Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an action-adventure from the small studio Ember Lab, which previously worked mainly on animated films — something very evident in the game's visual side. The player takes on the role of young spirit guide Kena, whose task is to help trapped souls find peace and overcome their unresolved ties to the world of the living, while traveling through a stylized forest environment inspired by Southeast Asia. The combat system combines nimble staff-based fighting with an army of cute helpers called Rot, who help solve environmental puzzles and are gradually collected across the map as a reward for careful exploration.

On Xbox Series X and S, where the game arrived in 2022 after originally launching exclusively for PlayStation and PC, it stands out with elaborate graphics in richly fairy-tale colors and smooth animation that holds its own against productions from much larger studios. The orchestral music accompanying key moments amplifies the emotional theme of coming to terms with loss and death that runs through the whole story, while each resolved chapter transforms the corrupted environment back into colorful, blooming nature, visually underscoring the central theme of making peace with the past and letting go of old grievances.

Kena was praised on its original release especially for its visual presentation and the adorable Rot creatures, although some of the boss fights turned out to be surprisingly demanding parts of an otherwise more family-friendly game. With this title, Ember Lab earned comparisons to productions from film animation studios transposed into the gaming medium, even though it was their very first game project. On Xbox Series, Kena is a pleasant, visually captivating trip for players of all ages who will appreciate a story about coming to terms with the loss of loved ones and the gentle yet emotionally honest way the game tells it without unnecessary pathos.

Why play it: Visually captivating Kena is a great choice for players of all ages who will appreciate a sensitive story about coming to terms with loss, even though it comes with surprisingly demanding boss fights.