Want to learn more about Hellblade ? Who doesn't, right?

Ninja Theory's promising title, often viewed as a spiritual successor to Heavenly Sword , is lookin' sharp. Just ask SCEE Online Content Producer Rhys Sutheran, who got a chance to go hands-on with the new game.

As he explains over at the PlayStation Blog , playing as Celtic warrior Senua is an intense and even emotional experience. Development Manager Dominic Matthews says they're "trying to make a game with that indie spirit but with AAA production values." This means they're taking some "creative risks," which includes a pervading "mental health theme," one of the more challenging subjects a video game has ever tackled.

Senua does have a mental illness, which will play a critical role in the adventure. Matthews says she's similar to previous Ninja Theory characters, "but we wanted to create a character that's memorable and heroic for her own reasons." Beyond this lies the brutal combat; we'll be focusing mostly on one-on-one encounters that test your wits and reflexes:

"Senua has one weapon and her entire move set is available from the start. It’s up to you as a player to explore that system and to master it and to uncover all of the nuances of Senua’s battle style. She’s a Celtic warrior, fighting against a Viking clan, so that’s what she does, she’s awesome at fighting! It is a battle and it’s relentless."

Matthews added that they "want every fight to feel like it matters," so instead of throwing a bunch of faceless, useless enemies at you, players will be forced to take down challenging opponents. In other words, it'll be more about your tactics and skill and less about "crowd control."

If you missed it, here's the official E3 trailer: