The game, from Surgent Studios, will be released by Electronic Arts in the coming weeks and will be available in the PlayStation Plus game catalog, meaning PlayStation Plus Extra and PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers will be able to play it from launch.

The debut game from Surgent Studios (founded by Abubakar Salim), Tales of Kenzera: Zau, is a 2.5D story-driven action exploration game about facing those emotions and discovering how love gives us the courage to carry on after a devastating loss, and it’s coming to the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog at launch on April 23, 2024! Players will take control of Zau, a young warrior-shaman from Amandla, as he seeks out Kalunga, the God of Death, to bargain for the return of his Baba from the realm of the dead. Wielding two powerful masks imbued with the cosmic power of the Sun and Moon in a beautiful and chaotic dance, Zau travels through Kenzera, a rich mystical realm inspired by Bantu stories, battling fierce ancestral spirits and platforming obstacles to find the 3 powerful beings that have eluded the God of Death. Zau will discover and unlock new powerful abilities and skills in his quest to become a worthy Nganga and reclaim his lost Baba. These include powerful spirit attacks such as the ferocious Lunar Beam Blast, which can be unleashed with the Moon Mask to obliterate enemies, and the Engulfing Fire Supernova, which can be used with the Sun Mask to scorch nearby enemies with shamanistic fire.

Throughout Zau’s adventure, players will earn experience from exploration and combat. This experience can be spent on skill points that are split between two skill trees, one for the Moon Mask and one for the Sun Mask. These skills will allow Zau to become more powerful and learn new formidable attack combos and feats to become a fierce warrior-shaman. Along his journey, Zau will also find ancient shamanic shrines that will grant him incredible abilities, such as the power to glide across the plains to cover long distances or slow his descent, or the ability to use the Cosmic Pulse to break down and rebuild barriers in his path. Players will discover a rich universe with untold lore of chaos and order, and travel through mystical biomes inspired by the emotions and questions that humans face on the journey of grief, giving you key points of reflection to ponder as you and Zau travel across Kenzera, such as the gloomy swamp-filled Woodlands and the Deadlands, home to deadly lava pools, biomes all bursting with color and depth.

Humanity and healing are at the heart of Tales of Kenzera: Zau. Along the way, Zau will meet other characters who are also going through their own personal journeys of grief, and who will help him learn and grow from their experiences. Players will find large baobab trees during their adventure. These trees hold great significance for Zau, as his Baba would take him to these very trees to meditate. As you explore them, you will witness the moments of remembrance and healing that Zau goes through without even realizing it. These captivating visuals are accompanied by a haunting and enchanting original soundtrack by award-winning composer Nainita Desai. Zau will also encounter Yumboes, creatures from a world of ever-present joy, who offer Zau respite at their campfires. You can also fast-travel between discovered campfires.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau will be released on April 23rd for PlayStation 5 (and will be included in PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium), Xbox Origin, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store).

Source: Gematsu, PlayStation Blog