It is rare for a truly exceptional game to release and get no follow-up for years or, potentially, even forever. However, every so often, it happens, and truly, mesmerisingly exceptional games like Bloodborne remain solo efforts, and even once popular franchises lay dormant. We’ve seen the likes of Jak left to the wayside after Naughty Dog moved on, and even PlayStation’s smaller outings, including Kena: Bridge of Spirits, can feel as if they’re doomed to remain one-and-done titles.
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Fortunately, the curse has been lifted for the aforementioned and frankly criminally underrated Kena: Bridge of Spirits. The PlayStation-supported game by developer Ember Labs is getting a sequel, as announced in one of the most popular State of Plays ever aired, and it looks every bit as excellent as its predecessor. Despite being the developer’s sophomore release, Kena: Scars of Kosmora looks to be a much bigger and bolder release with plenty for newcomers and long-term fans to enjoy. Simply put, this is one to look out for, especially as it is meant to release sooner than you’d think.
Kena: Scars of Kosmora Reveal Was Breathtaking
On the day of the February 12, 2026, State of Play, I bizarrely found myself wondering what Ember Labs was developing next. Little was known about its upcoming project, but I hoped that it had something to do with the remarkably good Kena: Bridge of Spirits, a game that not only helped me through an extremely difficult moment in my life, but also reminded me of just how amazing video games can be. Bridge of Spirits is unlike anything I’ve played, its cinematic narrative moving me in ways no game has achieved before, its combat offering a level of challenge its gorgeous, Disney-inspired visuals betray.
Even to this day, I find myself listening to the game’s phenomenal soundtrack and reminiscing about my time in its immersive world. So, you can imagine my delight when, after searching furiously only a few hours before for Ember Lab’s next game, Kena: Scars of Kosmora was the first reveal during the State of Play. The announcement trailer showcases the bigger and, hopefully, better sequel’s sprawling environments, densely detailed towns, Kena’s next emotional rollercoaster of a journey, and, naturally, adorable spirits you’ll collect throughout.
I was blown away by this trailer, my blackened heart and dour demeanour suddenly enlivened, my love of video games once again restored. It is easy to be overly cynical about the state of the gaming industry right now, but something about the whimsy and epic scale seen in Scars of Kosmora’s trailer, coupled with my memories of Bridge of Spirits, brought a tear to my eye. More importantly, it potentially proved that Ember Lab’s next game could end up becoming PlayStation’s next big title.
Kena: Scars of Kosmora Could Be The Next Big PlayStation Title
Now, evidently, I’m somewhat biased when it comes to the criminally underrated Kena: Bridge of Spirits, but I do think, on a fundamental and objective level, it achieved something incredibly impressive. Ember Labs’ experience making animated films gave Kena’s approach to aesthetics and cinematic presentation a premium quality rarely seen in even AAA efforts. As a result, Kena’s narrative hits significantly harder, delivering emotional story beats with the vigor and weight they deserve.
When it came to gameplay, Kena: Bridge of Spirits often felt like an elevated PlayStation 2 platformer in the best way possible. Its fluid movement, linear yet immensely detailed world, and combination of puzzle-led exploration and combat created a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that nevertheless felt innovative and modern. This extremely strong foundation has clearly paved the way for Ember Labs to build upon the original game’s strengths while introducing elements exclusive to Scars of Kosmora.
The sequel is obviously a much bigger project in every sense, but considering just how breathtakingly impressive a debut Kena: Bridge of Spirits was, it doesn’t feel as if there is a risk of feature creep or being overly ambitious. Based on the increased level of detail, higher population density in towns, the wide open areas, and significantly more varied and beautifully animated attacks Kena can now execute, Scars of Kosmora looks set to be a legendarily good experience, one that brings across the aforementioned incredible qualities of the first game while expanding on the features Ember Labs had to stifle due to limited budget and development time. Should it pull it off, there is a very good chance that Scars of Kosmora could end up becoming not just an immensely impressive sequel, but also one of the best PlayStation exclusives in a long while.
Of course, there are certainly plenty of other PlayStation games in need of sequels, Bloodborne chief among them. However, I am extremely grateful that PlayStation continues to support IPs like Kena from smaller studios that may otherwise not have the opportunity to tell their stories. Fortunately, Ember Labs announced that Kena: Scars of Kosmora will release sometime in 2026, giving PS5 fans something to look forward to in an otherwise seemingly barren year for PlayStation exclusives. While I somehow doubt it’ll steal Game of the Year away from GTA 6, I do hope that Ember Lab’s newest effort manages to impress a whole new cohort of fans in the same way Kena: Bridge of Spirits did for me all those years ago.
Are you excited for Kena: Scars of Kosmora? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in theย ComicBook Forum!
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Image Courtesy of Toei Animation
