Most disappointing of all is how
Kena: Bridge of Spirits feels to play. Its combat, puzzles, and exploration are finely tuned and well oiled. But the game rigidly sticks to a formula that we've all seen before. You already know the rhythm and flow from countless other games. It's 2018's
God of War without the gruesome finishing moves. It's
Ghost of Tsushima without the expansive cast of characters. It's
Horizon Zero Dawn without the sprawling scope. The list goes on. And when the formula is such an overwrought entity, how can anything really be magical? There are no real secrets in
Kena: Bridge of Spirits, only collectibles. There's no mystery, either; just more arena combat.
Inspirations should always serve as a jumping-off point, something to build upon. But it often feels less like
Kena: Bridge of Spirits was inspired by things, and more like it decided it could squish its beautifully realized world of magic and spirits into a ready-made mold. The result is a thoughtless blend; a hybridized paste. Vibrant and undoubtedly beautiful,
Kena: Bridge of Spirits shows us every color in the spectrum. But strangely, it all feels brown — a muddy, grayish brown that comes from having mixed together every color on the palette.
