Metroidvania fans have been having a good time of it as of late. The likes of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and Berserk Boy delivering tight gameplay with epic tales to boot. Tales of Kenzera: Zau is the latest Metroidvania to hit the scene. It’s also the first game from Surgent Studios, who were founded by Abubakar Salim, the voice of Bayek in Assassin’s Creed Origins.
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The game is also published by EA Originals – the indie focused wing of EA games. So, it has a bit of muscle behind it in terms of marketing and push.
EA Tales
You play as a young shaman named Zau, who must capture the spirits of three monsters as offerings to Kalunga – the God of Death. Kalunga has offered to revive his father in exchange for these offerings.
The core idea is quite simple. However, the game does not shy away from tackling themes like grief, loss and death. In fact, the tale itself is a moving homage to Abubakar’s late father and the relationship that they shared. And so, Tales of Kenzera: Zau hits emotional notes not often seen in the medium.
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Each area also sees you helping lost spirits move on. These encounters add layers to Zau’s story, and enriches later game moments with some very raw emotions.
Metroidvania Light
Gameplay sees you exploring the mystical 2.5D Metroidvania lands of Kenzera as you double jump, wall run and dash through air.
Though Zau isn’t a push over when it comes to fighting, as he is equipped with two weapons; the sun mask and the moon mask – both inherited from his father. The sun mask allows you to deal melee damage up close, while the moon mask sees you dealing damage to enemies from afar.
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If you have ever played 2011’s Outland, you’ll have a good idea of how the game works. You will switch frequently between both styles during battles to best deal the most damage.
In addition, both masks have their own upgrade paths, which you unlock by defeating enemies and collecting ‘Ulogi’. These Ulogi can be used to purchase new skills for Zau.
Sub Subgenre
However, Tales of Kenzera: Zau does smooth a lot of Metroidvania tropes out in favour of being more story-focused. While levelling the playing field for subgenre newcomers and delivering a more relaxed difficulty level is a democratic decision, it does take some of the charm of the subgenre away.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau often gives all the tools you need to move forward. Progress requires very little back tracking or exploration, and the game can sometimes feel less meaty and rewarding because of this. Tales of Kenzera: Zau ends up as more of a linear experience than some may be looking for.
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Controls are good. Though, not as tight as the 2024 exploration standard, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, nor as smooth. But will see you being able to navigate most of the challenges you’ll face with ease. Though we did find weird input issues, where the game didn’t read what was being asked, or just left you stuck till you reset your thumb sticks.
Which isn’t a major issue, but there are a few difficulty spikes and weak check point placements throughout the game. So, add it all together and there are a few sticky moments that you may stumble into.
Art of Kenzera
Visually, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is often jaw dropping. The art draws inspiration from African cultures and mythologies to create a world of wonder. The game has that truly magical feel of the player never knowing what awaits ahead.
Voice acting is solid across the board with Abubakar leading the way as Zau and backed up by a strong supporting cast of characters featuring talent like; Abraham Popoola, Simona Brown and Tristan D. Lalla.
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Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a true tale of two sides. On one hand, it is a truly touching tale, that unfolds over an eight-hour journey. Where a grieving son remembers his father and the impact their relationship had in a rich and captivating setting.
But on the other, it oversimplifies its core mechanics to a point where it stretched the definition of its subgenre. Veteran fans won’t get truly sucked into it, but it’s a very good stepping on point for those looking to see what a Metroidvania is like, without all of its bells and whistles.