Secrets Of Hellblade: Mysterious Gamescom14 Trailer Explained

Guard Your Soul As You Journey To Hell

August 17th, 2014 By Maya Mayfield

Ninja Theory the UK based developers responsible for games like Devil May Cry, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and the PlayStation 3 exclusive Heavenly Sword unveiled Hellblade at this years Gamescom 2014.

During the powerful 2 minutes trailer, we were introduced to a mysterious woman kneeling and praying in what we can only presume is a magical circle as blood drips down her hands from the clenched blade she grips tightly.

Her face is covered in what resembles native indian war paint, with some paint having faded from her tears. The camera takes extra care to focus on her finger, which reveals two rings.

The opening quote which is actually made famous by german philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche reads in full, " He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you."

Developers Ninja Theory are known for 3 key elements that have over the last fourteen years set them apart from other Studios.

• Number 1) Creating powerful, compelling stories.
• Number 2) Developing Ninja style combat mechanics.
• Number 3) Designing unique environments in their games.

Taking these 3 elements, Ninja Theory are looking to take their newest digital game Hellblade to a whole new level. The team are aiming to deliver an experience unlike ever before with a character plot that will not only engage you, but give you a reason to immerse yourself in the story's mission.

Ninja Theory describes Hellblade as an independent AAA title, which basically means it is being created and published independently but with all the high quality standards gamers have come to expect from current AAA games on the market. Ninja Theory's bold decision to go down this route is so they can deliver the purest experience to gamers and fans of their work, without having to compromise or water down their vision for Hellbade to suit a mass audience. Dominic Mathews from Ninja Theory has told us that this much smaller focused game will not compromise on the studios standards when it comes to the combat mechanics, art style and story development. On top of all this they aim to sell Hellblade at a price much lower that most AAA games on the market.

Our Thoughts . . .

The world of Hellblade is surrounded around Celtic myth. In the trailer we see Senua, Hellblades female protagonist preparing to embark on a journey through hell's underworld. We think from the trailer, Senua has recently lost someone very close, like her husband. Hence the focus of the two rings in her middle finger, which if you think about it makes sense if her hands are smaller than his, then the only finger her husbands ring would fit would most likely be her middle one.

In the image below you can clearly see the dry tear stain down both cheeks has wiped some of the war paint off her face as she meditates in the middle of a circle with strange markings. We don't know if the figure hanging up in the middle is actually her husband or someone very close to her, but as the sun aligns itself casting a symbol on the markings, this characters begins to take huge gulps of air through the shroud covering its face.

The quote we mentioned earlier from German Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, " He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you."

This powerful quote tells us this is probably Senua's last real human moment.  As she weeps and meditates, she is shedding these emotions before she goes into hell to either retrieve or avenge the soul of the one she loves. We suspect as Senua delves deeper into Hell's demonic lair to fight the monsters deep within, it may begin to change her, which brings us back to Nietzche's quote telling Senua to not lose her soul in her journey to hell . Or Don't become the evil which you set forth to kill.

If you would like to know more about this incredibly powerful game from Ninja Theory, visit their official website at  http://hellblade.com for more information on developers diary, concept art and the work in progress.

We are super excited about this game and cannot wait to get our hands on it in the upcoming future. Stay tuned for more updates soon and tell us what you think in the comments below.