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Hellblade Isn't Tied to Heavenly Sword, Nor Is It a Spiritual Successor

Ninja Theory "loved making" Heavenly Sword, but insists Hellblade is "a brand-new IP."

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Ninja Theory's next game, Hellblade, is not connected in any way to one of the studio's first games, Heavenly Sword, despite the perceived similarities between the two.

Asked if Hellblade is tied to Heavenly Sword, Ninja Theory product development manager Dominic Matthews told Eurogamer, "No, it's not. It's a brand-new IP. Senua is a new character. It's not tied to Heavenly Sword at all. I saw someone describe the name as someone just putting Heavenly Sword into Thesaurus.com and going, oh it's Hellblade.

"It's not something where we've gone, yeah, let's make people think it is this. We really like Heavenly Sword. We loved making that game. So it's actually more just we like making female protagonists that look in a certain style. And we like swords. And we like hell. It's more that."

Hellblade was announced at Gamescom last week with the CG trailer above. Given the name, the look of the female protagonist, and the three key aspects of the game pointed out by Ninja Theory--"ninja-class melee gameplay, strong character stories, and a unique art vision"--it was easy to assume this was, at the very least, a spiritual successor to Heavenly Sword. But even that isn't the case.

"I wouldn't say it's the spiritual successor to Heavenly Sword, because that has certain expectations," Matthews said. "I think it's safer to say if people enjoyed Heavenly Sword, then the aim is they'll enjoy Hellblade, too. If we said it was the spiritual successor, there would be an expectation there is a story link or a certain type of gameplay or level design. It's a new IP. It's a brand new game. It's brand new characters. It's a brand new world. It's not linked at all. But if you like Heavenly Sword, like Enslaved, and like what we did, then the aim is you'll like this, too."

In addition to Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, Ninja Theory developed last year's Devil May Cry reboot. Hellblade will differ from those games in at least one key way, as it's being developed as a digital-only game that Ninja Theory will publish itself.

Hellblade launches first on PlayStation 4, but it does not yet have a release date.

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BigCRollz

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Sweet Jesus, you realize how much you guys are ruining gaming right? Stop whining about EVERYTHING. You're all so unrealistic is makes my head hurt. Let actual gamers be able to play new IP from companies and judge the game on the game itself, not your fanboy hate of a remake in DmC, that was IN FACT a great fucking game. Can we go back to basing games on the actual game itself? Instead of omg, dudes hair is black and not white, grab the pitchforks and torches. Or in your case, fleshlights and 12 sided dice ya nerd fucks.


I hear Madden 55 is coming out soon, it added half a new camera angle and some new cleat graphics, go drop 60 bucks on that ya sheep faggots. You can preorder Call of Duty: Exact Same Game as the last Five while you're there. Maybe nab some Warlords of Draenor, so you can go back to Outland, but in a different time! With characters whose story arcs were finished, but Blizz knows you fanboy fucks are afraid of change, so they're going to re-use them all again and milk another billion dollars from you, while shitting out some reskinned mounts for 30 bucks a pop that you fuckn momos will eat up like it's the jizz of Jesus Christ himself.



Stop runing the gaming industry. Bitches. Stop ruining everything please. I don't want Transformers 6, I'd like something new in the movie theater. That's great you don't like that albums cover art, how is the actual Cd though? it sucks bro, I didn't listen to it, but look at that cover art huehuehue. /SMFH

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Mraou

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Thank goodness! This character looks too ugly to be Kai grown up.

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leikeylosh

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Heavenly Sword, Hellblade... What's next? Limbo Dagger?

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LazyJones

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Nirvana Nodachi

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daviz88

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or though i'm excited for a new hack n slash game but really guys

HELL BLADE which is literally HELL SWORD

so from the makers of HEAVENLY SWORD comes HELL SWORD? really guys

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lpool8

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really? i genuinely believed this was the little girl with the gun (i think the main characters little sister) out of heavenly sword.. just grown up obvuisly

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jack00

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Would be interested if you were playing a man.

