Hellblade 2 Explained: Meaning and Analysis

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

This is a very important thing for game developers to do. Taking risks and pushing video games further is something many companies just aren't doing. It's all the safe stuff like microtransactions and battlepasses. Honestly big ups to them. Thank you for this video.

[@thejesshinds]

Ninja Theory have always taken care with their stories so expectations were high, but also met❤

[@granthinds]

❤❤❤❤

[@rhyz173]

Yess I agree. This is definitely something unique. Feels like the devs cared more about telling the story and exploring these emotions. Not just a game made to make money like most others these days. Refreshing to have games like these! I never knew this game existed before this review 😂

[@benjamincurtis1412]

A lot of people don't feel the same way.

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

@@benjamincurtis1412 What you think the devs were trying to do then?

[@byronturner2012]

Now that's what I call an analysis. Gameplay analysis has become mundane. At this point unless the game doesn't deliver what we expect in gameplay then its not worth mentioning. What games need to do now is deliver a solid story line and one like this is what makes a good game amazing. Your analysis is awesome. Top of the list for next game buy.

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you😊🙏 I don't mind reviews usually, but when looking for a story-rich game specifically, I feel like the story analysis gets lost while trying to touch on all the other aspects and it's chalked up to "good" or "bad", when that's super subjective

[@JaspaKiho]

Thank you for this short but extremely informative video. I absolutely love this franchise. I am an artist and having this video to refer too makes it easier for me to make a portrait of the games themes and story so thank you!

[@thejesshinds]

You're so welcome, please feel free share a link to your art I'd love to see it when it's done!

[@Real.Ragnar]

Great analysis Jess

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 🙏🙏

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

🎉

[@AzuraCub]

This is such a good take on the story. It's much easier to understand. Thank you for the great video. It's super amazing quality 🎉

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you Lovely

[@lorenzocorbo0681]

Great analysis and Beatiful video Jess❤️ I just finished Hellblade 2 last night, but there were still some points related to the narrative, and in particular what the giants represented, that I still couldn't understand, and your video Jess is the only one so far, or one of the few on KZbin, which manages to explain and give a personal, beautiful and very well done explanation to some of its narrative passages Great Jess, I subscribed to the channel and I'm waiting and will absolutley watch the second video on Hellblade 2❤️

[@thejesshinds]

I really appreciate this comment, thank you 😊🙏🙏 I'm busy with the other perspectives playthrough now it does change a few things.

[@rhyz173]

You know the review is good when it makes you feel like playing the game! 😂 This game is deep! 😢 definitely needed this analysis.

[@granthinds]

So true!

[@thejesshinds]

Huge compliment thank you 🙏🙏

[@lizzy6583]

Awesome analysing Jess

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 🙏🙏🙏

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

❤

[@Cursed_Fruit]

What a phenomenal job you did and it’s no small feat to put it so briefly too!!! I never catch on to stories that aren’t straightforward and really appreciate this analysis/interpretation and especially needed because I did feel a bit wanting after finishing Saga- I was really thrown off by Saga despite feeling like I understood Hellblade 1 pretty well (it was also a much more intense playthrough IMO) I agree with the people in the comments that the game needed more time, considering that it took them years to get about 6 hrs of game I imagine a few more hours would have added years, and the presentation of this game is out of this world so I bet this really is the best we could’ve got

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I totally agree on the length as well. I feel like they also could have cut down on the number of puzzles to solve (sometimes you end one to jump right into another) and rather filled space with more narrative and espe4cially more time with the companions.

[@glowerworm]

Love this analysis! You inspected the story from the perspective of senua especially, which I quite liked because I usually struggle to immerse myself in as senua. Whenever she confronts her past I get thinking about myself and lose the plot a bit (in a good way for me but maybe not for my understanding of her specific plot details). I think there is quite a bit more to be said about the themes as they apply to a society of people, too. If you get outside Senua's head a little, there is messaging about reaching out (Ingunn), forgiveness (Saegirr), and mercy (Goði). There's a warning there, too. The Goði had no empathy and was made leader through his physical strength. He used his leadership position to protect his people the best way he knew, but lacked an understanding of emotional strength through empathy. He was emotionally isolated neglectful in his leadership and because of that, giants sprung across his country from people having traumatic breakdowns. The message of the three giants being that at an individual level, a village level, and a societal level, people should not neglect the emotions of people, especially those who are traumatized. Empathy and trust keep societies alive through the worst of disaster. And one should forgive themselves or others for actions taken from extreme distress such as starvation or the death of loved ones.

