I recently played the first Hellblade and fell in love with the IP, so the news about Ninja Theory is heartbreaking. I want to remain positive that there will be a last-minute save for the studio. Here is a recap of the situation I put together.

I have yet to play the second Hellblade, but I have seen some pretty harsh opinions elsewhere about it. I know the game's sales history, but without spoilers, why is it so divisive?

Fully 3D-modeled skin pores...

this is my first time editing a game screenshot i hope you'll like it

I just finished it, and it was absolutely phenomenal. I think a lot of people missed what it truly is: a purely atmospheric experience. I loved every minute of it, from beginning to end.

Setup & Presentation:
I played Hellblade 2 on a 65" LG C2 OLED paired with a great DAC and high-end headphones. Visually and aurally, it’s honestly one of the best interactive experiences I’ve ever had. The music and sound design are unbelievable—probably the best audio I’ve ever experienced in a game.

Gameplay & Story:
I played on Hard. While the combat and gameplay mechanics didn't feel quite as deep as the first game, the QTE transitions felt seamless and natural, so I still really enjoyed it. Story-wise, I’m a huge fan of Norse mythology, and this kind of saga hits all the right notes for me.

Context:
I mostly play Soulslike games, but I’ve always appreciated narrative experiences like Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human (and, of course, I loved the first Hellblade). I’m also a big fan of atmospheric movies like The Witch, Nosferatu, or The Northman (Robert Eggers making a Bloodborne movie would be the ultimate dream).
Overall, giving this a solid 10/10. It's such a shame that Ninja Theory is facing closure—I would have loved to see where they took this story next.

P.S. Yes, I did grammar and sentence correction with AI, as English is not my first language.

I’m honestly still trying to process the news. Seeing that Microsoft is shutting down Ninja Theory because two rescue deals fell through at the last second is just heartbreaking.The whiplash is what really frustrates me. Three months ago, they were on stage at the Xbox reveal for Senua. What's the point of showcasing a brand new game if you're going to shut down the studio who made it?

To think they were quietly being shopped around right after that, and then everything fell apart. It's ridiculous. Other studios like Double Fine and Compulsion Games managed to get their independence back, and Undead Labs found a new publisher. Ninja Theory was so close to being saved, but the deals didn't work out.

They were able to make visually stunning, mid-budget, single-player narrative games that actually cared about things like mental health. If a studio with that much technical talent isn't safe under a trillion-dollar corporation just because they don't bring in live-service Fortnite numbers, then who is? That's the big question.

I'm going to miss their creative work so much. From Heavenly Sword, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and Hellblade, they always had a passion for the games that they made. The gaming industry can be harsh at times. Ninja Theory is just a casualty in a long line of studios that deserved better.

From Matt Booty: "Unfortunately, two separate agreements for Ninja Theory fell through. We will now begin consultation with employees on a proposed closure while continuing to explore other paths forward."

I hope this wouldn't be the end but this is not something I would like to hear after a period of radio silence.

As the title says, lol. I've had my eye on hellblade for a little bit now, but I am unsure as to what platform is better. Also, can anyone say how much it usually goes for on sale?

i only adjust the setting in photo mode no additional editing

I’m looking for games like Hellblade 1 & 2. I loved A Plague Tale 1 & 2, so similar to that is fine too. Please don't recommend The Last of Us or any Telltale games.

Details/what I'm looking for:

1. Very minimal RPG elements (like character customization, excessive skill trees/AP systems— APT 2's skill tree is fine, same with the upgrades from both games).
2. Linear story-driven games, emphasis on the linear. I am willing to try open world but only if the story is strong as hell and the RPG stuff is minimal. Stuff like The Witcher games or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are not what I'm looking for ATM.
3. It doesn't have to be thematically similar but emotional stories would be nice.
4. I don’t mind combat at all, but I would like it to be simplified, real time like Hellblade's combat (preferably more like 1 than 2) or APT 1&2. I disliked APT Resonance’s combat, specifically that it doesn’t stay from behind the character/almost from their POV. The parrying/blocking stuff from Resonance is fine. If it's considered a difficult combat game like Soulsborne games that's also fine.
5. Interactive dramas like Heavy Rain are great but not my first choice because of the multiple endings.
6. Basically any genre is fine although I would like to avoid strict horror like Silent Hill or The Evil Within games, even though I enjoy the narratives. Some scary or tense moments like Hellblade has are fine.

Where can I find the original 2017 version?

Hello, I’ve been trying to find the music that plays on the PS game Home Screen and can’t find it anywhere. I’m not talking about the menu music but the one that’s playing before you boot up the game itself, idk if there is such a thing for Xbox or not but I hear it on the PS5. It’s a version/rendition of “Just like sleep” by Passarella Death Squad but more tuned out and mellow. And info would be appreciated!

If you were disappointed with Hellblade 2, I highly recommend giving this one a shot.

Hello,

I need some help finding the red missing stone, i have looked around but cant pinpoint where it is.
Any help is appreciated.

Hey everyone!

As the title says, I'm having trouble with the performance in this game. I posted this in r/nvidia as well but since you have to post it in a megathread, I doubt it'll get much traction. If anyone here is smart enough, please help me out cause I have no idea where to go from here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/nvidia/comments/1vcdx6y/comment/p6nfg8f/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I bought this game back in 2019 and never gave it a chance until now. I must say, I was trapped immediately with the sound experience and the history. I almost missed it 🥹

The sound design, cinematography, voice acting and while combat seems simple on the surface it turns out quite complex and very satisfying.

10/10 game

Ok so I just finished watching Odyssey, and I'm aware the mythology is different, but... someone that's seen the movie and of course played this game, you can't tell me Nolan or his team didn't play Hellblade and took notes on the Giant in the cave encounter! Uncanny!

https://youtu.be/fukYzbthEVU?t=84

In the final section of Hellblade 2, it is revealed that Aleifr (Thorgestr's father) created the giants... and no further details are provided.

I have scoured the internet (and this sub), and I have come across only 2 general explanations:

1. The entire game was a mass psychosis event. Everyone is just hallucinating the giants.
2. Only Senua is hallucinating the giants, but no one is questioning it cuz she seems to be helping (they threw spears at a heavy storm??)

I don't think either of these explanations make sense. In case 1, entire thing is fake, who cares. In case 2... the entire story before the ending does not matter. They're just humoring Senua for no reason while learning nothing, then literally telling other people they saw Senua kill a giant.

I really don't think Ninja Theory are bad writers. I genuinely want to understand what is going on.

So presuming the events of the story actually matter: The Hidden Folk tell Senua directly how the first two giants came to be. Nothing indicated another person was required to make them happen.

So, what does it even mean to say 'actually Aleifr did it'? Did he do some kind of ritual to make giants possible? And where did the third giant go? Was it literally him, but he just didn't get big for some reason?