As a Batman enjoyer, I always wanted to play this game, seeing how much praise it got. Finally, after getting my hands on every Batman Arkham game (With the exception of Blackgate), I had the chance. But I chose to play them in release order, starting with Arkham Asylum, which put Rocksteady on the map as a studio to keep an eye on and was a very cool game in my opinion. And only 2 years later they would put out a game to rival Skyrim as the game with the most accolades of 2011, and even after almost 13 years it's very easy to see why: This is one of the best superhero games ever made, and with the exception of visuals, it hasn't aged a day.

Asylum had an open-ish map, which was mostly used for traversal between the asylum's buildings. It was cool to see it evolve as the events of the story unfolded, but it wasn't really meant to be explored in detail. This time however, a whole section of Gotham City has been converted into a super-prision, Arkham City, giving the player an actual open world this time. The map is full of challenges and secrets, being a step up from the "means to an end" asylum. Mechanically, it plays almost exactly like its predecessor: The combat feels very similar (General feel has improved as systems got more refined) with some new moves, there's a couple of new gadgets, there's still collectibles and riddles all around the place (More on that later)... But that's only if we're talking about Batman, because this game introduces new playable characters: Catwoman in the main story, and Robin in the DLC. In terms of combat, they basically play the same as Batman, with different animations of course to reflect their respective fighting styles, but they have their own unique tricks up their sleeves, adding new flavor to the game. I feel like they could've been used more, but it's a Batman game, of course we'll be Batman for most of the time.

Part of what adds so much to this game are the things you can do between story missions, the two main activities being collecting riddles/trophies, and sidequests. This time, Riddler is much more proactive and made sure to spread hundreds of collectibles all over the map, each one with a challenge related to your gadgets, skills, and deduction abilities. This is a logical step up from the first game, and they're pretty cool, however I believe there's a little too many of them, I don't think I got even close to half of it. On the other hand, I couldn't get enough of the sidequests. Each one of them will have you facing or sometimes helping villains from the rogue gallery, be it by tracking their positions, stealth engagements, search & destroy missions, and more. If not for these, it would've been a pretty short game, maybe even like an hour or so shorter than Asylum, and they're one of the best parts of this game.

But it's not like the main story isn't good, on the contrary, it's better than Asylum's. This time, the stakes are much higher, and it's not just Joker that Batman has to worry about. Here, as part of the main story, you'll deal with many villains that didn't show up in the previous game, and also some returning ones. I dare say that, at least in video games, it's Batman's most dangerous and high stakes adventure, Bruce's own life is on the line, and as a race against time it makes sense that the story never slowed down, and never got boring. It still follows that same comic book vibe from Asylum, and mixes the most scientific aspects of Batman with the more mystical ones. For people that like Batman stories, this will be fantastic.

Visually, this game looks quite a lot better than Asylum, which is kind of impressive considering they were released only two years apart and within the same console generation. Of course, it's dated by today's standards graphically, it's not fair to judge it based on that. But the art style and the general vibe they went with is part of why I said it didn't age a day, Rocksteady captured the essence of how a Batman story of this type should be like, dark and gloomy but with lots of colors in contrast with it all.

As for the sound design, I'd say it's better (Or at least I like it more) than in Asylum. The soundtrack is perfect at every moment, it adds so much to the experience and Batman feel that I can't imagine myself playing this game on mute. Stalking henchmen from gargoyles and having the music ramp up when you take them down is a feeling that hasn't been replicated in other superhero games other than the ones from the Arkham series. Even the more minor sound effects will probably stick with you just like they did to me, like batarangs, the batclaw, opening vents, etc.

Batman: Arkham City was a massive achievement for Rocksteady, for Batman, and for superhero video games in general, one that would inevitably be very hard to follow up on (Although, controversially, I do believe the next Arkham game did it justice). It's not flawless, but I had a great time with it, and it just made me even more hyped for my Arkham Origins replay, my first in about 4 or 5 years. Just like Arkham Asylum, if you like action adventure games and is a Batman fan, this is a must play.

SCORE: 9/10

Hellblade 2 is probably one of the most divisive games in recent years, rivaling Death Stranding (A fitting comparison in more ways than just reception). There is an almost equal proportion of scores above 9 and below 7.5 if you check review aggregates, and not that many scores between 8 and 9. And after finishing this game, I can understand why things are like that, and I have picked my side: I love it!

Up until a couple of weeks ago, I had no idea about anything Hellblade related. I knew the trailers looked gorgeous and that Senua had voices in her head, that's about it. Then I played the first game, which was a big positive surprise for me, as I'm a very gameplay inclined person over story and narrative. With everything fresh in my mind and tempered expectations (Expectations are part of why I think it's a very divisive game), I had a wonderful time with this game, and it hit me much harder than the first one.

Starting with one of the biggest reasons I've seen people complaining: The gameplay. Outside of combat, it plays exactly like its predecessor, it's not an exaggeration to call it a "walking simulator" (People like to use that with a negative connotation, which it isn't). This time however there is better puzzle variety, which was one of my complaints for the first game. The rune perspective puzzles are still here, but there's also light puzzles and reality shift puzzles. They are overall easier than in the first game, which is not really a problem, just a fact (Actually, the whole game is easier including combat, more on that later). There are more collectibles too besides the lorestones, which encourages you to pay more attention to the environment.

