In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, you might have some lovely companions, The Rot, who assist spirit information Kena by doing every part from lending a hand in fight as soon as they construct up their braveness (aww!) to helping her previous numerous environmental obstacles. Your objective is to seek out these little critters all through your travels and unite them, slowly bonding together with your lovely military who supply energy in numbers and comply with you in every single place you go. Whereas the Rot have their very own mysterious background that we received’t dare spoil, we did unearth extra about their creation and function. Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to learn about your greatest asset that comes with an enormous dose of cute!
Getting By With A Little Assist
The Rot are answerable for decomposing issues, one thing that performs into the sport’s themes of regrowth and the cycle of life. In truth, throughout your journey, anticipate to see pink corrupted areas, which Kena can cleanse by sending out the Rot to interrupt it down and provides new life. “There’s this theme of issues each being damaged and coming collectively however not in the identical approach, explains designer Jessica Kernan. “You may by no means utterly repair one thing that’s been damaged; nevertheless, it will probably nonetheless tackle this new life.” This helped the crew resolve to deal with bringing the Rot collectively to do issues, as an alternative of assigning them out individually as we’ve seen in collection like Pikimin or Overlord. They did experiment with the latter, however it simply didn’t really feel proper. “After we tried variations the place you cut up them, it felt prefer it was counterintuitive to [the message],” Kernan says.
“One huge objective for me that I stored saying was I don’t wish to micromanage these guys in fight,” provides chief inventive officer Mike Grier. “Pikmin is preserving the blokes alive and ensuring they’re not getting killed.I believe lots of people additionally suppose that the Rot are going to die in fight. When you acquire them, are they going to reside without end? I believe that was an vital pillar for us. I believe that speaks to what Jessica is speaking about, bringing them collectively. As you acquire them, you might have extra guys and also you’re assembling this household of Rot, however we didn’t need them to be killed and be this forex that you simply’re managing in fight.” To set the file straight: The Rot are everlasting. You don’t have to fret about dropping any of your buddies in fight.
You may acquire round 100 totally different Rot all through the sport, they usually’ll offer you numerous advantages. “[We were] at all times wanting the participant to really feel prefer it’s a collaborative relationship between Kena and the Rot,” explains designer Casey Holtz. “How are you going to make them really feel like an extension of Kena or a partnership the place you’re serving to them get someplace to do one thing that she will’t do by herself? The concept is that half of the facility is Kena and half of the facility is the Rot, however collectively they’ll get by means of this journey.”
Whereas the Rot can deal with corrupted areas and discover inventive options to beat obstacles similar to blocked paths, they’re additionally a terrific asset in fight. Nicely, as soon as they get sufficient braveness. All it takes is inspiring them together with your prowess on the battlefield. “Now we have a system referred to as Rot braveness, the place these enemies and these corrupted spirits are scaring the Rot, so everytime you go into battle your Rot go into hiding,” says chief working officer Josh Grier. “However the higher Kena performs, the extra braveness they achieve, and the Rot will be part of again into the battlefield.”
As soon as these little cuties get courageous, they’ll come collectively to lunge at enemies to distract them, giving Kena the higher hand so she will goal weak factors or sneak up for a lethal combo. The extra Rot you acquire, the extra talents you’ll unlock they usually’ll assist extra in fight. Mike places it matter-of-factly: “The extra you might have, the extra issues you are able to do.” Nonetheless, they aren’t there to steal Kena’s thunder and do the heavy lifting; they primarily complement her abilities. This could finest be seen in her particular talents, which Rot energy may be infused into for cool modifiers, similar to supercharging her arrows to penetrate a number of foes or turning her heavy melee assault right into a hammer-like blow. On the very least, the Rot at all times have your again, which actually helps cement your particular bond with them.
Creating Cute Moments
Look, Ember Lab is aware of the Rot are charming, and went by means of nice element to get them good. At one level, Josh joked about making cute characters as a part of the corporate’s calling card. “I do know we had much more stylized, younger, fatter characters in a few of our business work, however nothing fairly just like the Rot,” admits animation director Hunter Schmidt. “It was actually vital to me that they jiggle they usually really feel actually free. We labored onerous to guarantee that regardless of the way you manipulate the rig, there’s at all times some preservation of their quantity. If you happen to squish them down, they robotically widen. Their arms shift round, and it’s all sort of automated so an animator doesn’t have to fret about it. I labored with our rigger on that.”
Thus far, it appears to be like like all their design work paid off; these creatures draw you in with their large eyes, harmless appears to be like, and welcoming smiles. Out of your first encounter, the scene is ready; you’re going to fall in love. “This primary Rot that you simply acquire is sort of distinctive and sort of finally ends up being the chief of the group,” Josh says. “He sort of rests on Kena’s shoulder as she’s working round they usually have a particular connection. He’s at all times going to be stating issues for Kena to do all through the sport, so he’s a extremely useful character and is sort of our character embodiment of the entire group of Rot, as a result of all the remainder of the Rot look related aside from measurement variations, so we actually wished to place some character on him.”
The crew has additionally labored to place in quiet little moments the place you’ll be able to simply bond with them. There’s no affection system or something, however it’s there to simply take of their lovely presence sometimes. “My angle on the Rot has largely been targeted on allure and making an attempt to just remember to have moments the place they’re so cute and I wish to cry,” says designer Liz Fiacco laughing. “I’ve been making an attempt to hunt moments like that, the place you’ll be able to construct slightly relationship and it’s sort of fluffy, however hopefully memorable. It’s largely about making an attempt to give the chance for the participant to specific what they really feel towards characters within the sport. What’s good about sluggish moments is that it permits you to have the identical area as these characters.” A few of these tender events embrace having the Rot collect round Kena if she sits, or if she directs them to go someplace, watching them do cute hops to their vacation spot.
And if that wasn’t sufficient for, you’ll be able to unlock hats on your Rot with gems you discover the world. That is purely a beauty factor, however who doesn’t wish to put a pumpkin-topper or fisherman hat on these furry buddies? We’ll be displaying you just a few of those in a function tomorrow, so keep tuned!
