Kena: Bridge of Spirits

 PC
User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 486 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 358 out of 486
  2. Mixed: 86 out of 486
  3. Negative: 42 out of 486

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  1. ParsaGamer
    Sep 23, 2021
    3
    It was an animation turned to game, boring lifeless repetitive gameplay with cute and beautiful art
  2. CasillasQT
    Dec 14, 2021
    10
    Great game. Amazing design. Movement and fighting feels great. Nice puzzles and a heartwarming story. What more could you ask for.
  3. Mandulum
    Feb 3, 2022
    9
    It's a tremendously well rounded game. Great environments, art, sound, and story telling. Satisfying combat and game play. Challenging boss fights (maybe a little too challenging at the end). And pre-rendered cutscenes!! I miss those in games.

    Date Completed: 2022-02-03
    Playtime: 13h
    Enjoyment: 9/10
    Recommendation: It was great, everyone should play it
  4. DexEngineer
    Mar 10, 2022
    9
    Guilty pleasure graphics. Relaxation gaming for calm evening. Escapism at its best from constant wokeness and propaganda in games.
  5. Pickle
    Oct 8, 2022
    7
    It’s a fine adventure game, if not a little bland at times, mainly in its story, which is borderline cliché at worst, and only superficially pretty at best.

    The tale is about a corrupted land, changed for mysterious reasons by mysterious characters -this doesn’t really get resolved until, literally, the end of the game-; you’re Kena, a girl that starts collecting furballs that are    It’s a fine adventure game, if not a little bland at times, mainly in its story, which is borderline cliché at worst, and only superficially pretty at best.

    The tale is about a corrupted land, changed for mysterious reasons by mysterious characters -this doesn’t really get resolved until, literally, the end of the game-; you’re Kena, a girl that starts collecting furballs that are called rot, which help you in your journey, the game is divided in puzzles, combat, and platforming; for the most part is a very cleverly designed game reminiscent of the classic adventure titles from the early 2000’s, think of Jak and Daxter for example.

    However, there are some issues here and there in the design, mainly when it comes to the game’s sense of direction and how counterintuitive the game can be a lot of the times with how it proceeds to misguide the player, Kena is a game that has a map but it lacks direction and clarity, it has waypoints, but the ones that only point at the general direction from where you’re supposed to go, the game is doing a lot of these things to incentivize branching paths and give you a reason to collect the more rot and currency that you can trade both for outfits, which you unlock through a challenge system that you really don’t get access to until much later into the game (about hallway through), but also the game provides currency for different upgrades that are mostly combat centric, with only a few serving to ease some of the later puzzles in the game with some later abilities as well.

    The problem with the levels however, is that the game has a really poor way of guiding the player by using one of the most common tools modern games use to guide you, and that is the lighting. At one point I didn’t notice a path because the game’s lighting made it seem as if it was a pitfall, in other case, a significant detail needed to resolve a puzzle was obscured, making me have to redo the whole puzzle again, in other cases the game also has backtracking and some paths that interconnect, essentially making it so you can get fairly lost at times, thankfully it didn’t happen enough to ruin the entire experience, but it did hurt the game for me; the issue here is that the game’s aesthetic and brightness setting was all set correctly, the fact it happened reiteratively, and that I read some forums and comments of people experiencing the same, tells me this is an issue with the game, not something uniquely to me, sadly.

    Overall I liked the game though, despite its shortcomings I didn’t found it to be as bland as some people said it was, it’s a beautiful game, both because of its graphical presentation, as well as for its given art style and aesthetic, I love the way that the Rot look, and the fact that one of the collectibles that you get is a number of different hats that you can make them wear, as you progress you can even see the army of Rot following you around, each with their respective hats, it's a minor thing, but it’s also pretty cool, the combat system is also pretty satisfying, specially once that you upgrade your abilities enough for them to combine a fair bit.

