Gotta say I didn't expect my favourite arts and crafts channel to suddenly pivot like this, but I'm interested to hear more about this "videogame" thing you mentioned
@@whoiamiamnot2104 Yeah, I miss the old SOTWE & SOTW formats, they're the ones that got me in the channel. 2h livestreams are really too long. But there's still some nice stuff so still hang on for now
Luke might've been thinking of the Overlord games where you had a group of goblin like minions with varying abilities you could vaguely control, much less cute, but great fun and really well written boss characters.
I for one MUCH prefer these "gaming journalists" talking about games, it's nice to talk about something of less less substance (double negative is a plus, yay!) That I wouldn't have paid attention to otherwise. Pokemon magazines are... really really junk food-like content though the disc launcher was kinda cool.
It’s hard not to when so many games these days are just soulsborne inspired games. I am definitely going to check out Kena Bridge of Spirits. I do enjoy difficult games, especially when they look as gorgeous as Kena does. Has a very Dreamworks or Disney style animations to it.
I really hope they go back to making this kind of content again. I’m sorry but the Pokémon magazine type of content every now and then is fun, every week is lazy.
"The staff curves into a bow, it's really clever design" I thought of the exact same thing EARLIER TODAY, this is the quickest I found out "someone already did it"
Bought this at release and yes it is hard. I played on normal and several times it got me. It’s a beautiful game, but it’s not like a fair type of hard. Sometimes it feels like you shot that weak point and it just didn’t register. I am at the end and still have yet to finish it. Not sure if I ever will, but for a first game by a dev who has a background in animation it is a very solid first outing. I know I can reduce the difficulty when you hit a wall but I’m hard headed and made it this far, so I refuse to buckle
I actually played on the hardest difficulty I could and completely agree with you. The game feels very unfair, I ended up giving up on it after I got sick of the inconsistent parry times, the random seemingly unblockable/ unparryable moves that aren't said to be unblockable or unparryable, and it just not registering moves or shots as much as it could. Like you said the game is actually pretty good for a first outing, and had I played on a lower difficulty I probs would of finished it as well. I didn't tho, and after beating like two of the actual main bosses (you know the ones that suddenly hit you with a major difficulty spike, that forces you to realize that the bosses were just minibosses), I realized I didn't want to keep putting up with those inconsistencies with the third boss. I feel the same way you do about changing the difficulty and was just too annoyed with the game to finish it. Kudos to you for sticking with it.
I finished the game first play through on normal and found it hard for that difficulty. The only trophy I had left at the end was to complete it on master difficulty which is a difficulty mode you unlock after your first play through. I’ve finally started that recently to try to get the platinum but jeeeez it’s very difficult.
@@Chrisp707- I’ve played through Elden ring 4 times and platinumed it on my first play through. I’d honestly argue that it’s harder than Elden ring but more so for the limited heals etc like was mentioned in the video. The other souls games are hard but fair but Elden ring is a walk in the park with all of the assistance you can get in it and the ridiculously overpowered weapons. Don’t get me wrong though Elden ring is a great game and it’s beautiful.
I loved this game! I even made my own little crochet version of the Rot and the developers posted the photos on their official Facebook page. But the hats are just adorable, I had lost a friend prior to the game's release, his favourite animals were foxes, so naturally the first hat I bought was the fox to honour him.
All of what you wrote is very cool and sweet! I must ask, though; how many hats have you recreated for your little crocheted Rot friend? (Made from yarn (crocheted or not), and/or with little sticks and leaves, etc.) I'm truly hoping the number is over 0!!! 🤞🏼😉 Ooh, boy- I need to go do this now. I have some gorgeous black wool yarn that I've been saving for a "for me" project, but maybe I could spare just a little...? 🤔😃
I like this format of game review. Maybe with titles like "Kena" that aren't on everyone's radar. Not to pigeonhole Ellen, but I would love a review of "Stray" when it comes out.
For me, Kena is a perfect example of a strong start from a new studio that has a number of glaring flaws, but it leans just enough on the good side that I'm excited to see what the devs do next, where presumably they can iron out those flaws. It's such a beautiful game, and the animation is so expressive and charming, but as Ellen said, it's also INCREDIBLY frustrating at times, which prevented me from fully falling in love with it
I think they just need to make the world bigger and more to do. make it like horizon zero dawn west and fine to the controls more. it’s a perfect start.
the new update sounds cool. but i’m not going back to it. playing cyberpunk, deathloop, and last of us 1 right now. and I might get sniper elite 5 on sale. also playing mw2 beta but might cancel my pre order for it because it’s nothing special
Absolutely! Only about 5h in (right side of the map), but the verdict is there. Strong cute world building with a heavy emotional core. Some Studio Ghibli stuff with a more Pixar-esque character design. As a Prince of Persia (Sands of Time - 2008) and Darksiders fan, it is also quite hard as Ellen said. Some of it by design (15-ish little girl fighting spirits so getting crushed if not on your toes is immersive AF even if a bit clashing with artstyle). But some is the clunkyness and lack of precision in both combat and platforming compared to those. Also the quirky combat-style with the Rot gives a bit hard to grasp controls. Kept remapping several times till I found it good. Not that much familiar with Horizon (still in my backlog) but polishing the combat/platforming precision, leaning into Darksiders 2 with map size and bit more RPG elements (Combat relevant minor stats on Kena's outfit or the Rot hats, like several elemental builds requiring different approach based on map location) would be amazing.
Beautiful game fun to play when I start playing but it doesn’t make me wanna get up and play… Games like Hollow Knight,Zelda and Dark souls etc etc make me wanna play daily until beaten but it’s just not there with this game.
I felt exactly the same about Kena; nothing in Elden Ring (so far) has caused me problems like some of the bosses in Kena! It’s super cute and the story is really heartwarming, but I did have to knock it down to an easier difficulty because i decided life was too short.
I was just done after the second boss, there was a steeeeeeep difficulty curve, it's cute but too hard for me, weird I totally didn't expect it to be difficult. It wouldn't be a problem if the combat was too easy, that would suit it's vibe
@@shashwatsharma2596 You can lower the difficulty in Kena, I did it during the first mid boss fight cause it frustrated me so much. After that it was enjoyable, a bit too easy, but like KayBray Warriner wrote, life is too short.
@@kaybraywarriner7431 Probably use the astrologer class haha. Regardless. Not sure why everyone wants to say its hard when there is normal difficulity.
This game is not that hard lol. I actually wish it was a bit harder. Especially with the ability to parry practically everything and slow down time with jumping bow spots.
I really miss these segments from Show of the Weekend, just talking to eachother about what you’ve been playing or watching and I wouldn’t mind if these segments are relegated to their own videos.
This was great, it really gave me that old Show of the weekend feel that I miss so much. I understand SotW had to be cut down because of the intense workload it put on you all and I always will prefer your health to fleeting enjoyment, but these sit down and talk about games videos have always been a personal favourite. Lots of love
Yup I had similar experience, I’m a dark souls veteran and almost gave up on this game a few times, including the final boss, but my souls pedigree left me too embarrassed to walk away w my tail between my legs. So I did finally finish it. Great game.
I played it a few months ago, as someone who has never played or wanted to play a Souls-type game, and ended up dropping the difficulty down to story mode to get through,. And even then, I found the bosses pretty difficult.
