Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an action adventure game developed by the independent studio Ember Lab. This small team previously specialized in creating characters for animated commercials and while working on this production was inspired mainly by The Legend of Zelda series.

Plot

The main character of Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a young spirit guide named Kena. Her search for a mountain sanctuary leads her to a beautiful, yet corruption-ridden forest, in the heart of which there is an abandoned village. To unravel the mystery of the place's decline and restore it to its former glory, Kena must team up with the black spirits known as Rot. These creatures are supposed to maintain the balance of nature by decomposing dead and decaying elements, but they are scattered throughout the area, which, combined with the fact that angry spirits are rampant in the thicket, makes their work impossible.

Mechanics

In Kena: Bridge of Spirits the action is presented from a third person perspective (TPP). The game contains a number of locations, in the centre of which there is a village acting as a hub. Wandering through these picturesque places (the source of inspiration for the developers were, among others, Japanese landscapes and the island of Bali), we solve various environmental puzzles, fight enemies and catch Rot souls. The latter play a key role during gameplay, as they can not only move selected objects or repair damaged elements of the environment, but also come in handy in fights with enemies, distracting them or providing us with the power to perform special attacks. Using them on the battlefield requires you to hurt your opponent by yourself.

Battles are dynamic, and during them we have to show above all dexterity and reflexes. Kena's main weapon is a magic staff, with which she can fight at close quarters or from a distance (then the weapon transforms into a bow) or defend herself from enemy attacks by creating a magic shield around herself. As we progress we unlock new upgrades for our weapons. Apart from that, with time, the heroine is joined by other little companions, who provide her with additional skills useful both on the battlefield and during the exploration of mysterious places. Their appearance can be modified by dressing them up in various hats, bought with gems or found in the game world.

Technical aspects

Kena: Bridge of Spirits features colourful graphics in a nice, cartoon style.