Support NeoGAF

[rodrigolfp]

The sequel has definitely bombed

As it should in sales. No one sane buys a HB sequel for more than something like $5.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

You can prefer any game you like. It's hard to not point out the exaggeration I was mentioning though when you literally are claiming it's better "in every way" which is just not reality.

I disagree. I played both. Have you? Every aspect of that game was better.

 

[hemo memo]

The game is short and doesn’t encourage multiple runs.

 

[Danjin44]

Calm down.

 

[Phobos Base]

I enjoyed the first but the second was a massive disappointment. Yes it looks stunning, almost photo realistic in parts, but other than that it's slowly walking forward and solving those tedious perspective puzzles where you stumble around until you find the right angle. Might be just me, but the whole "mental illness is my superpower" trope doesn't sit quite right with me.

 

[damidu]

Player base difference between the 2 I could fit in my garage hardly "much worse". The first has been available for years and has been on sale numerous times. HB2 is £50.

Both games are mid at best. I fail to see why this is worth discussing.

nah this is a total flop, its not inline with first game at all. its doing pentiment numbers with probably 10X the budget and devtime

 

[Insane Metal]

Ohno!anyway.webp

 

[begotten]

Should have been a launch title alongside a complete Halo Infinite experience for the XSX. Imagine.

 

[semiconscious]

Lets be honest, this game was made just for the graphical fetishes. DF probably drools watching this game but thats it. Its barelly a game.

remember way back when it was referred to as 'eye candy'?...

 

[Agent_4Seven]

WHO emphasize visuals over gameplay? What are you even asking? It's a narrative-driven and unique adventure game, just like the first one. Can we please stop posting BS threads and pointing out how many people are playing or not playing it? Who wanted to play it, bought and played it, it's not a GaaS, there's very little replayability, who the fuck will be playing a game like this in huge numbers? FFS.

 

[clarky]

nah this is a total flop, its not inline with first game at all. its doing pentiment numbers with probably 10X the budget.

Ok, i thought we where talking about the CCU.

10x the budget? i need receipts for that. As far as I'm aware the team was largely the same size.( Read that wrong my bad, i see you said pentiment there).

HB2has been available on gamepass since launch so you can't compare the two sales wise.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

That's irrelevant. Plenty of shorter single player games sell way more than this thing.

It's not about the size, it's about how many dumb 20 year olds you convince to let you slap them repeatedly in the face by- I mean, how you use it.

It is a genuine catharsis after the first title, however, in so far as uniting the disparate elements of mental health awareness into an empowering narrative point: You could be plagued by DID like those Tiktokers, and no matter whose fronting in the system, NONE of your personalities would want to play it. Meta af based.

 

[damidu]

Ok, i thought we where talking about the CCU.

10x the budget? i need receipts for that. As far as I'm aware the team was largely the same size.

HB2has been available on gamepass since launch so you can't compare the two sales wise.

was comparing it to pentiment, lol
HB1 was actually somewhat well-received multiplatform release. hence why this is a huge flop in comparison

 

[Pelao]

There are older short singleplayer games with no real replayable value that still get better numbers than this thing.

 

[anthony2690]

Who is playing Hellblade 1? It's genuinely one of the most boring games I've ever played.

Hellblade 2 to my surprise I actually enjoyed, it does still have some of the slowest moments ever though, I wouldn't replay it.

Ninja theory need to make enslaved 2, much better and more enjoyable ip/game imo.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

The game is short and doesn’t encourage multiple runs.

It doesn't encourage one run.

 

[clarky]

was comparing it to pentiment, lol
HB1 was actually somewhat well-received multiplatform release. hence why this is a huge flop in comparison

Both have pretty much the same scores on MC mate so not a huge flop in comparison if you are using that metric.

You can't compare sales for obvious reasons. Like I said what retard is paying £50 for a 5 hour "experience" when you can use a gamepass trial or sub. The game is one and done at best.

 

[FunkMiller]

I was fucking bored stupid within one hour.

No surprise this has tanked so bad. It's not a game. It's a movie you have to constantly hold the remote for.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Nobody was asking for a cinematic movie experience about womens mental health. Deeply retarded idea to throw so much budget at this. Ninja Theory are not good devs.

 

[LostDonkey]

I.e 51 people don't have game pass.

 

[Mr Moose]

All this Hellblade 2 talk makes me want to play it again. Still have the 3rd audio track to see. Game is a masterpiece.

You're a masochist. I salute you.

 

[Atrus]

Looking at the stats it looks to be less popular than the first. The price is the key issue since the game is not worth $50USD which presents a big barrier to access. I’m sure Gamepass also destroyed any potential sales this could have had given how quickly it could be completed.

We’ll see more players once it gets down to a more reasonable price.

 

[Markio128]

This is great, feels like being part of some special club for people with good taste

I think special club is a good name for it.

 

[clarky]

Nobody was asking for a cinematic movie experience about womens mental health. Deeply retarded idea to throw so much budget at this. Ninja Theory are not good devs.

