I think I can speak for most people playing this when I consider this to be a pleasant surprise in many ways. Lots of people have already said how it feels like a love letter to the PS2 era of action-adventure/platform collectathons, but it's true. In an era where games aim for a more cinematic and "epic" experience, it's very refreshing to return to basics and it ends up being all the more memorable for it. This is Ember Lab's first game, and they have a very promising future as a dev.
The gameplay loop is simple but very effective. You'll nagivate yourself in a semi-open area where you'll do puzzle-platforming and melee combat sections. The puzzles are pretty clever and often require creative thinking to figure out, but when you figure them out it's unbelievably satisfying. The combat takes cues from other modern action-adventure titles, with using a staff for melee and a bow for ranged, and you'll find yourself using both in tons of combat scenarios. I'm not usually a fan of using ranged in a melee-focused game, but it feels very rewarding to use both so it managed to work for me. The bosses and enemies have been compared to Dark Souls' difficulty, which I disagree with. While both games have basic similarities (both refuse to hold your hand and give you a lot of credit and respect), most of Kena's enemies are faster paced (although I'll admit the major story wolf boss reminds me of Bloodborne's Abhorrent Beast) and demand the more focused playstyle. I think the game's difficulty is actually a negative, normal difficulty gave me a harder time than most recent games (it also feels the enemies were designed for a more combat-heavy action game and Kena's moveset feels compromised). But knowledge (and a fully unlocked moveset) will give you an edge on repeat playthroughs.
The game's visual style has been compared to Pixar many times, which seems appropriate at first but if anything, the end of the game feels more in line with Studio Ghibli. But the cartoony look makes for a very stylized game, a lot of the characters and enemies look very creative. These visuals are further enhanced by the absolutely stunning soundtrack, which is very beautiful and atmospheric and easily comparable to Joe Hisaishi's Ghibli (and Kitano) catalog.
The characters and story are more on the understated side, which can lead to some to feel it's underdeveloped in that department. I personally don't mind this, as it makes for a less-is-more approach to focus on the world itself. That said, I can understand why this would be a negative to others, and it's something that could have made it even more well rounded.
As I finished the game and obtained my Platinum trophy, I was eager to finish so I can move on to other games (I've been itching to return to Elden Ring thanks to the upcoming DLC), but I ended up continuing a NG+ playthrough well into the second act and will finish this one out (also has tons of new enemies, definitely worth playing a second time). It's a super charming game that really worked for me, it has tons of heart and love put into it and it made me want more (a sequel with an improved combat system would be amazing). It scratched an itch I didn't realize I needed.
Now, if the official store can bring out some more plushes of the Rot, I'd be very happy...
8/10
The gameplay loop is simple but very effective. You'll nagivate yourself in a semi-open area where you'll do puzzle-platforming and melee combat sections. The puzzles are pretty clever and often require creative thinking to figure out, but when you figure them out it's unbelievably satisfying. The combat takes cues from other modern action-adventure titles, with using a staff for melee and a bow for ranged, and you'll find yourself using both in tons of combat scenarios. I'm not usually a fan of using ranged in a melee-focused game, but it feels very rewarding to use both so it managed to work for me. The bosses and enemies have been compared to Dark Souls' difficulty, which I disagree with. While both games have basic similarities (both refuse to hold your hand and give you a lot of credit and respect), most of Kena's enemies are faster paced (although I'll admit the major story wolf boss reminds me of Bloodborne's Abhorrent Beast) and demand the more focused playstyle. I think the game's difficulty is actually a negative, normal difficulty gave me a harder time than most recent games (it also feels the enemies were designed for a more combat-heavy action game and Kena's moveset feels compromised). But knowledge (and a fully unlocked moveset) will give you an edge on repeat playthroughs.
The game's visual style has been compared to Pixar many times, which seems appropriate at first but if anything, the end of the game feels more in line with Studio Ghibli. But the cartoony look makes for a very stylized game, a lot of the characters and enemies look very creative. These visuals are further enhanced by the absolutely stunning soundtrack, which is very beautiful and atmospheric and easily comparable to Joe Hisaishi's Ghibli (and Kitano) catalog.
The characters and story are more on the understated side, which can lead to some to feel it's underdeveloped in that department. I personally don't mind this, as it makes for a less-is-more approach to focus on the world itself. That said, I can understand why this would be a negative to others, and it's something that could have made it even more well rounded.
As I finished the game and obtained my Platinum trophy, I was eager to finish so I can move on to other games (I've been itching to return to Elden Ring thanks to the upcoming DLC), but I ended up continuing a NG+ playthrough well into the second act and will finish this one out (also has tons of new enemies, definitely worth playing a second time). It's a super charming game that really worked for me, it has tons of heart and love put into it and it made me want more (a sequel with an improved combat system would be amazing). It scratched an itch I didn't realize I needed.
Now, if the official store can bring out some more plushes of the Rot, I'd be very happy...
8/10