror-villain studio hack jobs, or autobiographical indies that actually bring some experience to the picture.
And that's why Hellblade stands out so much to me. It's not an indie; it has the full weight of a storied and talented (albeit small) studio behind it. But they've done the work to actually try to depict psychosis in a realistic way, that brings the player into the experience as an exercise in empathy, not just a cheap aesthetic choice.
It was a marvel to me how the puzzles in the game are built around seeing patterns that aren't really there, exactly like I did during my psychotic episodes. The scene where all the trees have eyes, but they're really just tricks of the light, was so incredibly true to my experience. I never saw things that weren't there; I saw things that were there but misinterpreted them in critical ways, just like Senua.
And Senua? Possibly my favorite protagonist of any game. Melina Jeurgens gives it so much of herself, and her character design is such a breath of fresh air in an industry full of gross fan service. She looks like a real person! She's still pretty, but doesn't look like a RealDoll that someone dressed up in cosplay gear.
I could only play this game in short sessions because it's so damn intense. The story hits hard, and Senua's agonizing deaths were challenging. Mechanically, the game is really quite light. Only a couple gameplay verbs are made available as the story progresses very linearly. Hellblade aims to challenge the player on a sensory, emotional and intellectual level more than a gameplay one. For me, it was deeply effective and affecting.
With the sequel on the horizon it's exciting to imagine what Ninja Theory has in store for us next. It really feels like the conversation around mental health is starting to turn; the crazies are finally out telling their stories, taboos and misinformation be damned. I love how indie developers have stepped up and started raising the level of discourse around mental health and I really hope that more and bigger studios follow suit. Fear of retaliation or judgment can make mental illness a really isolating experience. It really does feel good to feel seen, and playing a game like Hellblade is really great reminder that I'm not alone.
Exemplo de resiliência.
Não é a primeira vez que nos deparamos com personagens psicóticos, transtornados ou com uma bagagem emocional pesada como Isaac Clarke, Max Payne, entre outros. Aqui, acompanhamos a árdua jornada de Senua, uma jovem guerreira que tenta encontrar paz para o seu amado e acima de tudo, para si mesma.
A junção das mitologias nórdica e celta não poderiam ter culminado em uma atmosfera melhor para essa narrativa. Desde os mitos distorcidos que assombravam as mentes desvairadas daquele período até o politeísmo emaranhado nas vidas de todos que se deixavam guiar por ele! Diante disso, temos uma protagonista atormentada, lutando para superar a escuridão que toma conta do seu ser enquanto tentamos entender mais sobre o passado, traumas e perdas que a fizeram chegar a esse ponto.
Falando das mecânicas, o combate é um pouco decepcionante, porém, aceitável e conta com esquivas, um sistema de parry "OK", ataques rápidos e fortes. Alguns puzzles são frustrantes mas bem elaborados, havendo alterações nos cenários em que se encontra e mudando a perspectiva do jogador, oferecendo desafios interessantes. O trabalho de áudio é admirável e a parte visual dispensa comentários, principalmente na versão de PC, que recebeu atualizações trazendo suporte a DX12 e Ray Tracing.
Sendo sincero, só resolvi dar uma chance por conta da sequência já anunciada, entretanto, posso dizer com tranquilidade que o saldo foi positivo. A experiência em si consegue ir além do substancial e se faz bastante necessária em questões importantes, abordando com certa sensibilidade temas delicados e relevantes.
Não é a primeira vez que nos deparamos com personagens psicóticos, transtornados ou com uma bagagem emocional pesada como Isaac Clarke, Max Payne, entre outros. Aqui, acompanhamos a árdua jornada de Senua, uma jovem guerreira que tenta encontrar paz para o seu amado e acima de tudo, para si mesma.
A junção das mitologias nórdica e celta não poderiam ter culminado em uma atmosfera melhor para essa narrativa. Desde os mitos distorcidos que assombravam as mentes desvairadas daquele período até o politeísmo emaranhado nas vidas de todos que se deixavam guiar por ele! Diante disso, temos uma protagonista atormentada, lutando para superar a escuridão que toma conta do seu ser enquanto tentamos entender mais sobre o passado, traumas e perdas que a fizeram chegar a esse ponto.
Falando das mecânicas, o combate é um pouco decepcionante, porém, aceitável e conta com esquivas, um sistema de parry "OK", ataques rápidos e fortes. Alguns puzzles são frustrantes mas bem elaborados, havendo alterações nos cenários em que se encontra e mudando a perspectiva do jogador, oferecendo desafios interessantes. O trabalho de áudio é admirável e a parte visual dispensa comentários, principalmente na versão de PC, que recebeu atualizações trazendo suporte a DX12 e Ray Tracing.
