Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU
Tales Of Kenzera: Zau, the new Metroidvania from rookie-year developer Surgent Studios, serves up the classics. Visceral action sequences, precision platforming, and alluring exploration are all here. This is what we expect, and Surgent does it well. But , what sets this game apart from its competitors is its ability to deliver one of the most thoughtful stories this subgenre has ever seen. With its all-star voice cast layered over its heartfelt script, Tales proves that telling a great story makes all the difference.
This father-son fable shepherds us through grief and adolescence. It delves deep into what it's like to lose a parent, and how families both combat and coexist with each other. Zuberi, a young man whose father recently passed, reads his late father’s manuscript. It’s here that we step into the shoes of Zau, the manuscript’s own fictional character, and players embark on a quest to walk alongside Death and reclaim the soul of Zau’s father. It is a gratifying journey and it’s here where Tales shows off its main attraction: the voice actors.
As an actor and voice-over artist, I believe every actor who’s ever booked a video game works as hard as they can to make their performance great. That said, so many other things have to go right for their performances to come through properly. The art needs to match their voice, which can be widely subjective. The words they are saying need to be worth something, which is not always the case. Talents can be squandered on alienating exposition or soapy dialogue. It takes an immense amount of luck, as an actor, to book a job where it all comes together. The cast of Tales must feel very lucky.
Tying the tangibles together is hard, so it probably helps when your lead actor is also the creator of the game. Abubakar Salim, founder and CEO of Surgent Studios, puts himself in the vanguard of this cast. From the onset, his work is grounded and emphatic, using his rich tones to fill the intentions of Zau and Zuberi. He gives his audience an empathetic vessel to grip its attention throughout. With his example set, the rest of the cast follows suit. Tristan D. Lalla holds down the bulk of the remaining voice duties with a moving turn as Kalunga, and Dominique Moore gives a true standout performance as Liyana. The latter of whom happened to be my personal favorite. Dominique’s bright, joyful take on Liyana’s innocence reminded me of speaking to my own adolescent nieces and nephew. As the lives of these characters burst off the screen, players will find it hard to look away as they begin to explore the world before them.
Kenzera is a beautiful place. Every environment invites wonder with lush colors and tactile textures. All of which are best observed on either PC, Xbox X/S, or PS5. The Nintendo Switch doesn’t quite serve Tales to the best of its abilities. Beyond its looks, the game chooses to innovate on a typical Metroidvania feature: the map. Most titles in this genre have a large map which slowly reveals itself as players venture into unknown territories. Once you play a section of the map, that section becomes visible and can be viewed in the pause screen. Haven’t been to a certain level yet? Then you can’t see it, and that part of the map remains in darkness. Not in Kenzera. Surgent Studios takes the opposite approach and, right from the beginning, reveals nearly everywhere players can go. This adds an element of accessibility to exploration that will be a welcome sight for new gamers. Rather than leave everything a mystery, Tales wants to show players where paths branch so that they might be encouraged to step off the beaten path as they progress. The game does, however, keep the very ends of levels obscured, unable to be seen on the map, so seasoned players shouldn’t feel left out. It’s a tough balance to strike, but this is a commendable job at appeasing both sides. Still, some gaming veterans will feel there is not enough to be discovered here. Thankfully, even with most of its map in plain sight, Kenzera’s secrets are well worth seeking out.
All in-game collectibles should have some meaningful impact on the game itself. Personally, I’m not encouraged by seeking out pedestrian cosmetic changes (looking at you Jedi: Survivor). If developers want players to go out of their way to accomplish optional challenges, they must give them a good reason to do so. Surgent studios understood the assignment. Every secret found in Tales either makes players stronger or reveals new parts of the story. The strength and health upgrades are par for the course in Metroidvanias. The real achievements here being the Griot Idols. These floating statues, which are tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the map, unlock story segments that help reveal greater details about our hero, Zau. Better yet, these narrative pieces appear to be read aloud by Zuberi’s father, the man who wrote the story of Zau. So, overtime, you get to hear an audiobook read aloud by its author while also getting a glimpse into the man whose death drives this entire game. It’s an exceptional way to reward players for their added attention, and again, helps elevate Tales Of Kenzera above its peers.
Surgent Studios reaches prominence yet again in its boss battles. There are only four of them in this game, but they are all noteworthy in how they evolve from Kenzera’s earnest narrative elements. In order to return his father’s soul to the land of the living, Zau must help release three corrupted spirits who refuse to die, to let go. In helping these spirits, Zau meets a myriad of other characters who mirror his own situation. Both children and parents who all aren’t quite ready for things to change. This recurring theme of parents, children, and their relationship to death is what crescendos during Kenzera’s boss fights. It makes these fights feel more poignant than simply fighting against giant aliens or religiously iconographic beasts whose only context is that they are evil and must be destroyed. This game’s remaining strength lies in doing all the things we’ve seen before in this subgenre, and doing them well.
Aside from its story, Tales plays like any other great Metroidvania. It’s like a journeyman, who knows all the ins and outs a job demands, and can do them with their eyes closed. Movement is satisfyingly fast-paced. Zau moves at a sprint, leaping acrobatically from surface to surface. Combat is a good mix of close ranged and long ranged attacks against simple yet effective enemy variations. Platforming and combat grow more involved as Zau unlocks new abilities, and players can even unlock super moves which provide a nice added flare. It all plays out in ways we’ve seen before, but that doesn’t detract from the experience. You have to do well at the basics before you can innovate on them, and Surgent’s basics are terrific.
Its foundations cannot be faulted. Tales Of Kenzera: Zau knows what is needed in a Metroidvania and what is seldom seen in the subgenre. While its combat and platforming serve the standard, its excellence lies in its ardent, character-driven exploration of grief. Brought to life by its impeccable performances, this game's tale is one worth telling. Even if you’ve played every Metroidvania out there, you won’t want to miss this one.
VERDICT: Must Play
