Following on from the harrowing accounts inHellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, players will now be thrown into the harsh and chilling environment of Iceland inHellblade 2, as Senua is on a mission to bring the Viking marauders to justice in a quest for vengeance.
Just like in its predecessor, Ninja Theory is conscious of portraying Senua’s mental health condition to its fullest, with the team wanting to get every detail just right this time around too, and to raise mental health awareness through her depiction of psychosis. More than anything, Melina Juergens, who plays Senua, wants to ensure she represents this “in the best way possible”.
Hellblade II Developers Show Off High-Tech Mapping Of Realistic Digital Iceland
Raising the bar on realism.
Games Can Be More Than Just Entertainment
In IGN’s recent hands-onpreviewof Hellblade 2, Melina Juergens discusses her hopes for how mental health is portrayed in Hellblade 2 and also her personal challenge of depicting psychosis in the most realistic way possible by representing it so that those who play the game can relate to it.
“Games can be more than just entertainment”, Juergens says. “You can make a game that sparks conversations, tackles difficult subjects, and just raise awareness about certain conditions such as mental health. I’m proud of just having the honor of representing the mental health community, making sure that I do it in the best way possible, the most realistic way possible. Don’t let them down and make them proud as well.”
While making Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, JuergenstoldNewsbeat in 2018 that she initially felt the weight of portraying such a complex character, “It’s a tough role to play, representing a mental health community was a heavyweight on my shoulders.” continuing. “I really tried my best to represent everything in the correct way.”
Not only did Juergens depict psychosis with incredible depth and accuracy with the help of medical professionals and those who live with the condition on a daily basis, but she also won a BAFTA for best performer which only goes to solidify how incredibly in tune she is with the mental health community.
Juergens didn’t have to dig too deep to relate to Senuas' mental health struggles in some form. In aninterviewwith PC Games, Juergens expressed how terrified she was initially to act in front of anyone, as she understands how crippling mental health issues can take hold.
“I suffer from really bad anxiety issues myself, so if you’d told me to act in front of people three years ago, that would’ve been my worst nightmare! But now I’m kinda getting used to it, so it’s OK.”
I Hope Hellblade 2 Is As Impactful For Me As The Original
Senua’s Sacrifice was a cathartic mental journey. Can the sequel do the same?
