Whilst you suppose again at the Soul Reaver video games, you take into consideration their setting, their tone, and that steadily immaculate voice performing. What you do not essentially take into consideration, is how awkward and clumsy they have been to in fact play — and in the end, those self same ups and downs practice to Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered.
To be transparent, each Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 are deserving of the remaster remedy. Even now, they stand out as distinctive trips via a memorable darkish delusion surroundings, whole with nice characters and a few unbelievable storytelling.
Specifically, the unique Soul Reaver helped outline a console technology. On the time of its free up in 1999, it used to be intriguing and mature in ways in which few different motion adventures have been.
Participant personality Raziel is solid down and killed via his grasp, the omnipotent Kain, within the sport’s opening cutscene. He is then resurrected loads of years later, coaxed right into a quest for revenge throughout the honeyed phrases of an ominous energy.
Even via these days’s narrative requirements, it is a excellent setup, and as alluded, the storytelling does some very heavy lifting in wearing all of the enjoy. Soul Reaver’s script stays chic and compelling; the writing can seem overly dramatic, however it is dropped at lifestyles via some really very good performances. The sport used to be forward of its time on this division, and it nonetheless holds up exceptionally nicely.
Structurally, Soul Reaver is composed of most commonly linear environments that attach to each other and loop again upon themselves, now not in contrast to the design in a vintage Metroidvania. What is extra, Raziel unlocks new talents that pave the best way to further spaces and secrets and techniques as you move.
Within the unique free up, backtracking generally is a supply of frustration — even with the inclusion of places that you’ll be able to rapid commute between. However on this remaster, the creation of a map display is helping you care for a greater sense of route. You’ll be able to nonetheless wish to make a psychological observe of in the past inaccessible spaces and collectibles — which does really feel like somewhat of a chore as the sport opens up — however the map signifies that you’ll be able to spend so much much less time making an attempt to keep in mind which locales neighbour each and every different.
So the remaster provides you with a map, however past that, developer Aspyr has made up our minds towards any gameplay changes. Soul Reaver’s mixture of motion battle, puzzle fixing, and platforming nonetheless works as a complete, however particular person portions are in reality appearing their age.
Specifically, battle is annoyingly unwieldy right here in 2024 — an oddity, given how fundamental the machine is at its core.
Lots of the foes that Raziel fights are vampiric in nature, and cannot be killed except they are submerged in water, shoved into daylight, or impaled. As such, battles can really feel extra like puzzles than skirmishes, as you’ll be able to wish to utilise your setting to be able to succeed in victory.
Conceptually, battle is attractive and fascinating, however in apply, jittery controls and stiff animations make fights really feel weightless and vague. Soul Reaver is not a tough sport, however its extra challenging encounters can have you cursing Raziel’s stubby slashes, a dodge that does not at all times sign up correctly, and fighters that hardly telegraph their assaults.
Soul Reaver 2 does give a boost to upon its predecessor on this regard; battle is a marginally extra in-depth, with higher outlined enemy sorts and an expanded collection of guns for Raziel to experiment with.
However regardless of launching two years later — on a brand new technology of {hardware}, no much less — the sequel performs very in a similar fashion, to the purpose the place it nonetheless feels like a PS1 free up, simply wrapped up in PS2-era visuals.
Soul Reaver 2 may be a shorter sport on moderate, despite the fact that it’s essential argue that it’s because it spends much less time on long puzzle sections. Certainly, the sequel takes what Soul Reaver used to be praised for — the tale, the characters, the ambience — and makes an attempt to double down.
The result’s, sadly, a much less impactful narrative because of how self-indulgent the name turns into. An steadily overwrought script slows the tale’s momentum — a key energy of the primary sport — and it is all just a little too artful for its personal excellent.
That stated, there may be nonetheless enjoyment to be present in how the sequel elaborates at the surrounding lore and motivations of its major characters. Soul Reaver 2’s storytelling is probably not as tightly built, but it surely is a well-meaning escalation — and that’s the reason most certainly sufficient for gamers who’re already invested within the collection’ international.
In abstract, then, Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 hit the similar types of execs and cons that they did over twenty years in the past — it is simply that the ones cons are much more prevalent when considered throughout the lens of contemporary gaming.
However we might be mendacity if we stated that those flaws drag the remasters right down to any disastrous stage — and that’s the reason as a result of, as discussed, the ambience and tone of Soul Reaver is nonetheless so robust and distinctive. The ones with nostalgia for the collection — like ourselves — will relish the chance to relive Raziel’s adventure, warts and all.
Which brings us to the remaster itself. Each video games have gained a sexy vital graphical overhaul, and for probably the most phase, they give the impression of being nice. Belongings and textures have clearly been enhanced, however those visible enhancements do not diminish the gothic stylings that made the unique titles so recognisable.
You’ll switch between the unique and remastered graphics with a click on of R3, too, which is at all times an preferred function.
Then again, the remaster does appear to introduce a couple of minor graphical insects. The digital camera clips via sure fashions in cutscenes, as an example, and we got here throughout some bizarre, out-of-place lights results in make a selection environments.
As for extras, Remastered throws a ‘Bonus’ menu into the deal, which properties all types of cool perception into the advance of each video games. There is a gallery filled with artwork, a complete soundtrack participant, or even a newly-crafted ‘Lore of Nosgoth’ assortment which recaps key data.
However maximum impressively, you’ll be able to discover lower Soul Reaver content material throughout the ‘Misplaced Ranges’ possibility. Now, those don’t seem to be absolutely playable places, however checking them out continues to be nice amusing, if simplest to get to the bottom of the workforce’s way to stage design.
