Kena: Scars of Kosmora — Everything We Know About Ember Lab's Highly Anticipated 2026 Sequel

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The Legacy of Bridge of Spirits

Kena: Bridge of Spirits launched in September 2021 and became one of the year's biggest indie success stories. Developed by Ember Lab, a small studio founded by brothers Mike and Josh Grier in Los Angeles, the company was previously known mainly for animated commercials and the viral short film “Terrible Fate” based on Majora's Mask.

The game followed young spirit guide Kena as she traveled to an abandoned village seeking the sacred Mountain Shrine. Along the way, she collected tiny spirit creatures known as Rot — which turned out to be fragments of an ancient Rot God — and helped traumatized spirits find peace.

Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with 83/100 on Metacritic (PC) and 85% recommendation on OpenCritic. Critics compared the stunning visuals to Pixar and Studio Ghibli films, while the combat system with Rot companions was called a “stroke of genius” — inevitable comparisons with the Pikmin series were everywhere. Within the first month, the game had already broken even, and by April 2023, players had found over 40 million Rot and 8 million unique hats.

Scars of Kosmora: The New Story

In Kena: Scars of Kosmora, the story picks up years after the events of the first game. Kena is now a more mature and experienced spirit guide, but a mysterious spiritual affliction has begun to take its toll. Seeking answers, she travels to the remote island of Kosmora, a place with its own history, secrets, and spirits.

There, Kena discovers an entirely different approach to spirit guiding: alchemy-based spirit guidance. Instead of using traditional spiritual powers, she must learn the arts of spirit alchemy, combining elements of nature, energy, and ancient wisdom. This new mechanic promises to fundamentally change the gameplay, offering far more complex abilities than the first game.

The Island of Kosmora

If the first Kena drew inspiration from Japan and Bali — with its Japanese and Southeast Asian symbols and gamelan music — the island of Kosmora promises an even richer and more unique setting. Ember Lab, which in the first game partnered with Vietnamese animation studio Sparx and the Balinese ensemble group Gamelan Çudamani, has always placed particular emphasis on cultural authenticity.

Kosmora brings new biomes, new cultural influences, and an architectural style that appears to merge natural cavernous landscapes with ancient alchemical structures. The concept art released after the announcement shows crystalline formations, luminous energy pools, and forests bathed in sunset colors.

What We Know About Gameplay

While Ember Lab hasn't revealed full gameplay footage yet, the State of Play announcement offered clear hints. The core structure remains action-adventure in a third-person perspective, but with significant changes and additions.

In the first Kena, combat was built around the staff (light, heavy, and charged attacks), the bow (which also functioned as a grappling hook), the pulse shield, and Spirit Bombs for platforming. Rot companions could infuse arrows and bombs for more powerful attacks, and required “courage” — earned by hitting enemies — to be called into battle.

The shift to alchemy-based spirit guiding suggests that Ember Lab wants to significantly deepen the gameplay. In the first game, some critics — while generally enthusiastic — noted that combat was sometimes “basic” or that puzzles became repetitive. The alchemy system could provide the depth that was missing, creating nearly infinite power combinations.

Pixar-Quality Visuals: The Benchmark

If there was one thing nobody disagreed about in Bridge of Spirits, it was the visuals. Every critic, even those who found weaknesses elsewhere, acknowledged that Ember Lab created something visually stunning. Comparisons to Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and Studio Ghibli were near-universal.

Lead character designer Vic Kun created a protagonist with asymmetrical, handmade clothing and a practical aesthetic — while Hunter Schmidt worked on the 3D model with an innovative technique for hair (a blend between solid geometry and alpha planes). The result was an animated-film-quality character model in real-time rendering.

In Scars of Kosmora, Ember Lab is expected to push the boundaries even further, fully leveraging the power of the PlayStation 5. The first game was primarily developed on PS4 with Unreal Engine 4 — it's not yet known whether the sequel will transition to Unreal Engine 5, but it would be a logical evolution that could bring significant visual improvements.

The Musical Legacy

One of the most underappreciated elements of Bridge of Spirits was its music. Jason Gallaty composed an original score inspired by gamelan music, collaborating with the Balinese ensemble group Gamelan Çudamani. Founding director Dewa Putu Berata created original compositions based on game footage, while the vocal performance of Dewa Ayu Dewi Larassanti — who also voiced Kena — added a layer of authenticity.

