After a lengthy development time by a tight-knit group within Ninja Theory, Hellblade: Senua?s Sacrifice has finally been released on the PlayStation 4 and Windows platforms. Has the lengthy wait been worth it, and has Ninja Theory?s ?independent AAA? development strategy paid dividends" Time to find out.
Beautiful Desolation
Hellblade takes advantage of the Unreal Engine 4. The underworld is a hellish place, yet it is surrounded by beautiful mountain ranges and tranquil lakes. Playing on a PS4 Pro also offered me the additional game option to play in a 60 Hz mode. With this setting on, there was a slightly noticeable degradation of graphics. However, with this setting turned off, Hellblade?s frame rate dips down tremendously. I didn?t find myself too annoyed with the dip in frame rate after a few minutes, but once I switched back to the 60 Hz mode, I left that setting on for the remainder of my time with the game. It?s just so much smoother and provides for a more fluid combat experience. Combat is a deceptively simple affair in Hellblade. Senua only ever carries a single weapon, a sword, which keeps the focus on technique as opposed to picking the best weapon for the job. The face buttons are used to perform light and heavy attacks, melee, and evade enemy attacks, while R1 blocks and L1 sprints. After chaining enough attacks and evades together, a focus ability can be used. By pressing R2, time slowed down, and I was able to hit enemies much faster than usual. Since...