Kena: Bridge of Spirits Review

In 2021, Ember Lab dared to show the world the potential of video games as spiritual journeys. Kena: Bridge of Spirits has since captivated its audiences with innocent characters and a charming world that made the best of modern gaming platforms.

This journey is no longer limited to the PlayStation and PC platforms, as Xbox will soon dive into this mystical realm. However, if you’re thinking of getting the game on an Xbox Series S, there are certain limitations you should know of.

The console keeps the frame rate at (or below) thirty, almost hurting the otherwise awe-inspiring game. Despite the stutters and frame drops, Kena: Bridge of Spirits always allures you with its charm, and it’s certainly a game worthy of your love.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits arrives on Xbox on August 15, 2024.

A Bridge Between Platforms

Great gaming platforms with wonderful platformers. Now, that’s something of a childhood dream of mine. Even as a grown-up, I couldn’t help but feel warm, fuzzy, and cute about Kena: Bridge of Spirits, and how it manages to be such a charming adventure with several platforming sequences.

For the longest time, the game was like a distant dream for gamers who wanted to take a dip into this pool of Pixar-esque characters telling stories that transcended our understanding of life and death. Finally, Xbox users no longer need to have that wishful thinking.

It’s not just the game’s accessibility that I’m so fond of. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is truly a remarkable achievement in Ember Labs’ vision to create something mesmerizing and engaging.

There are many different gameplay elements to the game. From solving puzzles to guiding adorable creatures called Rot, the game tries to strike a balance between narrative and gameplay. Other than being an action-adventure title, it’s also a platformer hidden under its childlike charm.

A lot of puzzles can sometimes feel a bit redundant, given how little clues you’ll have to make sense of things But, this can work in favor of those looking to immerse themselves in a game without hints handholding them.

While Kena’s movement animations may feel a bit stiff at times, the surrounding environments quickly distract you in the most wonderful ways possible. Shrines, rocks, and waterfalls, among other symphonies of nature, keep you engaged and curious about all that this universe has to say.

Experiencing Kena: Bridge of Spirits on the Xbox Series S

Based on how smitten I am by Kena: Bridge of Spirits, I can’t help but admit how heartbreaking it is to experience the game at sub-par quality. With the Xbox Series S, it’s clear that the developers tried hard to maintain the game’s visual fidelity while having to cut down on its performance.

If it weren’t for the game’s beautiful environments and heartfelt storytelling, the game would be a tough choice to pick on the Xbox Series S. Playing such an exquisite game within the limitations of thirty frames per second (that drop occasionally) and slight bugs and stutters in animations doesn’t escape you.

The Xbox controller too does little justice to the game’s vibrant flow. There are substantial vibrations and jolts from the controller that reflect Kena: Bridge of Spirits‘ aura, but nothing comes close to how the PlayStation 5’s DualSense Wireless Controllers do it.

This is one of many comparisons I kept making as I journeyed through the game on my Xbox Series S, and I wish I hadn’t. Unfortunately, when a game like this can work so flawlessly on a better machine, one can’t help but notice.

I write this not just as a point of criticism, but also as feedback. It wouldn’t hurt to have something like a “performance mode” for the game that lets it run on sixty frames per second. Furthermore, fixing those animation hiccups would make the game feel more polished, too.

Art Trumps Exclusivity

If you’re a connoisseur of solitude like me, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is going to feel like an introspective meditation on everything that makes a video game fun.

In my many moments of peace during the gameplay, I found myself sitting with the Rot, doing absolutely nothing. They can move around with you and even fight for you, but they also reflect on your need for silence.

I do believe that one of the finest things about video games moving between genres and platforms lies in the art of sound design. Regardless of which platform you’re experiencing the game on, Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ quality of sounds proudly stands out. The tranquil sounds of nature, along with eloquently performed music are Kena: Bridge of Spirits’ gift to the world.

When Ember Lab was in the process of creating these experiences, composer Jason Gallaty collaborated with the ensemble group Gamelan Çudamani. The result of this can be felt through the game’s music, where instruments feel like characters embracing the game’s universe, as they softly whisper melodies that deeply reflect strands of Balinese culture.

This prominent showcase of everything human about the game-making process makes it an experience that transcends the clutches of exclusivity. Keeping aside the performance hiccups brought in by the Xbox Series S, knowing that the game exists on other, more powerful platforms helps me recommend this game wholeheartedly.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits – 8/10