Game Informer has gone up with its first online coverage for Kena: Brige of Spirits, which is the cover story for its 329th issue.
First, here is the magazine’s newly revealed cover:
And here are the key tidbits from Game Informer’s current two preview articles:
20 Questions (And Answers) About Kena: Bridge Of Spirits
- Kena’s name is pronounced KAY-nuh.
- Kena is voiced and her voice actor sings on several of the soundtrack’s songs.
- The game is set in a fictional location that pays homage to a variety of Eastern locations, including Japan, Bali, and the like. Kena is not from this place and traveled quite far to get there.
- The little black creatures seen in the trailer are called Rot. Kena can find them scattered around the world and recruit them. They are responsible for decomposing things, and the fact that they have been scattered is one reason why this region has become tained with corruption.
- Kena can direct Rot to move things, temporarily pull a broken bridge back into shape, maneuver a block into position to give her a boost, distract enemies, infuse her attacks with special power, and so on. The player will have to damage the enemy before using Rot in combat to build up their courage.
- Rot will not die.
- Kena’s staff has basic light, heavy, and charged attacks, as well as an upgrade that bends that staff and converts it to a bow. She has a pulse ability to create a bubble shield around her with its own health meter, which can also stagger enemies if timed correctly.
- The Legend of Zelda was an influence. Ember Lab previously created a The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask fan film.
- Rot can be outfitted with a variety of hats both found throughout the game world and purchasable by spending gems.
- There are no microtransactions.
- Ember Lab wants to include a photo mode, but is unsure whether it will be available at launch or added via a post-launch update.
- The game is built in Unreal Engine 4.
- It is not an open-world game. The village you encounter early on in the game serves as a hub, and you from there you can travel to several connected regions.
- On PlayStation 5, you will be able to see all of the Rot you collect on-screen simultaneously. On PlayStation 4, while you will still be able to collect all 100 Rot in the world, you will see fewer of them at a time. They will not be any less effective in combat or during puzzle combat. Forests and overall foliage are also denser on PlayStation 5.
- Regarding game length, Ember Lab could not put an exact number on it considering the number of side activities, but said it sought to create a game players could comfortable finish over a weekend.
- It will not be a $59.99 release, and users who purchase the game on PlayStation 4 will be able to upgrade to the PlayStation 5 version free of charge.
- While the game can be quite challenging on the highest difficulty settings, enemies will not be able to kill you in one shot.
What Does The PS5 Bring To Kena: Bridge Of Spirits?
- Game Informer saw Kena: Bridge of Spirits running on PlayStation 5. To launch the game fresh from the system menu—not resuming a suspended game—took about two seconds.
- The game was not originally developed with PlayStation 5’s hardware specifications in mind, but the additional horsepower allowed Ember Lab to do more within its pre-established boundaries.
- The resistance on the triggers of the DualSense wireless controller are being utilized for heavy attacks, as well as the bow. “You draw it, and the way it sounds and the resistance feels like a bow tightening up,” said Ember Lab chief creative officer Mike Grier.
For more coverage of Kena: Bridge of Spirits to come, check out the online hub for Game Informer’s cover story.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is due out for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC via the Epic Games Store this holiday.