Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a beautiful game that navigates the difficult journey of grief. Abubaker Salim delivers a great story and performance that resonates with anyone going through that process. It’s backed up with stunning visuals and a score that supports this strong story. While this game doesn’t reinvent the Metroidvania, fans of the genre will still be impressed. Hopefully, they’ll fix the bug of having Zau frozen after exiting the menu. Despite that, Tales of Kenzera is an impressive debut from Surgent Studios.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a metroidvania that I really enjoyed and kept me motivated to keep pushing through it. I love the masterful use of color and music in the game, as well as the unique and heartfelt story. I was fascinated by the setting and the game’s mythology – it was new to me and I truly appreciated being exposed to a new mythos that is extremely underserved in gaming and other media. I enjoyed reading the additional background on everything in the game’s codex. The game’s title – “Tales of Kenzera” teasingly implies that there are more stories to be told here. I certainly hope that there are.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau breaks a lot of conventions of the metroidvania genre, focusing more on story than exploration and outfitting you with most of your abilities from the get-go. It’s a short experience that tries, both subtly and more obtusely, to weave a tale of loss, grief, and acceptance. In both regards, the result is a resounding success, with only a few small nitpicks to be found throughout. In a crowded metroidvania landscape, Tales of Kenzera: Zau stands out as one of the best in recent years.

I believe it will help anyone who plays it understand themselves more, especially if they feel the darkness life can throw at them has changed them somehow. It’s a beautiful game, an essential game, and the groundwork for what I hope becomes a franchise that takes those things in life some of us have been taught to bottle up and presents them front and center.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU never felt like it overstayed its welcome nor was it ever loaded with bulk and fluff to make up for its 8-12 hour playtime. While there are plenty of collectibles, a trinket system to unlock abilities and upgrade benches, its most important feature is its story and, coupled with the undertone of mental health struggles in the face of grief, Bantu mythology, an incredible score, and next-level art design makes this amazing debut title remarkably different to anything else on the market.

EA Originals has a knack for spotlighting indie projects for publication and it’s very easy to understand why they chose this one. Given its very accessible pricepoint and day-one addition to the PlayStation Plus Extra catalog, the game has tremendous value and it’s impossible not to recommend it.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a gem of human experience made all the more profound because of its self-assured heart, steeped in African traditions. It is crafted to welcome Metroidvania newcomers, offering important powers like double jumping and the ability to freeze water very early on. But absolute precision is still required.

Ultimately, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a delight from beginning to end, with only the odd frustration along the way. Add in an absolutely sublime soundtrack by Nainita Desai and strong voice acting throughout, and you have a Metroidvania with a unique flavour that absolutely deserves to be played. It’s safe to say that whatever Abubakar Salim does next with Surgent Studios, we’re here for it. Whether it’s another emotional tale from Kenzera or something entirely different, we look forward to welcoming it with open arms.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a heartfelt 2D adventure, delivering a moving narrative all should experience, with strongly directed voice acting enhancing its effectiveness. The well-balanced combat and platforming design manage to be simultaneously challenging and accessible thanks to a limited toolkit you become abundantly familiar with throughout the adventure. Alas, the underwhelming bosses are an unfortunate result that sticks out, but they don't take away from this being a must-play.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a bold, thrilling and emotional journey through grief and african culture, capable of mixing classic metroidvania features with stunning visuals and a gameplay that is both easy to enjoy and hard to master. With plenty of possibilities and an inspiring narrative, Abubakar Salim's dream became a great reality for every player.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a delightful experience as it shows great respect for African culture and the Metroidvania genre from the beginning. The combat mechanics are entertaining and challenging, and the story is very emotive. We have a very satisfying game with some issues in its progression. However, it remains an experience that can be enjoyed anytime.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is an impressively built Metroidvania game that weaves enjoyable gameplay and deep emotional storytelling.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is an emotional rollercoaster that doubles as a Metroidvania with edge, at $20 it is a must play title for everyone.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a well-made, confident adventure with some great voice-acting, and fluid, addictive platforming.

