Kena: Bridge of Spirits may be a beautiful game that looks a bit like a meditative title, but players will have to fight many battles along the way. The combat can vary heavily based on the level of difficulty a player has chosen and which upgrades they have purchased for Kena.
Combat in Kena: Bridge of Spirits
The first boss, Kappa, is one of the many lost souls in Kena: Bridge of Spirits that are unable to move on to the next world without the player's help. Kappa is a twisted creature that looks like a twisted tree monster that glows a sickly sort of red-pink color. Kena will take this boss on fairly early in the game; this is a scripted fight that players cannot avoid. But once players get to Kappa's corrupted domain, they may have some trouble taking it on.
There are four levels of combat difficulty that can change how hard this fight will be. These levels are:
- Story Mode: Enemies are less aggressive, and the little companion spirits called Rot's abilities recharge passively and when Kena takes damage
- Spirit Guide: Enemies are aggressive, Rot abilities recharge when taking damage
- Expert Spirit Guide: Combat is difficult, enemies are aggressive and deal more damage, Rot abilities only recharge when Kena deals damage
- Master Spirit Guide: The most difficult combat level
While the level of difficulty will change the amount of damage Kena will take, this won't alter the basic mechanics of the fight. But the way Kena's Rot abilities recharge should be noted before starting this boss battle, especially if players are relying on the Rot's healing ability to make it through.
How to Defeat Kappa in Kena: Bridge of Spirits
Kappa has several phases and attacks. Once players enter Kappa's arena, they will see that there are three puddles of gooey corruption on the ground. In the first phase, Kappa will use these three puddles to teleport across the battlefield. Each time it appears, it will attempt to smash Kena with a ranged attack that looks like a fireball but turns into an add as it hits Kena or the ground. Players will want to dispatch the adds quickly with heavy or light attacks using the two right bumper buttons and feel Kena: Bridge of Spirit's haptic adaptive controls.
In order to damage Kappa in this visually stunning Kena battle, players will have to watch the puddles for the pinkish glow that shows where Kappa will appear next. If players are too close to the puddle where Kappa reappears, it may quickly move the puddles again to keep Kena from damaging it. Once players are close enough, they will want to smash Kappa with as many light attacks as possible before it disappears again while still dodging its ranged missile.
Kappa also has a secondary attack; it will move quickly between each of the three puddles, too fast for Kena to deal any damage, lobbing three enemy adds onto the field all at once. Kappa will not appear again until these adds are taken care of, so Kena should dispatch them quickly with heavy attacks.
Phase Two of Kena's Kappa Battle
Once players have Kappa down to about half health, it will begin a new phase. This phase will have both of the previous attacks and one new one to learn. Kappa will appear on a ledge far above the player's head and will shower the field with fireballs. Kena will need to use her quick dodge as well as her L1 shield in order to keep from taking too much damage in this Zelda-inspired title.
Since players are limited to melee damage at this point in the game, they will be unable to hit Kappa as it rains fire on them, so staying safe from damage should be the biggest priority. Kappa will eventually return to his puddle jumping on the floor of the cave, and Kena will be able to attack him again. After getting Kappa down, players should enjoy watching the cutscene in Kena: Bridge of Spirit's stunning 4k 60 FPS graphics.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.