Everything they have done is technically excellent but mid at best. A bit like Guerrilla games.

I think Enslaved is the best thing they've done and that's a 7 tops.

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

I’m loving Enslaved, Hellblade 1 is really good. Hellblade 2 is dumpster fire garbage. Anyone pretending otherwise should just go watch Netflix.

 

[Skifi28]

All this Hellblade 2 talk makes me want to play it again. Still have the 3rd audio track to see. Game is a masterpiece.

I hear the third playthrough is where the fun really, really begins.

 

[Mortisfacio]

For those of us that have actually played it, it's a good game. Steam agrees. 87% all time rating. Just doesn't have any mass appeal.

 

[K' Dash]

The game was supposed to have a bigger scope than the first one, I thought it would be a semi-open world with better puzzles and MUCH better combat, something aking to GOW 2018.

I wonder at what moment they decided they were biting more than they could chew and scoped down to this.

 

[clarky]

The game was supposed to have a bigger scope than the first one, I thought it would be a semi-open world with better puzzles and MUCH better combat, something aking to GOW 2018.

I wonder at what moment they decided they were biting more than they could chew and scoped down to this.

Source? I think they made exactly what they wanted.

 

[Warablo]

I think people wanted a actual game, instead it seems just like the first.

 

[Schmendrick]

I'm a bona fide graphics whore, and even for me the game below the shiny surface is just not enough. It's a pretty walking simulator of the very very veeery boring kind....
That happens when you forget the "game" in a video game.

 

[Paperboy]

On top of the issue of focusing too much on visuals I think the whole concept of making a Hellblade 2 was a mistake.
I like the original, but to me it was a sort of "one off" experience that I didn't need more of. I've said it in another thread but it was sort of like watching Memento, cool movie with a unique concept but not one that left me thinking "Oh boy I sure hope they make Memento 2".

When it was announced I thought they'd just expand it and make it into more of an action game, which would have been tonally weird but whatever. But then after a long wait it's just more of the same which I think is even less appealing

Yes, the whole ASMR trend came and went after the first Hellblade. It wasn't as new and exciting anymore when the second one released. Did they even improve upon the most criticised part of the first one - the gameplay(?), the thing that actually makes a game fun and playable.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

HB1 is not on gamepass.

Buying games is still more popular.

 

[Killer8]

It's basically an arthouse game with very limited wider appeal. It's not surprising it didn't pull major numbers.

Doesn't make it a bad game, but frankly it's a miracle it a) managed to secure the budget it did, and b) stuck to the foundations of the original game instead of going full God of War action.

 

[Mr Moose]

For those of us that have actually played it, it's a good game. Steam agrees. 87% all time rating. Just doesn't have any mass appeal.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Ohno!anyway.webp

. webp?!?!?!

 

[March Climber]

Nobody was asking for a cinematic movie experience about womens mental health. Deeply retarded idea to throw so much budget at this. Ninja Theory are not good devs.

To be fair, doing the opposite and only making games everybody is asking for would make for a stifling, safe, and kind of boring industry.

 

[Rockman33]

It was an interesting, unique experience in the video game landscape. However, I personally never need to boot it up again after my 5 hour run through.

 

[kruis]

Hellblade 2 Down To Just 50 Steam Players In Two Months

Hellblade 2 has failed to reach even 100 concurrent Steam players this month despite its recent release in late May.

tech4gamers.com

Was it mistaken for Ninja Theory to emphasize visuals over gameplay?

 

[Švejk]

My PS5 is waiting.

 

[Švejk]

CEO of Bungie -> 25 vintage cars.

CEO of Ninja Theory -> 25 hookers.

Different strokes...

 

[Katajx]

I know that the market is different on PC, but I still find it a strange metric to use to gauge success as a single player game.

 

[saintjules]

So what? My nose and eyes probably got bigger. My asscheeks probably got larger in the span of 5 years. What's up with you numberbaters? OP do you own the game?

Yeah, I don't get these gloom and doom posts honestly. The game is short isn't it? Can't expect higher numbers at this point if most of the fan base has played and completed it. Of course it's welcome if it were higher for a longer period of time.

 

[Rippa]

That’s not surprising.

Needs the PS5 touch. C’mon MS, Do it!

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

This game should've stayed a one-off experience and nobody asked for a side story, let alone a whole saga.

Ironic that ther second one has ended on a cliffhanger.

 

[LordCBH]

I couldn’t make it past the hour and a half mark. It’s a polished turd, that’s all it is.

 

[hinch7]

No one wants a pychosis/mental health simulator, that's highly unpleasant to play.

Actually surprised the first did as well as it did. Think people caught on for the sequel though.

 

[Senua]

Well the first game is superior

 

[Fess]

No one sane buys a HB sequel for more than something like $5.

 

[GHG]

No one wants a pychosis/mental health simulator, that's highly unpleasant to play.

Actually surprised the first did as well as it did. Think people caught on for the sequel though.

Sounds like an allegory for what it's like to be an Xbox fan these days.