Interview: Abubakar Salim on Tales of Kenzera’s ‘surreal’ BAFTA Games Awards win

Tales Of Kenzera: Zau walked away with the Game Beyond Entertainment award at this week’s BAFTA Games Awards, and we caught up with director and star Abubakar Salim just moments after to find out exactly this meant to both himself and his Surgent Studios.

For those who missed it, Tales Of Kenzera: Zau is a metroidvania released last year for Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Nintendo platforms.

It was published by Electronic Arts and was an instant success, with plenty of positive reviews all around, including our own.

After being crowned as the winner of Game Beyond Entertainment at the BAFTAs, Abubakar Salim told us he’d need “a couple of days” to really take in the win backstage, adding, “This is so surreal.”

We asked what this would mean for the wider team at Surgent Studios, and whether it might change anything in regards to the momentum behind the studio's next game.

In response, Salim said: “It feels like we’re doing the right thing, following our heart, telling stories that we care about, that we have to share. It shows that that is the right way to go about it. I feel really happy with that, really happy with that."

It’s not just a win for Tales Of Kenzera: Zau though, it’s also a win for the wider indie game genre and it’s been great to see indie titles getting the recognition they deserve through award shows like the BAFTAs.

When commenting on how supportive the game industry has become regarding indie games, Salim said: “I think this [The BAFTA win] is just proof that we need to tell more of these cool stories … the journey has been quite personal, so to now be here just feels spectacular.”

Tales Of Kenzera: Zau is available on Xbox, PlayStation, PC and Nintendo platforms, and is a delightful metroidvania that’s well-worth your time, as well as deserving of the title of Game Beyond Entertainment.