I had a friend who lent me the first game and his PSone and I blew through it in a weekend. I chose the sacrifice, and then when I heard there was a second (which I then played), I was ecstatic. I took it home, sat down, popped it in... and cried out in shock when I realized they went with the evil ending for the canon end. That was almost never done in those days!
@@ChargeQM I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. It changed the way I thought of stories. It literally made me a more open minded person. I'm who I am today because Soul Reaver taught me how even the bad guys have a story, and sometimes that's worth telling.
@@usern4metak3ns First time off, I didn't. It was something like "He did the right thing, he saved Nosgoth, but no one will know and nobody remembers him." AFTER ALL THAT!? Screw that! Also, since I played Soul Reaver much earlier in my life, I knew the refusal was the canon one, so I wanted to see the alternative first :)
Legacy of Kain is one of the greatest game-series there ever was, and really deserve to be re-released in some way for easier access to new gamers. The versions on Steam and GOG aren't ideal, even if it's nice that they (minus Blood Omen) are at least available. I hear many cry for remakes or remasters, but I think a first priority should be to have versions that are simply easier to run, and to get the rights for Blood Omens sorted out. It's truly a masterful game, probably the best in terms of gameplay in the series, and still holds up today. I know the intro to this and the Soul Reaver-games by heart, and Simon Templeman is one of my favourite actors. It's good that Bioware gave him some good parts in their games, but it's a damn shame that not many know of him. Also, R.I.P Tony Jay. You will always be the hub of the wheel.
@@TalkingAboutGames They can be hard to get running properly (though I hear the GOG-versions are a bit better) and at least Soul Reaver 1 is only playable with the keyboard, as there is no controler-support. They are usually quite cheap though, so I would recommend getting them anyway.
I very often revisit the opening scene of soul reaver 2. The music in conjunction with the writing, and especially the voice acting, make for a legendary scene. That much holds true for basically the whole series.
@RagnarRox - Nice job on this video. Thank you very much for the kind words about Blood Omen - it will always have a special place in my heart. There are a few factual errors in the video but overall the significant research put into this video shines through. I am now working on the spiritual successor to Blood Omen called Deadhaus Sonata. If you ever want to connect and talk about Blood Omen further, let me know, it would be my pleasure.
Denis, we don’t deserve you! I can’t wait to see the finished product. I’ve been waiting nearly two decades for something that will scratch my nosgoth itch. Good luck to you, sir.
I would be extremely interested to hear more about this. I full appreciate that it won't be set in Nosgoth because of layer-y reasons but if it has a similar vibe to Blood Omen...well, colour me very intrigued.
The thing to remember about this series is that while there are good and bad things about gameplay, the reason you play these games is the story. The voice acting. The atmosphere. It makes everything else worth it. While blood omen and soul reaver 1 was the probably the best, they were two different games and I respect the way they changed the gameplay for Raziel and made it a different experience. Kain is a great character but Raziel? Well Raziel is a brilliant character with brilliant and perfect character arc and story. Gosh I miss this type of storytelling....
I can only hope that one day this game series will return from the shadows and we can once again assume the role of Kain. The story was truly one of a kind, imo. Kain is an amazing anti-hero, and was a great character that allowed you to be "evil" while going forward to a greater goal. The lore is one of those that really is amazing, the voice acting was spot on, and the music was epic.. hearing that Soul Reaver intro cinematic music still gives me goosebumps, and in some of the online/multiplayer games I play, I will /yell or say "Vae Victus!" then nerd out whenever I find someone who got that reference. Also, I actually collected each release of this game, including the original release casing/manual to the first Blood Omen.. one of my prized games I still have... totally worth going back to play on the PS/PS2. :)
Now, if you were to use the proper Latin translation, it would be "vae victus ad et." "Vae victus" legit translates to "woe defeated." When I realized that while on Google translate for indirectly related reasons, I fixed the translation lol. Crystal Dynamics have even publicly said it was incorrect and that they would check their translations next time. It's basically the same problem as people adding in words to trhe 'translation' of "memento mori" to claim it means "remember you will die" even though it would only translate to "remember death." Google translate and too much time on one's hands is an... Interesting hobby. EDIT: Don't even get me started on the Addams family motto. It not only doesn't translate to English whatsoever (it's complete gibberish), but seems _impossible_ to do so the other way on Google translate, if possible at all.
@@jaredmartin7040 Yeah, I'd say villain in BO, anti-villain in SR, anti-hero in BO2 and SR2 and definitely a hero in Defiance. I think he did a bit too much thinking after casting Raziel in lmao Definitely one of the more complex character developments in the course of a series.
I recommend his band Information Society, especially Kurt's solo album "Don't be afraid" it's got a good number of tracks similar to his soundtracks but in a more dark electro style. In fact Soul Reaver's main theme was originally from that album before being used on SR
The best line, non main character line had to go to Magnus. Blood Omen 2... Well we won't speak of it, except the first time we see Magnus almost makes it worth it. +No, no please don't let him hurt me!+ "It mustn't be blanched. It mustn't be poached. *Crash* It must be fresh! Where is my meat?! Running with blood! Sopping with gore! There theeeerrrrre!
To this day the LoK games are still the best story ever told in this medium. Trust me, I've dug through the timelines, paradoxes, and it all checks out. It's a vampire tale, a time travel story, an epic, a tale of friendship... Simply superb.
Incorrect. Final Fantasy 7 is the greatest game ever created... there is no argument that can refute this. Shadow of the Colossus is number 3 o. That list and LoK is like number 9. Of the top 10. But number one will always and forever be FF7.
While everyone else had Mario, Legend of Zelda or Pokemon as they were growing up...I was that twisted child whose fondest video game memories were of Legacy of Kain. I am forever, to this day, the girl still obsessed with the series who refuses to move on. LoK will always hold a special place in my heart. 🖤
Nothing against mario or specially Zelda but Pokemon has been a mediocre product that has grown so much that the games don't matter anymore, is really cruel and unfair that legacy of kain got forgotten while Pokemon raised to unmeasurable degree and this last generation proof me right.
