Senua's Saga: Hellblade II Review - The Kinda Funny Gamescast

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[@TreasureBoxReviews]

I sympathize with what Mike is saying. It does feel like every Xbox game is under a ton of pressure to be the thing that justifies the brand's existence. Xbox does need more home runs, but good artistic work should be celebrated, even if it doesn't set the world on fire critically or sell Naughty Dog numbers.

[@lionzcrown1702]

The issue is buying all the companies to make great games and we are still waiting for one truly great game (that isn’t forza) and it just hasn’t happened. It’s let down after let down lately.

[@kylemartin8804]

It feels that way because the people who talk about video games and write about video games make sure it's the focus on everything. They refuse to review a game for the game when it comes to Xbox. It's always "Well when I was playing it I couldn't help but think... this isn't going to make people buy an Xbox" or "this is a great game for Game Pass but is it enough to save the trillion dollar company?" The people in game media want to be able to talk about games however they want without acknowledging that they actually influence the industry. The same thing happened to SEGA back in the day. Every magazine would talk about a game briefly and then go into what it means for SEGA as a company.

[@BloodStarvedBrotherhood]

I agree completely, KFG has been saying how they want xbox to support these smaller studios to follow their own visions but then when these games come out they get reviews saying they're mediocre.

[@GeneFJacket]

Mike's right, and you're right...the problem, which Greg and Bless were arguing, is Microsoft (not Xbox, Microsoft) doesn't care. Being a great game that fans and critics adore isn't enough if it doesn't make money...and Microsoft has put themselves in a position where no game they can release (outside of CoD) is going to make enough money. Xbox DOES want the Hellblades and Hi-Fi Rushes, the critical darlings that generate clout and good will. Microsoft wants profits and growth, and if those critical darlings don't make enough money to lead to growth and justify continued investment, they're just not going to keep making them...and since they've committed to putting everything on Game Pass, nothing CAN make enough money. It's a lose-lose situation all around.

[@CJPokerJoker]

@@kylemartin8804 VERY well said!!

[@auberginedreams00]

Anytime anyone says “this isn’t a spoiler but…” it’s absolutely about to be a huge spoiler lmaoo

[@Blietzflame845]

Love the back and forth discussion with differing views. Such a great conversation

[@Windytune]

Yeah I liked this a lot - even for a game I didn’t intend on playing.

[@ouzykun8796]

Beat it and it reminded alot of the order 1866. I like that game Alot despite its flaws and its length. This one too. I don't think anyone who hasn't played hellblade 1 should play this because I don't think they would like it. I thought it was cool I like it wish it was a little more game than it was narrative but its cool to me

[@markusw3366]

​@ouzykun8796 oh yeah the order , what a gem

[@bengraham3072]

It’s what makes KF the only reviews I really pay attention to. It’s about the discussion. Not the score.

[@MrTomasgleeson]

It's not the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog, and my man Mike is out here swinging. Fairplay. Loved the conversation.

[@good.news.everyone]

Wow Mike really nailed the points hard. Honestly I find it weird that Greg of all people who loves 100% narrative experiences put so much on the other stuff, and I think that's where a bunch of the harsh criticism comes from. I think expectations were so out of whack for what this was supposed to be. And maybe that's on Ninja Theory, but unfortunately it seems that it swayed a lot of people's opinions because it didn't take gameplay to the next level in the way they hoped/expected. But man Mike was fucking spitting 🔥. What is enough? This game is a quality experience that did what it aimed to do. Why is every major release from Xbox turned into this thing that's put on a pedestal that is expected to take Xbox into the upper echelon of AAA gaming instead of just being appreciated for what it is supposed to be? And it doesn't just happen with Xbox games but their releases seem to be judged much harder on this metric, and often criticized more for what they aren't, rather than celebrated for what they are and what they nailed. I dont necessarily agree with Mike's 9, but he 100% nailed the discussion and scrutiny around these titles. Great gamescast though, love the conversation.

[@skarbone1]

The game isn’t 100% narrative. That’s what Greg was saying. If it was, he’d have liked it more. Instead they ham fisted shitty combat and dull puzzles into what could have easily been a cinematic, narrative experience.

[@evanwestendorf9667]

Bringing up God of War as a similar game is ridiculous. Sure, it takes you out of control a lot and does so to tell you a very directed story, at points, but there is still a pretty deep and flexible combat system in those games. You can make a cinematic experience that also has fun gameplay, just ask Sony.

[@basementality4924]

So I hope he meant like the certain parts of god of war not the entire game. I thought the same at first but I think he just meant the story telling boat rowing parts. The big difference is kratos gets out of the boat after a few minutes and it’s actually fun.

[@evanwestendorf9667]

@@basementality4924 even if he did mean that it's a stupid comparison because it's obviously a section and not the whole 6 hour game

[@biquiba]

The panel has a soft spot for Kratos for complaining about puzzles and mentioning GoW in the same conversation. In Hellblade the voices just do slight suggestions, sometimes. Meanwhile Santa Monica doesn't believe gamers can think for themselves and spoil you the solutions for the puzzles they hand to you. Atreus makes obvious remarks about everything all the time, even when a glacier melts and a new path becomes available before your very eyes. This Autoplay patent is just the next natural step for Sony.

[@evanwestendorf9667]

@biquiba that's just one aspect of the overall experience. I'd say yeah, GoW does hold your hand too much. So does Hellblade. So do a lot of games. But besides that, GoW has a complex and deep fighting system on top of all its cinematic stuff, an entire free expansion dedicated to purely combat if you want, whereas some of the panel notes that the cinematic aspirations are so great for Hellblade, but the combat is so rudimentary as to be boring, it's weird it was included at all. The combat is a big part of GoW. Combat in Hellblade feels just... there?

