Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an ambitious first game from Ember Lab that I have found is definitely worth your time. Because of real life, I haven’t been able to finish the game yet but wanted to write a piece with my impressions so far. (I’ve played for about four hours. Roughly?)
Art is the first thing that I, and most people, recognize about the game. It’s gorgeous. With a reel like theirs, anything less would have been questionable. The Rot (the cute little black dudes) make you smile each time Kena interacts with them, and Kena’s character model is extremely detailed, all the way down to the stitching on her clothes. The areas of corruption you come across stand as a stark contrast to the lush, vibrant forest, underscoring that something is very, very wrong in the world.
Music is something that I wanted to highlight in the game as well. The soundtrack is outstanding, with a Balinese feel to it that fits in very well with the environment of the game. I learned online that Kena’s voice actress Ayu Larassanti even sings some of the music in the game.
I also love how Kena has a photo mode. It was a surprise drop of information that came out the day before the game released, and it was a welcome one. I feel like they could learn from the likes of Guerrilla and Insomniac and improve it down the road, but there are enough options to make it a fun time. (Horizon Zero Dawn and Miles Morales have two of the best photo modes out there, in my opinion.) I’d probably be further if not for the photo mode, but that’s not a criticism.
Needs Work
Where the game hasn’t quite hooked me yet is the combat. With the bar at such a high level for graphics, I wish the combat had a bit more to it. I haven’t unlocked the ability to use her staff as a bow yet, though I feel like I’m close, so I’m hoping it changes after that. (Bow and arrow is my favorite combination of weapons in a video game.) Kena’s animations during fights though look and feel fluid, and while it’s rather repetitive, using the staff for a melee weapon is satisfying.
One final thing I’m hoping to learn is more about Kena herself as I get into the back half of the game. So far, I feel like we’ve learned more about the NPC’s she’s encountered. I could see why Ember Lab would avoid this, though. Kena has been tasked with helping spirits pass on from the physical world to the spirit world. In doing this, it’s not about Kena. It’s about the spirit she’s trying to help move on.
I’ll wrap up with this. Is Kena: Bridge of Spirits worth playing? It absolutely is. The world is beautiful, and Kena is a great protagonist. I’m eager to get further in the game (even though it may take some time – dang you real life) and see how it changes and if anything I’ve written about above is addressed.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is out now for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC via the Epic Games Store. A physical release for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 will be out later this year.