Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II certainly isn’t for everyone. But as it’s shaping up to be my favorite game of the year, I simply must advocate for it to be included in our best of 2024 picks. While the combat and puzzles weren’t everyone’s cup of tea, the emotional contours of Senua’s second game, combined with a cryptic narrative that bends myth and metaphor, made for entertainment and so, so many tears from yours truly.

Of course, I expected Hellblade’s sequel to deliver an emotional journey. But I didn’t expect it to hit so close to home, dealing with themes of self-doubt and interpersonal conflict, issues that have been particularly salient in my daily life recently. But just as Senua would push on to find her way through the maze of reality-bending environments, fighting off many of her own demons, so too would I find the courage to work my way through my own mental labyrinths.

Hellblade was inspiring, deeply affecting, and continues to live with me in my daily life long after its brief, five-hour runtime. It is also a remarkable technical showcase, with generation-defining visuals and performances that breathe such life into this game that even writing about it now, there I go, getting a little misty-eyed yet again. — Claire Jackson