I’m very torn of this rating. There are aspects of the game that I think are 5 stars, and others that go as low as 3. Overall I think it averages out to a 4 star game.

A step down from the first entry in some ways but a step up in others.

I think visually this is the most impressive game I’ve ever played. Trailer quality graphics and completely seamless transitions looked very very good. The Audio engineering is also very well done. It’s a very technically excellent.

The game however leaves much to be desired in the actual gameplay department. It had it highlights such as the fast paced sections where you had to free the giants but those were few and far between.
I also disagree with the new 1on1 only combat scenarios. Even though they are woven really well I think limiting battles to only 1 enemy at a time removes the challenge and tension the first game had. With that being said the combat does still feel really good attaching enemies

I am looking forward to Hellblade 3. If they can reimagine the gameplay, refine the story a bit, and maintain the technical aspects of the game, hellblade 3 could be a masterpiece.