Kena: Bridge of Spirits

 PlayStation 5
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1291 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,034 out of 1291
  2. Mixed: 162 out of 1291
  3. Negative: 95 out of 1291

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  1. Balzari
    Feb 24, 2022
    9
    Visuals: 8 - Audio: 9 - Fun: 9 - Longevity: 8 - Engagement: 8 - Overall Score: 9
    It's hard to believe that this is 'Ember Lab's' first game as it is really, really good.
    'Kena' looks, sounds and feels like a cross between a 'Pixar' and 'Studio Gibli' film. Combat is like a watered down 'Dark Souls' with some bosses and enemy encounters (especially near the end) requiring a steep    Visuals: 8 - Audio: 9 - Fun: 9 - Longevity: 8 - Engagement: 8 - Overall Score: 9
    It's hard to believe that this is 'Ember Lab's' first game as it is really, really good.
    'Kena' looks, sounds and feels like a cross between a 'Pixar' and 'Studio Gibli' film.
    Combat is like a watered down 'Dark Souls' with some bosses and enemy encounters (especially near the end) requiring a steep learning curve.
    Gameplay and exploration is a mix of 'Sekiro' and 'Zelda: Breathe of the Wild' with plenty to discover and collect in its beautiful world.
    The story is simple yet engrossing and I found myself caring about the characters in the game.
    If I had to nitpick then I would say that during combat the default camera and enemy lock-on could be refined but there are enough tweaks available in the gameplay settings for you accomodate for this.
    I highly recommend 'Kena: Bridge of Spirits' and really look forward to 'Ember Lab's' next game.    … Expand
  2. pretobr
    Feb 23, 2022
    9
    Um excelente jogo, uma boa historia, e uma jogabilidade boa(poderia melhorar), e "boss" bem difficiles até.
    Mas super recomendo,
  3. IIIAHMIII
    Feb 23, 2022
    9
    There is so much to love in this game, the graphics are top tear, the music is lovely, a good story, great bossfights. Only thing i did not like was the parry system which felt off and unfair. Master mode is one of the hardest challenges i have faced but was really rewarding when getting the platinum.
  4. Bodipo86
    Feb 21, 2022
    6
    Creo que kena es un buen juego. Creo que no es notable ya que en lo personal me ha parecido un juego un tanto aburrido en sus combates, exceptuando quizás el último Boss que realmente destacaba con respecto a los otros. Un juego entretenido con puzzles sencillos pero funcionales y una historia que guía bien al juego en sus mecánicas. Pero su punto fuerte es a nivel artístico y visual, queCreo que kena es un buen juego. Creo que no es notable ya que en lo personal me ha parecido un juego un tanto aburrido en sus combates, exceptuando quizás el último Boss que realmente destacaba con respecto a los otros. Un juego entretenido con puzzles sencillos pero funcionales y una historia que guía bien al juego en sus mecánicas. Pero su punto fuerte es a nivel artístico y visual, que sencillamente es excepcional. En resumen un juego audiovisualmente muy vistoso pero con una jugabulidad que no es nada del otro mundo.… Expand
  5. Pascal1602
    Feb 20, 2022
    9
    Lovely game! Recommend it to anyone who enjoys 3rd person adventure games. Gameplay feels really good and the game just looks beautiful. Story is rather weak especially after a good beginning. But that‘s pretty much my only complaint.
  6. Chain_Affinity
    Feb 19, 2022
    0
    Kinda overrated............................................................
  7. tsznx
    Feb 18, 2022
    7
    The game is good, very interesting at the beginning, but it gets very repetitive after some time. Nice look, but lack of NPCs. The world looks very empty. And I have to say, some bosses are too hard compared to all the rest of the game. I haven't finished the game yet, but seriously considering to stop playing.
  8. Luna-Charlie
    Feb 15, 2022
    10
    I didn‘t have high expectations. But Kena is worth every minute. It’s beautiful, it has a great gameplay loop with exploring, fighting, climbing, jumping, Puzzle and Story. It doesn‘t reinvent the Wheel, but all Game Features are solid, smooth and so much fun to Play! I had a Great Time with Kena! Great Work Ember Lab! Give us More!!
  9. DmitryV
    Feb 13, 2022
    7
    Игра классная , но есть местами просевы на пс5. и сложность очень странная
  10. MarcusYami
    Feb 13, 2022
    9
    Great game, the bosses are quite difficult but not impossible, just the perfect amount of challenge, the world and the story us beautiful. I have enjoyed this game a lot and would recommend it to everybody!
  11. 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
  12. Asti157
    Feb 11, 2022
    10
    Piękna gra !
    Mega dobrze poprowadzona opowieść.
    Polecam każdemu zagrać 10/10
  13. TheVezyrQ
    Feb 8, 2022
    8
    This game is beauty. Not so long but it's enough to have fun. Animation is cool! Story is great.
  14. dsrs1994
    Feb 6, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Maravilloso, entretenido, muchos BOSS y bastante dificultad si lo deseas, un diseño muy bonito, espero en el futuro una secuela.… Expand
  15. poopydan
    Feb 2, 2022
    6
    Totally overrated. The combat system is extremely basic. It can be ridiculously challenging even on the lowest difficulty settings (no idea how a child would enjoy it). Of course, it is undeniably cute and all that. Overall, not worth it.
  16. PlayerNicely
    Jan 30, 2022
    10
    This game really amazed me. I knew that it was the first game from these developers and had pretty high expectations. I'm happy this game didn't disappoint me. Firstly, I thought the story will be similar to different Disney princesses, but then I realized that the story is much more serious and mature and cute animation and creatures are the trap for beginners. Only finishing the gameThis game really amazed me. I knew that it was the first game from these developers and had pretty high expectations. I'm happy this game didn't disappoint me. Firstly, I thought the story will be similar to different Disney princesses, but then I realized that the story is much more serious and mature and cute animation and creatures are the trap for beginners. Only finishing the game completely, you see how amazing and great story developers could tell, I didn't like that the story wasn't too huge, as I really didn't want to finish it so soon.… Expand
  17. Tonykov
    Jan 29, 2022
    6
    A Zelda game with Dark Souls level of difficulty bosses. An example of mixing two concepts and ending with a result worse than the sum of its parts. Frustrating final bosses destroy the overall positive perception of the game.
  18. tracyjnsn
    Jan 28, 2022
    7
    This is important for every buyer to know that this game, similarly following other sony titles has incorporated LGBT elements. This time, into a game also aimed at children. There is a lesbian couple on which a subplot is heavily based upon and it is described heavilty through cutscenes about how much affection both have for each other. I believe this is definitely not suitable forThis is important for every buyer to know that this game, similarly following other sony titles has incorporated LGBT elements. This time, into a game also aimed at children. There is a lesbian couple on which a subplot is heavily based upon and it is described heavilty through cutscenes about how much affection both have for each other. I believe this is definitely not suitable for children as children are too young and innocent to be exposed to such topics and understand them, better for them to discover it on their own as they reach adulthood rather then play with their mind and indirectly fill them with lgbt things. This game should have Teen rating.… Expand
  19. dualprop
    Jan 28, 2022
    1
    The boss fights in this game are absolute garbage and completley ruin the game. Controls are janky and imprecise, boss hitboxes are exakt but bosses use alot of homing abilities, character has a **** huge hitbox when attacked by bosses and the iframes of dodge are too random and imprecise to learn them. Boss attacks are also very random, you can try a boss 10 times but on the 11th try itThe boss fights in this game are absolute garbage and completley ruin the game. Controls are janky and imprecise, boss hitboxes are exakt but bosses use alot of homing abilities, character has a **** huge hitbox when attacked by bosses and the iframes of dodge are too random and imprecise to learn them. Boss attacks are also very random, you can try a boss 10 times but on the 11th try it will pull a combo out of nowhere that just completely wrecks you.… Expand
  20. b_escobar
    Jan 25, 2022
    10
    My gosh, this game is absolutely amazing! When I first began playing it, I had the same feelings as when I first played Jak and Daxter on the PS2 with the vibrant colors, whacky characters, and simple move set. It’s a very cute story and world. The visuals are beautiful. All this may give the sense that it’s an easy game, but that is far from the truth. I’m playing it on expert (second toMy gosh, this game is absolutely amazing! When I first began playing it, I had the same feelings as when I first played Jak and Daxter on the PS2 with the vibrant colors, whacky characters, and simple move set. It’s a very cute story and world. The visuals are beautiful. All this may give the sense that it’s an easy game, but that is far from the truth. I’m playing it on expert (second to last difficulty) and some of the fights are hard and frustrating (in a good way). Honestly, the combat reminds me very much of the Soul’s games where I’m constantly rolling to avoid enemy attacks. I also like that the game uses the PS5 remote’s adaptive trigger. Overall, it’s a great game and I would definitely recommend to play.… Expand
  21. DragonMan85
    Jan 25, 2022
    9
    Playing on Master gave me a near Dark Souls challenge with the bosses. I found all bosses to be well crafted with great mechanics. The story had a spiritual charm to it, and the art style constantly had me thinking Disney + Studio Ghibli = Kena. Hope they make a sequel.
  22. doncsoo
    Jan 24, 2022
    10
    Beautiful game which is simple, but so unbelievably fun.

