Tales of Kenzera: ZAU

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is an action platformer metroidvania. It was developed by Surgent Studios, an indie studio founded by Abubakar Salim, an actor known for his role as Bayek in Assassin's Creed: Origins and the TV show Raised by Wolves. The creators were inspired by the history and culture of the Bantu people, who live in the steppes of central and southern Africa, and Salim's personal grief.

Plot

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is set in the fictional land of Kenzera, once full of life, now home to lost ancestral spirits. The protagonist is the titular Zau, a young Nganga (shaman) who made a deal with Kalunga (god of death) to resurrect his deceased Baba (father). To accomplish his task, he traverses Kenzera, facing numerous dangers.

We learn his story from the perspective of a boy, reading a fairy tale about him written by his deceased father.

Mechanics

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a side-scroller. Players will traverse various locations, ranging from the beautiful Ikakaramban Highlands, through Kivulian Forests, to Itshokan Dead Lands. We'll operate from special hubs, from which we embark on expeditions. While traversing Kenzera, Zau must jump on platforms, avoid traps, obstacles and fight enemies wielding the powers of the Sun and the Moon.

While exploring, he makes use of various abilities, such as double jumping, air dashing, wall clinging or grappling. During fast-paced combat, Zau can engage enemies in melee and use his abilities to manipulate time and fight from a distance (for example, by throwing fiery spears). Aside from regular enemies, we'll face powerful bosses such as Impundulu and Ga-goriba, mighty beings originating from African folklore.

As we progress further, we become stronger and gain new abilities that let us reach previously inaccessible areas, encouraging backtracking.

Technical aspects

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU features colorful 2.5D visuals. The game is fully voiced in English and Swahili.