One of my favorite aspects of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been the opportunity to play games I previously overlooked in a new format. The portable aspect has led me to find new enjoyment in experiences like Resident Evil Requiem that would typically only have been playable on a high-end console or PC. One game that I initially ignored is Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
While I was definitely enamored by its visual style, the gameplay mechanics that it featured weren’t too enticing compared to other action-adventure games that had more to them. So, when it was announced that Kena would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2, I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to pick it up for myself. However, after playing the game for the first time via the brand-new port, I can confidently say that this is a fantastic port of an underrated gem that you should absolutely play for yourself if you’re a fan of the genre.
The Story of a Spirit Guide
In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, you play as the titular Kena. She takes the role of a spirit guide who helps spirits pass from this realm to the afterlife. She’s uncovered a new spread of corruption in a mysterious land where tragedy has struck. As such, Kena must uncover the mysteries of what happened in the corrupted village and help its former inhabitants find the peace that they have been so desperately searching for, or else their inner darkness could have disastrous effects on the world around them.
The narrative premise of Kena: Bridge of Spirits isn’t exactly unique. There have been plenty of stories focusing on characters who serve as spirit mediums, guiding wayward souls to their final resting place by helping them come to terms with their trauma. Certainly, this game doesn’t really do anything unique or new with that premise, nor are the main characters particularly compelling. Kena herself doesn’t really have much of a personality beyond her duty. In spite of these issues, though, I was still compelled by Kena: Bridge of Spirits because of just how well done the visuals and gameplay were.
Without a doubt, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is one of the most gorgeous games I’ve ever played. The visuals are almost Disney-caliber, featuring characters that are beautifully animated with expressive movements and expressions. Kena, despite her lack of an arc, is fantastically well-realized visually, with each detail of her outfit and design popping out in the best possible ways.
Even the setting looks incredible. You primarily explore a village overcome by nature, inhabited by spirits both malevolent and benevolent alike. Along your journey, you’ll explore snowy mountains, dark caves, and wooden structures that subtly tell the story of those who once lived there. The impressive visual fidelity of Kena: Bridge of Spirits bleeds over into the gameplay mechanics as well.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits‘ gameplay mechanics mostly focus on platforming and combat. Throughout the game, you’ll be exploring the aforementioned areas, trying to collect relics to get through to a spirit that has lost itself. Sometimes, you’ll be solving minor puzzles to find the location of these relics, or you’ll be using your abilities like bombs to lay a path in front of you. The parts where you can quickly rid the land around you of corruption are really impressive, considering how quickly the scenery shifts. Beyond the puzzles and platforming, for the most part, the main obstacle in your path will be corrupted spirits.
The combat mechanics are closer to a franchise like The Legend of Zelda. When you enter an encounter, you will be locked from running away, and instead, you’ll need to stand and fight. Enemies will try to overwhelm you with projectiles and intense waves of damage, and to counter, you’ll need to take advantage of your dodge and parry prompts. As you progress, you’ll unlock a bow and arrow, the aforementioned bombs, and most of all, the ability to utilize tiny creatures known as the Rot.
While exploring the world, you’ll occasionally find these little monsters in nooks and crannies. These can be used to help you in combat and with solving specific puzzles. For example, you’ll have a select amount of rot that you can use in battle to enhance your attacks, or you can instead use it to retrieve heals. They’re a really fun part of Kena: Bridge of Spirits‘ gameplay formula and help to make it feel even more satisfying. Overall, I did really enjoy the exploration and combat mechanics, though neither is without flaws.
My biggest issue with the gameplay of Kena actually comes down to the rot. Every time you find one, the same animation of them appearing plays over and over again. It completely kills the pacing, and there was no way to skip it at all. I wish there were a way to toggle it off so that I could go back to exploring the world. Still, the simple yet addictive nature of the combat and being able to navigate such a gorgeous-looking world were enough to keep me compelled in spite of the issues with the gameplay and narrative.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is still a pretty great game, even five years after its launch. However, we also need to consider whether the new Nintendo Switch 2 version is a good port. How does it hold up, and is it worth it regardless of whether you’ve played it before or not? Personally, I thought this was a fantastic port, and I had very few major issues with the visual and gameplay quality.