    Pros: - Amazing graphics, expressive animations - Simple, fluid, easy-to-master battle system - DualSense controls - Epic, well-crafted soundtrack - I love the Rot (i called them friends, while I played the game :D) Slight cons: - Kena backstory could have been more fleshed out - Difficulty spikes, which were odd at    Beautiful game which is simple, but so unbelievably fun.

    Pros:
    - Amazing graphics, expressive animations
    - Simple, fluid, easy-to-master battle system
    - DualSense controls
    - Epic, well-crafted soundtrack
    - I love the Rot (i called them friends, while I played the game :D)

    Slight cons:
    - Kena backstory could have been more fleshed out
    - Difficulty spikes, which were odd at certain times

    A must-have, for the current price they're asking for it, it's a steal. One of the best in 2021.    … Expand
  23. Manne03
    Jan 21, 2022
    8
    really intriguing story, it needs to be analyzed a little to fully understand, even a little of the past of kena, which I would like to discover more in depth, very difficult combat even at the level of guiding spirit, this difficulty in my opinion is given by the camera perhaps a little 'too slow, and from the enemies that it is not easy to guess the moment of the attack. kudos to thisreally intriguing story, it needs to be analyzed a little to fully understand, even a little of the past of kena, which I would like to discover more in depth, very difficult combat even at the level of guiding spirit, this difficulty in my opinion is given by the camera perhaps a little 'too slow, and from the enemies that it is not easy to guess the moment of the attack. kudos to this team for coming up with a really nice game, especially the cinematic parts, just perfect… Expand
  24. lazars
    Jan 19, 2022
    9
    A strong 9 from me. Beautiful story and graphics I really enjoyed it. Combat got very interesting as the story progressed. The only reason it isn't a 10 for me is that currency isn't all that interesting to collect so sometimes I would get annoyed when a reward for something is that. Also since there isn't a lot of Kena's backstory there is room for an interesting sequel that can upgradeA strong 9 from me. Beautiful story and graphics I really enjoyed it. Combat got very interesting as the story progressed. The only reason it isn't a 10 for me is that currency isn't all that interesting to collect so sometimes I would get annoyed when a reward for something is that. Also since there isn't a lot of Kena's backstory there is room for an interesting sequel that can upgrade on this one so if there is a plan for that I'm all in!… Expand
  25. Javimartin_drum
    Jan 18, 2022
    6
    I must admit I was expecting more from this game after all the good reviews, and it´s decent game, specially it´s beautiful game, one of te most spectacular in this aspect that I have ever played, but the combat, the story, etc were a little boring to me, I ended up the game running from one place to another in order to finish it as soon as possible...
  26. ghosttoyou
    Jan 17, 2022
    7
    Сначала игра была на 8-9 ,под середину игры пиздец как надоело однобразные бои и враги , и любые другие мувы в этой игре, конец так вообще душный очень
  27. Akma
    Jan 16, 2022
    4
    This is overrated indie game. This being so overly hyped makes me even thing PS5 game collection is currently terrible... Had bit of fun but meh after an hour.
  28. Rixam
    Jan 13, 2022
    8
    There is much to love with this game. The graphics are sweet, Rot creatures are super cute, music is beautiful and there is plenty of things to find and discover. I felt like the length of the game was perfect. Not too long, not too short. New mechanics are also introduced at a nice pace.

    On a personal level the storytelling is a bit too disconnected to keep me tightly hooked. The    There is much to love with this game. The graphics are sweet, Rot creatures are super cute, music is beautiful and there is plenty of things to find and discover. I felt like the length of the game was perfect. Not too long, not too short. New mechanics are also introduced at a nice pace.

    On a personal level the storytelling is a bit too disconnected to keep me tightly hooked. The gameplay, although for the most part very fun and clever, is occasionally too unforgiving for my liking. My wife noted that on many occasions I was saying "This is not fun" out loud even after switching difficulty level to Story Mode. I usually play games on normal difficulty and I felt like the options were either too unforgiving or too easy.

    Still overall I think the game was a very nice experience and I'm really glad I played it. The shortcomings taxed the experience for me but I can definitely recommend the game to anyone. Especially if you are into more unforgiving and precise games.    … Expand
  29. Oxfordjon
    Jan 9, 2022
    5
    Great graphics but the game is totally hampered by mediocre gameplay and boring, uninventive puzzles and quests that amount to “find x of these”
  30. srinu634
    Jan 6, 2022
    8
    Great game and amazing graphics. The gameplay is a bit repetitive though. Cannot complain at all given it's the first game for the studio. Ember lab, you did a phenomenal job. You people are awesome!
  31. Glaoc
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    Simply fantastic.
    The story is short-ish but gripping, you become emotionally attached to the characters which makes a great game.
    The hardest difficulty made a few bits challenging but never unfair, every death is your own fault. The upgrade tree is quite simple, I'd have liked to be able to tailor a few more skills to a specific build (for example more melee focused, more ranged    Simply fantastic.
    The story is short-ish but gripping, you become emotionally attached to the characters which makes a great game.

    The hardest difficulty made a few bits challenging but never unfair, every death is your own fault. The upgrade tree is quite simple, I'd have liked to be able to tailor a few more skills to a specific build (for example more melee focused, more ranged focused).

    Visually the environment is beautiful, and whilst the combat is quite simple/limited, it never felt boring or repetitive in combat. I picked this up on sale for £22 and would reccomend it even at full price (and thats saying something with the price of digital games these days). It's £35 usually but even at £40 I'd reccomend.

    It took me 11 hours to complete on the hardest difficulty (not including master difficulty which is unlocked for ng+) - but I took my time, explored the environment etc this could probably be completed in 7 hours if you wanted to rush it.    … Expand
  32. virtualvince
    Jan 3, 2022
    9
    Considering this is the team's first effort, what a stunner. The game is also deceivingly challenging for what at first glance looks like could be a Disney Pixar game aimed at your younger sibling, niece/nephew, child etc. If played on the harder modes (expert, and then later master upon finishing the game) this thing is a worthwhile endeavour. Enemies, and especially bosses all haveConsidering this is the team's first effort, what a stunner. The game is also deceivingly challenging for what at first glance looks like could be a Disney Pixar game aimed at your younger sibling, niece/nephew, child etc. If played on the harder modes (expert, and then later master upon finishing the game) this thing is a worthwhile endeavour. Enemies, and especially bosses all have move sets to learn to defend from, parry timing to master, and weaknesses to find and exploit. Sound familiar? Indeed some have compared the game to Soulsborne games, and I can see where it comes from, even though the game itself is broadly nothing like those games, the concept of mastering the bosses, failing and re-trying is very much in that vein, even if this is where similarities end.

    Visually speaking the game is lovely on PS5, even if the textures have been turned down versus its PC counter part which has options for higher quality, but in motion and practise it's not something you care about for more than a moment. The animations are cute for the most part, and generally impressive especially the aforementioned bosses, which are fairly plentiful and varied, with some particularly cool ones scattered through the whole game, not just at the end etc. The music and sound are excellent. As always best heard on a surround sound set up or 3D headphones.

    The skill tree is fairly basic compared to other bigger games of this vein but it's also one of the game's strengths, as this one is pared back to one of those older classic games you may have played on a PS2 or earlier, and lasts 10-12 hours in terms of main story. There's also no side questing to be done here, though you have various challenges and collectibles to pursue. And the story itself is well done and not too bloated. A well deserved 9 and a decent platinum pursuit as well, as encourages you to learn to the skill tree and consider different approaches to enemies, mostly in master mode.

    Definitely a decent palette cleanser for someone looking for a shorter, but still challenging game to platinum after a longer more drawn out game perhaps.    … Expand
  33. Cupcake214
    Jan 3, 2022
    10
    The graphics are beautiful and will age wonderfully. There is a large world to explore with lots to find and collect. Combat is challenging on hard mode and borrows elements from souls-like games.

