E3 2021: Watch New Kena: Bridge of Spirits Gameplay From Tribeca Games Spotlight

Kena: Bridge of Spirits drew people in when it was first shown off during Sony’s initial PlayStation 5 event — perhaps it was the vibrant world, the magical adventure, or maybe it was the adorable Rot characters that follow Kena around? Whichever way, the game looks wonderful and we got to see more of it during a presentation as part of the Tribeca Games Spotlight.

An action adventure game set in a fantasy world filled with magic and monsters, Kena: Bridge of Spirits looks to employ a variety of mechanics to have players solving puzzles, besting enemies and exploring the world. It appears that the incredibly cute Rot, with their huge expressive eyes, will be key to helping Kena do whatever she needs to do.

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The game looks incredibly impressive; even more so when you realise that Kena is the very first game from developer Ember Lab. Founded by a pair of brothers, they and their team put their experience in film and animation into creating what has quickly become one of the most anticipated games of the year.

“We’re actually making a 45 minute movie,” says studio co-founder Mike Grier. “We wanted to make a game that would just excite us if we saw it,”

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he adds. And Kena definitely has some familiar elements, with a likely source of inspiration coming from The Legend of Zelda — there’s a quick shot of the titular mask from Majora’s Mask in this clip. Kena can shoot herself across gaps with an energy-based grappling hook, and what we’ve seen from combat all comes from an energy-powered bow and arrow too. Add to this lots of memorable-looking characters, a fantasy story and plenty of action and it’s easy to make that comparison.

We don’t have to wait long either. Kena: Bridge of Spirits launches on August 12th for PlayStation 5 and PC. Watch the full clip from the Tribeca Games Spotlight (courtesy of Gamespot) below: