Soul Reaver 2: Legacy of Kain (Playstation 2)

The game is played in third-person perspective, and, like most games of that type, it features a lot of climbing, jumping, and puzzle solving through the fine art of pushing things, climbing on them, and exploring for powerful items. Raziel has access to all kinds of power-ups for his mighty weapon, the Soul Reaver sword that lets him suck the spirit energy from fallen foes (à la Elric of fantasy fiction fame). He can glide using his spirit wings and enter a shadowy spectral dimension at will that allows him to pass through certain barriers like a ghost.

The sword plays a much more central role to the gameplay than in previous installments. For one thing, you can now summon it at will, regardless of your health status. But there are also limits in place that keep you from overusing it. If you suck too many souls, it begins to draw power from you. This makes it important to balance the benefits of using it over other weapons, or even making Raziel use his claws. Raziel can no longer sneak up and kill foes without a fair fight, but combat in this game is more fun than in previous games, so consider that a push. Each enemy combatant fights well, making each fight something to enjoy rather

Amazon.com Review
Soul Reaver 2, despite its name, is actually the third game in the Legacy of Kain series that debuted with Blood Omen on the PlayStation. It concerns a vampire named Raziel and his quest through time to destroy the evil blood-sucking vampire Kain. It's a complicated and confusing plot involving a mysterious being known as the Elder God, lots of dimensional and time travel, nods and references to the previous games in the series, and plenty of combat, puzzle solving, and adventure. You needn't have played the previous games to make sense of this title's plot (although it certainly helps), so newbies and series vets alike will find this a solid and well-built adventure.

The game is played in third-person perspective, and, like most games of that type, it features a lot of climbing, jumping, and puzzle solving through the fine art of pushing things, climbing on them, and exploring for powerful items. Raziel has access to all kinds of power-ups for his mighty weapon, the Soul Reaver sword that lets him suck the spirit energy from fallen foes (à la Elric of fantasy fiction fame). He can glide using his spirit wings and enter a shadowy spectral dimension at will that allows him to pass through certain barriers like a ghost.

The sword plays a much more central role to the gameplay than in previous installments. For one thing, you can now summon it at will, regardless of your health status. But there are also limits in place that keep you from overusing it. If you suck too many souls, it begins to draw power from you. This makes it important to balance the benefits of using it over other weapons, or even making Raziel use his claws. Raziel can no longer sneak up and kill foes without a fair fight, but combat in this game is more fun than in previous games, so consider that a push. Each enemy combatant fights well, making each fight something to enjoy rather than avoid.

The camera system, often the bane of games like this, is well done. It always keeps important things in front of you yet still delivers the goods, letting you see the artwork and animation in the game in all its glory. The graphics are quite a step up on the PlayStation2 and use most of its advanced features well, especially showcasing the detailed Gothic architecture and some of the advanced lighting effects. The sound, always a strong point in the Legacy of Kain games, is equally strong here, with good music and above-average voice acting.

Legacy of Kain fans are a passionate lot, caught up in the soap opera tale the series tells. Many unanswered questions are answered here, but new ones crop up, and some will be pleased to hear this third game also ends with a cliffhanger, meaning a fourth game is on its way. As a bonus, you'll find a short "making of" feature and some voice acting outtakes on the disc. --Bob Andrews

Pros:

• Excellent controls
• Stunning graphics

• It's the shortest in the series
• The story may be too complicated for newbies

Over the course of his journey, Raziel unearths the mysteries behind Nosgoth's ancient races, and exposes the secrets behind the corruption of the Pillars and the vampire genocide. As Raziel confronts the shadows of his unremembered past, he discovers a web of destiny stretching eons into Nosgoth's history. With his destiny about to come full circle, Raziel finds the fate of Nosgoth hanging in the balance and his personal vendetta transformed into a hero's journey.

Soul Reaver fans will also be engaged by the sequel's expanded lock-and-key puzzle system and the increased number and variety of enemies and spells. The game also plays with greater fluidity due to its constant 60-frames-per-second run rate.