Legacy of Kain

The Legacy of Kain saga is composed of five chapters: Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1997 – PlayStation, PC), Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999 – Dreamcast, PlayStation, PC), Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (2001 – PlayStation 2, PC), Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain (2002 – GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC) and Legacy of Kain: Defiance (2004 – PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC).

These are dynamic adventures with strong horror elements, which achieved great success, mainly due to their high-quality writing and a very captivating game world. All titles were developed by Crystal Dynamics, except for the first Blood Omen, which was developed by Silicon Knights.

PLOT AND GAME LORE

Everything takes place in Nosgoth, a dark and gothic world inhabited by humans, vampires, and other supernatural creatures. The story revolves around two main characters: Kain and Raziel. Kain is the main protagonist of the series. Initially a noble human, he is turned into a vampire and becomes an anti-hero. His hunger for power and revenge leads him to discover his role in the destiny of Nosgoth. Kain is a complex character, often torn between his desire for dominance and the need to save the world.

Raziel is one of Kain’s lieutenants, transformed into a vampire, then betrayed and killed by Kain. He is resurrected by the Elder God, a mysterious entity that turns him into a wraith. Raziel begins his quest for vengeance, hunting down his former brothers and absorbing their souls to become more powerful. Along his journey, he will uncover ancient truths about Nosgoth and the cycle of fate that binds him and Kain.

In the first and fourth chapters, we play as Kain, in the second and third as Raziel, and finally, in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, we get to control both characters.

THOUGHTS

The five chapters of the Legacy of Kain saga tell a long and complex story, boasting excellent writing quality. The universe created by Silicon Knights and Crystal Dynamics is meticulously crafted, with nothing left to chance. Players cannot help but be captivated by the splendid atmosphere and the well-crafted and highly varied gameplay. The combat is fun and satisfying but is not the primary focus of the series, which perhaps builds its foundation more on the numerous environmental puzzles.

The gothic world of Nosgoth is a delight for those who love this type of setting, which is close to both fantasy and horror. The experience becomes even more interesting thanks to Raziel’s ability to travel between the material and spectral realms, where the game world is not so dissimilar but the gameplay mechanics change drastically.

IN CONCLUSION

The Legacy of Kain saga has written an important chapter in the history of video games. It introduced many innovations, particularly in terms of writing depth, quickly becoming a cult series. Fans have been waiting for more than a decade for a new game or at least a remake, but so far, almost nothing has been announced. It’s certain that even just imagining an adventure set in Nosgoth, developed on powerful modern hardware, makes our mouths water…