A New Way to Play
Ever since the Switch 2 came out almost a year ago, I’ve played several ports of major third-party games on the platform. Some have turned out really well, while others have been less than stellar. Kena: Bridge of Spirits thankfully fits more into the former category, as even when played entirely on handheld, the game still looks absolutely gorgeous from beginning to end.
When you play the game for yourself, you’ll notice that the visual fidelity has largely been left completely intact. Compared to its original release on the PlayStation 5, characters still look gorgeous, with each detail in their design being captured really well despite the “lesser hardware.” Cutscenes in particular look great, and I was really impressed by how there were very few issues with blurry models.
The same can be said for the setting. A lot of other Switch 2 ports have lower rendered details in the floor and other areas in the distance. Since this is a smaller game compared to some of the larger open-world titles on the platform, there aren’t as many issues with draw distance and texture quality. There are some exceptions, especially in areas with a lot of particles, where the floors are rendered with less detail. That said, these instances are few and far between and not too noticeable.
This also applies to the gameplay. At first, I was really worried that, due to the number of enemies that can pop up on screen at a time, the frame rate and texture quality would plummet. Once again, though, there were very few visible stutters or cases where my gameplay experience was affected by poor visual fidelity. The controls on Switch 2 also feel extremely smooth, even entirely in handheld mode. The fact that you can adjust the button mapping is great as well, since I found myself switching from using the triggers to attack to instead using the X and Y buttons.
I don’t think I would call Kena: Bridge of Spirits for the Nintendo Switch 2 a perfect port, though. The lack of any frame rate stuttering comes at the cost of it being locked to 30 FPS, and there’s no way to adjust whether or not you want to prioritize performance or quality. Further, much like other Switch 2 ports, the hair textures for every character look a bit blurry, and it can get noticeable in cutscenes that zoom right into their faces. The loading screens can also get a bit lengthy at times.
I think my biggest disappointment was the lack of any additional content. While the port comes packaged with all the game’s DLC, there are no new control options or cosmetics exclusive to the Switch 2 edition. On the one hand, it’s good that there is no content locked behind the new version, but on the other, it does mean that those who have played Kena: Bridge of Spirits on other platforms likely won’t find any new enjoyment in this version.
Still, these problems aren’t enough to detract from just the overall quality of this port. If you haven’t played Kena: Bridge of Spirits before and you own a Nintendo Switch 2, then this is an undoubtedly great purchase.
Pure Magic
Over a decade ago, EmberLab created an animated short based on The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The short is iconic due to its impressive visuals and how it was able to adapt the unnerving nature of the original game. Years later, EmberLab would go on to make its first major game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits. Now, said game has finally made its way to Nintendo platforms in a great full-circle moment. I’m happy to say that this game feels right at home on Nintendo Switch 2, thanks to the quality of both the port and the game itself.
Bridge of Spirits is a fantastic action-adventure title that any fans of the genre are sure to enjoy. While the story takes a bit of a backseat, it makes up for it with a gorgeous presentation. Further, the gameplay is really addicting and had me constantly hooked thanks to the frequency of new abilities and encounters that strike the perfect balance of difficulty. Even though I wish the animations of acquiring the rot were turned down, these weren’t enough to distract from my enjoyment of the game.
Additionally, as someone who never played the game when it first released, I really loved the Nintendo Switch 2 port. The lack of new features or ways to adjust the frame rate is a bit of a disappointment, but the overall graphical fidelity, even in handheld mode, was enough to mitigate those problems. Plus, the fact that there are very few instances of stuttering and lower-quality textures is extremely impressive.
If you have a Switch 2 and have been looking for a great-looking action-adventure game to keep you occupied until the next mainline Legend of Zelda game, then Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a must-buy. After playing it for myself, I’m now even more excited for the upcoming sequel, Kena: Scars of Kosmora. In the meantime, I am looking forward to replaying Bridge of Spirits in New Game Plus.
Disclaimer: EmberLab provided a Nintendo Switch 2 copy of Kena: Bridge of Spirits for review purposes.
