Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered Image
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Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: Return to the dark world of Nosgoth as you take control of both the vampire Kain and his betrayed lieutenant, Raziel, two powerful entities bound by the conflict between free will and fate.

    Armed with legendary blades and supernatural abilities, battle through towering gothic spaces
    Return to the dark world of Nosgoth as you take control of both the vampire Kain and his betrayed lieutenant, Raziel, two powerful entities bound by the conflict between free will and fate.

    Armed with legendary blades and supernatural abilities, battle through towering gothic spaces filled with enemies, puzzles, and long-buried secrets – where no victory comes without a cost.

    Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered has been updated with new HD graphics, refined controls, and a modernized game camera with the ability to toggle between the HD and original presentation any time. This new edition also boasts a photo mode, alternate character skins, a comprehensive lore reader, and unreleased content and 'lost levels' from the original game.
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. May 7, 2026
    90
    A definitive revival that finally fixes the original's clunky camera, transforming a gothic cult classic into a fluid modern experience. While the linear level design shows its age, the haunting atmosphere, legendary voice acting, and inclusion of the lost Dark Prophecy demo make this an essential masterpiece for fans of LoK series.
  2. Mar 3, 2026
    85
    Defiance remastered is a triumph, even if an obvious one. Unlike the Angel of Darkness remaster, a game so broken that no amount of rework could turn it fully playable, Defiance was always the simplest and most obvious of vision tweaks away from brilliance. One can only imagine how much of a splash it could’ve made way back in ‘03 if released in proper form. Here’s hoping this excellent rework will find enough of a new player base to get the wheel of fate turning in its favor once more.
  3. Mar 3, 2026
    80
    Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is the latest in Crystal Dynamics' efforts to bring the franchise back from the dead. It is packed to the brim with content, including deleted levels and a playable demo of one of the franchise's most compelling canceled entries. If you've been exploring the series for the first time thanks to the remasters, you're getting one of the most outstanding mainline titles in the franchise, and a deep dive into what made this game so special to begin with.
  4. Mar 3, 2026
    70
    Built on the foundation of a PlayStation 2-era classic, the work done on Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is simply not as impressive as it was when we saw it in the remaster of 1999’s Soul Reaver. Even so, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is far from a terrible remaster of the original and is definitely the most modern way to experience the game until a full remake comes along.
  5. Apr 20, 2026
    70
    Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered offers slight visual enhancements, but the real upgrade is the new camera system and controls, which make the game much easier to play. Whether such a small change is worth the release of an entirely new game is up for debate, but series fans will probably want to check out the "best" version of Legacy of Kain: Defiance.
  6. Mar 6, 2026
    70
    Regardless of which version you own, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered is an excellent remaster of a flawed but decent game. The story is the main event, concluding the Soul Reaver saga with one of the best-written, acted, and scored games of all time. The addition of a free-flowing camera and enhanced navigation improves upon the original experience and makes it more playable for a modern audience, while the sheer amount of archival, behind-the-scenes content is a boon for fans. Some notable flaws still persist, but if you have any reverence for the original game or have recently played through Soul Reaver 1&2 for the first time, adding Defiance to the collection is a no-brainer.
  7. Mar 5, 2026
    50
    Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered brings the concluding instalment of Crystal Dynamic's gothic, operatic vampire story to the modern gamer.

See all 16 Critic Reviews