Kena: Bridge of Spirits hands-on: A tiny Pikmin in your Zelda

Kena: Bridge of Spirits stood out to me when Sony showed this independent action-adventure title ahead of the PlayStation 5’s launch. The game and its magical fantasy setting look stunning, with a type of visual high quality that you’d count on more from a significant price range project, not an indie title like this.

The game is coming out for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Computer on August 24. OK, it is not Zelda, but it has a bit of that fantasy adventure flavor that’ll be recognizable to fans of that series or other games in that style like Beyond Good &amp Evil.

I played the Computer version of Kena thanks to a remote demo by means of Parsec. The actual gameplay may possibly be just as fascinating as the visuals.

Righteous rot

Kena is entertaining to look out at. It is colorful and can in some cases really feel like playing a 3D animated film. Sure, other games have accomplished that really feel, like the just-released Ratchet &amp Clank: Rift Apart. And I’m not saying that Kena is fairly on that level, but the game is impressive contemplating its smaller sized group.

In combat, you attack enemies with a magic employees that can also turn into a bow. The Rot, on the other hand, make items fascinating. These are tiny creatures that adhere to you about and can support you in combat. While fighting, you can make up a meter that you can use to have the Rot do various commands. They can bind an enemy, for instance, providing you an chance to land a potent attack. They can also activate a nearby plant, providing you a likelihood to heal your self in the course of combat.

You can also use the Rot outdoors of combat. While traveling, you will come across puzzles that your tiny buddies can support you resolve. You can order them to choose up a block and move it someplace else, which provides Kena a bit of a delightful Pikmin vibe.

Look, I just adore the Rot. The name may possibly make them sound gross, but they’re adorable tiny sprites. Oh, and you can gather hats in  and then equip them on each and every Rot sprite. I have to have all of these hats. I should assemble the ideal army of hat-savvy forest sprites.

Later in my demo, I unlocked a bow. Well, it was nonetheless technically my employees, but I could use it like a bow. Magic! Yes, getting a bow in these types of games is nearly needed, but I appreciated the robust instruction location the game gave me the solution to discover just after unlocking this new capacity. I was capable to practice on many targets to support me develop into accustomed to the weapon.

Like a glove

Kena is friendly and welcoming. It’s new, but its clear inspirations from Zelda and other action-adventure games make it really feel comfortably familiar. And then you have these adorable Rot to give the encounter a bit of a twist.

If you look at Kena, you must currently know if you are interested. It is the magic adventure that the trailers sell it as. Kena is as great as it appears.

Originally appeared on: TheSpuzz