Sendo sincero, só resolvi dar uma chance por conta da sequência já anunciada, entretanto, posso dizer com tranquilidade que o saldo foi positivo. A experiência em si consegue ir além do substancial e se faz bastante necessária em questões importantes, abordando com certa sensibilidade temas delicados e relevantes.
impressionante condensação de tantos temas tão profundos, talvez os mais profundos de todos, num jogo tão curto e simples, sinceramente admirada por todo esse empenho em expressão. em alguns momentos parece uma instalação virtual, como um trem fantasma cibernético, um pesadelo digital que você entra e só sai ao discernir entre a infinitude de símbolos que te cercam como se livrar de uma escuridão que é tudo que você se lembra.
This "game" if you even can call it that, is pretty boring.
There is a lot of care and detail put into the idea of how a person with psychosis sees the world, which I appreciate, but the execution of the game and it's story is so bad that it would have been better off as a movie.
Typical gameplay:
- press forward to walk for 5 minutes, hearing incessant voices and dialogue in your head over and over
- find a "puzzle" where you press a button to focus in on something, then look around to find another thing that looks like it
- do some combat I guess, which is serviceable, but very basic
- experience the "story" which is almost entirely exposition dumping and a narration that is so far up it's own ass trying to be interesting
Maybe you'll love the game based on the merit of it's pros, mainly the stunning visuals and mocap, and the respectful treatment of mental illness. However, this one really didn't do it for me. There are better games out there that tell better stories and do a better job telling them.
Note on my ratings:
Treat my stars like Michelin Stars - just having one means the game is worth playing in some way.
1/2 ⭐: hot trash garbage, since you can't do zero stars here
⭐: below average, needs work
⭐⭐: average
⭐⭐⭐: pretty good
⭐⭐⭐⭐: excellent
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: all time favourite
There is a lot of care and detail put into the idea of how a person with psychosis sees the world, which I appreciate, but the execution of the game and it's story is so bad that it would have been better off as a movie.
Typical gameplay:
- press forward to walk for 5 minutes, hearing incessant voices and dialogue in your head over and over
- find a "puzzle" where you press a button to focus in on something, then look around to find another thing that looks like it
- do some combat I guess, which is serviceable, but very basic
- experience the "story" which is almost entirely exposition dumping and a narration that is so far up it's own ass trying to be interesting
Maybe you'll love the game based on the merit of it's pros, mainly the stunning visuals and mocap, and the respectful treatment of mental illness. However, this one really didn't do it for me. There are better games out there that tell better stories and do a better job telling them.
Note on my ratings:
Treat my stars like Michelin Stars - just having one means the game is worth playing in some way.
1/2 ⭐: hot trash garbage, since you can't do zero stars here
⭐: below average, needs work
⭐⭐: average
⭐⭐⭐: pretty good
⭐⭐⭐⭐: excellent
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: all time favourite
Não sou lá fã dos puzzles, entretanto a narrativa e storytelling do jogo é ótimo. Ambientação incrível principalmente com fones de ouvido que aumentam demais a experiência, recomendo pra quem tiver paciência pra tankar uns puzzle paia
aqui temos uma adaptação PERFEITA da mitologia nórdica, incrível como a Ninja Theory conseguiu produzir algo desse nível mesmo com uma equipe tão limitada.
sério, a qualidade desse jogo é impressionante principalmente na atmosfera e o aúdio, ESPECIALMENTE o aúdio, jogar isso aqui de fone é inacreditável, a aflição aumenta 10x mais e a experiência melhora em dobro, as vozes e sussuros parecem ecoar dentro da minha própria cabeça, ao mesmo tempo que é desconfortável sinto uma pitada de capricho IMENSA que os dev colocara aqui. Basicamente todos os aspectos de Hellblade são ÓTIMOS, desde historia (MARAVILHOSA, SÉRIO) até o combate simplista, meu único probleminha com foi uma pequena queda de ritmo em determinado ponto da trama mas nada que afete drasticamente minha opinião sobre esse JOGAÇO!!!!
sério, a qualidade desse jogo é impressionante principalmente na atmosfera e o aúdio, ESPECIALMENTE o aúdio, jogar isso aqui de fone é inacreditável, a aflição aumenta 10x mais e a experiência melhora em dobro, as vozes e sussuros parecem ecoar dentro da minha própria cabeça, ao mesmo tempo que é desconfortável sinto uma pitada de capricho IMENSA que os dev colocara aqui. Basicamente todos os aspectos de Hellblade são ÓTIMOS, desde historia (MARAVILHOSA, SÉRIO) até o combate simplista, meu único probleminha com foi uma pequena queda de ritmo em determinado ponto da trama mas nada que afete drasticamente minha opinião sobre esse JOGAÇO!!!!
After around 7 hours of pure concentration, I can finally say I LOVE THIS GAME!
In the beginning, I struggled to get used to the fighting mechanics and I didn't quite understand what the game was supposed to be about (because I wanted to give myself a blind look into the game). After looking up what the main story synopsis was, it made me understand the overall narrative a lot better. In addition, by the end of the game, I felt REALLY confident in my combat skills.
The story was incredible and the voice acting and environments were amazing! At some points in the game, I wondered if it was made in the Decima engine (because of how amazing it looked). I am beyond hyped for the upcoming Senua's Saga game now; I can't wait to play it!