[@yatharthrai4658]

​@@biquibaIn HB puzzles ARE the gameplay. Whereas, puzzles are PART of the gow gameplay loop. And the fact that people got annoyed at being spoiled for the puzzle solutions, shows that the puzzles were actually great. Even in TLOU2 puzzles weren't complex, but there were a lot of areas where thinking a little out of the box (breaking a seemingly random window and then using a rope u previously used) does reward you. And Returnal GoT are also Sony games.

[@kelb0y9o20]

Mike and Greg with the conversational heat gyatt dayummm FREAKING LOVED IT!!!

[@reis052]

Discussion got unreasonably heated towards the end. Mike and Parris enjoyed the game but I felt that Greg kept trying to make their opinion invalid. Kept bringing up articles from other writers in the industry that were on the same page as him to support his view but didn't highlight any of the glowing reviews that support Mike and Parris's views. Then questioning with people who like the game if it was a 'W'. Thought the point of this new structure was to have better discussions, didn't realise they meant heated, indirect 'you're wrong' , discussions.

[@preyingocelotgames4397]

BUT that didnt happen. Greg just didnt like the game as much as them and thats ok. His point was that this isnt THE big Xbox game they needed. You should stop thinking your feelings are reality and painting them as facts. Most comments here are praising the discussion and nobody said anybody was wrong.......so again your just making things up based on your feelings. No one is obnligated to praise Xbox just because others are.

[@reis052]

@@preyingocelotgames4397 I played the game and the first and I don't like both. Not for me so I am more on Greg's and Blessings side but to rubbish the opinions of the others is not great, and it's what I felt watching this. Also, anyone who expected the most out of this studio is on them, that's expectations not the reality. I know this wasn't going to be the biggest hit, it's a sequel to hellblade developed by 80 devs not 1000s

[@HUDs_Up]

​@@reis052they literally revealed the Xbox with hellblade 2

[@reis052]

@@HUDs_Up and?

[@_wegota2319_]

Why tf would he do that? It's not a fucking debate. He was sharing & supporting his own review. He brought up articles to support his point and perspective. That doesn't mean he was telling anyone else that their opinions were wrong, it means he was supporting his own arguments. You know, like how a conversation works?

[@alexbrown9713]

Why put combat in the game? Because it is part of Senua's story, it is part of her journey, it is meant to show how grueling it was for her to reach the inevitable end of it. And this is why there was combat in Senua's Sacrifice as well. It is not a combat game. It is an adventure, a story, a journey, where the protagonist occasionally has to engage in combat. Why is it being compared to stuff like God of War or Ryse, for fucks sake?

[@vas6326]

Lol great conversation. Got pretty heated at the end though that's what makes it good.

[@thetrilltroll7633]

Only because Mike got triggered

[@DaBuffNerd]

No Greg and Bless are cappin'

[@MrRiceGuy95]

Mike is so right in regards to the conversation always needlessly going back to Xbox, sales and shareholder conversations. This is about Ninja Theory and Hellblade 2, let’s celebrate that and the fact this game was possible because of Xbox’s funding.

[@justinmadison513]

Exactly. If everyone just wants more Marvel Spiderman or Helldiver's 2/Destiny 2 type games, then we're just fucked. I like the diversity with Xbox.

[@MrRiceGuy95]

@@justinmadison513 absolutely agree, xboxs diverse content is exactly why I play there

[@INFNIT_]

It was asked why not make this a movie or book? It’s because we have the technology to tell stories in a medium that goes beyond those storytelling formats. Hellblade 2 may by divisive as a video game but the experience this game provides could only be done in a digital interactive medium. Movies and books dont let me step into the shoes of the character and feel greater empathy and understanding towards those characters. Especially in a story that depicts psychosis where you have voices in your head. No other medium is going to make me understand how terrifying that is.

[@NF_Redux]

most books and films/tv treat psychosis as something other people experience, or as a joke or a horror trope. games like Hellblade really put in the work to authentically try to put people in another's shoes, to experience a different way of being in the world, and i commend Ninja Theory for that.

[@bigfriendlyben]

Something as simple as rotating the camera in a self directed way is a lot different than the kind of experience you get with movies where the director is in control. Also Video Game graphics look sharper and motion clarity is a lot higher than the standards for film.

[@bigfriendlyben]

​@@NF_Redux I think a simple example would be when Senua is talking to another character while also dealing with the hallucinations. With the binaural audio you can really get a sense of how the voices are much more intimate and attention grabbing than the other people in the scene. They are almost jealous of Senua talking to the outside world without their involvement.

[@crowdastra]

I feel like The Order 1886 got shit on while having similar things this game is getting praised for 😅 Mainly the length of the game and the visuals and decent story

[@ouzykun8796]

basically made a video about this. I loved the order 1866 thought it was great for what it was and I bought it for $6 dollars and was thoroughly satisfied but also understood people wouldn't enjoy it

[@gregoryjoslin3173]

​@@ouzykun8796 I thought it was great. It was so set up for a sequel.

[@sambhute1991]

Thats it we are calling this game as experience and looking this from different view then why order 1886 looked the same way ? It was most impressive game in PS4 era but got cooked by all this critics for not having gameplay

[@unknown-xu1vd]

order 1886 was and still is a great game! wish they could've made a sequel

[@jtiller1223]

I bought order when it came out. So it left a bad taste in my mouth due to the length. Played senua after it was on sale it was OK. So when part 2 was dropping no chance it's a day 1 cause unless it is completely revamped besides visuals it wasn't going to be fun for me. It is a great gamepass game though. I wouldn't get gamepass for this game but say when cod drops I can pick it up for a month slam this game then play cod and feel good about it.

