Redmond Carolipio: The original Hellblade was probably my favorite game of 2017, if not one of the most impactful titles I've ever played. It was impossible to pull away from Senua's cripplingly tortured journey to Hell itself as she battled the voices scraping away at her in her head. Now we're getting the big-budget sequel treatment and what appears to be a more empowered (and even terrifying) Senua. We've seen enough trailers and snippets — this has a chance to be a landmark piece of work for the Xbox.

Chris "Atom" DeAngelus: The original Hellblade was an out-of-nowhere game that brought all of Ninja Theory's expertise to the forefront, crafting a surreal and terrifying narrative following a disturbed woman named Senua. The sequel continues to follow her but with a much greater scope, featuring more complex battles, more intense horror, and some absolutely stunning visuals.

Andreas Salmen: Xbox exclusives are finally kicking into gear. Senua's Saga has been the most anticipated release on the platform since its announcement, and it's mad to think that a release is finally within reach. Outside of the apparent visual showcase the game is shaping up to be — I am especially curious to see how Series S will handle the title — the blend of severe mental health and psychosis exploration in a historical story-driven setting is as intriguing as it gets. Hellblade proved that this unique kind of storytelling can be as intense as it is immersive. Beyond the beefed-up presentation, it's unclear how Ninja Theory plans to follow up or one-up Hellblade with Senua's Saga. I'm cautiously optimistic but hope the title can charter a new course and not simply retread familiar themes.