Ember Lab's debut title is proving to be a special one, but its combat could give you some trouble. With light souls-like comparisons being made in terms of difficulty, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is no slouch. You gain two forms of currency as you play, one of which is spent on your combat upgrades.

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Choosing which upgrades to get early on could save you from a bit of heartache. While some are only obtainable later in the game, and there aren't many upgrades comparably, choosing which ones to focus on should be a point of emphasis. Melee abilities appear to be hit or miss, and the bow's true game-changer comes in the form of a Rot ability, so players should focus on both Shield and Rot abilities respectfully.

6 Shield - Parry Counter

Kena parrying an enemy with title card in top right

In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, you have a shield in the form of a blue orb summoned around you by the press of a button. However, this shield also acts as your ability to parry. You can parry from the get-go, but if you want to do some extra damage after successfully parrying, getting Parry Counter is the way to go. Parrying also proves fairly essential in combat later on, especially when combatting bosses, so getting the timing down early is beneficial.

Press R1 after parrying to perform a spinning attack. So, not only do you parry the enemy, knock them back, and do extra damage, but you perform an astonishing spinning double attack. Parry Counter is the first upgrade available in the shield category, so getting it early isn't only crucial, it's easy.

5 Shield - Parry Courage

Kena sitting with rot gathering around and one dancing on her head

Utilizing your shield to parry isn't only essential in combat, but so is courage. The Rot may be cute, but parrying proves to be critical in combat if you want to progress. For the Rot to perform actions, they need courage. You gain courage organically by defeating enemies, but getting an extra action by simply parrying presents an easy win for players.

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Parry Courage is a complimentary upgrade that benefits two facets of gameplay. Players gain a Rot Action when they successfully parry an enemy attack. A Rot Action is available when the yellow orb on the bottom left is full. The Parry Courage upgrade is the third option in the shield category.

4 Shield - Shield Health + & ++

Kena shielding from a basic enemy while facing a mage

Okay, yes, this is two upgrades in one slot, but they do the same thing, just in varying degrees. The Shield Health + and Shield Health ++, do precisely what you think they do. Choosing this upgrade at both levels simply increases the strength of your shield.

Not only is shielding and parrying a must in combat, but if you are struggling in combat, an exemplary block is always helpful. If you need to lean into your shield to regather your thoughts, a stronger shield granting you more time is what you want. Shield Health + and Shield Health ++ are the second and fourth upgrade options in the shield category.

3 Rot - Rot Hammer

Kena in the air using Rot Hammer on a Wood Knight enemy

The Rot Hammer is a powerful distance-based slam. If you don't want to close the distance on your enemy too much, using this upgrade to strike some heavy damage from afar is for you. The Rot Hammer upgrade is the first Rot option available in the Rot category.

Players should be familiar with quick attacks, or basic attacks, and heavy attacks. The Rot Hammer is easily the best heavy attack in the game. The game has other forms of heavy attacks, but like most of the melee attacks in Kena: Bridge of Spirits, they don't do a lot to aid the player.

2 Rot - Enter The Fray

Three Rot close up cinematic in the woods

The Rot, name aside, are so darn cute, but their function in combat shouldn't be overlooked. However, if you want to utilize them, you need to build up their courage by defeating enemies. To do even a single Rot Action, you must first fill up the courage meter.

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That's exactly what the upgrade, Enter The Fray, does. Enter The Fray allows players to start combat with one Rot Action already available. You can set a Rot Action into action right from the get-go and get a leg up on your enemies. Enter the Fray is the second Rot upgrade available in the Rot category.

1 Rot - Rot Infused Arrow

Kena aiming a fully charged arrow shot at a crystal for a puzzle

The Rot Infused Arrow, like other infused Rot abilities, is a primary action with added strength via the power of The Rot. With this upgrade, the player must press square while drawing the bow. What's released is a powerful shot that pierces through enemies.

With the ability to pierce through enemies, you can damage and finish several enemies at once or do a lot of damage to bosses or strong enemy types. Using the bow is a regular occurrence in-game, but the upgrades for it specifically, except for Focus, don't improve your combat skill. Focus lets you slow time when aiming, but so does jumping in the air. The Rot Infused Arrow upgrade is the third Rot option available in the Rot category.

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