    So, I would recommend the game, specially now with new game plus mode and the multitude of different difficulty settings, challenges, and unlockables. Just be aware, it can get a bit frustrating with the poor sense of direction it provides to the player, as well as with the bland story later on.    … Expand
  6. temaxa
    Nov 15, 2021
    10
    Отличная мультяшка. Играется на одном дыхании. Очень классное звуковое сопровождение.
  7. Enhelm
    Oct 21, 2021
    9
    The game in my opinion is beautiful, is a work of love and art,it is almost exceptional, but it has some solid flaws that I will talk about after mentioning the positives of it.
    The animation(graphics) along the music, with the thematic, plus the story, resembles an animation movie of the best quality that you are immersed in, controling the events.
    For my the fighting is great, very    The game in my opinion is beautiful, is a work of love and art,it is almost exceptional, but it has some solid flaws that I will talk about after mentioning the positives of it.
    The animation(graphics) along the music, with the thematic, plus the story, resembles an animation movie of the best quality that you are immersed in, controling the events.
    For my the fighting is great, very fast paced, but also very thoughtful. The best part of all the gameplay are the bosses.You gotta learn every button, with every combination to make precise and effective moves. The coolest is the parrying of course. Even though the scenery is nice it is also repetitive. The same happens with some aspects of the puzzles. The major flaw of the game are the bugs, that should be fixed in the near future I hope. But in general for me can be considered as one of the best games of the year.    … Expand
  8. Dubeau
    Oct 3, 2021
    8
    Kena is a very nice and fun game. The story is especially involving and sometimes emotional. Maybe one of the problem is that's a bit childish but it treats very serious themes. So for adolescent but not really for children. The graphics are superb and you can appreciate the amount of details in the meditation moments. That said on PC there were some minors clipping. The progression of theKena is a very nice and fun game. The story is especially involving and sometimes emotional. Maybe one of the problem is that's a bit childish but it treats very serious themes. So for adolescent but not really for children. The graphics are superb and you can appreciate the amount of details in the meditation moments. That said on PC there were some minors clipping. The progression of the game is also well done. The fighting is challenging at times but it wasn't too unfair in the story mode. The music is fantastic, simple yet very proper to the situation. Nice sounds effect. It does take some getting use to all the different controls for the fighting. The dash though portals section, wasn't my favourite. It felt very time constrictive. I would have wish the backstory of Kena to be more clear and detailed (maybe it's for another game). I give the game 85%. I had some water in my eyes in a place or two. And I wish it would have last double that time.… Expand
  9. MrMuppe
    Oct 9, 2021
    10
    First the bad, to get that out of the way.
    The control works but is not always precise enough, most of the time they are but not always.
    Now the good. The game looks wonderful, yes it looks like an animated movie, heck it looks better. The story is simple, but good. The voice acting is good, they had good lines to work with and they delivered. All in all this is a game that feels    First the bad, to get that out of the way.
    The control works but is not always precise enough, most of the time they are but not always.

    Now the good.
    The game looks wonderful, yes it looks like an animated movie, heck it looks better.
    The story is simple, but good.
    The voice acting is good, they had good lines to work with and they delivered.

    All in all this is a game that feels magic, the team is small and so they did the right thing by focusing on what they could do well. It is also a strange one when it comes to looking for the most part like a game for kids while having bosses that may scare said kids. And having elements in the story that a kid will not understand, that includes that lgbtq thing that someone seems like a snowflake about, you silly person, kids will look at that and think "hey those two are really good friends", but I guess you hate friendships as well.

