Tips and Tricks - Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 Guide - IGN (2024)

Hellblade 2 is quite the cinematic game, meaning there are no HUD elements on screen whatsoever. You’re left to learn the game's ins and outs without explicit tutorials or hints, which enhances the experience but can lead to a few questions. Here are a few tips and tricks that you should know for Hellblade 2.

The only written help you’ll get in Hellblade 2 is from the layout of the controls in the menu. The best way to learn what you need to know is through the game’s audio and visuals. Clues often come from the environments, enemies, sound cues, and Senua herself.

General Tips and Tricks

• Headphones are recommended. There are no HUD elements in Hellblade 2 at all, so the game guides you through audio cues and environmental clues. Headphones help from a gameplay standpoint, along with improving overall immersion.
• Listen to the voices. Senua’s psychosis manifests itself in multiple ways, including various voices that speak to her. These voices often tell you what to do or how to proceed when it’s time to solve puzzles or avoid danger. They aren’t always helpful, but you should still listen regardless.
• Look for white chalk. You can interact with nearly every object or piece of the environment covered in white chalk. This includes doors, walls, ledges, and more. White chalk can also help when you’re unsure of where to go next – it acts as a marker or environmental hint.
• Collectibles are automatically tracked. Each Lorestangir has symbols on it that light up as you find each post. Meanwhile, Hidden Faces lead to trees with notches that fill up as you find each face. The collectibles are tracked in the order they appear in chapters, so if you’re missing a post symbol or tree notch, you should be able to find exactly where it sits in a chapter based on its placement on the post or tree.

• There’s a chapter select option. Chapter select unlocks after you complete the first chapter – Reykjanestá. You can go to the chapter list in the main menu to replay any section of the game and see a list of collectibles for each area.
• Look for inconsistencies. Puzzles can often be solved by interacting with elements of the environment that appear out of place or visually distorted in some way.
• Use Photo Mode. Photo Mode is amazing in Hellbalde 2 because, aside from its obvious photo-taking function, it can also help find collectibles or solve puzzles. You can move the camera in a large area around Senua while zooming out relatively far to get a better view. You can also place your own light source in any scene to illuminate dark places.

Combat Tips and Tricks

• Watch for flashes of color. When an enemy’s weapon flashes white right before landing an attack, you can block or parry it safely. If the weapon flashes red, you will be staggered when blocking. If the enemy themself flashes a dark, fiery red, the incoming attack is unblockable.
• Heavy attacks break guards. Heavy attacks will break through an enemy’s defenses but can often leave you open for a counterattack. Heavy attacks are slow, so if you do too many in a row, opponents can interrupt you with attacks of their own.
• Aim for late parries. In our experience, parries are often more successful when timing them later than you’d expect – right before impact. Anything earlier will become a block or a failed defensive attempt.
• Interrupt combo strings. Enemies will often use combos, swinging their weapons several times in a row. A well-timed parry on any hit completely stops a combo from continuing, while a block only prevents you from taking damage as the combo continues.
• Parries are deadly. Certain enemies are weaker than others, and parries are more effective on them. They can be instantly killed if you successfully parry into an attack.

• Watch Senua’s hip. Once you obtain Senua’s mirror, pay attention to her hip – the mirror glows as you gain focus in combat. The ring of light around the outside of the mirror is a meter, and once it makes a full circle, a symbol will light up to let you know the focus ability is ready.
• Use focus often. Senua’s focus ability can eventually be used in combat, and it allows you to slow down time to land extra hits that are often enough to defeat most enemies. Focus also helps when trying to get out of tricky situations against unblockable attacks.
• Mash to escape grabs. Some enemies can grab Senua and hold her in place. Mash the attack or dodge buttons when this happens to break free and land a counterattack.

Be sure to check out our Hellblade 2 Walkthrough for more general guidance as you make your way through the game’s story.