Kena Bridge of Spirits first released its trailer in the PS5’s announcement event of 2020. While it is from a relatively unknown game development studio, it has become one of the most popular choices from the PS5 game roster.
Without a release date still in sight, many wonder if Kena Bridge of Spirits is worth all the hype it is getting. This article will run down everything you need to know about the game so far.
What Is Kena Bridge of Spirits?
What Kind of Game Is It?
Kena Bridge of Spirits is a modern animated movie packaged into a charming video game. In this action-adventure, players will get to play as a young woman named Kena. Through her, players will experience a magical world that is one with its natural elements. The story of this game is deeply rooted in these natural principles while giving Kena combat skills that almost always meet the light of day.
As a young spirit guide, Kena is one with her environment. In the game, she travels to a quiet and desolate town on her way to a mountain shrine.
This game, Kena Bridge of Spirits, with all its charm and natural landscapes, would be amiss without cute side characters. Thus, joining Kena is scene-stealing characters named The Rot. They have powers of their own, controlling decomposing elements. Meet spirits, creatures, and many other supernatural beings in Kena Bridge of Spirits. The forest you explore is teeming with life, charm, and surprises.
Developer
Indie games are finding more platforms to dominate, and such is the case with Kena Bridge of Spirits.
Equipped with experience in animation for major companies like Coca-Cola, Ember Lab is the team behind Kena Bridge of Spirits. This game development company is relatively new to the field, starting only in 2009. However, they have made waves not only in gaming but also in animation. In 2016, the company delivered a fan-made video based on The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. This made them further known in video game communities.
Seeing their previous work and letting it stand beside Kena shows that this game is the perfect fit for Ember Lab. With its background in animation and digital content creation, their team knows how to tell stories. Adding to this is their team’s ability to know what makes games work. Their imaginative minds stand on the shoulders of other story-driven games such as The Legend of Zelda.
Ember Lab is ready to step into its own big shoes. Seeing from the trailer of Kena Bridge of Spirits, they seem to be bringing their big guns: cinematic stories, beautiful worlds, and interesting characters.
Release Date
Kena Bridge of Spirits still has no official release date. However, people may not have to wait any longer as the game comes out in the first quarter (Q1) of 2021.
You may visit Ember Lab’s official Twitter page and website to get the latest release information about Kena Bridge of Spirits.
Platforms
When the PS5 was announced, Kena Bridge of Spirits was one of the most awaited games. Its world-building, visible through even just a short trailer, hooked people in its story.
Still, because Kena Bridge of Spirits tied its release to the PS5, many believe it is only available there. This is not the case. This game will be available on the PS4 too. Moreover, the Epic Games Store will follow suit and launch on PC.
Of course, there may be more immersive gameplay through the PS5. The Rot, for example, can be more visible on that platform. While this will not necessarily reflect on their abilities or helpfulness, these cute characters do add a lot to the gameplay ambiance. So far though, only graphics will be different when it comes to the PS5. PS4 players do not need to worry about not getting what they pay for.
Prices
There are no exact prices for Kena Bridge of Spirits yet. However, one can expect its prices to not go over $60. Upgrading from the PS4 to the PS5 may also be possible, but again, nothing is set in stone.
System Requirements for Kena Bridge of Spirits
Minimum Requirements
For PC players, there are base requirements to play Kena Bridge of Spirits. The OS of your personal computer must be 64-bit Windows, either version 7/8.1/10.
Your processors also have to be AMD FX-6100, Intel i3-3220, or a processor of equivalent status. Memory must be 8 GB RAM, and Direct X must be 25 GB, version 2.
Lastly, to process the beautiful graphics of the game, one may need AMD Radeon HD 7750, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650, or something of equivalent status.
Recommended Requirements
To play the game in its best form, almost the same requirements for PC players apply. The OS of your personal computer must be 64-bit Windows, either version 7/8.1/10.
Processors, however, must either be AMD Ryzen 7 1700, Intel i7-6700K, or something of equivalent status. Personal Computers must also have 16 GB of RAM.
To process the graphics of the game in a crisp way, AMD RX Vega 56, Nvidia GTX 1070, or something of equivalent status is recommended.
Kena Bridge of Spirits: Everything You Need to Know
Gameplay
Kena Bridge of Spirits is not devoid of riveting gameplay, despite being story-driven. As a Spirit guide, Kena has a staff that functions as her all-around weapon. When you play the game enough, Kena earns enough experience to turn her staff into a bow.
As someone who has to maintain balance in the spirit and real world, Kena has to face many different creatures. During a battle, she has a bubble type of shield that can protect her.
Of course, Kena also will not be facing her journey alone. Small spirits also linger around the foliage of the forest. The Rot, as the game calls them, survives through decomposing elements (no matter what they are).
Gameplay relies on Kena, but The Rot adds a lot of ambiance to the game too. Whenever Kena needs an extra hand, the Rot lends more than enough. They can build bridges, give boosts, and even fight enemies alongside her. In order to use them for combat, however, Kena must use her spirit powers.
