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By Osei Tyson on July 23rd, 2003
Game Information
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Eidos
Release Date: November 2003
Genre: Action
Also On: Xbox, PC
Website: LegacyOfKain.com WANNING: This preview was written by a huge fan of Kain. And will be biased toward the gay vampire known as Raziel. The first Legacy of Kain (called Blood Omen) developed by Silicon Knights did something that was almost unheard of in the gaming world. Let evil conquer all! And guess what? Gamers loved it. The fact that the nice guy that got murdered in cold blood got the chance to take over the world was awesome. Then came the second & third games LoK: Soul Reaver & Soul Reaver 2. With a new lead character Raziel a sissy do gooder Vamp, with a missing jaw after Kain for revenge. Who instead of sipping blood to quench his thirst. He sucked souls of other creatures…Sounds dumb? Well it is, and it left players wondering if the kick ass Vampire Lord Kain will ever return to slay the innocent again? We got that chance again In LoK: Blood Omen 2. But with all the cool factor of playing as Kain again, it was easy to see Crystal Dynamics was hell bent on giving Raziel to better game. Since Blood Omen 2 played like it went through a 4 month development cycle. Come on an all powerful Vampire Lord pushing around big blocks every 5 seconds is not my idea of fun. Enter Defiance the next & possibly last installment in the Legacy of Kain series. Where you’ll take control of two powerful and highly evolved vampires: Kain, the mighty anti-hero who the series is named after, and Raziel, the sissy who stole Kain’s Soul Reaver. Each equipped with a legendary weapon, Kain has Soul Reaver & Raziel has well…Soul Reaver but that glowing non-sword one. They must battle through a world loaded with conflict and intrigue as they attempt to unravel their destinies and defeat the dark forces that seek to condemn their world to eternal damnation. Damnation always sucks doesn’t it? The story follows Kain and Raziel as they battle against the relentless forces that seek to thwart their true destinies and annihilate them. The forces being the Hylden; a group so evil that these two embittered rivals must unite. Their bond is as ambiguous as ever neither allies nor adversaries, Kain and Raziel venture alone through alternating chapters to unearth the truth behind Nosgoth’s ancient prophecies, each fighting to preserve his free will in a world enslaved by the “Agents of Fate." Legacy of Kain: Defiance focuses much more on combat as Kain and Raziel confronts legions of monstrous enemies in fierce, fast-paced battles. The completely ’re-vamped’ combat system promises to be accessible, responsive and satisfying, allowing for non-stop action and thrilling combo moves unique to each character. The inclusion of the new ’telekinesis’ feature will play a fundamental role in not only deepening the combat system, but level and puzzle progression as well. Key Features Play as both Kain and Raziel, two powerful and highly evolved vampires with unique abilitiesEngage in intense combat utilizing thrilling combo moves, and physical agility to destroy hordes of human, demonic, and undead foes Utilize telekinetic powers to manipulate the environment and hurl your enemies into obstacles, impale them on sharp objects, or throw them off ledges to their deaths Feed your dark hunger by sucking the blood and devouring the souls of your enemies to survive Possess the bodies of unsuspecting victims to shift between the shadowy and sinister Spectral Realm and the rich and beautiful Material Plane
Legacy of Kain..? Or Marvel vs. Capcom..?
Legacy of Kain: Defiance will offer an extensive list of features completely new to the Legacy of Kain franchise. A new cinematic in-game camera is unveiled, capturing every moment of the action as well as showing breathtaking environments from the best possible point of view. Another new feature includes a ‘save anytime’ system, which allows the player to save their progress at any point in time, that will better suit the action-packed gameplay. Secret areas and hidden bonus items will reward exploration, add replay value, and keep players thinking while they kick ass. Also players can revisit any areas once navigated in search of additional missed treasures. Outlook…
I’m hoping that Defiance will turn out to be the awesome title that it can be. But ever since the LoK sequels started rolling out, they all looked great but ended up a bitter good. I’m gonna be honest I hate Raziel simple as that. So him being playable is enough for me to hate Defiance a little. Hopefully after getting done with the Hylden Kain will slay Raziel and everyone can go home happy. But whatever happens it looks like Crystal Dynamics has something gamers will love in their hands. And even with great gameplay, the story & outcome of the game will make or break Defiance. Will us Kain worshipers rejoice? Or will the gay vampire (Raziel) enthusiast be the ones having the party? Only time can tell…
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