Kena: Bridge of Spirits - Ending and Story Explained 

All of the spirits stories made me cry, they really did hook me in.

This game was masterpiece. Game were not only about gameplay, but its story and experience brought me tears and joy. I need more Kena game 😭

Just after Toshi and Zajoru move on, and Kena is left alone by the mountain shrine, Zajo's voice echoes through her mind saying "there's only one spirit left for you to help". I really thought at that point they meant Kena herself, which I thought was beautiful. The game goes on to make clear it was actually the rot god which she then puts back together, but with your video I again feel like maybe it was about her. I fully agree that there is a lot of personal growth for Kena in the story, it is just very subtly shown.

Can't wait for more story driven movie-like games like this one... definitely hits different, 10/10😃

Great analysis! The game strips out all the garbage that surrounds similar formulas like assassins creed and really does leave us with an original, Pixar-like story. This is a game and story for everyone.

I thought this game was beautiful in a lot of ways. It is kind of vague unless you really pay attention to every little detail that happens, but watching this video and looking back on it definitely shows how emotionally driven the story was. I definitely won’t forget about this one.

What i would like to see is not a sequel, but i'd rather play a prequel, discovering kena's father story

The moment she sees herself as a child was so wholesome and true beyond words. We always have an inner drive why we do things, but it's about being able to let go and use it for the good. And that Toshi had to forgive himself to move on, sometimes it is yourself that imprisons you. And this was only a few moments of the game, oh my

To add one more common Pixar trait; there isn't really any villain in the story. Toshi is the main antagonist narratively, but the story shows that no one was really evil in intent. And he disappears after the beginning to return for the final part of the game.

This is probably one of the most unique games to come out in a long time. Love it to death and I’d really want to see a sequel, but I don’t know where they’d take the story from here. It all seems complete and if anything maybe deserves a prequel instead. I doubt that’ll happen though.

Recently beat this game and it was one I truly, truly enjoyed. It does get you in your feelings when saying goodbye to the spirits as they have to move on. My 8yr old daughter was brought to tears during parts of this game. They did a great job with this one! ❤

This game was a therapy for me, as I struggled to move on from my hard break up that i've had. thank you for the video!

the 6:30 mark is the factor moment when we realize your perspective of Kena's intensions. True Kena said she was going to the mountain shrine. She said she was searching for the mountain shrine to get a better connection to the spirt world in hopes of finding her father, but Kena has been nothing but kind, helping and friendly to all she has encountered along her way. She was helping all with the kindness of her heart, Thus upon returning from the spirt world zajuro tells Kena that many spirit guides before her have come and failed, but her father would be proud of who she has become today. In other words she is not acting selflessly otherwise she would have failed, but instead pressed on and went to all lengths to help the spirits in the forest on her way to the mountain shrine.

Loved your ending analysis. Pulling the lessons from all the spirits back to Kena's journey with her father. I loved the game and it's vague story telling, but was definitely left wanting at the end feeling like the story wasn't complete. You definitely opened my eyes to how each spirit actually reflected Kena's need to find her father. Now my only question is, the story opens with Kena and the Rot Spirit both being hurt or injured. Rot's antler is broken and they draw attention to Kena's blue veins glowing with spirit energy. They never explain that affliction nor really mention it again. Although her design leads to the idea that the viens travel up her arm and that's why all her outfits cover it. When I played this the first time, I thought she was traveling up to the mountain shrine to get help for that. But that's kinda left up to interpretation. Love the story telling, I love that it's left up to you and there are a lot of pieces missing. Definitely want a sequel one day! But we'll see. I'd also be happy if this was a stand alone and Ember Lab makes another game just as compelling and beautiful.

Now I kinda want a Mushi-shi style Anime or Cartoon with Kena as the MC traveling the land to help more lost spirits.

This game is one of the best, especially in terms of stories & bosses' cutscenes, God I never saw cutscenes like this in my life, really 10/10 ♥

I'll admit that I got caught up in each of the smaller stories only to fall in to the pit of confusion and only seeing a surface depth of Kena herself. I didn't realize the connection between the spirits and that of her own. Thanks for highlighting this point as it has now given me a greater appreciation for the game. Now, I'm going to do some research on the Rot - as that is the only other piece I'm missing from the games story.

The story was not very clear during playing but looking at this video it all makes sense. It's a really subtle story that is perfect for this game.

I hope it will have a sequel. Just finished it now. Its short but good and emotional

I hope one day it will become a movie. Also this story will teach us about how deal our pain and stuff feelings. I really do hope it become a movie it would be awesome.

