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October 11, 2017 9:09 AM Subscribe
Ninja Theory releases a very special "accolades" trailer for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, and promises a donation to celebrate World Mental Health Day. The trailer highlights some of the many touching messages received by Ninja Theory since the launch of the game. Hellbladehelp.info connects players to local mental health support organizations.
Full Game Walkthrough Gameplay & Ending (No Commentary Longplay) 4h29m for those who can't play the game.
Full Game Walkthrough Gameplay & Ending (No Commentary Longplay) 4h29m for those who can't play the game.
I'm glad that they did this and that they wrote/designed this game in considerate and thoughtful manner. I did a deep dive on this a month or two ago, some good articles in there if anyone is interested. [Previously.]
posted by Fizz at 9:23 AM on October 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Fizz at 9:23 AM on October 11, 2017 [2 favorites]
One of the great untapped potentialities of gaming generally and VR specifically is the fostering and growth of empathy. In a well designed game (and literally in the case of VR) you can walk in someone else's shoes. The barriers to entry for experiencing a different viewpoint are far lower than, say, dedicating a few hours to reading a book that's outside your literary comfort zone.
I hope Hellblade is an example of a trend. And I hope the increasingly powerful tools available to game designers and programmers at lower and lower costs of entry will help to boost that trend.
Once we get cheap, portable VR? Say built into a pair of glasses? Well, that will be a game changer.
There will be first person shooters, of course, and probably lots of porn. But there will be other things too, things which will hopefully make us see things in different lights.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:38 AM on October 11, 2017
I hope Hellblade is an example of a trend. And I hope the increasingly powerful tools available to game designers and programmers at lower and lower costs of entry will help to boost that trend.
Once we get cheap, portable VR? Say built into a pair of glasses? Well, that will be a game changer.
There will be first person shooters, of course, and probably lots of porn. But there will be other things too, things which will hopefully make us see things in different lights.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:38 AM on October 11, 2017
Sorry Fizz, I missed that. Great links. I bought this game after doing a big 4k upgrade to my gaming pc, and it completely justified the expense. I've never seen facial mocap done so well, including Hollywood. In real-time and in 4k too.
I posted this mainly for the testimonials from the players. It looks like this game really helped some people. Game developers justifiably get a lot of criticism for their work being... well, pretty shitty. Here's an example of someone doing it right.
posted by adept256 at 9:40 AM on October 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
I posted this mainly for the testimonials from the players. It looks like this game really helped some people. Game developers justifiably get a lot of criticism for their work being... well, pretty shitty. Here's an example of someone doing it right.
posted by adept256 at 9:40 AM on October 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
Game developers justifiably get a lot of criticism for their work being... well, pretty shitty. Here's an example of someone doing it right.
That being said, they're not going to get everything right about mental health. Everyone has a different experience with that, but it's good to see an effort being made to have these conversations, to bring them into the mainstream.
posted by Fizz at 9:51 AM on October 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
That being said, they're not going to get everything right about mental health. Everyone has a different experience with that, but it's good to see an effort being made to have these conversations, to bring them into the mainstream.
posted by Fizz at 9:51 AM on October 11, 2017 [1 favorite]
frankly, it's already kind of weird the way that white male nerds have such a thing for appropriating East Asian culture; it's made much weirder when that culture is so pervasive that 1) a games company adopts a name like 'Ninja Theory', 2) the white dude CEO named 'Jeremy Sanders' decides to start calling himself 'Jez San', and 3) some of the previous games are vaguely Asian themed with producers and directors all having white-passing names - games titled 'Kung Fu Chaos' and 'Heavenly Sword' featuring either white-passing protagonists or like ridiculous, racist caricatures
glad they're doing mental health outreach
wish it wasn't tasteless white dudes doing it for an audience of other tasteless white dudes who say shit like in this thread
posted by runt at 9:58 AM on October 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
glad they're doing mental health outreach
wish it wasn't tasteless white dudes doing it for an audience of other tasteless white dudes who say shit like in this thread
posted by runt at 9:58 AM on October 11, 2017 [3 favorites]
shit like in this thread
evidence of that microaggression which is now removed by the mods, unfortunately not in my memory
y'all wonder why people of color find it so fucking hard to have to explain our perspectives to y'all oblivious types, it's because you can't even be bothered to do a tiny bit of due diligence before you celebrate a games company founded on racist, microaggressive principles because they spent a couple thou getting good publicity passing the lowest bar possible in terms of community-driven ethics
fuck me if you start caring about the safety net hospitals in your midst with failing psych units that a capitalist private health insurance marketplace is obviating. a textbook example of privilege is being aware of and capable of playing an indie, story-driven video game and to also have those creators conduct symbolic, passive mental health outreach to that same privileged userbase
by far one of the grossest things I've seen come out of World Mental Health Day
posted by runt at 10:16 AM on October 11, 2017
evidence of that microaggression which is now removed by the mods, unfortunately not in my memory
y'all wonder why people of color find it so fucking hard to have to explain our perspectives to y'all oblivious types, it's because you can't even be bothered to do a tiny bit of due diligence before you celebrate a games company founded on racist, microaggressive principles because they spent a couple thou getting good publicity passing the lowest bar possible in terms of community-driven ethics
fuck me if you start caring about the safety net hospitals in your midst with failing psych units that a capitalist private health insurance marketplace is obviating. a textbook example of privilege is being aware of and capable of playing an indie, story-driven video game and to also have those creators conduct symbolic, passive mental health outreach to that same privileged userbase
by far one of the grossest things I've seen come out of World Mental Health Day
posted by runt at 10:16 AM on October 11, 2017
I'd wondered what ninjas had to do with a norsewoman delving into Helheim. Thanks to a few commenters here for the context on the creators.
