The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver games have carved solid reputations for themselves over the years. It’s no surprise that, in a busy market of remasters and remakes, the Soul Reaver titles would be next in line. But was the effort here worthwhile with The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered?
The exact answer to that question will depend on the player. The Soul Reaver games still bear many of the same marks of quality that they did upon release two decades ago. But they also carry some of the same flaws, and modern players might see some of the games’ basic design principles as being problematic given the multiple decades of progress in game design since those original releases.
In that way, a review of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is as much a consideration of one’s own tolerance for legacy video game design as it is a review of the games themselves. You know what you’re going to get here; the question is, are you interested?
The Good:
- A dark and intriguing world to explore
- Some memorable characters and performances
- Improved visuals, particularly in the first game
The Bad:
- Dated game design principles
- Largely the same experience as in the original game releases
Review Details:
- Reviewed on: PC
- Platforms available: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
- Official release date: December 10, 2024
These vampires are nothing new, and that’s OK
The Soul Reaver games technically serve as sequels to the original Legacy of Kain game that was released on the first PlayStation console. The game was a top-down action-RPG that bears little resemblance to either Soul Reaver title, however.
The Soul Reaver games are third-person action-platforming titles. Much of the player’s time will be spent exploring the gothic architecture of the game’s world, searching for points of progression, solutions to puzzles, and yes, enemies to battle and drain.
Combat is relatively simplistic, relying on sequences of mashed buttons for attacks. Soul Reaver isn’t likely to be confused for a Dark Souls title anytime soon. That simplicity is more liklely to stand out to players not already familiar with the games.
Puzzles range in quality. With the Soul Reaver titles being older games, some of the puzzle designs are very much representative of their era. In the case of Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered, that means things like having to move a big stone box one way or another.
It isn’t all that simplistic, though. Swapping between different versions of the in-game world can create some interesting puzzles and solutions in equal measure.
But none of this is unique to the remastered collection; it’s the same experience you would have when playing the original versions of these games. So then, what’s new?
For one, the games’ visuals, particularly in the case of the first Soul Reaver title, have been significantly improved. The raw graphical power isn’t much different than it was before, but the art design far better realized. Blurry textures in the game world, and particularly on in-game models such as the various enemies you’ll encounter, have been dramatically improved. In some cases, this constitutes a full redesign rather than a simple remaster, and it’s the biggest different between the remasters and the original games.
The audio experience has also been cleaned up. Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered sound better than do the original releases, and this is also more noticeable when comparing the first of the two games to its new remastered version.
There are some quality-of-life touches as well. Returning players will appreciate a map functionality than can be helpful in navigating the game’s world without so easily getting lost or turned around. But these games essentially play the same way they did before.
The good things about Soul Reaver remain good here. A dark, gothic world full of intrigue. Quality voice acting and an interesting, if not exactly dense, story. Explorative platforming gameplay that encourages players to push further ahead.
The game’s issues, which are very much indicative of the era in which the titles were developed, are more a case of a lack of modern conveniences and design principles. That’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make in order to play and enjoy Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered. Whether it’s worthwhile will depend on your appetite for games of this era.
The Bottom Line: Two very good games pulled from another era with a new coat of paint, but don’t expect a fully modernized experience.
Score: 8/10
