I was really late to it but I just wanted to say your Alan Wake 2 video is probably the best critique of a work ever made and has legitimately reframed how I think about video essays as a genre of RUclips videos, becoming the gold standard of what I think of when the idea of "best video essay ever" get floated around. A sentiment that was hammered home the moment "Still" by Jayden Wark was introduced
The original Senua video was actually where I stumbled into your channel in the first place, it's neat to see how much your style and storytelling have grown since then. While I'll always be biased against Ninja Theory over the DMC fiasco, even I can't help but admit that this game and it's message are beautiful in their own ways. I can't wait to hear you dig into the sequel!
I really needed this today Monty, I've had a bit of a rough emotional day and getting to relive my experience of this game through you, this piece of art that I treasure so deeply and carry with me, was exactly what the doctor ordered. Thank you, as always, you're just wonderful and I hope you're doing well 💕 xo
i remember when i first played senua's sacrifice, it was just before the release of the second game, as it was on gamepass for free i figured i'd give it a try, found my self incredibly immersed and within senua's head, like you said in the review. i also remember looking on YT the opening of the 2nd game, only to notice something was....off, upon giving it extra thought, it was the way tahe game starts, and is framed. cinematic black bars and an opening recap narrated created a strong sense of distance, as if disconnecting the player from senua's headspace, which is a very big shame, as that was the best part of the 1st game.
I always enjoy your critiques. I love this revisit as well. I don’t have the means I once did to reach for my my escapism of games anymore… and it’s a shame …I would pull them apart and chew the marrow after the credits roll. I’ve always found the thoughts and emotions they give me too grand for words, especially while trying to explain how and why a piece of art like this resonates with me. I appreciate you being able to put wind behind the words like I never could while explaining my love for the medium (to myself and others). Please never stop. You continue to get better with every video
They not using viking as a term makes it more linguistically and historically accurate. Back then, viking refers to Scandinavians seafarers specifically (often their pirates), but when talking about them as a collection of peoples, they were refered to as Northman, or Danes (because that was the invaders' tribe's name). It would be a tad anachronistic to have her talk about their culture and lands and their people as simply viking as lay people do today.
The tech they used for the performance capture absolutely revolutionized all media today. Watching the old dev blogs and seeing the tech that would later go on to be used everywhere is such a mindtrip.
Dude, this is wild. I discovered your channel back in the day because I had just achieved 100% in this experience…lo and behold I found your original critique!
Lol straight up I was scrolling through your videos last night and when I saw this I thought "I gotta watch that again"... Thank you for the mind read sir!
Okay, that's crazy. I JUST rewatched the original, now I get to watch the new one! You're spoiling me, Monty! While you're at it, if you want to cover the sequel...👀
I still fall asleep to Whitelight, but I never "allow myself" to fall asleep the first time I watch your videos, I don't want to miss a single second of them. I never played Hellblade, never even watched a trailer, and learning about it from your critique makes me want to play it myself even more! (And, it's selfishly so satisfying to be one of the last names in the Patrons list)
Wake up babe! New Monty video just dropped! I still have yet to play this game, though I doubt I ever will. Nonetheless I still enjoyed the original essay. Time to watch the remaster 😝
I gotta drop a second comment now that I'm at the end of your remaster. Your content is so rich, so detailed, that of course it would be incredible to see you cover just about anything. Seriously dude, this type of video essay almost feels like an antidote to the overbearing (and often artificially inflated) grifter content piggy-backing on the new hate trend of the week. But, that being said, I think there are a couple of series you might want to check out in between whatever incredible deep-dives you're already cooking. -- The Mafia trilogy (soon to be quadrilogy with 'The Old Country'). -- A Plague Tale [Innocence & Requiem].
This might be the first of your videos I've seen so close to release. Been binging your videos and Loredump for a couple of weeks now. Just wanted to say you do great work!