    Story could be clearer and more emotionally hard hitting, standing/walking animation of the character could be improved to be on par with the other character animations. You’re missing out    The graphics are beautiful and will age wonderfully. There is a large world to explore with lots to find and collect. Combat is challenging on hard mode and borrows elements from souls-like games.

    Story could be clearer and more emotionally hard hitting, standing/walking animation of the character could be improved to be on par with the other character animations.

    You’re missing out if you don’t play this gem. Well worth 23 quid.    … Expand
  34. Guados
    Jan 1, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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  35. Dudeface
    Jan 1, 2022
    10
    Great game that I want expecting to enjoy so much. I couldn't put it down. The combat is fluid and as a souls fan I was impressed. The bosses can be quite tricky but they have weaknesses to find out.
  36. Akahdrin
    Jan 1, 2022
    9
    I am pretty convinced that people exepect every game to be flawless or it can't be fun.

    The gameplay is fun. My 9 year old son loves it to pieces. I enjoy playing it as a 41 year old man.

    Combat isn't overly hard, exploration is enoyable, the story is simple yet cute. The 0 star reviews do not know what a zero star game is.
  37. Robertinho123
    Dec 29, 2021
    9
    This game is absolutely gorgeous, the art direction is phenomenal. It's the first actual 'Next-Gen' experience, it uses the rumble and the triggers very well, everything loads extremely fast and the water effects are mindblowing.

    Added to that, it's also fun and challenging with a great story. You'll become emotionally invested in Kena's beautiful story. The gameplay is unexpectedly    This game is absolutely gorgeous, the art direction is phenomenal. It's the first actual 'Next-Gen' experience, it uses the rumble and the triggers very well, everything loads extremely fast and the water effects are mindblowing.

    Added to that, it's also fun and challenging with a great story. You'll become emotionally invested in Kena's beautiful story. The gameplay is unexpectedly challenging, there were many of deaths, and only on of them (I got hit by an enemy AFTER knocking the main boss out) felt unfair. It's genuinely rewarding to figure out the bosses and get the best of them.

    The only reason it's not a 10, is because there were a few glitches (one of the bosses disappeared during the fight for example) and sometimes it's a bit confusing where to go. If it wasn't for those issues, this would've been a straight 10.    … Expand
  38. TheVitruvianMan
    Dec 28, 2021
    9
    Kena was a fun, charming, and surprisingly difficult at parts. Traversal and combat start out a bit basic, but they gradually become more dynamic as the game progresses. Kena is a very notable first project by Ember Labs and I eagerly await their next project.
  39. Darkula666
    Dec 27, 2021
    8
    Good indie game, beautiful graphics and fun gameplay, cool abilities. The only thing I didn’t like was the story and empty characters, I just didn’t care about it at all. Definitely glad I bought it and played it
  40. Derwake
    Dec 25, 2021
    10
    Amazing game anyone will enjoy! The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is fun, and the story is so good. It’s about the emotional times of “moving on” and death, but it does it in a beautiful way. All those aspects combine to a true gem and borderline masterpiece. This game will go down as one of the best indie games ever created and I know it will have a cult following…it’s that good.Amazing game anyone will enjoy! The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is fun, and the story is so good. It’s about the emotional times of “moving on” and death, but it does it in a beautiful way. All those aspects combine to a true gem and borderline masterpiece. This game will go down as one of the best indie games ever created and I know it will have a cult following…it’s that good. Just buy it. The rot are too cute btw. Very very happy with this game and you will be, too!… Expand
  41. Lnx
    Dec 24, 2021
    4
    A cute yet boring graphical showcase.

    The game starts out strong thanks to its visuals, pretty light effects and particles with an amazing amount of foliage all running at a silky smooth 60 FPSs, you will be able to find out later that the detail is lost at certain distances, but aside from a few hidden spots, the game looks always amazing. Unfortunately, right after you start the game    A cute yet boring graphical showcase.

    The game starts out strong thanks to its visuals, pretty light effects and particles with an amazing amount of foliage all running at a silky smooth 60 FPSs, you will be able to find out later that the detail is lost at certain distances, but aside from a few hidden spots, the game looks always amazing. Unfortunately, right after you start the game you will be tasked with collecting things, and that's most of the game.
    Even thought the game has a simple yet fun combat system, which ends up evolving the more you progress through the game, most of the game itself is based on collecting things, collectibles, collectibles everywhere, do they have a purpose? Yes, yes they do, but is it worth it spending so much time for them? No.

    The story is... alright, but the actual "quests" themselves make it very boring, the usual "I am the protagonist who needs to reach place X, but in order to do so I need to help person Y, which needs to help person Z, which needs me to collect 3 artefacts, which requires solving other side quests, puzzles and simple yet boring and repetitive platforming".
    The platforming is easy, but manages to become annoying due to the huge amount of wasted time that you have to go through in case you make one small mistake.

    Lots and lots of walking around without really doing anything, except for looking for collectibles.
    The boss fights are mostly fun and interesting, same goes for fights in general, however they should have added more of those, and less walking around and collecting things, or solving simple yet boring puzzles, or simple yet boring platforming. Add more combat, add more fun.

    Another complaint is about the checkpoints, could have been made better. For example there is a point in the game in which you will need to move an object which will stay in place for X amount of seconds, then you will have to jump on it, reach the other side, activate another thing, go back, do it again on the other side, go back again. Now you will have to fight some enemies and win, now, in case you die what happens? Do you restart the fight right away? Nope, because you need to re do all the jumping around, why? I don't know, to waste your time on the boring part of the game instead of the fun one.

    Don't get me wrong, platforming is not necessarily bad, but when it involves too much waiting, it uses the same gimmick over and over again and it punishes with more waiting once you make one mistake, it starts to become less interesting.

    Another side note, moving the character is a bit awkward at first and sometimes the animation for walking to standing still skips entirely, this happens if you go from running to walking to standing still instead of running to standing still. So essentially, if you push your stick to the limit to run, and then slowly move it to the center instead of releasing it, the character will completely skip any animation and just change posture, a bit weird and kinda annoying considering how well the other animations have been made.
    Also the character itself is not very responsive when walking, it's not as slow as RDR2, but it's a bit slower than what you might except, movement in general may seem a bit awkward at first but you get used to it after not too long.

    Overall what could have been a decent game if it wasn't ruined by boring mechanics such as walking around the same place for too long, collecting things, and gimmicks recycled a bit too often. Could have been a good game if it had less of that and more of the actually fun combat. Simply add more enemies or shorten the game by cutting out useless things. But they probably needed the game to last a bit longer.
    You can pass on this, watching it on your PS5 might be slightly better than watching it on youtube, but you're not really missing out on anything too special when it comes to actually playing it.    … Expand
  42. Chiyou
    Dec 23, 2021
    9
    I went into this game not expecting it to be nearly as polished as it was. It could use some tweaks, the gameplay can be quite frustrating even on "normal" difficulty it demands a lot from you and explains very little in way of combat. That's a blessing and a curse as I think it might scare a lot of players away from an otherwise really fun game but it also makes it all the more rewardingI went into this game not expecting it to be nearly as polished as it was. It could use some tweaks, the gameplay can be quite frustrating even on "normal" difficulty it demands a lot from you and explains very little in way of combat. That's a blessing and a curse as I think it might scare a lot of players away from an otherwise really fun game but it also makes it all the more rewarding for getting past these bosses. Checkpoints can be frustrating, the dodge and parry I never got used to and I think I might have maxed out my expletives this year with Kena and Dread. For a new developer (of video games, they've worked in commercials and other forms of media) I am blown away and wish I played this much sooner than I did. Incredible work and I really hope Ember Lab can make a franchise out of Kena.… Expand
  43. mmarkk3
    Dec 20, 2021
    8
    Kena surprised me a lot! This a beautiful action-adventure game, with a surprisingly challenging combat, that can be quite frustrating at times. Besides that, it also features a heart warming story that will keep your interest. Developer, Ember Labs, has displayed great potential with their first ever videogame!
  44. Scty
    Dec 19, 2021
    5
    I found this game boring, formulaic, repetitive, with little meaningful character or skill progression. This is the only game I’ve bought that I had to push myself to find motivation to actually complete it. Having said that, it is a very beautiful game and the animators and sound designers are doing literally all of the heavy lifting.
  45. dajaco
    Dec 17, 2021
    10
    The most 'magical' game that I have played in a very long time. I speak as a very jaded gamer that plays a lot of different genres across all platforms - this brought back nostalgia for early Zelda games. It feels like a cross between Zelda, Starfox Adventures, Pikmin and a Pixar Movie. The music and atmosphere really make the game - as do moments where there is dramatic use of the dynamicThe most 'magical' game that I have played in a very long time. I speak as a very jaded gamer that plays a lot of different genres across all platforms - this brought back nostalgia for early Zelda games. It feels like a cross between Zelda, Starfox Adventures, Pikmin and a Pixar Movie. The music and atmosphere really make the game - as do moments where there is dramatic use of the dynamic lighting system. I thought the story was nicely balanced between a zelda-like 'blank slate main character' - while giving enough personal clues and hints to keep you interested. The gameplay is slick and fluid (especially in the upscaled 4k performance mode), and rewards well timed attacks and parrys - also particulalry like the bow and associated slow motion jump and grapple mechanics. It is seriously impressive what such a small team has achieved. I much prefer a short intense experience at a reasonable price - to a long drawn out open world with lots of meaningless filler. I really hope they make a next-gen only sequel that pushes the limits of the platforms even further.

