Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Amazing graphics is one thing, but Bridge of Spirits is so much more thanks to engaging level design and surprisingly deep combat. It's a game that overdelivers on almost all fronts, making for a truly superb and memorable adventure.

With its Pixar-like characters and beyond stunning animation, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is as charming as it is dark with plenty of surprises that will not only keep players enthralled for hours but also captivate their hearts.

Every single moment of Kena: Bridge of Spirits is simply wonderful. Very few games are as pleasing to the eyes, and coming from an indie studio – making its very first game, of all things – that's something quite remarkable. Even more remarkable is that Kena isn't simply a visual showcase, either. It's challenging, fun to play, and has a world teeming with life. It also tells a fantastic story, and there's plenty to do even when the credits have rolled. Kena: Bridge of Spirits truly is something special, and I can't wait to see what Ember Lab does next.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a remarkable and magical adventure, and it’s honestly still hard to believe this is an indie title. This is the kind of game that simply needs to be part of every gamer’s library and one that raises the bar for the adventure genre in this generation. With emotional story beats, a compelling game world, engaging level design, challenging boss battles, and surprising combat versatility, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an experience far greater than the sum of its many interconnected parts.

I’m not sure how Ember Lab did it, but I walked away from Kena: Bridge of Spirits with my expectations surpassed to a much further extent than I could have imagined. The visuals are breathtaking, the gameplay evolves in meaningful ways, and the heart the story contains has no bounds. You’ll find it hard to come across a more wholesome and beautiful game in 2021 than Kena: Bridge of Spirits, it’s everything I wanted it to be and more.

Kena: Bridge Of Spirits might draw upon some aged influences, but the way it assembles the various pieces of the puzzle together makes it feel very modern indeed.

After playing a couple of great AAA 3D platformers earlier this year, I'm absolutely blown away that I enjoyed Kena: Bridge of Spirits even more. With thoroughly challenging fast-paced combat, rewarding puzzles, and a breathtaking world; it's one phenomenal game.

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]

A stunningly beautiful 3D action-adventure that combines environmental puzzles, exploration and Dark Souls-like (both in implementation and challenge) combat.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a fantastic adventure, one which does an incredible job of mixing platforming elements, fun and energetic combat, a rewarding exploration system and beautiful graphics. It's not only of the best games of 2021, it's one of the best games in recent years.

Kena Bridge of Spirits is a magical adventure, even if it doesn't do anything entirely original. Its elements tie together well, and it's jaw-droppingly gorgeous on PS5. It hearkens back to the days of PS2 platformers in all the best ways, and despite a few small issues, it stands out as one of 2021's best titles.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a magical journey, one that I hope everyone will take.

Kena might not be perfect, but it's far from what one might expect from a studio's first game. It's a spectacle to look at without being too long or too short, and it's one of the rare examples of a game that deserves a movie adaptation, not the other way around. Perhaps more than anything else, it's a game that sets the bar high for whatever Ember Lab wants to do next.

For its first attempt, Ember Lab makes quite simply a master stroke. By delivering an ideally successful action-adventure game on all fronts, the studio, however neophyte, is not content to "just" perfectly fulfill the specifications of an excellent production. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a delicious breath of fresh air, which marvelously combines the grace of a sumptuous animated film and the game design intelligence of an ingenious video game, with multiple inspirations. As for Ember Lab, faced with so much mastery of their subject for a first production, it is advisable to take our hat off to them and already wait firmly for their next creation.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an excellent debut game from developer Ember Lab. Pulling from legendary franchises like Pikmin and God of War — with a splash of Ori and the Blind Forest for good measure — Kena manages to balance a compelling story with engaging gameplay and a charming art direction to create a worthwhile adventure.