Those voices were SO good sometimes when they got real breathy I could almost feel their warm breath in my head which would make me recoil and start telling them to stop and knock it off out loud right along with Senua. And I DEFINITIVELY argued and cursed back at her dad a lot! But also... with that growl... yes, talk to me more even if you're just talking shit. I thought it was an effect added to the dude but no, his voice is REALLY that coarse and rumbly! 😆 I've tried replaying the game without headphones, either cuz it's just casual or showing someone, but it always feels wrong and I always end up putting them on. The only other game I've felt the same way is Alan Wake 2 because of the sound design being so damn good. (and I'm a lore hunter)
I love them both dearly for very different reasons. Senuas Sacrifice is incredible, touching, draining and so so creatively rich; Senuas Saga is absolutely gorgeous dumb viking horror action with a bit of The Descent as a side dish that, while extremely entertaining, infuriates me in how much more it could have been and how the mere act of play informs you on the corporate meddling behind the scenes, pushing what could have been another unique journey with a lot to say to become barely more than a tech demo for the publisher's hardware.
Loved this game, but at this point I just hope that the lacklustre sequel didn't completely kill the franchise. The game wasn't bad, and graphically it was incredible, but it was definitely a step back in terms of impactful storytelling, which was what made the first game so good. If the first game had been like that, the franchise would have died right there and the game would been forgotten quickly. Kinda like a viking version of that x-box rome-themed third person action game that offered very little beyond being a showcase for the graphical capabilities of microsofts new machine
Hellblade came at the perfect time in my life. It humanized a character with a serious mental illness and helped me better understand my own symptoms. Psychosis is weird and scary, but Hellblade made me feel understood. Many games that tackle mental health are doing so on a level that is much less severe than what I face, and while that's not to say those games aren't important, they absolutely are, they just can't speak to me in the same way Hellblade does. It's a special game I hold dear to my heart because it was able to make the most difficult moments of my life a little bit easier. AND THATS ALL TO SAY FᴜCK HELLBLADE 2 THE DISAPPOINTMENT LITERALLY CRUSHED MY BODY LIKE A SODA CAN AND I WILL NEVER RECOVER. Anyway, my favorite moment of the game happened well after the credits have rolled. It's when I went on the internet to look up how many lives you get before the permadeath kicks in, and learned it was never a mechanic in the first place. Surprise! This was huge for me, but the moment didn't seem to hit for a lot of people. The general response I've seen in reviews, including this one, is that the permadeath scare was a cute ploy to make players paranoid without the risk of frustration, but I saw this moment as saying so much more than it's given credit for. I believed, both for myself and Senua, that the rot would spread throughout my entire body and eventually reach my head. Past some unknown threshold, the rot would reach my brain and I would cease to function. But it won't. It just won't. You'll keep living as long as you choose to. It's a message that leverages the interactivity of video games as a strength, and I hope that players can connect to it on a deeper level than as an artificial way to elicit emotion. Side note: In the video, it's mentioned how Senua's hyper-awareness and other abilities plays into harmful stereotypes about people with mental illness having superpowers. I would like to give Hellblade somewhat of a pass for this, since my version of psychosis can occasionally be useful. Subconsciously searching for hidden patterns in the world does give me more awareness than most, and I sometimes receive helpful advice from nonreal people. Hellblade does present a heavily exaggerated version of this effect, but at least it's rooted in reality and not romanticized as a double-edged sword.
I like this game a lot. It's an experience like no other - *especially* with headphones on - and was the first game I ever played with headphones. The story, atmosphere, and environment are all gripping. The puzzles are fun, and the set pieces are heart pumping. BUT... unfortunately, the combat being incredibly bare bones, while at the same time remaining so stale throughout the entire thing, never getting you any new combos, upgrades, or even meaningfully different enemies, holds the game back from being truly great. I have not played the second, as I don't have an xbox, and can't play on PC due to a physical disability.