posted by Karmakaze at 10:36 AM on October 11, 2017
posted by Karmakaze at 10:36 AM on October 11, 2017
Mod note: One comment deleted. adept256 or anyone else inclined to a clever comeback here, exercise some judgment.
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:55 AM on October 11, 2017
posted by LobsterMitten (staff) at 10:55 AM on October 11, 2017
I am kind of blank here on the link between Hellblade and mental health. Anyone want to explain in any other way than a 4 hour video link?
Okay, Fizz's post helps. Cheers.
posted by Samizdata at 11:25 AM on October 11, 2017
Okay, Fizz's post helps. Cheers.
posted by Samizdata at 11:25 AM on October 11, 2017
I am kind of blank here on the link between Hellblade and mental health. Anyone want to explain in any other way than a 4 hour video link?
This article/quote may help:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, A Bloody Rush [Playstation Lifestyle]
This article/quote may help:
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, A Bloody Rush [Playstation Lifestyle]
Senua’s story is told through a series of flashbacks that she has as she goes through her adventure. It’s a painful story, one filled with love, loss, loneliness, frustration, and very little positive emotion until the end. This is likely by design, to give the player some sense of what many suffering from crippling depression, schizophrenia, or some other psychosis, feel all the time. It’s not a good feeling to live life as Senua does. Her story will resonate with anyone who has suffered from mental issues or known someone who has. It also serves as the battleground in which all the action takes place, as Senua is tasked with defeating Celtic and Norse gods and demigods.”posted by Fizz at 11:42 AM on October 11, 2017
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, A Bloody Rush [Playstation Lifestyle]
Senua’s story is told through a series of flashbacks that she has as she goes through her adventure. It’s a painful story, one filled with love, loss, loneliness, frustration, and very little positive emotion until the end. This is likely by design, to give the player some sense of what many suffering from crippling depression, schizophrenia, or some other psychosis, feel all the time. It’s not a good feeling to live life as Senua does. Her story will resonate with anyone who has suffered from mental issues or known someone who has. It also serves as the battleground in which all the action takes place, as Senua is tasked with defeating Celtic and Norse gods and demigods.”
Yeah, I followed the game early on, then I stopped when it was looking like a game I would really need a console to play. No reason getting overly tempted by forbidden fruit... Sadly, I don't need a game to tell me of major depression.
posted by Samizdata at 12:41 PM on October 11, 2017
Senua’s story is told through a series of flashbacks that she has as she goes through her adventure. It’s a painful story, one filled with love, loss, loneliness, frustration, and very little positive emotion until the end. This is likely by design, to give the player some sense of what many suffering from crippling depression, schizophrenia, or some other psychosis, feel all the time. It’s not a good feeling to live life as Senua does. Her story will resonate with anyone who has suffered from mental issues or known someone who has. It also serves as the battleground in which all the action takes place, as Senua is tasked with defeating Celtic and Norse gods and demigods.”
Yeah, I followed the game early on, then I stopped when it was looking like a game I would really need a console to play. No reason getting overly tempted by forbidden fruit... Sadly, I don't need a game to tell me of major depression.
posted by Samizdata at 12:41 PM on October 11, 2017
Tameem needs to pull his finger out and finish up his X-Suit game designs. He can have his copy of 3DO "Dragon's Lair" back if he asks nicely. Glad his tastes improved since that was his favourite game back in the 90s.
posted by davemee at 2:47 AM on October 12, 2017
posted by davemee at 2:47 AM on October 12, 2017
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posted by xthlc at 9:19 AM on October 11, 2017