Every story begins at the end of another". This is the great premise of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, a metroidvania-style game that, while inviting us to explore the beautiful biomes of Kenzera, also makes us reflect on loss and mourning, allowing us to see death with new eyes. Surgent Studios' debut title succeeds in bringing a good balance between exploration, puzzle, combat and action while presenting us with a story full of inspiration from Bantu myths and legends, guided by a great soundtrack. The game works as an excellent gateway to the genre and brings with it a plot of reflection and acceptance.

Although Tales of Kenzera: Zau cannot shine with outstanding gameplay innovations, it does offer rock-solid, well-balanced and very fluid Metroidvania gameplay. The two masks in particular fit perfectly into the beautifully staged African setting and considerably expand the agile Zau's range of abilities. It's also nice how fluidly and responsively everything can be controlled and how much passion went into the soundtrack, the voice acting and the story. There's also little to complain about in terms of level design, although the bottom line is that we would have liked even more variation in the enemy types.

A beautiful story about life and death and how to handle the loss of a loved one, Zau has to come to terms with losing his father. Set in beautiful Africa, Zau crosses colorful environments in a story brimming with tradition. While an agile Zau jumps and dashes freely, controls are a bit fiddly at times and the game suffers from some very steep difficulty spikes.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is one of the best Metroidvanias that I've played in a long time and it looks and sounds incredible, too.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU accomplishes the difficult role of translating a deeply personal concept into the medium of gaming. With a lack of intricate backtracking and complex combat, Surgent Studios’ platformer is relatively simple. But the extraordinary narrative, paired with equally powerful visuals and audio provide an experience that is engaging enough to not commit the sin of forgetting it must also be fun and resonant.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a beautiful game where the African's culture is its main attraction. It has nice level design and its playability is so good. But it's so huge and you don't have much to do.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is yet more proof that the metroidvania genre can offer great satisfaction, whatever story you try to tell. The one written by Surgent is a story of loss and revenge which, also thanks to the immense charm of the chosen setting, will remain seared in your memory for a long time. Not all the playful elements of the combat system seemed equally effective to us, and we would have liked more depth into Zuberi's character. That said, if you're a fan of the genre or just want to enjoy a good story, then you shouldn't miss it.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau adheres perfectly to the promises made by the team, proposing itself as a more contained metroidvania experience than that offered by other members of the genre. Tales of Kenzera: Zau is therefore an excellent debut in video game development for Abubakar Salim and Surgent Studios, and a valuable addition in the rich catalog of EA Originals. We are sure that Salim’s father would have been proud to have inspired - albeit due to incredibly dramatic circumstances - such a well done work.

Surgent Studios is entering the world of video games on the right foot. Tales of Kenzera: Zau, their debut title, is fun and accessible in equal measure, wrapped up in a beautiful story.

Artistically, then, Tales of Kenzera Zau stands out in every way. From its narrative to its visuals to its OST, everything is done to take us on an extremely touching and personal journey. It's so heartfelt and soulful that the rest suffers. The level design is relatively classic for the genre, as is the gameplay which, while particularly exhilarating and satisfying, leaves us with the feeling of not being exploited to its full potential. Tales of Kenzera often moves too fast, or is it so successful that it leaves you wanting more, the question remains. The fact is, as it stands, it's a breath of fresh air, a tangy treat that offers rare sensations. Absolutely touching.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is an overall solid entry into the Metroidvania genre. The core mechanics are strong, and the story is surprisingly engaging. Only some lackluster level design holds it back from true greatness, and there are enough moments of excellent gameplay that it isn't a huge negative, either. If you're looking for something to scratch that Metroidvania itch, Zau is more than up to the challenge.

Third act woes aren’t enough to overshadow an otherwise fantastic game. From its gorgeous world, stellar writing and voice acting, and score that’s already on the short list of 2024’s best, Tales of Kenzera is a game I recommend wholeheartedly to anyone who believes in the medium’s ability to evoke very real, and above all very human, emotional experiences.

The graphics are truly standout and the audio plays a nice role in enhancing the overall feel of the game. An absolute bargain for the price.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a stunning, impactful and exciting first outing for Surgent Studios and, for us, a classic in the Metroidvania space that could go toe-to-toe with recent big hitters like Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Blasphemous 2. Surgent Studios has delivered a beautiful story that resonated with us as we explored the world of Kenzera, and we couldn’t recommend it more highly.