I like your idea of just reading a chunk of patreon names each video... but tbh, it's still WAY too many lol. I'm all in favor of just ending this practice entirely. It's not sustainable. I do not give a single shit about having my name read by the creators I support. I would rather see them do what's best for the video and channel. Isn't that the point of supporting anyway? Or is it just so we can make them say silly tongue twisters and stuff?
for some strange reason that repeatedly escapes me, whenever I come here I expect a American accented voice over,and I have Idea why despite watching alot of this channels essays probably the channel logo throwing me off
R.i.p. to the glorious haggis. This creature will never be forgotten, and damn you Margaret Thatcher!!
I was really late to it but I just wanted to say your Alan Wake 2 video is probably the best critique of a work ever made and has legitimately reframed how I think about video essays as a genre of RUclips videos, becoming the gold standard of what I think of when the idea of "best video essay ever" get floated around. A sentiment that was hammered home the moment "Still" by Jayden Wark was introduced
Thank you!
“…the journey they took her on is so intimate, so loving in its cruelty, and beautiful in it’s madness”
What a line
LETS GO! btw i love the little countdowns before the start.
The original Senua video was actually where I stumbled into your channel in the first place, it's neat to see how much your style and storytelling have grown since then. While I'll always be biased against Ninja Theory over the DMC fiasco, even I can't help but admit that this game and it's message are beautiful in their own ways. I can't wait to hear you dig into the sequel!
Holy damn ! that Whitelight Joke killed me, i never saw that one coming but it's so real xD
Oh Monty, my pookie, my love. How I’ve missed your voice telling me the ins and outs of games.
But fr though excited about this one!!!
The ending genuinely made me cry, the mention and the journey ending in acceptance, holy shit you make it a rollercoaster and I haven't even played it
I really needed this today Monty, I've had a bit of a rough emotional day and getting to relive my experience of this game through you, this piece of art that I treasure so deeply and carry with me, was exactly what the doctor ordered. Thank you, as always, you're just wonderful and I hope you're doing well 💕 xo
"You don't have to fight anymore." I wish you'd referenced that line, or put it in the edit.. That's my only complaint :3
i remember when i first played senua's sacrifice, it was just before the release of the second game, as it was on gamepass for free i figured i'd give it a try, found my self incredibly immersed and within senua's head, like you said in the review.
i also remember looking on YT the opening of the 2nd game, only to notice something was....off, upon giving it extra thought, it was the way tahe game starts, and is framed. cinematic black bars and an opening recap narrated created a strong sense of distance, as if disconnecting the player from senua's headspace, which is a very big shame, as that was the best part of the 1st game.
I always enjoy your critiques. I love this revisit as well. I don’t have the means I once did to reach for my my escapism of games anymore… and it’s a shame
…I would pull them apart and chew the marrow after the credits roll. I’ve always found the thoughts and emotions they give me too grand for words, especially while trying to explain how and why a piece of art like this resonates with me. I appreciate you being able to put wind behind the words like I never could while explaining my love for the medium (to myself and others).
Please never stop. You continue to get better with every video
They not using viking as a term makes it more linguistically and historically accurate. Back then, viking refers to Scandinavians seafarers specifically (often their pirates), but when talking about them as a collection of peoples, they were refered to as Northman, or Danes (because that was the invaders' tribe's name). It would be a tad anachronistic to have her talk about their culture and lands and their people as simply viking as lay people do today.
Agreed!
The tech they used for the performance capture absolutely revolutionized all media today.
Watching the old dev blogs and seeing the tech that would later go on to be used everywhere is such a mindtrip.
Dude, this is wild. I discovered your channel back in the day because I had just achieved 100% in this experience…lo and behold I found your original critique!
Lol straight up I was scrolling through your videos last night and when I saw this I thought "I gotta watch that again"...
Thank you for the mind read sir!
Okay, that's crazy. I JUST rewatched the original, now I get to watch the new one! You're spoiling me, Monty! While you're at it, if you want to cover the sequel...👀
I still fall asleep to Whitelight, but I never "allow myself" to fall asleep the first time I watch your videos, I don't want to miss a single second of them. I never played Hellblade, never even watched a trailer, and learning about it from your critique makes me want to play it myself even more!
