It was recently revealed that the haunting trailer shown at The Game Awards 2019 for Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 was built using the Unreal Engine 5.
During the 2019 Game Awards fans were given a glimpse at the sequel to the chilling franchise Hellblade. The trailer showcased some of the sights that players would experience in the game. It featured photorealistic graphics and impressive visuals.
According to a blog post by Jason Ronald, Director of Program Management for the Xbox Series X, the footage seen in the trailer was built using the Xbox Series X technology and the Unreal Engine 5. The trailer of the Xbox exclusive was mean to demonstrate “the power of Xbox Series X” and the capabilities of the Unreal Engine 5.
The news is a bit surprising considering UE5 won’t be available for full release or even a preview until 2021 according to The Verge. Still, the Engine has been in development for a while and appears to be in a stable enough state that they were able to make the Helblade 2 trailer using it.
The trailer was a great opportunity to showcase Unreal Engine 5’s potential as it had a variety of visual styles to play with. In the beginning the sweeping landscapes of the cold Nordic lands were able to display the beautiful renderings and lighting. Rippling ocean waves, billowing plumes of smoke from volcanoes, and the humble village in the center of the tundra wasteland were some of the gorgeous environments brought to life by the Engine.
Then, as the tone shifted and darker imagery was brought in, the Engine previewed how terrifying dark and horrific games will be with the high quality graphics and eerie lighting. It was a prime example of how Unreal Engine 5 could be used for upcoming gorgeous games like Lumen in the Land of Nanite and nightmarish creations like Hellblade 2.
The photorealistic lighting, visual quality, and incredible detail show the impressive capabilities of Unreal Engine 5. The trailer for Hellblade 2 serves as a great demo for both the upcoming game and the new game engine it will run on.