The act of meeting and understanding all those other characters is powerful, though. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is ultimately a game about making those connections, just like it's about making a connection with the game world around you through the Rot. It centers on characters who tried valiantly but failed to help one another, and what dealing with that pain did to them. It's about exploring a world and seeing what it once was, and helping to restore it again. And while Kena: Bridge of Spirits is full of familiar-feeling combat and exploration, its ability to find different ways to look at those ideas makes for a beautiful, emotional, and exciting journey.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the finest adventure game released in years and a clear highlight of the latest console cycle. Both its exploration and combat components gradually build in complexity with tools that always have a clear purpose. That elegant mechanical design keeps the focus on the game’s impactful story, which tells an aching, but hopeful tale of environmental disaster. There are a lot of points of comparisons to be made when breaking it all down, but Kena: Bridge of Spirits blends every little influence together into its own gorgeous mix.

Bridge of Spirits stumbles a little in spots, yet confidently sprints into the heart of the adventure, rewarding the player with secrets galore and visuals that are almost always worth admiring. If you love Zelda-like games or are just looking for an experience that will make you smile every step of the way, you can’t go wrong with Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is absolutely brilliant. It's one of those rare games that feels like it belongs to the new generation thanks to its magnificent world, and its developers knew exactly how ambitious to be while still providing a top rate experience.

I found Kena: Bridge of Spirits to be one of the best treats of the year, both for the eyes and for the soul. Not only does it show elaborate craftsmanship, but it also feels like it was infused with joy and awareness. I'm happy it's here, and I look forward to seeing where Kena's bridge can lead.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is simply charming. A game where everything is in the right place and that can be surprisingly challenging when it wants. As a debut title, Ember Labs did a great job.

After completing Kena, we felt the desire not to leave these virtual lands, to continue further into the heart of the forest to eliminate even the last bit of Corruption. Like the souls of the village, in short, we didn't want to "go further" either. The magic of Bridge of Spirits is all here: in its sweet magnetism, in its balance between gameplay and storytelling, in the echo of those adventure games of yesteryear, where simplicity moved hand in hand with refinement. Gorgeous to look at and rewarding to play, Kena is a debut work that has rarely been seen in recent years: that the independent sector can be guided by its spirit.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits not only looks gorgeous, it additionally delights with challenging combat and simply enjoyable exploration.

"Satisfactory" is a well suited adjective for this game. It may not be as groundbreaking as other games in the genre, but it offers really interesting exploration and combats. And you'll love your Rots too.

Kena is beautiful, well balanced between combat, puzzle, and platforming, and has some surprisingly challenging bosses. It doesn't reinvent anything, but all that offers works well.

This adventure is an absolute joy to experience. It tells an emotional story, looks great and plays well, managing to feel simultaneously fresh and classic. Kena: Bridge of Spirits never reinvents the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. Definitely worth your time and money.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is stunning spectacle full of heart and unbelievable charm. If you aren't carefully selecting hats for your Rot companions by the end, then you're probably made of stone. In the event that your soul is inhospitably frosty, Kena can be deceivingly challenging, throwing boss fights at you that will make those on Demon Souls look like a cake walk. A few minor issues stop Kena from being a showstopper, but there is no doubt that this a great game, and an amazing debut for a 15-person strong team.

It's a pity that Kena: Bridge of Spirits did not get a big marketing campaign because it definitely deserves recognition. It's a lovely, well-constructed game for everyone. I really hope we'll see more of Kena in the future, and I wish more debuts like this for every studio.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a beautiful game for sure, but it's not just a pretty face to look at: It has engaging gameplay mechanics, great bosses and story and an amazing soundtrack to boot. Ember Labs has delivered us an amazing game and a great addition to the PS5 library.

It’s pretty amazing to think that Kena: Bridge of Spirits is Ember Lab’s very first game. With absolutely stunning visuals and impactful music this is sure to leave an impression on people. Gameplay-wise it doesn’t do anything particularly new or innovative but that doesn’t stop it from being loads of fun. This is a small adventure with enough challenge and heart to keep you entertained for the full 10–15 hours that it’ll take for you to reach its conclusion.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an excellent debut. Even if the story ends a bit in the background, the beauty of the world, the animations and the combat system make the adventure of Kena and his friends Rot's truly memorable.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a fantastic adventure that relies on its beautiful art direction, combination of gameplay elements and its great level design to deliver a game that you should not miss.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an astonishing action-adventure with a unique art direction. It proposes brilliant puzzle-platform sections and let the player be free to explore and manage the pace with their own rhythm.

