Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, a metroidvania adventure from Surgent Studios, is officially getting a new demo on February 5th.
In Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, the young shaman Zau ventures into the mythical lands of Kenzera to reclaim his father’s spirit. Players must use magical abilities to overcome perilous lands and dangerous, restless spirits.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is currently slated to launch on April 23rd, 2024. It will be available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and the Nintendo Switch.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU was published under EA Originals. But Surgent Studios is a new indie development studio founded by Assassin’s Creed actor Abubakar Salim.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU plans to thoughtfully explore grief, in a surprisingly personal venture. Salim’s sincerity and passion are already noticeable in the trailers. It immediately resonated with me, especially as I’m also currently grieving a loss.
Many indie games, such as The Forest Quartet, manage to balance such an emotional center with legitimately fun gameplay. Ideally, ZAU’s relatable poignancy won’t come at the expense of a great adventure, either.
Naturally, I was attracted to the art design in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU. The inspiration of Bantu culture and tales is invaluable and compelling.
The mythology fuels a vibrant and colorful world that should help it stand out from so many other games in the genre.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU promises a remarkable historical richness, which is innately earnest and immersive. The unusual enemies, environments, and combat mechanics all look equally meaningful and purposeful.
Bantu tales also seem to allow neat gameplay flexibility. The official Steam page mentions that players can even manipulate time. Some games are entirely centered on that one ability alone.
The Steam page notes there are Highlands, Woodlands, and Deadlands, and that “3 mighty beings lie in wait”. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU could be a shorter game with just three worlds—but I definitely can’t wait to explore them.
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