[@Keyawnce]

I love how parris just spoiling the 5 hour game saying it’s not a spoiler

[@burnout713]

Dude was throwing bombs left and right. I'm even less interested in playing it after listening to this which, frankly, I didn't think was possible.

[@pretendingtolisten6502]

reminds me of gary straight up spoiling future dune's on gamesdaily the other week lol still stuck with me the whole time

[@TheWrldIsSquare]

I'm glad I'm not too invested in this as anything more than a tech demo because I laughed my ass off at that point. He says no spoilers and even with my minimal knowledge of the series and setting, I was fairly sure he revealed the entire point of the dang thing. This podcast really delivered, loved the debate and discussion.

[@MauriceSeow]

game is too short for him to not spoil it

[@misterhoobomaster]

Thank fuck I finished the game before watching this. Parris you gotta chill on your "not a spoiler". (Edit) I'm not talking about her having psychosis. Literally everyone knows that from the first game.

[@misterhoobomaster]

@@Amra.. You clearly don't know what part of the video I'm refering too if you think it's not considered a "spoiler" lol. What you may not consider a spoiler is possibly considered a big spoiler for others. He literally says out loud what he thinks the "huge twist" of the game likely is among other things. I'm not talking about her having psychosis. Everyone knows that.

[@jerrysnowland9398]

Paris - this is not a spoiler 34:26 Then proceeds to spoil the game.

[@geronimo1595]

That was actually insane, I've never seen spoilers like that day 1 before from a influencer

[@spencercorpuz]

It's not a spoiler lol we know she has psychosis and that most of what she's experiencing is not real

[@JorelHill]

I don't think the focus of the messaging is really about psychosis etc. it's more about unaddressed trauma and it's outwardly effects on others and the story is just told through the eyes of someone with psychosis

[@Jermitis209]

Exactly! This story isn’t about more psychosis and it’s so much deeper than that. It’s just as much about senuas environment as it is about senua.

[@ohmnesia]

Are you seriously trying to have a discussion about actual contents in the game? There are more important things to talk about, for example, why the game isn't stretched from 10 to 20 hours, or why they didn't tack any RPG elements onto it!

[@OkByeNw]

Gotta say, I like spicy Mike.

[@keyshonwilliams6072]

I’m assuming a lot of ppl have had this similar experience but I came to Kinda Funny for Greg and Blessing, and although I love those guys, I have stayed for SnowBike and Andy. I fucking love Mike 😂😂

[@isyutd159]

Glad Mike was there with his argument at the end. The conversation there got a bit muddled near the end and Mike reminded them on the state of xbx.

[@sutekidane94]

It’s all down to personal preference. Greg loves the Life is Strange games. I wouldn’t consider the “gameplay” to be riveting.

[@nicametroid]

What a surprise the guys that hosted a PlayStation show shit on the game....so much doom n gloom.....thank god for people like Mike that can appreciate what the studio put out.

[@noonitubes8457]

Let Mike cook. More of this please

[@tandawg25]

Mike out here standing on business

[@mikaelpage88]

Standing on Bs*. 9/10... Come on. But 🤷🏽, glad he enjoyed it.

[@CheefChaos]

Dude was cooking and then blasted off in that last quarter bit.

[@jordanward263]

No he is giving xbox a participation trophy, and that's why xbox is in the position they are in trying to force mid games to be wins

[@NutSHell666]

If you came here to hear snow bikes Mike opinion on video games you're dumb af lmaoo

[@burnout713]

​@@jordanward263 So true.

[@zallapo66]

Played around 2 hours last night and I was blown away by it. I actually don't mind the dumbed down puzzles, and the combat I found engaging in its cinematic presentation.

[@marshall6113]

I'm only about an hour in, but I'm with you 100%. I think basically anything should be judged on "How good is it at doing, what it's trying to do?". I think for what this game is trying to do, it nails it. The gameplay is simple, but it doesn't have to be complicated if that's not really the focus. Side note: I'm playing this on PC on a 49 inch super ultrawide monitor, and it's an incredible experience. The best I've had with the monitor since I got it. The visuals surround you just like the audio. It's awesome.

[@zallapo66]

@@marshall6113 My thoughts exactly. Its a beautiful immersive piece of art, just not your regular game and it should be judged on that. Must look insane on ur PC rig :)

[@marshall6113]

@@zallapo66 Completely agree! I've got a 3080 so it's not the best, but even on my machine with this screen it really sings. I've played a few games with this screen and they've been good but none have really stood out like this does. It's cliche, but with this game, the immersion is crazy.

[@zallapo66]

@@marshall6113 yeah the immersion in this game is king :) Easily the best and most cinematic looking game I've played this year with incredible audio design.

[@marshall6113]

@@RednGone As a short experience with a UW monitor this game is incredible. I've noticed a few funny things as I've progressed in characters just popping into the screen because they would usually be out of frame when they appear. That is a very small complaint on an experience that is enhanced by the extra screen space. I'd say this format and length of game is perfect for GP, but after Hi-Fi Rush it's hard to say if that's good enough without the sales to follow. I hope this game does well sales wise, Ninja Theory are great and I wanna see how they evolve.

