I was skeptical as the next person when I kept hearing that a game called Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice was in fact an empathetic interactive depiction of living with mental illness. Hellblade. But then I played it, and while I’m no mental health expert, I totally see how the game was the result of Ninja Theory collaborating with mental health experts. The combat was pretty good, too.
And now Ninja Theory, flush with Microsoft cash to spend, is keeping that collaboration going with The Insight Project.
With the untrustworthy visuals and intimate sinister voices in your head, Hellblade used the power of video game design to try to get the player to feel the mental illness of the character. But it was still ultimately a fantasy action game. It seems like the Insight Project wants to further those ideas but make the mental health research the priority, with the game design tools ultimately in service of that goal. It’s about using the power and creativity of this new technology to rethink our approach to healing the brain, an issue as old as humanity itself.
To achieve these admirable and lofty goals, Ninja Theory is working with the same professionals they conscripted for Hellblade, including Paul Fletcher, Psychiatrist and Professor of Health Neuroscience at University of Cambridge. However, the potentially years-long project is still in its early stages. They’re actively recruiting. So if you’re interested, check out their website to learn more about how to get onboard.
For more on gaming and mental health, here’s why gaming addiction might not actually be a thing. And read our original review of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.