A remake would result in similar things you saw with Nosgoth - just retcons and companies doing whatever they liked with the ip. Some good things are best left alone to be good.
Holy shit I never thought someone would actually be making a video about these games. I grew up playing Soul Reaver 2 as a kid without owning any of the previous games and being so confused but I loved it anyways. I had no idea there were previous games, this is so exciting
There are quite a few channels dealing with LOK, may I suggest also for you to look at The Lost Worlds - Official, ChocolateRob, LordDamianus, The Hylden and others.
"Life *is* prescious Yannos discovered. As it was torn bleeding and throbbing from his own body." Holy crap, I can't believe I actually remembered that.
@@112523 I can see it going great as well. Apart from the story and map design, the combat system is quite bland in today's standards. CDPR would have what it takes to fill it up with something more interesting. But to be honest, for a game in the gothic horror style of Legacy of Kain, the gameplay would have to be pretty brutal. Like putting Doom games to shame level of brutal. Not sure how many developers would be willing to take the risk.
@@rumplstiltztinkerstein The Legacy of Kain series is nowhere near that brutal, and I wouldn't attribute it to technological limitations either. It's dark, certainly gory, but not more gruesome then any of the gibbing we see in basically any iteration of DOOM. This got me thinking about how I'd love to see Kain pull off some finishers like Geralt. Better than, even. Though I'd more so like to see the grapple system from Blood Omen 2 reincorperated. There's something so satisfying and empowering about grabbing some little fucker by the throat and maiming them however you see fit.
@@FilthyNobeard I can't disagree with you. My line of thought was in thinking about how the soul reaver games had this mechanic of killing vampires with "vampire killing" tools, like running water, stakes, fire... In today's technology a developer could get way more creative in using those tools than back then. What if the opponents tried to do the same thing to Raziel and Kayn, like empalling, decapitating, and so on.
Honestly...it's really quite impossible in this day and age. Even CDPR has been hit by the corporate side, look at Cyberpunk 2077. The story is just too much for most mushy-brained gamers these days. While the gameplay overall could be overhauled, they could easily just make it super gory and violent. While the Legacy of Kain games are by nature slightly in that vein, most people developers would go way too far. The atmosphere would be hard to recapture, as we've seen a lot of remakes completely miss the mark on getting their atmosphere's right. And that's, again, not counting on them screwing the story just to make it "easy to understand." Then add in the loss of Tony Jay (voice actor for Mortanius in Blood Omen, then the Elder God in Soul Reaver 1&2 and Defiance) it's basically impossible.
Silicon Knight's Denis Dyack has started a new game studio, Apocalypse Studios. He's got some of the original team back and they're working on making a spiritual successor to LoK called Deadhaus Sonata. Unfortunately, it's not a sequel and there is no Kain, but the dark atmosphere of this upcoming game is the "direction he would have wanted the Kain universe to go". The game is still in really early stages of development and will be a free-to-play action RPG, with the alpha coming out hopefully sometime next year. I know it might not be what you expect, as it is not a direct sequel, but I encourage you to go check it out. Their website goes really in depth about the lore we know of so far, game mechanics and classes, etc... I'm seriously not doing it justice here. deadhaussonata.com
It wasn't an MMO. It certainly was a gross departure from the original series (and the single player game it was supposed to be attached to seemed really crass and bland), but on its own merits as a team based asymmetric PvP game it was fantastic. Not many games let me revel in the profane might of vampirism, so on that basis alone Nosgoth had my attention.
This is still one of my favorite games as I played it in my formative years. Simon templeman's voice carries one of the coolest protags into the world. That's not even getting into the voice work and lines in the later material.
To this day, Defiance is still one of my favorite games. And every day that goes by without a proper sequel to truly finish the series is a goddamn tragedy.
I played this and beat it in the 90s while I had the flu. I felt miserable for two or three days, but the experience with the story and exploration just transported me for a few days. Such an incredible game. Just started my first playthrough in about 25 years yesterday. Having a blast. Forgotten most of the game.
Blood Omen 1 is my second favourite game from the LoK series. When I first played it, 10 years after finishing Blood Omen 2, Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance I was absolutely blown away by how well the atmosphere of the game was crafted.
I just want these games remade, I'd love to see them all just graphically remade even. Although it'd be better if they could fix the gameplay issues of each game, but unfortunately, I doubt it'll ever happen
It REALLY fucks with me that were only 3 years away from Blood Omen:Legacy of Kains 30TH ANNIVERSARY! I remember the DAY i got the game...i was so excited to finally be playing as the Villian. The VAMPIRE. And it sure didnt dissapoint me! Still doesnt. Im so happy its finally on GoG where it deserves to be! I still own my copy for the PS1 after all these years..
6:14 I kindly disagree, I have played both and I found soul reaver 1 platforming sections much more infuriating than TR1 platforming. In Soul Reaver Raziel moves really fast, he slips a lot and the jumping is really not accurate which makes some sections really tedious because you fall in the water, get to the other side, have to go back to a corpse and repeat the whole section. In TR1 Lara is really slow to move but every move is much more accurate giving you more control.
Everyday i hope for a remaster of this complete series! Blood Omen 2 has always been my favorite even though its technically only a side story in the wheel of time traveling that is the full and more canon legacy.
I would pay an obscene amount of money for an HD re-release of Blood Omen on PC. Squeeenix and Acti-Blizzard *need* to get that IP rights quagmire squared. EDIT: and, let's be honest: the "black sheep" of LoK is Blood Omen 2. I'd argue it has the best, most refined gameplay formula, and some really interesting environmental storytelling; though obviously the overall story and its connection to the Raziel trilogy are tenuous and leave a whole bunch of plot holes (Vorador is alive? how?) but it's certainly the most derided game in the LoK fandom.
