The first giant in Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a mother whom grief has made huge and furious. When the volcano erupted, she left her infant in the caves of the Hiddenfolk, hoping they would keep it safe. Senua doesn’t end her with a sword. Each giant in the game is a person undone by grief or fear and given a way to move on, arcs I found excellent every time.
I’d tell you to play it. Senua is as good as she was in Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. The quality is top-notch again. For me the narrative flows through the playing as seamlessly as it did in the first game, because the game railroads Senua through environments where the tale happens along the path she walks. That design puts Hellblade II closer to Inside than to anything else I’ve played, a quick game told through its mechanics.
I played it with DTS:X, which puts the voices in Senua’s head all around you. They’re amazing to hear that way. They also talk to her differently this time. In Senua’s Sacrifice they fed her hints and lies, where here they offer fewer of either and run closer to inner monologue.
For me the ending falls short of the first game’s. It lands with a similar effect but with less power. Senua’s Sacrifice had one clear theme running under everything, while here the giants take the spotlight.