Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is an action-adventure platformer which features a new take when it comes to the experience of finding hope and courage especially after loss. The game is being developed by Surgent Studios, which is founded by BAFTA-nominated actor Abubakar Salim. This game is inspired by Salim's very own personal journey in dealing with the loss of his father along with their deep mutual bond when it came to video games.
Talking about the game, Salim shared in a statement that he had been struggling to find a way to communicate his journey with grief. He added that he has considered games as a powerful medium when it came to sharing stories. Salim went on to say that it was his father who introduced him to this medium and the game is a good way to not only honor him but also their relationship and love.
In Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, players get to take on the role of Zai. This grieving hero is on a mission to bring his father back from the grasp of death. Guided by the God of Death named Kalunga, he makes his way across the mystical 2.5D realms while harnessing the cosmic powers of the warrior shaman.
Inspired by Bantu tales, the game features the beautiful yet treacherous lands of Kenzera. It's a land that's rich with untold lore of chaos and order along with memories of ancient shamans, sacred spirits and even fascinating creatures. Players can enjoy the meticulously hand-crafted animations as they defeat restless spirits in rhythmic combat through the cosmic powers of the Sun and Moon masks. With the Sun Marsk they can launch fiery spears for example while the Moon Mask allows players to crystallize enemies and even manipulate time.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is coming out on April 23, 2024, and priced at $19.99. It's available for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. The game is releasing for the PC through Steam, Epic Games Store and EA app. Pre-orders for the game are now available which come with two shaman points that's lets players unlock up to two skills in-game. There's also Kalunga's Blessing visual effect variant and the Tales of Kenzera: ZAU digital companion comic titled as Soulshifters, which offers a deeper dive into the rich lore of Kenzera.