Loved it! Now its owned by Embracer, we MIGHT have some joy at finally getting a sequel, heck I'd settle for a full series remaster (even though I own all of the discs still apart from BO1 :)) Just came to fangirl tbh :D
"Alas poor Nupraptor, I knew him well....well not really." Memories of fifteen year old me and my friend laughing at that. Thank you for covering this gem. Still have my original copy.
Blood Omen is great, but I believe the best story for a character still is the Raziel's. He's an extremist, a vile psychopath set on a genocidal crusade in his human life... And not a noble knight. After his death (don't wanna spoil it) in a, hm, ironic fashion he gets resurrected by the force he swore to obliterate and he again sets of on a path of genocide, now in the name of the side (vampires) he used to hate and kill with no remorse. He threads his path again, like an inglorious knight and at pivotal moment, gets his life stolen again... After the second rebirth, he seems to have fallen prey again to what Ariel warns about: rage. It ensnares him once more, but after more discoveries a raging, murderous psychopath on a path of bloody revenge seems to learn for the first time in his life (or lives, for that matter). After the events of Soul Reaver 2 especially, Raziel is finally grown out of that crazed radical persona he was so used to being. He's now more compassionate and understanding, even though a little bit broken by events and him finally grasping what a monster he used to be all his extremely long life (lives?). He doesn't become a pacifist, but now his goals are much better thought out and the killing is not happening purely because of the rage, hatred and manipulation. Tho he has a revenge moment, he quickly learns his revenge (in Defiance) is just another trick played on him by the powers that be. By the end of Defiance, Raziel is finally redeemed and manages to achieve his true purpose... I think it's quite a beatiful story that isn't told too often in videogames, especially in this amazing way. Kain has his moments, but I think with all that detail for the redemption ark of Raziel, he definitely wins just because it had more of a focus in the grand narrative of the games that followed Blood Omen (SR1, SR2 and Defiance).
I see a legacy of Kain video, I click. Still haven’t finished the series, only played the soul reaver section, but I’ve watched a lot on the lore. Too bad it was never finished. Wouldn’t even mind a reboot with the original vision.
I heard that there will be new games since the owner has changed. Could that Dream come true? I never stoppt Dreaming so... Time will tell p.s: Blood Omen is a God given nothing more and nothing less it is that f.ing good!
I at least hope Soul Reaver 2 gets remastered for its 20th anniversary of release. (I'd really like to see any of the games remastered. This series is a gem) I adore the series, even though I just got into it two years ago. This game had very amazing qualities which made it memorable.
I dunno. I initially wanted to disagree, but I'm becoming more inclined to concede that idea as I think about it. I feel that since a lot of the more iconic dialogues happen in later entries that may be skewing my perception in their favor. Although, something about the Sarafan Stronghold and its stained glass windows will linger in my mind until I rot. I can confidently say that gameplay aged the best out of anything in the whole series. The only thing that holds a candle to it in my book is Blood Omen 2, and that's only because you could snatch someone up by the throat and really flex that vampire strength. I'm always hoping a game will let me do something like that again, but alas, no luck.
I decided to add them because I discuss the very ending of the game. There's definitely lots of people who haven't played it and might feel it takes a lot away. Better safe than sorry I say.
I would rather see these games updated and remastered then a new game made, without Amy Henning at the helm I don't have faith anyone could manage the series.
I am so glad that you did this game, the legacy of Kain series, in general, is such an underrated and underestimated game franchise... the LoK Series was *always* a treasure of my childhood gaming experience! Soul Reaver was my first experience, thus my introduction to the series although I played every following installation of this series as it released up until it's end. As long as it would be done correctly &.as long as it remained faithful to key the pillars of the story (no pun intended), a remake is definitely in order...
Given the choice, whether to rule a corrupt and failing empire; or to challenge the fates for another throw - a better throw - against one's destiny... But does one even truly have a choice? ... One can only match, move by move, the machinations of fate... and thus defy the tyrannous stars. - Kain These games had amazing writing.
I've been saying for over a decade that the first game is the only one that has a vibe or ideas worth salvaging. Great gothic vampire series with an Eastern European vibe, despite its eccentric nature its theme of revenge is simple and easy to grasp. The later games were a confusing mess of Lovecraft and weird sci-fi time travelling angels with wings - they were a mess and each one only took the series deeper down a bizarre and unappealing path. Let's face it the only people who preferred the later games to the original were Hot Topic fanatics.
I think SR2 was alright for the direction it went, and in fairness to Defiance Amy Henning had to cobble together something to make the mess of BO2 storyline mesh in with the plotline of the series. SR2 and BO2 were made at the same time and apparently the BO2 team weren't really given a lot to go with. They has split up the main team, but it was mostly art directors and coders, with Amy working on the SR2 team. So the BO2 team was flying blind save for Square going "Here are these characters, make a game with them!". Blood Omen 2 I think could have been a great game on it's own, it's only fault being shoved into a long running series that already had established lore and characters it ended up throwing a couple wrenches in.
Nicely done video! I have a few observations to add. I would not call BO1 black sheep (that would be BO2) as most fans consider BO1 and SR1 to be the best in the series. Another thing is that the later games exposed that Kain had no free will in BO1 and it was always orchestrated for the Pillars to fall by the Hylden. Last thing, SE which holds the IP rights, not CD.
They should remain dead, just like Castlevania, Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid. Games should inspire people to create new games, not rehash the same ideas in a world that has moved on. The ability to play their definitive editions on modern hardware would be nice though.
Thanks for this one! I did try out the PS1 version of BO several years ago on a PSP but despite all the tone and presentation highs (and that exploration, by god that proto-metroidvania exploration), collision jank and a nasty difficulty spike had me putting it down. This video reminded me of all the things I loved about all I played. I might end up giving it another shot...
