Tales of Kenzera: Zau
Surgent Studios’ metroidvania Tales of Kenzera: Zau is the type of game that just feels good to play. Yes, its Bantu-inspired aesthetics, music, and storyline are enough to hook you, but its precise movement punctuated by its gorgeous visual effects make an excellent first impression. The slick mechanics make moving through the game’s world a joy, but its poignant story on grief and the various forms it takes kept me going. Zau is a lovely tribute to a culture, a genre, and the people we have to leave behind, and it has been unfairly at the center of made-up controversy. But it serves as a reminder of how games can let us inhabit new perspectives, and how the industry is better for it. — Kenneth Shepard