As Tales of Kenzera reaches its natural conclusions and the woes of its crunchier challenges fall away, it’s hard to not be happy in the afterglow. Here’s a game that, while mechanically rather safe, takes huge personal and cultural swings, infusing the genre and industry writ large with almost singular emotional reflections and broader, deeply necessary, creative visions. If this is your genre, you’ll have a blast with its tight platforming and expressive combat, but even if it’s not, bite down and give it a go. We deserve more games like Tales of Kenzera: ZAU.

Above all else, Zau's realistic journey through the loss of a loved one is something that's going to stick with me for some time, and I'm grateful for the loving lessons I've learned from it.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is an earnest first video game effort from a studio that's destined for great things. Weak exploration and a lack of combat variety are minor flaws in an overall package that offers up fluid platforming, some great gameplay hooks, an emotionally-resonant story and a rich tapestry of sights and sounds that's like little else in the space. It's almost the perfect pairing to the recent Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, offering a succinct and approachable take on the concept that offers even more story, worldbuilding and visual flair.

What Tales of Kenzera lacks in creative game design it makes up for in vital, passionate storytelling.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a well-made Metroidvania with an intriguing and culturally unique narrative and setting. It doesn't try to reinvent the genre, but there's nothing wrong with sticking to a familiar path if the result is polished and fun. Tales of Kenzera: Zau has a colorful, welcoming vibe with a mythic story to tell and enough action to keep players engaged.

A classic and enjoyable metroidvania, which does not offer any particular creative ideas and delivers a challenge in line with most games in the genre. Platforming, combat and environmental puzzles alternate through scenarios inspired by African culture, in which an important story comes to life, well told and punctuated by a well-shaped cast of characters.

Viewed as a game that gets to the point and takes some, but not all, essential elements of the Metroidvania genre to provide an accessible experience, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU delivers and you will undoubtedly have a good time, although nothing May it change your life or take you back. Despite its limitations and flaws, the combat system, some puzzles and platform challenges, as well as boss battles, are enough to keep going and see if the god of death keeps his word.

Tales of Kenzara: ZAU is a strong debut title for Surgent Studios, offering a short but solid Metroidvania experience. It’s limited by its small scope, and is a little formulaic, but that won’t stop you from enjoying the tight combat and gorgeous visuals. Pick this one up and enjoy the heartfelt, emotional story in a beautifully rendered setting that doesn’t see enough limelight.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a discreet, attractive metroidvania and, above all, accessible to the vast majority of players, both experienced and new. A proposal that will be attractive to lovers of the genre. However, those looking for a title at the level of the best games of this title currently have a wide range of alternatives on the market that they will surely enjoy more.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau conveys its somber themes with nuance and passion. It's just a shame the gameplay doesn't always match those highs, especially in a genre flooded with quality indies, because Zau's journey – and Zuberi's parallel journey – are stories I'll be thinking about for quite some time.

While there’s certainly more to be desired in terms of exploration and discovery, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a solid first take from Surgent Studios. There are enough tools to keep combat from getting stale, and the platforming challenges are sure to keep most players on their toes. (Although they could throw in a couple checkpoints between the instant death spikes.) With full completion taking just ten to twelve hours, it’s worth joining Zau on his journey and experiencing everything Kenzera has to offer. There’s clearly a lot of love put in from the team, and that passion comes through in every aspect of its presentation.

A nice and little metroidvania that might not stand out as one of the best in the genre, but we will treasure it for it's powerful messages and deep themes.

A charming but flawed metroidvania that had the poor luck to be released in a year which has already seen two outstanding examples of the genre. [Issue#41, p.90]

While it can be trying, Tales of Kenzera remains a piece of classy engineering, supported by evocative landscapes, meaty audio effects and a score that combines traditional Bantu sounds with modern electronica. [Issue#398, p.114]

Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU is a solid debut title from Surgent Studios, with its strongest aspects coming from the art style, world design and a truly impactful story. It's gameplay however lacks the same depth, and doesn't do enough to set itself apart in a genre crowded with some of the best games ever made.