If there is ONE thing I've done right in my life...it's growing up with this series I really hope just before my last breaths I get to experience the last entry that I've been waiting for all these years
Could it be Dark Souls had a little inspiration from this? All the change from human to another entity (vampire or undead). From being nothing to then decide the future of your world, sacrificing yourself for a (unsure) "good ending" or becoming the ruler of the dark future. Thanks a lot for the video, greetings from Panama!
I never clicked a video so fast in my life, thanks for covering this! :) Soul Reaver 2 was my first game, and I sadly never got to play the others, but I'm so hyped you're doing this! :D
Don't forget that BO as a Action RPG with top down view gameplay, a YEAR before Diablo came out... If all Action RPG with top down view that came after Diobal are called Diablo-LIkes, Diablo is in fact a Blood Omen-Like...
WOW, was this a hell of a lot different to what I thought. First off I thought the "tragic tale" might refer to some corporate bullshit that got it buried, because I haven't seen hide nor hair of it since I played the demo on PC when it was first released. I thought the game was just gonna be a campy vampire rampage, as a nine year old I loved it lol I had no idea it would be that dark and fucked up, nor that it was a multiple ending 14 hour ordeal. I'm really glad it's for sale somewhere, I thought it was gone forever and I was afraid I'd never get to play it properly. Thank you for this, it sparks great joy ^_^
Hey Formidable News! Blood Omen has *finally* been released on GOG.com.
Get it here, DRM-free: af.gog.com/game/blood_omen_legacy_of_kain?as=1628879817
Hell yeah!
Thanks!! I can now legally own this gem!!!
Our patience has been rewarded.
Q
Thanks man 👍🙏🌈
"Suppose you throw a coin enough times...suppose one day...it lands on its edge..."
Chills, I tell you. Chills.
The dialogue is just….. ITSa SO GOODa I CANTa FINDa THA WORDSa TO DESCRIBE IT
No game series can match the beautiful dialogue and intricate storytelling that is Legacy of Kain.
**Incoming Silent Hill
@@nomadson615 lol
except for Gay World
Truth!
@@nomadson615 Enviromental storytelling at it's best. I need to plau bloodborne again. I've been away from sweet, blood soaked Yharnam for too long.
The moment you started Soul Reaver 2 and you hear: "Kain refused the sacrifice!" 😳
Cue the sickest intro music in existence!
I had a friend who lent me the first game and his PSone and I blew through it in a weekend. I chose the sacrifice, and then when I heard there was a second (which I then played), I was ecstatic.
I took it home, sat down, popped it in... and cried out in shock when I realized they went with the evil ending for the canon end. That was almost never done in those days!
@@ChargeQM I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever seen. It changed the way I thought of stories. It literally made me a more open minded person. I'm who I am today because Soul Reaver taught me how even the bad guys have a story, and sometimes that's worth telling.
who didnt refuse the sacrifice? honestly?
@@usern4metak3ns First time off, I didn't. It was something like "He did the right thing, he saved Nosgoth, but no one will know and nobody remembers him." AFTER ALL THAT!? Screw that! Also, since I played Soul Reaver much earlier in my life, I knew the refusal was the canon one, so I wanted to see the alternative first :)
Legacy of Kain is one of the greatest game-series there ever was, and really deserve to be re-released in some way for easier access to new gamers. The versions on Steam and GOG aren't ideal, even if it's nice that they (minus Blood Omen) are at least available. I hear many cry for remakes or remasters, but I think a first priority should be to have versions that are simply easier to run, and to get the rights for Blood Omens sorted out. It's truly a masterful game, probably the best in terms of gameplay in the series, and still holds up today. I know the intro to this and the Soul Reaver-games by heart, and Simon Templeman is one of my favourite actors. It's good that Bioware gave him some good parts in their games, but it's a damn shame that not many know of him. Also, R.I.P Tony Jay. You will always be the hub of the wheel.
Why aren't the Steam and GOG versions ideal? I was thinking of getting them just for nostalgia's sake.
i think Digimon game series is the best game series for its gameplay and fun fact
@@TalkingAboutGames They can be hard to get running properly (though I hear the GOG-versions are a bit better) and at least Soul Reaver 1 is only playable with the keyboard, as there is no controler-support.
They are usually quite cheap though, so I would recommend getting them anyway.
@@freaknr1 I see, thanks for the answer.
@@TalkingAboutGames You're welcome. 🙂
"free will is an illusion"
the speech that made me love Kain as a character
I very often revisit the opening scene of soul reaver 2. The music in conjunction with the writing, and especially the voice acting, make for a legendary scene. That much holds true for basically the whole series.
@@terreausore2435 i just like it cause its a great scene, very well voice acted and shows us why Kain is a villain
@RagnarRox - Nice job on this video. Thank you very much for the kind words about Blood Omen - it will always have a special place in my heart. There are a few factual errors in the video but overall the significant research put into this video shines through. I am now working on the spiritual successor to Blood Omen called Deadhaus Sonata. If you ever want to connect and talk about Blood Omen further, let me know, it would be my pleasure.
How is this not top comment
Denis, we don’t deserve you! I can’t wait to see the finished product. I’ve been waiting nearly two decades for something that will scratch my nosgoth itch. Good luck to you, sir.
@@Slunked Thank you for the kind words and support! :)
Vae Victus!
I would be extremely interested to hear more about this. I full appreciate that it won't be set in Nosgoth because of layer-y reasons but if it has a similar vibe to Blood Omen...well, colour me very intrigued.
I like the fact that now that I'm starting to dig deep into this game, there comes Ragnar. I must have impeccable timing.
Synchronicity, you might it even call it.
Same! Super weird I watching watching some playthroughs of Defiance just a few weeks ago
Literally just watched the 6 hour movie this week. Too weird
The thing to remember about this series is that while there are good and bad things about gameplay, the reason you play these games is the story. The voice acting. The atmosphere. It makes everything else worth it. While blood omen and soul reaver 1 was the probably the best, they were two different games and I respect the way they changed the gameplay for Raziel and made it a different experience. Kain is a great character but Raziel? Well Raziel is a brilliant character with brilliant and perfect character arc and story. Gosh I miss this type of storytelling....
