Because Hellblade is being made by such a tiny team, Ninja Theory are having to come up with clever solutions to problems in order to get the game up to quality. Here’s one example: the lead character’s actress, the German-born Melina Juergens, is also Ninja Theory’s video editor, and she often puts videos together while still wearing the motion capture suit.
Check out our list of upcoming PC games for more future hits.
Another way the studio saves time and resources is how they record their acting sequences. They can be recorded in real-time, with Juergens acting out the performance and it immediately transferring into the game, which can then be tweaked after.
The studio are now using that magic tech for something else: they just hosted the first ever live Q&A with a videogame character. With Juergens off-screen, Senua stands with the Ninja Theory PR man and answers questions from the community. It’s pretty cool and you can watch it on Facebook.
Hellblade is about a Viking shield-maiden who’s losing a battle with her mind. Players have to fight through a world of myth, where it’s hard to tell what’s real and what is caused by the psychosis Senua is experiencing. It’s releasing on PC on August 8 and will cost $29.99.