Legacy of Kain: Defiance for PlayStation 2
Eidos Interactive - Eidos Interactive
PlayStation2
Release date: 1970-01-01
Video Game
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Legacy of Kain: Defiance for PlayStation 2
Date undefinedGreat game!! If you like the previous versions of the saga you will definitely enjoy this one.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance for PlayStation 2
Date undefinedI've played legacy of cain series since 1998 yup PS1 and I can say that this is the best installment on all the cain series the plot was wonderful, but I advice player to play from legacy of cain blood omen 1,2 and legacy of cain soul reaver 1,2 before playing this one to get the full story line on the game. :)
spoiler "can't wait for the next installment/ending?"
Legacy of Kain: Defiance for PlayStation 2
Date undefinedAs a long-time fan of the Legacy of Kain series, I have played every game in the series to date. As of right now, the series has been shelved by Eidos in favor of Tomb Raider, making Defiance the last entry in what is truly an epic story.
Going into this fifth LoK game, I had rather high expectations. Blood Omen 2 was a letdown in several respects, having been developed by a new team inexperienced in with the series. Based on the previews and assurances from the team, this game promised to make up for its predecessor. After playing through the game numerous times, I firmly believe it succeeds in that goal.
The game returns to the story of Raziel and the future Kain. After the events of Soul Reaver 2, Raziel is trapped in the Spectral Realm by his former benefactor-turned-adversary, the mysterious Elder God. After escaping from his master's grip, he seeks to uncover the mystery behind the terrible destiny charted for him in Nosgoth's ancient past. Meanwhile, Kain is also seeking the truth behind his own destiny, which is inescapably tied into Raziel's.
The LoK series is famous for its complex storylines, and this entry into the series is no exception. Nosgoth's mythology is once again finely explored as Kain and Raziel make several startling discoveries not only about their fates, but also the true enemies that seek to destroy them and conquer Nosgoth. Locations such as the Pillars and the Sarafan Stronghold make their return, along with a few surprise areas which should please those familiar with the first LoK game, Blood Omen.
All the central characters are here too. Kain, Raziel, Moebius,
Ariel, Vorador, and the Elder God return once again, along with a few surprises I won't spoil for you. I will say one of them solves a long standing mystery from Soul Reaver 1, and another gives further insight into a plot thread from Blood Omen.
As with Soul Reaver 2, the story is told through interactions between the characters and through murals that tell the history of Nosgoth's ancient past. The voice acting is as good as ever. LoK has always been known for excellent voice acting and Defiance doesn't disappoint.
But what about the gameplay itself? Well, I'd say it's a definite improvement over the previous games. The puzzles are less elaborate than in Soul Reaver 2, but the combat more than makes up for this. In the vein of games like Devil May Cry, the characters can now perform devastating combos. Kain wields the physical version of the Reaver, while Raziel has the wraith blade. Both characters have the ability of telekinesis, which they can use in conjunction with hack-n-slash attacks and a multitude of Reaver spells. The only downside is that the open-ended nature of Blood Omen and Soul Reaver 1 is still missing. Hopefully Crystal Dynamics will address that next time if another game is put into production.
Boss battles also make their return to the series, albeit with mixed results. On many occasions, Raziel will have to face the spirits of former Pillar guardians, which can get tedious after the first two. However, the three major boss battles are better executed, especially the final battle that you'll never see coming.
Graphically, the game is slightly more refined than Soul Reaver 2. The characters all look great and have even greater detail to them. Admittedly, the architecture isn't quite as compelling this time around. There are a few notable exceptions, especially a certain mansion you explore later on as Raziel.
Overall, Defiance is a great game that is a worthy entry into the Legacy of Kain series. There are a few flaws that could use improvement, but its strengths are definitely greater than its weaknesses. The gameplay is fast paced and exciting, and the story sheds light on many questions left over from the previous games, including the true enemy at the heart of Nosgoth's bloody history.
Incidentally, it's a well known fact that the first game in the series, Blood Omen, was largely developed by another company called Silicon Knights. There are some hardcore fans of that game who will seek to convince everyone that the sequels by Crystal Dynamics are completely worthless. That Blood Omen is an unparalleled masterpiece and that the sequels somehow shame its status. They're entitled to their opinions, of course. But for those who are undecided, perhaps you should look at Silicon Knights' intentions for Legacy of Kain after Blood Omen. In a word: NONE. SK had no intentions whatsoever of making a sequel. It's true they introduced us to a fascinating world, but they had no intention of ever exploring that world any further, or settling the numerous plot lines left open by the writers. Things such as the next phase of the Dark Entity's plan (he admitted to Kain that there was one), the origins of the Circle and the vampires themselves, what the Dark Entity truly was, and the true nature of the Pillars. It's one thing to leave a couple things a mystery, like the series Silent Hill does frequently. But so many unresolved plot threads were just screaming for a sequel, yet they were completely ignored in favor of projects that proceeded to languish in development hell.
I understand how some fans may feel cheated that Crystal Dynamics' games do not fall into the same genre of Blood Omen. But that's precisely the point. CD was not trying to create more carbon copies of Blood Omen. Because SK themselves held very little interest in LoK anymore, CD did not owe it to them to create sequels that were exactly like Blood Omen. What they owed SK was to treat the story with respect, which they did. Even Blood Omen 2, the worst of the series, still makes the effort to expand on Nosgoth's history and terrain.
What CD accomplished was to create a fascinating story from the plot threads left unresolved in that game, and in the process, expand greatly on the world of Nosgoth. Nosgoth is now one of the most remarkable worlds in gaming, with a history that is intruiging and complex, yet still holds an air of mystery to it.
The series isn't perfect; several things could be much better. But in the end, doesn't that apply to every other series as well?
Ultimately games are about having fun, and for gamers who like a well thought story set in a fascinating world, LoK will provide many hours of enjoyment.