    If I had any constructive criticism to give - it would be for it to have harder more complex puzzles, deeper combat and some optional exposition delivery (i.e. texts, sound clips, flashbacks etc.) However I think most of the criticism levied here is undue - this game is has a clear focus on the things it excels at - world building, cinematics, music, atmosphere, charm, immersive gameplay.

    Refreshing.    … Expand
  46. MarleyW
    Dec 16, 2021
    9
    Amazing looking game like a playable pixar movie. Good puzzles, story, and combat too
  47. iMustang
    Dec 13, 2021
    7
    Kena Bridge of Spirits is the first from a studio who's stellar animation abilities led to a viral video many years ago, and now they've moved on to game design. Their first game can either be classified as a masterpiece or something that's just okay depending on which camp you fall in, and if you feel like reading on, I can tell you which camp you may be in.

    To get the objective    Kena Bridge of Spirits is the first from a studio who's stellar animation abilities led to a viral video many years ago, and now they've moved on to game design. Their first game can either be classified as a masterpiece or something that's just okay depending on which camp you fall in, and if you feel like reading on, I can tell you which camp you may be in.

    To get the objective positives out of the way, this game is absolutely beautiful. The Pixar level visuals during cutscenes are amazing and even as you explore the gorgeous world you're constantly stunned by the level of effort the creators put into this title. Every area has secrets to find, things to collect, and adorable creatures called Rot you find along the way. The music is an even greater highly with tracks that vibe with your very soul itself and are filled with emotion and feelings. While the story is not great, it's not terrible either, though it leaves many unanswered questions about Kena herself (which can be forgiven if they intend on a sequel). This game could be enjoyed just as much being watched as being played, and I rarely say that.

    The more divisive area of this game comes down to it's gameplay, or perhaps it's more accurate to say it's game design. The exploration and puzzle-platforming of the beautiful mountain range is fine, but the boss battles are quite problematic. While the first handful of bosses feel like something from Zelda, near the halfway point of the game they become closer to the bosses from the Souls games incorporating elements of both puzzles and brutality. Each boss becomes harder than the boss you faced before without your character becoming much stronger, and eventually playing on normal mode feels closer to hard mode. You can change your difficulty to easy mode at any time to make up for this, but then the game feels too easy. There really is no good way to set the difficult for a standardized experience, and I do think the developers could have thought this through a bit better. Given that this is their first game, I don't believe they properly scaled for progression since the difficulty spike dips so greatly. If you're a bigger fan of balanced experiences, this could potentially break the entire game for you, but likewise if grueling boss battles make a game great for you, then look no further.

    Overall this was not an experience I regretted, but for me personally it also was not one that blew me away. If this was a AAA game I would be much more critical, but as an indie studio's first game I must give them high marks and praise. I do hope in future titles they scale their difficulty a bit better, or at least advertise their game as a difficult experience, but for what this game is they did a decent job. In short this game is beautiful, but brutal. If you think you can take on the challenge then it's definitely worth the pickup.    … Expand
  48. Welkinz
    Dec 13, 2021
    7
    Love the graphic, art and music, really didn’t enjoy the fighting portion. It frustrates me a lot
  49. lite_lite
    Dec 12, 2021
    9
    Абсолютно потрясающая, красивая, милая и трогательная история.

    Великолепная графика, отличный душевный саундтрек, незамысловатая, но крайне приятная боевка, простой, но такой же занятный эксплоринг - всё это в совокупности складываются в действительно нечто очень запоминающееся и прекрасное. Для меня одно из самых приятных, добрых и одновременно с этим грустных приключений, а так же    Абсолютно потрясающая, красивая, милая и трогательная история.

    Великолепная графика, отличный душевный саундтрек, незамысловатая, но крайне приятная боевка, простой, но такой же занятный эксплоринг - всё это в совокупности складываются в действительно нечто очень запоминающееся и прекрасное.

    Для меня одно из самых приятных, добрых и одновременно с этим грустных приключений, а так же одно из открытий года.

    Крайне рекомендую, попадос прямо в сердечко.    … Expand
  50. gambient
    Dec 12, 2021
    10
    a letter to your childhood & all the fairy tales you ever heard,
    after all of this, I cried, I laughed & I loved.
  51. wtbrown1993
    Dec 12, 2021
    9
    A very good game with souls style boss battles and epic soundtrack.

    It's much better than the critics were letting on
  52. SebboBastian
    Dec 12, 2021
    8
    Lovely feelgood adventure. Fun fight mechanics and I love the little pikmin dudes. Good rewarding exploratiiin.
  53. stasweb
    Dec 11, 2021
    5
    Pretty good game, with good plot, awesome music, interesting puzzles and good looking graphics. Technically it's not so good.
    - on PS5 I had tons of freezes,
    - sometimes if you fall in the water the only option to get out is to load save - jumping is kinda buggy, double jump is useless, using bow while jump creates not only slow motion, but gives extra movement forward, - difficulty is    Pretty good game, with good plot, awesome music, interesting puzzles and good looking graphics. Technically it's not so good.
    - on PS5 I had tons of freezes,
    - sometimes if you fall in the water the only option to get out is to load save
    - jumping is kinda buggy, double jump is useless, using bow while jump creates not only slow motion, but gives extra movement forward,
    - difficulty is not balanced, on low it's too easy, on medium sometimes too hard    … Expand
  54. agent13
    Dec 9, 2021
    7
    kena is a great game considering that it's made by an indie studio while the animations let me a little down, the graphics and the art style is really good and satisfying, the story is ok for a game of this scale, however it could be better, and the gameplay is a good and balanced mixture of platforming, combat and puzzles almost what you expect from this genre, overall kena bridge ofkena is a great game considering that it's made by an indie studio while the animations let me a little down, the graphics and the art style is really good and satisfying, the story is ok for a game of this scale, however it could be better, and the gameplay is a good and balanced mixture of platforming, combat and puzzles almost what you expect from this genre, overall kena bridge of spirits is the best indie game of 2021 and worths buying and experiencing.… Expand
  55. Lolbi
    Dec 8, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Phenomenal Story, Music and Graphic. Anspruchsvolles Gameplay. Starke Gegner.
    Liebe zum Detail. Sollte ein DLC oder zweiter Teil kommen, wird er in jedem Fall gespielt    … Expand
  56. VTHokies1999
    Dec 7, 2021
    9
    I think this is a great game and I wish I could give it an 8.5 but I'll round up. The story was good, the graphics are amazing, and I found the combat pretty good. I think if Ember Labs could improve the combat in the next game by making it a bit more deep, more moves and growth, it could be a truely amazing game.
  57. Lord_PaiinZ19
    Dec 5, 2021
    8
    Auf dieses Spiel habe ich mich nach seiner Ankündigung besonders gefreut. Gott sei Dank kam, entgegen der ersten Meldungen, auch eine physische Version dieses Spiels raus.

    Positive Aspekte: - unverbrauchte Story mit netten Ideen - tolles Voiceacting (wenn auch leider ausschließlich Englisch) - spaßige Kampfmechaniken - wundervolle Spielwelt Negative Aspekte: - auf höheren    Auf dieses Spiel habe ich mich nach seiner Ankündigung besonders gefreut. Gott sei Dank kam, entgegen der ersten Meldungen, auch eine physische Version dieses Spiels raus.

