Whether it’s every cool new power-up for Kena, every time you have to peer through someone’s mask to see their world, or clean up an entire area of the vile energy stifling it, there is magic and whimsy everywhere you turn in the game. While I was prepared for Bridge of Spirits to have some measure of whimsy and charm, I was caught off guard by just how much of it the game has. The fact that masks are a crucial plot device and that Ember Lab has previously animated a fan film about LoZ: Majora’s Mask probably gives away any mystique about where their inspirations come from. Speaking of reminding me of great games of yesteryear, the gameplay itself seems to be a love letter to the 3D action platformers that I and so many others grew up on like Banjo-Kazooie, Ratchet & Clank, and Legend of Zelda. Reminding me of one of my favorite games of all time is certainly a plus. The gorgeous soundtrack is also full of these inspirations.īecause of these vibes, as well as a core theme being the restoration of nature, the game almost feels something like a spiritual successor to Okami. The aesthetic that was promised is also gloriously followed up on, as the game’s Pixar or Dreamworks-esque graphics and designs fit superbly with the Japanese, Vietnamese, and Balinese inspired environments and iconography. This psychopomp sort of objective is always ripe for some tear-jerking, which the game certainly does with its story of trying to assist a trio of spirits who are having trouble leaving the mortal realm because they can’t forgive themselves. This was given, as the game follows Kena in the footsteps of her family as a Spirit Guide whose job is to assist those souls trapped in the earthly realm to the other side.

What I expected was the beauty as advertised, as well as a plot to match.

Even so, there’s both a little bit less and a little bit more to the game than some were hoping – myself included. From the instant the game was unveiled last summer, it immediately garnered comparisons to works like Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra just based on its aesthetic and promise of a magical adventure heavily inspired by East Asian cultures.Ĭonsidering that giving players what was advertised hasn’t been the standard as it should, the game is already off on the right foot for being exactly what was expected. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the first video game from Ember Lab and they’ve certainly made one hell of an impression.

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