- Publisher: Emberlab
- Release Date: Sep 21, 2021
- Also On: Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
-
PLAYOct 17, 2021A sprout that hasn’t quite managed to bloom. With expressive animation and beautiful art 7 direction there’s lots to enjoy, but gameplay languishes in the shade. [Issue#7, p.80]
-
Sep 30, 2021Whether you demand more than comfort from your games will inform the way you see Kena: Bridge of Spirits; is it merely a graphically sumptuous example of design that you wish we would leave behind, or is it a vivifying tribute to a rich precursor legacy?
-
Sep 23, 2021Kena: Bridge of Spirit’s exceptional visuals clash with its unexceptional gameplay to create a gorgeous experience that would be forgettable if not for its technical prowess. Its combat, puzzles, and platforming are enjoyable but fail to set the world alight, though the adventure is elevated by the beauty of its open world and its highly animated characters.
-
Sep 22, 2021Kena: Bridge of Spirits takes us on a whimsical tale that’s both predictable and familiar, but also something brand new with the way that it’s presented. Between the the back and forth moments of polish and unpolished gameplay lays an absolute gem of a game.
-
Sep 21, 2021Despite borrowing from all manner of modern hits, Kena: Bridge of Spirits just about stands on its own. The wonderful visuals and music leave a strong impression, while the gameplay is simple but enjoyable. If its story went beyond the expected, and one or two small issues were scrubbed away, this would be a real winner. As it is, this is a solid action platformer with lots of personality, and a strong debut from Ember Lab.
-
Edge MagazineOct 7, 2021It is pleasantly diverting, the kind of game it's easy to gobble up in a couple of long sittings - but equally there's little to really stir the blood. It may have gorgeous particle effects in abundance, but what it's really missing is a spark. [Issue#364, p.110]
-
Oct 6, 2021A good first attempt by a studio that has only worked on animation, but not enough substance in the gameplay to keep you hooked to the very end.
-
Sep 28, 2021For better and worse, the game lacks for the trailblazing go-anywhere spirit of Breath of the Wild.
-
Sep 24, 2021As a debut game, Kena: Bridge Of Spirits excels with its cinematic visuals and polished gameplay that feels like a calling card for Ember Lab to be acquired by Sony if it was to revive its colourful mascot action-adventure platformers of old. However, it’s lacking its own personality and ideas while its lacklustre story means your feelings and memories of it will quickly move into the next world the moment you’re done with it.
-
Sep 23, 2021Highly impressive on a technical level but the throwbacks to PS2 era game design feel less like a homage and more an indication of the developers’ lack of experience and imagination.
-
Sep 22, 2021Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a completely inoffensive, if somewhat bland adventure that will mildly entertain for the duration of its runtime, but won’t live long in the memory.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
-
Sep 24, 2021It intelligently mixes flashes of action, adventure and platforming. Everything fits together perfectly thanks to a level design and a game structure that does not tire, because it knows how to give variety and style. [Recommended]
-
Sep 20, 2021To me, Kena: Bridge of Spirits very much has first game syndrome - something with all the right ideas, weakened by their execution. If it does well - and given the fever with which it's been followed leading up to its release, I expect it will - it'll be because we often value AAA looks and mechanics more highly than attempts at innovation. I'm sure with this foundation Ember Lab has a great game in it, but this isn't it just yet.
-
Sep 20, 2021You can tell you're going to like Kena's visuals just by watching a trailer, but its combat also stands out. [Review in Progress]
-
Sep 24, 2021As a story, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a warning about grief and the damage it can do to ourselves, our loved ones and the world around us. It’s a message about letting go and respecting the need for change, something I’m deeply keen to see from Ember Lab. Kena shows enough promise and reverence for some of the biggest third-person games. But what will be truly special is when the studio moves past that to craft more of their own identity. The studio has an abundance of promise and talent. The fascinating part is which publisher will channel that first.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 1,034 out of 1291
-
Mixed: 162 out of 1291
-
Negative: 95 out of 1291
-
Sep 22, 2021
-
Sep 22, 2021Pretty amazing first effort from a new team... Kudos, from a lover of Zelda-type games and all things cute.
-
Sep 23, 2021