Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, an action-adventure game which focuses on the lead character’s battle with psychosis, has swept the board at the 2018 BAFTA Video Games awards winning five in total.
The game, created by the small UK-based developer Ninja Theory, sees the lead character Senua battle through the otherworldly realms of Norse and Celctic mythology in order to save the soul of her dead lover from the goddess Hela.
Throughout the game Senua is plagued by voices which she believes to be a curse but is in fact psychosis. To portray the condition accurately the team worked closely with neuroscientists, mental health specialists and those suffering from the condition.
Widely praised upon its launch for its accurate portrayal of the condition along with the use of new technologies such as 3D audio the game won in five categories including: Artistic Achievement, Audio Achievement, British Games, Game Beyond Entertainment, Performer.
Mystery game What Remains Of Edith Finch claimed the award for best game at the ceremony in London, which was hosted by comedian Dara O’Briain.
Elsewhere, Super Mario Odyssey – the critically acclaimed 3D platform game for the Nintendo Switch – picked up two awards for game design and family game.
Another Nintendo title, The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild, won the BAFTA for game innovation.
Popular PlayStation exclusive Horizon Zero Dawn won the original property award, and online multiplayer shooter Overwatch collected the evolving game prize.
There were also wins on the night for Golf Clash in the mobile game category, and hand-drawn puzzle game Gorogoa was named best debut game.
Cuphead, the 2D ‘run and gun’ indie game styled on the cartoons of the 1930s won the music award, while Divinity: Original Sin 2 won the multiplayer award.
Adventure game Night In The Woods completed the line-up of winners on the night, taking home the ward for narrative.
The BAFTA Fellowship was presented to game designer Tim Schafer in recognition of his creative contribution to the industry, best known for creating Grim Fandango and his work on The Monkey Island series.