10 Underhyped Video Games That Blew Everyone Away
3. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
The Non-Hype
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was released in the summer of 2017 to precious little buzz, with many evidently writing it off as just another generic "AA" action game.
It didn't help that the game was developed by Ninja Theory, the team responsible for the fun-yet-divisive Devil May Cry reboot DmC.
With its decidedly smaller budget than that project, Senua's Sacrifice just didn't have the marketing presence or gamer mind-share to make much of an impact.
The Big Reaction
Everything changed once the reviews hit, which confirmed the game to be far more than a self-consciously grim mid-brow action game.
Even critics who weren't too enamoured with the combat or puzzles couldn't deny its unexpected emotional complexity with regard to its protagonist's fractured mental state.
Considering how few video games have dealt with mental illness in a mature and compelling way, Hellblade was a major breath of fresh air, to say nothing of its spectacular, artful presentation.
In addition to selling well enough to break even in just three months - rather than the company's projected 6-9 month window - it scooped numerous prestigious year-end awards, including Best Audio Design, Best Performance (Melina Juergens), and Games for Impact at the 2017 Game Awards.
Better still a sequel, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II, is currently in development for next-gen platforms.