In the beginning, I struggled to get used to the fighting mechanics and I didn't quite understand what the game was supposed to be about (because I wanted to give myself a blind look into the game). After looking up what the main story synopsis was, it made me understand the overall narrative a lot better. In addition, by the end of the game, I felt REALLY confident in my combat skills.
The story was incredible and the voice acting and environments were amazing! At some points in the game, I wondered if it was made in the Decima engine (because of how amazing it looked). I am beyond hyped for the upcoming Senua's Saga game now; I can't wait to play it!
Gameplay itself was definitely below average, but man, what an experience that was.
Also, game was unsettling from the beginning, but I still did not expect a literal horror sequence in the middle.
Also, game was unsettling from the beginning, but I still did not expect a literal horror sequence in the middle.
I downloaded this game after hearing great things about it when it went on sale, and I played it in just a few settings. Probably the closest thing to a souls-like game I've completed. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a great game about overcoming the grieving of a lost lover in a Norse mythology setting. And huge points for developers being thoughtful and grounded with their portrayal of psychosis throughout the game.
The game would have it's moments struggling from time to time in terms of framerate being noticeable, and the occasional glitch that would keep me from progressing the story, but otherwise, it was relatively fun experience.
The game would have it's moments struggling from time to time in terms of framerate being noticeable, and the occasional glitch that would keep me from progressing the story, but otherwise, it was relatively fun experience.
O foco desse jogo é literalmente em narrativa, a gameplay com a espada é bem limitada e não oferece quase nenhum desafio e algumas partes de só andar para frente me deixaram bem entediado em certos pontos, porém a história me envolveu, os traumas da Senua e tudo o que ela passa, conseguem transmitir essa mesma sensação para nós (me senti até meio maluco em alguns momentos).
What a special and unique experience, it isn’t just any historical epic, but this game genuinely tries to do something touching with its themes and trying to spread awareness of what people in similar situations go through especially when combined with powerful emotions. As well the Audio design is just perfect. Combat was really great too, I expected it to be much weaker, but it felt thrilling in its own way! Genuinely a fun and touching game. My biggest issue was the symbol puzzles that didn’t suck on their own but the repetition that I encountered, made me slightly annoyed. Yet when I watched the documentary, I understood the purpose and how important they are and appreciated it much more. Just a great compelling game, that leaves you thinking in the end
Hellblade? Hell, made me want to watch a movie instead. Senua sacrificed fun so the cutting edge effects and textures could live.
The story stuff is sometimes actually incredible. This girl goes through a lot of horrible things to just get by and you want to see her make it through. The game part of the game is torturously boring. The entertainment is the cutscenes and not all the visual tricks to pad the runtime and mask loading.
I have been thinking that these folks should make movies ever since they released Heavenly Sword on the PS3. Even the DMC reboot had good cutscene direction and these folks are clearly skilled in that way.
It beats spending time making games that are not really games but are kind of enough of a game to qualify as a game but there's a clear lack of investment in the game part of the game. You know what I mean? It's that kind of game. By that I mean a game enough to be put on game pass but barely passes as a game.
The story stuff is sometimes actually incredible. This girl goes through a lot of horrible things to just get by and you want to see her make it through. The game part of the game is torturously boring. The entertainment is the cutscenes and not all the visual tricks to pad the runtime and mask loading.
I have been thinking that these folks should make movies ever since they released Heavenly Sword on the PS3. Even the DMC reboot had good cutscene direction and these folks are clearly skilled in that way.
It beats spending time making games that are not really games but are kind of enough of a game to qualify as a game but there's a clear lack of investment in the game part of the game. You know what I mean? It's that kind of game. By that I mean a game enough to be put on game pass but barely passes as a game.
The audiovisual presentation is pretty cool and unique, but the game is really repetitive and boring. The "puzzles" are not really creative and it's basically a walking simulator with nice cutscenes.
I was reeeeally looking forward to this after Enslaved from Ninja Theory, but after 3 hours I don't think I would recommend it.
I was reeeeally looking forward to this after Enslaved from Ninja Theory, but after 3 hours I don't think I would recommend it.
A abordagem da narrativa tendo uma protagonista que tem esquizofrenia e psicose é uma das coisas mais originais e geniais que vi em videogame, as vozes sendo uma narradora e falando com a Senua é uma experiência única, e a história é muito Intrigante.
Porém o jogo so pode ser definido em arrastaaado. O puzzle com runas se torna extremamente repetitivo logo nas primeiras duas horas, e o combate apesar de eu ter gostado se torna bem irritante pois tem vários momentos que você não aguenta mais tantos inimigos vindo, fora alguns puzles que são bem únicos mas a quantidade em alguns momentos é desgastante. So torço que a sequência conserte o jogo.
