Tales of Kenzera: Zau Reviews
"Every story begins at the end of another." This is the main premise of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, a metroidvania-style game that, while inviting us to explore the beautiful biomes of Kenzera, also makes us reflect on loss and mourning, making it possible to see death with new eyes. The debut title from Surgent Studios gets it right by bringing a good balance between exploration, puzzle, combat and action while presenting us with a story full of inspiration from Bantu myths and legends, guided by a great soundtrack. The game works as an excellent gateway to the genre and brings with it a plot of reflection and acceptance.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is one of the best Metroidvanias that I've played in a long time and it looks and sounds incredible, too.
Unlike many titles that drift unnoticed through the vast sea of gaming, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU leaves a lasting impression, etching a deep mark on our hearts. In my view, the creators have deliberately highlighted how, for some, life can be harsh and fraught with challenges that not everyone can face. However, through this narrative, they also remind us that hope is the last to fade, and that moments of joy and personal growth can still be found even in the most dire of circumstances. The message Zau imparts embodies the essence of “growth”: life cannot be viewed through the lens of idealized perfection, for even the most beautiful rose is armed with thorns capable of inflicting pain. Accepting a cruel fate is never easy, but it is crucial to find the resilience to persevere, to absorb the lessons pain has to offer, and to move forward, evolving into a new version of ourselves. This evolution, though marked by the scars of the past, carries with it the promise of a brighter future.
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a solid platforming game. It doesn't quite reach the level of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, but its African setting offers enough to stand on its own. The story and music motivate you to keep playing, as do the numerous rewarding secrets you discover.
Review in German | Read full review
Tales of Kenzara: ZAU is a promising debut title from Surgent Studios. While its small scope and formulaic gameplay may limit it, it's still a game worth experiencing for its heartfelt story, gorgeous visuals, and solid gameplay.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU tells a powerful story of loss, that despite some predictable moments, leaves an impactful and lasting impression. The voice acting throughout the adventure is sublime, with uniquely epic music, and some gorgeous environments. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU does show glimpses of platforming potential, but an inconsistent camera hinders the experience from rivaling the great platformers it is obviously inspired by. Combat also has brief flourishes of excellence, before shielded enemies arrive and cause issues during chaotic battles.
If you want a poignant tale of a man coming to terms with loss then Tales of Kenzera: Zau is for you. The story is the main focus here and although combat isn’t perfect it still contains more than enough fun and challenge for any player. Unfortunately the side content is severely lacking and most talisman upgrades barely help, however if you don’t want to spend over 20 hours on one game then this is perfect. Some sort of spiritual sequel (no pun intended) with a bigger focus on combat and exploration wouldn’t go astray but the Tale of Zau is just fine just on its own.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a successful action-adventure platformer in the Metroidvania style that impresses with its beautiful design. However, with a playtime of just under 7 hours, the adventure is quite short
Review in German | Read full review
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU disappoints at every step. Someone came up with an idea for the world, and then they had to improvise a whole game around it. At the end, we got a mediocre mishmash of various ideas, which isn't enjoyable at all.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a title with a strong emotional impact that gave us back feelings we have rarely experienced while playing a video game. This is partly due to the meticulous audio-visual research conducted. Unfortunately, in strictly gameplay terms, the title from Surgent Studios has proven to be somewhat uninspired and imprecise. Otherwise, we would be talking about a true gem of a medium. Thus, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is “just” a good game.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a video game that gave us great emotions. This is thanks to a story that deals with a very mature theme that is not always told in video games: the loss of a person. The narrative is touching and the whole thing is accompanied by metroidvania-style gameplay that, although more simplified than other titles in the genre, still manages to entertain. All this is accompanied by an inspiration of African customs and traditions that is really well thought out, and a very attractive retail price (20 euros).
Review in Italian | Read full review
Fluid gameplay, challenging puzzles, and a heart wrenching story — all wrapped up in a roughly 8 hour journey that will rest with you for far longer. My hope is that Tales of Kenzera: ZAU inspires other developers to explore the stories of Africa with as much love as Surgent Studios. I’m certainly yearning for more.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a visually stunning game, complemented by good music and a passable story, but ultimately it lands as a rather ordinary experience. Given that gameplay is the heart of any video game, the borrowed, shallow, and repetitive mechanics of this title quickly dull the impact of its visual and audio charm. By the time you reach the end—if you haven't given up midway—you're left feeling like you've merely completed a chore. And when you factor in the frame rate drops on the Nintendo Switch, calling this game "average" might be a bit too generous.
Review in Persian | Read full review
The strongest points of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU are its presentation and story, showcasing Surgent Studios' big heart with a personal narrative full of thought-provoking elements and vivid, exotic visuals.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
With its ups and downs, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU manages to make the experience worthwhile and still stands out in some areas, especially in the deeply human narrative and the art of the scenarios. The simplicity of the campaign is a double-edged sword: it may please beginners, but it may not satisfy those who want a deeper challenge and exploration.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tales of Kenzera ZAU is a brilliant platformer adventure game that is visually appealing and backed by a solid storyline with heart-touching voiceovers. The game is not free of bugs, and may not excite you in terms of progression, but the exploration will keep you hooked. If you’re a platformer aficionado, ZAU is the right pick for you!
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is simply stunning. It looks amazing on every platform, it features some of the best platforming I’ve played in any game, the combat is fun, and the story makes you feel. Even with all this, I think my favorite part about the game is that it’s short and sweet. I Platinum’d the game in about six hours, and I loved the vast majority of time I spent playing.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is truly a passion project of Abubakar Salim. Opening his own game development studio was the best idea to help make his dream a reality and make the game in his vision. African culture, history, and mythology are represented in a big way through this game, and it is only the beginning for Surgent Studio. The price tag of $26.95 AUD shouldn’t be an indication of the game’s quality, as there is so much to enjoy and discover.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is exactly what we deserve, as we’re getting a great package for a very low price. This isn’t often that you can say that about a game until you meet this one. I would strongly recommend any player, especially those who are grieving to play this, and you’ll surely obtain one of the most heartwarming experiences in recent years. Do I consider this to be a genuine Game of the Year contender? You bet I do.
Tales of Kenzera: ZAU impresses visually but falls short in gameplay. It struggles to manage its ambitions in the Metroidvania genre effectively. The game often feels overwhelmed by unnecessary ideas, suggesting a more straightforward, linear approach might have been more effective than its overstretched attempt to emulate successes like Ori and the Blind Forest.
Review in Czech | Read full review