I recall looking at this game when it first came on sale on PC (it's not quite PS exclusive) and thinking it looked adorable. I've been hearing over time how hard the boss fights are and it seems like a really interesting design angle, almost like a juxtaposition in the way that we've been traditionally geared by game design to think that cute things are going to be easy to deal with. I guess anybody who's ever had to look after a pet or a baby knows how untrue that is though, lol.
PS4, PS5 and PC (year-1 Epic exclusive, but we have Steam too since 2022 September) And also fairy tales can be about overcoming extreme hardships. Kena taps right into that instead of the though guy survivor or unstoppable badass powerfantasy which is more the standard in video games. A fragile little girl is fighting spirits here, so being this hard is while surprising for the artstyle, not exactly contradicting and can be very immersive. And especially with her young age Apprentice Spirit Guide may be the normal difficulty not Spirit Guide. So it goes Easy - Normal - Hard - Extreme - Ultimate Not Very Easy - Easy - Normal - Hard - Extreme
Ah you've finally covered Kena! I always thought this game had Oxtra written all over it :P I had a few issues with it, some bosses were just frustrating, but generally I really enjoyed it! There were two boss fights in particular that I really enjoyed and felt accomplished finally winning. Parrying ftw :D
@@katfromthekong414 I loved the world and exploring to collect rot and their hats, and the bosses which worked for me really worked. But not every game is for everyone! That the game isn't for you and also that other people really enjoyed it are both things which can be true at the same time :)
Parrying feels amazing the 10% of times I managed to actually time it right...! I think the game could do a better job of teaching players the in-menu abilities when you unlock them. Certain story-determined abilities were much easier to grasp because the game properly showed you how to do it. Maybe would've made some fights a bit easier/more fun.
Played Kena several months ago, yes the combat was sometimes frustrating. The overall experience was great though, loved the visuals, the music, the little hats on all the rot and I did beat it on Normal mode. That final boss is a trial for sure.
You should try Master spiritguide difficulty, the beginning is like the extra piece of butter on the pancakes, 2 to 3 hits toll death, literally no damage and if you don't know the enemy patterns you will die 2 seconds in, the boss after you optain the bow took me 1day. Completed it for the platin though but this cutsy game has no right to be this hard
I'm actually surprised to hear this take, I stay away from Soulsborne games because they're difficult and frustrating for me, but I got through Kena with only a couple of spots giving me trouble. I found it to be much easier than Dark Souls.
Short question. What difficulty level are you talking about here? Probably not the one everyone else is talking about here. Very unbelievable that you just got through the game on the hardest difficulty level with no problems. Very very very unbelievable
@@PGTornado That's where I'm at, I think there were a few enemy encounters where I died a few times to numbers, and some of the time trials and such were pretty brutal. But some people find different things hard. My claim to fame is beating Flamelurker in Demons Souls first try, but my highest death count by a country mile (probably closing in on three digits) is Capra Demon.
I understand what you mean. Soulsborne games do not click with me (no matter how much I want them to), but I love Sifu, and I have heard many soulsborne fans say that they do not like the difficulty in Sifu.
In Kena there are many attacks thats doesnt intented to be roll doged rather then jump over it (and shoot arrows back) or block it. Just cause it doesnt work like dark souls its not a negativum but you have to lose the habbit. Also didnt had the "not knowing what killed me" issue. Completed it on hard and I think it really good game.
I absolutely loved this game. It did have its frustrating moments but they never really got in the way of me enjoying the hell out of it. Though I'll admit the game definitely isn't perfect. Bringing light and color back to the corrupted parts of the world was so satisfying, and the visuals, sound design, and music were all so magical. I know it hasn't been out all that long, but it's already a nostalgic experience for me. All in all I'd say it's an impressive first outing for the developers (in terms of video games at least, their Majora's Mask animation was so good), and I can't wait to see how they improve in whatever they do next.
Kena was a surprising and fun challenge. At the risk of sounding likeman old man, it reminded me of how games used to be. Me and my wife spent our entire playthrough saying "They just don't make games like this anymore!" Absolutely, 100%, recommend this game to anyone and everyone. So far, all of my friends who I've shown the game to have immediately gone out and bought it.
Agreed with how hard the boss fights can be. I tried a few times, then just lowered the difficulty to the lowest setting and had a super easy time. The difference between ‘Easy’ & ‘Normal’ is stunningly vast. And the visuals and music are all stunning. As is the world design. Too bad the developer is not looking to make a sequel.
I hugely enjoyed this game and its story. It's doubly impressive that it's the studio's debut game, and that most of its creators came from a background in animation rather than games. The traditional Indonesian instruments in the soundtrack add an extra layer of polish to an already fine aesthetic. The combat difficulty did get to me, though. I ended up lowering the difficulty for the last couple of bosses because it was so frustrating that I was getting bored and wanting to quit. Then again, that's exactly the reason I've never picked up a Soulsborne title. People who are more at home with that kind of combat will undoubtedly have a better time with it, as proven by Ellen persisting with Kena's final multi-stage monstrosity on normal difficulty. I sincerely hope we'll get treated to Luke's Spirit Academy once Ellen's finished obliterating Dark Souls 3.
I always enjoy when you guys just sit down and talk about things/games you are currently into/playing. When you have time and something to say about a game, just keep them coming ☺
You are so right about how frustrating this game can be. When I bought it I thought it would be a fun adventure game but boy was I wrong. I just put it on story mode when I want to get pass the bosses.
I would absolutely Love to see more of these kinds of videos. You guys play so well off eachother and are so funny that I'm happy with the idea that the "what have you been playing?" segment from "Show of the Weekend" is getting it's own kinds of video. :D
The last boss on master difficulty almost broke me. It's hard enough getting to the final stage. Once you do - after 10 minutes of fighting with little to no chances to heal - you need a full circle of rot power to damage the boss, BUT in this stage on master difficulty you can't build your rot powers by attacking, you need to perfect parry as soon as you get into the fight. Then do it twice more without getting hit. In a circle of constantly spawning enemies and AOEs. I sure did get that platinum, but I sure did question my life choices afterwards.
The rot bomb carried me in master difficulty in this game. Its probably the most OP ability you can unlock in this game 100% recommend it if you have trouble
Bought this game because of this review, only an hour in and very fascinated! It’s unique, pretty to look at, fast paced and keeps you on your toes! I’m only an hourish in but very excited to play through it!
I really enjoy this style of video! I like seeing you both discuss the pros and cons of a game so I can make an informed decision about whether I want to play it or not. I usually lean towards RPGs and Sims so I'm not sure this game is for me, but it was interesting and helpful to hear Ellen's take on it for sure.
Your requested mini review! I have played it when it just came out and due to time had to quit it for a bit, but man did I love the parts that I did play. I rage quit in an area I didn't understand how to get through just traversing the map, not because the combat was too hard. I really wanna get back into it, would have already if I had the space on my laptop. It's such a charming game and I really like the combat, actually! The sound design and music are amazing as well. Definitely have been frustrated with some elements but has not put me off from wanting to give it another go.
