Kena: Bridge of Spirits Review — Solid Metroidvanian Souls-Like
A masterful combination of iconic features from multiple genres, wrapped in a unique package.
Let me preface this by reminding you that this is the developer’s first game. However, even if it wasn’t, I’d still call it a one-of-a-kind experience from start to finish.
There are only a few hiccups along the way, and nothing truly takes away from the constant enjoyment that you feel at every step.
Overall, I’d rate the game a solid 95/100. It took me ~23 hours to beat on the hardest difficulty.
This review has no spoilers, so read on without worry!
TOO LONG; DIDN’T READ
Fast paced souls-like combat with a mix of special abilities. A focus on patience, timing, and swift execution. I could easily compare it with gameplay from Jedi: Fallen Order.
The combat’s aesthetics are beautiful, colorful, and abilities make use of the Rot as well (the black furball things that accompany Kena).
The story is simple, but charming. It is very effective for what the game is and what it wants to do. It’s accessible for all ages.
Kena herself has her own reasons for being in this world and helping spirits, but the focus is mostly on the stories of the villagers you help move on to the next life.
The world is beautiful, enticing, and a pleasure to explore. The characters are basic but fit perfectly with the narrative. The game could be described as “All the Pixar Movies: The Game”, and I mean that in all the right, joyful and beautiful ways.
Story
Kena: Bridge of Spirits starts you off right into the action. There aren’t any real details about who you are or what you’re doing.
Basically, you don’t know anything except that you’re a Spirit Guide, looking to help lost souls find their way into oblivion.
The story is a mix of multiple cryptic mysteries that slowly unfold into a greater overarching web of events. There’s a touch of childlike joy and magic thanks to the game having a narrative akin to a Pixar movie.
I’ve actually thought to myself 2–3 times that I was playing “All the Pixar Movies: The Game”. Please let me underline that this is a very good thing.
A lot of games nowadays are dark, gritty, mature. Kena: Bridge of Spirits isn’t, and doesn’t try to be. The story is one fit for all ages. It is simple, to the point, but slow in its plot reveals. It leaves room for interpretation through scattered clues and narrative bits.
It’s pretty much obvious that all the characters you meet (including Kena) know more than you do (the player). To me, the game was more about you (as a player) finding details about this world and the reason Kena is even in that location.
To take all of those scattered clues and story bits and put them together into a story that makes sense. For both Kena as a character, as well as the surrounding world.
Overall, the plot was less about Kena’s story, although you do get a reason for why she’s actually doing all this.
The story is basically your journey, as a player, into uncovering and solving the mystery of the Sacred Mountain’s spiritual corruption. Kena is the “vessel” through which you experience all of it.
THE EBB AND FLOW OF THE STORY
I think the game missed 3 important chances to develop Kena’s past more through flashbacks. I won’t spoil when or how, but they involve boss fights. After those boss fights, more insight into Kena’s past would’ve fit wonderfully.
That being said, it really doesn’t take away anything from the overall narrative. Everything that happens and Kena’s objectives make sense. In the end, that’s what matters.
Even Kena being able to pick up new abilities basically instantly is slightly touched upon. The game doesn’t want to feed you all pieces of information with a spoon from the start, and that’s appreciated.
There are few games nowadays that actually respect your intellect as a player. Fewer still that even try to make you think on your own.
In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, you’re left to actually think for yourself. That’s something that I appreciated greatly because of its rarity in modern games.
A lot of plot points are touchy-feely in a wholesome way. The underlying reason for the whole story has a nice philosophical meaning to it. There’s a life lesson that could resonate with any age group.
The story fits very well with what the game wants to be. What did annoy me though is that it’s obvious that one character in particular clearly knows more than he’s letting on at all times.
However, in retrospect, perhaps that character was just letting Kena, and you as a player, learn the information and process it on your own. It was perhaps the developer’s way of letting you get more connected with the events as they unfold.
Even the ending (very well written and fulfilling) lets room for you to assume what happens afterwards. It’s not a cliffhanger though! All in all, a great package.
GAMEPLAY
EXPLORATION IS A PLEASURE
Your weapons are very important for exploration too, as the game is metroidvanian in nature. Basically, regions/areas/collectibles are utility-locked. Personally, I do not like metroidvania style games.
I don’t get why you’d be like: “Hey player! See that cool stuff over there? Awesome, you can’t reach any of it!”. I prefer a narrative path which unfolds organically and is completely accessible to you.
Thing is, it almost didn’t bother me at all in Kena: Bridge of Spirits. That’s because the game’s just damn good. Besides, the areas really interconnect very nicely, in a way which definitely makes sense.
Exploration is also a pleasure, with jumping mixed in with other means of getting up or down in the environment. Especially interesting is a mechanic where you get to blow up certain stones to make them levitate, then grab on to sort of floating flowers/vegetation.
Solid exploration overall.
THE COMBAT IS SPOT ON
Combat revolves around blocking, dodging and parrying. After evading, you use light or heavy attacks, mixed in with special attacks. There also 2 additional weapons which you pick up along the game.
