14 Most Polarising Video Games Of The Decade (So Far)

9. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

What Works?

A truly ambitious, original story when it comes to video games, Hellblade tells the tale of the psychosis-addled Senua, journeying into a Norse mythology-filled Underworld to rescue her beloved's soul. The graphics and general production are exemplary, with Senua herself having some truly affecting scenes where she screams to the heavens as her mental state gets the better of her.

Alongside exploration is a Souls-like combat system where the voices in your head (recorded with 360 degree microphones) actually aid in dodging blows from sides, all as you use slow-motion states and expertly choreographed slashes to survive.

What Doesn't?

Sadly, every time Hellblade drops a much-needed nugget of information regarding what's really going on, you're saddled with some of the most forced and rote puzzles in gaming. Simplistic "Find the shape in the environment" stuff (that would be fine if used sparingly) pops up time and again, literally a good eight times, interspersed with combat or cutscenes, ruining the pace and pulling you out of what would otherwise be an unbelievably engaging game.

As the game is only five to seven hours long anyway, having this in-game manifestation for Senua's mental state be reflected in puzzles that aren't fun and grind progress to a halt, just doesn't work in the moment. In the end, it's this split of seeing what the game is trying to do alongside a structure that destroys any pathos, that's resulted in no two reviews being the same.