I was sold when I saw the cat hat. My phone (Xiaomi black shark) makes THE CUTEST meow when I open and close the triggers and it's my absolute favorite phone for that reason alone
Haven’t played this game but one thing I noticed in this video that prevents me from thinking this could be harder then dark souls it’s the spam rolling you can do
Honestly, Kena looks and has a story like if Dreamworks took the Ori games and maybe early, nature-based Ghibli (Totoro, Spirited Away, Mononoke) and made a game out of it. Fun fact: the team behind it were responsible for the “Terrible Fate” short video from a few years ago.
I am so glad you've said all this. I attempted Master difficulty after getting all the other trophies, and couldn't get past one of the very early fights (not even against a boss!). If you struggle too much in dark souls, you can level up. In kena theres only a finite amount of opportunities to do so before a boss/area so it's a struggle
Kena is a great game, haven't finished yet, takes me some time to build up patience to play it. I feel one frustrating aspect is the block and parry mechanics, I just can't block attacks consistently and it would be more fun to use the counter attacks more often, but it's just not worth the risk of missing the block, so my boss battles are usually running around in circles until I figure out the weak points, and this gets boring sometimes
At least you can make the game easier. I dropped my difficulty about halfway through the game. But I do really like this game. After watching this I might go and play it again!!
I've been playing Kena again lately, I love this game so much - it's definitely become one of my all-time favourites. Had a PS5 for just over two years, and Kena not a lot shorter. Was feeling the pull towards the platinum this last fortnight or so, and I can safely say... it's painful!! 🤣 You have about 3 hits until you're dead, no matter the enemy, its size - you gotta get really good with the camera and strafing about. You can also straight up jump over certain attack sequences. The parry mechanic is incredibly unforgiving, but also incredibly satisfying when you pull it off...!!
"Metroidvania" "Paced upgrades" - A metroidvania is generally non-linear. It might have a main path you're guided to take the first time you play through, or not, but you can obtain necessary upgrades and complete main objectives in multiple orders. That's at the core of the genre. It's not fully open world, but not fully linear either. It's a good balance between the two. Hollow Knight is a good example of this in its purest form. It leads you in the beginning, and then leaves you with multiple directions to choose between, but on a repeat playthrough when you know how, you don't even need to follow the game's lead in the beginning... But you can't, like, just directly go into the Abyss either. You still need some abilities to unlock some areas, but several of them can be unlocked from multiple different abilities depending on which you get first. It's a wonderful balance of design that allows for a great variety in how the game is played.
I am not particularly fond of Metroidvania maps because I tend to forget where it was that was locked but now with this new ability I can go back to. Have to do a lot of boring backtracking and re-exploring to find the missing paths.
@@akmal94ibrahim A good map system that allows you to mark things helps, but many don't have that. Like any genre of game though, it's not for everyone.
Supraland is a fantastic game if you want that open-ish world type of game that makes you learn new things constantly. My only complaint is that it isn't co-op compatible
Really enjoyed this! I bought Kena when it came out and had a pretty similar experience, adored the lil cuties and the music but found it basically as hard as Sekiro on normal mode, and less satisfying. I wonder if it would've been easier if I'd approached it less souls-y and more zelda-y, I don't think I was using my bow and my powers or focusing on glowy weak spots enough. Might give it another try now I've been reminded how pretty it is! Thanks as ever for the lovely videos!
Went into the comments to say "Overlord" but I guess someone beat me too it. You get different little minions that have different abilities and can get collectables that let you have more with you. I wish more games did that. It's so satisfying
I enjoyed "Kena" a great deal, but felt it somewhat packing in protagonist development. They develop the overall story of the village more than they do for Kena, which was fine... except that it would have been nice to know more about her and her motivations. Also, the graphics quality is often compared to Pixar movies, and I have to agree. If I recall correctly, one of the developers worked for Pixar. The music was also amazing, so it really is a treat to play.
@@KayleighBourquin I believe I read something like that. It's been a while since I played and was enveloped in all of the connected trivia. I just remember it being fun to be staring at what looked like a Pixar film, but the main character did what *I* wanted her to do. 😉 Me alone at home : "Okay, Kena... Marry me." Stares at controller. "Which button makes her do that?" 🤣
I just started this game. It's a delight to hear you talk about it. I was surprised by the surprisingly tough combat as well. It's still not easy on, well, easy difficulty.
Kena is super underrated. I absolutely love the game even tho it's frustrating at times. Rots are so cute. Great story, great characters. I love this game.
Kena is genuinely amazing. Its fairly limited, its the kind of game where it feels like it didn't quite have enough time to round out the rough edges. In a game like this I would have liked the movement and combat systems to be intertwined more, like in a Metroid game. I will say for those looking for a suggestion, I found blocking/parrying far more effective than dodging 90% of the time. Despite this its really satisfying, fun open world exploration, lots of little puzzles and discoveries, and finally beating a boss is HUGELY satisfying.
Ok..wait..so..you're telling me that I could've easily strolled through Dark Souls? A game series I've studiously avoided because of it's apparently hellish difficulty (and all videos I've seen of it seem to confirm this). Because I've played Kena, finished it even, in a few days. I didn't find it that difficult. Tricky, for sure. More than a few die/repeats. But ultimately quite manageable. So, what you're saying is that, if I found Kena manageable, I would've briskly skipped through Dark Souls' tulips? (edit: I played it on Normal, easy was too easy, not satisfying, no challenge)
Dark Souls is just about learning from mistakes. Anyone with enough patience to do that can get through Dark Souls fairly well, especially if they beat just one playthrough since the actual difficulty is just pattern recognition. It's why people can defeat bosses naked while doing only one damage per hit.
I have to say, I feel a little vindicated here. I bought Kena really early on and ended up basically rage quitting during the Woodsmith bossfight, which is not even that far into the game, I think. The normal combat is tricky but I do well enough. But those bossfights are just harrowing for me... Maybe I'll go back and set it to story mode, see if that gives me the edge I need to get through a boss before I lose heart... That said: ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS GAME and I LOVE the story.
My gf finished Kena recently and the boss fight she struggled with the most was the Woodsmith. So don't give up! If you beat that, I think the rest of the game won't give you that much trouble. Get a guide and find all meditation spots you can up to that point, she did that when she felt stuck and every extra bit of health helps.
I was like "this looks very familiar but I'm not sure why". Apparently it's the same studio that made that amazing Majora's Mask short film. That's cool, I had no idea!
I didn't expect to love this game as much as I did, but it really left an impression on me. Fantastic story, nice gameplay and stunning visuals all round. I'm so excited for whatever this studio does next.
The second boss was probably the one that almost made me stop playing but I kept going till I beat it. After the second boss it's still hard but not as frustratingly hard as that fight was
Perhaps it’s the 90s kid in me, but I can’t hear Kena without thinking ‘and Kel-a.’ Still recently started this and it’s a beautiful game, really enjoying it atm!
Beautiful little game I just really wish they had found a better reward loop. I couldn’t give a damn about the hat gems for the rot and the upgrades were reallllly basic. A bit more budget, systems depth and a little bit more Scope to the game/story and they’ll have a real winner. The combat was surprisingly well designed for an animation studio. Really hope they make a sequel.
It can be difficult in places (especially at the end) but it's not Dark Souls or Bloodbourne. How you may ask? I actually finished Kena: Bridge Of Spirits (with some online help in getting all the collectables).
