One of 2021’s breakout indie games wasKena: Bridge of Spirits, an action-adventure title with a touching storyline, dazzling visuals and solid gameplay. From the moment it was first unveiled during Sony’s PS5 reveal event in Summer 2020, it caught eyes among gamers for returning to the more old school tendencies of action platformer titles likeJak and Daxter. Even more so, comparisons were made to Nintendo’s ownThe Legend of Zeldafranchise due to its themes, art style and puzzle elements.
It is unclear what developer Ember Lab is up to at the moment, but considering that the studio isn’t owned by Sony, it could decide to work on anything next. Additionally, because of how similarKena: Bridge of Spiritsis to Nintendo’s franchise, as well as developer Ember Lab’s obvious love for the series as seen in itsMajora’s Maskfan film, the studio would be a perfect fit to tackle a futureLegend of Zeldainstallment.
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Similarities Between Kena: Bridge of Spirits and The Legend of Zelda
Even the most casual fan ofThe Legend of Zeldawould easily be able to spot the commonalities betweenNintendo’s beloved action-adventure franchiseandKena: Bridge of Spirits. In terms of gameplay, it is strikingly similar, but that’s by no means a bad thing. Players spend a good amount of time exploring areas, uncovering secrets and advancing to dungeon-like areas with a thematic or elemental twist. These levels contain fearsome enemies to fight with melee and magic attacks, intricate puzzles to solve, and climactic boss sequences.
Gamers experienced with other 3D entries in Nintendo’s franchise likeOcarina of TimeorTwilight Princesswill feel right at home withKena: Bridge of Spirits, showing just how well Ember Labs emulated the style. In fact, simply swap out Kena for Link and tweak a few other details here and there, andKena: Bridge of Spiritscould have passed for a brand-new entry inThe Legend of Zeldafranchise thanks to its high fantasy narrative and captivating world.
Ember Lab’s Experience With The Legend of Zelda
Going beyond similarities between two games,Ember Labactually has direct experience working on a Zelda themed project in the past. A few years beforeKena: Bridge of Spiritsever entered production, Ember Lab produced an impressive short film inspired by the 2000 N64 adventure,The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The short film expertly captured the horror, dread and sadness that Skull Kid felt as he spiraled into madness after stumbling upon the game’s namesake.
The animated short was critically acclaimed by fans of the franchise, with a unanimous amount of love being poured the studio’s way. It was clear that Ember Lab had a deep-rooted appreciation forThe Legend of Zelda, as every frame of the short film was crafted with care and an intense attention to detail. In fact, the love forMajora’s Maskspecifically could have had a major impact on the studio, as many of its themes and use of masks can be seen withinKena: Bridge of Spiritsas well.
Nintendo has allowed external developers to handle its many franchises in the past, and often to great success. TheMetroidfranchise has found some of its greatest achievements when in the hands of another team, as is evident with Retro Studios’Metroid PrimeandMercury Steam’sMetroid Dread. In terms ofThe Legend of Zelda, Grezzo has been in charge of recent remake efforts includingOcarina of TimeandLink’s Awakening, so it wouldn’t be a stretch for Ember Lab to be given the reigns and offer its talents to one of the most prestigious franchises in gaming.
Kena: Bridge of Spiritsis available now on PC, PS4 and PS5.
