'Hellblade' is a terrifying journey through one person's mental hell
Hellblade has been shrouded in shadows since its announcement at Gamescom last year, but the veil is finally lifting. Developed by Enslaved, Heavenly Sword and DmC: Devil May Cry studio Ninja Theory, Hellblade is a dark, fantastical battle through the mind of the Celtic warrior Senua. Senua suffers from anxiety, depression, hallucinations and delusions, and the game presents some of these intangibles as literal demons for Senua to destroy. The studio wants to treat the subject with respect: The Hellblade team is working with Paul Fletcher, a professor of Health Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, and the game is supported by global mental-health foundation Wellcome Trust.
"Developing Hellblade independently gives us the freedom to tackle a subject as challenging as mental health," Ninja Theory says. "It is a subject that we are handling with all the respect it deserves, ensuring that our portrayal of Senua's condition is both accurate and sensitive."
Hellblade is coming to PlayStation 4 and PC in 2016. See the game's E3 video below and check out the developer diary outlining Ninja Theory's approach to mental health issues here.
