Kena: Bridge of Spirits isn't a AAA title, but it's being treated like one, and its graphics certainly compete with any $60 game on the market. From indie developer Ember Lab, Kena was first announced last year at PlayStation's Future of Gaming event, where it landed with an impressed response from gamers. Aside from its 15-person studio, Kena: Bridge of Spirits shares similarities with indie games, including its play length. For those wondering how long it will take to beat Kena: Bridge of Spirits, the exact time is currently unknown, but its developer previously stated that it can be comfortably finished in a weekend.
Along with its partnership with Sony Interactive Entertainment, the stunning visuals of Kena: Bridge of Spirits puts it on par with AAA titles. But if there's anything that they can learn from the breathtaking indie game from Ember Lab, it's Kena's length.
The Length of Modern-Day AAA Titles
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was recently released, bringing nostalgic gamers back to the 2007 journey of Commander Shepard. In a $60 package, players are getting three full-length games. However, most of that length comes from the second two games, Mass Effect 2 and 3, while the first game is roughly 15 to 17 hours to beat on average, or about 30 if players are including side missions. Similarly, BioShock Infinite, which was released in 2013 and is a linear narrative much like Kena, takes only approximately 13 hours.
In contrast, however, The Last of Us Part 2 was a Sony exclusive release of 2020, and one of critics' biggest complaints was not only how long the game took to beat, but how long it felt as well. While the main story can be completed in about 30 hours, on average it takes between 50 to 60, which is quite the journey for what's also a linearly driven narrative tale.
This highlighted the increasing play time that most AAA games have adopted in recent years, edging closer to 40-hour lengths and inciting the opinion in gamers that "video games are too long." While there are plenty of titles out there that can be completed within 30 hours, such as God of War, and the 50-hour length is reserved for partial open-world games like Ghost of Tsushima and Horizon: Zero Dawn, Kena's play time is a breath of fresh air with a pricepoint to match.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits' Play Time
It's not just Kena: Bridge of Spirits' play time that's admirable. The game has been priced to reflect its shorter length, which is uncommon in the AAA realm. A common complaint against many indie games is that they're often too short for their price point. Of course, games need to earn back their production values, but as a consumer, it's understandable that it can be hard justifying the purchase of a $30 game, for example, that's completable within just a few hours. Because of its short length, Kena: Bridge of Spirits will only cost $40.
It's hard to say exactly how long Kena: Bridge of Spirits will end up being based on Ember Lab's statement. It could be close to 25 hours with any extra content or could be a flat 15 hours, which would be comfortable for most gamers—kids and—adults, to finish in a single weekend. Regardless, it's nice to see such a high-profile game adopt both a shorter play time alongside its compelling story, as well as a cheaper price tag.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits launches on August 24, 2021 for PC, PS4, and PS5.