Now it’s time for you to take on a new job, in a new system. Nothing more than just the same old routine… probably.

Enemies are fragile and can be erased in one single hit, but so are you, malware; you must wipe out every single defences in an area, in order to proceed to the next one. If you fail, iterate and try again.

You are equipped with various abilities (or functions, if you prefer); a good malware knows how to use each tool at its disposal, to be as efficient as possible during combat. Jump, dodge attacks, deflect bullets, throw your trusty scythe. Do everything in your power to complete your tasks.

A grieving boy begins to read a Bantu tale written by his late father. Adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of death to bring his Baba back from darkness.

With your cosmic powers and untried courage, you advance into unknown mythological lands. Once bursting with life, Kenzera is now rife with lost ancestral spirits. As Zau advances toward his goal, 3 mighty beings lie in wait, fearsome in their strength yet somehow strangely familiar. Will you embrace the dance of the shaman?

Crafted by Surgent Studios, the entertainment studio founded by actor Abubakar Salim (Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Raised by Wolves) and published by EA Originals, Tales of Kenzera™: ZAU takes you on a thrilling emotional journey inspired by the rich myths of Bantu cultures.

It will make you slam your desk with rage or leap for joy as you make that one jump you’ve been missing for hours. Travel upwards, discovering new hand painted environments, mocking NPCs, and musical landscapes that will encourage you to adventure farther than you had before.

– A game made for masochists, by masochists

Game Features

• Platforming with consequences, every jump is meaningful
• Mechanics that urge the player to think through the environment like a puzzle
• Every miniscule success and failure is autosaved
• Meet fun characters and be mocked by them for your failures
• Find secrets and easter eggs along your journey upwards
• Hand painted environments and characters
• Beautifully inspiring and haunting soundtrack

Undertake a mystical journey as Bō, a celestial blossom (fox tentaihana) descended from the heavens to fulfill a mysterious ancient prophecy. Use your legendary bō staff to bounce and glide fluidly through an otherworldly realm of hand-drawn, dreamlike landscapes, strange and adorable yokai, and massive monsters summoned from ancient legends of Japan.

DISCOVER A MYSTERIOUS AND HAUNTED WORLD
Explore a diverse and interconnected world in a 2.5D side-scrolling action-platformer with Metroidvania elements. Journey to a haunted castle, a thriving Japanese-inspired metropolis, and many more strange and wondrous places—then find ways to travel back and fully explore newly unlocked paths and surprises.

FIND YOUR FLOW
Navigate the world’s platforming challenges with acrobatic precision, elegance, and finesse. Use Bō’s distinctive move-and-reset system to reach new areas efficiently or recover when your footing flounders.

MASTER NEW STAFF TRANSFORMATIONS
Brew and drink arcane teas to unlock powerful new abilities for Bō’s shapeshifting staff. Mash foes with the Mochi Mallet, unlock new movement techniques like the Lotus Dash and Grappling Gun, and gracefully power up along your journey.

COLLECT POWERFUL DARUMA ALLIES
Each colorful Daruma doll you discover can be upgraded and summoned to the battlefield, where these adorable and powerful allies can deploy spells and other spectacular abilities to aid you in combat.

DRAWN FROM A DREAM
Explore a vibrant 2.5D vision that blends the beauty of paintings, the personality of hand-drawn illustrations, and the elegance of papercraft.

SPIRITED CAST OF ALLIES AND ENEMIES
Engage with a larger-than-life cast of bizarre and adorable yokai (supernatural spirits from Japanese folklore) and other original characters inspired by Japanese myth, all brought to life with traditional hand-drawn 2D frame-by-frame animation. Help them with their side quests—or just stop by for a chat and a cup of tea.

MYTHIC BOSS BATTLES
Challenge massive, awe-inspiring monsters drawn from Japanese folklore! You’ll need to call upon all of the knowledge and acrobatic skill you’ve gained to vanquish these powerful adversaries and advance further in your quest.

MOVE TO THE MUSIC
Drift along to the music of a gorgeous original score composed by Moisés Camargo, blending traditional Japanese instrumentation with modern orchestral music.