Ninja Thoery have released the official E3 trailer for Hellblade.
They have also revealed that mental health and psychosis are the key themes explored in Hellblade. The team have been working closely with Psychiatrist and Professor of Health and Neuroscience from the University of Cambridge, Paul Fletcher, as well as arranging to consult with people who have experience of mental health difficulties. Paul Fletcher stated:
True understanding of mental health is not simply about books, lectures or verbal descriptions but from deeper engagement on all levels. Working with Ninja Theory has shown me the potential that gaming has for sharing in a character’s experiences and engendering empathy in ways that go well beyond those offered by simple academic descriptions. Maybe this approach will contribute powerful new ways of challenging stigma.
Tameem Antoniades, Chief Creative Director at Ninja Theory added:
In Hellblade we are pursuing creative independence in order to explore a compelling subject matter and gaming experience that would not be possible under the current retail model. In movie terms, this would be a quality independent film, not a Hollywood blockbuster. Digital self-publishing means that we can offer a smaller, but high quality game at around half the price of retail games.
Hellblade is being supported by the Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation which aims to build a greater public understanding of science, and in particular health. Iain Dodgeon, Creative Partnerships Manager at the Wellcome Trust, also commented:
More and more, games have an exciting and innovative role to play in giving us new perspectives on health and mental health challenges. Rather than being a didactic game teaching us about psychosis, Hellblade allows us to explore it through the creation of a compelling and complex character, and the world that she inhabits.
Enjoy the trailer and be sure to let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yii3vASYYLs[/youtube]
