With the new console generation in full swing, many are looking forward to an intriguing new title called Kena: Bridge of Spirits. More of the game was shown off at the recent PlayStation State of Play, reigniting players' anticipation for it. Now that Kena: Bridge of Spirits is available for pre-order, it looks like the game will be less expensive than some originally thought.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the first game developed by Ember Lab, a studio with some amazing animation credits behind it, like the impressive The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask fan film, "Terrible Fate." The game follows Kena, a young Spirit Guide, as she travels to an abandoned village to search for a sacred mountain shrine. Through the game, players grow a team of spirit creatures known as the Rot to interact with the environment, while fighting darker spirits and enemies.
With Kena: Bridge of Spirits available for pre-order, players now know that the Standard Edition of Kena: Bridge of Spirits is priced at $39.99, while the Digital Deluxe Edition is priced at $49.99. Players will get an additional soundtrack and a couple cosmetics with the Digital Deluxe Edition. While lower-priced games aren't unusual, it does give players a hint at what to expect from the game.
Studios have occasionally delivered AAA experiences in smaller packages before, like with Ninja Theory's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice from 2017, which was a high-quality cinematic experience for about $30. Senua's Sacrifice players generally clocked in less than eight hours of playtime. With many standard AAA games now being priced between $60 and $70, a lower-price point most likely means a shorter game. Therefore, players who want to pick up Kena: Bridge of Spirits should expect something similar, a high quality game that can be completed in a few sessions.
The more budget price of Kena: Bridge of Spirits can come as a disappointment for some fans, especially since it points to a shorter experience. On the other hand, this goes to show that studios are willing to create AAA-style games that are priced more accurately when considering different factors. Even though games like the PS5 version of Final Fantasy 7 Remake will cost $70, players that want to be more cost-efficient will still have some options. In any case, the pricing of video games going forward will likely continue to vary based on quality, length of gameplay, and which platform it's for.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits will release for PS4 and PS5 on August 24, 2021.
Source: PS Store