Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (1999 Video Game) User Reviews

My dream come true

[Reaper Man · 8/10 · 2 March 2000]

The first Legacy of Kain, "Blood Omen", was a primitive-looking Playstation game that would have been more at home on a Super Nintendo. The slowdown was dire, graphics were basic, the loading between screens was unforgivable. But the plot. The plot was luscious. A nobleman slain for no reason is offered the chance of revenge by becoming a vampire. The characters were excellent, all classically trained Britons, rolling their r`s and delivering speeches with all the feeling of a classic Shakespeare production. The game was irrelevant, the atmosphere was sublime. And now it is happened. Legacy of Kain has been given the remake it so richly deserves. A tour-de-force for Playstation graphics, Soul Reaver takes everything that made the original charming, and replaces it`s weak old 2-D heart with a pounding, atmospheric 3-D update. The plot is unspoiled, as many of the old characters have now returned, years after the original. Now the vampires are in charge, and Nosgoth is teeming with unholy creatures, ready to die for their immortal masters. The game is good, it is easy to pick up, nice to look at, scary to play. But this plays second fiddle to the 1st rate plot and wonderful landscape it takes place in. Tomb Raider should take a note from this monster. THIS is how to be atmospheric AND groundbreaking.

Dark, Unique, Complex, Bloody and amazing!

[vivifan · 9/10 · 11 July 2018]

I loved this game as a child and to this date I think it holds up really well, It was one of the first games I got for my PlayStation back in 1999. The storyline in this game was awesome, The voice acting is top notch, The graphics were great, The music is great, sound effects and gameplay were tight too. The games puzzles are never too hard or easy and the places you explore are memorable. The writing in this game is really tight plus it reminds me a lot of Shakespeare. It was also one of the first games I have ever played that had hardly any loading times in it. The only time it loads is when you load up your game. The only flaws I have with the game is that the bloke pushing can get tedious and the games level design can be a bit confusing for first time players since the game is very big. But overall this is an awesome game and I highly recommend it to any action adventure fans.

(Also this is how you do a Vampire Story Twilight!)

(retrospective) Badly aged unfortunately

[EasternZZ · 7/10 · 19 January 2021]

2021 here:

This game has aged badly in my humble opinion, it is still technically playable but I don't think anybody 20 or under will be able to deal with this game's clunky mechanics. It is not completely broken like the PS1 Tomb Raiders game (Which is unplayable compared to modern day games).

The biggest issue is that you get easily lost all the time. The combat is ok at first but it does not improve at all. It is extremely basic and honestly not fun. I found myself running past enemies most of the time. You can spend time doing long side-missions for upgrades and new moves but it completely pointless in my opinion. You don't need any of the upgrades because combat is really bad and you have maybe 5 different enemy types. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THE UPGRADES.

Boss fights are ok but some are very bad because of the camera. It has that PS1 camera where every time you turn the camera either turns with you or gets crazy and jumps all over the place. Platforming is terrible too.

Overall the best thing is the amazing voicing acting and music, but gameplay itself, time has not been kind to it.

7?10

Great gaming fun

[cdtressler · 28 March 2002]

This is a rare game in that it doesn't have much replay value as it is a completely linear game, but I still love coming back and playing it over and over again. The storyline is great, the voice acting is impeccable, the dialogue is profoundly eloquent and the level designs are amazing, they complement each other perfectly. The drawback to this game is that there are many block puzzles that are too numerous, tedious and a little tiresome after a while. There is a noticeable emphasis on using the environment to defeat enemies which is a little something that games need a little bit more of. But you should give this game definite consideration to adding it to your game library.

Its got it all...

[rampage_the_insane · 10/10 · 2 April 2002]

This is one game that has all you can get for less than fifty bucks two years after release. It has good graphics, in game and for the beginning FMV sequence, with a rich, believable story line. You can't forget the voice acting either. The characters actually sound like they're having a real conversation. The images load as you come to them (unless your using a gameshark cheat device, than it will have to stop and "stream" the image) to make for smooth game play, and the lighting makes game play more believable and gives it a more dangerous feel.

WARNING! THIS CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS, READ ON ONLY IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT SPOILERS! Another good point is that as you defeat your brothers and Kain you gain new abilities, allowing access to new areas and the powerful glyphs, eldrich energy levelers, and health levelers (play it and you'll see).

TIPS:To see better you can go into the TV menu and turn up the brightness. Also try shifting realms, the lighting will change.

Best game since Metal Gear Solid.

[Triniii · 10/10 · 4 November 2000]

An enthralling experience through the whole game. Supremely recommended and excellent graphics to add to an already masterful game.

GREAT STORY WITH DECENT PLAY CONTROL...

[LilReemon · 22 April 2000]

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver without a doubt is one of the best games available for its plot, because even though Soul Reaver's battling system seems strong at first, toward the end it dies off and becomes rather humdrum. Soul Reaver is a story of revenge, and follows the original Blood: Omen in which Kain took the throne of king in the vampiric world of Nosgoth. A millenium later, one of Kain's six brethren, Raziel, developed wings in front of Kain, and seeing this as a potential threat, Kain banished Raziel to an unknowing underworld. Here, Raziel became a soul reaver, no longer a vampire. Seeking revenge, young Raziel searches for his brother and looks to right the betrayal Kain did. The story develops interestingly, and it kept me going and gave me the push I needed to complete this masterpiece of a story. Despite its battle engine, I enjoyed this game, though I was disappointed in the ending, which left more questions than it did answer some. RECOMMENDATION: SHELLING OUT $30 FOR A DECENT CONTROL PAD IS WORTH IT, AND WILL HELP OUT YOUR MANEUVERING RAZIEL THROUGH NOSGOTH. I rate it 8 out of 10, for its wonderful visuals and great story which won awards from numerous publications. Worth the effort of buying and finishing.