Summary
Since its launch last week,Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2has garnered a rather mixed reception. On the one hand, many fans are heavily praisingHellblade 2’s visuals, audio design, and overall presentation, but on the other, many are also criticizing the game’s lackluster puzzles, repetitive combat, and slower pace. When it comes to critical reviews,Hellblade 2has been just as divisive, receiving an array of scores that range from as low as 5 and 6, to as high as 9 and 10.
On the whole, 2024 is already shaking up to be a pretty good year for video game releases. And with every new, acclaimed game that launches, the competition for this year’s Game Awards gets tighter. WhileSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2probably won’t be in the running for any gameplay-related Game Awards, there are a few categories that it’ll likely be nominated in, and there’s one trophy that it stands an excellent chance of winning.
Hellblade 2 Has To Be In The Running for At Least One 2024 Game Award
Hellblade 2’s Melina Juergens Should Be Nominated for a Game Award
IfSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2is likely to win any category at this year’s Game Awards, it’s Best Performance. A deeply personal game that focused heavily on its central character, her past, her emotions, and her complex mental state, the firstHellbladeneeded an incredibly strong actor to play Senua, and Melina Juergens did a phenomenal job. Primarily a solitary adventure,the firstHellbladepins most of its emotional narrative weight on Senua’s performance, and even with that pressure in mind, Melina Juergens knocked it out of the park, managing to convey all of Senua’s complex emotions throughout the entire journey in a very believable way.
Melina Juergens' performance as Senua in the firstHellbladewas even more impressive considering that she wasn’t originally brought in to act but to assist with the game’s motion capture process. Juergens' performance rightfully earned its flowers during the 2017 Game Awards, when she won the Best Performance category for her portrayal of Senua, beating out other industry greats likeAshly Burch asHorizon’s Aloy, and Laura Bailey asUncharted: The Lost Legacy’s Nadine Ross.
Of course, Melina Juergens returns to the role of Senua once more forSenua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, and she knocks it out of the park yet again. For the sequel, Juergens is able to use her co-stars' great performances to elevate her own, taking Senua’s character to new heights that just couldn’t be reached in the original. And withHellblade 2’s expert use of Unreal Engine 5, each and every one of Juergens' facial expressions and subtle movements are made crystal clear.
The Chances of Hellblade 2 Winning The Best Performance Game Award
While the Best Performance category at The Game Awards has seen some unconventional picks over the years, it’s usually filled with games that have a strong narrative focus. This means thatHellblade 2is probably a shoo-in to be nominated in this category atthe 2024 Game Awards, but its chances of winning are a little less certain.
Though 2024 has seen some excellent games released, few of those have had a strong narrative focus, and even fewer have had truly standout performances in them. As things stand,Banishers: Ghosts of New Edenseems to be the most likely competition forThe Game Awards' Best Performance categorythis year, with Russ Bain and Antea Duarte both putting in great performances asBanishers' main protagonists.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2
WHERE TO PLAY
The sequel to the award winning Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland. Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.A crafted experience of cinematic immersion:Sink deep into Senua’s world and story, with beautifully realized visuals and encapsulating sound.Senua’s unique perspective:Experience the world through Senua’s eyes and ears, as a Celtic warrior who experiences psychosis.A journey into Viking Iceland:An epic journey across 10th century Iceland, recreated from real locations in stunning detail.Every fight tells a story:Brutal and visceral combat as Senua battles for survival.
