How Ninja Theory Strives to Make Senua the Most Human Character in Gaming

Derham notes that most people have some sort of internal monologue active when we’re being spoken to, but it’s mostly not at the foreground, and it’s also not audible: “Imagine if every time someone was talking to you, you had that constant commentary on what they’re saying, maybe even arguing about the meaning. Every time Senua meets a new character, the voices are going to react to that.”

Fletcher accentuates this by describing a big step in the understanding of psychosis from a research perspective, which revolves around the meaningfulness of experiences for those living with psychosis. They’re not just neural noise – the experiences are constructed in the same way we all construct our reality.

“What’s exciting to me about Hellblade II is the growing interest that people can entertain two levels of reality,” Fletcher says. “Senua may have the darkness and the voices, but at the same time, she can recognise and be part of other people’s constructions too.”

“Senua may have the darkness and the voices, but at the same time, she can recognise and be part of other people’s constructions too.”

Professor Paul Fletcher

Senua’s willingness to be part of other people’s stories – as we briefly mentioned earlier regarding her choice to save someone who is a stranger to her – also showcases another aspect of how she’s moving past certain experiences that made her so insular.

“Her psychosis had influenced her relationships with other people to a point where she was weary and withdrawn from the world, Derham says. “What we’re showing now is her starting to overcome that, depending on who she meets, and we’re showing that her perspective is just as valuable as anyone else’s.”

“Some people will react to her with harshness or horror, but some will see her differently, and she’ll find common ground and share positive experiences with them. It’s really exciting to watch Senua explore these interpersonal dynamics and relationships with other characters, and how she can help them.”