Also, This is Amy Henigs finest work/contribution.
I can only hope that one day this game series will return from the shadows and we can once again assume the role of Kain. The story was truly one of a kind, imo. Kain is an amazing anti-hero, and was a great character that allowed you to be "evil" while going forward to a greater goal. The lore is one of those that really is amazing, the voice acting was spot on, and the music was epic.. hearing that Soul Reaver intro cinematic music still gives me goosebumps, and in some of the online/multiplayer games I play, I will /yell or say "Vae Victus!" then nerd out whenever I find someone who got that reference.
Also, I actually collected each release of this game, including the original release casing/manual to the first Blood Omen.. one of my prized games I still have... totally worth going back to play on the PS/PS2. :)
Now, if you were to use the proper Latin translation, it would be "vae victus ad et." "Vae victus" legit translates to "woe defeated." When I realized that while on Google translate for indirectly related reasons, I fixed the translation lol. Crystal Dynamics have even publicly said it was incorrect and that they would check their translations next time.
It's basically the same problem as people adding in words to trhe 'translation' of "memento mori" to claim it means "remember you will die" even though it would only translate to "remember death." Google translate and too much time on one's hands is an... Interesting hobby.
EDIT: Don't even get me started on the Addams family motto. It not only doesn't translate to English whatsoever (it's complete gibberish), but seems _impossible_ to do so the other way on Google translate, if possible at all.
Kain is actually a hero
@@jaredmartin7040 This is funny, considering their writer considers him a villain. I settled on anti-villain and called it a day.
@@Daggeira At the start of Blood Omen definitely but at the end of Defiance he's certainly more of a hero
@@jaredmartin7040 Yeah, I'd say villain in BO, anti-villain in SR, anti-hero in BO2 and SR2 and definitely a hero in Defiance. I think he did a bit too much thinking after casting Raziel in lmao
Definitely one of the more complex character developments in the course of a series.
I still listen to the soundtracks of the entire franchise, especially the ones by Kurt Harland. They did so much for the mood of the setting.
Me too. Brilliant music!!
The music is amazing. All the sound work is incredibly good.
I recommend his band Information Society, especially Kurt's solo album "Don't be afraid" it's got a good number of tracks similar to his soundtracks but in a more dark electro style.
In fact Soul Reaver's main theme was originally from that album before being used on SR
The theme was a song that already existed, they simply reworked it to fit the game, Ozar Midrashim!
Ozar Midrashim is *THE* theme to Legacy of Kain, and I'm so glad they got permission from Harland to use it~
"OH PLEASE, HELP ME, KIND SIR! OOOOooOooohhh sob sob sob" x9999
The best line, non main character line had to go to Magnus. Blood Omen 2... Well we won't speak of it, except the first time we see Magnus almost makes it worth it.
+No, no please don't let him hurt me!+
"It mustn't be blanched. It mustn't be poached. *Crash* It must be fresh! Where is my meat?! Running with blood! Sopping with gore! There theeeerrrrre!
I was literally /just thinking/ "you know what I could use right now? A RagnarRox video" and here we are. Thank you for just making my night :D
To this day the LoK games are still the best story ever told in this medium. Trust me, I've dug through the timelines, paradoxes, and it all checks out. It's a vampire tale, a time travel story, an epic, a tale of friendship... Simply superb.
I cut my teeth on these games, no time travel story gets their paradoxs and plot holes past me.
Incorrect. Final Fantasy 7 is the greatest game ever created... there is no argument that can refute this. Shadow of the Colossus is number 3 o. That list and LoK is like number 9. Of the top 10.
But number one will always and forever be FF7.
@@JM-bc1gd Nope. The creation of Cait Sith forever marks FF7 as an inferior product to Blood Omen.
@@JM-bc1gd thats a completely subjective opinion though
@@JM-bc1gd Obviously you have never played Hello Kitty Island Adventure
While everyone else had Mario, Legend of Zelda or Pokemon as they were growing up...I was that twisted child whose fondest video game memories were of Legacy of Kain.
I am forever, to this day, the girl still obsessed with the series who refuses to move on. LoK will always hold a special place in my heart. 🖤
Did you hear the creator, Mr. Dyack, is creating a new franchise? Check out Deadhaus Sonata!
Nothing against mario or specially Zelda but Pokemon has been a mediocre product that has grown so much that the games don't matter anymore, is really cruel and unfair that legacy of kain got forgotten while Pokemon raised to unmeasurable degree and this last generation proof me right.
Vae Victus !!
@@ralfxephon1 Hehe. LOK taught me history. Look up the historical significance and origin of Vae Victus.
I've never owned a N64, so yeah I was that kid playing Soul Reaver instead of Zelda.
youtube algorithm actually being good to me for one
I'd love to see the whole series be remade... but there's just no replacing Tony Jay
A remake would result in similar things you saw with Nosgoth - just retcons and companies doing whatever they liked with the ip. Some good things are best left alone to be good.
Are there any legal repercussions to using machine learning to mimic his voice? The tech is advancing very rapidly.
@@element1111 depends on whether Jay has an estate for starters
In 2016/17 there was some concept to remake (or maybe reboot) the series. Project name was simple "Omen", but it was not picked up by Square Enix.
it's impossible, do not wish for heresy
Holy shit I never thought someone would actually be making a video about these games. I grew up playing Soul Reaver 2 as a kid without owning any of the previous games and being so confused but I loved it anyways. I had no idea there were previous games, this is so exciting
MandaloreGaming and BoukenJima have some excelent videoes about Blood Omen as well. Highly recommended. :)
There are quite a few channels dealing with LOK, may I suggest also for you to look at The Lost Worlds - Official, ChocolateRob, LordDamianus, The Hylden and others.
LOK is quite a well known series just has not had a game in forever
@@jaredmartin7040 I remember them trying to make like, an MMO based on it at one point?