    As for giving the game a 0 for being epic exclusive. Time to give that a rest, sure the store is bad and lacks features, but it is here to stay until epic decides it is time to **** with Microsoft and get throws of windows as well, then perhaps they will anger Linux, who knows.    … Expand
  10. Blackstar90210
    Dec 22, 2021
    8
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits si è rivelato essere un titolo estremamente ben bilanciato. Mentre graficamente e tecnicamente si attesta su ottimi livelli, si può confermare — senza tanti fronzoli — che il sistema di combattimento è semplice quanto efficace, non profondo ma soddisfacente nelle sue sfaccettature. La trama può rivelarsi interessante — in base ai gusti di ognuno di noi —, ma laKena: Bridge of Spirits si è rivelato essere un titolo estremamente ben bilanciato. Mentre graficamente e tecnicamente si attesta su ottimi livelli, si può confermare — senza tanti fronzoli — che il sistema di combattimento è semplice quanto efficace, non profondo ma soddisfacente nelle sue sfaccettature. La trama può rivelarsi interessante — in base ai gusti di ognuno di noi —, ma la narrazione è abbastanza semplicistica, con dei colpi di scena abbastanza telefonati e con momenti con pochissimo patos.

    Insomma, è un titolo che va assolutamente giocato, ma senza aspettarsi chissà cosa    … Expand
  11. WizzleBee
    Jan 6, 2022
    10
    This game in some way feels like Ori. Totally enjoyed this game, its story and its cuteness.
    Cuteness really is over 9000. Well done @Emberlab, you guys created a beautiful piece of art that will stay in my heart for a very long time.
  12. Synapses
    Oct 31, 2021
    9
    Short, but Sweet. This game is a love letter to the childhood of 90s kids as far as platforming and gameplay. The story is well done, if a bit short. It really could have been a longer game. I am sure though if you take the time to gather all Rot and every little detail it could add a few hours. The graphics on PC are beautiful and smooth. Gameplay is also just so well done and smoothShort, but Sweet. This game is a love letter to the childhood of 90s kids as far as platforming and gameplay. The story is well done, if a bit short. It really could have been a longer game. I am sure though if you take the time to gather all Rot and every little detail it could add a few hours. The graphics on PC are beautiful and smooth. Gameplay is also just so well done and smooth as butter. I really can't say much more, its just hands down a great game. I only took one point away for the story being shorter than id like to see. It really feels like you're playing a modern Disney movie/game, but with the gameplay that's been fine tuned to a platform style. 9/10… Expand
  13. chavira
    Mar 19, 2022
    9
    Amazing visuals and animation. The game is lots of fun and has a good sense of evolution and change in environments. It would only make it better to have more combat abilities, but still pretty enjoyable experience overall! I only wish more complicated puzzles and combat had been introduced way earlier in the game storyline.
  14. iFlu
    Sep 27, 2021
    10
    Kena is a masterpiece and (for now) my game of the year.

    Let's talk the "bad" things first: the game is short, yes. You probably read or heard that it's around 8 to 10 hours long. Well I'd like to nuance that a bit. The game has 4 difficulty settings (1 of which is unlocked after completing your first run), I personnaly always play my games in the higher available difficulty (with some    Kena is a masterpiece and (for now) my game of the year.

    Let's talk the "bad" things first: the game is short, yes. You probably read or heard that it's around 8 to 10 hours long. Well I'd like to nuance that a bit. The game has 4 difficulty settings (1 of which is unlocked after completing your first run), I personnaly always play my games in the higher available difficulty (with some exception if I find the challenge too high). Kena took me 18h to beat on my first playthrough because I had some hard time with some fights (first trying those fights can shave around 3 to 4 hours to the total game). But I still have some challenge (and a second run in the highest difficulty) to achieve if I want to 100% the challenges.

    Some critics say the game is not original or that "you have already played this game"... This is a very partial take on what has been accomplished by a 15 people studio which is releasing its first video game. Let's talk optimisation, my gaming rig is running a Ryzen 5 2700X and a 1080Ti which is not the absolute best for next gen gaming but I managed to play the game in ultra settings (only turned off motion blur for personal preference) in 1440p @144FPS and encountered very few frame drops (mostly around transitions between cinematics and gameplay). This is something that must be noted, too many recent games have been released in a very poor state (sometimes barely playable) and often from AAA studios with large teams and fundings. Ember Labs is is clearly throwing some shades on these studios as they pulled off something incredibly gorgeous, functionnal and polish on their first attempt. And don't forget the price, I paid 39€ on Epic Games Store for that game and I will gladly say it was worth it.

