Quite possibly the greatest example of a modern adventure game. Dark, brooding and brilliant. You must play this game.
So what sets Soul Reaver apart from its peers and its successors? Immersion.
The story of Soul Reaver follows Raziel a former lieutenant of Kain (from the first Legacy of Kain game, Blood omen). I say former because as Raziel tells us in the opening scenes of the game, he grew a pair of wings as part of a vampires' natural evolution, excelling the state of his master Kain. In a fit of jealous anger, Kain tears the wings from Raziel's back and orders him to be cast in a lake at the hands of his vampire brothers (which would kill him, as water is fatal to the touch for vampires). Raziel is destroyed by the time he reaches the bottom of the lake, with his jaw missing; his skin has melted away and even some of his flesh gone too. Dead, though, he is not.
From the brink of oblivion, Raziel awakens. Wrapping the cloak of his clan around his face to hide his destroyed face, he hears a voice call out to him.
"I know you Raziel. You are worthy." From this point you start the game, and set out on your road to revenge, exacting your otherworldly wrath on your treacherous vampire brethren and Kain himself. Raziel soon uncovers more than he bargained for though, and the dark secrets of Nosgoth will be revealed unto him.
The game play of Soul Reaver largely consists of exploration, puzzle solving, lots of puzzle solving, and a bit of spicy combat to go with it. I say it is an adventure game, because the story-telling and exploration of the game take the centre fold of the player’s attention and build the other elements around them. What this means is that if the story is dark and brooding, so is the design. The art pervades a very dying-world or end of days feel, the combat is particularly morbid requiring players to impale or disintegrate their foes THEN devour their souls. Puzzles are seemingly brought into the level design, thus often involving works of gothic design, which is yet again suitably morbid. By now you've probably got the picture;
Soul Reaver is a very black game.
The game plays out from a third person perspective, though there is no feeling of disconnection with the world of Nosgoth as you play, which for a character driven story is quite extraordinary. Most third person games let you watch the story, but Raziel is such an enticing lead character that you can't help but become involved. The world of Nosgoth is dark, dismal and definetly moody, just like Raziel, and it will have you by the balls the whole time you play it. There are a number of elements that pervade throughout the game that give its immersive qualities. The audio, or more specifically, the voice acting, is of impeccable quality. The first time you hear Raziel speak, you will be entranced, and this quality is maintained throughout the whole game.
Overall this is a classic game that must be experienced to be believed, and is one of few games that has a real story to enjoy. Search for it, it's a true gem.