The combat in this game is not exactly the same as in the first game, but also not really a downgrade or upgrade. It's a sidestep, a change in direction, it serves a different purpose than it did in Senua's Sacrifice. For example, this time there won't be multiple enemies attacking you at once, but each duel feels much more involved. That, along with visual and story aspects, makes it evident that Ninja Theory's vision for this game was a cinematic masterpiece, with presentation above all else. In comparison to the first game, HB2 has better enemy variety (Another one of my complaints with the original), and each one of them has more attack patterns. The animations are fantastic, and you can see each face expression in detail. It's harder to make perfect parries (Which was very easy in the original), but windows to hit enemies are more generous. Most important of all, in my opinion, is that the hits and impacts are even more noticeable. For as simple mechanically as the combat is, it feels amazing, you could make an entire game with duels like these.

I can understand why some people don't like it, for the same reasons as some people wouldn't like the combat in the original: It's not flashy, there's no move variety or skills, and now you only fight one enemy at a time. Add that with unrealistic expectations, and you'll understand the disappointment. But that's not the point of this game or this combat system, this is a narrative game first and foremost, and the combat is meant to support that. Hellblade 2, and Senua's Sacrifice for that matter, are better paired with games from Telltale or QuanticDream, they're interactive narrative experiences, it just so happens that Hellblade is more interactive than games from these studios, falling in an uncanny valley between a full action game and a full story game. To me, that's a positive, I consider it a full story game but more involved gameplay-wise (Which is great as a gameplay-centric gamer), but I understand why people wouldn't like or know where to place their expectations.

But what is a narrative game without its story? It seems that even this has become a reason for disagreement, but it's easy to explain why. Senua's Sacrifice story was almost entirely laid out for the player, with not a whole lot left for interpretation. It was also much more personal, it was all about Senua. Hellblade 2, however, is a much more allegorical game, the player must think and interpret what each aspect of it means, and what are the messages Ninja Theory wanted to send. There's also the fact that, contrary to the original, Senua isn't physically alone this time (Metaphorically, she's never truly "alone"), we have companion NPCs that will share Senua's journey.

By leaving a lot of the story and set pieces up for the player to figure their meaning, it's not only possible but likely that many things flew right past these players. Without them, this game would be an incohesive dark fantasy, a weird sequel for Hellblade, but that's not what this game is. By the end, I was a lot more invested than in the original, because while Senua's Sacrifice was a very personal story about grief, acceptance and internal darkness, none of it really resonated with me, I couldn't relate to any of that. To me, Hellblade 2 was much more relatable and beautiful, and while I think it would've benefited from having an extra hour or so, Ninja Theory was able to craft a logical sequel in terms of meaning and message for Senua's Sacrifice.

As mentioned, Senua isn't alone this time, three other people are following her. I won't go into much detail to avoid spoilers, but while they're all good, only one of them really shines besides Senua. The other two clearly have more going on for them than what we know, based on a specific section of the game, but not a lot is shown (We're playing from Senua's POV after all), their purpose is mostly to help push the message of the game by how Senua interacts with them. It makes them feel a little disconnected from things, but thankfully not enough to be a major narrative issue. As for the character that does match well, he's fantastic, and to me one of the main vehicles for the narrative, can't say more without spoiling. The acting from these characters is superb, no matter how fitting characters are or not, with Melina Juergens once again showing unbelievable talent, especially from someone without an acting background.

The only indisputable, and probably best aspect of this game, is the technical quality. This game is a technical masterpiece. Visually, this may be the best looking (As in photorealistic) game so far, it uses everything Unreal Engine 5 has to offer to a masterful degree. It's almost as if the entire game is a top tier CGI, some parts bordering live action. They also implemented a robust Photo Mode, which is a feature I rarely engage with in other games, but I couldn't avoid it this time, even if it was mostly just to check textures and characters from up close. The lighting is also impeccable, and it adds a lot to the set pieces. But it's not just about textures and lighting, the art direction is amazing, and a big improvement compared to the grayscale of the first game. Couple that with the top tier animations and cinematic camera, and the presentation becomes the strongest I've seen in a game in years.

And even with all that, somehow they made it perform very smoothly. My PC is a mid range build, and even at max settings with DLSS Balanced I was able to play one of the best looking games ever with over 60fps, and the effects of DLSS were barely noticeable. At its worst, there was a moment in which the frames dropped to 45fps, and I didn't notice it, it felt equally as smooth and responsive. I even tested it at 30fps to see how it'd be, and it was probably the smoothest 30fps I've ever seen. It's the kind of black magic I'd expect from The Coalition, and now Ninja Theory has proved that they are as competent.

And just like in the original, you cannot mention the technical aspects of Hellblade without mentioning the sound design, and the sequel managed to be even more of an achievement in that regard. The quality of individual sound effects, ambience, the Furies and mixing is unbelievable. Examples being hearing Senua's sword scrape the walls as she crawls, or when at a certain point of the game I heard steps moving behind me, and I actually turned around in real life to see what was there. The soundtrack is also a lot more noticeable and relevant this time around, carrying a heavier emotional weight and sometimes being synchronized to the set piece.