@ I grew up playing soul reaver 2 since it was my dads, I’m 20 lol
I’m a simple creature. I see Legacy of Kain, I click.
Kain is such an indepth character.
The Heart of Darkness.
"Life *is* prescious Yannos discovered. As it was torn bleeding and throbbing from his own body."
Holy crap, I can't believe I actually remembered that.
@@RequiemPoete *Janos
It sucks that the voice actors for this game are dead / retired. We needed 1 more game to wrap everything up.
@Sam Robards why does square enix feel the need to ruin something genuinely beautiful, only to bring that decrepit garbage dead sun into existence? 😢
@Sam Robards it begs the question, why WAS dark prophecy canceled? I think we all agree that it would've been AWESOME.
I want a remake, but also don't want one. The idea of it being badly redeveloped is scary.
bro, imagine cdpr remake the franchise
@@112523 I can see it going great as well. Apart from the story and map design, the combat system is quite bland in today's standards. CDPR would have what it takes to fill it up with something more interesting.
But to be honest, for a game in the gothic horror style of Legacy of Kain, the gameplay would have to be pretty brutal. Like putting Doom games to shame level of brutal. Not sure how many developers would be willing to take the risk.
@@rumplstiltztinkerstein The Legacy of Kain series is nowhere near that brutal, and I wouldn't attribute it to technological limitations either. It's dark, certainly gory, but not more gruesome then any of the gibbing we see in basically any iteration of DOOM.
This got me thinking about how I'd love to see Kain pull off some finishers like Geralt. Better than, even. Though I'd more so like to see the grapple system from Blood Omen 2 reincorperated. There's something so satisfying and empowering about grabbing some little fucker by the throat and maiming them however you see fit.
@@FilthyNobeard I can't disagree with you. My line of thought was in thinking about how the soul reaver games had this mechanic of killing vampires with "vampire killing" tools, like running water, stakes, fire...
In today's technology a developer could get way more creative in using those tools than back then. What if the opponents tried to do the same thing to Raziel and Kayn, like empalling, decapitating, and so on.
Honestly...it's really quite impossible in this day and age. Even CDPR has been hit by the corporate side, look at Cyberpunk 2077. The story is just too much for most mushy-brained gamers these days. While the gameplay overall could be overhauled, they could easily just make it super gory and violent. While the Legacy of Kain games are by nature slightly in that vein, most people developers would go way too far.
The atmosphere would be hard to recapture, as we've seen a lot of remakes completely miss the mark on getting their atmosphere's right. And that's, again, not counting on them screwing the story just to make it "easy to understand." Then add in the loss of Tony Jay (voice actor for Mortanius in Blood Omen, then the Elder God in Soul Reaver 1&2 and Defiance) it's basically impossible.
Silicon Knight's Denis Dyack has started a new game studio, Apocalypse Studios. He's got some of the original team back and they're working on making a spiritual successor to LoK called Deadhaus Sonata. Unfortunately, it's not a sequel and there is no Kain, but the dark atmosphere of this upcoming game is the "direction he would have wanted the Kain universe to go". The game is still in really early stages of development and will be a free-to-play action RPG, with the alpha coming out hopefully sometime next year. I know it might not be what you expect, as it is not a direct sequel, but I encourage you to go check it out. Their website goes really in depth about the lore we know of so far, game mechanics and classes, etc... I'm seriously not doing it justice here. deadhaussonata.com
wow this is such a good information... thanks for sharing this. :D
If only I still liked Dennis Dyack
Isnt Dennis Dyack a scam dev now?
It's a free to play multiplayer game so that's a hard pass.
"free to play action RPG" is a big yikes from me.
I love this series, i was so mad about that dumb mmo.
It wasn't an MMO. It certainly was a gross departure from the original series (and the single player game it was supposed to be attached to seemed really crass and bland), but on its own merits as a team based asymmetric PvP game it was fantastic. Not many games let me revel in the profane might of vampirism, so on that basis alone Nosgoth had my attention.
There is a magical operation of maximum importance: the initiation of a new aeon...
When it becomes necessary to utter a word...
The whole planet must be bathed in blood...
Malek! MALEK!
Call your dogs! They can feast upon your corpses!
Metal gear has Hollywood style voice acting, Legacy of Kain has shakespirian play voice acting. Two different things.
I would love to hear you talk about hellblade: Senua’s sacrifice!
if they make a new game they need to get away from environmental puzzles and focus on plot and action
25:50 Listen to that sweet Shin Megami Tensei 3 soundtrack. That alone guarantees a like.
I've noticed Legacy of Kain is rising from its sanctuary. The legacy cant be kept forgotten for long, it is rising again.
This is still one of my favorite games as I played it in my formative years. Simon templeman's voice carries one of the coolest protags into the world. That's not even getting into the voice work and lines in the later material.
OMG a LoK video! YES! Uggh I miss this series so much. I miss being face-deep in the lore and the voice acting (and I miss Tony Jay)
20:36 the secret about the marketing team, is that they are almost never good for the marketing of the game!
Rewatching this now that the whole copyright stuff is now in a different place, with hopes that the series finally get the new chance it deserves
To this day, Defiance is still one of my favorite games. And every day that goes by without a proper sequel to truly finish the series is a goddamn tragedy.
I played this and beat it in the 90s while I had the flu. I felt miserable for two or three days, but the experience with the story and exploration just transported me for a few days.
Such an incredible game. Just started my first playthrough in about 25 years yesterday. Having a blast. Forgotten most of the game.
Blood Omen 1 is my second favourite game from the LoK series. When I first played it, 10 years after finishing Blood Omen 2, Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance I was absolutely blown away by how well the atmosphere of the game was crafted.
