Few games have ever produced the audiovisual spectacle that was Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. When news about an imminent sequel hit the ears of fans, they knew they were in for a mind-bending psychological journey once more, in and out of the depths of Senua’s psyche. With its position as a major upcoming Xbox exclusive to truly push the limits of the Xbox Series X, all eyes and inner voices are directed toward Hellblade 2, coming next year.
Hellblade 2 is Coming in 2024 Exclusively to Xbox Series X
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 got a gorgeous trailer teasing a 2024 release window for the game, which is the most tangible thing we’ve seen yet. This time, we see once more that this game looks truly next-gen, with audio being a crucial experiential component of the game, and the voices in Senua’s head being a powerful immersive tool.
The reveal, titled “The Senua Trailer” highlights how quickly the scenery changes around Senua, at least according to her perception. Keep in mind, this follows the first game which closely detailed her trials and tribulations experiencing psychosis as she went to retrieve her lover’s soul from Hela.
Related: Avowed Gameplay Shows Obsidian’s Take on Elder Scrolls
This time, it appears to be an even more introspective journey, coming to grips with her grief and rage. What this means, and what we’ll get to experience, is still firmly under wraps, but it’s promised to be a gorgeously cinematic experience, and if the first game is any indicator, it’ll be a thought-provoking, empowering story. You’ll follow this Norse warrior as she encounters intense puzzles and combat as she explores different corners of her mind.
What’s crazy about this is that it is pretty quickly revealed to be in-game footage, or so it appears. The lighting, the scenery, and the sound design are on full display, and it could be a truly phenomenal experience to potentially serve as a poignant return on investment for Series X owners.
It’s clear in this presentation why it’s next-gen Xbox Series X and PC exclusive because it’s gonna need to pull out all the stops in 2024. I’ll say this once and as concisely as possible, wear headphones while playing, so you can be enveloped in the incredible audio that made the first game truly iconic.
