As the first game from Surgent Studios, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU looks to not only create a new universe for future art to take place in, but also serve as a love letter to Metroidvanias, African culture, and the very act of grieving for deceased loved ones. It's a gorgeous, fully realized world steeped in double meanings, vivid colors, and incredible music. For anyone who has lost a parent, it also hits incredibly close to home.

A demo for Tales of Kenzera: ZAU released during Steam Next Fest earlier this year, and unlike some limited-time demos which were available during the event, this one is still available to now. If you're at all on the fence about the game, I'd highly recommend doing so, as it provides an excellent look at the package on offer. For those who don't have that option, or don't like playing games until they are fully released, let me be the latest person to assure you that, yes, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU plays as good as it looks.

Devil May Cry Meets Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Flashy Combat That Packs Multiple Punches

In the imaginary line graph of side-scrolling action platformers, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU feels somewhat like the midpoint between Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Guacamelee. Zau, the character players will be inhabiting, is a powerful shaman, and (thankfully) comes with Metroidvania game staples like dash, double jump, and the ability to wall jump already unlocked. The core element of combat revolves around the two magical masks Zau carries, the Sun mask and the Moon mask, which allow him to channel his powers into either ranged or melee attacks. These masks will also gain abilities which can be used to traverse the environment in different ways, like the ability to freeze water so Zau can wall jump up waterfalls.

The Sun mask allows Zau to produce rapid melee combos, while the Moon mask gives him the power to fire projectiles at targets farther away. Each mask has its own separate upgrade tree, and players are strongly encouraged to switch between them (easily done by pressing the left bumper on a gamepad) during combat.

The battles are challenging without being mind-numbingly difficult, and the moments of combat in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU are often placed between brief sections of puzzle-solving or platforming challenges, which allows for a breather between encounters not always present in games of this type. Switching between the two fighting styles to chain combos - like performing a heavy attack with the Sun mask, then switching to the Moon mask to rapid-fire projectiles at the still-airborne enemy, effectively juggling them in the air - is extremely satisfying. Unlockable skill upgrades, like the ability to add a Gears of War-style active reload system to your projectile blasts, only enhances the experience.

The Other Stuff Is Good, Too

Tales of Kenzera Is A Complete Package With A Confident Price

It's not often that a game's soundtrack really stands out to me (mostly because I haven't professionally reviewed games scored by Austin Wintory) but the music in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is incredible. Composed by Nainita Desai and recorded by a wide range of musicians in places like Vienna, Austria, and Abbey Road in Englad, during our preview all I wanted was more time dedicated to hearing how Desai created this amazing soundtrack. In a Q&A session after the presentation was over, Desai thankfully confirmed that Tales of Kenzera: ZAU's soundtrack will be getting its own special release, and will be available on streaming services in the future.

It's hard not to recommend Tales of Kenzera: ZAUalready, even in its current demo and preview form.

Speaking of sound, it should be no surprise to those who know Surgent Studios' founder Abubakar Salim (of Assassin's Creed Origins and Raised by Wolves fame) that the voice acting in Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is top-notch. Salim plays Zau himself, and other cast include Simona Brown, Tristen D. Lalla (who does an especially terrific job as Kalunga, the God of Death), Dominique Moore, Abraham Popoola, Letoya Makhene, and Steve Toussaint (House of the Dragon). It's a stellar lineup, and combined with Desai's fantastic score makes for one of those extremely rare games where I don't feel the need to advance the dialog box just because I finished reading the subtitles.

The story of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is about death, and Salim has been candid in both interviews and press events about how the loss of his own father drove the creative vision behind the game. Zau has lost his father, and makes a bargain with the God of Death to kill three great spirits in exchange for his father's life back. It's a personal, intimate story steeped in African culture and mythology, and (speaking from experience) if players themselves have been in this situation in the past, it will hit very close to home.

It's hard not to recommend Tales of Kenzera: ZAU already, even in its current demo and preview form. It's a clear ion project from a talented team of creatives who all seem equally dedicated to making sure Salim's love letter to his father is understood and experienced by as many people as possible, and almost as an accidental afterthought they have also created an incredibly imaginative world and universe where future stories may be told.

It's not the free for PlayStation Plus subscribers).

Screen Rant attended a virtual showcase with the development team (and played the demo religiously during Steam Next Fest) for this preview.