    Positive Aspekte:
    - unverbrauchte Story mit netten Ideen
    - tolles Voiceacting (wenn auch leider ausschließlich Englisch)
    - spaßige Kampfmechaniken
    - wundervolle Spielwelt

    Negative Aspekte:
    - auf höheren Schwierigkeitsgraden stellenweise sehr schwer
    - relativ kurz
    - Erforschung der Spielwelt lohnt sich kaum

    Fazit:
    Ein Blick in das Abenteuer rund um Kena und die Rott´s lohnt sich für fast alle Altersgruppen. Ein schönes Spiel mit vielen neuen Ideen.    … Expand
  58. marvsfontanilla
    Dec 5, 2021
    8
    Story: 8
    Graphics: 8
    Sound: 9
    Gameplay: 8
    Game Time: 13 Hours (Main Story + Extra)
  59. Mister_Archy
    Dec 3, 2021
    9
    Ein sehr schönes Spiel wo alles am richtigen Platz ist. Das Spiel ist wunderschön inszeniert, sodass man das Gefühl hat in einem Pixar-Film zu sein. Aber Vorsicht, das Spiel kann auch sehr fordernd sein. Alles ist gefühlt am richtigen Platz. Auch die "Nebenmissionen" und Collectables sind in der richtigen Dosis verteilt, so dass man nicht das Gefühl bekommt davon erdrückt zu werden. SieEin sehr schönes Spiel wo alles am richtigen Platz ist. Das Spiel ist wunderschön inszeniert, sodass man das Gefühl hat in einem Pixar-Film zu sein. Aber Vorsicht, das Spiel kann auch sehr fordernd sein. Alles ist gefühlt am richtigen Platz. Auch die "Nebenmissionen" und Collectables sind in der richtigen Dosis verteilt, so dass man nicht das Gefühl bekommt davon erdrückt zu werden. Sie sind auch absolut optional und für den Fortschritt nicht notwendig. Auch die Spieldauer ist mit 10-15 Stunden, je nach Spielstil/Schwierigkeit und Erkundungsbereitschaft sehr angenehm.… Expand
  60. JeepDaddyMac46
    Dec 3, 2021
    9
    Beautiful, linear action game that reminds me of a Tomb Raider style Zelda game with the ambiance of Ghost of Tsushima. This game is not really for kids, unless they are very good gamers as enemies are quite challenging and require good technique to beat. Could use a little more story development, but that air of mystery is still very cool. Solid game and if you own a PS5 you shouldBeautiful, linear action game that reminds me of a Tomb Raider style Zelda game with the ambiance of Ghost of Tsushima. This game is not really for kids, unless they are very good gamers as enemies are quite challenging and require good technique to beat. Could use a little more story development, but that air of mystery is still very cool. Solid game and if you own a PS5 you should add this to your collection.… Expand
  61. Yakumo_NL
    Dec 1, 2021
    5
    Awesome game with classic jak and dexter kind of feel to it. Love the music, graphics and gameplay.
  62. Snooche
    Nov 30, 2021
    9
    A beautiful game and probably my favorite looking game so far on the PlayStation 5. Simple gameplay, yet some of the encounters can be very difficult. It rewards you for mastering the controls and you do end up getting better after some deaths. The platforming and puzzles are basic yet entertaining. The exploration is one of the best parts of the game while the story is the weakest,A beautiful game and probably my favorite looking game so far on the PlayStation 5. Simple gameplay, yet some of the encounters can be very difficult. It rewards you for mastering the controls and you do end up getting better after some deaths. The platforming and puzzles are basic yet entertaining. The exploration is one of the best parts of the game while the story is the weakest, though not bad and doesn't ruin the game.… Expand
  63. KP1994
    Nov 28, 2021
    10
    Now this 2021 Kena Bridge Of Spirits on PS5 is pretty similar to 2020-? Final Fantasy VII PS4 Remake + PS5 Intergrade despite the difference is this being a complete game while FF7 is still episodic.
  64. KisarasLegacy
    Nov 24, 2021
    10
    Easily one of the best games I've played recently. Incredible debut for Ember Lab. I played on normal mode first, now I'm trying master mode and it's pretty tough. Bought this game thinking it was just cute, but damn it's darker than expected and I really loved every single bit of it. Hardly any technical faults, fun platforming and puzzles, AWESOME game-play, the fights are tough butEasily one of the best games I've played recently. Incredible debut for Ember Lab. I played on normal mode first, now I'm trying master mode and it's pretty tough. Bought this game thinking it was just cute, but damn it's darker than expected and I really loved every single bit of it. Hardly any technical faults, fun platforming and puzzles, AWESOME game-play, the fights are tough but really fun and I'm not getting tired of it (planning on playing it a third time). Would have loved seeing some weather and night/day change, but it's definitely ok as it is.
    And last but not least: freaking loved the Rot and their hats.    … Expand
  65. Edgard86
    Nov 20, 2021
    6
    This game is so boring. So much repetitive, the difficuld doens not match with the gameplay. The gameplay is too generic. I wouldn`t buy this game at lauch is i could come back. Buy it when it has for about 50% cheappear than now.
  66. xenomorf
    Nov 19, 2021
    3
    The mechanics & controls do not fit the challenge. Skill does not matter in this game
  67. NickLovesCoke
    Nov 19, 2021
    0
    I don't know why you idiots like this game. There's nothing good about it. Average story, terrible graphics. nothing to do with the currency in the game other THEN DRESS YOUR OOMPA LOOMPAS. The skill tree doesn't matter and isn't useful as you can just beat the game without it. no strategy involved. average zelda ripoff. there's no character in the main character. there's no character inI don't know why you idiots like this game. There's nothing good about it. Average story, terrible graphics. nothing to do with the currency in the game other THEN DRESS YOUR OOMPA LOOMPAS. The skill tree doesn't matter and isn't useful as you can just beat the game without it. no strategy involved. average zelda ripoff. there's no character in the main character. there's no character in anything or the worlds. the game is just bland. of course what do you expect. **** like you guys like anything. ign is paid to give good reviews no matter what.… Expand
  68. jeffsaw1
    Nov 18, 2021
    10
    The graphic, the soundtrack, the gameplay r all amazing. It's worth every single penny.
  69. tiske1985
    Nov 16, 2021
    9
    I am absolutely astounded by how good this game is. I honestly didn't expect much, like most indie titles, but..... wow.

    I wont spoil the game, but your companions that you aquire throughout the game are so cute. They could suck anyone into buying this game. The thing is, they don't need to. I was blown away by the fact that this was the game developers' first release. They have some    I am absolutely astounded by how good this game is. I honestly didn't expect much, like most indie titles, but..... wow.

    I wont spoil the game, but your companions that you aquire throughout the game are so cute. They could suck anyone into buying this game. The thing is, they don't need to. I was blown away by the fact that this was the game developers' first release. They have some talent if they ever want to use it towards another title or release, I'll be looking out.

    I would definitely recommend Kena to any gamer.    … Expand
  70. SamuraiMaxis
    Nov 14, 2021
    9
    One of the Best Game of 2021. Incredible Art, Narrative, Story, Characters, Musics, Cinematics, Boss Fights, Rots, Combat. All Around Really Nice Game to Play. There are Many Things I Can Say But Just One Sentence: You Can Easily See Developer's Passion to This Game.

    A Game You Should Definitely Experience. Game Obviously Shines With it Art. But There is More Than That İn This Cute    One of the Best Game of 2021. Incredible Art, Narrative, Story, Characters, Musics, Cinematics, Boss Fights, Rots, Combat. All Around Really Nice Game to Play. There are Many Things I Can Say But Just One Sentence: You Can Easily See Developer's Passion to This Game.

    A Game You Should Definitely Experience.

    Game Obviously Shines With it Art. But There is More Than That İn This Cute Game. There is Actually a Really Nice Story, Great Narrative With the Support of Nicely Directed Cinematic . I'm not Going to Spoil Anything, You Should Experience Yourself. Gameplay Feels Really Smooth, A Lot of Boss Fights and They Are Not Easy, Mission Designs Are Good, You Are Not Getting Lost in Those Puzzles or You Are Not Losing Your Way in the Missions. Music Supports the Atmosphere Beautifully. And Many More Things

    I Think There is No Massive Negative Side of the Game. Only Little Things, That Even the Best Games Has. Parrying Requires Absolute Perfect Timing but Not That Rewarding. Core Mission Designs of Story is a Bit Repetitive. But You Are Not Feeling That Repetitiveness due to Different Locations, Art Designs and Kena's Upgrades. Also Kena's Biggest Upgrades Comes With Story But I Wished Skill Tree Was More Rewarding. Picking Outfit for Kena Would be Nice. Also At The Beginnings You Are Not Connected to Kena Much. She is 2 Level Above From No-Face No Voice FPS Characters in the Beginning. But Later You Are Connecting to Her But İt Could Have Been Earlier.