    As journalists like to compare games between them even though their scopes are not the same here's what a clever journalist could say about Kena: "Kena is the perfect cross-over between well loved games like The Legend of Zelda for the exploration, Pikmin for the management of your Rots (the small black creatures you find in the world and that help you in your journey), Spiritfarer for the theme, Pixar for the plain gorgeous settings and animations and music, and Dark Souls for the difficulty of the combat" (even I'm not found of placing Dark Souls here, I just don't have another game in mind with parry and evasion windows this tight and this punishing when you execute them poorly). Fights and bosses are not hard in understanding what to do, they are hard in the execution. Not because the controls are janky, but because enemies hit hard (very hard) and heals are scarce (some fights can even have no healing possibilities). This is a game that must played and enjoyed, not rushed. Like a good meal, savouring this one makes it better than rushing through it in order to play something else.

    I strongly recommend Kena: Bridge of Spirit,    … Expand
  15. Aidar_v_pomosh
    Jan 18, 2022
    10
    Игра по-настоящему потрясающая! Разработчики грамотно сделали игру, и игра не наскучивает на протяжении всей игры. Игра небольшая, но история классная и трогающая за душу. Графика,сюжет,геймплей,дизайн сделаны потрясно! Советую каждому купить её и поиграть!Игра по-настоящему потрясающая! Разработчики грамотно сделали игру, и игра не наскучивает на протяжении всей игры. Игра небольшая, но история классная и трогающая за душу. Графика,сюжет,геймплей,дизайн сделаны потрясно! Советую каждому купить её и поиграть!
  16. Mehrshad_MB
    Jan 24, 2022
    8
    Wow! What a game!
    Kena Bridge of Spirits has everything that a good game needs. Fascinating graphics, beautiful world to explore, an impressive story and acceptable gameplay.
    Though gameplay becomes a bit repetitive as you play, but it was overally fine. Upgrades/Customizing rots could be a lot more better. Also controls were a little annoying specially when controlling rots with the    Wow! What a game!
    Kena Bridge of Spirits has everything that a good game needs. Fascinating graphics, beautiful world to explore, an impressive story and acceptable gameplay.
    Though gameplay becomes a bit repetitive as you play, but it was overally fine. Upgrades/Customizing rots could be a lot more better. Also controls were a little annoying specially when controlling rots with the movement of the mouse.
    It was a pity for me to find out that game had a photo mode, after I finished the game.
    I really wish they make an animation out of this game, It would be awesome.
    To wrap it up, Kena Bridge of Spirts is definitely play-worthy and amazing game.
    8.5/10
    (January 2022)    … Expand
  17. LordTiger
    Apr 19, 2023
    8
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a visually stunning game that is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who plays it. The game's Pixar-style graphics are simply breathtaking, and the attention to detail in every aspect of the game is truly remarkable. From the lush landscapes to the detailed character designs, Kena is a feast for the eyes.

    The combat mechanisms in "Kena" are a bit of a    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a visually stunning game that is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who plays it. The game's Pixar-style graphics are simply breathtaking, and the attention to detail in every aspect of the game is truly remarkable. From the lush landscapes to the detailed character designs, Kena is a feast for the eyes.

    The combat mechanisms in "Kena" are a bit of a mixed bag. At first, the combat can feel a bit boring and repetitive, but as you progress through the game, it becomes more challenging and engaging. You need to use a variety of abilities in order to defeat the game's bosses, and this adds an extra layer of depth to the combat. However, the combat does have its flaws, and it can be frustrating at times.

    The story and characters in Kena are where the game falls short. While the game's world is beautifully realized, the story and characters are not engaging and have the same concept. The game tries to create a deep, emotional narrative, but it falls short. The characters are not fleshed out enough, and their motivations and backstories are not explored in enough detail. As a result, the story can feel flat and uninteresting.