The careful approach to Balinese culture was remarkable: when Gallaty presented samples of sacred music, Berata would inform him if the usage was inappropriate, creating new pieces with a similar feeling but respect for tradition. This cultural sensitivity earned the Best Main Theme award at the Game Audio Network Guild Awards.

For Scars of Kosmora, the composer hasn't been announced yet, but Ember Lab's reputation in the music department promises something equally magical — likely with new cultural collaborations reflecting the unique character of the island of Kosmora.

Ember Lab's Journey

Ember Lab's story is one of the most inspiring in indie gaming. Founded in 2009 by brothers Mike and Josh Grier, starting as an animated commercials and branded applications studio. The shift to video games came after the viral success of “Terrible Fate” (2016), an animated short film based on The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.

With a team of just 15 core employees and help from external studios, Ember Lab signed a console-exclusive deal with Sony in October 2017. Mike handled the creative side while Josh managed business operations. Bridge of Spirits released after several delays — partly due to COVID-19 — but the wait was worth it.

What the World Loved About Bridge of Spirits

The first game's massive success was no accident. Beyond the visuals, several elements stood out:

The Rot companions were undoubtedly the star of the show. These small, black, fluffy creatures managed to steal players' hearts. GameSpot wrote they “make Kena stand apart from similar games,” while GamesRadar+ declared they “heighten every other aspect of the game.” Outside of combat, you could dress them in unique hats — over 51 different designs, along with limited-edition designs for Halloween, Christmas, and Chinese New Year.

The storytelling was a tale of grief, forgiveness, and acceptance. Each trapped spirit — Taro with his two young siblings, Adira separated from Hana, Toshi who killed the Rot God — had a deeply human story. Ozzie Mejia of Shacknews wrote characteristically that the narrative was “so touching that mechanical shortcomings can be forgiven.”

Accessibility was another strong point. Ember Lab wanted a “rich experience that could be completed in a weekend” — a game that didn't demand hundreds of hours but offered a rich, complete experience in a reasonable timeframe.

Areas for Improvement

Despite the success, critics identified areas that needed improvement — and these are the points that Scars of Kosmora will need to address:

• Combat Depth: Some critics found the combat fairly basic. PC Gamer gave 65/100, noting that abilities added little to combat
• Puzzles: While satisfying initially, many reviewers noted they became repetitive or too simple
• Kena's Character: Several critics found the protagonist underdeveloped — especially compared to the spirits she helped
• Dodge & Parry: Described as inconsistent or ineffective by Shacknews and Video Games Chronicle
• Difficulty Balance: Eurogamer noted imbalance between normal fights and boss battles

The shift to alchemy-based mechanics and a more mature Kena with backstory suggests that Ember Lab has listened to the feedback and plans to address these gaps.

Platforms & Technical Details

Kena: Scars of Kosmora was announced for PlayStation 5 and Windows PC, with a release sometime in 2026. Notably — in contrast with the first game — there's no mention of a PS4 version, meaning Ember Lab can finally fully leverage the PS5's capabilities without the constraints of cross-gen development.

The first Kena impressed with fast loading times on PS5 and DualSense integration — particularly the haptic feedback for the spirit bow. The sequel is expected to exploit these capabilities even further, perhaps with haptic feedback for alchemical reactions and adaptive triggers during the use of new powers.

Questions Awaiting Answers

The State of Play announcement was measured — enough to electrify fans but leaving many questions unanswered:

• Will the Rot companions return in the same form, or will they evolve?
• Will we see characters from the first game, or exclusively new ones?
• How much larger will Kosmora be compared to the Bridge of Spirits world?
• Will Larassanti return as the voice of Kena?
• Will there be a multiplayer or co-op component, or will it remain single-player?
• What's the exact release date within 2026?

The Verdict: Is It Worth the Wait?

Ember Lab created something rare with Bridge of Spirits: an indie game with AAA-quality visuals, award-winning music, and gameplay that managed to engage a wide audience — from hardcore gamers to casual players seeking a “weekend experience.” With Scars of Kosmora, the studio needs to surpass itself.

The signs look positive: the transition to PS5-only development provides technical freedom, the more mature narrative promises more complex characters, and the alchemy mechanic could deliver the gameplay depth that some critics found lacking in the original. If Ember Lab can maintain the magic of the first game while adding substantial progress, then we're looking at a potential Game of the Year contender.

Until we learn more, one thing is certain: Kena is coming back, and the gaming world can't wait.