Gaming Target - PlayStation 2: Legacy of Kain: Defiance

Written by Leigh Culpin on October 09, 2003

First Impressions: Whether the game is good or bad, at least you won't have to suffer through a lame unmasking with this УKainФ...(But could he survive being thrown into a dumpster that's on fire?)

A good many moons ago (1996, to be exact), the PlayStation was but a year old in North America -- while the games on this newfangled 32-bit system were certainly fun and impressive, one genre seemed to be missing in action: The RPG. This was hardly surprising, considering that Final Fantasy VII wasn't out yet (yes, such a time did indeed exist...), and the prevailing wisdom back then (well, from video game execs, at least) was that RPGs simply wouldn't sell on this side of the Pacific. And since the system was so new, it naturally followed that Sony wanted games that would actually sell.

So, when I saw that Activision was releasing Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain, a vampire-themed action-adventure with Zelda-like gameplay, I was greatly intrigued, enamored as I am with the Уgothic lifestyle.Ф (okay, I'm not so dark and gothic...but I do like Depeche Mode!) Blood Omen wasn't quite a Уtraditional RPG,Ф but I snapped it up as fast as I could. But while the vampiric atmosphere and dark storytelling of the title was impressive, the gameplay simply couldn't hold a candle to Zelda. Absurdly long loading times and a pretty weak combat system do not a great game make, and in the end, I was a bit unsatisfied with the experience. I filed it under, Уgreat concept, so-so execution, and it's doubtful we'll ever see a sequel.Ф

Thus, the 1999 release of a Legacy of Kain follow-up caught me a bit by surprise -- but Soul Reaver was far from a carbon copy of the original game. It featured a new publisher, Eidos, and included a new star, Raziel -- a former vampire lieutenant of Kain, who had been betrayed by his master. The overhead Zelda-inspired adventure had also been eschewed in favor of more action-oriented gameplay. This style was better-received by both gamers and critics, and the series has followed that formula ever since.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance, the fifth adventure in the dark world of Nosgoth, will be more of the same, but it'll also offer something new that fans of the series have wanted for a while: Both Kain and Raziel will be available as playable characters. However, this doesn't mean that the two arch-rivals are now suddenly buddy-buddy. Quite the opposite, in fact -- Defiance seems to tell the tale of an epic confrontation between the two, but the game will tell this story through the eyes of both protagonists, instead of just one. And while the Legacy of Kain series is known for its story's complexity, Eidos promises that knowledge of the first four Kain games won't be necessary to enjoy Defiance.

In case you're unfamiliar with the series, Kain one of the darker vampires you'll ever run across -- even for a vampire! He's pure evil, and he's also rather ugly...Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise in Interview With the Vampire he certainly ain't! Still, he would probably have more luck with the ladies than Raziel, who doesn't even have a mouth. But really, who needs good looks when you've got the fantastic powers of this duo? Kain and Raziel will each have different abilities, but the differences don't actually appear to be all that great overall. Kain will use telekinesis to draw enemies toward him (or violently fling them away from him), while Raziel can transport between the УspectralФ and УmaterialФ worlds. Both characters will be able to augment their weapons with things like fire, ice and lightning. And as usual, the demonic duo has their own dark way of replenishing energy -- Kain sucks on blood, while Raziel feasts on extracted souls.

Defiance will be even more action-based than previous games in the series -- in fact, puzzle-solving elements will be less emphasized, though they'll still be around. The game will be divided into chapters, and you'll alternate between Kain and Raziel as you go along. However, you won't be locked into attempting one level after another in a linear fashion. Once you clear an area, you're free to go back and explore it some more, in case you missed something. Eidos promises that a Уcinematic camera systemФ will allegedly eliminate any camera troubles, a longtime bane of 3-D action titles. From the samples I've seen, it looks like they're right, but we'll see how the final version plays.

Overall, the gameplay looks a bit like Devil May Cry -- however, titles featuring long-haired vampires/demons taking on a bunch of otherworldly creatures are bound to look a little similar to each other! Plus, Kain was a white-haired, demonic ass-kicker years before Dante was... Even if it does look a little like stuff we've seen before, the graphics do look very impressive, as Kain and Raziel are incredibly detailed. The level design also looks fantastic, with impressive gothic castles, perfect for a vampire adventure. But at this point, the levels don't actually look all that varied (i.e. they all seem to be gothic castles!).

One of the strengths of the Legacy of Kain series has always been its voice acting. Even though the gameplay in the original Blood Omen left something to be desired, the wonderful voice acting drew you in, and made you want to play on to see what would happen next. The same has held true for the other games in the series. This game will feature the return of Simon Templeman as Kain -- while I haven't heard any examples of his work in Defiance yet, I don't really need to. He's been fantastic in all the Legacy of Kain titles, and there's no reason to believe that it won't be more of the same this time around. Michael Bell, also an excellent actor, will return as the voice of Raziel. Rene Auberjonois, famous for his role as Odo on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, will voice an as-yet unannounced character.

Speaking of characters, Eidos and Crystal Dynamics are being a bit tight-lipped who exactly will be appearing in the game, but they have revealed that Defiance will feature the return of the powerful time-bending sorcerer Moebius, and the ancient vampire Vorador. Other characters well-known to fans of the series will most likely be returning, however.