Return To Thy Roots: Legacy Of Kain
When I look back at the Legacy of Kain series of games, I remember a solid story and a vast world that could, that should have become so much more.
The Legacy of Kain series, which includes both the Blood Omen and Soul Reaver sagas, takes place in the realm of Nosgoth which is a land filled to the brim with corruption, greed and darkness. The word “good” has little meaning in these lands where vampires and various beasts roam, a place where humanity is condemned by their own kind and their poor are regularly sold as cattle.
When I first tried the Legacy of Kain series it was the first installment in the Soul Reaver saga which that caught my eye. Many people can tell you that a picture says a thousand words and now I’m able to say that the holographic cover for Soul Reaver did indeed prove this to be true. It was basically as if the cover told me that this game included something new, something deep and true to that belief the game didn’t fall far from that. I played the game for hours, many hours actually, thinking that this was one of the greatest plots I had ever seen in a game. The gameplay however was very repetitive, but what did that matter when the story was good. Later that month I went out to hunt for Blood Omen, but came away with no game and no luck. A year or so after, I accidentally stumbled upon Soul Reaver 2 and my first reaction was something like “HEY I KNOW YOU!” when I saw the twisted visage of an angry looking Raziel. Needless to say I had to own it right away and I was hooked on the story from the beginning. After managing to play through the game in a matter of… well I’d like to say I was fast enough to do it in a few hours, but that really isn’t the case. I actually got bored by the gameplay somewhere towards the end and only ended up completing it a few months later. After being truly amazed by the ending I can only say it was a bit expected, and it was this which caused me to once again go out looking for Blood Omen.
I did actually manage to get Blood Omen at one point, but in actuality it was a long time after I completed Blood Omen 2 which destroyed the storyline for me a bit. Honestly, I never finished the first Blood Omen game and I really can’t explain why, I just got bored with it as I have with all previous titles in this series at some point. I do know some people might say that’s bullshit and that it’s the cornerstone of the wider story, and perhaps the most important one. I don’t know, I’ve tried playing through it 3 or 4 times but every time I just stop after a few hours. Frankly I don’t even know if I was anywhere near the end at the time.
Blood Omen 2 would probably be my favourite though, if it hadn’t been for the special spark of revenge and manipulation that can be found in Soul Reaver 2 then it’d probably be my favourite. The two games actually carry the same theme, well maybe not the same but it’s pretty damn close. Soul Reaver 2 however just seems so much better in its development and use of dialogue. Blood Omen 2 by far has the best gameplay though, featuring spells, enemies with strengths and weaknesses, as well as places where tactics often reveal the best solution.
A few years after my obsession with Raziel and Kain’s time traveling and adventures, I had more or less forgotten about them. This was when Eidos announced that the vampires would return in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. I was hyped and pre-ordered the game in the instant it was possible, however that old friend “diasppointment” came to visit whilst I played through it. They had done absolutely nothing to make the gameplay more challenging or interesting, the world seemed more compact in many areas, and in the middle of the game dialog seemed like a myth. However, the game did save itself with its amazing ending, and a few of the locations were actually a lot of fun to re-investigate with new puzzles and challenges on offer.
A week or two ago, I decided to take the games off the shelf where they’ve been collecting dust since back when I completed Defiance and the return wasn’t as pleasant as I might have hoped. The big obstacle lies in the gameplay and yes, it really is that bad. I know the story now so that doesn’t drive me like it did the first time I played the game. Now all I see is dull gameplay that could have been so much more, and after about an hour you’ll be sick and tired of the combat system and just want to turn off the console. The only plus I found from replaying the games were the voice actors and I’d actually go as far as to say that the Legacy of Kain games has the best voice acting I’ve ever heard in a game! Just for that and the storyline, the games are worth completing. But if you’re planning on replaying it I recommend you take my advice and watch a few of the cinematics online instead. Otherwise you’ll end up as depressed as me with the linear gameplay.
That being said, I wouldn’t mind seeing a new game in the series what with Square-Enix now technically owning the property. Hopefully, they’ll do something about the repetitive combat system when that happens. If that happens…..
