The Ember Lab developed and published Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a highly anticipated game told from the perspective of Kena, a young spirit guide. Players embark on a journey to help her aid lost souls and those in need, and along the way, Kena will learn things about herself as well. The Tribeca Games Festival offered Game Rant a hands-on preview of Kena: Bridge of Spirits and it did not disappoint.
Visually, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is stunning. The world players get to explore is lush and vibrant, and even the “corrupted” parts are beautiful in their own way. The animation is very Pixar, which adds to the charm and appeal of the game. Perhaps the most adorable part of Kena: Bridge of Spirits comes in the form of tiny black, fuzzy spirits called Rot. Not only are the Rot cute, collectible tagalong spirits that can wear a different array of hats, but they’re incredibly useful in battle. They also help Kena complete different tasks, like restoring shrines that have been knocked over.
The soundtrack and music of Kena: Bridge of Spirits is also something to behold. It builds up the atmosphere and really immerses players in the forest and village that they’ll explore throughout the game. The digital deluxe version of Kena: Bridge of Spirits even comes with a copy of the soundtrack, which is something gamers could definitely listen to in their free time while trying to relax.
The preview we played skipped the majority of the exposition of Kena: Bridge of Spirits to preserve the mystery that surrounds the narrative. But even based on what was on display, keeping players hooked will not be an issue for Kena: Bridge of Spirits thanks to its gorgeous world, great combat system, and interesting plot.
Combat is a mix of Kena’s physical strength and spirit guide powers. Kena’s staff is powerful, helping her hone her powers as well as whacking enemies when they get too close. The Rot will help in combat, but not without a bit of motivation first. Kena has to build up “courage” before the Rot are brave enough to help her attack. They also get rid of certain “corruptions” by swarming the bloom and allowing Kena to “Pulse” her power and destroy it.
The “corruption” looks like red blooms and spawns the enemies that Kena must defeat. There’s a definite scale of difficulty to the enemies, as some are small while others have items like a spear or shield. Kena can destroy shields with heavy attacks and then quickly take out the enemy with a few light attacks. She can also create a shield for herself using her powers, though players can’t rely on it heavily, as her power will drain and need to recharge. Kena’s staff is important to her, as she has a familial connection to it as well as her powers, and she even learns to use it as a bow and arrow in addition to being a staff.
Even though Game Rant only saw a preview, it was enough to suggest that the final world of Kena: Bridge of Spirits will be large. There are “fast travel” stations that will help players get to and from different areas easier, as well as different collectibles and challenges to complete along the way. It doesn’t, however, seemingly feel as daunting as other open-world or pseudo-open-world games, and genuinely looks like an intriguing environment to explore, especially as Kena sets out to restore the village.
Kena must set out to find wandering spirits trapped in the forest, as well as discover the source of the strange curse put on the village. Players discover everything pretty much at the same time as Kena, which makes for a fun experience of real-time discovery alongside the protagonist. While this was only a preview, it seems that Kena: Bridge of Spirits has set high expectations for players and is fully intent on fulfilling them.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits releases August 24, 2021 for PC, PS4, and PS5.