I cried my eyes out.. one of the best games i played. But why cant she keep the little Rot.. so sad.

I’m pretty sure the size of the development team affected how much they could do with the story but with they could do I think it was interesting. I really do hope a sequel is made because there’s so many questions that can be answered and this world they built is too good to be one and done. I just hope enough people bought this game lol. Also can’t go without mentioning how great the music is.

This game was on sale this week, I couldn't let it go until I was finished. I regret not playing sooner. I cant wait for what ever these devs do next.

The ending is amazing 👏 😍 🙌 😭 ❤️ I cry at the end, it's emotional and amazing music. She reunited the creatures together to bring back the big spiritual creature, it's sad to see the Littles to go away, the real question that left us all questioning is what will she do now. She healed the land. The adventure is amazing, u don't see games like this much no more, to much call of duty games and fornite man I get tired of seeing those games, now kena is a beautiful game, story, adventure and music.

More games need to be like this one! I really hope the company that made Kena, continues to make games! I HAD A BLAST playing this game and I absolutely love the visuals, soundtrack and story! Also i got platinum trophy for this game, sooo accomplishing!

This game is so wholesome, not to forget the beautiful music and all the small things that made you feel as if you were there. The culture is also so healing and refreshing, connected with nature something I'd love to see back in real life. I really think that in the past people were wise enough to see the connection between the world and our own world (inner & outer) and that for the world to heal we needed to heal ourselves. After all, were all part of this together. This was a very inspiring game, thank you makers!

This game was wonderful and this little video essay helped me decompress and process it once I had finished. Thanks for that. I have been stuck in a rut and this story gave me hope that I can move forward.

Loved the analysis 😊 I've watched Taro's transformation scene more than a dozen times and I still love it 😁

The story really touched my heart and I honestly had to cry at many of the cutscenes. They reminded me also of someone whom I lost, so I think that's why it hit me so hard. I think many people can identify with the feeling of losing someone which they love, that's why the story worked out so great. I really wished for a Pre/Sequel since they could have gone more into Kenas Character and backstory in my opinion. However I can see how there is also an advantage in leaving space for some imagination. I haven't actually realized how big the freeing of the spirits has shaped Kenas Character before your video. Thanks for your work, great Video keep it up 👍

Really good video mate. I loved this game . Played on hard first time then the higher difficulty to platinum . It’s pretty hard ,the last boss was super tough . Amazing graphics ,great kinda souls like combat . This game is super underrated .

I really hope Ember Lab will make a second part of this game or extend it more with more chapters in the future talking about Kena herself and how did her father passed away? Or where was she from? I need to know. This game is way too much for me but I need more of it 😭

The beautiful truth is essentially the inverse of what Toshi accuses Kena of- that through her own gradual acceptance of grief, she is able to better help others. In this way, her self interest balanced with regard for others is what helps her to deliver a grounded explanation of grief to Toshi. I think for each of us, we will never be in that perfect “I’ve moved on” stage, we can start when we are imperfect and grow and help in parallel.

Beautiful scenery and music, moving and enchanting story and atmosphere. I loved it. the characters and their stories moved me to tears. The gameplay is organic and simple, yet not easy, not at all. I love that there is minimal HUD and no mini-map. The puzzles are connected to the equipment we have. Very immersive game and story. Yes a masterpiece. A game I will never give away and will play again. I hope they make more games of this style.

I seriously f-ing love this game so much. I want a sequel! I feel like this game is vastly underrated.

Thank you ! Really great video ! I put Kena in my top 5 best games of all time.

Beautiful video. I love this game to its very core and it transformed into my top 5 favorite games of all times.

If it wasn't for Alex Chen in Life is Strange True Colors, Kena would easily be the best new character of the year. Really, Alex and Kena feel very similar in many ways and both had subtle inner conflicts that drove them back.

Beautiful game. Great analysis. I’d love a sequel. Beat it on expertise, but got stuck on Master difficulty, at that point it was too much for a casual gamer like me.

Just finished the game today! and I cried when each spirit found peace. I really like Kena and think they left her just ambiguous enough without feeling the need to bog her or the audience down with silly tropes and cliches for backstory.

Kena was so good! I wish more people played it, and I hope we get Kena 2.

They really need to make a movie!!!

