Who would have thought that we’d ever see the Legacy of Kain series again? Well, after last year’s Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered, it looks like the franchise may be back! Potentially, but we’ll have to wait and see, as the latest game, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, is another remaster. An updated version of the 2003 title released on PC, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, does Defiance stand the test of time?
Can co-developers Crystal Dynamics and PlayEveryWare bring this almost 26-year-old title to a modern audience? Or, will it only resonate with those of us that have played the original? It’s always tough to say with remastered classics!
Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is available now on Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, PC, PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One & Series X|S, and is priced at £19.99.
Is Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered More Than Just A New Coat of Paint?
Are you a fan of the Legacy of Kain franchise? Which game is your favourite? And, despite some seemingly negative views online, how do you feel about the upcoming Legacy of Kain: Ascendance? Let’s discuss all things Kain and Raziel in the comments below!
Story
If this is your first foray into the world of Nosgoth, wait! You may want to stop and go back to the previous games first. Defiance Remastered is a sequel to Soul Reaver 2, and as such, assumes the player has played the two Soul Reaver games at the very least. Ideally, you’ll have also experienced Kain’s two Blood Omen titles to really get the full story. This is not a newcomer-friendly story, as it picks up right where the previous journey ends. But hey, at least we have that remastered collection of the brilliant Soul Reaver games to get stuck into first!
Narratively, things remain completely unchanged. Which, when you have a story as engrossing as this one, is certainly a good thing! Picking up where Soul Reaver 2 ended, Kain has created a time paradox thanks to saving Raziel. Now, both protagonists are stuck in separate timelines and must find a way to return things to the way they were. Kain’s sections have him seeking out Moebius the Time Streamer so that he may discover Raziel’s whereabouts as well as understand how his actions have affected the timeline. Raziel, now 500 years in the future and facing the wrath of the Elder God, is attempting to change his fate of becoming imprisoned within the Soul Reaver.
Like I said, definitely not a great entry point into the franchise! If you are all caught up and have never played this one before, then story-wise, you’re in for a treat! With a rich, detailed narrative and stellar voice performances, you’ll surely question why the franchise has lain dormant for so long.
Gameplay
As with the story, gameplay remains identical. For better and for worse. The perspective changes between Kain and Raziel as you progress throughout their separate adventures. There’s plenty of exploration, platforming, and puzzle solving. We’ll touch on those elements later, but let’s focus on the combat for now. Playing like a streamlined Devil May Cry, combat was never Defiance‘s strong suit. Melee gameplay never evolves, and although the vampiric abilities of the two heroes are fun (using telekinesis to hurl a dude into spikes never gets old), they don’t do enough to stop facing hordes of enemies from becoming tedious far too quickly. Speaking of which, both Kain and Raziel play too similarly during fights, which is a real missed opportunity. Yes, they have different attacks, but it all flows the same. Nothing truly sets them apart to make each one feel unique.
When not fighting ghouls and goons, Defiance shines brightest when exploring its diverse locations. The environmental puzzles aren’t complex, but help keep things fresh once in a while. Platforming can be a little iffy, although the new camera certainly eases some frustration. Raziel’s ability to shift between the material and spectral planes of existence and his more agile nature make for some of the more enjoyable platforming sections. In contrast, Kain feels more sluggish, and has more combat encounters and less jumping around to remedy this.
It’s a shame that combat takes up as much of the game as it does, as I would have much preferred to be exploring this fascinating world. The more linear areas in contrast to the more open Soul Reaver titles feel like a step back in some aspects. Nothing is inherently bad, but there was the occasional slight feeling of boredom, especially during encounters against large groups of enemies.
Graphics & Audio
The most obvious change from the original are the visuals. The higher resolution and updated texture work are instantly noticeable (the bare minimum, really). Unfortunately, the Steam store page has an AI-generated content disclosure regarding tools used to enhance some textures. The description doesn’t share to what extent the tools were used, but it’s disappointing to see nonetheless.
For veteran fans, you are able to toggle between the new and original graphics. Swapping between the two, I think I actually preferred the 2003 version’s use of lighting to create darker, moodier environments. The remaster can look washed out in places, although the improved character models are much more detailed.
As touched on briefly earlier, a new camera option has also been implemented. Now, instead of the static angles that change from scene to scene, the camera is placed behind the character, allowing players full control over it. Whilst this removes awkward control issues from the original title, it’s clear that some scenes were designed around the fixed viewpoints, as some previously unseen textures can look a bit wonky. It takes away some of that cinematic flair, but again, you are able to switch between options without having to back out to the main menu.
As for the audio, Defiance Remastered features a revamped soundtrack and improved sound effects to bring it more in line with modern-day gaming. It’s a massive shame then that, several times throughout my playthrough, I encountered audio issues. The most prevalent being a delay in some effects, mainly during combat. A less consistent issue was certain sounds not playing at all, again during combat. Hopefully the developers release a patch soon to alleviate these bugs, as they really break the immersion.
Longevity
The main game is a solid 8-10 hour story, although because of its linear nature, doesn’t offer much replay value. If you’re a long-time fan, then the “Lost Levels” may add more to your time spent playing! These are sections of levels cut from the main game, and despite none of them taking more than a few minutes to finish, they are interesting. They’re basically explorable concepts rather than fully-fledged areas filled with enemies, but seeing how the game was developed was a nice touch.
Aside from that, there’s concept art, videos, music, and skins to unlock. That’s about all the added content you’ll get from Defiance Remastered, which may be disappointing to some, although I do love being able to see behind the scenes of a game’s development. Unless, of course, you want to shell out more money for the Deluxe Edition that contains a comic and a demo for the cancelled Dark Prophecy game. Although the latter can be finished in about 3 minutes, even die-hard fans would feel a little short-changed here!
Final Thoughts
It almost feels unfair to be too critical of the gameplay, as this is a product of its time. There were plenty of interesting, unique games for the sixth console generation. Although, it had plenty of generic stinkers as well! Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered doesn’t fit into either of these categories. It may not be the most enjoyable game in the series, but it still holds up relatively well to this day. Sure, combat can be a drag. But the captivating performances and narrative were more than enough to make me want to carry on to the end.
If you’re a long-time fan wanting to rediscover an old favourite, or someone who only discovered the franchise thanks to Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered, then Defiance Remastered isn’t too bad for the price. Here’s hoping this series, just like Raziel, gets resurrected!
Therefore, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered receives the Thumb Culture Silver Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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