Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

If you want more: Third-person action games with dark settings
Notable differences: Focuses on melee combat, shorter runtime, more serious in tone
Availability: Windows (Steam Deck OK), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a beautifully dark and riveting journey through the inner mind of its protagonist. Weaving a dark tale of loss and love through stunning visual and aural depictions of Norse mythology, the game features minimalistic third-person melee combat and mysterious puzzles. The camera perspective and dark themes resonate well with Resident Evil 4, but the artistic heights it manages to achieve are on a whole other level.

Describing Hellblade too much can genuinely spoil the experience. It needs to be played in its entirety, and only lasts a modest seven or eight hours. But every moment is worth it. In fact, bookmark this tab, and go play it right now, because you shouldn’t even risk reading a spoiler and ruining the delightful ways it unravels all the way through. When you’re done, go check out the dev diary documenting the creation of this exquisite game.

If Hellblade’s visuals call to you, it’s an invitation you should not turn down. Go play it, now.