    I Hope We See a A Sequel. I Created This Account Just For This Review and I Want to Thank Ember Lab for This Amazing Piece of Art.    … Expand
  71. Nimesin
    Nov 5, 2021
    9
    This game really surprised me in a good way. I knew that it was beautiful but wasn't expecting the combat difficulty to be this high and the gameplay to be this good. Really loved it and recommend it.
  72. js83667
    Nov 4, 2021
    9
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a beautiful, wonderful game. Amazing visuals, stellar cutscenes, and solid gameplay. My only gripes are where the AA nature of the game starts to show.

    For some reason, the walking animation is just so clunky. It is the one of the weirdest walking animations I have ever seen in a game, especially when everything is else so high quality. The final two bosses are    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a beautiful, wonderful game. Amazing visuals, stellar cutscenes, and solid gameplay. My only gripes are where the AA nature of the game starts to show.

    For some reason, the walking animation is just so clunky. It is the one of the weirdest walking animations I have ever seen in a game, especially when everything is else so high quality.

    The final two bosses are disappointing. The second to last boss can be entirely cheesed by using a pattern of attacks/upgrades you get by endgame. The final boss has a large difficulty spike, and it is quite long with multiple phases and no checkpoints.

    Besides the two final bosses, combat has been tight, fun, and rewarding. Also the game is on the short side, but for its price, it is well worth it.    … Expand
  73. defstm
    Oct 31, 2021
    8
    The best bow mechanics that I have seen. 8/10

    Gorgeous looking game, one of the best graphics this year, the cinematics look and feel alive, taken from an animation movie, the characters are perfectly animated. The world feels and immersion is transferred to the user through the character design and enemy design. On the gameplay side, so fun, with lots of mechanics and combinations,    The best bow mechanics that I have seen. 8/10

    Gorgeous looking game, one of the best graphics this year, the cinematics look and feel alive, taken from an animation movie, the characters are perfectly animated. The world feels and immersion is transferred to the user through the character design and enemy design.

    On the gameplay side, so fun, with lots of mechanics and combinations, and the enemies and bosses are well built, and each of them unique. I liked the fast-paced combat, and the bow is awesome, the best arcade-style bow mechanics that I have ever seen, it feels so natural, and the arrows combined with the dual sense adaptive triggers it's just a pleasure to use the bow.
    The story is simple, not the most interesting one, but it is a story that will keep you hooked and immersed in the game world, it's the kind of story that a AA (double-A) game deserves, not too complicated..

    I enjoyed my time with this game, it was worth a buy!    … Expand
  74. vjb4
    Oct 28, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Excelente juego , a pesar de limitaciones del estudio han logrado una obra de arte… Expand
  75. Gohax
    Oct 27, 2021
    8
    Kena: Bridge of spirits
    holy wow is this game good looking i sometimes just stopped to look around and appreciate just how beautiful this game truly is. ill keep this review short and simple because the game is just way to good and i barely found any cons so do i recommend the game ? yes a lot!
    the game delivers in gameplay music world building and characters it really felt as if im    Kena: Bridge of spirits
    holy wow is this game good looking i sometimes just stopped to look around and appreciate just how beautiful this game truly is. ill keep this review short and simple because the game is just way to good and i barely found any cons so do i recommend the game ? yes a lot!

    the game delivers in gameplay music world building and characters it really felt as if im playing an interactive Disney movie. the only bad thing i could say about the game is that its really short took me around 10 hours to finish it but it does cost around 30 bucks unlike other 6 to 9 hour games that cost way to much plus the story was really predictable

    in conclusion this game is a fantastic experience and if i could compare this to other games i would say a dynamic looking zelda with a lot of cool puzzles i strongly recommend this game and my final score to kena bridge of spirits is an easy 8.5 out of 10    … Expand
  76. MBays
    Oct 26, 2021
    9
    Beautiful game from start to finish. Support this developer seriously this is their 1st try and they pulled this off. Buy this game you won't regret it!!
  77. foxneo
    Oct 26, 2021
    7
    An insanely beautiful game that slowly begins to lose its charm from start to finish, due to the relatively small number of mechanics and the lack of a complex lore.
  78. IsakMani
    Oct 25, 2021
    10
    what an amazing game, amazing visuals, absolutely stunning animation, great gameplay, intriguing story, fantastic world building. Easily one of the best games i played this year
  79. patbol
    Oct 25, 2021
    8
    I like this game. The sound is immersive and the story very interesting ! Good game
  80. RedRangerRobin
    Oct 21, 2021
    9
    Hello everyone welcome to my first but hopefully not last review. I am your friendly video game reviewer Red Ranger Robin.

    Today I am reviewing Kena Bridge of spirits on the PS5. So I will start off by saying this, Kena is exactly what I wanted in a video game right now at this current time. While this game does feel like a PS2 game I say that as a positive thing. It is challenging    Hello everyone welcome to my first but hopefully not last review. I am your friendly video game reviewer Red Ranger Robin.

    Today I am reviewing Kena Bridge of spirits on the PS5.

    So I will start off by saying this, Kena is exactly what I wanted in a video game right now at this current time. While this game does feel like a PS2 game I say that as a positive thing. It is challenging full of traversing, platforming, puzzles and great boss fights.

    You are trying to restore a village back to its natural state after it has been filled with infected plants or roots we will say in this case here. To do this you must clear the infected roots around the areas you are exploring the end goal of these 6 or 7 areas you will explore is to collect artifacts of lost spirits and collectibles such as rot, diamonds and hats which will help you perform abilities during combat. The one issue I have with this is that after I have unlocked the hats I still have to buy them.

    The game play is a 3D platforming classic PS2 style which is amazing but reminded me just how challenging games were back then. The combat style reminds me of God of war 2018 and Assassins Creed the newest versions because you use the shoulder buttons to hit, and you have a bow and arrow which you can use which reminds me of Zelda Breath of the wild. Throughout the game you will collect I guess we will call them tokens that allows you to unlock more abilities with your weapons. The boss fights are another thing in this game that reminds of the classic video game days the bosses have patterns and you need memorize them or else you will get killed alot.

    Overall Kena is a great game that surprised with a Disney esque art style that feel like a ps2 game in the best way overall I give Kena an 8.5/10    … Expand
  81. Majoneskongen
    Oct 19, 2021
    10
    Gorgeous visuals and great gameplay make Kena a very enjoyable game. Highly recommended!
  82. xblue_bomberx
    Oct 19, 2021
    10
    Totally thought this game! I hear some people complaining about the jump a little bit, that aspect didn’t bother anything for me at all. It’s very reminiscent of exploration when it comes to a Zelda game, where you’ll have puzzles and what not. I would recommend this game to anyone if it seems up your alley.
  83. Katalkyste
    Oct 19, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. okay lets get a bit real among all of those perfect 10 rating which are in no way, shape or form representative of the game itself.
    To start: this game is GOOD.. no question.. yes, the game does not invent a new genre and it doesnt break barriers and walks on new ways but what it does it does solid and stable. Lets start by dissecting the game in its parts:
    Music/Soundtrack: The music does not annoy you after a while, so thats at least for most people all they would ask for. The dynamic goes with the known action game pacing, increasing when action is at hand and retracts in the background when you explore. so it does perfectly what it should, without breaking any new grounds: 9/10
    Pacing/Tempo: the game progresses without haste and doesnt push the player to proceed, thats good, you can pick your own pace and go with it, change it an park when ever you want. the progression is nice and gives you some meaningfull new skills but doesnt stretch out far enough to reach the end of the game (an impression of an issue i also feel with a lot of those reviews here . i dont think those guys have ever reached the end.. ) The game would have needed some "special skills" at the end of the game, but it wasnt too shabby without them.

