Legacy of Kain: Defiance

I’ve always had a fascination for vampire lore and there are seldom many games that allow you to settle into their dark supernatural realm the way the Blood Omen games have done in the past.   Through the dark ruler Kain’s eyes, we have seen his great greed and bloodlust.  As for the Soul Reaver games, we have seen a fallen vampire known as Raziel attempt to redeem his own eternally damned soul by trying to set things right.  Now, in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, these two immortals will clash again.  So go ahead, get your tickets to this dark opera because the music this one makes is really that good.

While it is not completely necessary to have played the past Soul Reaver and Blood Omen games, it does help if you want a better understanding of the role Kain and Raziel play in the scheme of things and the violent relationship that propel these vampire demi-gods towards their destinies.  Defiance, though, is a story that not only answers those questions gamers have had since the beginning, but also sets into motion a cataclysmic event that reveals the prophesy they both seek.  As the game begins, the dark ruler Kain sets off to pursue the time-streamer, Moebius.  I’ll stop here since saying anything else will spoil a truly epic story.  

Both characters, while vampires, are quite different in so many ways.  Kain is cocky and lifts his head up in defiance of his enemies as he savagely attacks anyone who gets in his way or drains helpless people he encounters.  Raziel, on the other hand, is more of a wraith-like creature than a vampire and is nobler in his intentions.  He faces his enemies bravely and gets savage only against those dark creatures that are purely evil.  Both carry supernatural swords known as Soul Reavers that can be charged to inflict heavier damage as well as telekinetic abilities.  Raziel, though, uses his power as a psionic burst while Kain uses his abilities to hurl and impale his enemies into spikes or lit torches.

The game takes each character through their own quests to achieve a similar goal and they will both face similar trials as they fight waves of enemies that get in their way.  The first half of the game is devoid of boss fights but there are moments where Raziel must solve a few puzzles in order to advance and a number of levels where he must just go place to place.  Thanks to his broken wings, Raziel can glide across for a few seconds . . . this is actually a lot better than Kain’s ability to float.   Yet when the boss fights do come, be prepared for a most impressive battle.

The controls are actually quite good and this is a relief since the characters have some pretty complex combos and abilities that could have been confusing and awkward in the wrong hands.  When going up against enemies, both characters go into combat mode--a mode that you can quickly get out of in order to move the character back to normal mode when needed the most.  Combat mode seems to have you lock on to your enemies and thus makes it a little hard for more accurate defensive moves such as jumping away (although Raziel and Kain can move around quickly as a defensive mode).  The game’s biggest problem, though, is the camera view that can sometimes give you a bad vantage point.  It becomes an annoyance during moments where you have to jump from one side to another or when an enemy lets an arrow lose behind you.

Defiance on the Xbox looks absolutely amazing and gamers that love games with plenty of eye-candy will be impressed with this game.  The environments are all detailed down to the gnarled trees of a courtyard to the stoned corridors with its flickering torches and shadows that dance when dark spirits invade the room.  The characters are also wonderfully rendered and both Kain and Raziel never looked this good before.  Yet its the visual effects that steal the show and whether its impaling enemies or flashing your telekinetic powers its done beautifully.  Since the game has been graded M for Mature, the blood certainly flies in this game as you will see whenever Kain feeds.

As for the sound, the game certainly displays quite an impressive score, sound effects and voice acting.  The score is both creepy and beautiful, and cinematically changes pace given the situation.  The sound effects are well detailed and will not fail to astonish gamers.  Outside a cold, dank castle, the wind makes the scattered flags whip in the air while crows caw in the distance.  When Raziel is introduced to us in this game, he is imprisoned in a hell as tormented souls around him call him by name or babble all around him.  If this sounds creepy, then it is definitely because the sound effects have been done right.  Another aspect of the sound that really works is the voice acting that is quite excellent.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance will thrust us deeper into the dark realm of the supernatural and will have us loving every second of it.  Not only is Defiance a much bigger game, but it is also a much better game thanks to its wonderfully dark story and bloody action.  Fans of the franchise will love this one so do yourself the favor of buying this one.

Gameplay: 8.8
Defiance is filled with plenty of action-packed moments of intense combat and you’ll soon find the joys of taking on both human and supernatural creatures with the special abilities both characters bring to the table.  Kain is a brutal creature and shows it with his telekinetic powers as well as his Soul Reaver sword while Raziel shows no mercy to those evil creatures by slicing them up with his supernatural Soul Reaver and devouring their soul after.  The game’s only problem is that the camera can often cause some problems, especially when it comes to jumping.

Graphics: 9.5
By far one of the most beautiful games of the series, this one is pure eye-candy for those gamers that love a lot of detail in its scenery as well as characters.  Both Raziel and Kain look extraordinary and watching them in action as well as the cut scenes is a real treat.  The effects, especially when Kain phases right through solid objects like the bars of some prison are an impressive sight to behold.  The environments, though, are simply gorgeous and wonderfully detailed.

Sound: 9.7
Joining the exquisitely beautiful visuals is the wonderfully gothic score, detailed sound effects and great voice acting.  The music certainly makes the game feel very cinematic and changes appropriately with the mood or particular situation.  The sound effects just immerse the player into the world and will bring chills to gamers playing this one alone . . . in the dark.  The voice acting is top-notch; in fact, it’s just too good.  The voices for both the main characters show enough emotion that it will grab your attention to the point that you care about the story.

Difficulty: Medium
The enemies in this game attack in groups and often times you will find yourself taking on five or six enemies at the same time.  This is only fair since both characters pack slice-and-dice weaponry that can be charged for a more savage impact as well as the telekinetic powers.  You’ll face everything from dark servants of Moebius, horrific supernatural creatures and even human vampire hunters.  You also find moments when enemies attack from afar so you’re forced to either float or use your telekinetic powers to toss them aside.

Concept: 8.0
There is much to love about Defiance and its pretty rare to see a supernatural action game that perfectly balances a well-conceived story with intense action sequences.  The fact that both characters have a number of different traits make them two very interesting experiences when you assume their roles.  The game also pays homage to the old Soul Reaver/Blood Omen games so fans will definitely recognize the style.

Overall: 8.5
By far the best chapter in the Legacy of Kain saga, Defiance is not only epic in scale but also a fun jaunt into the dark underworld it depicts so well.  The game is both dark and brutally bloody but the action is always intense and there is much to see in this world that the heavily violent content can quickly be dismissed.  This game also feels more complete and for fans of the past games it will definitely be considered the best of both worlds.