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8.0

Kena: Bridge of Spirits Review - Shine On, Guiding Light | Gfinity

Gfinity: "Bridge of Spirits tackles the question of whether a game is worthwhile if it doesn’t innovate, and the answer is yes. Ember Lab’s biggest sin with Kena is just not following up on the unique identity hinted at throughout the journey, but never developed fully. That aside, Bridge of Spirits is still a rich and beautiful adventure with smart combat and superb platforming, and hopefully, it's not the last we hear from Ember Lab."

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gfinityesports.com
370°

PlayStation Exclusive 'Kena: Bridge Of Spirits' Rated For Xbox Series X|S

There's been plenty of news about Xbox games moving over to PlayStation recently, but how about one coming the other way? Well, 2021's Kena: Bridge of Spirits has just been ESRB rated for an upcoming Xbox Series X|S release

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purexbox.com
shadowT4d ago

Kena was original announced as console exclusive "for a limited time"..

Inverno4d ago

Not to mention it's also been on PC, so not exclusive at all.

Cacabunga4d ago

Finally.. i think they said it would be time exclusive for like 6 months.

Juancho514d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Console exclusives are exclusive to certain consoles … really not hard to comprehend unless you’re a salty gamer fighting an imaginary console war.

I just got this game on the PS+ Catalogue to redeem some points on the rewards program, it’s not mindblowing, but it’s a very pretty action adventure game. Not thrilled about it but i pick it up randomly sometimes when i take a break from my usual fare.

Inverno4d ago

It may be "exclusive" to a certain console but it's still multiplatform because it's on more than one platform.

Jin_Sakai4d ago

Amazing game. I wish they’d make a sequel.

Eonjay4d ago

Its available on PS Plus for anyone to try.

Sonic18814d ago

It should go the Nintendo switch as well

Profchaos3d ago

I was thinking this would make a good launch title for the switch 2

roadkillers3d ago

Ah, I was hoping Sony would purchase them.

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Elda4d ago (Edited 4d ago )

Kena is owned,developed & published by Ember Labs studios & it was a "limited" PS console exclusive. PS having it as a console exclusive for 3 years is enough time to pass it on to another console platform.

VersusDMC4d ago

It's just hack journalism saying 3rd party exclusives going to other competing platforms is the same as 1st party. Shall we say that Nintendo games are going to other consoles since No More Heroes 3, Octopath and Monster Hunter Rise got ported to other consoles? Dumb.

Crows904d ago

It's also called fake News journalism or bad journalism, misinformation...so many names for it.

Abnor_Mal4d ago

Okay might be showing my age, but back in the days, way back it was called yellow journalism.

DOMination-4d ago

So defensive lol..

If we're so concerned about third party now, can we apply the same logic to games like FF7 Rebirth, Stellar Blade & Helldivers which I regularly see people on here spouting as First Party or "Sony Games"

VersusDMC4d ago

@DOM

If you want to say sea of thieves going to PS5 is the same as Kena going Xbox then go crazy.

It's as dumb as saying Horizon going to xbox is the same as Cuphead going to PS5.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4d ago
neomahi4d ago

Microsoft began buying timed exclusives and timed DLC starting with GTA IV back on Xbox 360. This didn't used to be a practice until then. I don't ever recall this being a thing

VersusDMC4d ago

Pretty sure the PS2 gen had 3rd party exclusives. Panzer dragoon orta, Jet set , dino crisis 3, steel batallion for xbox. Nintendo had Capcom exclusivity for a bit on RE4, Viewtiful Joe and REmake. Onimusha, Gta, Final Fantasy for Sony.

Probably way more than that.

PS1 gen as well...but most exclusives then were developers chosing cartridge(N64) over CD. You could bring up the Saturn but i believe it just didn't get ports because it had a horrible launch in the states.

Gamer753d ago

Timed exclusivity was a thing before Xbox existed

Lightning773d ago

Not even remotely true or maybe you're too young . This practice has been going on since Sega, nintendo and PS1 days.

porkChop3d ago

Not true. Timed exclusivity existed before Xbox even entered the console business. Sony did it, Nintendo did it, and Sega likely did as well.

Profchaos3d ago

I recall this was a practice as early as the NES however Nintendo wrote in their licensing agreement if you want to make games for NES they must be exclusive to the console. Given the closest competitor at the time was the master system they were the only real act in time and the Atari had bombed hard that gen. Nintendo would also threaten to stop supplying games to retailers if they sold unlicensed third party games which and retailers would then be faced with the choice of hey do we sell this tengen garbage or so we want Mario easy choice there was a lot of legal battles in those days.

Also noteable in the more modern era was the Capcom 5 Nintendo got 5 exclusive titles from Capcom.

In the PS1 and N64 era exclusive games were mainly because the system architectures were vastly different it was a huge undertaking to port a game I done recall either company paying for exclusivity and the biggest name games often found their way onto both platforms with bespoke editions like quake 2.