Enemy variety is spot on: not too few and not too many enemy types. Each enemy type has a different way in which they can be defeated easier.
Attacking weak spots on bigger enemies or defeating some smaller enemies also drops “courage”. The Rot (the cute black potato things) then use this courage that you collect. It lets you do special flashy attacks that incorporate them very nicely.
I have absolutely no idea how they nailed it this nicely on their first try. And to top it all off: THE BOSS FIGHTS!
Absolutely superb and jaw-dropping boss fights. The animations, the boss phases, the boss arenas, the uniqueness of each boss fight when compared to another.
Each moveset of the bosses feels like it belongs to that character. The very way in which the bosses move, act and attack reflect their personality and build upon their background and characteristics.
The only missing thing was a finisher animation, but there’s a nice slow-motion effect as you land the final blow at least.
Combat felt “cheap” at times only because of the camera, but very rarely. Sometimes I would do a special attack that went nowhere because Kena was facing the opposite way. It might’ve been my own fault for not using the lock-on function though.
SOME OTHER TIDBITS
There are many collectibles to pick up too, some of which require a small degree of puzzle solving. The most complex one took me around 15–20 minutes to figure out, but I was really just missing an obvious clue.
Gameplay felt intuitive & rewarding (please play on Expert Spirit Guide). It provided a challenging experience while keeping both combat and exploration in the cartoony art overtone of the whole game.
CHARACTERS
The characters are one-dimensional truth be told, but they fit the story and the world perfectly. That’s the only thing that counts in the end.
Each spirit you must help is nothing really special, but their motives and reasonings are very relatable and down to earth.
You understand why they did what they did and what led to their deaths. You understand why they need your assistance as Spirit Guide to pass on and be able to rest.
The voice acting is easily AAA quality; it sounds like it was snatched right out of a top-tier animated movie from Disney or Pixar.
Lip synching is great, each actor portrays/voices their character just right, and they each have a special charm to them.
Kena herself isn’t fleshed out, but you know exactly enough about her to enjoy playing as her. She’s confident, skilled, experienced, and exudes a warm and calming presence.
To me, this reinforced the idea that you’re supposed to like Kena as your means of experiencing the game. It’s in some way her story and it makes sense when you find out how, but more so your own story through her character.
The Rot are also interesting, presenting their personality and bringing childlike joy through nonverbal actions alone.
Overall, perfect characters for the story. There’s no need for cloak-and-dagger intrigue here, and the characters are believable and suit the narrative.
WORLD BUILDING
The world is stunning. From the start to finish, I was continuously amazed about the beauty and character of the environment.
It is simply great and varied. Dense forests, high mountains, a hilly grassland; a spectacular cavern system; everything intertwined with magical and otherworldly elements.
There’s also a soundtrack for each area you’re going to explore, adding to that feeling of new and unique that each zone brings.
Narratively, you slowly discover what happened to the village and how it all integrates with the wider Sacred Mountain that Kena was searching for.
It’s a world that functions on balance: life, death, and rebirth. It’s mystical, magical and wonderful.
Mostly, it remains undisclosed by the narrative, but you can make educated assumptions about it based on the plot.
You’re not given many details; just enough to make the story plausible and logical. And you know what? It’s enough! It’s precisely what was needed. Not every game needs a lore deep enough to rival Tolkien’s.
The game knows what it is and what it’s trying to achieve, and presents its world accordingly. Both narratively and artistically.
UNIQUENESS
It’s really hard to pull of a unique game anymore. Realistically, everything’s been done already.
The trick is knowing how to combine what already exists in a new way and add your own notes of originality on top. Ideally, even as the foundation.
That’s exactly what Kena: Bridge of Spirits does.
On paper, it’s a metroidvania with Souls-like combat. However, the way in which it executes everything and presents it as a final package makes it worth playing.
The combat, how the narrative drives you forward, how the characters fit in with the world and the story, the splendid soundtrack, the voice acting; that’s what really makes Kena worth playing.
What looks like just a children’s game at first glance, actually has depth and skill requirements if you’re willing to give it a chance (and please play on Expert).
It’s a game for all ages, with a story and message fit for everyone. It also gives you an old school type of game feeling.
It reminds of a time when originality and solid worlds were mixed with gameplay that motivated players into giving their best in each fight.
Who Should Play Kena: Bridge of Spirits (PC, PS4, PS5)
Like any game, it’s not for everyone. Perhaps the art style is going to be the first deterrent. If you’re really into hyper-realistic games, it won’t be your cup of tea.
However, if that would be your only real reason to avoid playing it, I’d urge you to reconsider!
Do you like metroidvania-style games? Souls-like, fast paced combat with an emphasis on skill and fast reactions? Are you looking for “unique” and magical environments that suck you into the game world?
Would you like all of that wrapped in a heartwarming story that has a hidden deeper meaning?
Then Kena might just be for you. I know that I for one was very glad to have purchased the game.