Porém o jogo so pode ser definido em arrastaaado. O puzzle com runas se torna extremamente repetitivo logo nas primeiras duas horas, e o combate apesar de eu ter gostado se torna bem irritante pois tem vários momentos que você não aguenta mais tantos inimigos vindo, fora alguns puzles que são bem únicos mas a quantidade em alguns momentos é desgastante. So torço que a sequência conserte o jogo.
While the gameplay of Senua's Sacrifice isn't anything new—environmental puzzles and shallow combat—the depiction of psychosis was definitely unique and its most defining feature. Throughout the game various voices would commentate and either encourage or discourage Senua, a lot of the time incessantly talking over each other. Unfortunately, being sensitive to sound, the constant whispering really got to me and even made me turn it off a few times. It's just one of those things, I guess.
That said, I enjoyed the visuals, the creature designs, and the story for the most part. It also had a great atmosphere with elements of horror.
That said, I enjoyed the visuals, the creature designs, and the story for the most part. It also had a great atmosphere with elements of horror.
Um projeto ambicioso, que apesar de suas ressalvas, se destaca principalmente por seus acertos, e se mantém como sólido.
Muitas das sensações a respeito de alguns elementos foram agridoces para mim, hora parecia estar agradável, hora parecia estar arrastado ou não funcionando como deveria.
Apesar de inicialmente parecer interessante, a resolução dos puzzles se tornou cansativa e até mesmo insuportável em alguns pontos depois de um certo tempo, e sendo os mesmos uma grande fatia do que nos faz progredir, é um problema considerável.
Já o combate, é mais complexo, e pode até ser algo pessoal, mas foi me passada a impressão de que o sistema não foi feito pensado no combate com múltiplos inimigos, em trechos nesse contexto, as opções pareciam disfuncionais, não senti que estava agradável, mas em combates diretos contra um único inimigo, em especial contra chefes, foi o exato oposto, as mecânicas de combate são mais fluidas e bem mais divertidas.
No entanto, deixadas as ressalvas, é preciso comentar a respeito do que fez Hellblade fazer o barulho que fez quando foi lançado, o primor técnico no que se diz respeito a experiência audiovisual.
É impossível pensar em Hellblade sem relacionar com a necessidade e recomendação de se usar fones de ouvidos para uma experiência completa, e não é a toa. O trabalho feito com a ajuda de neurocientistas na retratação da psicose através dos visuais e principalmente das vozes é sublime, a imersão é inigualável e a mensagem é forte.
Alinhado a uma trilha sonora fantástica, um storytelling impecável e uma atuação de primeira classe de Melina Juergens como Senua, Hellblade é espantoso, principalmente se lembrarmos que tudo partiu de um estúdio independente.
Apesar de gostar do que vi, eu não sei se recomendaria com tanta segurança para qualquer pessoa, mas é definitivamente um trabalho artístico que merece ser experienciado pelo máximo de pessoas possível.
Muitas das sensações a respeito de alguns elementos foram agridoces para mim, hora parecia estar agradável, hora parecia estar arrastado ou não funcionando como deveria.
Apesar de inicialmente parecer interessante, a resolução dos puzzles se tornou cansativa e até mesmo insuportável em alguns pontos depois de um certo tempo, e sendo os mesmos uma grande fatia do que nos faz progredir, é um problema considerável.
Já o combate, é mais complexo, e pode até ser algo pessoal, mas foi me passada a impressão de que o sistema não foi feito pensado no combate com múltiplos inimigos, em trechos nesse contexto, as opções pareciam disfuncionais, não senti que estava agradável, mas em combates diretos contra um único inimigo, em especial contra chefes, foi o exato oposto, as mecânicas de combate são mais fluidas e bem mais divertidas.
No entanto, deixadas as ressalvas, é preciso comentar a respeito do que fez Hellblade fazer o barulho que fez quando foi lançado, o primor técnico no que se diz respeito a experiência audiovisual.
É impossível pensar em Hellblade sem relacionar com a necessidade e recomendação de se usar fones de ouvidos para uma experiência completa, e não é a toa. O trabalho feito com a ajuda de neurocientistas na retratação da psicose através dos visuais e principalmente das vozes é sublime, a imersão é inigualável e a mensagem é forte.
Alinhado a uma trilha sonora fantástica, um storytelling impecável e uma atuação de primeira classe de Melina Juergens como Senua, Hellblade é espantoso, principalmente se lembrarmos que tudo partiu de um estúdio independente.
Apesar de gostar do que vi, eu não sei se recomendaria com tanta segurança para qualquer pessoa, mas é definitivamente um trabalho artístico que merece ser experienciado pelo máximo de pessoas possível.
Fun fact: Melina Juergens, the actress who portrays Senua, didn't have any prior experience with acting before this game. Actually, she was a video editor for Ninja Theory and was invited to perform the role while they were looking for an actress. Finally, after seeing her perfomance they gave her the role.
At the beginning of this game there is a trigger warning for those that suffer from mental disorders like mental psychosis or schizophrenia and, I gotta say, I think those warnings are justified. This game was stressful to play. Gorgeous visuals, incredible acting performances, and flawlessly executed sound design lend to this games stress-inducing effectiveness.
