INTERVIEW: Abubakar Salim Explores The Complexity And Vibrancy Of Grief

But Why Tho?

After his panel at SXSW, I spoke to the actor-turned-studio head Abubakar Salim. Surgent Studios' debut game, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, which is published under the EA Originals banner, is a story about grief. But unlike other forms of media tackling the subject, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a vibrant blend of Bantu mythology, each level taking the player through different emotions and quests to process their loss. We spoke with Abubakar Salim about creating Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, the importance of teaching young men that they can cry and feel pain, too, and ultimately, how grief can't be explained as just one emotion.