Vae Victis… woe to the conquered!
It feels great to have Kain back in action. For years, the Legacy of Kain series went dormant. Fans of the original games have been clamoring for the series to return, and finally, we have some hope. With that said, we are getting a remastered version of Legacy of Kain Defiance for modern platforms. It is a little weird to start towards the end, but I will take it. Hopefully, it is only the beginning of more. Defiance was the last game released in the series, outside of that multiplayer game we won’t talk about here and was likely the easiest to modernize. We are also getting a brand-new game in the series called Ascendance. Kain is back, and I couldn’t be happier.
This new package is broken up into two versions. Normally, I don’t care much for deluxe editions. They contain things I usually don’t care about, but this one is different. This one packs some extra lore bits in the form of comic book scans, and most importantly, a demo of Dark Prophecy, which was the unreleased follow-up to Defiance. Luckily, we were blessed with that version, so I was able to check these out. The comics are good, if a bit light.
MSRP: $24.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $24.99
The Dark Prophecy demo is a stretch to call it a demo. It is just a quick combat encounter that is a little buggy and feels a lot like Defiance. This makes sense, it was likely built on the same engine, but it does feel a little lacking. The notes about it being a Kain-only game are neat, but the extra content is minimal. For $5 it isn’t bad, but only die-hard Kain fans will likely appreciate it.
The core game itself has seen a host of updates, which is nice. First up we have a nice coat of paint that updates the resolution and textures. It is always a nice touch when you can swap back to the original graphics to compare. It is nice, but nothing revolutionary, it still looks like an Xbox/PS2 game. The biggest upgrade though is the camera. It is now modern, making everything much more manageable. The original used a faux fixed camera, and it had issues that have been resolved.
Also included in this are several pieces of the game including lore, design notes, and the biggest are playable sections of the original game that were cut. These are mostly empty levels to showcase areas that were supposed to be included. You can plow through each one in a couple minutes, but it is really cool to see. Being able to explore areas that were originally planned is a neat peak behind the curtain. The developers added a lot here that showcases what the game was going to be. Again, this is all for hardcore fans of the series, and I found it awesome.
So, let’s talk about the game itself. Defiance was the final game we received, and at the time, it was met with decent praise. The game swaps back and forth between the series’ two main protagonists, each with their own style. Kain fights enemies while draining their blood, while Raziel still shifts between planes as they both move towards an inevitable confrontation. The Kain series was always known for its performances and lore, and again that stands out here. The voice acting in these games is second-to-none. The performances by Simon Templeman and Michael Bell as the two main characters are unmatched. To this day, I cannot get over how good they are.
Revisiting this game was both nostalgic and humbling though. The main course just feels…dated. I won’t lie, the story is still stellar, but this game feels half-baked at times with linear level design, poor boss encounters, and some clunky platforming. The game is a slog at times when the combat becomes repetitive, and I wish it had a little more variety. The puzzles are simple at times and the environments, while great, can get a bit tedious after a while. Still, we are here for the story, and it excels on all accounts.
The Legacy of Kain series is still one of the richest worlds in all of gaming. It is great to have it back, and for the price of admission, this remaster is worth diving in for fans. Newcomers will balk at the archaic game play, but no one can deny the impact of the narrative. Here is hoping we can get the original Blood Omen remake/remaster at some point. This series deserves to return, and I am all for the resurrection of Kain.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
