<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2021	O
action-adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Ember	O
Lab	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
was	O
showcased	O
at	O
the	O
Tribeca	O
Film	O
Festival	O
in	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
some	O
delays	O
,	O
partly	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
COVID-19	O
pandemic	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
21	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
played	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
utilizes	O
the	O
DualSense	O
controller	O
's	O
haptic	B-Device
feedback	I-Device
for	O
features	O
such	O
as	O
Kena	O
's	O
spirit	O
bow	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
,	O
deceased	O
people	O
can	O
remain	O
between	O
the	O
physical	O
and	O
spirit	O
worlds	O
if	O
they	O
are	O
traumatized	O
or	O
feel	O
unfinished	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Ember	O
Lab	O
,	O
an	O
independent	O
studio	O
based	O
in	O
Los	O
Angeles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Founded	O
in	O
2009	O
by	O
brothers	O
Mike	O
and	O
Josh	O
Grier	O
,	O
the	O
studio	O
has	O
worked	O
on	O
several	O
animated	O
commercials	O
and	O
branded	O
game	O
applications	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
2016	O
released	O
a	O
viral	O
short	O
film	O
based	O
on	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
:	I-Application
Majora	I-Application
's	I-Application
Mask	I-Application
titled	O
Terrible	O
Fate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
they	O
started	O
developing	O
the	O
story	O
for	O
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
,	O
Ember	O
Lab	O
considered	O
an	O
animated	O
film	O
or	O
series	O
;	O
when	O
they	O
created	O
the	O
Rot	O
,	O
they	O
realized	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
more	O
appropriate	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
creatures	O
provided	O
a	O
connection	O
between	O
gameplay	O
and	O
narrative	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
early	O
prototype	O
used	O
the	O
Unity	B-Application
game	I-Application
engine	I-Application
,	O
but	O
later	O
shifted	O
to	O
Unreal	O
Engine	O
4	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
majority	O
of	O
development	O
took	O
place	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
;	O
the	O
team	O
was	O
unsure	O
if	O
they	O
would	O
be	O
provided	O
a	O
development	B-Application
kit	I-Application
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
but	O
Sony	O
eventually	O
approved	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
originally	O
lacked	O
many	O
powers	O
and	O
relied	O
more	O
heavily	O
on	O
the	O
Rot	O
to	O
complete	O
tasks	O
,	O
which	O
Mike	O
Grier	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
2009	O
game	O
A	B-Application
Boy	I-Application
and	I-Application
His	I-Application
Blob	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
3D	O
prototype	O
model	O
of	O
Kena	O
was	O
built	O
by	O
Rodrigo	O
Gonçalves	O
,	O
who	O
refined	O
the	O
real-time	B-General_Concept
rendering	I-General_Concept
on	O
details	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
hair	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
studied	O
interactions	O
between	O
actors	O
in	O
games	O
like	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
static	O
or	O
fighting	O
sounds	O
from	O
shows	O
like	O
Avatar	B-Device
:	I-Device
The	I-Device
Last	I-Device
Airbender	I-Device
and	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Korra	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
recorded	O
her	O
lines	O
while	O
talking	O
to	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
on	O
Zoom	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
announced	O
alongside	O
its	O
debut	O
trailer	O
on	O
June	O
11	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
at	O
PlayStation	B-Device
's	O
Future	O
of	O
Gaming	O
event	O
,	O
scheduled	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
late	O
2020	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Windows	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
a	O
timed	O
console	O
exclusive	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Windows	O
release	O
was	O
exclusive	O
to	O
the	O
Epic	O
Games	O
Store	O
for	O
one	O
year	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
on	O
September	O
27	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
who	O
purchase	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
are	O
able	O
to	O
upgrade	O
for	O
free	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
was	O
showcased	O
at	O
the	O
2021	O
Tribeca	O
Film	O
Festival	O
,	O
allowing	O
virtual	O
attendees	O
to	O
play	O
an	O
hour-long	O
demo	O
;	O
it	O
competed	O
for	O
the	O
inaugural	O
Tribeca	O
Games	O
Award	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reception	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
demo	O
was	O
positive	O
;	O
critics	O
compared	O
it	O
to	O
Pikmin	B-Device
,	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
films	O
of	O
Pixar	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
physical	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
was	O
announced	O
,	O
released	O
by	O
Maximum	O
Games	O
on	O
November	O
19	O
,	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
Halloween-style	O
Rot	O
hats	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
a	O
