Commissar SFLUFAN Posted June 13, 2021 Author Share Posted June 13, 2021 Kena: Bridge of Spirits hands-on premiere: As good as “Legend of Pikmin” sounds ARSTECHNICA.COM Hour-long demo proves this fall game is much more than a pretty face. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a familiar adventure game elevated by amazing art | PC Gamer WWW.PCGAMER.COM Kena: Bridge of Spirits' straightforward combat and bosses are welcome in its beautiful world. Kena: Bridge of Spirits has Pixar soul, AAA gameplay, and delicious cuteness | GamesRadar+ WWW.GAMESRADAR.COM Underneath the adorable, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is also a game about loss and grief Kena Bridge Of Spirits Preview - GameSpot WWW.GAMESPOT.COM We spent about an hour playing Ember Lab's first game, spending some time learning its fast-paced combat, exploring the world, and becoming best friends with the Rot. Kena: Bridge of Spirits Blends God of War, Horizon, and Pikmin With Pixar-Level Animation - IGN WWW.IGN.COM We went hands-on with the intriguing Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and came away impressed by how it takes its inspirations and produces a new, inventive world. Kena: Bridge of Spirits evokes God of War with a dose of Pikmin WWW.POLYGON.COM Kena blends multiple genres into something new Kena: Bridge of Spirits hands-on: A little Pikmin in your Zelda VENTUREBEAT.COM Kena: Bridge of Spirits stood out to me when Sony showed this independent action-adventure title ahead of the PlayStation 5's launch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BloodyHell Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 This is the game I look forward to most this summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 It comes out exactly on my birthday, so I already know what I'm playing then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 Yes, please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best3444 Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 This is one I'm keeping my eye out on. Looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepee Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 I hope people remember it’s a $40 indie game by a small team when it’s 8-12 hours long tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury33 Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 15 minutes ago, stepee said: I hope people remember it’s a $40 indie game by a small team when it’s 8-12 hours long tops. God I hope so. The world needs way more 8-12 hour narrative games. Not everything needs to be an 80 hour open world monstrosity. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 17 minutes ago, stepee said: I hope people remember it’s a $40 indie game by a small team when it’s 8-12 hours long tops. This would be a complete non-issue to me at least! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepee Posted June 13, 2021 Share Posted June 13, 2021 6 minutes ago, legend said: This would be a complete non-issue to me at least! Oh believe me, it just makes me more excited to play this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercury33 Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Haha I honestly didn’t think it was coming out till the fall anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 2 minutes ago, Mercury33 said: Haha I honestly didn’t think it was coming out till the fall anyway No kidding They could've just not said anything and I doubt anyone would really have noticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 37 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: No kidding They could've just not said anything and I doubt anyone would really have noticed! Hey, the original release date was my birthday. I would have noticed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Does this push back the epic exclusive window too or does it shorten it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heydude93 Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 If nothing else this might bode well for Double Fine ^_^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 6 hours ago, Ghost_MH said: Hey, the original release date was my birthday. I would have noticed. now it comes out three days after my birthday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stepee Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 I also forgot this was going to come out in August so I’m fine with this since it’s still soon! I just assumed it was further away I mean, not that I’m not really looking forward to this one which I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted September 20, 2021 Author Share Posted September 20, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XxEvil AshxX Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 Somebody needs to let me know how much the "Pikmin" part of this game factors into it, because honestly I was interested until I read about that. I don't want to fuck with all these little things running around me. Just let me hack n slash. I'm boring like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legend Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 Please be good. I love the art direction and atmosphere of this game, and if it's good then we can get more of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best3444 Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 3 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: Ehh, looked ok to me. I love the art style but I have my doubts if the gameplay will be fun and interesting. It just doesn't scream AAA to me. When will reviews go up for this? Comes out tomorrow lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 4 minutes ago, best3444 said: Ehh, looked ok to me. I love the art style but I have my doubts if the gameplay will be fun and interesting. It just doesn't scream AAA to me. When will reviews go up for this? Comes out tomorrow lol I wouldn't expect it to scream AAA. It's the first game by a new studio and is selling for $40. I'm still hyped for this game, so I hope it's good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
