Developer Ninja Theory used GDC 2023 to give gamers a glimpse of the next-gen graphics they can expect in the upcoming Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2, premiering a trailer that shows off the incredibly lifelike facial animations created for the game using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 5. The long-awaited sequel looks to be shaping up to be a feast for the eyes, with even early pictures of Senua’s character model from Hellblade 2 released last year looking drastically better than many games currently on the market.
Fans of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice have been eagerly looking forward to a sequel ever since the original game’s release in 2017. A dark fantasy action-adventure game that draws heavy inspiration from Norse mythology, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was praised by critics and gamers for its stunning visuals and unique narrative that provided a nuanced but unflinching look at the sometimes painful realities of living with mental health disorders like psychosis. After years of keeping details about the development of the game’s sequel close to the chest, Ninja Theory announced in late 2022 that dev diaries for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 would be posted more frequently this year.
A new video released by Ninja Theory as part of Epic’s State of Unreal keynote at GDC 2023 shows that the developer hasn’t been resting on its laurels despite the infrequent updates on Hellblade 2's progress. The short trailer forgoes showing off gameplay of the highly anticipated sequel, focusing instead on the incredibly lifelike facial animation made possible through the game’s use of Metahuman technology in Epic’s Unreal Engine 5. While gamers may have already seen Metahumans in action in The Matrix Awakens Unreal Engine 5 demo, the Hellblade 2 clip shows just how much the technology has advanced.
The Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 clip begins with an offscreen director calling for the start of a take before transitioning to a digital double of Senua actress Melina Juergens in full costume in an empty volume. As the camera zooms in it’s possible to see the intense concentration on Juergens’ face while she gets into character before the camera pulls back and the scene turns bright, revealing Senua’s now scarred and dirt-caked face as she begins a short monologue. The facial animation on display in the scene is startlingly lifelike, with light playing off of Senua’s face as she takes on an increasingly wild appearance.
While this clip may not show off gameplay like some fans were surely hoping for, it serves as an excellent showcase of what players can expect from games running on Unreal Engine 5. And if Ninja Theory can combine this groundbreaking technology with the storytelling prowess it exhibited in the first game, players of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 will be in for a treat when the game releases.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.