Kena: Bridge of Spirits [Xbox Series X] | REVIEW

There has been close to three years of console-exclusivity on the PlayStation platform for Kena: Bridge of Spirits, but now, Xbox gamers can finally experience Ember Lab’s gorgeously enchanting adventure.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Kena: Bridge of Spirits puts players in the role of a young Spirit Guide named Kena, who is tasked with helping lead wayward spirits to the afterlife. The job of a Spirit Guide isn’t an easy one, with Kena having to learn all about the life and fate of the spirits that she seeks to help in order to ease them into letting go of the life they had. As you’d expect, it makes for an emotional tale, but it’s also one rife with dark fantasy elements that help ensure that the adventure remains gripping throughout.

When it comes to the gameplay, Kena: Bridge of Spirits feels a lot like a traditional third-person adventure title, with the player exploring a variety of locales, beating up baddies, and solving the occasional puzzle. Combat is pretty straightforward, with the player able to mash out combos, parry incoming attacks, or dodge roll out of the way, whilst there are a good variety of enemies that demand a different approach to take down. Combat continually evolves too, with plenty of new abilities learned as you progress.

There are also special creatures known as The Rot that join Kena on her journey, and despite their name, they’re very cute. They also do a good job of interfering in combat to help Kena out, whilst they’re also used to help solve puzzles or open up new pathways when exploring the world. They add a fun little twist to the gameplay mechanics found across Kena: Bridge of Spirits, though the fact that they’re absolutely adorable ensures that their presence would always be welcome anyway.

“And sure, it does have a bit of a slow and simple start, but once it gets going, it’s easy to find yourself completely captivated by Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ gorgeous and tantalising adventure.”

Admittedly, Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ gameplay loop didn’t hook me in at first, with the combat a little simple and the puzzles not especially perplexing. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the game to up the ante and get the ball rolling, with the more elaborate abilities I unlocked adding more finesse to each encounter (your staff is capable of the likes of ranged or explosive attacks as you progress) and the more intricate boss battles standing out as a real showcase of Kena’s combat skills. Exploration and puzzle-solving became more absorbing too, with Kena’s reliance on using the capabilities of The Rot adding an almost Pikmin-like touch to certain set pieces that made each enigma all the more satisfying to unravel. I loved it.

One thing that is worth noting is that there’s a fair bit of a difficulty curve to Kena: Bridge of Spirits. On appearances alone, you might be deceived to think that it’s a bit of a cutesy easy-going experience, but believe me, some of the bosses will cause a LOT of pain as you try to figure out the best way to take them down. The sense of difficulty is rewarding though, with it encouraging players to use the new abilities they unlock and plan their attacks carefully in order to succeed – I never grew frustrated when playing, even IF there were some bosses that beat me up over and over again before I eventually succeeded.

One of the fortunate things about Kena: Bridge of Spirits releasing three-years later on Xbox platforms is that it brings with it all of the post-release updates, so players get to enjoy the likes of New Game Plus to carry over previous progress and unlockables, Spirit Trials that test their skills in a variety of ways, charm stones that offer modifiers to Kena’s stats, new abilities and cosmetic items for both Kena and The Rot, and an enhanced photo mode for budding virtual snappers. Whilst these extras all came to previous platforms, it’s nice to have everything available on the Xbox Series X at launch to ensure new players are getting the definitive Kena: Bridge of Spirits experience from the get-go.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Finally, I can’t end this review without mentioning the visuals. Look, Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been out for three-years now on other platforms, so its gorgeous visuals are no secret. Despite this, I still found myself completely mesmerised by the world, with Ember Lab doing a fantastic job of bringing each locale to life with picturesque depth and detail. You’re never far from a remarkable sight that that’ll catch your eye, with every effort made to ensure that the world stands out as one of the most beautiful seen in any video game… it really is THAT good. The characters and animations manage to maintain that incredibly high standard too, with Kena, the folk she helps, the mystical creatures that roam the world, and each enemy you face off against wonderfully designed to fit in perfectly with the rich fantasy setting. It’s just really, really beautiful, which when combined with the engrossing gameplay ensures that Kena: Bridge of Spirits stands out as a very special experience. Oh, and some advice? Play in Performance Mode – the difference between that and Fidelity isn’t too substantial, whilst experiencing the game at a 60fps frame rate is simply blissful.

Developer: Ember Lab
Publisher: Ember Lab
Platform(s): Xbox Series X|S (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Website: https://emberlab.com/