[@thejesshinds]

You bring up an interesting point, I think there were parallels with placing Senua as a leader to be different from bother her father and the Godi as leaders and a lot about the responsibility of having power or giving power to the right people. In the broadest terms, I think their message was ''those who don't want power are usually the best suited to wield it"', but I stand to be corrected.

[@ThatKidCarnage.]

Great analysis! Would love to see a revised version after another playthrough

[@thejesshinds]

Working on it! 😊🙏🙏

[@granthinds]

I'm sp proud of you. I honeslty think you should do more videos like this, these are so good and your analysis is so in depth. Well done! ❤

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you ❤ taking this as an OK to pay more video games 🤭

[@franktherabbitstudio]

Well done. Looking forward to a ‘part 2’

[@thejesshinds]

Frantically playing through again 😅🙏

[@Y_always_aphelele]

Great video❤

[@thejesshinds]

I appreciate that thank you 🙏🙏

[@JONINXBOX]

Finished the game this week.. liked it, and story wise thought it was better than the 1st one.. you did a good breakdown analysis of it cause I never picked up on the giants being metaphors of the emotions! Thanks for posting.

[@thejesshinds]

You're very welcome! I totally agree, I felt like this story could have stood alone as well even though it was a continuation.

[@gh0stwritten]

Great video! Loved the analysis. They had a good foundation for narrative but I just wish they presented it better. It felt to me like the story was rushed and I wasn't given enough time to connect with the characters. The game had me spend way too much time walking along linear pathways with less than mediocre puzzles in between instead of really leaning on their strengths.

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

[@bobflecherd]

Great breakdown 👍

[@thejesshinds]

Much appreciated 😊🙏

[@cubicalgee]

This is and will always be a masterpiece!! Unbelievable piece of art 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@taydonreddy9355]

W video and lots of love from SA 😭🔥

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 😊🙏 🇿🇦🇿🇦🇿🇦

[@honey_bee_1991]

✨Love this 🙌🏻❤✨

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you bb❤❤

[@nickyrod22]

I think this game's story could have been so much better if it was given another 1-2 hours to simmer, particularly in the second half. The part of the ending where Senua worries about beginning to lust for control over her friends feels like it comes out of absolutely nowhere because, as far as we see, her relationship with them is barely even that of a leader. It's also strange that she equates this to becoming "like her father" instead of Godi, because as far as I remember her father wasn't a tyrant, he was an abusive treasonist. You could interpret it as his chokehold over Senua's mind being a form of tyranny, but the way it's written feels cryptic for the sake of sparking discussion rather than actually having depth.

[@thejesshinds]

This is a very good point, I also wish there was more time with everyone . We only really had that one choice in the forest and it didn't feel as though they're was a consequence to what we decided either way? I'm hoping the second play tieing the other narratives shares some light. I was hoping for a narrative arc with Thorgestr where he commits patricide or repents in some way and they both overcome their fathers instead of him bring martyrd.

[@dulaman]

Yeah Senua internalized the abuse her father put her through. She never externalized it. So this game tried to do a different take but failed because the foundation was too weak. It would've been better if it was a different Senua story: same character but different plot and development of her. (like casting the same actor in a different role) Which was what I expected actually. Instead of despair, the second Senua is rageful and takes her pain out on others, contrasting with the first Senua. And her story ends up being totally different. Maybe this Senua stayed with her father and never left with Dillion and maybe her father convinced her that her mother was possessed and THEN we can have evil problematic Senua lol But nope. :/

[@lares9954]

@@dulamanI mean is an interesting concept but it’s more a 'What if' and wouldn’t evolve and grow the character. Despite this sequel flaws, I think they developed a nice grow for Senua and they still left the door open for a future title with hints of her new role on the community.

[@stewardappiagyei6982]

There's a theory about how religion and myths can be seen as a mass hallucination experienced by an entire people, sometimes driven by fear, hope, or prejudice. How were Abrahamic religions able to stone their own sons for blaspheming? Or Aztecs sacrifice people to appease sun gods? Is it not madness? I feel this ending hit on that theme well. There are those who wish to control that fear and madness for their own gain. But Senua already being a 'mad woman' ends up being the only one able to see things differently, and she may possibly convince others to be better.

