Legacy of Kain: Ascendance

 PC
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 15
  3. Negative: 4 out of 15
  1. Impulsegamer
    Apr 20, 2026
    48
    Ascendance is a nostalgia-filled title that is not even worthy of borrowing the titular name of the franchise, let alone be the title that the fans waited decades for: it’s an unredeemable abomination.
  2. PLAY! Zine
    Apr 9, 2026
    30
    Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a direct adaptation of the Dead Shall Rise comic book which was received poorly by fans and non-fans alike. The whole game retcons the complete masterpiece that was the Legacy of Kain series and renders all choices Raziel and Kain made meaningless. The gameplay is atrocious and boring and the AI fluctuates from stupid to input reading levels. I was longing for a new Legacy of Kain game, but instead we got a bad adaptation of an even worse comic book. Crystal Dynamics should be ashamed of themselves since they knew how poorly TDSR was received. Hopefully, this will be a wake-up call that you cannot mess with the classics and reinvent the story just because you can.
  3. Loot Level Chill
    Apr 7, 2026
    30
    There’s very little to redeem Legacy of Kain: Ascendance other than the fact that it’s short.
  5. PC Gamer
    Mar 31, 2026
    30
    It's such a disappointment that I'm worried this will kill any chance of us getting a meatier Legacy of Kain game—but at the same time, given how Ascendance sets up Elaleth's further adventures, it might be better if Kain and his pals go back into their coffins.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    Apr 9, 2026
    Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a strange game that, honestly, I’ll remember more for its controversial story than for what it brought to the table in terms of gameplay. It’s clear the title serves as a bridge to try and revive the franchise, and adapting the events of the Dead Shall Rise comic is an interesting choice to explore Raziel's long-awaited vampiric past. However, as a game, it feels underwhelming. It features a 2D action-platforming mix that is far too simple and suffers from repetitive environments, even with the addition of three playable characters. It’s not a bad game, but it reminds me of those classic 90s movie tie-ins: attractive because of the license, but lacking any real inspiration in their design.