    Story/Realization: the game starts very nicely but with a lack of explanation.. why Kena is there and how she arrived there is not really explained, but: the game can do without and this stays just a plot hole.. its simply missing from the coherent narrative but its not a gamebreaking hole.
    [Mild Spoilers incoming here ]
    the first Spirit is a nice but sad story and its wrapped up properly and the player gets all the information he needs to conclude this section plus some "lose ends" to lead into the second one.
    the second spirit is the blacksmith of the town, and its also crafted with a lot of dedication to details, that sometimes border to an oversupply of information that doesnt connect to the overall story and has a lot of sidearcs. its not bothering or disturbing at the time you play through this chapter but will become a contrapoint later in the game. The enemies grow stronger and more elaborated and the endboss has a beautifull crafted entry animation that is simply beautyfull to watch. Wonderfully animated.
    the last and halfway final spirit is a bit of a breaking point of the game. you normally search for three relics and have to fight each aspect of them , especially in the second chatpter, the lovestory, this aspect is nicely played out and the endboss is a nice mix of finding outhow to beat it and using your newly found abilities, the last three relics do not have any of those..

    as soon as you enter the last realm you feel a break in pattern, You already have all the abilities except one that enables you to go after the spirit, but you know already everything. So the exploration of new skills is missing from that chapter which diminishes your experience. same with world exploration.. while in the first two realms you can find rot, or crystals everywhere, and need to turn every stone to get the last trophies, in the last realm this is missing, you have one straight line to the target and you need some skill to time your shots and abilities to clear the way. The three relic holders of the last spirit are very easy to learn and once you got the easy rhythm its not really hard to kill them quite fast. they dont have any great enviromental assets and nearly dont use it. while in chapter 2 you needed to interact with it to beat the boss.
    the last boss is a multi stage fight with you starting blank with no rot support, then some and them you get them back in full. its a bit tricky to find the process to damage the boss and you can go for a minute or two without you finding the key to be able to damage him further, but eventually something will blink on the screen just out of pure luck and you get a faint idea how this works.. honestly i still dont know exactly how its suposed to work but eventually i beat him and this is also the end of the last spirit. so you dont really fight the last guy to the end.you fight his "surrrogate".
    after this you get a nice animated wrap up story animation of how the last spirit contributed to the desaster, but the player does not receive a wholesome explanation.. and is also left a bit puzzling what kena is supposed to do after this only a cryptic message that she knows now what she has to do.. while there is not really anything to do for her..

    so all in all the last chapter feels "stripped down" more reduced to core progression and reaching the end than like the lush storyteling of the first two chapters. especially the second chapter feels like it has gotten the most love and dedication from the developers while they spared way less time in the last chapter to flesh out the last and final bit.

    so all in all : good game but not a great game. I also did not encounter a single bug in the game which is a rare sight and very welcome.    … Expand
  84. Ughhh
    Oct 18, 2021
    7
    Mostly fun and cute. But also quite repetitive, even for its short duration. And the last boss was terribly cheap.
  85. dr0nzer
    Oct 17, 2021
    5
    Visually looks great, story is interesting (but not super cohesive, it’s feels random at times) it’s well animated but there are a lot of technical issues with the game that detracts from the experience, it suffers from a lot of frame rate issues and stuttering, even the pre-rendered cinematics aren’t spared from this, the dual sense pressure triggers feel off, not dynamic but a presetVisually looks great, story is interesting (but not super cohesive, it’s feels random at times) it’s well animated but there are a lot of technical issues with the game that detracts from the experience, it suffers from a lot of frame rate issues and stuttering, even the pre-rendered cinematics aren’t spared from this, the dual sense pressure triggers feel off, not dynamic but a preset value on each press, and doesn’t work 100% of the time.

    I didn’t expect this game to be so heavy on the puzzles. I’m not a major fan of puzzle games and I can tolerate a few here and there but this game is just full of it everywhere, I’d say it’s part of the core gameplay and to me, this is far too annoying and frustrating to deal with.

    The technicals, stuttering and low frame rates are the biggest killer, I know it’s this studios first game but optimisations should be figured out before a release, not endlessly patching it after the fact.    … Expand
  86. MGamer490
    Oct 16, 2021
    8
    Before we begin, just something to keep in mind, this game was developed by Ember Labs and it was the first game they made so not everything is going to be amazing, but if you look at this as a developer's first game, its actually quite impressive.

    Story - I had no complaints with the story to be honest, but I didn't feel like it was anything that truly hooked me. It is easy to follow    Before we begin, just something to keep in mind, this game was developed by Ember Labs and it was the first game they made so not everything is going to be amazing, but if you look at this as a developer's first game, its actually quite impressive.

    Story - I had no complaints with the story to be honest, but I didn't feel like it was anything that truly hooked me. It is easy to follow and tied in well with what you were doing in the game, just wasn't anything overly special. Still enjoyed it though.

    Graphics and Performance - It goes without saying but this is one of the more beautiful games on the PS5 right now. It feels like an interactive Pixar movie. The idea of clearing out the corruption and allowing the area to look beautiful is a great idea too as the game is just so gorgeous that it feels really nice to accomplish this goal. Performance had some issues here and there, just some framerate drops which typically occurred during some fight scenes but nothing to ruin the game.

    Combat + Difficulty - These two I wanted to address in the same section because this game leads you into a false sense of security. The game starts off very easy, a lot of the enemies being a piece of cake, to the point where I started to believe this game might be focused more to children which would make sense with the graphics and cute characters... but nope. I played on the normal difficulty but this game gets hard real quick, when you start taking on some of the stronger enemies(mostly boss fights) they can really do a number on you. I genuinely felt the sudden shift in difficulty was a result of me just being bad at the game, so I turned to google and reddit to see if others expressed the same thoughts and a lot of people did feel the same. Is it a bad thing? No, I think the difficulty was fine and I appreciated the challenge, but it was just hard to wrap my mind around how abrupt how difficult the game suddenly became and definitely could've been handled better, that alone could be enough to turn people away from playing this as it is quite the shift. Luckily there is a story difficulty which will help the people who struggled with the standard difficulty but just something to keep in mind, this game does not go easy on you. The final boss definitely took me a few tries. As for the combat itself, I felt it was good fun, you don't get a whole lot to work with, its a fairly basic game compared to others of this style, but with the difficulty being at what it was, I felt I got to better know how to use what I had to help me beat them, this might not be a positive for others though.

    Upgades + Collectibles - Upgrades are ok, they don't dramatically change what you can do, some might be as simple as allowing you to shoot an extra arrow from your bow before it needs to cooldown, while another might add a charge based heavy attack to your offense. The collectibles are nothing all that special though, you level up your character by finding these cute little creatures called Rots who help you in battle so they are a collectible themselves really and feel good to find as the serve to upgrade your skills, but then you have hats and gems that you can find as well, the hats are there purely for cosmetic purpose which your Rots wear, and the gems are to buy those hats, it is cute but not all that exciting and doesn't change anything in the gameplay. You can also do certain things with the Rot that will earn praise-like points from them which can earn you upgrades which I discussed above, these are things like feeding them or fixing up statues that had fallen over, clearing corruption etc. I didn't go through and collect everything, but I felt this was just a little shallow, aside from the rots, I didn't feel a huge need to collect all this stuff.

    Music - I legitimately got Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisp vibes from the music in this game, it is very beautiful and lends itself so well to the story, which is fitting because in Ori games there are elements of that where there is corruption around an otherwise beautiful world and you can clear it up.

    Final Review - I had such a fun time with this game and was surprised by how challenging it could be. One thing I need to mention again, but this was the first game made by this developer, you can definitely feel that it had some great ideas but not all of them were used in the best way, but I still had a genuinely good time and truly would love to see more from them. It might not be for everyone but I think it is worth giving a shot, just keep in mind the difficulty might be a little rough depending on your skill level but can always turn the difficulty down should you want to just enjoy the story.    … Expand
  87. IntoxicatedRush
    Oct 14, 2021
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I like the story, graphics and music it was pretty fun to play. Now i'm playing on master difficulty legit and it is broken with the boss fights because you get attack and killed when you in an animation and that need to be address.… Expand
  88. marcos979797
    Oct 14, 2021
    6
    It makes it obvius it's their first attempt at creating games.... Graphic is cool, soundtracks too, but it totally needs a revision in originality, plot, and environment variety (there is just a forest and some snow at the end of the game)
    The plot is super predictable and character has no personality
    The gameplay and the puzzles are still very enjoyable
  89. Blastoff
    Oct 12, 2021
    5
    Fairly average. Beautiful but not very interesting. The story is not great. The game is very classic. For an independent game, it lacks risk-taking. The game quickly becomes redundant. It's a good start for a first studio game but I didn't really like it and I struggled to finish it.
  90. BradMorgan
    Oct 11, 2021
    7
    Kena Bridge of Spirits is a diamond in the rough that may not have fully shown its true potential yet. Where it felt very basic in the first hours, the gameplay only came into its own after spirit/level 2. Various additions such as the bow and sticky bomb made it really fun because the player is able to combine mechanics to defeat the different enemies. The only problem is that the game isKena Bridge of Spirits is a diamond in the rough that may not have fully shown its true potential yet. Where it felt very basic in the first hours, the gameplay only came into its own after spirit/level 2. Various additions such as the bow and sticky bomb made it really fun because the player is able to combine mechanics to defeat the different enemies. The only problem is that the game is quite short (which is fine), so offering certain mechanics later on feels like a waste of the first hours. Certainly since there is no NewGame+ mode available. Nevertheless, this game is breathtakingly beautiful and you immediately notice how good the soundtrack and -design is in combination with the fantastic voice overs. It is a pity that the game world feels very empty but after all, Emberlab can be proud of their first game related project.