best3444 Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 8 minutes ago, Ghost_MH said: I wouldn't expect it to scream AAA. It's the first game by a new studio and is selling for $40. I'm still hyped for this game, so I hope it's good. I hope it turns out good, too. It's right up my alley in terms of game style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPDunks4 Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 I think this is gonna score pretty well. Open Critic Tweeted they saw the scores and they tweeted "Oooooooooo" as a reaction. Don't think they'd tweet anything about it if it was doing poorly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 lets go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Already downloading. I'll stay up a little late for this one. No school tomorrow, so I don't have to wake up early to get my oldest ready for school. I should be able to roll out of bed and straight to my laptop. Hopefully I'll be awake enough for my 10am standup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JPDunks4 Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 I haven't bought anything new on my PS5 for awhile, so may jump on this since it's $40. Any mention of how long the game is? I'm wrapping up Psychonauts 2 now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 1 hour ago, johnny said: lets go 1 hour in and who knows when I'll get the chance to play more with how busy my week is looking to be. A PS2 action adventure, meant in the most positive way possible is pretty damn accurate so far. Also, this game is adorable. You can sit down and kiss your little rot things. Let's see Nintendo pull that off with Pikmin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xbob42 Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Seems neat so far. Technical prowess aside, haven't noticed all that much that makes it stand out, but it seems very solid at what it does. Hoping it broadens its scope of play just a little bit, as it seems very basic so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Xbob42 said: Seems neat so far. Technical prowess aside, haven't noticed all that much that makes it stand out, but it seems very solid at what it does. Hoping it broadens its scope of play just a little bit, as it seems very basic so far. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-09-20-kena-bridge-of-spirits-review-gorgeous-looking-yet-wholly-unoriginal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.Vic20 Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Yup, this could be any PS2 adventure/puzzler, just with a real nice Pixar-esque coat of paint. Its lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 2 hours ago, Mr.Vic20 said: Yup, this could be any PS2 adventure/puzzler, just with a real nice Pixar-esque coat of paint. Its lovely! If that's all this is, then I'm not really going to complain. That just happens to be a genre I do like that just doesn't really exist anymore. The biggest complaints I've seen in reviews are that the game feels small or limited, but I was already kind of expecting that. This was never going to be some sprawling AAA game. I'd probably be more disappointed if I paid more than $40 for it. I know there was some special edition for this game, but I doubt it was worth it other than to support the dev. I do think this is a pretty good first game from a brand new developer that wasn't founded by some industry vets. Ember Labs it's literally 10 people that just did CG work for commercials until now. First games can often be a bit janky, especially when they're shooting for something as pretty as Kena. This one night be wholy unoriginal, but still plays really well. 2 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-09-20-kena-bridge-of-spirits-review-gorgeous-looking-yet-wholly-unoriginal So this review pretty much confirms that the game doesn't change much as it fits along. I enjoyed what I've played so far, so I'll keep going. At least now I know that I really should keep looking for all the collectible doodads to learn new skills and collect more Rot. Sounds like the game gets too repetitive if you aren't really building out Kena's arsenal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 Game Information Game Title: Kena: Bridge of Spirits Platforms: PlayStation 5 (Sep 21, 2021) PlayStation 4 (Sep 21, 2021) PC (Sep 21, 2021) Publisher: EMBER LAB Review Aggregator: OpenCritic - 82 average - 81% recommended Critic Reviews DualShockers - 10 / 10 Quote I really can’t recommend Kena: Bridge of Spirits highly enough that will see players partake in a meaningful journey absorbed in a vibrant world filled with fluid animations that cries out to be explored. With the game’s added photo mode, expect to add on a few more gameplay hours as you fill up your gallery with lots of cute Rot pictures, too. GameSpew - 10 / 10 Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits truly is something special, and I can’t wait to see what Ember Lab does next. Digital Trends - 4.5 / 5 stars Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits is as gorgeous and elegantly crafted as a big budget game, making it a statement debut for Ember Lab. Game Informer - 9 / 10 Quote The world is fun to explore, and your time is rewarded with secrets galore and hats for your little Rot followers GameSpot - 9 / 10 Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits uses a different perspective on familiar gameplay ideas to create tons of exciting combat and a deep emotional connection with its world. PSX Brasil - Portuguese - 90 / 100 Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a great game. Beautiful graphics, good gameplay and interesting mechanics. It has some minor problems, but nothing that affects the whole title. Screen Rant - 4.5 / 5 stars Quote Overall, 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. Everyeye.it - Italian - 8.8 / 10 Quote After completing Kena, we felt the desire not to leave these virtual lands, to continue in the heart of the forest to eliminate even the last bit of Corruption. Like the souls of the village, in short, we did not want to "go further". The magic of Bridge of Spirits is all here: in its sweet magnetism, in its balance between gameplay and narration, in the echo of those adventures of the past, where simplicity moved hand in hand with refinement. Splendid to look at and rewarding to play, Kena is a debut work as rarely seen in recent years: that the independent sector can be guided by its spirit. GamePro - German - 87 / 100 Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits not only looks beautiful, but also captivates with challenging fights and exploration that is simply fun. Hobby Consolas - Spanish - 86 / 100 Quote "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! IGN Italy - Italian - 8.5 / 10 Quote 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. PlayStation LifeStyle - 8.5 / 10 Quote 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. Cerealkillerz - German - 8.3 / 10 Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits turns out to be more than just a solid video game debut of ember lab. With cutscenes at the same level as pixar movies and a gameplay that don't need to hide behind games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, players get a beautifully