Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 developer Ninja Theory is working to make the sequel far surpass its predecessor. When Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice released in 2017, it was made with a small team and a very light budget, but it quickly found critical and commercial success. In 2018, the studio was purchased by Microsoft, which will allow the team to be more ambitious. In a new interview with NME, director Tameem Antoniades was asked whether the goal was to “perfect” the format of the first Hellblade. Antoniades replied with an interesting quote, stating that the sequel will make the original look like an indie game by comparison.
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“The goal with Hellblade 2 isn’t to perfect it, but to createan experience that feels more believable and more refined. Its ambitionin terms of scale is bigger. I think Hellblade 2 will make Hellblade look like an indie game,” Antoniades told NME.
Unsurprisingly, Antoniades’ comments have led to a lot of confusion and disappointment from the indie game community. Many have accurately pointed out that the first Hellblade was, in fact, an indie game. Meanwhile, others expressed frustration that the comment perpetuates negative stereotypes about the quality of indie games compared to AAA titles. Stephen Danton of 2 Ton Games was one such example, expressing disappointment with Antoniades’ phrasing.
“What a terrible choice of words. Especially w so many beautiful, innovative, and artful indie games out there,” Danton wrote on Twitter.
Over the last 10-15 years, indie games have had a profound impact on the video game industry, as developers have found ways to take chances and create experiences that might not have been possible from larger studios. Indie games like Among Us, Shovel Knight, and Undertale have found massive audiences around the globe, inspiring a plethora of merchandise and media beyond the original games. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice similarly fits that description, having sold millions of copies, and winning countless awards. Given that background, Antoniades probably could have chosen his words a little bit better.
Are you looking forward to Hellblade 2? Were you surprised by that quote from Antoniades? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