The story is very powerful and was, obviously, carried by Senua's character. Her struggle with the darkness, her anger, her fear, her anxieties, and her loss were all so tragic and made for a compelling protagonist. Her performance by Melina Juergens might be the most impressive video game performance I've ever seen and that elevated the game to the next level.
As far as gameplay goes, Hellblade is 80% a walking sim with some puzzles and combat sprinkled in. If you're looking for fun gameplay, this is not a game I would recommend. They had some neat perspective altering puzzles, but other than that the puzzles didn't do anything particularly exciting. The combat was, however, much more appealing. I actually like the philosophy of having "simplistic" combat for a game like this; it didn't need to be anything more than it was. Walking sims work for me when they don't overstay their welcome, and at a tight 6 hours this game certainly did not.
Overall, this game is hard to recommend. It's very arthouse and niche. But to the right gamer this, this game is a masterclass in both storytelling and visual design philosophy.
The story is very powerful and was, obviously, carried by Senua's character. Her struggle with the darkness, her anger, her fear, her anxieties, and her loss were all so tragic and made for a compelling protagonist. Her performance by Melina Juergens might be the most impressive video game performance I've ever seen and that elevated the game to the next level.
As far as gameplay goes, Hellblade is 80% a walking sim with some puzzles and combat sprinkled in. If you're looking for fun gameplay, this is not a game I would recommend. They had some neat perspective altering puzzles, but other than that the puzzles didn't do anything particularly exciting. The combat was, however, much more appealing. I actually like the philosophy of having "simplistic" combat for a game like this; it didn't need to be anything more than it was. Walking sims work for me when they don't overstay their welcome, and at a tight 6 hours this game certainly did not.
Overall, this game is hard to recommend. It's very arthouse and niche. But to the right gamer this, this game is a masterclass in both storytelling and visual design philosophy.
Captivating and horrifying, worth playing for the story and atmosphere alone given that it's not a massive time commitment. That being said, I found the actual gameplay segments to be the weakest part of the game beyond the first 90 minutes, as fighting waves of the same handful of enemies and repeating variations of the same awkward visual puzzles became super repetitive. It works in some cases, but I found the set pieces and narrative to be hands down the best aspects of the game.
More engaging and intuitive puzzles with more enemy and combat variety will guarantee the sequel to be a home run, assuming it can match this game's narrative strengths.
More engaging and intuitive puzzles with more enemy and combat variety will guarantee the sequel to be a home run, assuming it can match this game's narrative strengths.
an experience like no other. if you play this game with headphones on you are in for a treat. senuas voices in her head are really convincing and you can never really tell where this game is going. while i would say the presentation is near perfect here the gameplay is not as good. its quite repetitive and often has puzzles that go on for way too long. still, as an overall package the game is pretty great and i definitely want to go back to it (its been a while) before the sequel comes out
Hellblade es uno de esos títulos que todo el mundo debería jugar por lo menos una vez en la vida, sin importar a que género de videojuegos esté acostumbrado a jugar. Ninja Theory se puso en el arduo ejercicio de adaptar mecánicas y gameplay a una característica que muy pocas veces se ve retratada en la industria, los problemas mentales. La atmósfera oscura y desalentadora genera la dosis correcta de incomodidad mientras el espectacular personaje principal que debemos ayudar a avanzar nos muestra como ve el mundo alguien que no puede confiar en sus propios pensamientos. Es un juego enfocado en la historia y la exploración con una dosis perfecta de acción que nos mantendrá enganchados hasta que lleguemos a los créditos finales. Si bien en algunas ocasiones se vuelve un tanto monótono el proceso que debemos seguir para avanzar, el estilo artístico, la tensión de los combates y la asombrosa interpretación de Melina Juergens como Senua, nos hacen querer seguir adelante. Es un juego que basa todo su concepto en crear tensión y desconfianza, en mostrar a un personaje principal vulnerable mentalmente y lo hace como ningún otro que se haya visto. Extremadamente recomendado.
Review EN/PTBR
It's like you're on a discord call with your friends giving you backseat all the time
A very well executed work of art with an excellent narrative using Norse (Nordic) mythology very well and an incredible soundtrack, a well done combat that you can get the hang quickly even without a tutorial and one of the best games to use 3D sounds leaving you crazy
I think it's incredible how in the middle of combat several times Senua's voice's saved me by saying "BEHIND YOU" or "WATCH OUT"
I recommend to everyone this incredible journey to the path of darkness for the salvation of the soul of the one you love.
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É como você estivesse em uma call no discord com seus amigos dando backseat no teu ouvido toda hora
Uma obra de arte muito bem executada com uma excelente narrativa utilizando muito bem a mitologia nórdica e uma incrível soundtrack, um combate bem feito e que você pega rápido o jeito mesmo não tento HUD ou tutoriais e um dos melhores jogos a usar sons 3D te deixando louco
Eu acho incrível como em meio ao combate diversas vezes a própria voz da cabeça da Senua me salvou por dizer "BEHIND YOU" ou "WATCH OUT"
Recomendo a todos essa jornada incrível ao caminho da escuridão pela salvação da alma daquele que você ama.
