Product Description

Legacy of Kain: Defiance is the next instalment in the multi-million selling Legacy of Kain series. For the first time in the series both Kain and Raziel will be available as playable characters in all of their blood-sucking and soul-devouring glory. They are pitched against the Hylden; a force so evil that these two embittered rivals must unite. Taking on the role of Kain and Raziel in alternating chapters, you must battle through a world loaded with conflict and intrigue in order to defeat the dark forces that threaten to condemn the land of Nosgoth to eternal damnation.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance focuses much more on combat as Kain and Raziel confront hordes of monstrous enemies in fierce, fast-paced battles. The completely "revamped" 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 plays a fundamental role in not only deepening the combat system, but level and puzzle progression as well. A redesigned in-game camera offers dynamic views of both the action and breathtaking environments.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6579 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Eidos
• Released on: 2004-02-06
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: Xbox

GamesMaster Magazine
"The best of the brood... worth sinking your teeth into."

Customer Reviews

Superb
***

Previous reviews have said it all so I won't repeat them - this is superb.

***

Ah, the Children of the Night...
Latest in the long-running vampire series, Legacy of Kain: Defiance chronicles the return of everybody's two favourite anti-heroes to the blood soaked world of Nosgoth.

To bring the newbies up to speed, Legacy of Kain follows Vampire tyrant Kain and his vengeful prodigy Raziel as they battle for supremacy across time and space in a mythical world of supernatural mystery. Both protagonists wield an ancient sword, the Soul Reaver - Kain's is the physical body of the sword, while Raziel is fused to the spectral essence of the mighty blade. The time sorceror Mobius has cast both vampires back into the past, to the roots of Nosgoth's history, and it is here that we pick up the latest chapter.

Soul Reaver is a 3D action adventure in which players alternately assume the roles of Raziel and Kain. Each character is unique in that Kain requires blood to keep his health up, while Raziel, a spectral vampire, requires souls. To this end each vampire has a unique repetoir of combat and finishing moves to dish out on enemies, such as Kain sinking his fangs in his dizzied victim's throat. In addition, both characters are able deploy complex sword combos, as well as magical powers in combat - one that looks particularly satisfying is the ability to telekenetically pick up and hurl opponents off of cliffs, or into nearby spikes, impaling them. Indeed, much of the focus for this game is an overhauled combat system, and the player will often find themselves attacked by multiple foes.

In keeping with the traditions of the series, there will also be plenty of mind-bending puzzles to deal with. Raziel is capable of shifting between the living and spectral worlds, and in each environment is able to achieve different things to solve a puzzle. For example, while Raziel cannot pick up objects in the spirit world, he can warp through gates and other thin obstacles, or jump to otherwise inaccessable areas. This gives the game a fantastic degree of scope and depth to 3D problem solving.

The graphics for the series are top notch, and its one of the first series of games to do away with loading screens - clever coding allows the game to load upcoming environments before you reach them, allowing a seamless transition through the vast land of Nosgoth. The world is realised in beautiful, lovingly crafted architecture, spooky, mist filled forests and flickering caves. The spectral world, which Raziel is tied to is rendered in eerie blues and greens, and there's a lot of excellent lighting throughout. Its one of the most atmospheric games you'll play this year.

One of the chief critisisms levelled at the last game, Soul Reaver 2, is that it was too wordy and complex a plot, with not enough action and exploring. This latest title seems to have addressed those concerns by upping the action in spades, while staying true to the devious twists and turns of the series. This should be on every fan's wish list, and I'd recommend it to anyone in search of an offbeat and spooky adventure game.

Good, Very Good
Firstly the game has great graphics and is instantly enjoyable combat system. This is essensial as combat is a key part of the game.

The game is alot of fun and much recomended however I rented it and even though I had to keep it an extra day I completed it in about 11 hours of focused play (not 11 in a row). The game isn't the hardest but fun while it lasts and some puzels will confuse for 5 min or so....

much recomended, mabey just rent it though...