The PlayStation 1 and 2 eras were such interesting times in gaming. It was a time of immense experimentation which led to so many unique and quirky games. It was also during this time that games started to become much more cinematic and had a stronger emphasis on narratives and character design with the introduction of modern voice-over work and full-motion videos (FMV). At the time, FMVs and fully-voiced characters were mind-blowing concepts.
One of the earliest games to marry cinematic presentation and action-adventure gameplay was undoubtedly The Legacy of Kain franchise. In particular, Soul Reaver was one of the first games I distinctly remember having piqued my curiosity about the main character by its design alone. The ghastly blue vampire, hell-bent on revenge left a lasting impression. It was immediately on my radar when I first heard that Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered was released. Although some aspects of the game didn’t age very well, Raziel’s double adventure is still a worthy journey of revenge.
Developer & Publisher // Aspyr
Platforms // PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
MSRP & Release Dates // $29.99, December 10th, 2024
Reviewed On // Xbox Series X|S
The Narrative is Still As Intriguing As Ever
One of the best aspects of the Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered remains its dark and gothic story beats. Set in the dark, gothic world of Nosgoth, the series follows the story of Raziel, a vampire warrior betrayed by his master, Kain. After being thrown into the Lake of the Dead, Raziel is resurrected as a spectral wraith by the Elder God, who tasks him with avenging himself and restoring Nosgoth by defeating Kain and his vampire lieutenants, who also happen to Raziel’s brothers.
As Raziel progresses in his quest for revenge, he will also be assisted by a mysterious sorcerous named Aried and slowly learn the Elder God’s true intentions of bringing Rzeial back to life. By and large The Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remasted plots are rich with themes of betrayal, redemption, and destiny, and are delivered through excellent environmental storytelling and top-notch voice acting (more on that below). The remastered version preserves the original scripts and remains as compelling as it did in 1999 and 2001.
Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered Gameplay Didn’t Age That Well
Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered combines action, puzzle-solving, and platforming. Raziel navigates through a dark fantasy world, unlocking new abilities and accessing previously inaccessible areas through glyphs. But by far, one of the most important mechanics of the Soul Reaver titles is the ability to switch between the spectral and physical planes.
The plane-switching mechanic plays a key role in the games’ progressions and is a big part of many puzzles and traversal elements in Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered. Puzzles, usually come in the form of inserting blocks to line up to murals or specific pipe directions. However, some of the puzzle areas have enemies that always respawn which is quite annoying.
The light Metroidvania-style progression involves switching between the spectral and physical realms and using plane-specific abilities that you acquire through the game to progress. This includes the spectral plane that manifests new traversable platforms or traveling through gates.
Getting Lost is Part of the Charm
Although the core mechanics remain faithful to the original, the remaster introduces a map feature to help players navigate the expansive world more easily. In addition, the world map also lists upgrades in each region, what your next objective is, and gives you a general direction of where to head next. However, expect to get lost and run around in circles at certain times because of the lack of locale maps for each area. But, that’s part of the charm and reality of 20+ year-old game design.
Eventually, finding your way around is a big part of the 10-hour run time for each title. However, the combat system, which was already somewhat clunky in the original, hasn’t seen significant improvements and can feel outdated.
Stiff Combat
Combat still feels clunky. Raziel can slash enemies with his claws and Soul Reaver sword and use different items he can pick up. This includes spears, torches, vases, and more. If you hit an enemy enough, they will get knocked out for a brief duration similar to the “Finish Him” part of a MK fight. It’s here you can finish off the enemy by staking them, burning them with a torch, or grabbing vampiric enemies and throwing them into sunlight or water (yes water is dangerous to vampires). However, aiming with a grabbed enemy is quite clunky and might take multiple attempts to get it right. Especially, if you’re trying to land a vampiric enemy on a wall stake.
One of the quality-of-life features in Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered is the dedicated target enemy button. You can press RB to lock onto enemies, however, if you’re fighting multiple enemies you’re going to be in a bind. The auto-lock becomes a crapshoot, making it difficult to hone in on a specific target. Like the original, combat animations remain stiff and repetitive, and the lack of a combo system becomes apparent. Moreover, dodging is also a lot to be desired, it feels unpredictable and floaty, but again it is a product of its time.
Boss fights are always quite varied. Some rely on traversal and interacting with the environment, such as trapping bosses by pulling levels to traverse between the planes to overcome adversity. All in all, they were enjoyable, however, if you die, expect a trek to return to the boss fight, which is annoying.
Remastered Graphics Done Right
Aspyr has done an impressive job with the remastering process. The visuals have been substantially overhauled, with new character models, high-resolution textures, and improved environmental details. Raziel’s character model has been significantly improved, with more detailed textures and a more tangible appearance.
The environments, from gothic chambers to spectral realms, are beautifully enhanced with high-resolution textures and intricate details. Though the environments in the original graphics still look decent the uplift is less noticeable compared to the character models.
Players can seamlessly switch between the original and remastered graphics with a single button press by clicking on the right analog stick. No doubt this is a nice touch and best of all, the change is immediate.
Fantastic Audio Design Lives on In Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered
The audio design of Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered remains faithful to the original games. The remastered games comprise the same iconic voice acting and atmospheric soundscapes. The vocal performances, particularly those of Simon Templeman as Kain and Michael Bell as Raziel are as powerful and memorable as ever. The remaster also includes updated sound effects and music, enhancing the immersive experience.
Phenomenal Technical Performance on Console
On the Xbox Series X, Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered performed admirably. The games run at a solid 60 FPS frame rate with no noticeable dips during my playthrough.
The camera can be difficult to control at times. Sometimes it excessively zooms in on Raziel or clips into the environments, revealing the barren limbo of the games’ worlds.
There were some apparent input issues in Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered. Especially when you press B or Circle to consume an enemy’s soul, which shouldn’t be a problem. However, if you don’t swallow up souls fast enough, it will resurrect the enemy which can be annoying.
Lack of Accessibility Options
Unfortunately, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered has a complete lack of accessibility options. This is most likely due to the game being over 20 years old, but at least providing some basic visual accessibility options such as colorblind filters could have made their way to the games bundle.
Final Thoughts on the Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered
Despite some antiquated game design, Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered is a decent remaster effort to revitalize these cult classic games. The collection retains the essence of the original and it also introduces notable quality-of-life improvements that make it more enjoyable. Raziel’s vengeful journey more than makes up for its outdated gameplay.
Note – A key was provided for the purpose of this review.
Final Score: 7.2 / 10
Pros
- Fantastic Voice Acting
- Remastered Graphics are Great
- Notable Quality-of-Life Improvement
- Rock Solid 60 FPS
- Engaging Narrative
- Appropriate Pricing
Cons
- Combat is Outdated
- Lack of Locale Map
- Camera Can be Difficult to Control
- Some Controller Button Input Issues
- Expect to Get Lost A Lot