She wakes up every morning, bleary eyed and halfway not even remembering she’s a member of the human species, desiring to do this very thing, for at least an hour. When she finally played this one, tho? I don’t like to assume, nor do I want to particularly think too hard on it, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would lightly speculate that she probably had to make a NUMBER of modifications to her day(s) so as to be able to fully immerse herself properly, in this ONE particular experience.
I’d been hoping to enjoy playing it so like I said on twitter, hope the story mode makes it playable though someone there said it’s still not easy. It’s inaccessible to make games hard and gross when people gatekeep too, and a good way to save potential players money. Idk if it’s an autism thing of slower processing for me, but it’s also now a stiff hands thing. I took 2 years off the computer to not use my hands, and to mostly sleep, and I’m straight back to this irritating tf out of me. It’s a gorgeous game and I love the little sprites, forgotten their name already, and all the hats. I didn’t think there are endless cute games, certainly not of the same style. There’s 8-bit or anime style, neither of which I love. Difficulty is the last feature I’m looking for to set a game apart. I’m here for autorun first, and by default.
I've played Kena. In fact, I've made a couple run on it. One on Hard and the other on Master difficulty. It didn't feel as hard as a Dark souls to me but it was, indeed, quite difficult, still. One thing Kena does very well, however, is to give players various tools and options to increase their chances to beat an enemy/boss. For example, most enemy (and every boss, as far as I remember) has weak points that can be targeted for extra damage. There's also a lot of things and special attacks involving the rots and all of them has their uses and in general, the game offers various moves and attacks that can make a real difference in combat if well used. The combat feels really fluid and satisfying. I genuinely enjoyed it. I do agree with Ellen when she said dodging is harder than it was in DkS, though. The timing is weird which doesn't feel all that great but I've got over it. It worth mentioning that there's a parry as well. and I found it incredibly useful (in fact, I've never parried nearly as much in DkS than I did playing Kena). What the game does poorly is the final boss. I kinda understand what they tried to do but it's a chore. Too long, too tedious and they squeezed a platform section in the middle of it...Which felt out of place and truly damage the experience since it's the same thing you have to do over and over again, every time you get killed (which is definitely gonna happen on Master difficulty...Trust me). Other than that I didn't have any major issues with the game. The bestiary could be larger, I guess and boss design are hit or miss but overall, it's an excellent game that I recommand.
Yeah, Kena had some strange difficulty balancing. My friend even said that as he played through it. For what the game is, the combat is just far too difficult for its own good. Nothing wrong with a tough game, but Kena needed more mobility and options available to the player to give them choices.
Can't say I agree. I think a few minor tweaks would've made the difficulty a lot more pleasing. Giving Kena more mobility and choices would've completely destroyed the difficulty. The main issue for a decent chunk of bosses is a never-ending stream of extra enemies, for example. Even giving a few seconds extra between spawns would've made the difficulty far more pleasing.
@@thenonexistinghero I don't think a quick dodge would have hurt anything, but the real kicker was the parry mechanic. It was even patched a few weeks later to be more forgiving, so clearly, the dev team didn't want the game to be overly difficult.
The combat in Kena was deeper than I expected at first, but then it went and got too deep for me. I wouldn't say I'm a "r1 spammer" in DS, but the number of different things you need to remember for boss fights in Kena was wild. Plus I'm not dextrous enough to aim the spirit arrows under pressure. Overall a solid game, but I had to bump the difficulty down to story a couple of times.
I love hearing your takes on the new games you've played! It's a good way to get a taster if I'm unable to play them myself. And I agree with Ellen, the Rot and their little hats are absolutely precious.
the last boss fight in this game was amazing!! I purposely let myself get killed in the last phase just because wanted to experience the cinematics all over again. All in all a very beautiful experience and very rewarding in the end
Also a game where I looked forward to combat trials: god of war, where you rip open a dimensional tear. Maybe an idea for a video: 7 combat trials you actually look forward to?
Its on PC too we played it on stream around the start of the year its 26$ right now on epic. But yeah really didn't find it harder then darksouls for one I actually beat it and I have never come close to beating any draksouls game. It is super cute and the mega rot dragon looks super cool would highly recommend the game.
I'm currently playing through Kena, really fun cute game. I've really enjoyed the art style and story of it, I look forward to seeing more from this studio!
Gotta say I didn't expect my favourite arts and crafts channel to suddenly pivot like this, but I'm interested to hear more about this "videogame" thing you mentioned
There will _always_ be *The Couch*
This video was basically the part of Show of the Weekend they stopped doing. And I love the idea of having that as separate videos in itself
If we're talking about parts of Show of the Weekend they stopped doing, I'd rather they go back to art corner
Super coincidental that this is the video I stopped to watch other rhan their lists, after *that one time*
Yesss, more content lol
Yes. I miss this from Show of the Weekend. Just Luke and Ellen talking about whatever new game they were playin.
@@whoiamiamnot2104 Yeah, I miss the old SOTWE & SOTW formats, they're the ones that got me in the channel.
2h livestreams are really too long.
But there's still some nice stuff so still hang on for now
Luke might've been thinking of the Overlord games where you had a group of goblin like minions with varying abilities you could vaguely control, much less cute, but great fun and really well written boss characters.
Those games slap
Was just about to say this
That series was so much fun, hope it gets rebooted someday. It was a Codemasters game though and they seem to only do racing games these days.
…..the thing’s happened to me. I’ve never heard of Overlord before and in the last few days I’ve heard it mentioned multiple times.
Love overlord, great games.
This is when Dark Souls and Pixar makes a baby. This game is beautiful and amazing. Platforming, puzzles, combat, everything is amazing.
I would suggest it is the union of Dark Souls, Pixar, and Hayao Miyazaki
Agreed. The only thing I don't care for is the story. So it hasn't captivated me, but it is enjoyable.
Lol. Absolutely not. The combat is completely shit. It's so utterly bad
Skill issue tbh@@gallifreyandefense
more zelda than dark souls
I'll admit, as much as i like the weekly "Pokemon Magazine of the Week"-show, i do enjoy them talking about games again.
It has definitely turned into Dark Souls/Pokémon channel the last year or so!
agree
I for one MUCH prefer these "gaming journalists" talking about games, it's nice to talk about something of less less substance (double negative is a plus, yay!) That I wouldn't have paid attention to otherwise. Pokemon magazines are... really really junk food-like content though the disc launcher was kinda cool.
It’s hard not to when so many games these days are just soulsborne inspired games. I am definitely going to check out Kena Bridge of Spirits. I do enjoy difficult games, especially when they look as gorgeous as Kena does. Has a very Dreamworks or Disney style animations to it.
I really hope they go back to making this kind of content again. I’m sorry but the Pokémon magazine type of content every now and then is fun, every week is lazy.
