Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Metacritic Score Revealed After Reviews Go Live

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is the first game from Surgent Studios, a development team created by actor Abubakar Salim after his experience voicing Bayek in Assassin’s Creed Origins. The new metroidvania puts a heavy focus on its story, which isn’t too surprising given Salim’s involvement. Tales of Kenzera: ZAU officially launches on April 23rd, but reviews started to release today, giving fans a better idea of what to expect. Remember, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is coming to PlayStation Plus Premium at launch, so knowing its Metacritic score may help you decide if it’s worth downloading and trying out.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Metacritic Scores

Because Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is launching on PlayStation Plus Premium, it’s no surprise to see the bulk of the critic scores coming from that platform. There are a handful of PC scores as well, but it’s clear that the PlayStation 5 version is the marquee version for Surgent Studios and publisher Electronic Arts.

For the most part, reviews are pretty positive across the board. ZAU is holding a 76 on PS5 and a 78 on PC, but it’s important to note that there aren’t any negative reviews (as categorized by Metacritic) on either platform. Glancing through the “mixed reviews,” the one thing that seems to stand out is that Tales of Kenzera: ZAU isn’t a very complex game, which can be disappointing for fans of the genre.

That said, most reviewers praise the game’s moment-to-moment gameplay, particularly when it comes to platforming. The story is also a strong point of the total package, which is likely exactly what Surgent Studios was going for. While it doesn’t appear to break any new ground mechanically, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU seems to be one of the most successful narratives in the metroidvania genre.

What is Tales of Kenzera: ZAU?

As mentioned, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a classic metroidvania. Players will work their way through the world of Kenzera, accumulating new “cosmic powers” in their quest. That includes everything from manipulating time to launching fiery spears. It’s a moveset that’s probably familiar to genre fans, but that doesn’t make it any less effective.

Surgent Studios describes the story by saying players will “embark on a poignant single-player story shaped by actor Abubakar Salim’s own experience the grief, discovering how love gives us the courage to press on after a devastating loss. As Zau, face your own emotions to become a worthy Nganga: a spiritual healer.”

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU launches on April 23rd for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Remember, the game is coming to PlayStation Plus Premium, so if you’re a subscriber, you’ll be able to download the game tomorrow at no extra charge.