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Hellblade 2 | Review Thread

What Scores do you think Hellblade 2 will get?

  • 50-59%

    Votes: 2 0.9%
  • 60-69%

    Votes: 6 2.6%
  • 70-75%

    Votes: 23 9.9%
  • 76-79%

    Votes: 44 19.0%
  • 80-85%

    Votes: 90 38.8%
  • 86-90%

    Votes: 47 20.3%
  • 90-94%

    Votes: 10 4.3%
  • 95-100%

    Votes: 10 4.3%

  • Total voters
    232
  • Poll closed .

HeWhoWalks

Gold Member
Who besides Adamsapple and Topher have actually played the game? Seeing a lot of negative takes in here from people who clearly haven't played the game at all, like James Sawyer.
Myself. If you like the first, you will like this one. I get the complaints, but I love it! I was one of the few who said MS struck gold when they acquired NT. No, such a game may not have mass appeal, but the sum of its parts work and look absolutely ridiculous!
 
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Reactions: GHG

FunkMiller

Member
Not sure where you're going with this?

Both games are roughly the same length if you're just going straight to the objectives. Each add a few more hours if you're collectible hunting or doing completionist run.

The top result for Senua's Sacrifice full game play is 4hrs 30 mins.

The top result for Senua's Saga full game play is 5hr 30mins.

They're both from the same channel, even.

The sequel is longer.

DiXw00i.jpeg

Yeah, fair play. The first one felt like a good eight + hours to me, which is why it felt a little weird that he said the second one was the same length. Also, it was pretty widely reported that the second one was 9 hours - which obviously proved not to be the case. I shall see how long it takes me to finish the second one.
 
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Made a review for the game, because I really liked the first. If the puzzles in the original weren’t so often undercooked, it would have easily been one of my favs.

For the second game, there’s pretty intense moments, probably even better than the first. Cinematography and graphics are insane. But when it's over, it actually leaves way more of a sour taste and feels rushed - despite a similar length. And as I feared, the introduction of more characters falls flat and brings in a bit of cringe. Once again there’s some cool puzzle setups, but the amount of walk-simulating is off the charts sadly, even compared to the first.
 

Topher

Identifies as young
Really feel like this game could have been so much more than it is if they had put more effort into the combat. The repetitive back and forth with the sword is so boring. The mirror mechanic is a cool add, but still not enough. It is just so repetitive.

Going to push the difficulty to hard and see what difference that makes.
 
Why don’t you tell us what is “pretty decent” about the story and characters of The Order. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you to watch numerous YouTube videos since I doubt you actually played it. Feel free to quote when done.

It’s got a cool vibe, I played The Order, it probably deserves the 6/10s it received since it’s essentially Gears lite and is only 6 hours long

It could have led to an amazingly expanded sequel, but Sony wasn’t happy with the end result and I don’t blame them

HB2 is a sequel and it somehow does not expand in all the ways people wanted for it to deserve its 8/10 scores
 
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Mortisfacio

Member
Why is The Order even a point of discussion?

People are equating it largely due to also being a short game that has hype around its visual fidelity, but lacks in other areas.

The Order was just a terrible game. I only finished it because it was so short, but I played it immediately after playing Bloodborne so the contrast in enjoyment between those two games was very jarring.
 

HeWhoWalks

Gold Member
People are equating it largely due to also being a short game that has hype around its visual fidelity, but lacks in other areas.

The Order was just a terrible game. I only finished it because it was so short, but I played it immediately after playing Bloodborne so the contrast in enjoyment between those two games was very jarring.
I actually enjoyed it, just wished it was longer.

That said, Hellblade definitely has enough winning points to stand out on its own. Folks really should think about it. 80+ review score, great reception on Steam. Much of the word surrounding the game is positive.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
People are equating it largely due to also being a short game that has hype around its visual fidelity, but lacks in other areas.

The Order was just a terrible game. I only finished it because it was so short, but I played it immediately after playing Bloodborne so the contrast in enjoyment between those two games was very jarring.


I wouldn't call it outright terrible, but it was a below average, close to bad, game. Probably the fastest I've resold a copy of a game after finishing it.

Anyway, I agree with HeWhoWalks HeWhoWalks , not sure why it keeps getting brought up over and over. Let's drop it for now and save all of ourselves the headache.
 
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Mortisfacio

Member
I wouldn't call it outright terrible, but it was a below average, close to bad, game. Probably the fastest I've resold a copy of a game after finishing it.

Anyway, I agree with HeWhoWalks HeWhoWalks , not sure why it keeps getting brought up over and over. Let's drop it for now and save all of ourselves the headache.

I would agree and will change to say the Order was boring/not good (to me), but not terrible. My sister gifted me the Gollum game. That was terrible.
 
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Blindy

Member
I would say it's a solid 7 or 7.5/10. Not enough was done to make it fully better than the original but it is still a visual/sound/atmospheric delight. Combat is very bare bones but I get where they are going for, they want to not gateway this game for a casual audience. Ninja Theory wants as many people to play it as possible and don't want the combat or puzzles to be too offputting. I just wish there was more variety in the combat and some actual thought process behind it rather than be a Punch Out clone of LIGHT ATTACK/HEAVY ATTACK/DODGE. There is a lot of walking simulation but the background is nice, it is about the same as Uncharted 4 had it.Hyperbole to say it's a terrible game but it's fair to be letdown that after 6+ years of development, this was the end result. Still solid for what it is, glad to play it on Game Pass.