(And, it's selfishly so satisfying to be one of the last names in the Patrons list)
Cheers Monty! Hope you can make Sonic: Beyond the Hedgehog which examines all the projects made by creators after.
and the insider trading.
So is Margret thatcher like a the universal constant for hate because we’re not a fan of her across the pond either
Oh man, it was great coming back to this one!!! I loved your first video on this, and I loved this version as well :D
Wake up babe! New Monty video just dropped!
I still have yet to play this game, though I doubt I ever will. Nonetheless I still enjoyed the original essay. Time to watch the remaster 😝
I gotta drop a second comment now that I'm at the end of your remaster. Your content is so rich, so detailed, that of course it would be incredible to see you cover just about anything. Seriously dude, this type of video essay almost feels like an antidote to the overbearing (and often artificially inflated) grifter content piggy-backing on the new hate trend of the week.
But, that being said, I think there are a couple of series you might want to check out in between whatever incredible deep-dives you're already cooking.
-- The Mafia trilogy (soon to be quadrilogy with 'The Old Country').
-- A Plague Tale [Innocence & Requiem].
Senua's father's VA also plays Petrus in Greedfall, another roll he slays. Hope we get to hear him in GF2
Sometimes a sequel's purpose is to help you appreciate the original better
This might be the first of your videos I've seen so close to release. Been binging your videos and Loredump for a couple of weeks now. Just wanted to say you do great work!
I’m starting to think he may not like the sequel
As someone who hasn't studied Scots, Gaelic, Picts or Druids enough, I HAVE to hear you slipping in more references to Hadrian being a bad engineer
OH! NEW MONTY ZANDER TODAY??
You spoil me Monty, you spoil me!
I’m really interested to hear what you say about the sequel. Can’t wait
1:55 Yeah Hellblade 2 didn't have much to it beyond "Senua fights generic Viking raiders."
Those voices were SO good sometimes when they got real breathy I could almost feel their warm breath in my head which would make me recoil and start telling them to stop and knock it off out loud right along with Senua. And I DEFINITIVELY argued and cursed back at her dad a lot! But also... with that growl... yes, talk to me more even if you're just talking shit. I thought it was an effect added to the dude but no, his voice is REALLY that coarse and rumbly! 😆
I've tried replaying the game without headphones, either cuz it's just casual or showing someone, but it always feels wrong and I always end up putting them on.
The only other game I've felt the same way is Alan Wake 2 because of the sound design being so damn good. (and I'm a lore hunter)
Excited to watch another Monty Zander banger!
Both hellblade games are amazing!!
Sorry in advance Matthew, there's a good chance you won't vibe with my video on the sequel!
I love them both dearly for very different reasons. Senuas Sacrifice is incredible, touching, draining and so so creatively rich; Senuas Saga is absolutely gorgeous dumb viking horror action with a bit of The Descent as a side dish that, while extremely entertaining, infuriates me in how much more it could have been and how the mere act of play informs you on the corporate meddling behind the scenes, pushing what could have been another unique journey with a lot to say to become barely more than a tech demo for the publisher's hardware.
I'm pretty sure the original version of this video was how I found your cannel so this is like, hitting me.
Oh my god the agony of that typo- I was running on zero sleep x-x
I want an entire multi-hour critique in that Scottish drawl that happens at 14:00
Super timely video since I just got a tattoo of Senua’s mirror lol. great work as always, very interested in your thoughts on the sequel!
Incredible timing, I just finished this game couple of hours ago! 😂
always appreciate ur vids
YO I'VE JUST BEEN BINGING TOUR CONTENT.
Beautiful. 10/10
another one of my favorite games. Thanks!