[@thejesshinds]

Love this take!

[@ExtraLifeReviews]

Great analysis and a well-put together video for a second one on this channel! I just found the story to be very lackluster. While there were themes present with many threads to pull from, not of them felt truly unravelled. None of it was given time to breath or expand upon. If the game were a few hours longer in those necessary sections, we could have something great on our hands... But instead, it feels like very segmented and unfinished. The characters as well (aside from Senua, of course). We don't spend nearly enough time for them to really establish their arcs (which seem interesting) and thus, I never grew to care about them or remember any of their names. Either way, interesting to see all the different viewpoints!

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you! I'm working on more long-form content this year, so I'm breathing life into this channel again🙏😊 I totally get that point, I've just finished the second playthrough with their narratives and I was hoping to get to know them a bit more as well, but they largely still focus on Senua, so I think I feel the same disappointment because they're all really interesting characters and I liked her relationship with each of them.

[@ExtraLifeReviews]

@@thejesshinds Breathing life into your channel eh? That sounds almost like my tagline haha. But I'm excited to see where it goes!

[@thejesshinds]

@@ExtraLifeReviews OMG I just saw now when I went to sub hahaha

[@casual_rocket]

I love this game 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@thejesshinds]

It was well worth the wait 👏👏

[@MicrobiusBlue]

It's a Masterpiece ❤

[@thejesshinds]

Anything Ninja Theory puts out, I'm eating up 👏

[@AndersMunkNielsen]

Awesome analysis! I wish I’d seen these points along the way. I think most people missed them.. the story felt the tiniest bit rushed in that regard. I’m curious what your thoughts are on the woods sequence? If A and F personify parts of senua, why is she helping them? And what was with F there? That sequence threw me off from thinking of them as internal to senua and made the story look more like “senua is now in something resembling balance and is off to save/witness other people’s problems, which her mental illness enables her to help”.

[@thejesshinds]

One of the most interesting things this series does is the visual hallucinations because sometimes, as a player, you don't even know what's real anymore. So, I always approach these things through an almost "unreliable narrator" lens. I definitely think all the companions are real people and it this point in the story she's driven to help and care for each of them to some extent. The Furies often berate her for letting people down and for carrying death with her, so she's constantly trying to avoid that (although not often succeeding). It seems in the forest that all the companions are suffering from hallucinations similar to what Senua does and I think it's to 1) show how devastating it is to handle as all characters come out of the woods changed from their experience and 2) to show her personal development from someone who was exiled and untrustworthy of people and fearing to let anyone in close. I think there's also a bit of development there of her into a leadership role, but I'm still fleshing out that thought process haha. Astridr makes a comment earlier in the game about her having followers, which Senua denies, but logically she is leading them, so maybe it's about her realising she's responsible for these people and her decisions have consequences? That being said, I wish the choice we made had some sort of consequence or development, and this also makes me feel the same "rushed" experience you're talking about. I'm on the second playthrough now and it will be interesting to see if the other characters went through a similar experience to Senua and if that sheds more light.

[@AndersMunkNielsen]

Agreed on all counts. And I also think there’s something about the leadership role. Certainly, this is a departure from the original, which was more “it doesn’t matter if anything is real, all that matters is her internal experience and journey.” In the sequel, so much of the emphasis is on external relations such as how her suffering is based on the people she couldn’t save, as well as her overarching (but somewhat vague) promise. So clearly, she’s aware of her consequences on others, but as you indicate, maybe only with regard to the direct physical consequences and not (up until the woods) with regard to emotional/leadership/inspiration. But the contrast to this is that, as you so neatly pointed out, the three giants represent Senua’s three emotions (even though I don’t really see any examples of her rage being negative :). So in that sense they feel like her sequentially “overcoming” (or at least engaging with) her weaknesses (i.e. they are internal, not external). The core issue for a person suffering from psychosis is in their perception of reality. In that light, it makes a ton of sense if the story is purposefully ambiguous on whether it’s a story of her changing the world and becoming a leader, of if it’s all just the next step in her own internal battle and all the giants and people are figments.