"The staff curves into a bow, it's really clever design" I thought of the exact same thing EARLIER TODAY, this is the quickest I found out "someone already did it"
Bought this at release and yes it is hard. I played on normal and several times it got me. It’s a beautiful game, but it’s not like a fair type of hard. Sometimes it feels like you shot that weak point and it just didn’t register. I am at the end and still have yet to finish it. Not sure if I ever will, but for a first game by a dev who has a background in animation it is a very solid first outing. I know I can reduce the difficulty when you hit a wall but I’m hard headed and made it this far, so I refuse to buckle
I found the Easy mode to be unsatisfying, like no challenge at all, just breeze through everything
I actually played on the hardest difficulty I could and completely agree with you. The game feels very unfair, I ended up giving up on it after I got sick of the inconsistent parry times, the random seemingly unblockable/ unparryable moves that aren't said to be unblockable or unparryable, and it just not registering moves or shots as much as it could. Like you said the game is actually pretty good for a first outing, and had I played on a lower difficulty I probs would of finished it as well. I didn't tho, and after beating like two of the actual main bosses (you know the ones that suddenly hit you with a major difficulty spike, that forces you to realize that the bosses were just minibosses), I realized I didn't want to keep putting up with those inconsistencies with the third boss. I feel the same way you do about changing the difficulty and was just too annoyed with the game to finish it. Kudos to you for sticking with it.
I finished the game first play through on normal and found it hard for that difficulty. The only trophy I had left at the end was to complete it on master difficulty which is a difficulty mode you unlock after your first play through. I’ve finally started that recently to try to get the platinum but jeeeez it’s very difficult.
Sounds like a less hard mode of elden ring 🤣
@@Chrisp707- I’ve played through Elden ring 4 times and platinumed it on my first play through. I’d honestly argue that it’s harder than Elden ring but more so for the limited heals etc like was mentioned in the video. The other souls games are hard but fair but Elden ring is a walk in the park with all of the assistance you can get in it and the ridiculously overpowered weapons. Don’t get me wrong though Elden ring is a great game and it’s beautiful.
I loved this game! I even made my own little crochet version of the Rot and the developers posted the photos on their official Facebook page.
But the hats are just adorable, I had lost a friend prior to the game's release, his favourite animals were foxes, so naturally the first hat I bought was the fox to honour him.
All of what you wrote is very cool and sweet! I must ask, though; how many hats have you recreated for your little crocheted Rot friend? (Made from yarn (crocheted or not), and/or with little sticks and leaves, etc.) I'm truly hoping the number is over 0!!! 🤞🏼😉
Ooh, boy- I need to go do this now. I have some gorgeous black wool yarn that I've been saving for a "for me" project, but maybe I could spare just a little...? 🤔😃
I like this format of game review. Maybe with titles like "Kena" that aren't on everyone's radar. Not to pigeonhole Ellen, but I would love a review of "Stray" when it comes out.
I don't even need a review of Stray. You play as a cat, I'm sold.
Would love a stream of Ellen playing Stray for the first time - with Luke giving those looks to the camera like the Moss playthrough. ;)
@@KayleighBourquin Same , saw the cover art, and I was instantly sold.
For me, Kena is a perfect example of a strong start from a new studio that has a number of glaring flaws, but it leans just enough on the good side that I'm excited to see what the devs do next, where presumably they can iron out those flaws. It's such a beautiful game, and the animation is so expressive and charming, but as Ellen said, it's also INCREDIBLY frustrating at times, which prevented me from fully falling in love with it
I think they just need to make the world bigger and more to do. make it like horizon zero dawn west and fine to the controls more. it’s a perfect start.
the new update sounds cool. but i’m not going back to it. playing cyberpunk, deathloop, and last of us 1 right now. and I might get sniper elite 5 on sale. also playing mw2 beta but might cancel my pre order for it because it’s nothing special
Absolutely!
Only about 5h in (right side of the map), but the verdict is there. Strong cute world building with a heavy emotional core. Some Studio Ghibli stuff with a more Pixar-esque character design.
As a Prince of Persia (Sands of Time - 2008) and Darksiders fan, it is also quite hard as Ellen said. Some of it by design (15-ish little girl fighting spirits so getting crushed if not on your toes is immersive AF even if a bit clashing with artstyle). But some is the clunkyness and lack of precision in both combat and platforming compared to those. Also the quirky combat-style with the Rot gives a bit hard to grasp controls. Kept remapping several times till I found it good.
Not that much familiar with Horizon (still in my backlog) but polishing the combat/platforming precision, leaning into Darksiders 2 with map size and bit more RPG elements (Combat relevant minor stats on Kena's outfit or the Rot hats, like several elemental builds requiring different approach based on map location) would be amazing.
Beautiful game fun to play when I start playing but it doesn’t make me wanna get up and play… Games like Hollow Knight,Zelda and Dark souls etc etc make me wanna play daily until beaten but it’s just not there with this game.
For real the animation is a whole other topic of talent
I felt exactly the same about Kena; nothing in Elden Ring (so far) has caused me problems like some of the bosses in Kena! It’s super cute and the story is really heartwarming, but I did have to knock it down to an easier difficulty because i decided life was too short.
@@spritsfal5088 Yes I did. Killed two of 'em outside Leyndell last week. I stand by my previous statement :)
I was just done after the second boss, there was a steeeeeeep difficulty curve, it's cute but too hard for me, weird I totally didn't expect it to be difficult.
It wouldn't be a problem if the combat was too easy, that would suit it's vibe
@@shashwatsharma2596 You can lower the difficulty in Kena, I did it during the first mid boss fight cause it frustrated me so much. After that it was enjoyable, a bit too easy, but like KayBray Warriner wrote, life is too short.
@@kaybraywarriner7431 Probably use the astrologer class haha. Regardless. Not sure why everyone wants to say its hard when there is normal difficulity.
This game is not that hard lol. I actually wish it was a bit harder. Especially with the ability to parry practically everything and slow down time with jumping bow spots.
I really miss these segments from Show of the Weekend, just talking to eachother about what you’ve been playing or watching and I wouldn’t mind if these segments are relegated to their own videos.
This was great, it really gave me that old Show of the weekend feel that I miss so much. I understand SotW had to be cut down because of the intense workload it put on you all and I always will prefer your health to fleeting enjoyment, but these sit down and talk about games videos have always been a personal favourite. Lots of love
Never expected Darks Souls' Estus Flask would be a CASUL Nerf compared to Kena's hardcore health mechanics.
Yup I had similar experience, I’m a dark souls veteran and almost gave up on this game a few times, including the final boss, but my souls pedigree left me too embarrassed to walk away w my tail between my legs. So I did finally finish it. Great game.
I played it a few months ago, as someone who has never played or wanted to play a Souls-type game, and ended up dropping the difficulty down to story mode to get through,. And even then, I found the bosses pretty difficult.
I recall looking at this game when it first came on sale on PC (it's not quite PS exclusive) and thinking it looked adorable. I've been hearing over time how hard the boss fights are and it seems like a really interesting design angle, almost like a juxtaposition in the way that we've been traditionally geared by game design to think that cute things are going to be easy to deal with. I guess anybody who's ever had to look after a pet or a baby knows how untrue that is though, lol.
PS4, PS5 and PC (year-1 Epic exclusive, but we have Steam too since 2022 September)
And also fairy tales can be about overcoming extreme hardships. Kena taps right into that instead of the though guy survivor or unstoppable badass powerfantasy which is more the standard in video games.
A fragile little girl is fighting spirits here, so being this hard is while surprising for the artstyle, not exactly contradicting and can be very immersive.
And especially with her young age Apprentice Spirit Guide may be the normal difficulty not Spirit Guide.