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.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits has many strengths, but because of that all the flaws tend to stick out even stronger. The lack of polish makes this magical world feel a bit artificial. All that is great about it, truly is amazing. But when you grab the controller itself, you will feel every bump down this 10 hour long road.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits does little we haven't seen before. Regardless, the game sports small challenges in digestable environmental puzzles, that can be as wonderful as they can be frustrating.

A beautiful, pleasant adventure game, designed very well, if not very originally. This lack of invention, in addition to a story that’s just not too interesting, keeps Kena from truly shining, but it’s still well worth your time.

Kena fills the void left by a now-scarce genre that used to be far more common than it is today. It’s a simple story of love and loss with gorgeous visuals and a play loop ripped straight from the PS2 era. I would have liked a few more concessions to help players navigate the world and its challenges, but I still enjoyed my time here — it doesn’t reinvent the action-adventure platformer wheel, but it managed to put a nostalgic smile on my face.

Boss battles aside, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a remarkable first effort from Ember Lab that showcases their amazing potential. They’ve crafted a beautiful world and touching story that really highlight the strength of their writing and animation capabilities, and the soundtrack is captivating. While Kena provides engaging activities as you explore, the inexperience with combat clearly shows. Kena serves as a strong foundation for Ember Lab to build upon, and it’s clear that given more experience they’re capable of great things to come.

You are constantly haunted by dozens of black ghosts. Your only task is to guide lost souls to the afterlife. Sounds like a scary horror game, doesn't it? But 'Kena: Bridge of spirits' is just the opposite: a beautifully cute yet challenging action-adventure game that is definitely worth a spot on your wish list.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the game that was missing to end 2021 in the best way possible. This title pictures a reality not far from ours, where the corruption is imminent and the salvation of the land demands a path that challenge us and makes us grow into a better version of ourselves. As a Spirit Guide, Kena took the compromise of freeing every soul that needed her. She felt fear, failed to have decisions but with the help of her Rot friends she was able to accomplish her mission, in which is the perfect balance between duty and passion.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a solid game that hearkens back to titles of the sixth generation of games, with a coat of paint indicative of modern gaming that should appease younger players while offering enough gameplay variety for anyone to enjoy.

I felt enamored with Kena: Bridge of Spirits throughout the entirety of its gorgeous adventure, but its gameplay and exploration doesn’t fully match the high expectations set by its stunning visuals. It’s got some solid combat that has just the right amount of challenge, some clever puzzles itching to be solved and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. But the rewards for curious exploration aren’t always that exciting, and I wish I’d had more time getting to know the likeable Kena herself before the credits rolled. Still, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a captivating and well-made affair with a big heart, and will surely scratch an itch for many gamers keen on taking part in a touching journey through one of the prettiest worlds ever created.

Ember Labs has established a solid foundation for a franchise that could eventually rival The Legend of Zelda. If future entries refine the combat and platforming, this could become one of the defining new series of this console generation.

Bridge of Spirits tackles the question of whether a game is worthwhile if it doesn’t innovate, and the answer is yes. Ember Lab’s biggest sin with Kena is just not following up on the unique identity hinted at throughout the journey, but never developed fully. That aside, Bridge of Spirits is still a rich and beautiful adventure with smart combat and superb platforming, and hopefully, it's not the last we hear from Ember Lab.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a great palette cleanser, not just in terms of tone but the way it's carefully designed. Well-paced and beautiful to behold with plenty to see and do, Ember Lab has well and truly captured the spirit of the 3D platformers many of us grew up adoring.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits delivers an all around excellent experience that's consistently engaging and manages to enrapture the player, even without doing anything particularly new or innovative.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is one of the most charming platform adventures ever, with beautiful environments, characters and a compelling and exciting story. As far as gameplay is concerned, you've played these kinds of games many times before and technically the game isn't perfect, but it's packed in a masterful jacket.

Kena is an enjoyable adventure that mixes familiar elements with the occasional difficulty spike to shake things up. It plays it safe with simplistic combat and an old-school format, but its impressive presentation ultimately lulls you into its world nicely. Its cutscenes tell a story that leaves you curious for more, so here’s hoping that this is just the beginning of great things to come.

