E3 2001 Hands-on: Legacy of KainBlood Omen 2

The fourth game in the already-convoluted Legacy of Kain series--Blood Omen 2--was playable at Eidos' booth at this year's E3. The game stars Kain, and its events transpire 400 years after the end of the original Blood Omen. In it, Kain is resurrected by a cadre of vampires being persecuted by the Sarafan, a powerful group of vampire-hunting warrior priests.

We were eager to check out Blood Omen 2's combat system for the first time. Killing things makes up much of the game's action, and you're literally encouraged to commit grisly acts of murder. The combat system already seems fairly fleshed out--Kain has access to several different weapons, each with individual damage and speed characteristics. The first weapon we got to use was the spiked cudgel, which we picked off the body of a slain thug. It was a sloppy weapon, but it definitely beat fighting with Kain's bare hands. Regardless of the weapon you use, Kain will typically deliver a two- or three-hit chain. The control scheme is pretty workable. You draw your weapon with the R1 shoulder button, and you must hold it down to keep your weapon drawn. Once in you're in this offensive posture, you're free to deliver blows to your heart's content. When you eventually down enemies, it's wise to stand over their bodies and hold down the triangle button--doing so will cause Kain feed on their blood, which replenishes any health you may have lost during the battle. The triangle is also used to pick up any weapons your enemies may have dropped.

At this point, the game's camera is kind of spastic, making combat a bit difficult, at times. Once we managed to shift it into a decent spot, however, combat felt pretty good. There's a great deal of blocking involved, and the animations associated with this seem anything but canned. Enemies will protect the areas you attack, which lends a the battles a raw, live feel. Though they were by no means final, they definitely allude to what will be a great, albeit subtle, detail that will add much to the game's combat sequences.

The mini-mission we got to play was rather short, but it illustrated the game's mechanics very well. We got to sneak using Kain's stealth gift, and we crept up behind an unsuspecting guard. We also performed a super jump, which allowed us to rocket from a balcony to a platform nearly 50 feet away.

We can't wait to see more of Kain in the coming months. Though the game's systems were functional as a whole, we suspect that what is present at E3 is only a shade of what the final game will be. Check out our previous coverage of the game for more information.