Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 82 | 102 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 86 | 3 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 87% | 81 | 36 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 99 reviews sampled · 103 total reviews in window · weighted 70.8 up / 10.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (157)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
- 80
“Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a natural fit for the Nintendo Switch 2 in both presentation and gameplay. It could (and should) have done a bit more to introduce newcomers to the elements of this world, but it offers a charming, occasionally dark adventure that will fully engage players once they settle in.”
read full review ↗ - 84
“Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an excellent game that is perfectly enjoyable on Nintendo Switch 2. Despite a lower resolution and framerate than on PS5 or Xbox Series X, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to revisit the world, characters, and battles of Kena’s debut journey. If you’ve never played Kena before and would like to experience the magic before Scars of Kosmora drops, this is a fitting entry point. That said, if you do own any other modern platform, I highly recommend playing elsewhere, if only to enjoy Ember Lab’s work at its utmost beauty.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Kena: Bridge of Spirits is very high quality and incredibly beautiful for the indie scene. It combines a simple story and uncomplicated puzzles with well-developed combat mechanics, while offering time-tested solutions at the same time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“An enjoyable old-school 3D-platformer that looks great and doesn't have annoying issues of its predecessors of old, like outdated mechanics or janky gameplay.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Bridge of Spirits is an old-fashioned adventure game, one that sets you on a very curated, puzzle-marked path. Which is to say that it lacks for the trailblazing go-anywhere spirit of Breath of the Wild. But Kena is, after all, a spirit guide, so you can trust that you’re not missing out on much by sticking to the missions that she calls out on the map. What you’ll get by following that path that she puts you on are the tightest, most compelling pieces of gameplay, those rooted in plot. In fact, seeing as what happens to those spirits who lose themselves along the way, the purest form of Bridge of Spirits is the one that doesn’t wander off.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“As the debut title from a team new to the video game industry, Kena: Bridge of Spirits drew inspiration from wherever it could, though that doesn’t necessarily mean the game has nothing new to offer. Its breathtaking world will entice not only younger players to explore, but also offers challenges and obstacles worthy of even the most experienced gamers. Don’t be put off by the slow start; just be patient and get through the first third of the game, because after that, you’ll finally get some momentum. There’s no shortage of things I could criticize about the game, but the incredibly strong positives still outweigh them, making it impossible to give Kena: Bridge of Spirits a bad review.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Kena: Bridge of Spirits' stunning visuals and fantastical abilities are weighed down by repetitive combat - and a world with more to see than to do.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“Ultimately, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a by-the-numbers 3D action-adventure game. It might look like a modern Zelda game but doesn't play like one. It's largely just a series of arena-based combat routines, stitched together by long stretches of traversal, and cutscenes that are well-designed but feel like a forgotten Hollywood B-movie. Too often, Kena: Bridge of Spirits reminds you of better games you've played and that it's borrowing from, which is not a good sign. There's no harm in learning from others, it's certainly well made, but it's lacking in originality. There's little personality to Kena: Bridge of Spirits, for it's adopting the sheen of others. For a debut title, this is undoubtedly a good effort, but I fear Ember Labs have played it too safe.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Kena: Bridge Of Spirits is a great addition to the Switch 2 roster. A visually stunning platforming adventure with great storytelling and an adorable companion mechanic. Combat and enemy design leave a lot to be desired, but this doesn't do much to dent the experience of Kena's journey.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“It’s a pity that Kena: Bridge of Spirits did not get a big marketing campaign because it definitely deserves recognition. It’s a lovely, well-constructed game for everyone. I really hope we’ll see more of Kena in the future, and I wish more debuts like this for every studio!”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The overall gameplay will be very familiar to 3D adventure fans, but the visuals and charm help to make it feel like a fresh experience in the genre. More adventures for Kena and the Rot would be very welcome.”
read full review ↗
Stryftek
Pure Nintendo
The Punished Backlog
GameMAG
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Gaming Professors
Jump Dash Roll
Gadgets 360
Nintendo Life
GRYOnline.pl
RPGamer…and 145 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Hoppy New Year!Jan 23, 2023
- 2.06 Patch NotesOct 28, 2022
- 2.04 Patch NotesOct 4, 2022
- 2.03 Patch NotesOct 1, 2022
- Anniversary Update Patch Notes 2.0Sep 14, 2022significant · resets scoring window