Released on PC, PS4, and PS5 a few weeks ago, Kena: Bridge of Spirits explores the coming of age story of its titular spirit guide protagonist. Even though the game is Ember Lab's first foray into the medium, the narrative the studio has woven is a powerful human one that heartwarmingly explores all manner of topics, including grief, death, and the symbiotic relationship humanity has with the environment.
Amongst so many impactful stories and characters, Kena: Bridge of Spirits' closing moments manage to stand out as being particularly special, as the hard work that Kena and the player have put into the emotional journey are rewarded with a satisfying conclusion. Considering the therapeutic atmosphere the game often exudes, it's perhaps little surprise that some of its final plot points aren't always overtly conveyed to the player.
Kena's Coming of Age
Over the course of the game, small details regarding Kena's motivations are gradually presented to the player. Having tragically lost her father at a young age, it's revealed before the climactic final chapter starts that Kena has vowed to follow in his footsteps as a spirit guide. Having inherited his staff and ability to traverse the spirit world, she hopes that undertaking a pilgrimage to the sacred Mountain Shrine will allow her to become a better guide, whilst simultaneously making her father proud.
Along the way, Kena demonstrates a compassionate selflessness to aid the spirits of the village that once worshipped the temple, who have been ensnared in a sort of limbo by a mysterious corruption. Freeing the trapped Taro and Adira from their guilt and trauma enables the titular hero to then head to the base of the Mountain Shrine in an attempt to free the final human spirit, the village's departed leader Toshi. While the young guide is initially bested by the corrupted spirit, a conversation with the ghost of the elder Zajuro helps Kena to finally find peace and acceptance of the fact that her father has passed.
Toshi's Ending
Rejuvenated by her heart-to-heart with Zajuro, Kena collects the three relics that tie Toshi's spirit to the land before heading off for a second attempt to save the departed village leader. While the meeting once again dissolves into an all out battle between the two, the young spirit guide is able to work in unison with her Rot companions to gain the upper hand. On the verge of defeat, Toshi ominously reveals that he is fully aware of the power the tiny Forest Spirits pose, and that he has previously fought them. Capitalizing on Kena's shock at hearing this news, he swiftly seizes control of the Rot before vanishing.
Up until this point in Kena: Bridge of Spirits, it had been hinted that the Rot are mysteriously tied to the land, and that the cute little creatures are vital in some way to its natural process of decay and rebirth. Upon reaching the heart of the Mountain Shrine, Toshi silently reveals to Kena the true extent of that connection, combining the sidekicks she's painstakingly collected into their true original form, the Rot God. Before any extra context can be provided for the unexpected turn of events, the corrupted deer-like deity attacks. Utilizing the skills she's developed over the course of the game, Kena is able to gradually weaken the Rot God enough to break off a few of her old companions before ultimately defeating it.
With the battle over, Toshi's spirit reveals that he was responsible for corrupting the Rot God, and the subsequent blight that seemingly spread across the land in its absence from the ecosystem. Having worshiped the deity and its protective abilities for generations, the young leader had grown frustrated at its refusal to lift the famine that had forced his people into decline prior to the start of the game. It's inferred from Kena's journey, though, that the village had been over-farming the land for its natural resources, which goes some way to explaining the Rot God's reluctance to tip the balance of nature back in the village's favor. Unable to see this, Toshi had fought and killed the deity, releasing a nuclear-bomb style blast in the process that killed all of the remaining inhabitants of the village.
The Rot's Ending
Having helped Toshi to come to terms with his regret, allowing him to move on to the afterlife, Zajuro's fading voice informs Kena that there's one final spirit who needs her assistance. At this point, players are given control of the character once again, and are free to explore the land at their own leisure. However, meditating at the Mountain Shrine after this scene unlocks the game's final ending. Having reverted back to its adorable pint-sized form once again at the end of the battle, it's revealed that the Rot God is the final trapped spirit in need of help. Instead of being broken into fragmentary relics like human ghosts are, the deity is split into the individuals that have been assisting Kena throughout the game.
In the heartwarming bitter-sweet final cutscene, Kena bids farewell to her faithful companions before restoring them once again to their true Rot God persona. Cleansed of the corruption, the now feline-looking deity physically enters the afterlife on the other side of Mountain Shrine, leaving Kena as the last living soul within the region. Despite all of this, several questions are left unresolved by Kena: Bridge of Spirits' ending, particularly in regards to the titular hero's past and the fact that her right arm is seemingly infected by some form of illness. While this could have been done to symbolize Kena's earlier decision to let go of her own fears, there's every chance that Ember Lab might continue the story in a sequel that explores these topics.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is available now for PC, PS4, and PS5.