Legacy of Kain a shakespearean gothic horror video game series from the late 1990’s to early 2000’s. A tale of betrayal, revenge and the fight for power spanning over space and time.
The series began with “Blood Omen” released in 1996 following the rise to power of Kain who was once a man but was brutally murdered and was given a second chance at “life” by a vampire. Essentially selling his soul to the devil to exact his revenge on the men that killed him.
The sequel Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver vampires evolve over time, with the lord Kain entering the state of change first before his loyal followers. Until one day Raziel begins to evolve passed him.
Feeling threatened by Raziel surpassing him Kain orders for him to be casted away and burn for all eternity in the lake of the dead. A fate usually reserved for traitors and the weak. As Raziel relentlessly burns for what felt like an eternity he is finally saved by by an elder god to serve as his SOUL REAVER and exact revenge on Kain for his betrayal. With Raziel now back from the dead, he is but a shell of the handsome vampire he once was. The descent left him a decrepit zombie like creature.
One of the many conceits of this work of art was the shakespearean like dialogue being traded amongst the characters. Written by Amy Hennig (Uncharted) and brilliantly performed by Michael Bell (Rugrats, Smurfs, Snorks) Simon Templeman and Richard Doyle.
Using the same engine as Tomb Raider, Soul Reaver is part Action Adventure and part puzzle solving. Raziel wields the power of traveling between the material and spiritual world. With many puzzles being solved by switching between the two realities. In this sense you can never really die in Soul Reaver, you are only retuned to the spiritual world and forced to devour souls in order to remain in the physical world.
The series focuses on two different perspectives. Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen follows the perspective of Kain and Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver follows the perspective of Raziel and then LOK: Defiance stars both characters.
Sadly the story has never been concluded. But in the wake of a remaster of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. Many fans rejoiced in the idea of a possible return and conclusion of the Shakespearean gothic vampire saga.
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