cormack12
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Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/kena-...e-internets-heart-and-making-the-most-of-ps5/
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Why PS5 game Kena: Bridge of Spirits is more than just a love letter to Pixar animation
Ember Labs is well aware of your adoration for the Rot. They are the mystical creatures seen in Kena: Bridge of Spirits; chibi forest dwellers who look a bit like the offspring of a forbidden affair between a Minion and a Furby. As seen in the latest trailer for the upcoming PS5 game at the Future Games Show – Spring Showcase, Rot will help Kena in her quest to guide spirits over from one realm to the next.
"Of course, helping people fall in love with the Rot has been a big part of our strategy," admits Josh and Mike Grier, Ember Lab's co-founders. "They have grown to be an integral part of the story, as they are the key to helping Kena on her journey and ultimately represent her growth as a character."
"Kena is a novice spirit guide searching for a sacred place of knowledge," the Grier brothers tell GamesRadar+, setting the scene for Bridge of Spirit's story. "She uncovers an abandoned village afflicted with corruption where trapped spirits sow chaos and unnatural decay."
Through this journey, players will explore Bridge of Spirit's various open regions, which Ember Labs drew from its experience as an animation studio to conjure into existence. It's a jaw-dropping vision of a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy world, invoking the very best of Pixar and Studio Ghibli while standing out as entirely its own thing all at the same time.
But this enchanting backdrop is not without its perils. In order to successfully guide lost spirits, Kena will need to defeat manifestations of the corruption holding them back, which take the form of dangerous, animal-like enemies. It's here in these boss battles, according to the Griers, where Kena's combat gameplay comes into its own.
"Kena can infuse any of her abilities with Rot to defeat enemies in unique ways," they explain. "The Rot can swarm attackers, create piercing projectiles, and even form a shape- shifting cloud to pummel enemies. Finding and growing a larger Rot team enables more powerful attacks and unlocks additional upgrades. Working with the Rot, players will discover enemy weaknesses. Additionally, healing in combat is tied to using the Rot. Players will have to find a balance between delivering a strong blow or taking the opportunity to heal."
It's easy to worry whether an experience as cinematically textured as Kena might be more focused on quick-time events than moment-to-moment gameplay, then, but that's not the case for Ember Labs' PS5 debut. Its combat promises a deep, rewarding experience, challenging enough to knock us off our feet if we're not paying attention, yet compelling enough to keep us coming back after every defeat.
As a console exclusive to PlayStation platforms, Ember Labs is also hoping to make use of the PS5's next-generation features to make Kena feel and play as good as it looks. According to the Griers, Sony's new console has allowed the studio to "build dense, lush environments", as well as add new layers of interaction to Kena's combat mechanics.
Better yet, those playing on PS5 will be able to enjoy even more of the Rot at once. With over 100 of the little guys to collect, the PS5 version of the game will "be able to show each of those little guys on the screen all at the same
more at link.....
Why PS5 game Kena: Bridge of Spirits is more than just a love letter to Pixar animation
Ember Labs is well aware of your adoration for the Rot. They are the mystical creatures seen in Kena: Bridge of Spirits; chibi forest dwellers who look a bit like the offspring of a forbidden affair between a Minion and a Furby. As seen in the latest trailer for the upcoming PS5 game at the Future Games Show – Spring Showcase, Rot will help Kena in her quest to guide spirits over from one realm to the next.
"Of course, helping people fall in love with the Rot has been a big part of our strategy," admits Josh and Mike Grier, Ember Lab's co-founders. "They have grown to be an integral part of the story, as they are the key to helping Kena on her journey and ultimately represent her growth as a character."
"Kena is a novice spirit guide searching for a sacred place of knowledge," the Grier brothers tell GamesRadar+, setting the scene for Bridge of Spirit's story. "She uncovers an abandoned village afflicted with corruption where trapped spirits sow chaos and unnatural decay."
Through this journey, players will explore Bridge of Spirit's various open regions, which Ember Labs drew from its experience as an animation studio to conjure into existence. It's a jaw-dropping vision of a Southeast Asian-inspired fantasy world, invoking the very best of Pixar and Studio Ghibli while standing out as entirely its own thing all at the same time.
But this enchanting backdrop is not without its perils. In order to successfully guide lost spirits, Kena will need to defeat manifestations of the corruption holding them back, which take the form of dangerous, animal-like enemies. It's here in these boss battles, according to the Griers, where Kena's combat gameplay comes into its own.
"Kena can infuse any of her abilities with Rot to defeat enemies in unique ways," they explain. "The Rot can swarm attackers, create piercing projectiles, and even form a shape- shifting cloud to pummel enemies. Finding and growing a larger Rot team enables more powerful attacks and unlocks additional upgrades. Working with the Rot, players will discover enemy weaknesses. Additionally, healing in combat is tied to using the Rot. Players will have to find a balance between delivering a strong blow or taking the opportunity to heal."
It's easy to worry whether an experience as cinematically textured as Kena might be more focused on quick-time events than moment-to-moment gameplay, then, but that's not the case for Ember Labs' PS5 debut. Its combat promises a deep, rewarding experience, challenging enough to knock us off our feet if we're not paying attention, yet compelling enough to keep us coming back after every defeat.
As a console exclusive to PlayStation platforms, Ember Labs is also hoping to make use of the PS5's next-generation features to make Kena feel and play as good as it looks. According to the Griers, Sony's new console has allowed the studio to "build dense, lush environments", as well as add new layers of interaction to Kena's combat mechanics.
Better yet, those playing on PS5 will be able to enjoy even more of the Rot at once. With over 100 of the little guys to collect, the PS5 version of the game will "be able to show each of those little guys on the screen all at the same