limited	O
time	O
in	O
October	O
2021	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
three	O
Christmas-style	O
hats	O
in	O
December	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
tiger	O
hat	O
for	O
Lunar	O
New	O
Year	O
in	O
February	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
"	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	O
aggregator	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ozzie	O
Mejia	O
of	O
Shacknews	O
considered	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
visuals	O
among	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Colantonio	O
of	O
Digital	O
Trends	O
wrote	O
the	O
developer	O
was	O
"	O
pushing	O
video	O
game	O
animation	O
to	O
its	O
limits	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
critics	O
noticed	O
a	O
discrepancy	O
between	O
the	O
gameplay	O
and	O
cutscenes	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
latter	O
produced	O
at	O
a	O
lower	O
frame	O
rate	O
;	O
Alan	O
Wen	O
of	O
NME	O
considered	O
this	O
outdated	O
,	O
comparing	O
it	O
to	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
fast	O
loading	O
times	O
on	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
and	O
the	O
integration	O
of	O
the	O
DualSense	O
;	O
on	O
Windows	O
,	O
PC	O
Gamers	O
Kemp	O
noted	O
some	O
dips	O
in	O
frame	O
rate	O
during	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
second	O
half	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
Rot	O
creatures	O
were	O
praised	O
by	O
critics	O
,	O
many	O
of	O
whom	O
drew	O
comparisons	O
to	O
the	O
titular	O
creatures	O
of	O
the	O
Pikmin	B-Device
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
critics	O
commented	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
originality	O
and	O
its	O
borrowing	O
of	O
successful	O
elements	O
from	O
other	O
popular	O
games	O
,	O
with	O
both	O
favorable	O
and	O
unfavorable	O
comparisons	O
to	O
Beyond	B-Application
Good	I-Application
&	I-Application
Evil	I-Application
,	O
Jak	B-Application
and	I-Application
Daxter	I-Application
,	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kotakus	O
Walker	O
compared	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
PlayStation-era	O
platformers	O
like	O
Spyro	B-Application
the	I-Application
Dragon	I-Application
and	O
Ty	B-Application
the	I-Application
Tasmanian	I-Application
Tiger	I-Application
,	O
though	O
noted	O
critical	O
comparisons	O
felt	O
harsh	O
for	O
a	O
first-time	O
production	O
from	O
a	O
small	O
studio	O
like	O
Ember	O
Lab	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ewan	O
Wilson	O
of	O
Polygon	O
wrote	O
the	O
"	O
absence	O
of	O
any	O
original	O
identity	O
"	O
signaled	O
a	O
lack	O
of	O
imagination	O
,	O
highlighting	O
particular	O
similarities	O
with	O
Studio	O
Ghibli	O
and	O
its	O
films	O
like	O
Princess	O
Mononoke	O
;	O
Wilson	O
described	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
"	O
God	B-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
without	O
the	O
gruesome	O
finishing	O
moves	O
...	O
Ghost	B-Application
of	I-Application
Tsushima	I-Application
without	O
the	O
expansive	O
cast	O
of	O
characters	O
...	O
</s>
<s>
Horizon	B-Application
Zero	I-Application
Dawn	I-Application
without	O
the	O
sprawling	O
scope	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
was	O
awarded	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
from	O
Houston	O
Press	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
ranked	O
among	O
the	O
year	O
's	O
best	O
by	O
Ars	O
Technica	O
,	O
GameSpot	O
,	O
GamesRadar+	O
,	O
and	O
USA	O
Today	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
at	O
the	O
39th	O
Annual	O
Golden	O
Joystick	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Blog	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
won	O
Independent	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
and	O
was	O
fourth	O
runner-up	O
for	O
Best	O
Graphical	O
Showcase	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Award	O
Date	O
Category	O
Recipient(s )	O
and	O
nominee(s )	O
Result	O
Annie	O
Awards	O
March	O
12	O
,	O
2022	O
Outstanding	O
Achievement	O
for	O
Character	O
Animation	O
in	O
a	O
Video	O
Game	O
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
British	O
Academy	O
Games	O
Awards	O
April	O
7	O
,	O
2022	O
Animation	O
D.I.C.E.	O
</s>
<s>
Kena	B-Application
:	I-Application
Bridge	I-Application
of	I-Application
Spirits	I-Application
was	O
the	O
most-downloaded	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
game	O
of	O
September	O
2021	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
third-most	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
;	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
16th	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
October	O
2021	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
fifth-most-downloaded	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
game	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
fifteenth	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
;	O
in	O
December	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
ninth	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
the	O
year	O
overall	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
seventh-most-downloaded	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
game	O
in	O
Europe	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
twentieth	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
.	O
</s>
