Ninja Theory’s Hellblade games have always been a visual powerhouse showcase for Xbox. The second game, in particular, played more like a demo, focusing on visual fidelity rather than gameplay, which held its true potential.
With the next entry underway, it seems that the developers have finally acknowledged this factor. We recently spotted a job listing by Ninja Theory for Hellblade 3, looking for a senior combat designer.
The details we found in the listing were interesting, suggesting an overhauled combat design for the third entry.
Why it matters: Hellblade 2 sales were highly disappointing because players found the gameplay boring. By improving upon this aspect, Ninja Theory is guaranteed to have a hit for the next entry.
Hellblade’s gameplay has always been simplistic, with repetitive combat, but Ninja Theory appears to be addressing this in the third entry by refining melee combat and gameplay design.
Pushing the boundaries of what is possible in melee combat and gameplay design
Even for the sequel, Only 13% of Hellblade 2 players were able to beat the game because many stated it was just a walking simulator.
The job listing further states:
Combining it with new levels of player freedom and choice
This is exciting since Hellblade’s scripted cinematic design often felt more episodic than fitting for its genre. With the third entry, Ninja Theory aims to fix this by emphasizing player input and choice.
With the lessons learned from the last entry and priorities finally set right, Hellblade 3 could become the most exciting title within the franchise. If Ninja Theory can balance gameplay and its graphics, they’re guaranteed to have a major success.