Nice video. I would agree with the criticism Kena is left a little bit two dimensional, but with eyes on a sequel, maybe that was intentional. It left me wanting more to know her backstory. It has almost a western vibe... the nameless, silent hero you do not know much about, but who conveys his personality through his actions. Now Kena does talk a little more and shows compassion and understanding, but she never opens up herself. like someone else commented, the final words of zajo could not only have meant the rotgod, but maybe Kena herself, maybe she is also already dead and in this function can be a spirit guide, a medium between the real world and the world of spirits. we never get explained the mechanics how this works. we know her dad was one, we know she lost him (but not if he went away or is dead, although it is implied in the flashback). but basically everyone we interacted with in the game is dead if I am not mistaken. So why couldn't it be that Kena, just like the other spirits, has problems "passing on?"- Would be a little ironic, a spirit guide who can not herself be guided or move on. then, she seems to have some sort of condition or curse as well, implied by her covered arm and the veins that show in some scenes. Is this maybe what is preventing her search or development? (this cursed arm reminded me ashitaka in princess mononoke, just as her outfit does. She is sort of a female version of ashitaka to me... lone wanderer, helps people, bridge between different factions-world. both also highly nature/eco centric stories). Curious also that Kena often meditates. In zen meditation, as I am aware most will know, you sort of get in this "observer role", so not harboring any feelings or emotions, either good or bad, to cloud your view and judgement. And this is necessary for all characters Kena has to guide and ultimately herself too. so I feel apart from levelling your health up, it also does serve somewhat the story. neutral as possible introspection to sort your feelings out seems necessary to me. so yeah, fantastic story, left me wanting a little bit more TBH and I can understand the criticism to a degree, but it has been a long time since I had so much fun with a game. Also from a gameplay mechanic, Kena does not do anything new or groundbreakingly revolutionary, but all mechanics work beautifully in tandem together, the platform elements, the battles, the exploration and looting... I just hope we had other means of achieving new outfits (the trials are pretty hard, not gonna lie, as were the bossfights. Not Souls-level bad, but close) and maybe a little more world interactivity. Other than that, very impressive for the first game from ember labs. I sincerely hope we get a sequel. But even if not, this game goes unto my "games to play before you die" list.

Maybe I overlooked at it, but I think there was kind of a loose end with the "curse" Kena had in her right hand. The veins shined blue when she touched the rot and when she touched Saiya's check before saying goodbye. Also while during the gameplay, if you leave Kena without doing any action, after some time she touches her right arm at the height of the humerus, like if the "curse" spread through all of her arm. Or maybe is just me trying to find a reason for a 2nd part of this game, cause I loved it 😅 In any case, great vide and great analysis. 🙂

Great breakdown of the story! This game was a wonderful experience.

Exceptional breakdown. Loved it.

Very well narrated. Thanks

This was helpful. Thanks!

I love this game, I couldn’t stop playing it,

Fantastic game. Got the platinum last week. Not at all a easy game either. Master difficulty was one of the hardest games I've ever played

Maybe it's just me but I really didn't care for the middle story about Hana and Adira. It wasn't bad but it didn't really seem to connect to the rest of the story, other than what happened to the village overall. Your analysis does help explain their purpose but it still failed to resonate with me emotionally the way the stories of Taro and Toshi did. The combat and boss fights continued to improve throughout the game which helped when the story faltered but I wish that Kena and other characters had gotten more depth. Specifically, I think it would have been better if Kena was actually connected to the village in some way and knew the people who died. Zaju mentioned that other spirit guides had tried to help, but failed. This could have alluded to her father failing to help the village and possibly Toshi being responsible for killing him. Kena would have had to deal with other emotions like anger and revenge. Missed opportunity I feel like.

thanks for the review, really well done.

I adored this game❤❤❤and the music was amazing!!

Thanks for your video

Very well done!!

literally just finished Kena after finally getting around to playing it the past several nights. I think the story itself is solid but not told. It's the underlying story that the player needs to see and apparently a lot of players seem to have missed. I also think there's actually more that can be said but a great summary nonetheless. Great game though & I hope to see more entries. Just, maybe with a few less collectibles and no trophy tied to Master XD

This was a beautiful explanation ty!! I feel sad she will walk this path alone, but don't we all.

Love this game, noice vid.

Amazing game I just finished it today! They should make it into a movie

I really enjoyed the game, everything about it was so beautifully shown and presented, and the stories were so heart wrenching. PLUS the addition that it has you thinking “these stories all happened at the same time, but different places.” One thing I might say was a let down was how short the game was!! I was left wanting more! I was hoping there’d be more to it after the mountain shrine was restored but unfortunately there wasn’t. I wonder if more will be added to it in the future?? Or is it complete?

This game and the last guardian made me cry like a kid.

Is she the last human left? Omg I hope they do a sequel😭

I would love to see a sequel, a well made and engaging game. Nice to see game plus, new outfits etc coming out on 27th Sept! 😊

Loving that game even more now

Simply Amazing!!

