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Ninja Theory has released the first gameplay trailer for Hellblade, an upcoming third-person action game that puts players in the role of a character suffering from mental illness.
Developed in conjunction with the University of Cambridge’s Psychiatrist and Professor of Health and Neuroscience, Paul Fletcher, and with support from the Wellcome Trust, Hellblade will tell the story of Senua, a Celtic warrior left traumatised following a Viking invasion, and her journey “into a vision of hell that is the manifestation of her own mental illness”.
“True understanding of mental health is not simply about books, lectures or verbal descriptions but from deeper engagement on all levels,” said Professor Fletcher. “Working with Ninja Theory has shown me the potential that gaming has for sharing in a character’s experiences and engendering empathy in ways that go well beyond those offered by simple academic descriptions. Maybe this approach will contribute powerful new ways of challenging stigma.”
The game is being described by Ninja Theory as an “Independent AAA”, combining the creative freedom of indie development with the production values of a blockbuster title.
“In Hellblade we are pursuing creative independence in order to explore a compelling subject matter and gaming experience that would not be possible under the current retail model,” said Ninja Theory’s chief creative director Tameem Antoniades. “In movie terms, this would be a quality independent film, not a Hollywood blockbuster. Digital self-publishing means that we can offer a smaller, but high quality game at around half the price of retail games.”
Ninja Theory previously developed 2013’s DmC: Devil May Cry, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and PS3 exclusive Heavenly Sword. Hellblade, meanwhile, is being developed by a small team of just 15 people.
“More and more, games have an exciting and innovative role to play in giving us new perspectives on health and mental health challenges,” added Iain Dodgeon, creative partnerships manager at the Wellcome Trust. “Rather than being a didactic game teaching us about psychosis, Hellblade allows us to explore it through the creation of a compelling and complex character, and the world that she inhabits.”
Hellblade releases on PS4 and PC in 2016.
Source: Ninja Theory
