Tales of Kenzera: Zau may not be the next AAA blockbuster. However, the fact that it belongs to the EA Originals label makes it at least worth checking out.
The new EA Originals game
Many players still believe that Electronic Arts is only about sequels, remasters, and microtransactions. It’s not necessarily true, as the company established the EA Originals label, which allows independent studios to release their games under the EA umbrella. Although not all EA Original games are breakthrough hits, the series has, so far, avoided major failures and given us some highly entertaining titles, including Unravel 2, Wild Hearts, Lost in Random, and foremost, It Takes Two, the Game of the Year at the Game Awards 2021. Therefore, we have all the reasons to give Tales of Kenzera: Zau a shot.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau – release and platforms
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is the debut game of Surgent Studios, established by British actor Abubakar Salim, whom you may remember as the voice of Bayek in Assassin’s Creed Origins or Father in the “Raised by Wolves” TV series. It will come out on April 23, 2024. The game omits the current-gen consoles but is available on Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. The Tales of Kenzera: Zau demo version is already out.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau – story and setting
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a deeply personal story inspired by Salim’s grief after his father’s passing. According to the studio head, players will be thrown into a world that seems strange and dangerous at first. However, they will gain new perspectives as the game progresses. The game’s setting is based on Bantu legends, which is interesting as those themes are not often explored by video games. We will follow Zau, a young shaman whose father recently died. The mourning boy makes a deal with Kalunga, the God of Death. If he captures three dangerous spirits denying Kalunga, his Baba can be revived.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau – gameplay
Surgent’s first game is a 2.D Metroidvania. Consequently, players will explore the eponymous realm, but only part of the map will be initially accessible. Upgrading Zau’s skills and learning new abilities will allow you to gradually reach new locations. The protagonist has the Moon Mask and Sun Mask at his disposal. Both give him various powers indispensable in melee combat, range attacks, and crowd control. You will decide how you want to enhance the masks. Zau’s journey will take you to different regions of Kenzera, including the Woodlands, Highlands, and Deadlands. In each location, the protagonist will have to face tons of regular enemies and more demanding bosses. On the flip side, there are only about 10 spots for enemies in the in-game codex, which is not too many.
As you can see, Tales of Kenzera shares many gameplay mechanics with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, which was a very pleasant surprise at the beginning of 2024. I deeply hope that Zau will follow in Sargon’s footsteps, proving that not all modern single-player games have to feature 3D maps and open worlds.
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