Xbox's latest free download is the best-looking game we've ever seen

This week, the long-awaited sequel to Ninja Theory’s 2017 Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice has arrived and it’s wowed gamers with its visual splendour.

Despite the apparent lack of marketing from Microsoft for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, the sequel has begun taking social media by storm with fans and critics alike praising the game for its jaw-dropping Unreal Engine 5 visuals and its emotional and powerful take on Senua’s struggles with her mental health, in particular her PTSD and psychosis.

Check out the Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II trailer below!

“Senua returns in a brutal journey of survival through the myth and torment of Viking Iceland,” reads the synopsis of the sequel. “Intent on saving those who have fallen victim to the horrors of tyranny, Senua faces a battle of overcoming the darkness within and without.”

One of the benefits of subscribing to Xbox Game Pass is that we get to play first-party titles on launch day and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is no exception. While the sequel plays its say with its gameplay, its visuals and storytelling are mostly being praised across the board.

In my review, I said of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II: “is the absolute pinnacle of visual and audio design which in some part makes up for the lack of gameplay evolution.” And with a current rating of 81 on Metacritic, that’s a similar sentiment from other media outlets.

“Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is nothing short of stunning and more than capable of taking your breath away by some of the set pieces,” wrote TheXboxHub. “Haunting, confrontational, and deeply cathartic all at once, Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is a stunning feat of video game art,” said GamesRadar+.

“Senua's Saga: Hellblade II is the best-looking video game we've ever played,” exclaimed Pure Xbox. “Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a work of art from start to finish,” Twinfinite declared.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is out now on PC and Xbox Series X/S. It’s also available with Xbox Game Pass at no extra cost.