I just want these games remade, I'd love to see them all just graphically remade even. Although it'd be better if they could fix the gameplay issues of each game, but unfortunately, I doubt it'll ever happen
It REALLY fucks with me that were only 3 years away from Blood Omen:Legacy of Kains 30TH ANNIVERSARY! I remember the DAY i got the game...i was so excited to finally be playing as the Villian. The VAMPIRE. And it sure didnt dissapoint me! Still doesnt. Im so happy its finally on GoG where it deserves to be! I still own my copy for the PS1 after all these years..
Next most precious forgotten hidden gem: fear effect
What an amazing work Ragnar! Can't wait to see a next one on Kain's series!
6:14 I kindly disagree, I have played both and I found soul reaver 1 platforming sections much more infuriating than TR1 platforming. In Soul Reaver Raziel moves really fast, he slips a lot and the jumping is really not accurate which makes some sections really tedious because you fall in the water, get to the other side, have to go back to a corpse and repeat the whole section. In TR1 Lara is really slow to move but every move is much more accurate giving you more control.
*Cough* Deadhaus Sonata *Cough*
Everyday i hope for a remaster of this complete series! Blood Omen 2 has always been my favorite even though its technically only a side story in the wheel of time traveling that is the full and more canon legacy.
I would pay an obscene amount of money for an HD re-release of Blood Omen on PC.
Squeeenix and Acti-Blizzard *need* to get that IP rights quagmire squared.
EDIT: and, let's be honest: the "black sheep" of LoK is Blood Omen 2. I'd argue it has the best, most refined gameplay formula, and some really interesting environmental storytelling; though obviously the overall story and its connection to the Raziel trilogy are tenuous and leave a whole bunch of plot holes (Vorador is alive? how?) but it's certainly the most derided game in the LoK fandom.
Loved it! Now its owned by Embracer, we MIGHT have some joy at finally getting a sequel, heck I'd settle for a full series remaster (even though I own all of the discs still apart from BO1 :)) Just came to fangirl tbh :D
I bought Blood Omen with my PS One on the same day Princess Diana was killed.
Alas poor Nupraptor for I knew him well.......well not really.
Better watch out for Any Hennig. She'll steal your franchise from you.
She's only done it THREE times...
"Alas poor Nupraptor, I knew him well....well not really." Memories of fifteen year old me and my friend laughing at that. Thank you for covering this gem. Still have my original copy.
Blood Omen is great, but I believe the best story for a character still is the Raziel's. He's an extremist, a vile psychopath set on a genocidal crusade in his human life... And not a noble knight. After his death (don't wanna spoil it) in a, hm, ironic fashion he gets resurrected by the force he swore to obliterate and he again sets of on a path of genocide, now in the name of the side (vampires) he used to hate and kill with no remorse. He threads his path again, like an inglorious knight and at pivotal moment, gets his life stolen again... After the second rebirth, he seems to have fallen prey again to what Ariel warns about: rage. It ensnares him once more, but after more discoveries a raging, murderous psychopath on a path of bloody revenge seems to learn for the first time in his life (or lives, for that matter). After the events of Soul Reaver 2 especially, Raziel is finally grown out of that crazed radical persona he was so used to being. He's now more compassionate and understanding, even though a little bit broken by events and him finally grasping what a monster he used to be all his extremely long life (lives?). He doesn't become a pacifist, but now his goals are much better thought out and the killing is not happening purely because of the rage, hatred and manipulation. Tho he has a revenge moment, he quickly learns his revenge (in Defiance) is just another trick played on him by the powers that be. By the end of Defiance, Raziel is finally redeemed and manages to achieve his true purpose...
I think it's quite a beatiful story that isn't told too often in videogames, especially in this amazing way. Kain has his moments, but I think with all that detail for the redemption ark of Raziel, he definitely wins just because it had more of a focus in the grand narrative of the games that followed Blood Omen (SR1, SR2 and Defiance).
I see a legacy of Kain video, I click. Still haven’t finished the series, only played the soul reaver section, but I’ve watched a lot on the lore. Too bad it was never finished. Wouldn’t even mind a reboot with the original vision.
This game would have made a great movie.
I heard that there will be new games since the owner has changed. Could that Dream come true? I never stoppt Dreaming so... Time will tell
p.s: Blood Omen is a God given nothing more and nothing less it is that f.ing good!
Excellent vid. Excellent game.
I really hope they do an FF7-type remake, but use the original voices
This was one of the coolest games from the 90s. So well written... I still have my Soul Reaver original copy somewhere around here!
I at least hope Soul Reaver 2 gets remastered for its 20th anniversary of release. (I'd really like to see any of the games remastered. This series is a gem)
I adore the series, even though I just got into it two years ago. This game had very amazing qualities which made it memorable.
VAE VICTIS! Blood Omen is one of my favorites of all times, such a dark and majestic game. The atmosphere is the best in this one IMO.
I dunno. I initially wanted to disagree, but I'm becoming more inclined to concede that idea as I think about it. I feel that since a lot of the more iconic dialogues happen in later entries that may be skewing my perception in their favor. Although, something about the Sarafan Stronghold and its stained glass windows will linger in my mind until I rot.
I can confidently say that gameplay aged the best out of anything in the whole series. The only thing that holds a candle to it in my book is Blood Omen 2, and that's only because you could snatch someone up by the throat and really flex that vampire strength. I'm always hoping a game will let me do something like that again, but alas, no luck.
One day the series will have a remake, but first we need to get rid of Sony
One of my favorite game series! Sounds weird but it helped me get over my anxiety with horror movies as a kid. Cheers man!
I love the disclaimers on videos like this.
SPOILERS! _(for this 24 year old game)_
I decided to add them because I discuss the very ending of the game. There's definitely lots of people who haven't played it and might feel it takes a lot away. Better safe than sorry I say.
@@RagnarRoxShow I just think it's funny when it happens, is all. Great video, btw.
One of my favorite series. Now I need to replay them all.
We need a "next gen" remake using these incredibly complex plots and art styling.
Down voted for vocal fry and ASMR like speaking.