    Despite its flaws, Kena is still a game worth playing. The game's stunning visuals and challenging combat mechanics make it a worthwhile experience. If you are a fan of action-adventure games with beautiful graphics, then Kena is definitely worth checking out. However, if you are looking for a game with a deep, engaging story and characters, then you may be disappointed.    … Expand
  18. ONEEX
    Feb 12, 2022
    8
    Хорошо исполненная игра.
    Графика 7/10
    Звук 7/10
    Геймплей 8/10
    Оптимизация 6/10
    Повествование 8/10
    ________________________

    Well executed game.

    Graphics 7/10
    Sound 7/10
    Gameplay 8/10
    Optimization 6/10
    Narration 8/10
  19. Ordnik
    Oct 2, 2021
    10
    The game's great story comes at first but, graphics, environment, ambiance, and music are truly masterpieces. Although Kena's gameplay animations feel a little stuttering.
  20. SimplyClutch12
    Dec 23, 2021
    10
    Beautiful story, sound, level design, and gameplay. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is fun to play, heart-warming, and an overall fantastic experience. One of the best single-player games I've ever played in 20 years of gaming.
  21. Silver_Bee
    Dec 28, 2021
    10
    Great game full of magic and great boss battles, it's not reinventing the wheel, but it is still a must-play in my opinion
  22. spencerplewe
    Apr 9, 2022
    8
    Visually beautiful but a beast to master in combat, Kena is an exciting new IP that takes the cinematic animations of Amber Labs' previous projects and brings them to an original adventure.
  23. kinzZ
    Oct 2, 2021
    10
    Its a wonderful game with fantastic gameplay, visuals, music, and writing. Highly recommended.
  24. Raulillo
    Apr 25, 2022
    10
    Llevaba tiempo queriendo jugar a algún juego de esos que cuando los acabas te dejan con la sensación de que te va a costar encontrar un juego mejor. Kena Bridge of Spirits es uno de esos.
  25. Odisra
    Jan 5, 2022
    9
    Highly advise playing it! Had a blast from start to finish and was blown away by art style, combat, voice acting and the story is neat too.
  26. RnL
    Apr 12, 2022
    9
    Pleasant experience, great for back seat gaming too. The graphics makes the game feel more like a movie than a video game!
  27. Jaszczomp
    Nov 28, 2021
    8
    Pros:
    Beautiful graphics wrapped around great fairytale. Magical forest world gives chills, reminds me of "Ori and the blind forest", but in 3D. Simple yet great story; challenging but not annoying bosses; music building awesome atmosphere.
    What I loved is that your abilities or ways to explore world are being uncovered to you gradually as you progress with the story, so you don't get    Pros:
    Beautiful graphics wrapped around great fairytale. Magical forest world gives chills, reminds me of "Ori and the blind forest", but in 3D. Simple yet great story; challenging but not annoying bosses; music building awesome atmosphere.
    What I loved is that your abilities or ways to explore world are being uncovered to you gradually as you progress with the story, so you don't get bored with them. Fingers crossed for the dev team to build more similar, but bigger games.

    Cons:
    Still feels that there is some unused potential.

    - I would appreciate more challenging jumping, non-boss levels (a lot of potential to create levels with for example lava, underwater, snow)
    - length - it's really short for this price. Around 10 hours is not good enough for me for that much money.
    - lack of save synchronisation - I started playing on Geforce Now and couldn't continue locally - had to finish it on geforce now.

    I really, REALLY recommend this game - but when it gets a little cheaper.    … Expand
  28. LironesAlviento
    Sep 26, 2021
    8
    Un muy buen juego, bonito a mas no poder, con unas mecanicas muy divertidas y una historia entretenida aunque algo infantil para mi gusto.
  29. Darkvortex
    Oct 3, 2021
    8
    Amazing game very well done Ember Labs and to top it off this is their first game? Top tier soundtrack and gameplay that takes inspiration from the Souls series as well as Pikmin and Zelda whats not to love here. I will be watching Ember Lab's career with great interest
  30. ErayTellezi
    Sep 28, 2021
    8
    Ori 3D

