Tales of Kenzera: Zau

StrongTales of Kenzera: Zau header image
76

Top Critic Average

65%

Critics Recommend

IGN
7 / 10
Eurogamer
4 / 5
PC Gamer
73 / 100
TheGamer
4 / 5
Game Informer
7.5 / 10
GameSpot
8 / 10
Hardcore Gamer
3.5 / 5
Easy Allies
7.5 / 10
Creators: Surgent Studios, Electronic Arts
Release Date: Apr 23, 2024 - Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch

Tales of Kenzera: Zau Review Summary

StrongCritic Consensus

Engrossing story with emotional depth

Fast-paced and smooth traversal mechanics

Bland exploration in comparison to other Metroidvanias

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is an action-adventure Metroidvania that weaves together Africana mythology with a heartfelt narrative centered on grief and acceptance. Critics lauded its engrossing story and emotional depth, while its fast-paced combat and world design provided a solid foundation. However, some found the gameplay mechanics repetitive, especially in combat and platforming. Performance issues, particularly on the Switch, also detracted from the overall experience for some players. Despite these flaws, the game stands out for its storytelling and artistic design.


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Tales of Kenzera: Zau Trailers

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer thumbnail

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Official Gameplay Reveal Trailer

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Official Reveal Trailer thumbnail

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Official Reveal Trailer


Tales of Kenzera: Zau Screenshots

Critic Reviews for Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Tales of Kenzera: Zau's action isn't groundbreaking within the genre, but its elevated by a truly moving tale about how to go on in this world when your loved ones have passed on to the next.

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What Tales of Kenzera lacks in creative game design it makes up for in vital, passionate storytelling.

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Tight design and compelling mythology compensate for a few too many borrowed ideas.

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Even if Tales of Kenzera: Zau's combat and platforming can occasionally stumble, they act as a great compliment to the hard-hitting story and heartfelt characters that explore grief in one of the most interesting and human ways I've seen in some time. Above all else, Zau's realistic journey through the loss of a loved one is something that's going to stick with me for some time, and I'm grateful for the loving lessons I've learned from it.

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Tales of Kenzera: Zau conveys its somber themes with nuance and passion. It's just a shame the gameplay doesn't always match those highs, especially in a genre flooded with quality indies, because Zau's journey – and Zuberi's parallel journey – are stories I'll be thinking about for quite some time

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Surgent Studios' debut game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, is another incredible EA Originals title.

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Despite issues with its difficulty balance and some of the elements of the metroidvania genre, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is still a promising start for Surgent Studios, with its smooth, fast gameplay, astounding world, engrossing story and jaw-dropping visuals. Hopefully we'll be returning to Kenzera sometime in the future, because no matter what form any future tales may take, there's a ton of potential here and a lot of fun to be had.

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Industry Coverage

Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Reveals Gameplay of New 'Afro-Gothic RPG'

Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Reveals Gameplay of New 'Afro-Gothic RPG'

Surgent Studios’ boss Abubakar Salim reveals intriguing gameplay footage from Tales of Kenzera: Zau successor codenamed Project Uso.

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Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU Developer Is Making An "Afro-Gothic RPG"

Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU Developer Is Making An "Afro-Gothic RPG"

Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU developer Surgent Studios is shifting genres for its next project.

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Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Puts Staff On Notice for Redundancy As it Seeks Funding

Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Puts Staff On Notice for Redundancy As it Seeks Funding

The studio behind the Metroidvania Tales of Kenzera: Zau puts the staff of its gaming division on notice for redundancy amid funding troubles.

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