Microsoft definitely threw their wallet around that generation while Sony publicly stated they believed they no longer had to do this and their first party was strong enough to carry them which they went back on pretty quickly after Microsoft walked away with timed exclusive GTA and cod content that really hurt them.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 3d ago
Lexreborn24d ago

Kena was a really good game, anything that helps it get more exposure is welcomed.

purple1014d ago

what's that one Sony did before Kena that was like Ninetndo's pikimin, I forget, I missed that and it looked fun, might try to grab on sale, it would be my second ONLY ever digital purchase, (as I don't think it was ever physical as its a small game)

Crows904d ago

Not sure but Sony didn't do kena

purple1014d ago

okay smartie pants, "one sony paid for exclusivity, like they did with Kena"

found it anyway, was called "Bugsnax"

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

neomahi4d ago

I don't think Pinkman and Kena are really the same thing. At the end of the day though, Ember Labs has a really talented animation team, but as game designers they're lacking. It was a really pretty game but, man was it frustrating! Areas you thought you could go but we're blocked off, poor level design, probably what Hellblade II is gonna end up being

purple1014d ago

Pikimin and bugsnax

Not pikimin & Kena

GamingSinceForever4d ago

That was a good game and surprisingly difficult.

blackblades3d ago

Not really, some parts a little bit. Should've tried hard mode.

nitus103d ago

IMO the best way to play is to choose the easy mode first up to at least the first and second bosses then choose to restart on a harder dificulty with the hardest difficulty being very challenging.

Actually playing on easy mode allows you to find all the items including the "rot" (use your mask to look for footprints) without being that frustrated. By doing this you can always look at your easy saved game map to find to find all items if you eventually play on a harder difficulty.

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250°

The 7 Most Underrated Games on PS5 You Need to Play

Amongst all the new PlayStation 5 releases, it's easy to miss some gems. Here's Chit Hot's picks for the seven most underrated games on PS5.

thorstein52d ago

Returnal: such a great game that got some weird misinformation in the press. Like, if you don't know why lie?

jznrpg52d ago (Edited 52d ago )

It’s a 10/10 for me. It doesn’t get enough love for sure. It’s way better than the rest of the games they listed except for Demons Souls.

ravens5252d ago

Returnal was a masterpiece. That's what media outlets do, they misinform. Can't wait to see Housemarques next game. Got Returnal day 1. Gonna play it again now lol.

ravens5252d ago

Kena was a good fun game. Also is Demon Souls really underrated? Stuck on the King🙄. Idk how this remake was received but I would think great. Anyway Demon Souls is a masterpiece as well.

thorstein52d ago

@Raven Yeah. Demon's Souls was great on PS3 and PS5. Wonderful both times. I have no problem with a remaster that comes 2 (or more) generations later.

victorMaje52d ago

To this day one of the best games on PS5. One of the best uses of dualsense too (after Astro).

ModsDoBetter52d ago (Edited 52d ago )

Returnal: Yes.
Destruction AllStars: Hell no.

List lost all credibility right there.
Massive flop.

Skuletor52d ago

Why is every game on this Top 7 list number 1?

Dirty_Lemons52d ago

Returnal is still my favourite PS5 game. A really interesting concept and a fun as hell roguelike.

Storm2352d ago

Same. Best PS5 experience for me so far. Love that game.

MrBaskerville52d ago

Was Returnal underrated though? Did so well that Sony bought Housemarque.

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110°

From commercial animation to indie game debut success: The story of Ember Lab

Gamesindustry writes: "Ember Lab has been around since 2009, starting out as a company specialising in commercial animation and digital content. But a decade later it would make its mark in video games with the release of Kena: Bridge of Spirits.

So how did its co-founders, COO Josh Grier and chief creative Michael Grier, go from wanting to become filmmakers to making a game that would catch the attention of Sony just as it was preparing to unveil PlayStation 5?

Speaking to the two softly spoken brothers at Develop, the difference between media matters less than being able to tell a story with original content."

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gamesindustry.biz
Andy_Dee264d ago

Loved the game!

Wish there was a sequel or something new coming from them!

Been really quiet for a long time now!

PunksOnN4G264d ago (Edited 264d ago )

there already working on its next Ps5/PC title.. just saying Sony should give them Jak and Dex.... IDK i feel they would do a really good job with it or sly cooper i started streaming sly cooper to my Ps5 and man.... i miss those kinds of games tbh u dont see many like it anymore!

toxic-inferno264d ago

As long as they keep the gameplay simple without sacrificing the challenge, it would be a good match.

Though if they did end up making a Jak and Daxter game, I would hope Naughty Dog would at least act as consultants. Even the thought of a new Jak and Daxter without ND's input makes me anxious.

Sly would be good too. Neither franchise gets the love it deserves these days.

PunksOnN4G264d ago

@Toxic Yeah I miss Sly cooper im glad the PS PLUS streaming is much much better for simple titles like this i still have problems with game like Fear and Heavenly sword i hope Sony fixes this more one day

Storm23263d ago

I loved it too! Just finished it and almost done with the platinum. Fun world to explore. Can't wait to see what they do next

Andy_Dee262d ago

Got the platinum a while back!

Intense and also a challenge but so satisfying when you grab it! Just push through! :D