    Yozlaşan, çürüyen orman teması, orman ruhu muhabbeti oyunlarda çok sık rastladığımız bir şey. Divinity Original Sin'de vardı, Ori'de zaten var. Miyazaki filmlerinde çok görürüz. Japon mitolojisinde böyle bir şey var galiba. Oyuna geçersek Ori'nin üç boyutlusu gibi olmuş. Tema benzer, amaç benzer, geçtiği ortam neredeyse aynı. Çiçeğe ok atıp kendini çekme aynı. Tabii bunlar    Ori 3D

    Yozlaşan, çürüyen orman teması, orman ruhu muhabbeti oyunlarda çok sık rastladığımız bir şey. Divinity Original Sin'de vardı, Ori'de zaten var. Miyazaki filmlerinde çok görürüz. Japon mitolojisinde böyle bir şey var galiba.

    Oyuna geçersek Ori'nin üç boyutlusu gibi olmuş. Tema benzer, amaç benzer, geçtiği ortam neredeyse aynı. Çiçeğe ok atıp kendini çekme aynı. Tabii bunlar problem değil. Oynanışı basit, skill sistemi basit, combat basit. Bunlar da kötü değil. Daha önce gördüğünüz ama bazı skilleriniz olmadığı için geçemediğiniz yerleri sonradan geçebilmek hafif metroidvania havası vermiş. Bu açıdan harita dizaynı başarılı.

    Oyunun açık dünyası boş. Arada bir iki sandık falan var ama onun dışında yaşayan hiçbir şey yok. Ortasından sonra her köşeye bakmayı bıraktım ve direkt hikayeye odaklandım. Hikaye de öyle aman aman değil zaten, sıkmıyor ama merak da uyandırmıyor.

    Oyunun en öne çıkan özelliği boss savaşları. Combatlar ne kadar basit olsa da boss dışindaki düşmanlar ne kadar kendini tekrar etse de boss savaşlarının çoğu zorlayıcıydı. Normal zorluk seviyesinde oynamama rağmen 10-15 defa öldüğüm boss'lar oldu. Ama ben kolsuzum, pek ölçüt sayılmam. Boss'lar çeşitliydi, zorluk seviyesi de tam kıvamındaydı. Ne kolay, ne de Souls oyunları gibi pes ettirecek düzeyde.

    Bulmacalar ortalama, bir iki kez youtube'a baktım ama bu tamamen benim üşengeçliğim ve körlüğüm yüzünden. Normal bir insanı zorlamaz.

    Grafikler iyi ama ben bu tarz şirin gözükmeye çalışan görselliği sevmiyorum. Büyük gözler falan pek bana göre değil. Ufaklıkları her bulduğumuzda çıkan animasyon sinir bozcuydu. Bazı fight'larından 30 saniye önce çözdüğüm bulmacayı her öldüğümde tekrar çözdürmesi salakçaydı.

    Sonuçta gerek süresi gerek de oynanışı ile tadımlık bir oyun olmuş.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

35
#35 Best PC Game of 2021
27
#27 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. Gamersky
    Dec 2, 2021
    87
    The strongest feeling I got from Kena: Bridge of Spirits is that it is "eclectic". It extracts the folk culture and religious culture, and then injects them into the Disney-like art style, creating a wonderful chemical reaction that is shocking enough.
    Read full review
  2. GameSpace
    Oct 4, 2021
    90
    From the very first moment till the very end of your journey, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a heart-warming experience and a real pleasure between the visuals, puzzles and combat. Atmospheric music, beautiful lively graphics, believable heroes and cute little Rots - each little element is woven into the amazing whole that is the gaming experience provided by Kena.
    Read full review
  3. Ragequit.gr
    Sep 29, 2021
    86
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is "to the point": visually it's a feast for the eyes and with an interesting percussion-based musical score. It's fun, thoughtful, made with care and inspiration, even if it doesn't offer anything original in its individual areas. Especially considering that this is Ember Lab's first effort, the future is bright, and we can already imagine an even better sequel.
    Read full review
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