Review: Kena: Bridge of Spirits explained to parents

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What parents need to know

Kena is a spiritual guide whose mission is to guide the souls of the deceased to the afterlife. This premise may seem very strange, but the fact remains that Kena is a very endearing character who only wants to help those around her. You will be led to fight enemies and explore a valley that is filled with secrets, caves and treasures. Your quest will also lead you to look for the Rots, cute creatures like you’ve never seen them before.

Release date: September 21, 2021

Developed by: Ember Lab
Published by: Ember Lab
Available on: PlayStation 4 and 5, PC

Game type : adventure, exploration.

Average duration of a game:30 minutes

Estimate of the total duration of the game:
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Themes: Spirits, death, friendship, love.

Business model:
Just need to buy the game once.

Languages available:
Texts: French and English
Voice: English only

Number of players:
1 player

Available:
– in digital format (download on console or PC)
-in physical format (PlayStation 4 and 5 only)
Players3+ 7+ 12+16+18+
Neophytes
Intermediate
Experienced
Difficulty

There are 4 several difficulties, ranging from the lowest where the game is easier and allows a focus on the story, to the most difficult where the enemies are very difficult to defeat.

Violence, fear, nudity?
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The game tackles the theme of spirits, ghosts, and death (albeit in a rather gentle way). Kena must fight against evil creatures. These creatures will want to directly attack Kena in order to defeat her, but all the violence is more like cartoons. However, Kena will scream in pain when she is hit by an enemy.

The game is not recommended for young children.

Language level used
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No problem, the language is very light.

Positive message
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Kena will help some characters who are in need out of pure altruism.

Minimum reading level required
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Very few texts to read outside of the dialogues, where they are spoken in English only (with French subtitles).

Additional costs ?
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None.

Minimum level of execution on the controller required
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Requires use of all buttons on the controller. The 3D camera can be complex to handle for people who are not used to navigating a 3D environment. The player needs good reflexes in order to fight enemies.

Principle of the game

You play as Kena who aims to free a village from the corruption that is there. For this, she will have to defeat several enemies and bosses.

There are two important elements in the game: exploration and combat.

Exploration

Kena finds herself in a world that unfolds gradually, in a more linear way. It is always possible to retrace your steps in order to discover new secrets. She will explore caves, forests, plains, etc. An important part of the exploration involves discovering Rots, extremely cute creatures, which increase Kena’s attack power. She will also find some skills that will allow her to explore more places that were initially impossible to reach.

Fighting

Kena fights with her scepter, she hits the enemies in order to defeat them. As her adventure progresses, Kena will unlock new abilities that will allow her to attack enemies in different ways. Kena will have to use all the abilities at her disposal in order to defeat the enemies.

Update September 27, 2022

Here are some additions that are available for free as of September 27, 2022:

  • New Part+: Allows you to restart the game once it is finished with all Kena’s abilities unlocked as well as new fights.
  • Charms that allow you to change some of Kena’s skills. For example, a charm could increase its attack temporarily after defeating an enemy.
  • Spirit Guide Trials: A mode that allows you to fight against waves of enemies, run obstacle courses or beat bosses already defeated. Completing certain events unlocks new outfits for Kena.

Local game mode

  • The main quest
  • The Spirit Guide Trials mode which is available from September 27, 2022

No online game mode

Conclusion

Kena: Bridge of Spirit is eerily reminiscent of a Pixar movie, with its expressive characters and colorful environments. The game conveys a beautiful message of mutual aid and empathy. Moreover, you will experience several emotions throughout your adventure. Although the game is short, the entire adventure is a particularly pleasant experience to live. This game is not recommended for young children, especially because of the theme of death that is addressed in the game. Also, some sequences of the game can be scary because of the ghosts and monsters that are found there.

Trailer

More information about the game:

About François Néron

Étudiant à la maitrise en orientation professionnelle, François a un intérêt pour tout ce qui concerne le développement de la carrière et l'emploi. Il a une passion marquée pour les jeux vidéo, mais aussi pour la psychologie qui les entoure.

View all posts by François Néron