It's like you're on a discord call with your friends giving you backseat all the time
A very well executed work of art with an excellent narrative using Norse (Nordic) mythology very well and an incredible soundtrack, a well done combat that you can get the hang quickly even without a tutorial and one of the best games to use 3D sounds leaving you crazy
I think it's incredible how in the middle of combat several times Senua's voice's saved me by saying "BEHIND YOU" or "WATCH OUT"
I recommend to everyone this incredible journey to the path of darkness for the salvation of the soul of the one you love.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
É como você estivesse em uma call no discord com seus amigos dando backseat no teu ouvido toda hora
Uma obra de arte muito bem executada com uma excelente narrativa utilizando muito bem a mitologia nórdica e uma incrível soundtrack, um combate bem feito e que você pega rápido o jeito mesmo não tento HUD ou tutoriais e um dos melhores jogos a usar sons 3D te deixando louco
Eu acho incrível como em meio ao combate diversas vezes a própria voz da cabeça da Senua me salvou por dizer "BEHIND YOU" ou "WATCH OUT"
Recomendo a todos essa jornada incrível ao caminho da escuridão pela salvação da alma daquele que você ama.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a clinically and historically supported analysis of psychosis through the lens of a Norse epic about death and the incredible courage required to be able to look stare it in the face and not be afraid. There are many games about death, loss, acceptance and clarity, but rarely is what the hero trying to rid themselves of, is you. Senua fights with every possible intrusive thought from herself--curiosity, fear, anger, suicidal ideation--but she is also very much fighting for control of her life. The very act of inhabiting her body and as an anonymous player and having control is intrinsically tied to the condition she faces. She wants freedom from herself and from the influences of anything other than her true self.
Very special experience. The sound and music outstanding - recommended to use headphones. The game-play is little bit slow - good mix between puzzles and fights that are tough. The plot for my view is not so interesting so i found my self not even listening to Brut at some point of the game.
unsettling in the best way imaginable
Первая игра с 7D звуком, которая не раскрыла весь свой потенциал.
Eu não sei o quanto dessa frase é verdadeira, mas eu odeio amar Hellblade.
Particularmente, eu sinto zero atração por jogos narrativos em terceira pessoa com câmera over the shoulder, com corredores "abertos" e gráficos ultra realistas, que ficaram mais populares de 2013 pra cá com The Last of Us. Porém Hellblade pra mim sempre foi um jogo diferente dentro desse bolo. Desde o anúncio os temas e estéticas adotadas pela Ninja Theory me intrigavam e me causavam um desconforto "gostoso", tal qual filmes e jogos de horror. Aquele sentimento de "eu não quero ver o que vai acontecer, mas eu preciso saber o que vai acontecer". E nesse sentido, Hellblade cumpre esse papel com maestria...
Ao contrário de outros jogos que eu já escrevi a minha opinião de bosta, é impossível falar das mecânicas de Hellblade sem falar da história (dado a estrutura de seu gênero). Tudo, literalmente tudo, que acontece com a Senua tem uma explicação na lore, e isso, pra ser sincero é fantástico pra mim. Os puzzles só são resolvidos por que é a Senua enxergando eles, da forma em que ela encara o mundo a sua volta. As lutas, que ao mesmo tempo que são simples são técnicas e dependem do máximo de atenção do player, tem uma justificativa narrativa. O fato da Senua em batalha se comportar como se estivesse dançando também! Cada virgula dita ou executada "pelo jogador" tem uma explicação, e não simplesmente existe por que sim.
A direção de arte é simplesmente impecável, a Ninja Theory soube mesclar com uma delicadeza incrível cenários de horror, com a temática e ambientes celtas (não o carro) e ainda demonstrar beleza no meio deles, fazendo com que, pra mim, os gráficos mega realistas sejam só a cereja no meio de um lindo bolo.
Como o jogo (agora franquia) é sobre a Senua - sem dar spoilers -, essa é uma das protagonistas mais incríveis e bem criadas que eu já vi em um jogo. Cada movimento, linha de diálogo e ação desenvolvem brilhantemente a personagem, suas condições mentais e emoções e as vozes que a acompanham ao longo do jogo. Isso claro é um mérito gigantesco da equipe de roteiro do jogo, mas um maior ainda da Melina Juergens que faz a personagem. É impossível terminar o jogo sem elogiar a atuação dessa mulher. Todos os sentimento que as cenas e a personagem trazem (dor, sofrimento, ingenuidade, raiva, alegria, amor, ódio, etc.) são extremamente bem demonstrados em tela graças a expressões faciais da atriz, que talvez em um gráfico mais cartunesco fosse mais complicado de trazer somente com a atuação da mesma.