Kena Bridge of Spirits is more than a promising start from Ember Lab. Not only does it shine through its visuals and the presence of those little creatures called Rots, this action and adventure game that looks like an animated film offers an overall experience that is certainly a bit classic, a little young in some aspects, but perfectly condensed to allow both gameplay and storytelling to satisfy players who are looking for a nice trip to take after several periods of lockdown. Magical.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a fantastic achievement, one that celebrates the wonder of adventure games with a story to fall into, characters to root for and a ton of collectibles to uncover. The ‘Now That’s What I Call An Adventure Game’ nature of the mechanics offers little in the way of huge originality, but presents them in a world so full of beauty and wonder you’ll soon forget all about it. The future is bright for Ember Lab.

It is startling to think that one of the best games of the year has come in the form of a title that looks like something you would put on to amuse kids for a morning. Yet Kena: Bridge of Spirits boasts more heart and genuineness than many games could hope to exude. What Ember Lab has produced is a rejuvenation of the indie market, proving that the little guys can box with the best. For anyone looking for a game that will bring a smile to their face, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is not to be missed.

I’ve mentioned a lot of other games throughout this review. Uncharted, Jak & Daxter, Pikmin, I could name a few more too. While not a lot here is fully original, almost everything is well-executed, and when you add an excellent story and a ton of personality, you have a winning experience. While there are a few minor issues here and there, Kena: Bridge of Spirits provides a wonderful base that we can only hope future games will build on.

Ember Lab's very first project is a beautiful adventure set in an even more beautiful universe, and while it's borrowing a lot of its core components from different games of the genre, it still feels fresh and stands on its own. The future surely seems bright both for the franchise and its developer.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits remains traditional in its mechanics while offering a series of surprises that go far beyond the beauty of its world.

Despite featuring a very familiar experience inspired by The Legend of Zelda series, Kena: Bridge of Spirits manages to stand out from the competition with its amazing visuals, excellent combat system, and puzzle design. The underwhelming story and lack of real innovation prevent the game from being a must-have, sure, but what Kena: Bridge of Spirits does well, it really does well, so much that it's very easy to look past its issues.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a very good game that feels like it’s already been left behind by modern genre conventions. There’s nothing all that frustrating in that - we shouldn’t expect games, especially those made by studios the size of Ember Labs, to be constantly groundbreaking, but so much of Kena feels borrowed from elsewhere that it’s difficult to call it great. It’s a solid, enjoyable experience, and charming enough that you won’t care that you’ve played versions of it before. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a pretty nice wheel nonetheless.

I wouldn’t call Kena: Bridge of Spirits overly ambitious. More like “strategically ambitious.” Ember Lab avoided biting off more than it could chew with its first game, and I dug it. I hope there’s a sequel! After a much-deserved break, of course.

Despite a few shortcomings, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a solid action-adventure game and an impressive debut effort by Ember Lab. It will scratch the itch for anyone looking for a Zelda-like adventure on PlayStation, but while it's been compared to games like Zelda and Pikmin, Kena: Bridge of Spirits still stands on its own. Hopefully, this isn't the end of Kena's story, as it would be great to see the ideas here expanded on in future games.

An agreeable adventure that's transformed into something special by its enchanting aesthetic.

With its elegantly simple combat and beautiful world, Kena: Bridge of Spirits harkens back to the days of the N64/GameCube-era Zeldas, Okami, and Star Fox Adventures, while also adding modern sensibilities and a distinct personal touch.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a majestic adventure in a world that blends life and death in a one-of-a-kind path of forgiveness and redemption. There are some imperfections due to inexperience but if this is the talent of the guys at Ember Lab, we can't wait to see what they can create in the future.

The story depicted in Kena is forgettable. But the journey to get there is absolutely not. Ember Labs gift us an artistic vision and an OST that are both splendid! The structure of the game is quiet classic and sometimes feels like routine but the fighting mechanics are incredible and the pleasure is undeniably there.

