I wasn't sure what to expect going in. I hadn't heard much about Kena beforehand, but the day it dropped, half the gamers I know suddenly started singing its praises. Sure, some of that can be attributed to Kena being available on the PlayStation 5, as there isn't that much else to play there, but not all of it. It got me curious.
Kena turned out to be a slightly old-fashioned action-adventure game, but one with a level of polish that puts many mainstream releases to shame. It was clearly a labor of love by its developers, and it shows with every creepy monster and elaborate puzzle.
It’s also one of the better-looking indie games to come out this year, with a solid cartoon vibe that should get and hold kids’ attention. If you enjoy, say, 3D Zelda games like Skyward Sword but don’t like how long they take to get anywhere, Kena is exactly your jam.