[@Amillent]

Parris seriously needs to learn about spoilers. Dropping stuff day one is nuts. If this were a larger title like Indiana Jones or Avowed I’d be suuuuuper upset

[@Caiquebarsil]

Mike is on the money on this one

[@cassiboi1423]

really enjoyed the discussion. seems like everyone had the same pros and cons, but your mileage may vary on what you are able to take away from the experience.

[@themightyant.]

Proud of Mike for pushing back against Greg at the end. Not seen that much before.

[@jeffcarrier9808]

Things certainly got heated at the end there. It was an interesting debate for sure! "Why can't this game be seen as a win?" Thing is, there is a win for gamers, there is a win for Ninja Theory/Xbox, and then there is a win for Microsoft. Which one of those matters most at the end of the day? A true win is a win for ALL THREE. But is it?

[@huliniswhoiam]

It seems like so many people right now with all the closures of studios... It seems like it's cool to just wave the smoking gun and say that consoles and gaming is doomed... I want to believe that Xbox can make their way out of this. I'm happy for the developers of hellblade and I think we should just be able to celebrate that

[@faisalmohamed328]

​@huliniswhoiam console gaming will be good. The best of ps5 is coming in the next 3 to 4 years. Nintendo is launching a new gen next year. There is the possibility MS ai push can make the next generation of xbox hardware a very compelling 10th gen console.

[@huliniswhoiam]

@@faisalmohamed328 I was able to follow you up until the end there... I don't think AI anything is the solution or the future only as a tool, but when it comes to creating video games and systems, I don't think we want AI involvement. At least I don't

[@TheWrldIsSquare]

Yeah, the reason Microsoft (and gamers) can't see this as a win is because they're being compared directly to Sony and Nintendo. A first party PS5 exclusive with an 81 metacritic would be seen as a failure. They're not being compared to whatever is released this month, they're being compared to GoW, Spiderman 2, FF16/Rebirth, TOTK, etc. And nothing they've put out other than Forza even ranks against the competition.

[@huliniswhoiam]

@@TheWrldIsSquare Man, that's not necessarily why people are sour right now. People are pissed at Microsoft and Xbox understandably so... So that's why there isn't much faith in the gaming space right now because there isn't a single studio that's safe... Just look at Hi-Fi Rush that game was insanely successful... It's really scary right now

[@BAMozzy69]

You could argue that the puzzles and combat of the first were off-putting for mainstream accessibility and have refined and made it 'easier' for players whilst still maintaining it's intensity, the way you still have to fight 6 or so foes, but now don't have to worry about being attacked from behind because 'camera' with more 'brutal and visually impacting' combat due to all the mo-cap work behind it. Some players may have given up playing HellBlade 1 at the first major Combat sequence because it wasn't easy or too confusing to work through. Others may have given up trying to find the exact way to get to the exact point required because the puzzles are too difficult so they never finished the first. Some also felt the first was too 'dark' in despair Now if you want to 'reach' more with your story and still keep what Hellblade as a 'Game' interactive aspect they have made it more accessible. For some, they want Combat to be a Focus, but sometimes its a 'consequence' of the situation so functional for 'interactive' story telling - same with Puzzles... That's a tough balance and why so Subjective - Some want/need 'more' challenge, complexity or whatever in that 'interactive' aspect but others are put off if they have to read a guide to progress or keep dieing to an enemy hit from behind, especially in a 'bleak' game like Hellblade 1 I consider this a Win - Look at Hellblade 1 and Hellblade 2 - the advancement in Visuals, in audio, in performances and transferring those into a 'game' to tell the Story they wanted shows what 'MS's' Money has done Its a massive step up on a 'brand new engine' too. Its perhaps more accessible but maybe less of a 'game' more an interactive Narrative Story Experience. Combat was 'part' of the world and its more the impact on Senua too, hey Psychosis etc which is gruesome and far more important than its 'complexity' as a game-play mechanic is how I would justify it and its inclusion in this format, same with the Puzzles - they maybe the same, easier even, but Senua is also more 'experienced' at seeing them and again 'the Psychosis is more important - the 'voices' - than the actual Puzzles themselves.... Different Perspective again...

[@NF_Redux]

as someone who adores *Senua's Sacrifice,* all i wanted was a next chapter to her story, exploring so many themes most games don't touch or fumble at best, and more world-building, lore, and beautiful & harrowing locations to explore with hopefully more visceral sword fights and unique puzzles. the lacking variety of puzzles aside, this is the sequel i didn't know i wanted. it's not some grand God of War knock-off or sprawling open world RPG or whatever everyone seemed to want it to be, it was simply the next chapter in Senua's story, and that's all the devs ever said it would be, and for that, i'm grateful it even exists, as not many other devs would be given permission to tell a story like this, knowing that most people wouldn't want to meaningfully engage with many of its themes, let alone spend a comfortable 15 hours exploring every location, hidden puzzle and piece of lore as i did. i'd give *Senua's Saga* an 8.5/10, because i love it dearly, but it could have had more creative puzzles and spent a little more time exploring some of the new characters, most of whom i grew to care about by the end as well. lastly, being ten dollars cheaper than it's current asking price as it's digital-only would have been nice, but FFS, Microsoft, i *would* have shelled out for a physical collector's edition of this with a statue of Senua with Illtauga, but whatever.

[@lDaManagerl]

Awesome rant Mike!

[@neonikngc]

Paris needs a 101 on a “not a spoiler” spoiling stuff. Even if it’s or it’s not a spoiler, for someone who hasn’t played the game it’s hard to keep interest once you think you’ve been spoiled. Guess I’m not playing the game as I think I know the story now

[@neddy42]

I need to finish my replay of the first game still, but really excited to hop into the second hopefully soon.