(Beat it in 1 day which doesn't happen often for me, that's partially due to game length but in comparison to a game with similiar length that I played in The Chant, it's night/day. The stuff that's good in Hellblade 2 is really good, it's just bogged down by simplistic combat and puzzles for the sake of.)
 
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Gambit2483

Member
Yep pretty much. Redfall was a 3/10 game that got reviewed like a 6/10

HB2 is a 5/10 game reviewed like an 8/10.

Both highly inflated due to the pity party and moneybag marketing Microsoft has with all their fan devoted sites

Hi Fi Rush was a great game and got the scores it deserved. It should be praised and the studio shouldn’t be closed. This other garbage? It just reeks of desperation to not close another studio that actually deserves it

Sorry to say but it’s probably better if the art talent at team ninja goes on to studios who actually know how to make real games and real stories.

This shit used to fly when video games were kind of new when it comes to cinematics, but they are not, and expectations have changed.
From what I'm hearing apparently the journos are reviewing this game based on the experience it offers more so than the actual gameplay.

Also someone broke down the combat as being more like a glorified quick time event where it's less about timing/skill/player agency and more about inputting the right button at the right time and the right time is very generous.
 

Mr Moose

Gold Member
If you insist, I'll give you one reason.

It's the better game of the two.

Source: Myself (and the vast majority of the critics online)


vRyUKAb.jpeg
I just checked mine. 5 trophies? Pshh!
16 of 22 Trophies
February 23rd 2015
:messenger_bicep:

I haven't played either of the Hellblade games so I can't really compare them with The Order, apart from all short games and nice graphics.
 

Mortisfacio

Member
From what I'm hearing apparently the journos are reviewing this game based on the experience it offers more so than the actual gameplay.

Also someone broke down the combat as being more like a glorified quick time event where it's less about timing/skill/player agency and more about inputting the right button at the right time and the right time is very generous.

I had no expectations of combat being great given how the first one was, but this has been my nitpick of combat so far (I'll finish the game today). So far the "block" mechanic has been largely unnecessary for example. A block can be replaced with a parry if you just use the quick attack it will effectively achieve the same thing. Only scenario it's different is heavy attack enemies you'd just evade then do a quick or heavy. It's a pretty simplistic combat.

That said, the pacing is so well done that mixed with the visual and audio design I'm enjoying it for what it is. It being a short game actually is a positive for me as the beauty of the production won't get me through 15-20 hours of this (in the hypothetical it were that long)
 
Thank you, I expected a shallow nondescript opinion on why the story and characters were “pretty decent” and somehow you went above and beyond with an answer that would come from someone who maybe just watched a trailer or two 😆

Again, I love this thread.

It’s set in a steampunk 19th century London with Tesla type technology and features a knights of the round table protectors of society

What more do you want? Jesus dude, it’s far better than a mental patient screaming in my ear non stop I can guarantee you that
 
It’s set in a steampunk 19th century London with Tesla type technology and features a knights of the round table protectors of society

What more do you want? Jesus dude, it’s far better than a mental patient screaming in my ear non stop I can guarantee you that

But the vibes in Hellblade are so cool bro
 

Fbh

Member
Why is The Order even a point of discussion?

People early on were saying this would have reviewed higher if it was a Sony game.
Others pointed out the last time Sony released a 6-7 hours cinematic game that focused on visuals and storytelling over gameplay it got bad reviews and low sales.
Both sides then proceeded to argue about how Hellblade2 or TO1886 are secretly the best game ever while the other one sucks.
Then in the last few pages some new people came and started arguing this actually got higher reviews because it's a MS game and not a Sony one.

So at this point who knows?
 
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GHG

Member
Its a $50 game so am assuming budget would’ve been kept under control?

Also it has a “2” in the title sure, but it moves even harder in niche, non marketable territory. Which is a bigger risk than a new IP.

The price has nothing to do with the budget, it was in development for a very long time, they increased the size of their team and upped the ante in terms of their mocap/production methodologies. You guys can't go from saying bullshit like "can't wait to see what team ninja can do with an unlimited budget" to now trying to downplay the resources they will have had at their disposal because the game hasn't been received as well as you would have hoped.

As for this game being a bigger risk - laughable. It's a known quantity considering the fact that it's almost identical in structure to the original game, albeit with a prettier coat of paint.
 
Ah, so people who aren't in the Xbox eco-system and have no allegiance to it, but according to you are still hardcore Xbox fanboys, are only leaving positive reviews because of their affinity to the first game. Nothing to do with this game in itself.

My god man, just give it a rest already, you're just making a fool of yourself :messenger_tears_of_joy:
I remember some conspiracy theory that all the bad steam reviews for Starfield were the work of PS fanboys and that's why the game was getting lambasted.

That and the amazing work of Ass of Can Whooping Ass of Can Whooping of course, mobilizing the troops.

So careful with the projection there :messenger_winking:
 
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