Both Hellblade games, the sequel more than the original, are not the kind of games to be appreciated by everyone. It is, at its core, a very hit or miss experience, dependent on your appreciation of the gameplay and understanding/personal impact of the story. If it hits, which for me it did, Hellblade 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece. If it doesn't, then it'll be a decent experience at best. And you can only gauge your enjoyment by playing it, which is why I recommend playing the first game to see if this is the kind of game for you. Knowing my own tastes, I thought there was no way I'd enjoy something like Hellblade, and yet it hooked me. I wish this game was longer, it took me a little less than 7 hours to finish it (Got about 75% of collectibles), the ending is a little sudden but also a decent setup for a sequel. If you liked Senua's Sacrifice, chances are you'll like Hellblade 2, but it's important to keep in mind that it's a cinematic game above all else, and not a God of War-like as some people expected (And then went on to call this a disappointment, or in the most egregious cases, "A Make-A-Wish kid that wanted to be in GoW"). Regardless of the weirdly negative reception of some parties, I believe this game is a massive achievement for Ninja Theory, Xbox - and when it comes to technical aspects - the games industry in general, and even though it's been only a couple of days since I've finished it, I already want to play it again, and to discuss my interpretations and feelings about the story.

SCORE: 9.5/10

I've been pushing this game back further into my backlog for years now. I thought it wouldn't be to my liking, and I had heard that combat wasn't very good. But with Hellblade 2 on the horizon, I decided to give it a shot, both because I was already due for it and as a test to see if I should play the sequel. And as I found out, Ninja Theory had actually made something way beyond my expectations.

Reading comments from people online and hearing from some friends, I was expecting to dislike the gameplay, and as a "gameplay first" kind of guy, I wasn't looking forward to it. But once again, just as with ME: Andromeda, I have learned that the only way to get an accurate opinion about something is experiencing it yourself. Outside of the combat, the gameplay itself is very simple: You just move, look at and interact with things. The loop is also predictable for most of the game, most puzzles involve looking at runes from a certain angle. These puzzles are cool and not very difficult, but it gets a little repetitive by the end. If this was the entirety of the experience, while understandable considering it's a narrative focused game, I probably would've gotten bored eventually. Thankfully, the combat is good, much better than I thought, which I guess makes sense considering Ninja Theory's heritage as an action game studio.

I can understand why people wouldn't like it: It's not flashy, there's no move variety besides the basic action game stuff, and enemy variety is also a little lacking (If it had 3 or 4 other enemies it would've been perfect)... But it feels great. You can feel each hit landing, the weight behind the movements, the impact of a successful block, and so on. This all adds up to brutal encounters, which fits the theme for the series, as it was said in a recent documentary about Hellblade 2, "Senua isn't winning, she's surviving", and it's very engaging. The first time the Furies yelled at me saying "behind you!", it didn't occur to me that enemies could flank me, and all I had time to do was do a short quickstep to the right and watch as a sword barely missed Senua's head; it was after this encounter that this game hooked me for good, and it was a great use of what is probably the main gimmick of Hellblade.

Senua is a troubled individual. She suffers with schizophrenia and psychosis, and has gone through deeply traumatic events throughout her life. She's not alone, but not in a good way; the Furies - voices in her head - are there in every step of the way, whispering into your ears. They often try to make Senua doubt herself, try to hurt her with their words, or make noise in general. Their presence are a highlight, not only are they useful for gameplay purposes, they add a lot to the immersion. With all of her troubles, Senua goes on a journey against her own darkness, and to save the soul of her lover. The story and especially the narrative are phenomenal, and it progresses steadily all the way to the end, it never drags. There's not much else to say besides giving it more praise.

Even as a 2018 game, and with some noticeable blurry textures here and there, Hellblade is still a looker. Both the graphics (I used ray tracing) and the art direction are great. It's a little "gray-ish" in most parts, but this ties into Senua's perception of the world, as colors get a lot more vibrant in flashback moments. Fantastic job for a relatively small studio before they were acquired by Microsoft. Visually, from promotional material, the sequel looks insanely good, let's see how that goes.

Given the nature of the gimmicks and combat, it's no surprise that this game has outstanding audio design. When it comes to music, it's fairly simple, it's there to serve as the background noise, but it's not bad. What really shines here are the sound effects and voice acting, the main example for both being the previously mentioned Furies. Ninja Theory used binaural audio to have them whispering and talking and screaming in your ears. Senua's performance is also scarily good, it's not every day that you see someone do such an impressive and probably realistic rendition of a character with issues such as Senua's.

It's unfortunate for such an experience to end soon, but its relative short size (9 hours to beat getting every Lorestone) worked to its favor, the story and puzzles probably would've felt dragged if it was longer. But what matters is that I loved this game. It's lacking in enemy and puzzle variety, but it makes up for it with everything else. If you enjoy narrative heavy games, this is perfect for you, and I cannot wait to put my hands on the sequel.

SCORE: 9/10