A review of this week’s Tales of Kenzera: Zau
When a Metroidvania engages with Bantu Culture and Grief
2024 seems to be the year of Metroidvanias as within three months of the launch of Prince of Persia I bring you Tales of Kenzera, a two-dimensional side to side adventure platformer that tries to merge lightning-fast combat with soulful storytelling. By drawing on elements of Bantu culture and mythology the game offers players not just a feast of gorgeous purples and pinks but also a variety of terrains as it unfolds a predominantly action-centric gaming experience that is centered around the turmoil of losing one’s parent.
By allowing players to play as Zau, a young shaman grieving the loss of his Baba (father), the game sets us on a journey where the young shaman bargains with Kalunga, the god of death for the return of his father. Kalunga, empathizing with the young boy’s pain chooses to accompany him on this journey by offering him advice, chastisement, and perspective as Zau overcomes the necessary challenges for the return of his dead father. A journey, that emotionally transforms from denial and anger to the sorrow and acceptance that often accompanies death, Tales of Kenzera is a great game to process the five stages of grief.
In terms of gameplay, the metroidvania aspect seems like a wonderful foil to the pain in Zau as he blazes through a feast of colors, gaining abilities, and surviving death all in the hope to resurrect his father. The game draws on the powers of the sun and moon in both combat and movement as the player chains attacks and skills while instinctively swapping between the sun and moon abilities to overcome traps, spikes, and even flowing water. There are special moves that are unlocked by reaching specific places in-game and are based on feats in Bantu mythology – a nice addition that allows the game to serve as a window into a unique culture. The RPG and skill-based elements of the game are a nice touch as one can feel Zau get stronger with time.
I found the combat, the variety of challenges, and the puzzles to be a good match and the overall experience here is a cohesive one. The game is beautiful looking, and the music and dialogue/ voice acting make it memorable and authentic. Characters like Liyana will remain long in your memory even after you finish the game.
Despite its many strengths there are a few minor glitches and bugs that need some finetuning. I feel the game’s narrative could have been a bit longer as aspects of certain characters (Liyana and Zau could actually play, for example) could have been fleshed out a bit better. There are certain bits that will irk regular players of the metroidvania sub-genre who rely on precise timing and if those bits can be ironed out this could be a much better game.
However, despite its few flaws I strongly recommend Tales of Kenzera. If you can combine it with January’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, you could either have a great summer ahead of you or a very frustrating one depending on how Metroidvanias make you feel.
