In Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, players follow the narrative of Zau, a young shaman embarking on a quest to capture the spirits of three formidable monsters as offerings to Kalunga, the God of Death. In exchange, Kalunga promises to restore Zau’s recently deceased father to life. Zau demonstrates impressive agility, exhibiting abilities such as double jumping, wall jumping, and aerial dashing. He is armed with two distinct masks: the sun mask, enabling powerful melee attacks, and the moon mask, facilitating ranged combat. Each mask features its own dedicated upgrade path. By defeating enemies, players accumulate “Ulogi”, a form of soul energy which serves as currency for acquiring new skills to enhance Zau’s capabilities. Progression through the game gradually unlocks new abilities, granting access to previously inaccessible areas and expanding exploration possibilities.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU initially presents a wealth of expository dialogue and information. However, once the gameplay takes precedence, the experience transitions into an engaging and enjoyable one. The game exhibits a well-balanced difficulty curve, and the gradual introduction of new abilities allows players to progressively master them as needed.
The protagonist wields two distinct power sets, readily switchable via the left bumper. Strategic utilization of these powers is crucial, as enemies exhibit varying vulnerabilities depending on the active power. The game evokes a strong sense of the original Prince of Persia (1989), emphasizing environmental traversal and requiring players to employ diverse techniques to reach their objectives, a design principle also seen in Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. One particular sequence involving three waterfalls necessitates freezing them with the “Moon Powers,” followed by a series of jumps, double jumps, dashes, and strategic waterfall freezing to avoid fatal spikes. While mastering the timing and execution of these maneuvers proved challenging, the near-instantaneous loading times and the rewarding feeling of accomplishment mitigated potential frustration. The resulting sense of euphoria aligns with the hallmarks of a well-designed Metroidvania.
The game features a clear and informative map, providing constant awareness of the player’s current location and the direction of the next objective. Navigating to that objective, however, is left to the player’s ingenuity and skill.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU promotes a fast-paced experience, enabling fluid movement through levels. Combat encounters present additional challenges. While most situations are manageable, some aspects detract from the overall experience.
Certain elements introduce unwelcome friction. Elevator sections, which require ascending a building while engaging in repetitive battles within confined spaces on each floor, prove to be significantly less enjoyable than the core gameplay, resulting in frustrating difficulty spikes and a sense of monotony.
Furthermore, the extensive dialogue, presented through both voice acting and text, is hindered by the intrusive nature of the large text box. Its placement often obscures the screen, impeding visibility and hindering precise platforming. This design choice detracts from the overall polish of the game.
In conclusion, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is recommended for its stylish presentation and engaging core mechanics. Despite certain shortcomings, the game ultimately delivers a fun and entertaining experience.
EA provided a review code for this evaluation. The provision of materials does not influence editorial objectivity.