As an indie effort and a debut game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits makes a good impression. It balances simplicity and challenge while weaving a neatly-paced story into something that can be played over a chill couple of days. Despite fantastic production values it's still far from a AAA title – so it's important to keep expectations in check, but anyone looking to lose themselves in a charming, gorgeous world ripe for exploration should look no further. It's exactly what I needed right now – perfect cozy weekend entertainment.

Where Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart took an old formula and brought it into the modern era, Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ approach was more adherent to the old ways. The technical aspects are phenomenal and thoroughly current, but the game itself relies heavily on the old way of doing things. Limited paths. Contrived situational limitations. Collectables galore. You likely already know if that’s something you’re interested in playing, and I personally believe they’ve done an admirable job here. Especially for a first crack.

Kena is a visually appealing adventure with enjoyable gameplay. Although it has its shortcomings, it's a good start as Ember Lab's first game.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits features simple combat and often feels repetitive, but there's plenty of charm that keeps you playing.

Telling a number of touching tales of loss and love, Kena is a visually stunning action-platformer that feels like a classic PS2 game in mostly the right ways.

It’s not that it plays like a game from a different time, the overall design and flow is both time-worn and engaging -- it’s just that in certain areas it begins to feel a little disconnected. Secrets and treasure mostly come in the form of cute little hats for your Rot and the blue-crystal currency to buy more hats. So, the incentive to explore isn’t really there from a thematic or discovery context. We wish there was more finding spirits and restoring the village stuff as opposed to chests bursting open with a currency you never feel like you actually need.

Kena Bridge of Spirits may truly excel when it comes to a beautifully designed world and its gorgeous visuals and animation, but it can all feel relatively familiar, featuring platforming and combat mechanics that we’ve seen time and time again. Despite this, Ember Lab has created an action-adventure that can be enjoyed by players of all ages, weaving together Kena’s magical abilities, fantastic enemy designs, and a myriad of collectibles to uncover. Wherever the studio decides to take their next adventure, I’m excited to see it — hopefully with the return of The Rot.

A sprout that hasn’t quite managed to bloom. With expressive animation and beautiful art 7 direction there’s lots to enjoy, but gameplay languishes in the shade. [Issue#7, p.80]

Whether you demand more than comfort from your games will inform the way you see Kena: Bridge of Spirits; is it merely a graphically sumptuous example of design that you wish we would leave behind, or is it a vivifying tribute to a rich precursor legacy?

Kena: Bridge of Spirit’s exceptional visuals clash with its unexceptional gameplay to create a gorgeous experience that would be forgettable if not for its technical prowess. Its combat, puzzles, and platforming are enjoyable but fail to set the world alight, though the adventure is elevated by the beauty of its open world and its highly animated characters.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits takes us on a whimsical tale that’s both predictable and familiar, but also something brand new with the way that it’s presented. Between the the back and forth moments of polish and unpolished gameplay lays an absolute gem of a game.

Despite borrowing from all manner of modern hits, Kena: Bridge of Spirits just about stands on its own. The wonderful visuals and music leave a strong impression, while the gameplay is simple but enjoyable. If its story went beyond the expected, and one or two small issues were scrubbed away, this would be a real winner. As it is, this is a solid action platformer with lots of personality, and a strong debut from Ember Lab.

It is pleasantly diverting, the kind of game it's easy to gobble up in a couple of long sittings - but equally there's little to really stir the blood. It may have gorgeous particle effects in abundance, but what it's really missing is a spark. [Issue#364, p.110]

A good first attempt by a studio that has only worked on animation, but not enough substance in the gameplay to keep you hooked to the very end.

For better and worse, the game lacks for the trailblazing go-anywhere spirit of Breath of the Wild.

As a debut game, Kena: Bridge Of Spirits excels with its cinematic visuals and polished gameplay that feels like a calling card for Ember Lab to be acquired by Sony if it was to revive its colourful mascot action-adventure platformers of old. However, it’s lacking its own personality and ideas while its lacklustre story means your feelings and memories of it will quickly move into the next world the moment you’re done with it.

Highly impressive on a technical level but the throwbacks to PS2 era game design feel less like a homage and more an indication of the developers’ lack of experience and imagination.