The game isn’t perfect, but it is a fantastic debut for Ember Lab, a studio formerly known for its animated commercials. When a successful new IP launches, one of the first things fans want to know is whether or not there will be a sequel. Nothing has been announced one way or another for Kena: Bridge of Spirits, but there are a lot of reasons why Ember Lab should think about making Kena a series.
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The Kena: Bridge of Spirits IP Has Enormous Potential
Kena: Bridge of Spirits has a beautiful game world, and while there is a narrative focus, the game doesn’t fully tap into the storytelling potential. There’s a lot of unexplained lore and hints at a deeper meaning sprinkled throughout the game, but most of it is never explained and would be a great starting point for more games.
The world is already built on an interesting premise: Kena is a young spirit guide who rids a village of corruption by helping troubled spirits who are unable to move on into the next life. With the help of forest spirits collectively known as the Rot, she is able to restore balance to the village. The story is ultimately about forgiving oneself and learning to move on and live in harmony with nature.
While the map is a decent size, Kena: Bridge of Spirits only dives into one community and doesn’t have many characters. There are a ton of directions a sequel could go in, and it could build on the solid foundation established by the first game. A sequel could also build on the success of Kena: Bridge of Spirits and take the opportunity to expand both the scope and depth of the story. The world is beautifully crafted with so much mythology and lore to unpack; it would be a shame to stop now.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits Had a Successful Launch
Not every game needs a sequel, but Kena definitely deserves one. Before Kena: Bridge of Spirits launched, Ember Labs was unsure if it would pursue a sequel. Co-founders Mike and Josh Grier indicated that they weren’t sure about a direct sequel and suggested that they’d like to create another new IP instead. That doesn’t mean that all hope is lost for Kena fans, however.
Even if the developers weren’t thinking about a sequel during production, it’s possible that Ember Lab is now. Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a huge success, and while Ember Lab hasn’t revealed any sales numbers, it has indicated that everyone was pleasantly surprised by the sales and that Sony is satisfied with Kena’s performance. That’s no small feat for an indie game.
In September, Kena: Bridge of Spirits ranked as the third most downloaded PS5 game in the United States and Canada. In Europe, it took the number one spot. Keeping in mind that Kena didn’t actually release until September 21, that’s pretty impressive. Even without public sales figures, it’s easy to see that Ember Lab’s first game is a hit.
Since Kena’s release, the developer has announced that it will not be going back to commercial advertising and has decided to become a full-time game developer. One way or another, there will be a new game eventually. A new IP would be great, but why not complete Kena’s story?
A sequel to Kena: Bridge of Spirits doesn’t have to be the next project. Ember Lab should take time to think about where the series should go before rushing into it. Even if the studio makes another new IP next, fans would love the opportunity to revisit Kena’s world later on. If Ember Lab holds to its original position, there may not be a new game to look forward to, but Josh Grier confirmed that they would be interested in continuing Kena’s story in a film or TV show.
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What the Kena: Bridge of Spirits Sequel Could Be About
Because of the storytelling potential Kena: Bridge of Spirits has, there are a ton of narrative directions a sequel could go in. One of the most compelling directions, however, is Kena’s backstory. Kena’s history is hinted at throughout the game; she talks a lot about her father and how she carries his staff, but there’s not much more than that.
Kena’s quest to reach the Sacred Mountain Shrine is motivated by the desire to make her father proud, and a brief cutscene towards the end of the game shows Kena interacting with a younger version of herself, who seems to be lost in the Spirit Realm searching for her father. Other than that, hardly anything is disclosed.
By the end of the game, players know more about the spirits Kena helps than they do about Kena herself. She confides in the old man that she comes from somewhere with different traditions, but it’s never elaborated what those traditions are. It’s not really revealed how she lost her father or what kind of relationship they had. A sequel could dive deeper into Kena as a character and take her back to her roots. Where did she come from, what was her father like, and what other influences has Kena had in her life? Kena is not the only spirit guide out there.
A sequel should teach players more about Kena and the world she lives in, but there’s also a lot to unpack regarding the relationship between the real world and the Spirit Realm. The rules of the world are never quite made clear; Kena is primarily in the real world, however, every NPC she encounters seems to be a spirit judging by the way they disappear into thin air and teleport to wherever Kena is. It’s not clear where that boundary is. A lot of the game feels like Kena is in the Spirit Realm already, but that theory is disproved when she actually gets to go.
A sequel could also have Kena act as a mentor to another young spirit guide, following in her father’s footsteps. It could explore other nature spirits like the Rot. It doesn’t seem likely that a Kena sequel would bring the Rot back as companions, but they can’t be the only nature spirits out there. There are tons of ways that a sequel could help expand the amazing world Ember Labs created while giving Kena a more pronounced character arc, and it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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