Kena: Bridge of Spirits review-in-progress — a magical adventure with action - VentureBeat

bentangos.blogspot.com

Join the GamesBeat community!

Enjoy access to the GamesBeat Discord, special events, private newsletters and more.

Join here

A new GamesBeat event is around the corner! Learn more about what comes next. 

---

I like Pixar movies. I like action-adventure games. I like Kena: Bridge of Spirits!

Kena is available now (well, maybe give it a few hours if you’re reading this right when I publish it) on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. I played on PS5.

I haven’t beaten Kena yet, so this isn’t my full review. But I’ve been enjoying its magical, beautiful adventure so far.

Beyond Zelda

This is an action-adventure game in the Zelda and Beyond Good & Evil mold. The experience has a mix of combat and environmental puzzle-solving. Now, as an indie game, you might expect Kena to feature some modest production values, but developer Ember Labs is somehow delivering something that looks the part of a big-budget, triple-A game. Kena looks like a computer animated film in the style of Pixar or DreamWorks, featuring a lush, magical forest to explore and a likable, emotive cast of characters.

Webinar

Three top investment pros open up about what it takes to get your video game funded.

You can tell you’re going to like Kena’s visuals just by watching a trailer, but its combat also stands out. It’s nothing flashy. You have a staff that you can use for melee attacks or ranged, bow-like projectiles. You have a dodge, a counter, all the typical stuff. It just all has a nice flow to it. Most encounters, especially boss fights, require you to use your full kit. In one memorable fight, I stunned a boss by shooting a lantern around his neck with my bow. That opened him up for some melee hits before I would dodge roll out of the way to prepare to to evade or counter his next attack.

Then you have the rot, probably Kena’s most interesting mechanic. You have an army of these little forest spirits, the previously-mentioned rot, that you can order around the world to solve puzzles, a bit like Pikmin. So you may find a block that you can have the rot move to unlock a new area.

You can also use the rot in combat. As you land blows, you build up a “courage” meter. You can use this to direct the rot to use different abilities, like a homing ranged attack. You can also have them activate healing flowers or make them distract an enemy. Building up the courage meter and figuring out how to spend it adds some nice complexity to each fight.

Explore and reward

You can also find more rot to join your army with a little exploration. Again, typical for the genre, but it’s nice to earn rewards for looking beyond the main path. You can also discover hats for the rot and earn some points that you can spend on character upgrades

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!

And maybe I’ll get them. I’ll just have to play the rest of the game. And when I do, I’ll let you know what I think.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is out now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. The developer gave GamesBeat a PS5 code for this review.

GamesBeat

GamesBeat's creed when covering the game industry is "where passion meets business." What does this mean? We want to tell you how the news matters to you -- not just as a decision-maker at a game studio, but also as a fan of games. Whether you read our articles, listen to our podcasts, or watch our videos, GamesBeat will help you learn about the industry and enjoy engaging with it. How will you do that? Membership includes access to:

• Newsletters, such as DeanBeat
• The wonderful, educational, and fun speakers at our events
• Networking opportunities
• Special members-only interviews, chats, and "open office" events with GamesBeat staff
• Chatting with community members, GamesBeat staff, and other guests in our Discord
• And maybe even a fun prize or two
• Introductions to like-minded parties

Become a member

Adblock test (Why?)

"Review" - Google News
September 21, 2021 at 11:00AM
https://ift.tt/3At5rxw

Kena: Bridge of Spirits review-in-progress — a magical adventure with action - VentureBeat
"Review" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YqLwiz
https://ift.tt/3c9nRHD

Bagikan Berita Ini