[@calebbonebrake6486]

Greg had it right calling out The Order 1886. The other one it makes me think of is Ryse: Son of Rome. Yes those games were technical marvels at the time, but do we look back on them as excellent video games now? No, not really. I like the story of this, it seems really interesting. But i just feel like you HAVE to have gameplay to match it. Otherwise, why be a video game??

[@LuciusAugustusRex]

Go back and play Ryse. The moment to moment was overall fun and people did exactly what they did now; they hate on it until they aren't even talking about the real product but something inside of their heads.

[@bamcore]

I can't believe they took this discussion to the octagon for a bare knuckle brawl on the patreon, wild times in the gaming industry

[@86Refire]

I work 50hrs a week in a stressful kitchen. Coming home to play these story driven experiences is clutch. I love Elden ring and Zelda but sometimes I don’t want a 100hr open world game or something with 5 skill trees to unlock w weapon and fit combos.

[@Jason-sq5vz]

Great conversation guys - constructive and respectful

[@yellowbat79]

I feel like Blessing played this on his second monitor while also watching Seinfeld or something

[@AlPacino2502]

I mean, come on with the GOW comparison. Put some respect on GOW's gameplay. That game is beatiful to play! It is no walking sim! It is expression through gameplay, it is no movie

[@mikaelpage88]

The Xbots are the ones that say that to make themselves feel better. People who actually play them kno that there's waaaaaay more gameplay than cutscenes or "walking". HB2 is literally a 5hr PS cutscene. Sony game have been letting you control characters during the blurred cutscene/gameplay.

[@pureshooter7477]

They really aren't even the same genre.

[@JAZ_VEIGA]

Jesus, this comment section is filled with children... why can't we all just have a constructive conversation about the game, whether you liked it or not. Attacking peoples credibility just because you don't like the game is so immature. I feel like half the people commenting haven't even played the game, let alone finished it.

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

destructive conversation is a lot more interesting

[@dps0610]

Agree. This is a gross one.

[@mikeybeeee07]

the panel didn't have a constructive conversation lol. Mike had to be the adult and bring the discussion back to what mattered, the game and the people who created a piece of art.

[@mikeybeeee07]

@Tatman2TheResQ lmao. Let me guess, the first Hellblade was an action packed, epic open world adventure? Everyone knew what this game was going to be. The puzzles sucked in the first one. The combat was bad in the first one. It's the experience. As Mike said, go play Fortnite.

[@mikeybeeee07]

@Tatman2TheResQ the first game was also a movie lol. Bad puzzles. Bad combat. This game took what the first one did well and elevated it. No one played Hellblade for the puzzles or combat. They played it for the immersion. Talking about game design. The first one did that poorly as well.

[@dps0610]

The scores average out to 7.5, and I honestly agree with that score. It’s gorgeous and a next level audio and visual experience. I’m not high on combat and I think the puzzles are too dumbed down compared to the first. I do like the story and what the team at Ninja Theory made as a whole.

[@OkByeNw]

I'm not sure the game Ninja Theory intended to make would have ever been a 10/10. It's kinda like a really great side scrolling platform game would have trouble gettinga 10/10 even if everything was done perfectly. So many people are trained to expect more than games like HB2 ever intended to offer, and I think that's valid in a way. I think a 7.5 average rating for this is a fantastic score, because a game of this type is only going to max out as an 8/10 in this console generation. It's just an old school game at heart.

[@dps0610]

@@OkByeNw I don’t know that I agree with that thought process. All games have the potential to be 10/10, but there’s choices made here that definitely bring it down, imo. Better combat and better puzzles would make this a completely different conversation.

[@CapitalDream]

1:04:56 thank you sir! You hit this question head on. Thank you Mike 🙏🏾

[@InnerRise]

1:06:19 Holy $h%# I'm new to KindofFunnyGames so whenever I saw the guest speaker in the little box where Parris is, I always thought there was a physical monitor being held up there on a pole from the ground. Never did I realize it's a digital image not really there until It plastered all over Greg's face💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 I would just put the image at the end then so the last panelist isn't all spaced out by themselves with a big empty space full of nothing inbetween 😂

[@realrobrose]

Watch the first 15 seconds of the video. They have the square on the background wall for the hosts.

[@realrobrose]

@@RednGone our eyeballs

[@kujoprime]

Great conversation, loved the points that Mike raised and the conversation that unfolded as a result!

[@rextitan]

I've not played this, and seeing as i play on playstation likely won't be playing it, but I loved the first one. I wanted to say that the combat of the first one was one of my favourite parts about it. When an enemy attacked you from behind in that game it wasn't a cheap shot. The voices in your head would call it out and if you hit the block button, you'd parry the hell out of them. Throughout that game you start to fight with the voices as your allies. That was one of the coolest experiences for me. I always described the story as a 10/10 that i didn't understand one bit. Not sure how to feel about how the sequel is being described. It sounds like a step backward.

[@underwaves75]

I played it on my Series X but I’m sure it’ll arrive on PlayStation though. And when it does I’ll purchase it there.

[@thepews1511]

34:26 Paris said not a spoiler as preface to spoiling the whole thing 😂

[@OverZaEast]

I think for me as a video game it needs to have this balance of technical advancement and good gameplay design that can be called Art. For me that is Signalis. It's visual retro style, the Soundtrack, It's gameplay that makes you think how to survive and planning forward it's art.

[@OverZaEast]

@@RednGone Oh yeah forgot to mentioned the story and themes is just chef kiss art. If I have an art museum I will out Signalis walkthrough in the hall of fame.

