None of the puzzles are particularly taxing, but it's fun interacting with the Rot, whether for objectives or just to relax. Outside of fights, Kena can command them to lift and move heavy objects, help find more Rot creatures, and rid the world of a blight known only as corruption. The Rot isn't just a cute troupe of followers, they're useful in all kinds of ways. The combat and puzzles are where the game comes into its own. It pulls from all kinds of places, but it gets away with it because everything feels good. Platforming, especially when you're scaling cliffs and shimmying across ledges, is very Uncharted, while combat has your attacks on R1 and R2, putting it in line with any action game released in the last five years. The early influences are definitely there, but that's not to say Kena hasn't also borrowed from more modern titles, too. It has a straightforward structure, but it's a compelling one that'll have you exploring every inch of the game for secrets. The feeling of moving through the world - hunting for hidden areas, gathering the Rot, and unlocking more paths with new abilities - puts us in mind of those old-school action platformers. This is a mostly linear action adventure absolutely stuffed with collectibles, light platforming, and combat arenas, all stitched together in a large map. Think Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, or even Tak and the Power of Juju - it's in that wheelhouse. While the narrative hasn't surprised us, what has is how much the game takes us back to those PS2-era action platformers, in a good way. We won't be going over any spoilers, save to say that the story doesn't really stray from what you'd expect able to help lost spirits find peace, it hits an optimistic yet bittersweet tone, akin to any number of animated films you've seen in the last decade. On the way, she discovers the Rot, a species of magical creatures that offer her a helping hand in her journey. You play as Kena, a young spirit guide on a quest to visit the mountain shrine. As alluded, though, the actual game underneath the lush environments and expressive characters is solid good fun. With the studio's background in animation for TV and movies, it was almost expected that this would look great, and it does have lovely, colourful visuals with lots of personality. The good news is that, on the whole, it does. Developer Ember Lab's debut game has always looked fantastic in the lead up to launch, but does its gameplay match the beautiful, whimsical art style? While it's great that the company puts some indie titles on the same level as triple-A experiences, it can sometimes lead to inflated expectations. Kena: Bridge of Spirits was positioned by Sony as a key game coming to PlayStation 5.
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