A very curious game, for which I let myself fully embrace the inherent strangeness - in short, you play as a very apparently schizophrenic nordic girl during the viking age, having visual and auditory hallucinations, that seem to "help" her during a not less bizarre quest she has set for herself, wanting against all odds to find back a deceased loved one.

The artistic direction is close to flawless, and reminded me quite a lot in certain places of God of War, naturally, due to the ancient scandinavian context (but also the character's handling) ; there are some beeautiful sceneries to be seen here, but most of them will be dark and even quite horrific, which might unsettle some players - lots of corpses, and also many scenes of mental disturbances due to the mc's illness, which illusions serve as means to progress throughout the story. The world presented is then quite often rather suffocating, although with brief apparitions of light, and spectacular nordic sceneries.

The "action part" of the game is divided into puzzles, which were relatively easy but may require some research sometimes, and combat, which I found a bit annoying at times, although it's focus system was the start of something interesting. What made me like the game wasn't those aspects so much, but Senua's tortured personality, and the hope to find something good or worthwhile at the end of her path.

As for what goes on in Senua's mind, it is a constant feast of voices, visions, mixed with nordic mythology; I wouldn't say the experience was painful to play, as for Senua's delusions, but I was glad that the game had the length it has, because it got to be quite "intense", due to its proper and particular universe.

My words here may seem a bit mitigated about Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, but fact is, I liked it quite much and will be very curious to play its followup. It was a short masterpiece of a different kind, that may provoke many questionings in the player's mind - as well relative to the ending, which was against all expectations, one of hope (or is it?) and preparing us for the next game. One word about the ending credits music, "Illusion' from VNV Nation, which warm and modern character surprised me so much, in regard to the overall "ancient" vibe of the game - would have expected at most a cheery folkloric ending music, but here we had a nonetheless very good *pop* song, fact that made me smile, but which in the end, fit in with the game's ending and overall thematic, just a bit more of a modern take than what I would have expected.

So, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, might be one of the "weirdest" (but "weird" is just a question of perception, isn't it) games I've played, due to its themes and ambience, but also carries depth and fragments of beauty - the kind that may haunt you and make you ask yourself many questions, even if they remain unanswered. And this might be the precise mark of a true masterpiece. Will be awaiting to play Hellblade 2, with no doubt. And a tingle of anguish. )

Pirate yakuzas, so what next, viking, trash collector, pizzaïolo, cowboy yakuza?...Please do RGG, the crazier the better - it seems you didn't have a genius idea there, better, rather that you have a succession of crazy ones, and for that you have my thanks, respect, and money obviously - may the delirium go on, as well as your hilariously well made games. No matter where it takes place, whatever the "job" may be - where there is Majima, there is Yakuza.

本物のヤクザは日本語の声を使う