Indie games have a habit of telling unique, refreshing stories that break away from what's popular in the AAA side of the game industry. From the looks of things, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is one of those games. The Ember Labs project, which arrives on PlayStation and PC in August, has a Pixar-like aesthetic that fills in a charming world filled with magical beings. In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, players take control of Kena, a young woman whose connection with all kinds of nature spirits proves essential in her mission to cleanse them of a rising darkness that threatens to consume the world.
A spirit type that takes center stage is the Rot. Although their name may be a little unappealing, the Rot are actually some of the cutest critters that Kena can meet in Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Fans of Nintendo's Pikmin franchise will immediately take a liking to the Rot; these little black spirits of decomposition are crucial allies to Kena. As she travels the world, she can find up to 100 Rot and add them to her entourage. The Rot play a central role in Kena: Bridge of Spirits, serving a wide range of mechanical functions that prove they are truly essential to Kena's journey.
The Many Functions of the Rot
In the lore of Kena: Bridge of Spirits, the Rot are spirits responsible for decay and decomposition, breaking things down to make room for new life. That's significant to Kena's overarching themes of nature and the cycle of life; in fact, the Rot's ability to break things down comes into play in-game. When Kena finds areas of the world that are corrupted by darkness, she can dispense the Rot to break it down and cleanse the world. Although the Rot can't be assigned to various tasks at once like Pikmin, they'll work together to break down whatever Kena asks them to. They'll cooperate in a similar way to help Kena complete puzzles on her journey.
The Rot play a part in Kena: Bridge of Spirits' combat too. Most of the time, malevolent spirits will scare the Rot away, leaving Kena to fight them alone with her staff and magical bow. However, as Kena progresses through combat, the Rot will build up courage. Once the Rot has enough courage, they'll leap into battle to give Kena opportunities to deal massive damage. As players collect Rot in Kena: Bridge of Spirits, they'll enhance some of Kena's attacks and abilities, adding more layers to combat over time. The Rot will reportedly never get in Kena's way in combat, only serving exactly the functions she needs of them once they have enough courage. Overall, the Rot are definitely a big help to Kena.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits' Adorable Mascots
There isn't a social sim element that rewards players for interacting with the Rot in Kena: Bridge of Spirits, unfortunately, but developers say there's still opportunities for fans to play with their little spirit companions and enjoy their company. What's more, Kena: Bridge of Spirits lets players collect hats that they can put on the Rot, adding an adorable cherry on top of an already lovable league of creatures. Players who pre-order the game can even get some special hats for the Rot that can't be found in-game otherwise.
By the time Kena releases, odds seem good that the Rot will be the face of the game as much as Kena herself is. They're charming little creatures that are a huge help in Kena's quest to protect the world's spirits. The Rot also highlights something important about the world of Kena: Bridge of Spirits. The game's spirits come in all shapes and sizes, and although some serve frightening functions or take intimidating forms, Kena has the power to make peace with spiritkind. Kena: Bridge of Spirits will launch very soon, and it's looking like a good addition to the PlayStation library. Fans should look forward to gathering up the Rot scattered across the world and working with them in battle.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits releases on August 24, 2021 for PC, PS4, and PS5.