NEW MONTY VID YAYY
new monty video :)
This is my favorite game of all time and so far my favorite franchise ever
Loved this game, but at this point I just hope that the lacklustre sequel didn't completely kill the franchise. The game wasn't bad, and graphically it was incredible, but it was definitely a step back in terms of impactful storytelling, which was what made the first game so good. If the first game had been like that, the franchise would have died right there and the game would been forgotten quickly. Kinda like a viking version of that x-box rome-themed third person action game that offered very little beyond being a showcase for the graphical capabilities of microsofts new machine
Unfortunately the original dev team seem to have almost all left the studio. It's just a Microsoft propped zombie studio now
Hellblade came at the perfect time in my life. It humanized a character with a serious mental illness and helped me better understand my own symptoms. Psychosis is weird and scary, but Hellblade made me feel understood. Many games that tackle mental health are doing so on a level that is much less severe than what I face, and while that's not to say those games aren't important, they absolutely are, they just can't speak to me in the same way Hellblade does. It's a special game I hold dear to my heart because it was able to make the most difficult moments of my life a little bit easier. AND THATS ALL TO SAY FᴜCK HELLBLADE 2 THE DISAPPOINTMENT LITERALLY CRUSHED MY BODY LIKE A SODA CAN AND I WILL NEVER RECOVER.
Anyway, my favorite moment of the game happened well after the credits have rolled. It's when I went on the internet to look up how many lives you get before the permadeath kicks in, and learned it was never a mechanic in the first place. Surprise! This was huge for me, but the moment didn't seem to hit for a lot of people. The general response I've seen in reviews, including this one, is that the permadeath scare was a cute ploy to make players paranoid without the risk of frustration, but I saw this moment as saying so much more than it's given credit for. I believed, both for myself and Senua, that the rot would spread throughout my entire body and eventually reach my head. Past some unknown threshold, the rot would reach my brain and I would cease to function. But it won't. It just won't. You'll keep living as long as you choose to. It's a message that leverages the interactivity of video games as a strength, and I hope that players can connect to it on a deeper level than as an artificial way to elicit emotion.
Side note: In the video, it's mentioned how Senua's hyper-awareness and other abilities plays into harmful stereotypes about people with mental illness having superpowers. I would like to give Hellblade somewhat of a pass for this, since my version of psychosis can occasionally be useful. Subconsciously searching for hidden patterns in the world does give me more awareness than most, and I sometimes receive helpful advice from nonreal people. Hellblade does present a heavily exaggerated version of this effect, but at least it's rooted in reality and not romanticized as a double-edged sword.
Yo Monty, love u bro
love your videos. keep it up!
I like this game a lot. It's an experience like no other - *especially* with headphones on - and was the first game I ever played with headphones. The story, atmosphere, and environment are all gripping. The puzzles are fun, and the set pieces are heart pumping.
BUT... unfortunately, the combat being incredibly bare bones, while at the same time remaining so stale throughout the entire thing, never getting you any new combos, upgrades, or even meaningfully different enemies, holds the game back from being truly great.
I have not played the second, as I don't have an xbox, and can't play on PC due to a physical disability.
This game means the world to me. The sequel enraged me.
Oh hell yes! Lets go!!!
@MontyZander I think you'll enjoy Miracle of Sound's music. Please look him up.
I get this strange sense Monty isn't too fond of Senua's Saga, could be looking too deep into it tho
Are you considering doing a Hellblade 2 video please?
you need to a full review of spec ops the line next.
Good timing. Just wrapped the second game and man it just does not compare to the first.
You should play Detroit become human. If you haven't already. Would love to hear your take on a game like that.
🙏🏿🔥
I like your idea of just reading a chunk of patreon names each video... but tbh, it's still WAY too many lol.
I'm all in favor of just ending this practice entirely. It's not sustainable. I do not give a single shit about having my name read by the creators I support. I would rather see them do what's best for the video and channel.
Isn't that the point of supporting anyway? Or is it just so we can make them say silly tongue twisters and stuff?
for some strange reason that repeatedly escapes me, whenever I come here I expect a American accented voice over,and I have Idea why despite watching alot of this channels essays probably the channel logo throwing me off
20:18 One of the worst portrayals of autism was Shane Black's Predator film where the Yautja wanted a boy's autism.