I can't say I came away from my time with Tales of Kenzera: Zau disappointed. There were many moments where I was given some genuinely interesting and touching perspectives on death and grief that will stick with me. Even as someone completely foreign to Bantu culture, and the exact loss that is being explored, there are universal truths and lessons that are delivered in a way only games allow.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau delivers a genuinely touching and heartfelt story in a rich and mystical world, even if it lets itself down with its combat, platforming, and design.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU has its heart, setting and story all in the right place. However, the gameplay doesn’t quite facilitate the lofty ambition that it generally goes for. The gameplay is frenetic but not as tight as the game wants you to be and the combat has an unconventional approach to difficulty. However, I had fun in the world and if there are more stories in Kenzera, consider me already there.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau does a lot of what many other good games have done in the past, without excelling in any areas. The platforming is mostly solid - with a few glitches here and there - and the combat system is entertaining enough. Admittedly, there is not a lot of variety, and the game never quite reaches the same heights as the sources of inspiration Ori, Super Metroid and Hollow Knight.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a metroidvania enjoyable for both casual and hardcore players, as long as you don't expect a complex gameplay or huge replayability.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU offers a fresh scenario with the African realm of the dead, which the action platformer combines with an emotional story, dynamic battles and challenging jumping passages. However, Tales of Kenzera occasionally stumbles when it comes to the learning curve and controls, and the story could use a little more subtlety sometimes.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a fun game that is best suited for those of you somewhat new to the genre and/or want to reflect on the different stages of grief.

The worst thing I can say about Tales of Kenzera: Zau is that it’s platforming and level designs are fun, clearly inspired by some of the best Metroidvanias around, but don’t really produce any moments that rival those inspirations. Its combat, though also simple and familiar, manages to sing thanks to a small but meaningfully offering of different skills and enemies. And that action is ultimately just a satisfying break from the main attraction: a truly moving tale about how to go on in this world when your loved ones have passed on to the next.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU rests on a solid foundation, yet prioritizes its narrative at the expense of its game design. Rather than allowing its gameplay and narrative to support each other, it discards some of the medium’s unique strengths for a competent if bland experience that fails to give full weight to its subject matter.

What could have been just a run-of-the-mill Metroidvania is transformed into a tale of growth and resilience in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU that is well worth the investment. With Kenzera being an utterly beautiful place full of mysteries and wonders, joining Zau and Kalunga as they fight and platform their way across delightful biomes in a bid to let go and move on became a therapeutic journey that I never knew I needed. We don't need actual loss to remind ourselves that things can be difficult, but having a reminder goes a long way in keeping us all on the right track of focusing on joy instead of grief.

A polished Metroidvania infused with Africana, whose linearity and overreliance on rote-learning action sequences undermine its otherwise high standards.

We would have liked all the charm of the African legends of Tales of Kenzera ZAU to also be found in a level design that was both inspired and inventive! Outstripped by a plethora of competitors, the first software from Surgent Studios lacks the depth and precision to establish itself in the domain of the Gods. However, it does not lack assets: with its low price (20 euros), its dynamism and its enchanting universe, this Metroidvania, less labyrinthine than the others, has interesting arguments to help you spend 8 entertaining hours.

While I did enjoy my time with Tales of Kenzera Zau, it does truly feel like the game was a victim of timing. Had Prince of Persia The Lost Crown not released a few months ago (or the games had released in the opposite order) things would definitely be different. There are a few missteps here that by comparison put this title at a disadvantage, and you hate to see it.

The gameplay of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is nice thanks to the fine movement and cool combat. At the same time, it is unfortunate that the game quickly becomes repetitive in platforming and the battles are somewhat limited due to a lack of variety in enemies. The game can be described as Metroidvania in a way, but also not quite - it is a lot more accessible, which in turn makes it interesting for a wide audience. Overall, the game is certainly not bad, but it has so much more potential.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU feels like a studio stretching its legs for the first time. Visually inventive, and full of great platforming, average combat and exploration lets it down.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a game full of good ideas that rarely come into their own. The emotional story about dealing with loss is compelling in itself, but its execution is more at odds with the game than it contributes to it. At the same time, the game, with its poorly executed Metroidvania elements and bugs, also gets in its own way.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is an ambitious game, and this kind of endeavour should be applauded and encouraged. Seeking to harness the difficult topic of grief in the form of a Metroidvania was always a big ask. Unfortunately, on this occasion, it proved a challenge that simply hasn’t been met.