Talvez a frase do começo seja uma mentira mesmo! Eu realmente gostei de Hellblade, mas talvez não exatamente do jogo em si. A mensagem que ele traz no final é muito bonita; a personagem principal é sim fantástica; a forma o qual tratam pessoas com esquizofrenia nesse jogo é cuidadosa e impressionante e foge de muitos estereótipos criados em outras mídias; a mitologia nórdica é trabalhada de uma forma bem diferente e interessante em relação ao imaginário popular; os puzzles são inventivos tal qual Perspective e Portal; a trilha sonora desse é simplesmente PERFEITA, principalmente nas batalhas de Boss. Sério, dá pra passar horas descrevendo as qualidades desse jogo! Mas no final, Hellblade é uma obra incrível, mas definitivamente não é pra mim, ao ponto que o 4/5 estrelas que eu dei, são 100% por todos os elementos citados anteriormente do que necessariamente pelo conjunto da obra, ao passo que eu não me vejo rejogando ele em anos.
Particularmente, eu sinto zero atração por jogos narrativos em terceira pessoa com câmera over the shoulder, com corredores "abertos" e gráficos ultra realistas, que ficaram mais populares de 2013 pra cá com The Last of Us. Porém Hellblade pra mim sempre foi um jogo diferente dentro desse bolo. Desde o anúncio os temas e estéticas adotadas pela Ninja Theory me intrigavam e me causavam um desconforto "gostoso", tal qual filmes e jogos de horror. Aquele sentimento de "eu não quero ver o que vai acontecer, mas eu preciso saber o que vai acontecer". E nesse sentido, Hellblade cumpre esse papel com maestria...
Ao contrário de outros jogos que eu já escrevi a minha opinião de bosta, é impossível falar das mecânicas de Hellblade sem falar da história (dado a estrutura de seu gênero). Tudo, literalmente tudo, que acontece com a Senua tem uma explicação na lore, e isso, pra ser sincero é fantástico pra mim. Os puzzles só são resolvidos por que é a Senua enxergando eles, da forma em que ela encara o mundo a sua volta. As lutas, que ao mesmo tempo que são simples são técnicas e dependem do máximo de atenção do player, tem uma justificativa narrativa. O fato da Senua em batalha se comportar como se estivesse dançando também! Cada virgula dita ou executada "pelo jogador" tem uma explicação, e não simplesmente existe por que sim.
A direção de arte é simplesmente impecável, a Ninja Theory soube mesclar com uma delicadeza incrível cenários de horror, com a temática e ambientes celtas (não o carro) e ainda demonstrar beleza no meio deles, fazendo com que, pra mim, os gráficos mega realistas sejam só a cereja no meio de um lindo bolo.
Como o jogo (agora franquia) é sobre a Senua - sem dar spoilers -, essa é uma das protagonistas mais incríveis e bem criadas que eu já vi em um jogo. Cada movimento, linha de diálogo e ação desenvolvem brilhantemente a personagem, suas condições mentais e emoções e as vozes que a acompanham ao longo do jogo. Isso claro é um mérito gigantesco da equipe de roteiro do jogo, mas um maior ainda da Melina Juergens que faz a personagem. É impossível terminar o jogo sem elogiar a atuação dessa mulher. Todos os sentimento que as cenas e a personagem trazem (dor, sofrimento, ingenuidade, raiva, alegria, amor, ódio, etc.) são extremamente bem demonstrados em tela graças a expressões faciais da atriz, que talvez em um gráfico mais cartunesco fosse mais complicado de trazer somente com a atuação da mesma.
Talvez a frase do começo seja uma mentira mesmo! Eu realmente gostei de Hellblade, mas talvez não exatamente do jogo em si. A mensagem que ele traz no final é muito bonita; a personagem principal é sim fantástica; a forma o qual tratam pessoas com esquizofrenia nesse jogo é cuidadosa e impressionante e foge de muitos estereótipos criados em outras mídias; a mitologia nórdica é trabalhada de uma forma bem diferente e interessante em relação ao imaginário popular; os puzzles são inventivos tal qual Perspective e Portal; a trilha sonora desse é simplesmente PERFEITA, principalmente nas batalhas de Boss. Sério, dá pra passar horas descrevendo as qualidades desse jogo! Mas no final, Hellblade é uma obra incrível, mas definitivamente não é pra mim, ao ponto que o 4/5 estrelas que eu dei, são 100% por todos os elementos citados anteriormente do que necessariamente pelo conjunto da obra, ao passo que eu não me vejo rejogando ele em anos.
Probably won't come back to this tbh but I'll leave it open as a possibility, just feels like a glorified tech demo and while the initial premise of whispering voices is cool, it wore thin very quickly and its not engaging enough
I applaud this game for delivering such a great narrative in an interesting and immersive manner, and for really striving to make the whole thing tie together cleanly with no fat. I think we'd be lucky to have an industry full of people striving to make this sort of game in larger studios. You see it with indie games, but if the landscape had more like this, we'd be better for it.