[@thejesshinds]

@@AndersMunkNielsen Yeah that's a really good point! I like how this game gave meaning to things that "aren't real" as being a matter of perspective (sometimes literally). I think The Rage was more of how it was consuming her and holding her back. She definitely used it to help her in situations (and combat), but overall it's a really heavy emotion to carry that can cloud judgment (I think there was a line somewhere in the game that wrapped up this thought in a nice bow, I just can't remember it haha). The Furies also acknowledge towards the end that Senua is strong enough herself, she doesn't need the rage to be a good warrior. It was definitely a lot more of a hopeful ending, which also makes me worry that this is the end of the series?

[@AndersMunkNielsen]

@@thejesshinds True. And I could easily see how they could've let her kill Thorgestr or someone else instead of chopping him in the knee to hit home the message. But I guess overall (to me) she didn't really meet as many setbacks in the sequel as in the original (mainly failing in her first meeting with Hela but also in dropping the head). She cried a bit after the village battle but immediately got hold of herself, for example. It wouldn't have hurt the game to add some additional contrast. Still, it made for a more chilled experience and I certainly was on edge many times so maybe my main objection is that the parallels/signs/symbols you've pointed out in your video were just a little too vague so I missed them. After watching and thinking about your points, my respect for the game grew. The first game was also subtle in that I didn't quite grasp most of what it was saying, but that was more at a basic plot level, which made the game feel more like Memento. The second game was crystal clear at the superficial plot level, but all these nuances were still hidden. I wonder if some of the lackluster reviews for the sequel are due to people missing these points.

[@thegaspatthegateway]

The choice in the woods-I took for a subversion of the video games trope wherein you must choose "who to save." It's that catastrophizing sense of dread that she might fail again, that every choice matters, but you find that the other companion is fine a minute later. So you don't allow the old story of trauma to rule you, what happened in the past is not destined to repeat

[@Irisandpotato]

Thanks for the interesting analysis! What do you think about the death of Thorgestr? For what purpose did the developers kill him? His death broke my heart. IMHO, the game clearly hints at a possible romantic relationship between Senua and Thorgestr.

[@thejesshinds]

Personally, I would have liked a redemption arc of some kind where he stands up to his father and atones for all the slavery. There was that one part in the forest that alluded to him having a vision or clarity of some kind of something important he would have to do, but then he was just martyred? I didn't get the romance vibes, but I do tend to be a bit oblivious to that haha.

[@Irisandpotato]

I think Thorgestr saw the need to kill either his father or Senua. This is a difficult choice for him, so he chose not to choose. This is just a version (quite weak), and I would be interested to hear from the developers. And the furies hint at romantic feelings; they put Thorgestr and Dillion on the same line: “Dillion, always loved... But after, she met Thorgestr, proud and strong.”

[@thejesshinds]

@@Irisandpotato Yeah, I love that idea, actually. It makes total sense! especially considering they'd both saved each other a fair few times at this point. Oh thank you! I'll look out for it during my second :)

[@axelsmith4722]

@@Irisandpotato caught that too and I would have been okay with him dying had it been at the end of a fight like we had in the previous village, with both Senua and Throgestr fighting against the godi and him taking the hit for her to strike the finishing blow but instead he got bamboozled off screen.

[@lares9954]

I don’t know if the hints you mentioned about they relationship are intentional from developers but I think as players, we clearly felt like some kind of attraction between them. I don’t hate Thörgestr death but felt maybe a little bit rushed? the game would really benefit of more length. Ninja really need to make this game bigger in scope because it has all the ingredients to be a really big IP not just story wise but gameplay too but back to subject, yeah, Thörgestr was the best of new cast. He was full of potential and i would have liked a future romantic touch with Senua

[@UptownGuz]

Game was so beautiful and intense but way way to much walking.. I bought an Xbox just for this game. Haha I want more HELLBLADE!

[@thejesshinds]

I also felt like there was a tad too much walking haha, I guess it was to appreciate the beauty of what Unreal could do, like I was walking around puddles and looking at ray tracing and nerding out, but there has been criticism that it's a bit of an engine demo and I get where that's coming from. If they could add some Heavenly Sword-like combat and speed that would be great!