Kena’s “army” of The Rots will grow as the gameplay becomes more complex.
Story
Action-adventure games a la Legend of Zelda depend on world-building. While Kena Bridge of Spirits is not an open-world game, it still is set in fantasy land.
Kena is in search of a sacred mountain shrine. To get there, she must navigate a desolate village and face what spirits have in store. The forest Kena explores is teeming with the supernatural and other spiritual energy. As a young spirit guide, it is up to her to help trapped spirits find their peace.
Like in the real world, struggling and traumatized spirits stay in the human world because they are lost. By helping them find their way home, Kena can bring balance to the world.
Graphics
A fantasy game, like any fantasy movie, has a lot at stake when it comes to graphics. Games like Kena Bridge of Spirits are selling not only an idea but an entire world.
This world, riddled with spirits and bountiful plants, are rendered beautifully by the game. From its trailer, people already see the parallels between Kena and Disney-Pixar types of animation.
While there is not a lot of other information to discuss, press photos of the game show how crisp and detailed Kena Bridge of Spirits is going to be. Moreover, the combat is purely magical, so expect a lot of sparks and bursts of energy from Kena.
As for The Rot, you can expect adorable characters that look like Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. The animation is just as good as the movie, too.
Features
Kena Bridge of Spirits boasts a number of features that make for immersive and high-quality gameplay. First of which is the ability to build a team using The Rots you meet along the way. With them, you can save and control as much of the forest as you want. Think of The Rots as Paimon, Genshin Impact PC’s bubbly spirit guide.
Next, Kena Bridge of Spirits takes pride in the world it has created. As an action-adventure game, it wants to make an escapist world for its players. Based on the trailers and early clips from the game, it seems like Ember Lab achieved this. Kena is a majestic game, and it has the graphics to match.
Adding to this, this game also has impressive combat. Kena’s and The Rot’s magical powers make for beautiful and powerful combat sequences. Moreover, the game does not sell short on combat, as their website writes that spirits will “challenge Kena at every turn.”
Lastly, the game supports various languages. Kena Bridge of Spirits supports English, Simplified Chinese, French, Italian, German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish (Spain) languages.
Replayability
Kena Bridge of Spirits is a family game, mimicking the sights and sceneries of Pixar, Dreamworks, and the like. Its main selling point is its stunning visuals, but the devil is in the details, and the game is looking to be more than what it seems.
Players will be challenged on the game’s highest settings when they play Kena Bridge of Spirits. Because of this, the game has high replayability. While the game may not last you a month to finish, it will keep you on your toes.
Once you are finishing battle after battle, the game hooks you in its world and stunning visuals. You will want to play more—it is like a Disney movie come to life.
Value
This game is Ember Lab’s first official release. In many ways, this is a long time coming for the company. On the other hand, it can also feel like players are at the precipice of a new game developer taking flight.
For anyone who enjoys animation, and may even want to watch Disney animated movies in order, this game provides a lot of value. Gamers who want a good and refreshing action-adventure game may also enjoy Kena Bridge of Spirits.
What Makes Kena Bridge of Spirits Special
Inspiration
Like other big-budget animated films, Kena Bridge of Spirits has a lot of research and inspiration under its belt.
While Kena finds herself in a completely fictional place, the setting of the game is inspired by Eastern locations. It’s like a mix of Japanese and Indonesian geography and architecture.
This game is not open-world, but gamers can expect Kena Bridge of Spirits to deliver exactly what it promises; maybe it will deliver even more.
Haptic Feedback
PS5 users can enjoy Kena’s battles with the DualSense controllers. Kena Bridge of Spirits has programmed Kena’s Spirit Bow combat to work with the PS5 controller’s haptic feedback.
Long story short: you will make the most out of your new PS5 controllers. If anything, you will finally see what they are capable of when it comes to combat and gameplay immersion.
The Rot
For budding video game players, The Rot is a big selling point for Kena Bridge of Spirits. Kena meets these adorable but powerful creatures as she traverses the forest. They are not tokenized either: The Rot play essential roles in the gameplay and story of Kena.
Despite their plush and cute figures, The Rot boasts incredible power when it comes to decomposition. This will surely make them fan favorites, no matter what age the fan is.
It seems that Ember Lab knows this, already selling The Rot merchandise on their website.
Why Should You Get Kena Bridge of Spirits?
There are many ways people may see 2021 as the year for horror games. Releases like The Medium, Back 4 Blood, and Resident Evil Village are some of the year’s most-awaited. However, those who do not dabble in this genre can find hope in Kena Bridge of Spirits.
From world-building all the way to Haptic feedback, Ember Lab made this game to enjoy the old-fashioned way. There are no mind games or tricks up their sleeve: they bare their strengths already.
What you see in Kena Bridge of Spirits is what you get, and it looks majestic, riveting, and game-changing.
