Tales of Kenzera: Zau First Look : Kenzera was first revealed at the end of the 2023 Game Awards last year as a very personal project of Abubakar Salim, who voiced the main character in Assassin’s Creed Origins, before taking the director’s chair and establishing his own studio. Essentially a Metroidvania game, we were expecting plenty of combat and exploration as is customary in the genre. Instead, we were met with a gripping story of love and grief about the death of a parent and a young child’s journey to find solace and self-discovery through a book and the people around him. Most of the story and mechanics presented in the game are much more emotional and narrative-driven than we are used to.
Tales of Kenzera is also filled with incredible stories, many of which Salim grew up hearing from his father. “All of these mythological characters and spirits are inspired by the basic stories in Bantu cultures. But there are also some things my father told me; they always inspired me,” says Salim.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau First Look / A Tale of Loss and Development
Zau tells the story of Zuberi, a young boy who is grieving after his father dies unexpectedly. Despite his apparent grief and despair, he manages to contact his parents through a book left to him. He discovers the story of a young shaman named Zau, who is also struggling with his father’s death, and sets out to make a deal with the God of Death to bring his father back, no matter the cost.
It’s immediately clear from the start that the main focus of the game is the parallel stories of Zuberi and Zau. As was revealed during the game’s special press presentation, it’s no secret that the director created this game to commemorate his father and mourn his own death, making it an extremely emotional game from start to finish. Although one of the main characters battles gods and primal creatures that defy conventional logic, the story still presents grief in very human ways. Every aspect of Zau is immersed in this exploration of loss and personal growth, from anger and grief to the unbearable pain of losing such an important person in your life.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is first and foremost a Metroidvania. You will spend most of the game exploring a huge world, traveling between wonderful places, breathtaking landscapes and making friends. And of course enemies. In this game called “The Shaman’s Dance”, the fights are based on the power of the Moon Mask and the Sun Mask and your character’s ability to use both at the same time to adapt to any combat scenario.
With the help of the Sun Mask, Zau can perform quick melee combos and powerful strikes. You can even use this moveset to juggle enemies in the air, putting them in position to be hit with follow-up attacks with the other mask. Conversely, with the Moon Mask, you can perform ranged attacks with rapid projectiles fired from a safe distance. You’ll need to be proficient in both forms and constantly switch between them as you fight to create incredibly satisfying combos.
Enemies aren’t the only thing you need to watch out for in the game. There are also side missions in the form of several obstacle courses, as most require precise timing and retrying. If you accidentally enter a wrong place or fall, you may find yourself stuck in a challenging obstacle course.
The Indie Game of the Year Awaits Us
Considering how many Metroidvania games there are on the market, you may not have thought of Kenzera as one of them and included it on your list. We must say very quickly that it is definitely a production ahead of other examples of the genre. While it impresses with its narrative-driven story, you will also enjoy the combat and exploration filled with colorful landscapes. Kenzera’s world has a vibrant and colorful design. The world you explore offers vibrant graphics in every section designed from the lush forests where you start the story inspired by African mythology and folklore to the more arid regions.
Finally, it is necessary to mention the music of the game. During the presentation, Nainita Desai stated that she started working on the game without seeing anything about it, which led her to create her works by visualizing the entire game. This has been her greatest help in creating a fascinating work by combining contemporary music genres with traditional Bantu African instruments. The choir, which also contributed to Marvel Studios’ Black Panther film, has recorded with musicians from all over the world and created touching and epic compositions. The artist, who also answered our questions during the presentation, stated that this music will be released with the game on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU features a vibrant world, engaging gameplay mechanics, and an engaging story that will captivate fans of the Metroidvania genre as well as casual gamers. They’ll be immersed in a rich, action-packed journey as they embark on Zau’s journey of self-discovery and redemption, tied together by universal themes of love, loss, and perseverance. Set to be released on April 23, 2024, the game stands out as one of the most important indie releases of the year.