crafted package. A bit more focus on the gameplay elements and riddles would helped the game as a whole a lot but otherwise waits probably one of the best adventures of this year for you. Spaziogames - Italian - 8.3 / 10 Quote 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. Attack of the Fanboy - 4 / 5 stars Quote For anyone looking for a game that will bring a smile to their face, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is not to be missed. BaziCenter - Persian - 8 / 10 Quote 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. Destructoid - 8 / 10 Quote 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. FingerGuns - 8 / 10 Quote 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. Game Rant - 4 / 5 stars Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a short but sweet action-adventure game with a heartwarming story and great graphics that make it feel like a Disney movie. Gameblog - French - 8 / 10 Quote For a try, it's a masterstroke. The formula applies perfectly to Kena Bridge of Spirits, which marks a more than promising debut on the part of Ember Lab. GamesRadar+ - 4 / 5 stars Quote An agreeable adventure that's transformed into something special by its enchanting aesthetic IGN - 8 / 10 Quote 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. IGN Spain - Spanish - 8 / 10 Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits remains traditional in its mechanics while offering a series of surprises that go far beyond the beauty of its world. Kakuchopurei - 80 / 100 Quote As a fan of old-school platformers of the PS2 and Gamecube era, I'm down for Ember Labs' first-ever game offering. It could have ended up being an overproduced and bogged-down mess, but Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a wondrous 10-hour experience from start to finish. Press Start - 8 / 10 Quote 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. TheGamer - 4 / 5 stars Quote 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. Wccftech - 8 / 10 Quote 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. AusGamers - 7.5 / 10 Quote It might be a strange way to phrase things, but Kena suffers from feeling too much like a game for a game’s sake. The latter third is essentially a string of linear levels with puzzles and boss fights, so much so that by the time the climactic confrontation rolls around it affects the dramatic tension the story has spent several hours slowly building towards. It’s by no means bad, or anything close to that. Instead, you get the feeling that much like commanding the Rot to prop up a fallen statue the experience itself is given the very same vibrant animated lift based on how it looks. Explosion Network - 7 / 10 Quote You feel the passion of Ember Lab to craft a cinematic game with Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Visually and aurally, they achieve their target as it's a beautiful game, but from a story point-of-view and as a video game, it doesn't quite hit the mark. Game Revolution - 7 / 10 Quote 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. Push Square - 7 / 10 Quote 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. PC Gamer - 65 / 100 Quote Looks better than it plays, but it's got a good heart. Gadgets 360 - 6 / 10 Quote Ultimately, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a by-the-numbers 3D action-adventure game. It might look like a modern Zelda game but doesn't play like one. It's largely just a series of arena-based combat routines, stitched together by long stretches of traversal, and cutscenes that are well-designed but feel like a forgotten Hollywood B-movie. Too often, Kena: Bridge of Spirits reminds you of better games you've played and that it's borrowing from — which is not a good sign. There's no harm in learning from others, it's certainly well made, but it's lacking in originality. There's little personality to Kena: Bridge of Spirits, for it's adopting the sheen of others. For a debut title, this is undoubtedly a good effort — but I fear Ember Labs have played it too safe. VGC - 3 / 5 stars Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a completely inoffensive, if somewhat bland adventure that will mildly entertain for the duration of its runtime, but won’t live long in the memory. ACG - Buy Quote Video Review - Quote not available Ars Technica - Ars Technica Approved Quote Between those mechanical systems and cleverly arranged zones in and around the starting village, Ember Lab makes sure that players have stuff to look for and interesting systems to play with once they discover those puzzles. (And I haven't even mentioned the seriously cool, late-game magical ability that I'm not going to spoil.) By narrowing its magical abilities to only a few pickups, K:BoS emphasizes a simple, accessible path to adventurous treasure hunting. The result is the opposite of a standard "Metroidvania" in which new abilities often do a meager job unlocking new things in old zones. If you're hoping for a massive adventure with 19 different items that each expose new regions, K:BoS doesn't deliver. Personally, I enjoyed its tighter focus, which still opened previously explored regions for further investigation (complete with a handy in-game counter for secrets that have and haven't yet been found). Eurogamer - No Recommendation / Blank Quote Kena is smooth as a pebble - a game engineered to be so unoffensive there's no reason not to play it, or to play it at all. GamesBeat - Unscored Quote So, yeah. So far, so good. I do have some concerns. As pretty as Kena’s magical forest is, it’s beginning to feel a little monotonous. I could use a bit more scenic variety, especially some indoor areas. I’ve been in a few caves, and they’re great. They’re eerie, atmospheric, and mystical. I want more caves! Polygon - Unscored Quote Kena: Bridge of Spirits promises magic, but can’t deliver much of it Rock, Paper, Shotgun - RPS Bestest Bests Quote Kena: Bridge Of Spirits is a beautiful action-adventure game full of joy, wonder and character. It's a breath of fresh air. Skill Up - Unscored Quote Video Review - Quote not available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_MH Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 7 hours ago, JPDunks4 said: I haven't bought anything new on my PS5 for awhile, so may jump on this since it's $40. Any mention of how long the game is? I'm wrapping up Psychonauts 2 now. Ars says it's about 15 hours long. Review: Kena: Bridge of Spirits is this year’s best Zelda 35th-anniversary gift ARSTECHNICA.COM Studio's first-ever game is a 15-hour adventuring triumph, GOTY contender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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