Hellblade 2 is a conundrum.
While it’s technically a short game, it feels overly long due to its pacing, structural choices, and narrative missteps.
This isn’t to say it’s entirely without merit, but it fails to capture the concentrated brilliance of its predecessor, instead becoming mired in its own ambitions.
A Tangled Identity Crisis
The first Hellblade was a masterclass in focused storytelling and atmospheric tension, drawing players into the mind of Senua as she battled both physical and psychological demons.
Hellblade 2 attempts to build on this foundation but loses its way amid an identity crisis.
It’s a game struggling to decide what it wants to be—an epic action adventure, a psychological thriller, or something else entirely.
The result is a game that stretches its runtime unnecessarily, diluting the impact of its core story.
The Lengthy Journey
For many players, Hellblade 2 takes between eight and nine hours to complete, which, for an action-adventure game, isn’t particularly long.
However, the game’s structure and pacing issues make it feel much longer.
The turning point comes around the two-thirds mark, where the game presents what seems like an epic conclusion.
This involves navigating through rivers of lava, hiding behind rocks, and reaching a peak where a giant is chained.
The Extended Epilogue
In a move that could have been a powerful thematic conclusion, players are tasked not with defeating the giant but with freeing it.
This act aligns well with Hellblade’s sensibilities and could have provided a fitting end.
However, instead of wrapping up here, the game introduces new characters, replays simple set-pieces, complicates the lore, and drags on for a couple more hours.
This additional content feels superfluous, detracting from what could have been a concise and impactful story.
Pacing Problems
Hellblade 2’s pacing is its Achilles’ heel. The game oscillates between slow, plodding sections filled with dull puzzles and rapid, narrative-heavy sequences.
This uneven pacing makes it hard for players to stay engaged.
The moments of slow exposition are particularly jarring, often feeling like padding rather than necessary story development.
When the game does pick up the pace, it does so abruptly, leaving players struggling to keep up with the narrative shifts.
Multiple Endings, Diminishing Returns
One of the most frustrating aspects of Hellblade 2 is its multiple endings.
The first potential ending, after freeing the giant, feels natural and satisfying.
Yet, the game continues, offering additional endings that lack the impact of the first.
These subsequent endings feel tacked on as if the developers couldn’t decide how to wrap up the story.
Each additional ending diminishes the game’s overall impact, leaving players with a sense of exhaustion rather than fulfillment.
Visuals vs. Substance
Visually, Hellblade 2 is stunning.
The environments are richly detailed, and the character models are impressively lifelike.
However, the game’s visual splendor cannot compensate for its lack of narrative focus.
It feels like the developers had a blank cheque and used it to add elements that weren’t necessary, losing the precise focus that made the first Hellblade so compelling.
The First Hellblade vs. Hellblade 2
The original Hellblade was a short, intense experience that knew exactly what it wanted to be.
Hellblade 2, despite its shorter runtime, feels bloated and directionless.
It’s as if the developers tried to create a longer, more epic game but ended up with a disjointed experience that fails to resonate.
Trimming the unnecessary content and focusing on the core story would have resulted in a much richer, more engaging game.
Wrap Up
Hellblade 2 is a game with potential, but it’s hampered by poor pacing, an identity crisis, and unnecessary content that dilutes its impact.
While it remains visually impressive and contains moments of brilliance, it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity.
A more concentrated and focused approach could have made Hellblade 2 a worthy successor to the original.
As it stands, it’s a short game that feels too long, struggling to find its own identity amid the clutter.
The Information is Collected from IGN and Forbes.
