A fantastic starting point for the Legacy of Kain series.
User Rating: 9 | Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver PS
Yes I know the actual series started off with the RPG Legacy Of Kain: Blood Omen, but this sequel is far better in every way. It turned the bad ass Kain into a bad ass villain. It also introduced Raziel, the tortured protagonist who you'll be playing and sympathizing with. You don't need to have any knowledge of the previous title to understand what is going on. I admit that it does shed light on a few things, but the overall experience won't be hindered by not knowing previous events. You need not know of Kain or Nosgoth as each element is covered extremely well through well written and superb voice acting cut scenes. The story is the strongest element within this game, along with its gothic art direction and seamless streaming, unheard of back on the Playstation. The most covered and hyped feature of the game, realm swapping, leads to some great puzzles and moments. It's not new anymore and the effect of seeing the Material Realm twist and distort --in real time-- to the Spirit Realm has lost some of its luster. From its initial release it was touted as substitute or alternative to the Tomb Raider series. I for one admit that the Legacy Of Kain series far surpasses the Tomb Raider series in every imaginable. It's a shame that this was overlooked because of the big chested one, however it created a strong fan base who have impeccable taste (myself included) and was worthy of three additional titles -- the two sequels and a direct sequel to the original Blood Omen. Has this game stood the test of time? Yes, surprisingly. The game is solid, the gameplay is more or less as strong as ever, though the combat is a bit weak. Another gripe is the landscape is perhaps a bit too big and it's very easy to get lost. However, that shouldn't stop you from getting this great gem of a game. Its story, music, sounds, gameplay have stood up really well and surpass some of today's games. It really is a cool game, though not for everybody.