[@ChevariyaSingh]

W video. Its really cool

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 🙏🙏

[@Zainyzaino99]

Grant het my gestuur 🇿🇦

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@granthinds]

Dankie vir being here! ❤

[@Zainyzaino99]

@@granthinds the real grant hinds I like u from ur whatsapp channel

[@granthinds]

​@@Zainyzaino99Yay! Thank you for being here!

[@Zainyzaino99]

@@granthinds no prob ive been a fan since ginx i even entered some give aways

[@tinstreet_egg]

Grant sent us ❤👌🏼

[@thejesshinds]

😊🙏

[@kenyonnewton916]

I love this game, I'm in my second playthrough,,-

[@thejesshinds]

I'm hoping to find all the faces on my second playthrough, I really struggled with that?? 😅

[@bokangmatsimela7565]

Lovely vid 🫶🔥😭

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 🫶😊

[@granthinds]

❤

[@jimmyamiri3848]

I am confused since her companions can see the giants too. So, is there a supernatural element to the game or do they all share the same schizophrenic visions?

[@thejesshinds]

So the first two giants are very real, but the third giant, Áleifr, is actually Goði. He used the giants to control his people with fear (ultimately sacrificing people, not no one). The best lies contain some truth, so giants being real and terrorizing people all over the land is not a myth, but a very real fear he exploits. The last "giant" is more of a representation of the biggest thing within Senua that she must face.

[@lares9954]

⁠@@thejesshindsI would not be so sure about the giants being true. The game itself has surreal elements on itself I mean when they pass through the forest they all had visions because is enchanted. That’s why Thörgestr said no one comes out alive from there Going back to giants, at the final part of the game the huldufolk (wich they are mystic elfs who live in a parallel world) told Senua how aleifr creates the giants based on the super natural disasters and Senua told him at the fight “There’s no Giants only you Aleifr” and my understand is that the companions saw the giants too because they grew up on that land with that lie all their lives so for them they are real but don’t forget we play trough Senua’s eyes so at the moment Fargrimr and the others tell her about the giants she creates them on her mind. Imagine having psychosis and then a guy you don’t know told u that giants exist. Of course she’s going to make a whole escenario about them but idk that’s my perspective. I would love to hear more from u guys

[@AintPopular]

Am bummed we didnt get to see the last giant

[@serkangokcen7727]

Great game, but I'm not ready to walk again entire continent, maybe 2-3 years later.

[@thejesshinds]

I'd like this comment twice if I could haha

[@FuriousKitty]

This is such an amazing video and analysis!🥹

[@thejesshinds]

I appreciate you 🥺🫶

[@granthinds]

🎉🎉🎉

[@ruanstrydom8768]

Brolliant break down!

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 😊🙏🙏

[@grrrt1212]

Great video...(I wasnt sent by Grant)

[@thejesshinds]

I appreciate that 🤣🙏🙏

[@granthinds]

THANK YOU A REAL COMRADE

[@aashiqabarder7073]

Wow this is soooo amazing, it's perfect 🥰.

[@thejesshinds]

Thank you 😊🙏🙏

[@HeyImWalkingHere_]

Was sent by grant

[@thejesshinds]

😊🙏

[@y2k.khethelo07.]

Why snitch on him now🥲

[@granthinds]

🎉🎉🎉

[@granthinds]

​@@y2k.khethelo07.I was thinking the same thing! 😢😂

[@y2k.khethelo07.]

😂

[@SpectralPal]

Yoooooo

[@SamsungGalaxyUnlocked]

🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@varllad5272]

The voices are bipolar. They encourage in some areas and discourage in others, inconsistently so.

[@thejesshinds]

It's important to remember the Furies represent the auditory hallucinations those with psychosis experience. They're not supposed to be consistent or make sense, because they're not like the thoughts or voice we hear in our head, but are entirely their own entities. Them helping or berating her is largely dependent on her own state, and she's often conflicted so they reflect that (hence them being way more encouraging and in sync with her actual thoughts as she becomes more sure if herself in this game). There's a really great video on Ninja Theory's YT channel called "Senua's Psychosis" which explains how these hallucinations are experienced take well 🙏

[@__Andy__]

cool game story idea, shit game to play.

[@cubicalgee]

This is and will always be a masterpiece!! Unbelievable piece of art 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