Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a game I have had my eye on ever since it was shown off for PS5 many years ago. In a lot of ways, Kena reminds me of Stray, another gorgeous indie adventure game showcased many times for the PS5 before it finally debuted on Sony’s consoles and PC. Kena is an action-adventure game that has always looked stunning, but I never ended up playing it until very recently. Whenever a physical copy was in stock, I didn’t have time to grab it, and this brings us to Kena on Nintendo Switch 2. Ember Labs’ debut in the world of gaming is now on Nintendo’s new hybrid console, and while it remains worth your time, the port is a bit lacking right now.
In terms of content, Kena: Bridge of Spirits on Switch 2 is the same game as on other platforms, but it arrives with all updates and patches from the get-go, including the New Game Plus mode available once you beat the game. The Switch 2 port initially impressed me in the opening with good use of HD rumble 2 and what appeared to be a good presentation, but things started falling apart once I reached more open areas.
If you’ve not played Kena before, it blends an emotional story, cute companions you find along the way to help you on your journey, combat, some puzzle-solving, and platforming. I think it is a pretty tight experience that doesn’t overstay its welcome, but it is hard to recommend at full price, given the visual issues present right now during movement.
While I have usually played the games that I do port reviews for long before, Kena: Bridge of Spirits has been an interesting port to tackle, as I only recently bought it on Steam to play on Steam Deck, and I’ve been using the PC version on handhelds to compare with the Switch 2 release, as I played both on the go.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits on Switch 2 doesn’t have any graphics or performance modes like the PS5 version, but the frame rate appears to hold up well with a 30 frames per second target and decent frame pacing for a majority of the game. There will be one or two areas where it dips, and I could even tell when playing handheld mode. I don’t think Kena uses VRR on Switch 2 right now. Barring that, I didn’t run into any major stuttering or hitching as I did on ROG Ally when moving to new areas. In fact, even on Steam Deck, I had some hitching for a second or two that wasn’t present on Switch 2, but the downside to playing Kena on Nintendo’s new hybrid console is the visual cuts.
I think Kena still looks great on Switch 2, but the image falls apart in ways during motion. This is noticeable with regular ghosting around certain objects in the environment and more complex models with a lot of hair or fur. This happens both docked and handheld, and is less of an issue when playing on PC handhelds compared to Switch 2.
In fact, I noticed the Switch 2 version of Kena turns down settings like foliage density, texture filtering, and shadows. It does, however, look better when it comes to lighting in some parts, and this is noticeable in the opening area. Just for a point of comparison, Kena isn’t a game you will play at 60 frames per second on Steam Deck, but it is possible to get a 40 frames per second experience with softer visuals or a nicer looking 30 frames per second experience that has a lot of visual settings above the Switch 2 release.
Assuming you don’t care about how Kena looks and runs elsewhere and are waiting to play it on Switch 2, the major issue with the port is the ghosting. It is very distracting, and some input lag makes it not feel as polished as it could be. I got used to the input lag after about 15 minutes of playing, but whatever upscaling is being used clearly cannot resolve everything efficiently in motion, causing these visual issues.
Kena isn’t just about the visuals, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a huge part of the experience. Just like Stray, Kena’s presentation elevates it, and it is a shame to see it arrive with issues like this.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits delivers an interesting blend of fast-paced combat, gorgeous visuals, and light puzzle-solving. It is just a shame that I can’t recommend the Nintendo Switch 2 port without the caveats about visual issues like ghosting, some noticeable visual cutbacks, and lack of a performance mode. I’ll definitely revisit it after some patches, but if nothing major changes, this is looking like a game I should revisit on another platform in the future for New Game Plus.
Version Tested: Nintendo Switch 2
Review Copy Provided by Ember Labs
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