[@frickyfresh147]

Wow if this is what to expect from kinda funny moving forward i might have to adjust my weekly podcasts dam great episode

[@NutRacer22]

I’ve been watching Kinda Funny for over 8 years and this is the best change they’ve made. I don’t listen to all the daily Gamescasts, but when I have the conversations have been very engaging.

[@galacticmaui2]

Xbox similar to PlayStation trades wins and losses but the difference is when you are in 3rd place trying to catch up or at least increase profit you need consistent consecutive wins to make up that ground.

[@nabieladrian]

We all thought being bought by literally the richest company on the planet means they could take some dips to push your artistic project... But nope! I need profit! You failed GamePass metrics! Get out! I gotta buy bigger studios now!

[@Grimjr7]

​@@nabieladrianI'm not exactly sure if you're trying to be sarcastic or not, but that's exactly what they did though. When they bought Bethesda and all those studios around that time they publicly made the promise that they would leave them alone and let them do their thing. But now everybody's mad that they did that and then these studios are putting out games that are art projects and not mainstream. Like around 1 hour into the video of the dude on the rights had a point they could just Make them make A. Fortnite or a clone of any number of various games or forced sequels if profit was the only thing that they had in mind.

[@Grimjr7]

You do know that Microsoft had like a 60% increase in profits after the Activision purchased right. Like if you check their earnings for last quarter, they're the third highest earning company in the gaming industry. Sony's in second and tencent Is in first.

[@lionzcrown1702]

Xbox loses a thousand times more than PlayStation In More areas. Sony takes public. Ls not really ls in video games they drop too often at all. Xbox just keeps letting people down. I look forward to trying the game myself regardless cause I think I’m someone who will genuinely enjoy it

[@TheMa5cmpb]

Well said

[@pianofishtank4731]

Mike stood on his 9/10 respect that he's not just throwing numbers out or bending to peer pressure

[@ktrotter11]

Mike is experiencing the same symptoms as Senua.gave the game a 9 but calls it an experience.. he knows in his heart that it is not a 9 game

[@elcapitan2293]

As I hear Paris say it ran great on series s, I see an article saying it can't hold a steady 30fps.

[@matthewblock2020]

Didn’t he do this with Starfield too?

[@dylanbuc1867]

both can be true like some ppl not getting bugs others seem to encounter often

[@elcapitan2293]

@dylanbuc1867 framerate tends to be a thing that's across the board,especially in a linear game like this. It's not the same as bugs. Maybe he didn't notice, maybe he has v sync, but it's there.

[@mallonfish42]

Can say played like 2-3 hours so far on my series s and haven’t had a problem so far

[@LuciusAugustusRex]

It runs really well on the Series S. Small drops every now and then but never during combat.

[@aCozyManatee]

Mike cooked this whole episode especially at the end.

[@usedfuzzbox]

So, can they now make another Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, or a sequel?

[@kieranseville]

I’m a neutral gamer playing on PC, PS5 and XBSX. To throw my opinion into this discussion, I’m fascinated by some of the arguments especially by PlayStation fans, when it comes to the main complaint being that this game is a ‘Walking Simulator’/ Movie. I would like to point out there are some very good ‘Walking Simulator’ / Movies that these same fans have mentioned, as GOTY contenders as PlayStation first party studios, so I do find that argument very hypercritical and nullified. I also want to note that I was not a fan of the first game, I won’t play the second, as it’s not my type of game personally.

[@maddoggnick96]

This is KFG Vol. 3, Episode 15 (Episode 499 overall)

[@boots8562]

Almost there!

[@danielmcg94]

Ok, I just rewatched this and I still don't get it. Greg and Blessing both gave the game a 6.5 which is fine and their opinion, but then they also say that they don't want Microsoft to change anything about the studio. so, what do they want? The whole panel agreed that this is the game Ninja Theory wanted to make and that they were given the support to turn Hell Blade 2 into a visual and audio showpiece. is that not exactly what they're saying they want Xbox to do? if doing that results in a game that's a 6.5 (Just ok) shouldn't they want change at the studio? is the argument that they want change, but they don't want Xbox to have a say in what those changes are? Because I get that but, they just tried that Ninja theory made an independent game that Greg gave a 6.5 and now, they made an Xbox game that Greg gave a 6.5. It didn't change in the ways he would have liked it to. How many chances does Ninja Theory get before its ok to step in? I guess what I'm really asking is, Is Ninja Theory an incredibly special art house studio that needs to be protected at all costs? or are they a team that makes games that are a 6.5 and desperately needs a shake up? Because I don't understand how the answer can be both. I love the content and I'm a long-time viewer, so please don't think this is an attack. It's just genuinely unclear to me what they want to happen

[@Hulseyheisenberg]

I just take it as they can appreciate the dedication Ninja Theory have to their vision and that they hope they don't have to compromise to appease Microsoft. Did they love the game? No however I think they appreciate the craft and technical aspects but certain points dont hit for them.

[@_wegota2319_]

It's not that complicated. They didn't like the game, it's not their style, but that doesn't mean the studio needs to change. Not every game or "experience" is for everybody. Simple.

[@tomvandenbosch4914]

Its just the xbox logo

[@realrobrose]

All that matters is: is it pretty good. Will it make any money. This is real life.

[@Dp3ch3Mod3UndrGround]

This game can be both things: it can be celebrated as a technical and artistic video game marvel. But at the same time, will it move consoles, gamepass subs and cover the 7 year development cycle? We shall see. We know xbox is currently more worried about the latter.