    Pros:
    - Art design
    - Soundtrack/Sounddesign
    - Voice overs
    - Use of Dualsense
    - Story
    - Variety in enemies

    Cons:
    - First hours of the game felt boring for me personally due to lack of gameplay mechanics
    - World feels empty
    - No save points in difficult boss battles
    - Use of map-menu/missing ability to place waypoints    … Expand
  91. slaine130177
    Oct 12, 2021
    7
    Le jeu est trop juste pour mériter le 8/10, mais mériterait un 7.5.
    Plutôt beau, on sent que les développeurs ont l'expérience de l'animation et nous en fait profiter. Les décors sont chatoyants, les effets plutôt sympa mais on voit tout de même les limites d'une petite équipe. Pas mal de bugs de collision, des pop ups de décors, l'eau qui est belle de loin mais insipide de près, des    Le jeu est trop juste pour mériter le 8/10, mais mériterait un 7.5.
    Plutôt beau, on sent que les développeurs ont l'expérience de l'animation et nous en fait profiter. Les décors sont chatoyants, les effets plutôt sympa mais on voit tout de même les limites d'une petite équipe. Pas mal de bugs de collision, des pop ups de décors, l'eau qui est belle de loin mais insipide de près, des soucis de gameplay (lourdeurs ou latence dans les commandes assez souvent), etc...

    Pour un 1er jeu, cela reste un bel exploit et une belle aventure. Les boss sont sympas et certains défis plus corcés. Ca manque encore de vie (tout est atrocement vide). De même l'histoire des chapeaux est inutile (dommage qu'il n'y ait aucune incidence sur nos compagnons, cela reste que cosmétique), donc argent inutile, quête aux trésors inutile, si ce n'est pour avoir le platine.

    Une belle promesse pour l'avenir et un titre qui se fait avec plaisir, tranquillement, sans prétention mais rafraichissant.    … Expand
  92. Janli
    Oct 12, 2021
    9
    As the first game of a new studio, i'd say they did a good job creating this beautiful game. The combat and visuals are the strongest points of the game. The environment is beautifully crafted. I just hope it had more enemy variety but considering that this is the first game of Ember Lab, they still did a good job. This indie game beats most of AAA games out there. It is that good.
  93. Steel_DE
    Oct 12, 2021
    10
    A wonderful game though the choice for PS5 is not big at the moment!
    Great landscape, cute art, fitting sounds&music nice effects and an emotional story. Normally I am not the fan of jumping and riddles but this one in combination with its action based combat in between was great and challenging (but not until you get angry;) ). Passed through the game far too quickly, a bit longer would    A wonderful game though the choice for PS5 is not big at the moment!
    Great landscape, cute art, fitting sounds&music nice effects and an emotional story. Normally I am not the fan of jumping and riddles but this one in combination with its action based combat in between was great and challenging (but not until you get angry;) ). Passed through the game far too quickly, a bit longer would be nice. However, more of this please!    … Expand
  94. Ben503
    Oct 11, 2021
    10
    I loved it, I think they are really on the right track. I think they need to polish some things (background of certain characters, identity and value of the mechanics, AI in certain cases) but in general they have created a totally memorable experience, at least on PS5: the soundtrack is exquisite, the visual environment is compelling , the touch of the puzzles and the combat are veryI loved it, I think they are really on the right track. I think they need to polish some things (background of certain characters, identity and value of the mechanics, AI in certain cases) but in general they have created a totally memorable experience, at least on PS5: the soundtrack is exquisite, the visual environment is compelling , the touch of the puzzles and the combat are very enjoyable. I hope that works like this and many other indie ones would serve as an example for large companies to worry about selling experiences, not half-baked services (I'm talking to you, Konami and EA).… Expand
  95. PabloX4d
    Oct 11, 2021
    10
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a masterpiece: A great example that does not need to be realistic, to tell a beautiful story. His music, his characters and his story is a Jewel. Game of the Year
  96. Wombees
    Oct 10, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When this was announced I was expecting a Zelda clone with pretty graphics as the main selling point. The graphics are indeed beautiful, with excellent lighting and artstyle that suits the game. The environments and level design are also very well done, although one (very) minor thing is that there could be more variety in terrain. What surprised me was the quality of the music and story.

    The music works so well with a melancholy yet hopeful feeling that gave the same post-apocalyptic zen vibes that Breath of the Wild did. The ambient and enemy sounds are excellent, with creaking wood sounds and impactful sound effects. The boss tracks, especially the Woodsmith, were great at creating tension.

    Each of the spirits' stories were also very well done. The brief glimpses of their pasts in the themes of fear, love, and regret made the conclusions of their stories all the more satisfying. In particular, Adira's story of love persevering, moving heaven and earth to try and help Hana come home despite not knowing the Hana's fate really resonated with me. I appreciated that the storytelling wasn't too heavy handed and you were left to interpret some of the backstories through collecting the memories and relics.

    As other reviewers have noted, the combat is quite difficult even on the 'normal' setting. Switching to story mode for the more difficult boss fights made this a non-issue, but there's plenty of interesting fights for those who enjoy a challenge.

    All in all, Kena really exceeded my expectations and I'm excited to see what else Ember Lab has to offer.    … Expand
  97. jerrett1
    Oct 10, 2021
    9
    Kena is great, but master mode can kiss my ass. Normal mode and expert are good difficulty modes, but master feels unfair at some times. Besides that one thing, Kena is an almost perfect debut game
  98. SuperDuck23
    Oct 9, 2021
    9
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a lovely hark back to the platforming adventures of old and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's satisfying to explore and progress, brilliant to look at and the music is great. My only quibble is that some boss fights are incredibly difficult, unfair and frustrating - which feels at odds with everything else the game offers. The story is serviceable, but the gameplayKena: Bridge of Spirits is a lovely hark back to the platforming adventures of old and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's satisfying to explore and progress, brilliant to look at and the music is great. My only quibble is that some boss fights are incredibly difficult, unfair and frustrating - which feels at odds with everything else the game offers. The story is serviceable, but the gameplay and exploration are definitely the game's strongest assets. Ember Lab are a developer to watch out for in the future.… Expand
  99. FuzzyBearbarian
    Oct 9, 2021
    9
    Visuals are eye candy. Music is ear candy. Boss fights are challenging, especially on Master difficulty. Exploration is plentiful. This is kind of a souls-like boss combat game mixed in with Pixar like visuals. A bizarre mix but it works and it's fun to play. As a first game for Ember Lab it's utterly incredible. Cannot wait for the second game. Totally recommend this, no question.
  100. Yourmumsbills
    Oct 9, 2021
    4
    I love the music, the art style, the characters and the beautiful scenery. Sadly this is all let down by ludicrous difficulty spikes very early in the game, coupled with a horrible checkpoint system that makes you replay drawn out sections and cutscenes just to get back into a boss fight you've had sprung on you while still woefully underpowered to have said fight and with very littleI love the music, the art style, the characters and the beautiful scenery. Sadly this is all let down by ludicrous difficulty spikes very early in the game, coupled with a horrible checkpoint system that makes you replay drawn out sections and cutscenes just to get back into a boss fight you've had sprung on you while still woefully underpowered to have said fight and with very little practice time before hand. Add some laggy unresponsive controls, and a shield/parry system that has a significant delay making it incredibly difficult to block anything. All this adds up to frustrating irritating gameplay that ruins what could have been potentially very fun.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Best PlayStation 5 Game of 2021
11
#11 Most Discussed PlayStation 5 Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 82 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 71 out of 82
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 82
  3. Negative: 0 out of 82
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 18, 2022
    80
    Kena is a playful and beautiful adventure, but it does not bring any breathtaking innovation. But it has the potential to take you to a fairy tale and let you experience the story of a young girl, which is a balanced experience.
  2. CD-Action
    Jan 19, 2022
    90
    Ember Lab didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Instead the developers opted for tried and true mechanics that entertained us time and again in many action adventure games, and mixed them in an almost perfect way. The beginning might be a little slow, but when Kena: Bridge of Spirits gains momentum, it becomes truly great. It’s hard for me to point out any significant flaws apart from overall lack of originality. What a debut! [12/2021, p.74]
  3. Impulsegamer
    Oct 28, 2021
    100
    Kena: Bridge of Spirits should take most gamers around 10 to 12 hours to complete, depending on the amount of exploring and the level of difficulty. While the blockbusters games of 2021 continue to deliver the same ho-hum experience of 2021, Kena is a much needed ray of sunshine to the current choices of titles available and more importantly, looks fantastic on the PlayStation 5.
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