Kena: Bridge of Spirits is now delayed to the first quarter of 2021. The Pixar-quality next-gen Zelda-like cites slower work from home conditions as their reason.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits had an impressive showing during its PS5 reveal last June. Even then, developer Ember Lab noted that the COVID-19 pandemic slowed their cycle. It pushed back many of their deadlines—more than they hoped for.
Bridge of Spirits is Zelda meets Pixar meets Studio Ghibli
Bridge of Spirits showed off an impressive visual spectacle last June. The title follows Kena, a child seemingly in commune with the world and nature itself. As tragedy strikes, it seems her journey throughout a magical forest lets her connect with it further.
Kena, as a game, is superbly impressive with its visual design. The game feels like a next-gen Breath of the Wild, which many games try to duplicate. Even then, Bridge of Spirits is far enough that it can’t be a Zelda clone at all.
Unlike games like Immortal Fenyx Rising and Genshin Impact, Kena is easy on the eyes. The color scheme does not try to emulate BoTW and it doesn’t feel like a grand odyssey. Instead, players can immerse themselves in a world of their own.
Kena feels like a combination of Zelda’s gameplay, Pixar’s visuals, and Studio Ghibli’s world. It’s inspiring and gorgeous, which makes it a shame that it pushed back to 2021.
Ember Labs needs more time
The delay for Kena: Bridge of Spirits is modest, considering the June announcement. Even then, the community is more than happy to wait. Ember Labs are infamous for their passion and transparency within the games industry.
***An update to our Kena community*** pic.twitter.com/rKoy33YWKZ
— Kena: Bridge of Spirits (@emberlab) September 11, 2020
“The Ember Lab Team is overwhelmed and humbled by the positive response and outpouring of support for Kena: Bridge of Spirits,” said the Twitter post. “Your kind words and excitement for the game have been an inspiration to the team.
This year has brought many challenges and our transition to working from home has caused development to move slower than we hoped. For this reason, we have made the difficult decision to delay the release of Kena: Bridge of Spirits to Q1 2021. We have not made this decision lightly, but feel it is best for the game and well-being of the team. We will use this time to give the game the polish it deserves and deliver an experience that meets our vision and your expectations.
We look forward to sharing more about Kena in the coming months and delivering an amazing experience early next year.”
Kena: Bridge of Spirits seems to be a superb next-gen title. If the delay makes it better, Ember Labs needs to take all the time they need.
Images courtesy of Emberlab/Youtube Screenshot