Game Reviews #2 [Alice: The Maddness Returns, Hellblade and Her Story]

CW: Mental Illness and Sexual Assault

These games all feature female protagonists and dark themes but I found that each of them found a way to present their leading woman as something other/more than a victim. At least 2/3 deal with mental illness.

Alice: The Maddness Returns

This game was written by a guy named American McGee and looks like Nightmare Before Christmas but HBO. It has that old video game feel but plays great for a hack-n-slash of its vintage. Levels are very long but the design elements are super engaging. The themes are WAY more fucked up than I would have ever guessed. Gaslighting, assault, trafficking, abuse - and kind of handled... okay? Look, for someone with the name "doctor" in his moniker I am not a mental health guy. I leave that to other folks with more experience than me - but the way Alice just kind of deals with her [shit] is... pretty badass?? I know it's all far more complex than all that but it was a fresh representation of seeing a woman deal with WILD trauma without being "beaten down" by it [almost at all]. Also the gameplay was pretty fun [I will admit to the levels being a bit long]. If you're into older games and like a good hack-n-slash then you should have at it but be aware of the intense themes.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

So I watched a ton of extras about how in-depth their research into mental illness was in this game and wow. A lot of folks say this is the best a game has ever handled the topic and [while I once again abstain] I am not surprised it has that reputation. Senua is a Pict warrior and we really see her fight this.... condition... tooth and nail. I waivered a bit and the game nearly lost me a few times but I am glad I stuck with it. Every time I thought it got a little too "here's that woman suffering again" it would surprise me. Plus it's heavily Norse inspired. Gameplay-wise it claims it's an easier souls-like and it is. Without wanting to give anything away, I will say don't let combat difficulty deter you if that's your hesitation. Senua, however, [unlike Alice] is motion capture and does plenty of screaming and crying. Visuals in this game can get intense so be warned.

Her Story

NJ and I beat this game this afternoon. I love FMV games [full-motion-video]. The actor in this game was incredible, IMO. It's only a couple of hours and no real shape to it [as you are researching the video files at your own pace based on words you choose] but I love the slow reveal. I love art that everyone experiences differently. I love no definitive answers and implied storytelling. I love ambiguity. I love video games that anyone of any age can play and still offer ingenuity. Big fan of this one. Hard recommend to anyone looking for a cool story experienced in a unique way by all. I do not believe mental illness is brought up in the game but it may come up as you think about it. I'd say more but no spoilers :)