I do like to lose myself in a good action-adventure title. There’s a certain charm to them, when done right, that allows you to soak in the digital world that has been created. Developed and published by Ember Lab, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is very clearly inspired by the likes of the Zelda franchise, but it mixes in a bit of Pikmin to add a little cuteness and puzzle element too.

“A story-driven, action adventure combining exploration with fast-paced combat. Untangle the past as Kena, a young Spirit Guide in search of the sacred Mountain Shrine. Help free the spirits trapped in a forgotten village with the help of the Rot, her adorable (yet powerful) spirit companions.”

Right from the off, the visuals for Kena: Bridge of Spirits are wonderful. The studio behind this game started out in animation before switching over to making games, and it really does show too. The game is gorgeous, and the animation is top-tier stuff. But, it’s not all about the looks, is it? An ugly game can still offer great gameplay to enjoy. But a good-looking game with shallow gameplay will always be shallow. Thankfully, Kena hits the right spot with how it plays too.

Honestly, this doesn’t really do anything innovative or groundbreaking. Just by watching the trailer or looking at a few screenshots, you can second-guess exactly how Kena plays, and you’d be 100% right. Still, a game does not have to be groundbreaking to be good and playing through Kena was like popping your feet into a nice, warm and comfy pair of slippers on a cold winter night. Very familiar, very welcoming and I just didn’t want to take my feet back out of those slippers.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits was originally released back in 2021 on the PlayStation and it has taken 3 years to come to the Xbox… which is a good thing. A lot of the early issues that the game had when it was released in 2021 have been fixed, there have been several improvements made and what you get with this Xobx version is a great game out-of-the-box with no fuss.

As soon as you pick up the controller to play Kena, you will be reminded of Zelda. It’s obvious that the devs are big fans of Nintendo’s famed franchise, so much so that they made this fan film several years ago. But this is no lazy rip-off, this is a lovingly crafted homage that not only has all the hallmarks of a great action-adventure title, it has been polished to a lovely sheen. The combat is simple, but very well implemented. You get a basic light and heavy attack, add on a dodge mechanic, and you have all that you need to get through the majority of enemies. But, as you play, you unlock new abilities such as a bow, which can then be added to the mix. The combat never becomes complex, but various layers are added that help to keep it feeling fresh.

As for the Pikmin bit that I alluded to in the intro, you have these little creatures called Rot, which you can find more of as you progress and add to the army. They are mainly used to solve puzzles and move certain objects around, but the Rot can also be used in combat. You can even customise the Rot with amusing hats that can be found as you explore. There is an upgrade system that allows you to improve Kena’s move set and weapons. Overall, you get a really solid and fun title, even if it never does anything new, Kena: Bridge of Spirits does what it does very well indeed.

Around £28 is how much this game will dent your wallet, and it’ll take around 9 hours to see the end credits. You can add on a couple more hours if you want to nab all of the collectables and find all of the hidden Rot. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a very solid game for a first-time dev and the visuals are beautiful, the animation background of the dev is easy to see. There are times when the game is a bit too simple at times, especially if you have plenty of experience with this genre of game, but don’t let that put you off. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a great little title and I hope to see more from Ember Lab in the future.