14 DAY TRIAL // Developer Ninja Theory has released a brand new Hellblade developer diary video, this time around showcasing how the team is creating the game world.
Hellblade is an independent effort from the makers of Heavenly Sword and Devil May Cry, a game on a much smaller scope, but one that will enable the team to channel its creativity in an unrestricted manner.
The announcement trailer for the video game showed some impressive CGI skills, but nothing related to gameplay, and now we're getting to see the first instances of something that resembles gameplay.
Hellblade is currently in prototyping, with a team of only 13 developers exploring what they'll be able to create for the upcoming action title. The new video focuses on the development of the title's environment, undertaken by a single artist, which will enable Ninja Theory to create a more cohesive and organic experience.
"Back in August we announced Hellblade at the Sony Gamescom Press Conference, which at the time was just four months into development. By traditional standards, we were announcing the game incredibly early."
"The reason for such an early announcement is that we want to share as much of Hellblade's development with you as we possibly can," Ninja Theory's Dominic Matthews explains on the PlayStation Blog.
A small team with a big ambition
"In prototyping we'll be exploring game mechanics, art styles, and technologies. Despite the small team, this is probably our most ambitious game yet. We are leaping into the unknown and overturning much of what we know about game making to make Hellblade play, look and feel special," Matthews revealed.
The video offers a behind-the-scenes look at video game making, a rare treat that shows us some of the techniques used by developers to put together captivating worlds for us to explore.
In Hellblade, players will embark on a deadly quest, imbued with magic and peril, and inspired by Celtic mythology. Of course, Ninja Theory won't disappoint, and the action-adventure video game will also feature some brutal combat.
You can track the game's development yourself if you're interested in keeping up with the process, on the official Hellblade website, which is regularly updated with concept art and new blog posts.
For the time being, Hellblade has no prospective release date apart from sometime in 2015. Ninja Theory's upcoming creation will be available exclusively for the PlayStation 4 home console, capitalizing on the team's greatest strengths: brutal ninja combat, strong character stores, and a unique and powerful artistic vision.
