The Argument For a Kena: Bridge of Spirits Sequel
Ember Lab’s first online game, Kena: Bridge of Spirits, formally launched a bit over a month in the past and has executed exceptionally properly. After being revealed with the PlayStation 5 console at Sony’s Way forward for Gaming occasion, followers have been carefully following the game that looks like a playable Pixar movie. It lived as much as that expectation, telling a heartfelt story about remorse coupled with spectacular gameplay and lovely companions. This put up comprises spoilers for Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
The sport is not good, however it’s a improbable debut for Ember Lab, a studio previously recognized for its animated commercials. When a profitable new IP launches, one of many first issues followers need to know is whether or not or not there can be a sequel. Nothing has been introduced a method or one other for Kena: Bridge of Spirits, however there are a variety of the explanation why Ember Lab ought to take into consideration making Kena a sequence.
The Kena: Bridge of Spirits IP Has Huge Potential
Kena: Bridge of Spirits has a beautiful game world, and whereas there’s a narrative focus, the sport would not totally faucet into the storytelling potential. There’s a variety of unexplained lore and hints at a deeper that means sprinkled all through the sport, however most of it’s by no means defined and could be a fantastic place to begin for extra video games.
The world is already constructed on an attention-grabbing premise: Kena is a younger spirit information who rids a village of corruption by serving to troubled spirits who’re unable to maneuver on into the following life. With the assistance of forest spirits collectively known as the Rot, she is ready to restore stability to the village. The story is finally about forgiving oneself and studying to maneuver on and stay in concord with nature.
Whereas the map is a decent size, Kena: Bridge of Spirits solely dives into one neighborhood and would not have many characters. There are a ton of instructions a sequel may go in, and it may construct on the strong basis established by the primary recreation. A sequel may additionally construct on the success of Kena: Bridge of Spirits and take the chance to increase each the scope and depth of the story. The world is superbly crafted with a lot mythology and lore to unpack; it might be a disgrace to cease now.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits Had a Profitable Launch
Not each recreation wants a sequel, however Kena undoubtedly deserves one. Earlier than Kena: Bridge of Spirits launched, Ember Labs was uncertain if it might pursue a sequel. Co-founders Mike and Josh Grier indicated that they weren’t certain a couple of direct sequel and steered that they’d wish to create one other new IP as an alternative. That does not imply that each one hope is misplaced for Kena followers, nevertheless.
Even when the builders weren’t occupied with a sequel throughout manufacturing, it is potential that Ember Lab is now. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a big success, and whereas Ember Lab hasn’t revealed any gross sales numbers, it has indicated that everybody was pleasantly stunned by the gross sales and that Sony is happy with Kena’s efficiency. That is no small feat for an indie recreation.
In September, Kena: Bridge of Spirits ranked because the third most downloaded PS5 recreation in america and Canada. In Europe, it took the primary spot. Maintaining in thoughts that Kena did not really launch till September 21, that is fairly spectacular. Even with out public gross sales figures, it is easy to see that Ember Lab’s first recreation is a success.
Since Kena’s launch, the developer has introduced that it’ll not be going again to business promoting and has determined to grow to be a full-time recreation developer. A method or one other, there can be a brand new recreation ultimately. A brand new IP could be nice, however why not full Kena’s story?
A sequel to Kena: Bridge of Spirits would not need to be the following venture. Ember Lab ought to take time to consider the place the sequence ought to go earlier than dashing into it. Even when the studio makes one other new IP subsequent, followers would love the chance to revisit Kena’s world in a while. If Ember Lab holds to its unique place, there is probably not a brand new recreation to look ahead to, however Josh Grier confirmed that they might be keen on persevering with Kena’s story in a movie or TV present.
What the Kena: Bridge of Spirits Sequel May Be About
Due to the storytelling potential Kena: Bridge of Spirits has, there are a ton of narrative instructions a sequel may go in. Probably the most compelling instructions, nevertheless, is Kena’s backstory. Kena’s historical past is hinted at all through the sport; she talks loads about her father and the way she carries his employees, however there’s not far more than that.
Kena’s quest to reach the Sacred Mountain Shrine is motivated by the need to make her father proud, and a quick cutscene in direction of the tip of the sport exhibits Kena interacting with a youthful model of herself, who appears to be misplaced within the Spirit Realm trying to find her father. Aside from that, hardly something is disclosed.
By the tip of the sport, gamers know extra concerning the spirits Kena helps than they do about Kena herself. She confides within the outdated man that she comes from someplace with totally different traditions, nevertheless it’s by no means elaborated what these traditions are. It is not likely revealed how she misplaced her father or what sort of relationship that they had. A sequel may dive deeper into Kena as a character and take her again to her roots. The place did she come from, what was her father like, and what different influences has Kena had in her life? Kena shouldn’t be the one spirit information on the market.
A sequel ought to educate gamers extra about Kena and the world she lives in, however there’s additionally loads to unpack concerning the connection between the true world and the Spirit Realm. The foundations of the world are by no means fairly made clear; Kena is primarily in the true world, nevertheless, each NPC she encounters appears to be a spirit judging by the way in which they disappear into skinny air and teleport to wherever Kena is. It is not clear the place that boundary is. Numerous the sport looks like Kena is in the Spirit Realm already, however that principle is disproved when she really will get to go.
A sequel may even have Kena act as a mentor to a different younger spirit information, following in her father’s footsteps. It may discover different nature spirits just like the Rot. It would not appear seemingly {that a} Kena sequel would convey the Rot again as companions, however they cannot be the one nature spirits on the market. There are tons of ways in which a sequel may assist increase the wonderful world Ember Labs created whereas giving Kena a more pronounced character arc, and it might be a disgrace to move up the chance.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is obtainable now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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