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A small studio gets handed a big opportunity. Ember Lab's Josh Grier says the partnership with Sony has opened the door to something far larger than the cozy, artful game that surprised players in 2021.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits arrived as a pleasant, often overlooked surprise—beautiful worldbuilding, crisp writing, and a handful of moments that felt truly cinematic. But fans also noticed limits: environments that could have been more varied, combat and puzzle systems that hinted at greater depth but didn’t fully deliver. That modesty may be over.
This is not a small indie follow-up but a full-fledged AAA evolution for the Kena series. Grier says the new collaboration with Sony brings resources and experience that let Ember Lab scale up the world, the set pieces, and the storytelling cadence. Bigger maps. Longer arcs. Higher production values across the board.
One headline feature is an element fusion system that lets players mix water, fire and wind in creative ways. Think of it as a toolkit for both puzzles and combat—combining elements to open new paths, craft environmental solutions, or exploit enemy weaknesses. It’s a gameplay shift that will make encounters feel less scripted and more improvisational.
Yes, comparisons to broader action-RPGs are inevitable. But the aim here isn’t to copy; it’s to give Kena the mechanical vocabulary it always deserved so Ember Lab can tell a bigger, more cinematic story without losing the charm that set the original apart.
Kena: Scars of Kosmora premiered its trailer during State of Play and is slated for release on PC and PlayStation 5 later this year. The message is clear: this next chapter wants to be noticed. Will it live up to the ambition? Keep an eye on Ember Lab—they’ve moved from artful experiment to serious contender.
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