So it goes Easy - Normal - Hard - Extreme - Ultimate
Not Very Easy - Easy - Normal - Hard - Extreme
This is one of my favorite formats for you guys, just doing an in depth review of a single, somewhat less known, game. Would love to see more of this!
Ah you've finally covered Kena! I always thought this game had Oxtra written all over it :P
I had a few issues with it, some bosses were just frustrating, but generally I really enjoyed it! There were two boss fights in particular that I really enjoyed and felt accomplished finally winning. Parrying ftw :D
I just found it incredibly repetitive. Starting to doubt my own perception, but it was just so ..... anticlimactic
@@katfromthekong414 I loved the world and exploring to collect rot and their hats, and the bosses which worked for me really worked. But not every game is for everyone! That the game isn't for you and also that other people really enjoyed it are both things which can be true at the same time :)
@@Monkeyzforever good point! Really isn't for me. I loved the art style, but expected something more along the lines of BOTW I think
Parrying feels amazing the 10% of times I managed to actually time it right...! I think the game could do a better job of teaching players the in-menu abilities when you unlock them. Certain story-determined abilities were much easier to grasp because the game properly showed you how to do it. Maybe would've made some fights a bit easier/more fun.
Played Kena several months ago, yes the combat was sometimes frustrating. The overall experience was great though, loved the visuals, the music, the little hats on all the rot and I did beat it on Normal mode. That final boss is a trial for sure.
You should try Master spiritguide difficulty, the beginning is like the extra piece of butter on the pancakes, 2 to 3 hits toll death, literally no damage and if you don't know the enemy patterns you will die 2 seconds in, the boss after you optain the bow took me 1day. Completed it for the platin though but this cutsy game has no right to be this hard
I'm actually surprised to hear this take, I stay away from Soulsborne games because they're difficult and frustrating for me, but I got through Kena with only a couple of spots giving me trouble. I found it to be much easier than Dark Souls.
Play Master
Short question.
What difficulty level are you talking about here?
Probably not the one everyone else is talking about here.
Very unbelievable that you just got through the game on the hardest difficulty level with no problems.
Very very very unbelievable
@@PGTornado That's where I'm at, I think there were a few enemy encounters where I died a few times to numbers, and some of the time trials and such were pretty brutal. But some people find different things hard. My claim to fame is beating Flamelurker in Demons Souls first try, but my highest death count by a country mile (probably closing in on three digits) is Capra Demon.
I understand what you mean. Soulsborne games do not click with me (no matter how much I want them to), but I love Sifu, and I have heard many soulsborne fans say that they do not like the difficulty in Sifu.
@@Cheesus-Almighty Don't even know what you are talking about 🤷
If the content of your text should impress me in any way.
Sorry you failed 🙄
I like these chats about a specific game/topic. Hearing about the adorable hats legit sold me on Kena 😁
In Kena there are many attacks thats doesnt intented to be roll doged rather then jump over it (and shoot arrows back) or block it. Just cause it doesnt work like dark souls its not a negativum but you have to lose the habbit. Also didnt had the "not knowing what killed me" issue. Completed it on hard and I think it really good game.
I absolutely loved this game. It did have its frustrating moments but they never really got in the way of me enjoying the hell out of it. Though I'll admit the game definitely isn't perfect.
Bringing light and color back to the corrupted parts of the world was so satisfying, and the visuals, sound design, and music were all so magical. I know it hasn't been out all that long, but it's already a nostalgic experience for me. All in all I'd say it's an impressive first outing for the developers (in terms of video games at least, their Majora's Mask animation was so good), and I can't wait to see how they improve in whatever they do next.
Kena was a surprising and fun challenge. At the risk of sounding likeman old man, it reminded me of how games used to be. Me and my wife spent our entire playthrough saying "They just don't make games like this anymore!" Absolutely, 100%, recommend this game to anyone and everyone. So far, all of my friends who I've shown the game to have immediately gone out and bought it.
Agreed with how hard the boss fights can be. I tried a few times, then just lowered the difficulty to the lowest setting and had a super easy time. The difference between ‘Easy’ & ‘Normal’ is stunningly vast. And the visuals and music are all stunning. As is the world design.
Too bad the developer is not looking to make a sequel.
I hugely enjoyed this game and its story. It's doubly impressive that it's the studio's debut game, and that most of its creators came from a background in animation rather than games. The traditional Indonesian instruments in the soundtrack add an extra layer of polish to an already fine aesthetic.
The combat difficulty did get to me, though. I ended up lowering the difficulty for the last couple of bosses because it was so frustrating that I was getting bored and wanting to quit. Then again, that's exactly the reason I've never picked up a Soulsborne title. People who are more at home with that kind of combat will undoubtedly have a better time with it, as proven by Ellen persisting with Kena's final multi-stage monstrosity on normal difficulty.
I sincerely hope we'll get treated to Luke's Spirit Academy once Ellen's finished obliterating Dark Souls 3.
I always enjoy when you guys just sit down and talk about things/games you are currently into/playing. When you have time and something to say about a game, just keep them coming ☺
You are so right about how frustrating this game can be. When I bought it I thought it would be a fun adventure game but boy was I wrong. I just put it on story mode when I want to get pass the bosses.
I enjoyed these game chats back when they were part of SOTWE, and I'd be very happy for them to become more of a thing again
I would absolutely Love to see more of these kinds of videos.
You guys play so well off eachother and are so funny that I'm happy with the idea that the "what have you been playing?" segment from "Show of the Weekend" is getting it's own kinds of video. :D
This is what I miss about "Show of the Weekend." Game reviews and Art Corner. Quizzes are nice, with an "Ellening" surprise.
I just finished Kena - I really enjoyed it. The Rot were so freaking adorable which made the finale a gut punch lol
The last boss on master difficulty almost broke me. It's hard enough getting to the final stage. Once you do - after 10 minutes of fighting with little to no chances to heal - you need a full circle of rot power to damage the boss, BUT in this stage on master difficulty you can't build your rot powers by attacking, you need to perfect parry as soon as you get into the fight. Then do it twice more without getting hit. In a circle of constantly spawning enemies and AOEs.
I sure did get that platinum, but I sure did question my life choices afterwards.
Nice job
The rot bomb carried me in master difficulty in this game. Its probably the most OP ability you can unlock in this game 100% recommend it if you have trouble
Bought this game because of this review, only an hour in and very fascinated! It’s unique, pretty to look at, fast paced and keeps you on your toes! I’m only an hourish in but very excited to play through it!
I really enjoy this style of video! I like seeing you both discuss the pros and cons of a game so I can make an informed decision about whether I want to play it or not. I usually lean towards RPGs and Sims so I'm not sure this game is for me, but it was interesting and helpful to hear Ellen's take on it for sure.
Your requested mini review! I have played it when it just came out and due to time had to quit it for a bit, but man did I love the parts that I did play. I rage quit in an area I didn't understand how to get through just traversing the map, not because the combat was too hard. I really wanna get back into it, would have already if I had the space on my laptop. It's such a charming game and I really like the combat, actually! The sound design and music are amazing as well. Definitely have been frustrated with some elements but has not put me off from wanting to give it another go.
A lot of Ellen's comments about boss fights in this game are reminiscent of my experience with Ghost of Tsushima. Lovely game, dying was painful...
Please Ellen tell us more about these hats?
