Is it possible to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac?
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an action-adventure game developed by Ninja Theory. It is a sequel to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice; the story continues from where the first game left off. Our protagonist – a Celtic warrior woman by the name of Senua – has just returned from Helheim, and has accepted that it’s not possible to bring her dead lover back to life. But that does not mean that her journey is over; Senua now intends to walk the path of revenge. And oh boy, she is going to be good at it! Much of your time in Hellblade II will be spent in combat, viciously fighting the Norsemen with your trusty sword. You generally won’t grow in power throughout the game; most abilities will be available to you right from the start. Despite this, the combat shouldn’t get boring. Your skillset may remain the same, but new enemies will be introduced constantly. Fittingly for an adventure game, Hellblade II also features many environmental puzzles, providing you a much-needed respite from brutal fighting. The game has released on Windows PC and Xbox Series X/S, and doesn’t feature an official Mac version. Despite this, it’s actually possible to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on a Mac. Read our guide to learn how.
Play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac with Parallels
One easy way to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac is by using a program called Parallels Desktop. This program is capable of creating and running virtual machines that run Windows and support hardware acceleration. In simpler terms, Parallels Desktop allows you to install Windows 10 on Mac with just a couple of clicks and switch between MacOS and Windows instantly. So you will be able to run Windows, install Steam (or any other launcher for that matter), and enjoy Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II game on Mac just like you would on a regular PC. Generally speaking, you will need an iMac Pro or a Mac Pro to run demanding games. However, if the game you’re trying to run is old, or simply doesn’t demand much from computer hardware, then you will likely be able to run it on any Mac computer, including MacBook Air. When it comes to games in-between, it is recommended to consider your Mac’s hardware specifications instead of thinking in terms of its model.
Please note that not all games are supported by Parallels Desktop. Several conditions must be met for the game to be playable. Your Mac must exceed minimum system requirements for the game. Playing a game on Windows running through Parallels places additional strain on your Mac, so meeting them is not enough. Games that require DirectX12 are currently not supported by Parallels. Online games that use anti-cheat software may be incompatible as well. AppsOnMac recommends using Parallels’ free trial feature to determine whether you can run the game or not if you’re uncertain.
Play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac with CrossOver
CrossOver, developed by CodeWeavers, is a Windows compatibility layer for macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux. It enables many Windows-based applications to run on these operating systems without virtualization. Though compatibility layers can be tricky to work with, CrossOver in particular includes user-friendly configuration tools, automated installation scripts, and technical support. Unlike Parallels Desktop, CrossOver supports DirectX12 games. All things considered, this is a relatively easy way to run Windows software and games on non-Windows devices. As such, you may be able to play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac using CrossOver.
Please note that not all games are supported by CrossOver. For example, online games that use anti-cheat software, are often incompatible. You may check your game’s compatibility by using the official compatibility database, or by using CrossOver’s free trial.
Play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac with cloud gaming services
If you have an old Mac or it cannot satisfy Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II game system requirements, there is an easy solution. Cloud gaming services will be happy to provide you with sufficient computing power – though not for free, of course. All you need is a fast internet connection. There are several great platforms that provide these services; the best ones are Boosteroid, Xbox Cloud, AirGPU, and NVidia GeForce NOW. Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is available on many cloud gaming services, including GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud, and AirGPU.
Play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac with BootCamp
Note: Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2, M3 Pro, or M1, M2, M3 Max) do not support BootCamp. In this case, please, use the options above to run Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac
This method is simple but time-consuming. If your Mac meets all the system requirements above, you can play Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II on Mac by installing Windows. You need to set up a dual boot of Windows and Mac via BootCamp. This is an application that allows users to choose the system to work in on startup, however, you won’t be able to switch between systems like in Parallels. You will need to reboot your machine every time you want to switch from Mac to Windows and vice versa. Remember that Mac is just a computer, in the end. And while newer Macs have their own special Apple Silicon chips that cannot run Windows, older Macs are very much similar to computers that run Windows, they have Intel processors, compatible RAM, disks, and other components. So you can install Windows on an older Mac by allocating no less than 64 GB of disk space (to be able to run Windows and a couple of games) and following these steps:
For MacOS versions prior to OS X El Capitan 10.11 you will need to create a bootable Windows USB.
- Download this Windows ISO file.
- Open Boot Camp Assistant (Go to Applications > Utilities).
- Define the Windows partition size and choose the Windows ISO file you’ve downloaded.
- Format the Windows partition and go through all Windows installation steps.
- When Windows boots for the first time follow on-screen instructions to install Boot Camp and Windows support software (drivers)