At the PS5 games event last summer, developer Ember Lab revealedKena: Bridge of Spirits.The trailer featured an intriguing world, magical combat, and little creatures that made the game look likea blend ofZeldaandPikmin. Those initial impressions were closer to reality than expected, as an Ember Lab developer recently spoke about the main inspirations for the title.
The game follows Kena, a young woman on a journey to a mysterious mountain shrine who must use magical abilities and enlist the help of adorable little creatures to reach her goal. These creatures – called the Rot – can be recruited to aid Kena in a variety of ways, prompting the comparison with Nintendo’sPikminfranchise.Kena: Bridge of Spiritswill be making an appearance at the Tribeca Film Festival in June, where fans are expecting to see some new gameplay. Leading up to the festival, studio co-founder Josh Grier has given some additional comments about inspirations for the game.
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Kenais an adventure game at its core, and Grier noted thatKenawas “inspired by many of the adventure games that have come before us, most notably,Zelda.” The latestZeldatitle,Breath of the Wild, stands as one of thehighest-rated open world games of the last decade, and has inspired numerous titles such asGenshin ImpactandImmortals: Fenyx Rising.Of all the series to draw inspiration from,Zeldaseems like an excellent choice.
Beyond brief clips of the game in action, Ember Lab has released other details on its debut title.Kenais confirmed to be coming to PlayStation consoles, with players receiving a free upgrade to PS5 if they purchase it for PS4. The title will also take advantage of next-gen console solid state drives;Kenacan load in two seconds on Sony’s PS5. Xbox players will have to play the game on other platforms, as Sony holds console exclusivity for the title, but it will also be available on PC.
Since its reveal, many have been eager to playKenaand see what secrets the game holds. While the title was originally slated for a holiday 2020 release, it was delayed to sometime in the first three months of 2021 before being pushed back again. Ember Lab finally set anAugust 2021 release date forKenain a new gameplay trailer, and now that summer is here, players will not have to wait much longer for thisZelda-inspired adventure.
Kena: Bridge of Spiritsis due to release June 16, 2025 on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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