I was sold when I saw the cat hat. My phone (Xiaomi black shark) makes THE CUTEST meow when I open and close the triggers and it's my absolute favorite phone for that reason alone
Haven’t played this game but one thing I noticed in this video that prevents me from thinking this could be harder then dark souls it’s the spam rolling you can do
Honestly, Kena looks and has a story like if Dreamworks took the Ori games and maybe early, nature-based Ghibli (Totoro, Spirited Away, Mononoke) and made a game out of it.
Fun fact: the team behind it were responsible for the “Terrible Fate” short video from a few years ago.
I am so glad you've said all this. I attempted Master difficulty after getting all the other trophies, and couldn't get past one of the very early fights (not even against a boss!). If you struggle too much in dark souls, you can level up. In kena theres only a finite amount of opportunities to do so before a boss/area so it's a struggle
Kena is a great game, haven't finished yet, takes me some time to build up patience to play it. I feel one frustrating aspect is the block and parry mechanics, I just can't block attacks consistently and it would be more fun to use the counter attacks more often, but it's just not worth the risk of missing the block, so my boss battles are usually running around in circles until I figure out the weak points, and this gets boring sometimes
At least you can make the game easier. I dropped my difficulty about halfway through the game. But I do really like this game. After watching this I might go and play it again!!
I've been playing Kena again lately, I love this game so much - it's definitely become one of my all-time favourites. Had a PS5 for just over two years, and Kena not a lot shorter. Was feeling the pull towards the platinum this last fortnight or so, and I can safely say... it's painful!! 🤣 You have about 3 hits until you're dead, no matter the enemy, its size - you gotta get really good with the camera and strafing about. You can also straight up jump over certain attack sequences. The parry mechanic is incredibly unforgiving, but also incredibly satisfying when you pull it off...!!
"Metroidvania" "Paced upgrades" - A metroidvania is generally non-linear. It might have a main path you're guided to take the first time you play through, or not, but you can obtain necessary upgrades and complete main objectives in multiple orders. That's at the core of the genre. It's not fully open world, but not fully linear either. It's a good balance between the two. Hollow Knight is a good example of this in its purest form. It leads you in the beginning, and then leaves you with multiple directions to choose between, but on a repeat playthrough when you know how, you don't even need to follow the game's lead in the beginning... But you can't, like, just directly go into the Abyss either. You still need some abilities to unlock some areas, but several of them can be unlocked from multiple different abilities depending on which you get first. It's a wonderful balance of design that allows for a great variety in how the game is played.
I am not particularly fond of Metroidvania maps because I tend to forget where it was that was locked but now with this new ability I can go back to. Have to do a lot of boring backtracking and re-exploring to find the missing paths.
@@akmal94ibrahim A good map system that allows you to mark things helps, but many don't have that. Like any genre of game though, it's not for everyone.
Supraland is a fantastic game if you want that open-ish world type of game that makes you learn new things constantly. My only complaint is that it isn't co-op compatible
More video game reviews!! Your discussion about it are really fun and insightful!!
Really enjoyed this! I bought Kena when it came out and had a pretty similar experience, adored the lil cuties and the music but found it basically as hard as Sekiro on normal mode, and less satisfying. I wonder if it would've been easier if I'd approached it less souls-y and more zelda-y, I don't think I was using my bow and my powers or focusing on glowy weak spots enough. Might give it another try now I've been reminded how pretty it is! Thanks as ever for the lovely videos!
Went into the comments to say "Overlord" but I guess someone beat me too it. You get different little minions that have different abilities and can get collectables that let you have more with you. I wish more games did that. It's so satisfying
I loved Kena. While it was hard I think I had more trouble with Dark Souls. It is also on PC through the Epic store, if that helps anyone.
And currently on sale on Epic Store, -35%
This is a nice chill format, I'd love to see more of this
Emotionally, yes I played this just after losing my Mum, so how this game deals with passing on genuinely hit me way harder than the Souls games
More surprised Ellen did not play it once it launched considering its right up her alley
I enjoyed "Kena" a great deal, but felt it somewhat packing in protagonist development. They develop the overall story of the village more than they do for Kena, which was fine... except that it would have been nice to know more about her and her motivations.
Also, the graphics quality is often compared to Pixar movies, and I have to agree. If I recall correctly, one of the developers worked for Pixar. The music was also amazing, so it really is a treat to play.
The developers were primarily focused on animation, before they branched out into game development. Kena is their first game
@@KayleighBourquin I believe I read something like that. It's been a while since I played and was enveloped in all of the connected trivia. I just remember it being fun to be staring at what looked like a Pixar film, but the main character did what *I* wanted her to do. 😉
Me alone at home : "Okay, Kena... Marry me." Stares at controller. "Which button makes her do that?" 🤣
Literally any video where Ellen goes “squuuuuueeeee” will get my attention and views. Those two are just so cute! together!
Luke "I'm a videogamer, not a videogameser" Westaway.
I think Ellen would absolutely LOVE Spiritfarer. Just such a sweet and cute game.
I just started this game. It's a delight to hear you talk about it. I was surprised by the surprisingly tough combat as well. It's still not easy on, well, easy difficulty.
Definitely would like to see more of this on the channel. I miss not having this part of Show of the weekend
Kena is super underrated. I absolutely love the game even tho it's frustrating at times. Rots are so cute. Great story, great characters. I love this game.
Kena is genuinely amazing. Its fairly limited, its the kind of game where it feels like it didn't quite have enough time to round out the rough edges. In a game like this I would have liked the movement and combat systems to be intertwined more, like in a Metroid game. I will say for those looking for a suggestion, I found blocking/parrying far more effective than dodging 90% of the time. Despite this its really satisfying, fun open world exploration, lots of little puzzles and discoveries, and finally beating a boss is HUGELY satisfying.
On the highest difficulty, it got insanely difficult. It was one of the toughest platinum trophies I have.
I wanna see Luke try Kena now and give his expert opinion
Ok..wait..so..you're telling me that I could've easily strolled through Dark Souls? A game series I've studiously avoided because of it's apparently hellish difficulty (and all videos I've seen of it seem to confirm this). Because I've played Kena, finished it even, in a few days. I didn't find it that difficult. Tricky, for sure. More than a few die/repeats. But ultimately quite manageable.
So, what you're saying is that, if I found Kena manageable, I would've briskly skipped through Dark Souls' tulips?
(edit: I played it on Normal, easy was too easy, not satisfying, no challenge)
very likely
Dark Souls is just about learning from mistakes. Anyone with enough patience to do that can get through Dark Souls fairly well, especially if they beat just one playthrough since the actual difficulty is just pattern recognition. It's why people can defeat bosses naked while doing only one damage per hit.
I have to say, I feel a little vindicated here. I bought Kena really early on and ended up basically rage quitting during the Woodsmith bossfight, which is not even that far into the game, I think. The normal combat is tricky but I do well enough. But those bossfights are just harrowing for me...
Maybe I'll go back and set it to story mode, see if that gives me the edge I need to get through a boss before I lose heart...
That said: ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS GAME and I LOVE the story.
My gf finished Kena recently and the boss fight she struggled with the most was the Woodsmith. So don't give up! If you beat that, I think the rest of the game won't give you that much trouble. Get a guide and find all meditation spots you can up to that point, she did that when she felt stuck and every extra bit of health helps.
