Gaming Target - Xbox: Blood Omen 2

Written by Ryan Smotherman on February 28, 2002

First Impressions: If you thought Raziel was cool, you haven't seen anything yet!

It's kind of funny. I was flipping through the channels the other day, or what I guess you hip people call Уchannel surfingФ, and I stumbled upon a movie you all have probably seen, Interview With the Vampire. I watched the movie all the way through, and when finished I thought to myself something we've known all along, УWow, vampires are cool!Ф I mean, it just doesn't get much cooler Ц who wouldn't love to suck blood at all hours of the night, have the woman at your mercy with devilish charm, or just straight up kick mucho arse with your superhuman abilities? Although I, nor anyone else, will become one of the living dead anytime soon, there is good news Ц the king of all vampires (after Dracula of course), Kain, is coming to an Xbox near you.

Nosgoth History 101
Chances are you never got the opportunity to play the semi-unknown original Legacy of Kain title, Blood Omen. The game was originally created for Sega's 32-bit machine, the Saturn, but due to the systems poor performance on the market, it was never released and instead ported over to the more popular Playstation and released in late '96. Blood Omen is important because it introduced us to the character of Kain Ц a once mortal man who is murdered and resurrected as a supremely powerful vampire who wants to seek revenge on his enemies (sound familiar?). Instead of the intense, 3D, third person action game that you will get with Blood Omen 2, the originator featured 2D graphics with an overhead Zelda-ish camera. However, that didn't hamper the game one bit. The action-packed, blood sucking adventure had brisk sales and received a cult like status.

More than likely your first introduction to Kain was in Eidos' hugely popular Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver for the Playstation and Dreamcast, and the follow-up, Soul Reaver 2 for the Playstation 2. Both great games with Kain staring as the villian, while one of his children, Raziel, took protagonist honors. Interestingly, the games take place over a thousand years after Kain is resurrected in Blood Omen. It seems Kain is a much more powerful being than anyone ever imaged, as he is the ruler of a once proud stronghold that has since been decimated. During his empire's good years, however, Kain found out Raziel had surpassed him in power by sprouting wings, so in Kain's jealousy and rage, he has his son killed, who then, like in Blood Omen, comes back for vengeance on Kain. The games introduced the series to a third-person point of view, which made for better gameplay mechanics and a more immersive experience. The title's puzzle elements were also enticing; as to solve the majority of them you had to use Raziel's ability to switch from the real world into the Spectral Plane, and vise versa.

Without a doubt, the series has so far delivered with three high-quality titles.

Enter the Sequel
Now that I've done a meticulous job in confusing you on the first three titles in the series, let us talk about what can be considered the fourth title in the УLegacy of KainФ series, which is set to hit the Xbox and PS2 next month.

Blood Omen 2 is the title, and you guessed it, it's the official follow-up to the original Blood Omen. As such you will reprise the role of Kain before he becomes the God that he is in the future Nosgoth. So far, everything about this game is screaming quality, and it is looking to be another top-notch game in the series. Starting with the story. A full 200 years after Kain's adventures in Blood Omen, he encounters and is defeated by a powerful vampire-hunting race known as the Sarafan. Left for dead, a weaker, power stripped Kain awakens 200 years later in the city of Meridian. Seems much has changed since his not-so-glorious battle, as the Sarafan have initiated Kain's own clan and has been killing off the remaining vampires in Nosgoth. So as you can imagine, Kain isn't very happy, and thus the adventure to take back your kingdom begins!

Sure, these revenge storylines are starting to get a little old, yet Crystal Dynamics seems as if they are doing a great job of merging many of the original Blood Omen elements with what they learned in creating the Soul Reaver games, most noticeably, the 3D graphics and 3rd person perspective. Just as in the original, the puzzle elements found in Soul Reaver will take a back seat to more action-oriented gameplay, however, do expect to run across a few brain teasers along the way. Since combat will occupy the majority of the gameplay, a complex, yet well working fighting system is a must if this game is to be successful. And thankfully, Crystal Dynamics recognized this and seems to be creating just that. Whether you fight with Kain's deadly, if somewhat girly, claws or by weapon, which includes swords, axes, daggers, and more, expect to be able to use a variety of moves and combos that vary depending on which weapon you are in fact using. Blocking and evading attacks will also be imperative to your survival.

Remember when I was talking about how cool it would be to suck blood, seduce woman, and use some rocking vampire special abilities? Well, we're in luck, because all of this will be possible in this latest edition. Just like in the original, and just like any good vampire, Kain requires the blood of his victims to stay healthy and survive. Instead of the orthodox bite the neck routine, Kain can suck blood from a distance. Why is this? I have no idea, but it's damned cool if you ask me. He also possesses other powerful vampirian abilities. He can coerce normal everyday townspeople into doing his bidding with his charm, he can turn into an invisible mist (best used for a sneak attack), and he can do a majority of other things like super jumping. In all there will be 7 different abilities, some that you will have to earn by defeating leaders of the Sarafan. Sort of the same way Raziel was granted new powers in Soul Reaver. These so called УDark GiftsФ will only insure that the game will get cooler and more exciting the further you progress.

When it comes to games that hit both the PS2 and Xbox, naturally Xbox owners seem to get the superior version due to the systems added hardware performance. Nicer visuals, 5.1 DD surround sound, and faster loading times are just a few of the quirks us Xbox owners have come to expect. And Blood Omen 2 should not disappoint. Especially in the graphics department, where the already dark, engrossing atmosphere will be complete with insane lighting effects, highly detailed characters models, hi-res textures, not mention some snazzy vampire special effects (you must see the mist ability in action). And yes you audio nuts (I'm talking to you Patrick), 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound will be fully supported.

One of the main things to take note of is the importance that Crystal Dynamics in putting into drawing you into to this dreary world. You'll visit towns full of a variety of different townsfolk that react like real people, thanks to what seems to be some well-designed A.I., and you'll visit an assortment of Nosgoth locales throughout your adventure, all sure to impress with unique designs and structures. Coup this with some nice voice acting (the guy who plays Kain is back once again), complete with surround sound, along with very fitting visuals, and the odds of you being pulled into this world are looking quite good.