(hey, i wrote about this game for my blog. it wasn't really a review so i've written one of those here instead, but i think it's still a good read so check it out if you wanna!)

You know, I think this game has left a bigger impact on me than I'd realised. Going in, I had certain expectations; I knew it was going to depict psychosis, and I knew the story was about the protagonist looking to revive her dead lover, but that was about it. I had no idea the directions it would go, or how the game would develop its concepts.

It's a masterpiece, simply put. An exceptional melding of compelling narrative, arresting visuals, and gameplay that, while light, facilitates the core of the story through the emotions it evokes. Combat is oftentimes gruelling and frustrating and scary, like it realistically should be. It isn't fun in the traditional video-gamey sense, but it is effective.

Senua's Sacrifice is full of these strange but impactful stylistic choices which I adore. It makes for a very unique play experience. There are certain moments, like the first time Senua stares directly into the camera, or the moment I learned how to use the mechanic which slows time during fights because a voice in my head told me to "focus". The game uses live-action video of actors rather than in-game models, presumably due to budgetary issues, but it makes for a game whose look is entirely its own.

I don't think I'm going to play a game like Hellblade again. Even the sequel will likely never capture the specific vibes of its predecessor. That's okay though; this game is just one step in the journey that is the rest of our lives.