I was like "this looks very familiar but I'm not sure why". Apparently it's the same studio that made that amazing Majora's Mask short film. That's cool, I had no idea!
I didn't expect to love this game as much as I did, but it really left an impression on me. Fantastic story, nice gameplay and stunning visuals all round. I'm so excited for whatever this studio does next.
Kena is like a well designed golf course. Sometimes unfair, often frustrating but always beautiful.
That master spirit guide trophy was painful. The healing mechanic is what makes the game hard imo.
Kena is AMAZING Luke & Ellen!
Overloard also does this too!
I picked this up in the January sales and had no idea how difficult it would be. I got to the second boss and rage quit
The second boss was probably the one that almost made me stop playing but I kept going till I beat it. After the second boss it's still hard but not as frustratingly hard as that fight was
I'm so glad you made a video about this game. I thought about buying it before but was hesistant. Now I'm 6 hours in and don't regret the purchase.
Perhaps it’s the 90s kid in me, but I can’t hear Kena without thinking ‘and Kel-a.’ Still recently started this and it’s a beautiful game, really enjoying it atm!
I'm 100% here for John laughing in the background.
The cursed chests in diablo 3 are really fun too! As long as you have AoE I guess, but getting swarmed is so fun in that game
Beautiful little game I just really wish they had found a better reward loop. I couldn’t give a damn about the hat gems for the rot and the upgrades were reallllly basic. A bit more budget, systems depth and a little bit more Scope to the game/story and they’ll have a real winner. The combat was surprisingly well designed for an animation studio. Really hope they make a sequel.
HOLY CRAP YES!!!!!!!!!!! This game on Master mode is INFURIATING!!!!!!!
So good though
I’m still in the village area. I need to go back and finish this game
Is "Kena: Bridge of Spirits" the Dark Souls of Video Games?
I think Dark Souls is the Dark Souls of video games.... 🤔🤪
@@katfromthekong414 I think Dark Souls is the Dark Souls of Dark Souls...
@@Michael_Lindell 😂😂😂👏🏼👏🏼
It can be difficult in places (especially at the end) but it's not Dark Souls or Bloodbourne. How you may ask? I actually finished Kena: Bridge Of Spirits (with some online help in getting all the collectables).
4:27 Ellen spent an hour doing this.
She wakes up every morning, bleary eyed and halfway not even remembering she’s a member of the human species, desiring to do this very thing, for at least an hour.
When she finally played this one, tho? I don’t like to assume, nor do I want to particularly think too hard on it, but if I had to hazard a guess, I would lightly speculate that she probably had to make a NUMBER of modifications to her day(s) so as to be able to fully immerse herself properly, in this ONE particular experience.
I’d been hoping to enjoy playing it so like I said on twitter, hope the story mode makes it playable though someone there said it’s still not easy. It’s inaccessible to make games hard and gross when people gatekeep too, and a good way to save potential players money. Idk if it’s an autism thing of slower processing for me, but it’s also now a stiff hands thing. I took 2 years off the computer to not use my hands, and to mostly sleep, and I’m straight back to this irritating tf out of me.
It’s a gorgeous game and I love the little sprites, forgotten their name already, and all the hats. I didn’t think there are endless cute games, certainly not of the same style. There’s 8-bit or anime style, neither of which I love. Difficulty is the last feature I’m looking for to set a game apart. I’m here for autorun first, and by default.
Hollow Knight have excellent, satisfying combat trials in the Arena and with the Dream Warriors.
I've played Kena. In fact, I've made a couple run on it. One on Hard and the other on Master difficulty.
It didn't feel as hard as a Dark souls to me but it was, indeed, quite difficult, still.
One thing Kena does very well, however, is to give players various tools and options to increase their chances to beat an enemy/boss.
For example, most enemy (and every boss, as far as I remember) has weak points that can be targeted for extra damage.
There's also a lot of things and special attacks involving the rots and all of them has their uses and in general, the game offers various moves and attacks that can make a real difference in combat if well used.
The combat feels really fluid and satisfying. I genuinely enjoyed it.
I do agree with Ellen when she said dodging is harder than it was in DkS, though. The timing is weird which doesn't feel all that great but I've got over it. It worth mentioning that there's a parry as well. and I found it incredibly useful (in fact, I've never parried nearly as much in DkS than I did playing Kena).
What the game does poorly is the final boss. I kinda understand what they tried to do but it's a chore. Too long, too tedious and they squeezed a platform section in the middle of it...Which felt out of place and truly damage the experience since it's the same thing you have to do over and over again, every time you get killed (which is definitely gonna happen on Master difficulty...Trust me).
Other than that I didn't have any major issues with the game. The bestiary could be larger, I guess and boss design are hit or miss but overall, it's an excellent game that I recommand.
Yeah, Kena had some strange difficulty balancing. My friend even said that as he played through it. For what the game is, the combat is just far too difficult for its own good. Nothing wrong with a tough game, but Kena needed more mobility and options available to the player to give them choices.
Can't say I agree. I think a few minor tweaks would've made the difficulty a lot more pleasing. Giving Kena more mobility and choices would've completely destroyed the difficulty. The main issue for a decent chunk of bosses is a never-ending stream of extra enemies, for example. Even giving a few seconds extra between spawns would've made the difficulty far more pleasing.
@@thenonexistinghero I don't think a quick dodge would have hurt anything, but the real kicker was the parry mechanic. It was even patched a few weeks later to be more forgiving, so clearly, the dev team didn't want the game to be overly difficult.
The combat in Kena was deeper than I expected at first, but then it went and got too deep for me. I wouldn't say I'm a "r1 spammer" in DS, but the number of different things you need to remember for boss fights in Kena was wild. Plus I'm not dextrous enough to aim the spirit arrows under pressure. Overall a solid game, but I had to bump the difficulty down to story a couple of times.
I love hearing your takes on the new games you've played! It's a good way to get a taster if I'm unable to play them myself. And I agree with Ellen, the Rot and their little hats are absolutely precious.
I love hearing Ellen talk about Rot hats.
I like when you guys talk about games and Ellen gets to talk about cute things and Luke is there also.
When you said the noise thing I thought of the Tombraider video and then you said it and it was awesome!!
the last boss fight in this game was amazing!! I purposely let myself get killed in the last phase just because wanted to experience the cinematics all over again. All in all a very beautiful experience and very rewarding in the end
I love it when you do a full review of a game I've never heard of like this!! I hope you do more
I'd definitely be up for more of these video game chats.
Also a game where I looked forward to combat trials: god of war, where you rip open a dimensional tear. Maybe an idea for a video: 7 combat trials you actually look forward to?
So good to hear light game chat on the channel again. This, Pokemon magazine, and a show of the weekend quiz is perfect.
Its on PC too we played it on stream around the start of the year its 26$ right now on epic. But yeah really didn't find it harder then darksouls for one I actually beat it and I have never come close to beating any draksouls game. It is super cute and the mega rot dragon looks super cool would highly recommend the game.
I'm currently playing through Kena, really fun cute game. I've really enjoyed the art style and story of it, I look forward to seeing more from this studio!
I've done every trophy in the game except beat the game on the hardest difficulty. That's no joke. Maybe someday I'll do it.