This video is a masterpiece!

It still sucks that the only reason I know the story is because I had someone on youtube explain it to me. I didn't understand the story at all but the gameplay was so amazing so I still continued on.

I just finished playing the game. The story of the game confused me. I just understood Taro's story, Adira's story and Toshi's story. I didn't understand the overall story and why Kena wanted to go to the mountain shrine. After that I watched your video and I understood everything. The criticisms are correct: the overall story is a bit weak and Kena's story needs more details. Overall the game is cute and it's fun to play. I had a nice time playing it :)

The very first game I played on my PS5. I love this game, it’s graphics, characters, music and world. I love how it leans on spirituality aspects as well. While I’d love a sequel , I want ember lab to take their time so the quality will be just as good, if not better than this game.

This game was incredible. Just wish it had been longer and more in depth.

This game was really beautiful in graphics and in story too

Well done :)

and i cried twice while playing this game ;__;

This is probably the last game I’m gonna play before my own death

im not crying you are

Loved this game

I got the impression that the red thing being knocked out of them is their soul, so that's actually when they die

This is an incredible game !

🧡🧡🧡

I loved this game.

By the time you get to the third spirit, Toshi, you can feel the budget/size constraints of the development team. All it needed was one more story arc and resolution with the father of our protagonist. The game is great as it is, but unfortunately, there is still room for improvement.

one thing i still don’t get are those blue veins Kena has

I hope there will be e another one.

wow

This game is a master piece

Is she also dead at the end of the game or does she have the ability to just travel to the after life & come back alive?

a sequel i love two yes

Wow u make it sound so deep.Is it though?

I think most people are unhappy not with the story, but the storytelling. As in, the story itself is not nonsensical, and the storytelling actually goes imho the right way, it goes for the Show, dont tell approach. The issue is, that the story explains nothing and you have to pick on it from what is happening alone. So skipping cinematics is a big NONO, which I personally do not see as a problem, but it also, since the game has no flashbacks with Kena, only with the spirits, literally explains NOTHING about the protagonist. You can see her reactions to what is happening to the spirits, but other than that the main character is as unknown as she is at the start of the story. Other than her hand glowing for some reason and her father dying you know nothing more about her at the end of the story.

I really needed this. I mean I really enjoyed the game but I was not at all interested in the story. Helps to see this, it really is more interesting than I thought while playing the game. Don't know if it's my fault for not paying attention or if they just didn't do such a great job in captivating the players to care that much but it's actually a really good story.

I played the game on playstation plus and like it. Having said this I would have been p***ed if I had bought it, it is way too short, it's as if the creators could not be bothered to think of more storyline.

As good as the game and the story are, the game feels like its denying you a proper ending The ending just needed no more than an extra minute to close things out The frustrating thing is that in a lot of cases this is done on purpose so people feel restless, ask for a sequel or check for more related content Its like you have been following the story of someone and seeing their suffering and the moment when they are about to achieve happiness the story ends :|

The awkward moment when you realize that you are playing the grim reaper!

It's sad that I need to get this game in Epic Games if I want it legally in my PC :)

But she’s dead already, you can see her dad in some scenes near the end looking away at her

The problem with the story is that they practically wrapped Kena's character arc before the end of the game... When Toshi sends Kena into her memories, that's when she accepts she won't be seeing her father again and completes her journey... They should have saved that cutscene for the very end to make Kena's arc cover the entire game, instead of leaving an empty patch at the very end.

So you mean to tell me the people that she saving are already dead and she just trying to return they spirit souls back to there grave

This was interesting. I have appalling focus and concentration, so only vaguely followed the plot while playing, wasn't even sure who were spirits as they're 'solid', and missed that the same catastrophic event wiped everyone out at the same time (what an idiot). It made a little more sense later and the game's ending was clever, but your video here is a nice summary for thickos like me. I absolutely loved this game, though find repeat dying in boss or timed level areas breaks the flow rather a lot, I'd prefer a different method, for the timed areas at least. I loved Kena and the adult characters; I wasn't so keen on the actual visual design of the children, Taro and especially the Rot, all too cheesy for me, and I actually found the Rot unpleasant to look at, those facial expressions with the teeth made them look like ugly old men rather than anything cute 😅. Still, a stunning, beautiful game to look at.

I feel like there was some heavy handed assuming about the father situation. In all honesty we don't know enough. The game really doesn't tell us much about kena or her father.

I still don’t understand what happened exactly to the village that made toshi angry

It’s not vague, it just doesn’t need to bluntly shove it’s meaning into your face. The plot and the lessons from the game were all perfectly clear to a moderately attentive player.