After a few delays, Kenna: Bridge of Souls finally launches on September 21. It’s a long time coming for the game that was revealed alongside the PS5. This primer will help you remember some of the main beats from Kena’s adventure so that you can make a more informed choice when it comes to deciding whether or not to join her.
Kena is the debut title of EmberLab, a studio founded by Mike and Joshua Grier in 2009. They specialize in creating animated content for companies such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask is the studio’s most notable work. In 2016, it was released as an animated short film.
Kena is a young spirit guide who helps troubled spirits transition into the afterlife. When people die due to unresolved issues, their spirit can get stuck between the living and the dead. With Kena, they can get rid of the ghosts and issues that can keep them from enjoying the next life.
We still don’t know exactly what Kena’s plan is outside of her setup. When she goes to an abandoned village, she searches for a sacred mountain shrine. A mysterious plague is afflicting the surrounding land, turning corrupted spirits into terrifying monstrosities. She realizes she’s the only one who can help and sets out to do it.
Kena is an action-adventure game in the third person. Kena’s magic staff is used to execute basic melee combos of mild and heavy attacks. For a ranged attack, she can transform her staff into a spirit bow. Kena also has some spirit abilities, like the pulse bubble, which may block incoming attacks, and the ability to summon a spirit dragon for further fighting power. Outside of combat, players climb, shimmy, and bounce through their surroundings in the same way they did in the Uncharted series, while also completing environmental riddles to gain access to new regions. Kena can also utilize her abilities to clear passageways that have been blocked by corrupted growth. You’ll also aid restless souls in their quest for serenity by treating whatever ails them while gradually restoring and repopulating the abandoned village that serves as your central region.
The Rot is the game’s other star. They’re small, charming animals in charge of decomposition, which involves breaking down rotting materials to make room for new life. As a result, they help Kena perpetuate the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. When Kena forms a link with these creatures, they’ll join her in fighting and puzzle-solving. In battle, the Rot is too timid to lend a helping hand right away, but repeatedly landing attacks increases a meter demonstrating Rot’s bravery. When the Rot bar is full, players can summon the Rot to help them unleash more powerful assaults. You can also use the Rot to distract your opponents, forcing them to lower their defenses and open up assault opportunities.
You can get up to 100 Rot, with 60 of them being optional. Rot can be found hidden in nooks and crannies, such as under rocks and hanging fruits. The more Rot you have, the more effective your assaults become and the more outside-of-battle assistance you receive. You can even customize the Rot by getting them to wear a variety of beautiful hats. While the Rot is similar to Pikmin in terms of gameplay, they aren’t as frail, so you won’t have to worry about losing your adorable buddies in battle. You may toss them at as many creatures as you like!
In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, there are no microtransactions. In-game cash is used to purchase products from vendors.
While the Rot is similar to Pikmin in terms of gameplay, they aren’t as frail, so you won’t have to worry about losing your adorable buddies in battle. You may toss them at as many creatures as you like!
Kena takes between 8-10 hours to complete, according to Ember Labs, with completionists spending closer to 12 hours. The affordable pricing, $39.99 across all platforms, reflects that scope. A $49.99 Deluxe Edition is also available.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits will be available on the Epic Games Store for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. It’s a digital-only game for now, but Ember Lab has hinted at a physical release in the future.
We haven’t seen any gameplay footage of the game on PS4, but we do know that on PS5, there will be more Rot on screen and the foliage will be denser. When you drawback on the bowstring, the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback generates genuine tension, as well as other sensory capabilities.
Click here to pre-purchase Kena: Bridge Of Spirits
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