There is something hauntingly real and terrifying about Hellblade

Face your demons on a journey to make the ultimate sacrifice. But will you ever be the same?

Hellblade is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is best played completely spoiler-free in one sitting. Are you looking for a thematic story-rich experience? Then this game is a must-play.

The sound design is the most innovative part of the game. Highly recommend using surround sound speakers or headset for the ultimate experience.
Hellblade has some of the best voice acting I have ever experienced in a game. Without spoiling I will say that you will get an experience beyond anything any game has yet to offer.
The music is a modernization of ancient Nordic folk music and merges with the game's Viking thematics.

Hellblade's gameplay suffers from repetitive combat. You will be facing the same base enemy types for the whole game. That would not necessarily be a terrible thing if it wasn't for that enemies feel like annoying combat sponges made as obstacles to make the game longer. However, the combat animations are impressively fluent and well animated. Besides the base enemy types, you will be fighting some memorable bosses that will challenge your combat flow.
Except for the combat, you will be solving puzzles. The puzzles make sense thematically, but they are too easy to actually be called puzzles.
Excluding all the gameplay flaws, Hellblade has something nearly no game has or hasn't. There are no out-of-game indicators like health bars or stamina. Everything you need to know is displayed by showing it in-game rather than out of the game, which makes it truly immersive.

Hellblade has such impressive storytelling that I would not be surprised to see it analyzed in an academic setting.

Hellbladeis is an experience. Treat it like one and you will be amazed.