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daviz88

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anita sarkeesian = you shall be hanged

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hystavito

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<< LINK REMOVED >> :)

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Revenant_K

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Ninja Theory surely love their mantis face.

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Attitude2000

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I don't see spiritual successor as a negative. There's no shame in not being able to get a direct sequel due to some legal squabble and saying "let's go back to the drawing board." Isn't that what happened to the "Souls" games?

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bbq_R0ADK1LL

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Colour me intrigued. Heavenly Sword was a good game, especially for a launch title.

Bonus points for awesome dreads.

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simulacraman

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Along with inFAMOUS, the most compelling reason so far for me to get a PS4. Well, Transistor looks pretty cool, too.

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Weaponn_X

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This is related to Heavenly sword as in Final Fantasy 7 is related to Final Fantasy 6 and so forth and so on. If your expecting a direct sequel to heavenly sword than you will be confused trying to connect the events of the story to each other like trying to connect the story of final fantasy 6 and 7 to each other when they have nothing to do with each other.

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deactivated-61d91d42c39df

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Why do they keep reusing the same model of girl for heavenly sword, enslaved, now hellbade

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Weaponn_X

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Same reason why the final fantasy series keeps reusing the same things. Because its their "Theme"

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B1ank

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> This has no comparison to the Final Fantasy series at all. Final Fantasy series are that, a series. So it makes sense for them to look similar .Theses are all entirely different games with lazy character design.

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lpool8

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@b1ank @Weaponn_X @Deano it's the same artist i think.. and plus think of red dead redemption and gta or fallout and the elder scrolls or mass effect and dragon age games do tend to look the same if their by the same studio as they useually use the same engines and so on

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Buck_Swaggler

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Heavenly Sword was great, Enslaved was ok.


So where does that put me for Hellblade?

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xantufrog

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xantufrog  Moderator

<< LINK REMOVED >> somewhat optimistic?

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Seven7Swords

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"It's not something where we've gone, yeah, let's make people think it is this. We really like Heavenly Sword. We loved making that game. So it's actually more just we like making female protagonists that look in a certain style. And we like swords. And we like hell. It's more that."


I am not stupid. Most people are, I hope, are not stupid enough to fall for that. I do not believe you. Hellblade, Heavenly Sword, really? Not related? At all? So the guy who thought of the name of the name for this new I.P. didn't think for a second "Yeah, sounds nothing like what we did before." That is what you're telling me?


Okay, bro...


Either way, Ninja Theory does great work. I haven't been disappointed by any of there hack n slash action games. I am glad that developers like Ninja Theory and Platinum Games exist because they make fun and challenge action games and are at the top of the genre. DmC: Devil May Cry was so fun and the controls where very tight and responsive. All the combat elements seemed to be improvements over what was already great in Heavenly Sword. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to after Bayonetta 2 and The Legend of Korra.

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Weaponn_X

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<< LINK REMOVED >> The only relation is their game making style like the aesthetics and themes like exotic female protagonists and swords, and most of all art style. You see similar styles in their other game like Enslaved. But as they said, its a new world, new story and new characters. If it was related than it would take place in the same world as heavenly sword.


All Final Fantasy games have chocobos and share other things but it doesnt mean each story and world are related to each other. Final Fantasy 7 has nothing to do with Final Fantasy 6.

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Chr0noid

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Hellblade is just Heavenly Sword reciprocated in name! For the love of Pete these people are hacks!

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daikkenaurora12

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Kai need to take a shower.

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Weaponn_X

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Thats not Kai, its a new character named Senua

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daikkenaurora12

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> it was a joke. (I know, it wasnt funny)

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Grenadehh

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As long as it isn't exclusive. I never got around to playing Heavenly Sword when I bought it for PS3.

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Zerabp

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<< LINK REMOVED >> It was a very underated game lots of fun and an AMAZING story. Some of the best script writing and voice acting in a game to date. Graphically at the time it was released it was the best of the best available on consoles, though they have not help up very well (one of the reasons i prefer a more cartoony look is this). Anyways I would highly recommend playing it if you ever get the chance.

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Thanatos2k

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Ok.

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istuffedsunny

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No that's definitely Kai with a new name.

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hugoadan

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actually, the girl in the trailer looks a lot like kai so... it's hard not to think about heavenly sword, especially if the name of the game is "hellblade". hmmm, but i don't know, the trailer was pretty cool anyway... hope to see some gameplay soon.

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Frozenuxx

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gee another lackluster game from NT incoming....

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archav3n

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I hope this game can come to XB1 and PC. Developers should not fuel the exclusives deal which is bad for every gamers.

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GraveUypo

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well they lost their ip to sony, fair enough if they want a similar one

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jerusaelem

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Preorder now and get an exclusive sneak peak at one of our totally-not-related-in-any-way-to-Heavenly-Sword games currently in development: Limbo Knife and it's planned DLC Purgatory Katana.

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Darkhol0w

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Looking forward to play this on PC if it comes to that platform. I loved DMC and Enslaved.

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mattress805

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This game looks good.

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Mindwipe77

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i want heavenly sword 2! I was so excited when i saw this trailer at gamescom and thought OH CRAP its heavenly sword 2....i guess that series died with N

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ketsuhige

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"But if you like Heavenly Sword, like Enslaved, and like what we did"...


Is it just me or did he not want to say DmC? I mean let's face it; DmC failed and angered many people so I think it may have been a smart move to distance themselves from that game.


EDIT: DmC was not a complete failure but it was certainly not a success in Capcom or NT's eyes.

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Seven7Swords

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I loved DmC. You know what's funny? I heard everyone calling it "bad" because Dante didn't look like Dante and that the game sucked so I honestly skipped it because of the angry fan base with out giving it a try.


I made a mistake.


I downloaded for free off of PSN and found out that the combat and gameplay where awesome. The story was more entertaining then DMC2 and DMC4. And Dante just LOOKED different; Personality wise he was the same arrogant show off every DMC fan grew up loving. The game even honestly made me believe Vergil was GOOD until the end...whoops, spoilers...


DmC: Devil May Cry is a great game a lot of fans missed out on just because of "lol he looks like an angsty hipster" BS spread on the web.

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thepyrethatburn

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@seven7swords @ketsuhige Pretty much the truth. Dante was always a arrogant jerk who liked to show off so people being angered because he was a somewhat different arrogant jerk than he always has been never made any sense.


But you look at what happened to the Prince of Persia reboot and you can't say that this sort of overreaction from the fans is that surprising.

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Monsterkillah

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This game is like Bayonetta meets Devil May Cry and Heavenly Sword

Cant wait to see some gameplay

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games2525

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I absolutely loved heavenly sword and enslaved. I hope it turns out to be another great game!

Not to mention that Nariko and Trip are in my top 5 most beautyfull females in games :-)

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BehemothBlade

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"ninja-class melee gameplay, strong character stories"

"And we like swords. And we like hell. It's more that."


Exactly how old are these people?

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mudbeed

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Ok so they are just unoriginal as ****. The character looks like they mixed two main females from Heavenly Sword and the Name is practically an equal opposite joking name "Heavenly/Hell Sword/Blade"


So much talent in this company yet they make stupid decisions and **** up all of the time.

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Kiyosuyo

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So given the trend of this current console generation, we see the trialer, which means it will be announced for one year from now, but actually be released mid 2017.

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spacecadet25

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Heavenly Sword got boring during the demo, I can't imagine playing the whole game. This better be way different.

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Thanatos2k

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<< LINK REMOVED >> The whole game wasn't much longer than the demo.

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