Being as old as I am (and at least as old as I feel) I remember the subject of today’s review from the first time around. I even remember playing the very first Legacy of Kain game, called Blood Omen, back when all this was fields. But it was with the move to a 3D perspective that the series really took off.
From Aspyr, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered comes as a strong contender for longest name in a video game in the awards season. Released to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Soul Reaver, the remaster is here, and the question I’ll be attempting to answer is this: can a 25 year old game still cut it today, or should the game have stayed in memories with a rose tinted filter in front of it? Well, there is only one way to find, and so I immersed myself in the world of Nosgoth once again.
The thing about games from this era is that while, at the time, we all thought that the graphics were absolutely awesome and would never be bettered, looking at things now through modern eyes the visuals do look a little rough. The in-game cutscenes in the first game in particular are very polygonal and jagged, but then we have to remember – the game is 25 years old.
However, I really like what the developers have done for the remasters, as they haven’t messed about with remaking cutscenes or even fiddling with the graphics too much. You know how with some HD remasters, the graphics are tarted up and it all looks a bit fake? Yeah, not here, and everything is authentic. The second game in the series does have some issues with cutscenes, as early on a couple of them have a weird graphical glitch that causes the background to “bounce” around, making them almost impossible to watch, but other than that, everything is as it was, and this is undoubtedly the right route to take with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered.
Audio is equally good, and the sound of the Soul Reaver as you swing it around is instantly recognisable. One of the great things about the original games was the voice acting as the story unfolded, and I am delighted to hear that the voice overs are just as good as they were back in the day, sounding crisper and clearer than they ever did. All in all, I am very happy with the presentation of this title.
But it was story that games of this era were built on, and these two games do not disappoint. We are Raziel, a vampire who was created by Kain. After serving him for a thousand years, we undergo a transformation and grow wings. ”Grreat!”, you may be thinking, but it appears that Kain had other ideas – no one was allowed to be more advanced than him! He tears our wings off and casts us into the abyss, through a lake. Water hurts vampires, and we are tortured like this for an eternity, at least until we are awoken by an Elder God, who sets us on a path to get revenge on Kain.
This is a theme that carries through the two games, although the second game then starts to bring in themes of time travel and various other things. Whatever, the story is a strong driver; strong enough to keep you playing through. If you have never played these games, then I won’t go into any further detail, but suffice it to say that on Raziel’s journey, he will discover a lot of things about himself and about the world.
Gameplay wise, these games were always very strong, and so it is here. One of the main mechanics that was groundbreaking at the time, is Raziel’s power to move between the material plane and the spectral one. What this means in practice is that as you explore, you will come across areas where progress seems to be impossible, but a swift switch to the spectral plane may well open a way to proceed. For example, as we switch worlds, the scenery will shift and change, allowing us to jump onto pillars that then extend. Raziel also gains the power to phase through gates in the spectral realm, so a locked gate is no barrier. This mechanic is very interesting to play with, and adds a lot to the basic gameplay.
But what of that basic gameplay? Well, as mentioned above, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is basically a third person adventure, where Raziel has to run around, find out where he is going, and fight enemies. As the story progresses, Raziel will gain the ability to use the Soul Reaver sword, but it has a weakness: it can only be summoned when Raziel is at full health. While he is, the blade will sustain him, but if he gets hit and loses it, being in the real world will slowly drain his health. Something to bear in mind when fighting the various enemies and bosses!
The actual combat is good fun, if somewhat clunky by the standards of Elden Ring, say. The boss fights in particular are very good, with a lot of mechanics to master. Again, I’m not going to go into details, as finding out how to beat them is all part of the fun, but should you find yourself stuck, there are a lot of walkthroughs for the original game on the internet that still apply here with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered. It’s a lot easier than the first time around when we had to wait for a guide in a magazine.
In conclusion, the games included in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered have been sympathetically redone, and the result is a pair of games that really do stand up in this day and age. They aren’t the best looking games ever, but you’ll find yourself sucked into the world to the point where you just won’t care about the visuals – Kain must pay.
Slight graphical issues aside, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is a great offering, and a brilliant glimpse into the past. Now, can we have the rest of the series please!?
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered Revives a Classic Tale of Vampires and Vengeance – https://www.thexboxhub.com/legacy-of-kain-soul-reaver-12-remastered-revives-a-classic-tale-of-vampires-and-vengeance/
25 Years Later: Soul Reaver Returns, Beautifully Remastered – https://www.thexboxhub.com/25-years-later-soul-reaver-returns-beautifully-remastered/
Buy Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/legacy-of-kain-soul-reaver-1-2-remastered/9nx852xq77sd