Everything that happens serves a larger metaphor about abuse and trauma and mental illness that comes together in a satisfying way. obviously this is no secret when you boot the game and it mentions that it was made with the help of advisers for psychosis.
I'm a little tired of norse style aesthetics in games as there have been an onslaught in recent years, but this one deserves to be at the top of the podium.
spoiler below
I understood the metaphorical reason for the ending, acceptance of her mental illness and no longer fearing or fighting against it, as with her traumas. I'm not sure if the game is supposed to be taken literally at all, and if not, it did perfectly. If so, it's a bit weird to have Hela kill senua, then show Hela dead on the ground. I think the metaphor is the stronger ending, so i choose to take that as its only outcome
The combat feels great too. I'm not sure if the auto setting in the VR version is made a little easy or something to compensate from the weirdness that VR can bring(like the camera whipping around in a peculiar way when switching targets) but I felt like it was satisfying if a bit simple. The low UI and intuitiveness of it rewards you well for learning it.
I also played in VR as I said and I'm not sure if some of the presentational weirdness arises in the main version. It wasn't perfectly optimized, so ignoring that as it was mostly fine, the FMV characters and some of the graphical glitches were a little hard to ignore in the VR aspect. It pulled back the lens to a narrow screen for cutscenes in which the VR camera wasn't sympatico. I do hope NT, with their weird interest in VR does have some VR stuff for senua 2 when that comes around.
Everything that happens serves a larger metaphor about abuse and trauma and mental illness that comes together in a satisfying way. obviously this is no secret when you boot the game and it mentions that it was made with the help of advisers for psychosis.
I'm a little tired of norse style aesthetics in games as there have been an onslaught in recent years, but this one deserves to be at the top of the podium.
spoiler below
I understood the metaphorical reason for the ending, acceptance of her mental illness and no longer fearing or fighting against it, as with her traumas. I'm not sure if the game is supposed to be taken literally at all, and if not, it did perfectly. If so, it's a bit weird to have Hela kill senua, then show Hela dead on the ground. I think the metaphor is the stronger ending, so i choose to take that as its only outcome
The combat feels great too. I'm not sure if the auto setting in the VR version is made a little easy or something to compensate from the weirdness that VR can bring(like the camera whipping around in a peculiar way when switching targets) but I felt like it was satisfying if a bit simple. The low UI and intuitiveness of it rewards you well for learning it.
I also played in VR as I said and I'm not sure if some of the presentational weirdness arises in the main version. It wasn't perfectly optimized, so ignoring that as it was mostly fine, the FMV characters and some of the graphical glitches were a little hard to ignore in the VR aspect. It pulled back the lens to a narrow screen for cutscenes in which the VR camera wasn't sympatico. I do hope NT, with their weird interest in VR does have some VR stuff for senua 2 when that comes around.
Another solid game made by Ninja Theory with a few flaws. One of the few games to address mental health well.
Firstly, this game is pretty. The atmosphere is amazing. The beginning moments are very eerie. The voice acting sells this game. Playing it with headphones is an actual benefit.
Be warned though, this game can be triggering. The story is beautiful. It deals with a lot of heavy topics. Don't let that stop you.
Combat is a bit simplistic. It is still fun though. Some fights can be a bit infuriating. But once the game clicks, it has a great flow.
The rune puzzles are fun and not fun at the same time. At first it is enjoyable to find the runes. Later on it gets really hard and frustrating. Nothing like walking around for 10 minutes because you can't find the vague shape of a rune off in the distance.
Puzzles do vary throughout the journey. Enemies are based on areas. Each area has a gimmick. Some are better than others. Near the end there is a set of challenges that can bite me. Some are simply not fun and annoying.
Trophies are easy to get. It is one of my few platinum trophies. Look up a guide for the collectables. Everything else is a freebie. It's also a short game.
This is such a unique game. A game that should be played with headphones. It's a joy to play. I just hope you like looking around for runes. Because you will be doing a lot of that.
Firstly, this game is pretty. The atmosphere is amazing. The beginning moments are very eerie. The voice acting sells this game. Playing it with headphones is an actual benefit.
Be warned though, this game can be triggering. The story is beautiful. It deals with a lot of heavy topics. Don't let that stop you.
Combat is a bit simplistic. It is still fun though. Some fights can be a bit infuriating. But once the game clicks, it has a great flow.
The rune puzzles are fun and not fun at the same time. At first it is enjoyable to find the runes. Later on it gets really hard and frustrating. Nothing like walking around for 10 minutes because you can't find the vague shape of a rune off in the distance.
Puzzles do vary throughout the journey. Enemies are based on areas. Each area has a gimmick. Some are better than others. Near the end there is a set of challenges that can bite me. Some are simply not fun and annoying.
Trophies are easy to get. It is one of my few platinum trophies. Look up a guide for the collectables. Everything else is a freebie. It's also a short game.
This is such a unique game. A game that should be played with headphones. It's a joy to play. I just hope you like looking around for runes. Because you will be doing a lot of that.