Hellblade Senua's Sacrifice: Reaching the shore Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice Guide

When you begin the game, you will see a woman in a makeshift boat - this is Senua, the protagonist of the game. First, there's a lengthy introduction, where you will learn the outline of the plot and, for the first time, hear the voices which will accompany you for the rest of the game. During this time, you cannot get off the boat, you can only look around.

• First Lorestone
• Bridge to Helheim
• First gate
• First fight
• Black mark

First Lorestone

Symbols like this one tell additional stories about the gameworld.

After a few minutes you will reach the shore - go forward until you see a first Lorestone. Interact with it (E/A) and you will learn a chunk of the lore. These things are entirely optional, but they contain very interesting bits of story. It's worth investing some time to explore locations.

Bridge to Helheim

Run towards the dark tornado.

Keep moving forward, jump over the trunk and get into water. The darkness will soon start chasing you - run straight ahead until you reach a black tornado. The darkness will disappear, and you will see your destination - Helheim. On a beach, you will find another Lorestone - go left until you reach stone stairs, next to which another Lorestone will be standing.

Check out the stone and take the stairs.

Go up the stairs and then take the ladder (F/A). Follow the trail until you reach a narrow footbridge. You have to get onto the other side - be careful though, as you have to balance and maintain your equilibrium, or Senua will fall into the abyss.

First gate

Here is the symbol you are looking for.

Jump down on the other side and you will reach a gate with a symbol that looks like "M" (rune ehwaz). Interact with it (F/A) and you will be able to see the symbol. In order to be able to proceed, you will have to find the symbol on a wall of the cave. To move on, you must find the rune on the cave wall - retrace your steps towards the exit and look for the sign on the left side of the corridor, in a shallow recess. Focus (E/RT) on the wall until you find the symbol so the gates will open.

Another rune with a story.

Go further, take the ladder and go through another narrow footbridge. On the other side you will see another Lorestone. Enter the cave, go down the ladder, jump down, take the narrow passage and you will reach a big courtyard with a gate. When you approach the gate, shadows will appear, and you will begin your first fight of the game.

First fight

Use this time to practice. Later, the fights will be much more difficult.

Treat this fight as practice. In time, the enemies will be more numerous and stronger, so spend some time on practicing different moves. Defeat smaller enemies, and shadows will soon appear. Unfortunately, you cannot defeat these enemies - deal a couple blows, dodge their attacks, and a cut-scene shall commence soon.

Black mark

If you die too often, and the black mark reaches the head, the game is permanently over.

From this moment on, every time the protagonist dies (either in combat or during action sequences), the black mark on her arm will grow. When it reaches her head, the game is over, and all your progress is lost. Don't worry however, because the game offers you a hand - the difficulty is constantly being balanced: if you die often during a particular fight, it will become easier. Besides, the higher the mark reaches, the slower it grows.

Approach the Lorestone to listen to more tales. Now you can choose a kingdom to go to - either The Lair of Valravn, the master of illusion and ravens or to The Land of Surt, a fire giant.