Game review – Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice – mental illness and psychosis themes create an experience like no other
Charting the quest of a young, mentally tormented warrior woman, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is bursting with emotional intensity thanks to its strong acting, realistic visuals and mesmerising narration from Chipo Chung
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Ninja Theory
4/5 stars
We are all prisoners of our minds to some extent, some of us more so than others. To this end, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice opens with a notification: “This game contains representations of psychosis. People with experience of psychosis as well as professionals in psychiatry have assisted in these depictions.”
The game (available on PS4 and PC) tells the story of Celtic warrior Senua, a young, mentally tormented woman who goes on a quest to retrieve her lover from the underworld. Although it revolves around a character who suffers from auditory hallucinations and delusional thoughts, Hellblade will resonate with many who have dealt with chronic depression, paranoia and other mental health issues.
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From its opening scene, which calls to mind the journey up a foreboding river in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, I was struck by the game’s production values. As Senua paddles her way through a fog-laden landscape in a dugout, the narrator, voiced by Chipo Chung, introduces us to her and the voices she hears.