Upcoming game from developer Ninja Theory follows the battles of one woman and the terrors inside of her mind.
[dropcap size=small]W[/dropcap]hen thinking of enemies that a player faces in a video game, things that come to mind are zombies, soldiers or aliens. Never before has there been a game where the protagonist’s enemies are created with their own mind. Hellblade follows Senua, a Celtic warrior, who is plagued with various mental illnesses after surviving a Viking invasion. Senua suffers from various types of psychosis, including hallucinations and delusion, as well as anxiety and depression. Over the course of the game, she must overcome the literal manifestations of these demons.
Ninja Theory has been working with Paul Fletcher, a professor of Health Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge to make sure that the portrayal of the challenges associated with mental illness are presented in the game with accuracy and respect. Professor Fletcher said in a statement to IGN that: “True understanding of mental health is not simply about books, lectures or verbal descriptions but from deeper engagement on all levels. Working with Ninja Theory has shown me the potential that gaming has for sharing in a character’s experiences and engendering empathy in ways that go well beyond those offered by simple academic descriptions. Maybe this approach will contribute powerful new ways of challenging stigma.”
The team developing the game is extremely small with only 15 people on it but this ensures that the game will be exactly what Ninja Theory wants it to be.
The idea behind the game looks incredible and the visuals are beautiful. Hellblade will be featured in this years E3.
Hellblade is set for release for PS4 and PC in 2016.