Somebody should try to make some gritty Soul reaver games on Core. Lol
It feels weird to hear Wheel of Time called a dark fantasy series, instead of epic fantasy.
Let’s make our own funding platform for a new reboot for the saga !!
It’s up to us the real fans to do this !
Someone got to contact the makers
I would rather see these games updated and remastered then a new game made, without Amy Henning at the helm I don't have faith anyone could manage the series.
The whole first 3mins of this video is annoying as hell. And what happens directly after that is a middle finger to the face.
A seriously underrated but cult series with which I believe have expanded my vocabulary
I am so glad that you did this game, the legacy of Kain series, in general, is such an underrated and underestimated game franchise... the LoK Series was *always* a treasure of my childhood gaming experience! Soul Reaver was my first experience, thus my introduction to the series although I played every following installation of this series as it released up until it's end. As long as it would be done correctly &.as long as it remained faithful to key the pillars of the story (no pun intended), a remake is definitely in order...
Excellent video - Truly a series that needs to return to prominence. Vae Victus
Given the choice, whether to rule a corrupt and failing empire; or to challenge the fates for another throw - a better throw - against one's destiny... But does one even truly have a choice? ... One can only match, move by move, the machinations of fate... and thus defy the tyrannous stars. - Kain
These games had amazing writing.
SMT: Nocturne music in a video about Blood Omen? Hm.
I've been saying for over a decade that the first game is the only one that has a vibe or ideas worth salvaging. Great gothic vampire series with an Eastern European vibe, despite its eccentric nature its theme of revenge is simple and easy to grasp. The later games were a confusing mess of Lovecraft and weird sci-fi time travelling angels with wings - they were a mess and each one only took the series deeper down a bizarre and unappealing path. Let's face it the only people who preferred the later games to the original were Hot Topic fanatics.
I think SR2 was alright for the direction it went, and in fairness to Defiance Amy Henning had to cobble together something to make the mess of BO2 storyline mesh in with the plotline of the series. SR2 and BO2 were made at the same time and apparently the BO2 team weren't really given a lot to go with. They has split up the main team, but it was mostly art directors and coders, with Amy working on the SR2 team. So the BO2 team was flying blind save for Square going "Here are these characters, make a game with them!".
Blood Omen 2 I think could have been a great game on it's own, it's only fault being shoved into a long running series that already had established lore and characters it ended up throwing a couple wrenches in.
Absolutely LOVE this series. But I feel like any kind of reboot would just be underwhelming or maybe I'm just being pessimistic
Nicely done video! I have a few observations to add. I would not call BO1 black sheep (that would be BO2) as most fans consider BO1 and SR1 to be the best in the series. Another thing is that the later games exposed that Kain had no free will in BO1 and it was always orchestrated for the Pillars to fall by the Hylden. Last thing, SE which holds the IP rights, not CD.
Kain and Raziel are my favorite vampire characters, ever.
I'd love a remake so long as it's given the love the original games were given
Soul Reaver on the ps1 was one of the first games that showed me that great stories could be told amazingly in videogames
They should remain dead, just like Castlevania, Silent Hill and Metal Gear Solid.
Games should inspire people to create new games, not rehash the same ideas in a world that has moved on.
The ability to play their definitive editions on modern hardware would be nice though.
I agree. But I'd at least like to see a spiritual successor.
I had only heard of this game series a year ago thanks to my stepdad and I have to say I'm a fan of it.
still have the original Blood Omen game, absolutely love it . All my WOW characters are named from this game.
Am I the only one that gets Blood Omen vibes from Hades?
Please let the rumours of Bluepoint remaking this be true.
BLOOD OMEN NOW AVAILABLE ON GOG
THE KING IS BACK!!!!
Thanks for this one! I did try out the PS1 version of BO several years ago on a PSP but despite all the tone and presentation highs (and that exploration, by god that proto-metroidvania exploration), collision jank and a nasty difficulty spike had me putting it down. This video reminded me of all the things I loved about all I played. I might end up giving it another shot...
I’m so glad you’re doing another monster of the week.
Did you guys know that Mandaloregaming did a video on Blood omen last year? Mandy/Ragnar crossover plz
I did a guest segment in his video on the Gothic remake
If there is ONE thing I've done right in my life...it's growing up with this series
I really hope just before my last breaths I get to experience the last entry that I've been waiting for all these years
Si tuviera Subtítulos, le entendería mas.
Excellent video! 😈
Could it be Dark Souls had a little inspiration from this? All the change from human to another entity (vampire or undead). From being nothing to then decide the future of your world, sacrificing yourself for a (unsure) "good ending" or becoming the ruler of the dark future.
Thanks a lot for the video, greetings from Panama!
plssss cover the entire franchise
I never clicked a video so fast in my life, thanks for covering this! :) Soul Reaver 2 was my first game, and I sadly never got to play the others, but I'm so hyped you're doing this! :D
I really hope Kain and Raziel resurface back to their former glory, vae victus indeed. Your video has such depth, great job seriously.
LET'S Goooooooo! A new RagnaRox Videooooo!
Don't forget that BO as a Action RPG with top down view gameplay, a YEAR before Diablo came out...
If all Action RPG with top down view that came after Diobal are called Diablo-LIkes, Diablo is in fact a Blood Omen-Like...
29:42 was the moment that little me was like "FFFFFFFFFF...... THISI SHIT IS AWESOME!!!".
But to be fair, this happened a lot during this series.
WOW, was this a hell of a lot different to what I thought. First off I thought the "tragic tale" might refer to some corporate bullshit that got it buried, because I haven't seen hide nor hair of it since I played the demo on PC when it was first released. I thought the game was just gonna be a campy vampire rampage, as a nine year old I loved it lol I had no idea it would be that dark and fucked up, nor that it was a multiple ending 14 hour ordeal. I'm really glad it's for sale somewhere, I thought it was gone forever and I was afraid I'd never get to play it properly. Thank you for this, it sparks great joy ^_^
Like an add I can't skip, wtf