Tarnishing a legacy
It feels like forever since we last got an entry in the Legacy of Kain series, and for good reason. It has been 23 years since the last proper entry. This series was a staple of gaming from the mid-90s into the early 2000s, and then just disappeared…for two decades. Fans of the series such as myself have been clamoring for a new entry ever since. While we have recently gotten some solid remasters and inklings of the return, it wasn’t until Ascendance was announced at a State of Play that our dreams had been answered. After playing through the game, I have one simple statement to encompass the wait…please, not like this.
Where to start? Let’s begin with the story, which is what Legacy of Kain games have always excelled at. While I love the series, I am not a lore expert, but there is a good reason hardcore fans are not happy with the direction they have gone here. For starters, the series houses the Kain name, but don’t be fooled, he is NOT a main character here. Instead, players will spend most of their time in the shoes of series’ mainstay Raziel and his sister Elaleth. Kain makes an appearance, but it is minimal at best. The plot takes place before Soul Reaver but manages to mix into both Soul Reaver game timelines.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $14.99
This isn’t new for the series, time travel has always been a part of the mix, but it gets weirder here and the retcon of several main storylines are what fans have issues with. Again, this is not new as the series deals a lot with these themes, but the direction taken presents multiple issues with specific characters. That being said, it is great that they managed to get the original actors to reprise their roles. Hearing Simon Templeman and Michael Bell return as Kain and Raziel respectively, really does a lot of heavy lifting. The performances are stellar, sadly it cannot save the broken narrative.
So, what about the game itself? Well, I can say this is where things completely fell apart. Developed by Bit Bot Media, this is a pixel-style 2D action game. I had never heard of this team before and upon looking into their past games, I can see why. The most well-known before this one was a rendition of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which I had never heard anyone mention, which kind of speaks to its quality.
Right from the start Ascendance just felt off. The game is broken into stages where players take control of one of three different characters as they progress through the story. Immediately the platforming and combat just felt wrong. Hit boxes on enemies are frustrating. Trying to hit enemies not on the same plane feels impossible. The movement has issues, and the stage design is just uninspired. Obviously, vampires are harmed by fire in the lore, but there is a torch literally every two steps, making traversal even worse. Enemies have simple patterns, but somehow still find ways to be infuriating to fight.
As I mentioned, the stages are just bad. Each level has a theme, and it just repeats over and over, like someone took a section, copy/pasted it, and moved on. Legacy of Kain has always been known for its gorgeous gothic architecture, but in Ascendance it feels unfinished, like a final pass to each level was never made. It makes them feel repetitive as well as making a seemingly brief adventure feel much longer than it is.
Each character plays slightly differently, but the premise remains the same. For example, human Raziel must burn foes before moving on or they will get back up. Again, this is a simple button press and feels more like a chore as opposed to a unique mechanic. Enemies will also spout the same two lines over and over making the repetition even worse. There are collectibles scattered around the levels such as upgrades and bonus lore, but none of it felt rewarding to search out. Considering combat barely moves above mindless, they are also not really required. Playing Ascendance really has no redeeming values.
It is depressing to write all of this. I have been waiting two decades for a new game in the series, and this is what we got. Combat is just devoid of fun, the levels are uninspired and repetitive, and the story, while supremely voiced, just doesn’t land like the previous games. Kain deserves more, and I hope this doesn’t deter them from revisiting it. Give the game to an established team with a larger budget and restore the legacy the series left behind. For now, I simply cannot recommend this game, even to hardest of hardcore fans.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