[@11Mikuiztli]

It's a win. 4 or 5 years not 7

[@11Mikuiztli]

@@Tatman2TheResQ did the studio head tell you specifically that they started day one after release of Hellblade 1??

[@OdinArrow28]

@@Tatman2TheResQthey didn’t start production until 2020 and didn’t enter full production until 2021. They made a live service game and then abandoned it after a year, after Hellblade 1. This game is essentially 3 year dev time.

[@11Mikuiztli]

@Tatman2TheResQ You don't know squat!! So why are you talking for the studio? You worked there? Do you make video games for a living?

[@AlPacino2502]

These discussion reviews where everyone gives a score to let us know where they are from the beginning are top notch. Top discussions.

[@bruce9658]

It would be cool if they integrated other aspects of mental health like bipolar with mania and rage into gameplay. Or borderline personality into almost playing trickery to enemies. So much more I think could’ve Been done with integration of the gameplay

[@0Gumpy0]

I really like Bless' point about games being art by being games - game design is art. Sounds like this game is visual and auditory art, but not game design art.

[@elcapitan2293]

Not a chance this sells better then the first when gamepass exist. What is Bless talking about?

[@ooombasa5080]

​@@Tatman2TheResQWhen it is ported to PS5, it's not gonna do well. $50 for a 5 hour cutscene is going to be a very hard sell.

[@DavidHernandez-lq7kn]

Paris hitting us with the Paul Heymans all episode. "This is not a prediction it's a spoiler!!"

[@mundanemorselsmundanemorse7028]

“This isn’t a spoiler” followed by huge spoiler. Thanks, dude.

[@knifeofdunwall]

timestamp so we know when to skip? EDIT: I believe the OP is referring to the spoiler Parris gives away between 7:40 to 8:00. Next time, OP, don't just come here to moan, actually help the community if one of the panellists slips up. EDIT: 34:00 to 35:00 also arguably a spoiler.

[@InnerRise]

​@@knifeofdunwallexactly. Although I don't care bc I don't xbox and won't play this when it comes to my playstation but this comment is worthless without a timestamp

[@knifeofdunwall]

@@InnerRise Too late for me, unfortunately. :( The spoiler comes pretty quick after Parris' "warning" but I've timestamped it so hopefully others will avoid the same fate!

[@aCozyManatee]

@@InnerRise “I don’t Xbox” cringe as hell

[@InnerRise]

@@knifeofdunwall I applaud you. This'll help those that xbox.

[@1AJBOOMER]

Don't ever not play or play a game over someone else's opinion always play it yourself 👍🏾

[@goalsinfitness]

Words to live by, and not just with gaming

[@ericmicke4130]

If you have easy or free access to it sure. But the reason people like me listen to stuff like this is to listen to what they like/dislike and everything and decide if it sounds like something i want to spend my money on. Thats something you're not thinking about when you say "always play for yourself".

[@ericmicke4130]

@@RednGone gamepass is the only way id play either of these games based on everything ive seen and heard.

[@OrlanoFanis]

Why did KZbin change the UI ? Of all the things they need to improve.

[@chubbybehem0th]

The new layout sucks, I hate it.

[@WillOnCode]

This game is walking so gears 6 can run

[@joshdaniel4633]

1:06:25 Greg's "We lost focus on you" to Paris sounded hostile af lmaoo

[@siddharthshishulkar8992]

He meant the camera focus

[@jonayarrocha4009]

Somebody asked you ''why would you play it twice?'' Dude I'm on my second playthrough with the hardest difficulty and I'll definitely play it again before the end of this year. This is not one of the best games in the market but it's definitely a unique experience on a whole new level. A must play

[@tylerjamesbae]

I think this might’ve been Mike’s best podcast since he joined Kinda Funny

[@tshep1985]

Its clear some people hate it because its on xbox. How many Dreamcast guys are out there? Who liked the first hellblade 1 but hated 2? Which i might add makes no sense based off 2 is just like #1 on steroids . Better sound, better graphics, better fighting, puzzles are about the same.

[@amerrill351]

Of course parris and mike would be high on this game. Xbox could release a blank screen and they would give it 9s...

[@SosAisMLife]

Didn’t know ninja theory had as many developers as naughty dog or call of duty I mean if they did I get the rage. But they have like 12 people.

[@flamingphoenix3819]

About 3 hours in and I’m absolutely loving it so far, I’ve been hooked the entire time and can’t wait to get back to it.

[@Mike_L.]

Really good discussions ya'll, interesting times

[@robertnorton671]

I HATE THAT I CAN'T BE THERE FOR THIS CONVERSATION!!!!!!!

[@cadvan6]

Just finished it and came here. So I came into this game for what it is - I’m not bummed out by it not being a gamey game, I was on board for that. Amazing presentation, dug the changes to combat - parry windows were weird af and the puzzles took a step back but. Kinda fell in between Parris and Bless I think. I enjoyed it for what it gave me My disappointment is that this game feels like an imitation of the first and doesn’t recapture what made the original special. I loved the original (on replays it shows its flaws for sure). It had such a clear vision and nailed it, it also was very much a character study. I liked the tale Saga told but the magic was kinda gone for me. Hard to knock the game for that, pretty personal take, but still. Whilst I do want more because I still really like these games, I reckon there won’t be a third game… and i question if there should’ve been a second. Also I don’t know if it’s just me but the Furies were so annoying in this game. They worked so well in the original because for the most part she’s by herself so it fits incredibly well. But in this one with more characters, they felt super distracting

[@LumberDAK]

This was a fuckin GAMER ass gamecast, i loved it

[@L3af568]

The next game project Mara is the next part of the feanchise

[@BillNyeGuy]

The thing is Halo Infinite and Starfield were supposed to have delivered. Since they disappointed, it’s put so much pressure on smaller games than they should have. Which isn’t fair. HiFi Rush, Pentiment, and Hellblade 2 are games that round out the portfolio, not prop up the entire console. So much pressure on each Xbox release. Won’t be solved until something like Gears really breaks out.

