Hellblade II turns gaming into an audiophile’s dream (or nightmare).
Hellblade II isn’t your average video game; it’s something that demands your full attention, especially if you’re an audiophile.
Sure, the gaming community is divided on its gameplay and story. But, there’s one thing we can all agree on: the audio experience in Hellblade II is nothing short of mind-blowing.
So, as someone who lives and breathes gaming and high-quality audio, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dive into this.
Here’s my take and why I think any interested audiophiles should try it out, whether you’re into gaming or not.
What the Game Is About
Hellblade II continues the story of Senua, a Celtic warrior who experiences psychosis as she traverses Viking Iceland. If you’ve never played Hellblade (like me), the game starts with an introductory video to catch you up.
I think it’s enough to get the gist, but it may not fully explain the events of the first game.
One major thing I noticed is that there are no UI elements like health bars or minimaps to distract you. The focus is on immersion, guiding you naturally from one point to another by the environment and the story.
Why Hellblade II Is a Game for Audiophiles
Trust me on this one: playing Hellblade II through speakers or cheap earbuds would be doing yourself a disservice.
To really experience Hellblade II, you need good headphones. Not just any headphones, but ones that can handle the details of binaural audio.
“The acoustics play an incredibly important role. For example, if you shout and there’s a rock, the sound is going to bounce off that. If a priest is chanting in a cave, you want to hear the sound travelling towards you, or the opposite if something is moving away.” explains David Garcia Diaz, the game’s audio director.
“All of the sounds work together to create atmosphere and tension, and with this technology, we can achieve that.”
Binaural audio is the key technology behind Hellblade II’s sound design. It records sound using two microphones to create a 3D soundscape that mimics how we naturally hear the world.
While this technology first appeared in 1792, Ninja Theory has used it in a new and impressive way for Hellblade II. (We’ll get into that later.)
Basically, playing without headphones would not do justice to their hard work.
“We are representing abstract concepts with sound. What does guilt sound like, and what is our vision of guilt for Senua? How do we interpret sadness, or euphoria, or rage?” adds David.
“We are not just recreating a sound. We are creating a character’s reality. And this is our way of interpreting these emotions [for Senua] with sound and music and voices, all tied together to create one moment.”
Personal Experience
To fully experience what the game offers, I put on my trusty Logitech G Pro X headphones. They’re not really audiophile gear, but I wanted to use the typical equipment I’d use with any other Xbox game to give it a fair review.
And, from the moment the game began, I knew I was into something good.
Take the opening scene, for example.
Here, Senua is thrown under the waves. I may sound exaggerating but the water sounds are so realistic that I closed my eyes and felt the water swirl around my head. The sound of rushing water, muffled yet intense, gave me chills.
Just like this, every sound in Hellblade II has been placed with care.
The voices in Senua’s mind, a key part of the first game, are even better here. They move around your head, sometimes whispering right into your ear, sometimes the left.
There were also times when the voices whispered into both ears at the same time, creating a spooky and unsettling feeling.
Aside from that, the voices now also have more meaningful conversations compared to Hellblade I, showing Senua’s psychological growth.
As expected, the game doesn’t hold back in showing the darker parts of Senua’s condition.
Distorted, unpleasant sounds are used well to draw you in during particularly dreadful scenes. It succeeds in portraying abstract concepts like guilt, sadness, and rage through sound, creating a unique auditory representation of Senua’s emotions.
On the other hand, moments of total silence, broken only by Senua’s heavy breathing or the faint echoes of her footsteps, heightened the sense of dread.
The environmental sounds are also equally impressive.
Picture this: you’re walking through an abandoned village. Suddenly, you hear the anguished cries of a mother and the unnerving buzz of flies. These come with such clarity and spatial accuracy that you feel as if you’re standing there, witnessing the aftermath of a tragedy firsthand.
The creaking of old wood, the distant howl of the wind, and the soft rustle of leaves underfoot added layers to the game’s atmosphere, making it extra immersive.
Favorite Audio Moments
One of the most impressive things about Hellblade II’s audio is how it layers sounds without turning them into a jumbled mess.
During intense moments, multiple voices and environmental sounds play at the same time. But, each of them kept its distinct position and clarity.
I clearly remember one particular moment when Senua met a captive stranger. As they talked, the Furies chimed in with their own interpretations. This created a three-way dialogue that was both unsettling and captivating.
The way their voices combined and moved around me really represented Senua’s condition.
But what truly blew me away was the seamless integration of the game’s soundtrack. There were times when soothing melodies washed over me, creating an almost speaker-like quality within my gaming headphones.
I didn’t think it was something I’d hear from my Logitech G Pro X!
All in all, in Hellblade II, sound isn’t just a background element. It’s one of the biggest drivers of the experience.
So, if you’re an audio enthusiast with the right equipment, trust me, this is one game you won’t want to miss.
I haven’t finished the game, yet, but I know it’s something I’ll more than likely play again.