[@jackpurchase45]

Damn Mike was COOKING!🔥🔥🔥

[@DaBuffNerd]

The game doesn't automatically snap for symbols, you still have to find them and focus on them. And the combat is way better than the first one.

[@leeroy1986]

The good news is, it sounds like a small game, so you only really need a weekend to give it a go.

[@bradleylansiquot298]

The first was a 7/10 for me. Hearing Greg has me feeling that this is more of the same, if you loved the first you will love this.

[@mustafamahmoud_]

Hard disagree with Mike. Ghostwire Tokyo was awesome

[@SsShadowbaneSsS]

Meh gwt was stupid gameplay was so boring I played for like 2 hrs then stopped couldn’t get into it

[@mustafamahmoud_]

​@@SsShadowbaneSsSI personally enjoyed the relationship between Akito and KK and thought the FPS with a magical twist was fun. I agree it's mostly a Ubisoft styled open world but I liked the plot, combat, aesthetics and music. The game was very stylish imo and the designs were all cool. I will say tho, I played it after all the patches and updates and so experienced it with all the added combat mechanics (dodge etc) so that likely improved the experience for me. to each their own, but I p much 100% the game cuz i enjoyed the gameplay loop

[@ouzykun8796]

no need to defend your point GWT was actually awesome. Great gameplay, Great combat, I thought the side quests were phenomenonal and well written. Unique combat

[@Minednam]

Yeah I tried to read that as him saying the reception and sales weren’t good and that’s all that’s relevant. But that game was pretty dope.

[@Grimjr7]

​@@SsShadowbaneSsS did you plan on PlayStation when it first came out or did you play after it got that roguelike DLC. I'm only asking because they added abilities to the main game when they added the DLC and a lot of those DLC abilities, I personally couldn't imagine playing that game without those cuz I only played it when it came to Xbox so I had all those abilities from the jump.

[@OkByeNw]

I'm looking forward to experiencing this game like it is just an 8 hour theme park ride. I bought a sound bar with two rear speakers for surround sound and I'm looking forward to that audio giving me a vibe. I don't think I want a whole bunch of challenging combat or puzzles to bump up against. I just want to feel some challenge or danger but not interup the ride. I think that's what the developers were trying to give people and it should be considered a win for xbox.

[@profanddevplaygames]

Greg looks like Jared Petty a bit here with the hat.

[@shutuppabs323]

There’s a game that came out last week, that was a narrative driven experience with environmental puzzles and had zero combat and it didn’t make the game feel any less like a game. That game was Indika and for me that’s been the better experience.

[@kjplaysguitar]

Mike is spitting facts and sole reason I finished this video.

[@garrisonthomas8584]

So how is an 82 metacritic score “split reception”? That’s kinda what shocked me when Greg said that Starfield was polarizing at 83-85 in the Todd Howard interview. Not everyone is going to like every game but to say it’s polarizing is kind of a bad faith argument

[@Hozasaru]

Public perception outweighs reviews in the long run most likely, Diablo 4 has an 86 on Metacritic and was loved upon release. Now everywhere you look history is rewritten and the game was ‘always trash’.

[@thetrilltroll7633]

Did you see the score of starfield on steam?

[@garrisonthomas8584]

@@thetrilltroll7633 ok does the same logic apply to Hellblade’s score on Steam?

[@thetrilltroll7633]

@garrisonthomas8584 well considering starfield has over 69k reviews on steam vs. Hellblade 2 at a little over 1k, no

[@suizideking7987]

I’m digging this game…but I expected a similar experience to the first.

[@dps0610]

Expectations set appropriately does wonders.

[@shanedoherty8761]

Amazing show and the best format to get a proper review of a game. Have people with different opinions explain why they feel that way

[@RekathonPrime]

To add to Mike's point.. I don't get how an 81 is mid on Xbox. But an 82 is a banger on PlayStation. I get that's it's fanboy logic moving the goal post back and forth. But it seems that logic has made it's way into gaming websites and channels that's not supposed to reflect that mentality or opinions.

[@ohmnesia]

Because everyone in the gaming media dislikes Xbox and now we finally start to see this reflected in game reviews as well. When Xbox only had Halo Forza Gears, it was not really visible that much, but now that they actually have good games, you see how much reviewers try to drag them through the mud at all costs. , Ghost of Tshima at, 82, Stellar Blade 81 and Helldivers 82? = GOTY for Sony Starfield at 83 and Hellblade 2 at 81 = FAILURE for Xbox.

[@petelannen3077]

This probably won't be seen but I just beat it. It's fantastic and beautiful, could the combat be tighter yes but for what it is is fine. It looks almost real ue5 is going to be insane I can't wait for more games to use it.

[@gunnerfan2000]

1 hr discourse on a 5hr game is insane

[@JoshJr98]

Hellblade 2 feels like a long interactive trailer for a game we will never get

[@geoafe66]

Great discussion. With everything going on in the industry I worry that even if this game achieved what it set out to do that’s not good enough.

[@KRWROACH]

Mike wit the 🔥🔥🔥