LauraOrganaSolo
Nov 21, 2003
Legacy of Kain: Defiance is the fifth game in a series of highly story-focused games that technically fall under the category of action, Legacy of Kain: Defiance is the fifth game in a series of highly story-focused games that technically fall under the category of action, although the plot and character development are superior to those found in big-name RPGs. If you've never played a Legacy of Kain game before, no problem: the game itself contains some supplementary material in the form of the gorgeous FMV openers for Soul Reaver 1 and Soul Reaver 2 and the manual explains everything that has led up to the game thusfar. Don't bother playing it if you cannot be troubled to use your brain, though (as opposed to your combo button-mashing reflexes honed on games like Devil May Cry), as the core of Defiance -- of the series itself -- is its excellent story. In Defiance, control alternates between the series' two protagonists, Kain and Raziel in the world of Nosgoth. Kain is an ancient vampire that has been trying undo history ever since his destiny was thwarted and rewritten by unseen forces, way back in the first game in 1996. Raziel, his "first-born son," is having a hard enough time uncovering and understand his destiny, much less change it. As with the other Legacy of Kain games, it is unclear just who the true enemy of Nosgoth is, as two ancient races have been vieing for supremacy long before humanity can even recall. Graphics Character Rendering: 10/10 Initially, I was disappointed when I heard there would be no FMV sequences but after playing for less than a couple minutes, it was easy to concede and agree that FMVs would be almost redundant. These are some of the most awesome in-game graphics, particularly in regards to the realism in fabric, hair, and body movements. World/Scenery: 10/10 I thought the landscape was breath-taking in Soul Reaver 2 but Defiance is even more amazing. Whether in a snowy winter in a stark fortress or on an autumn romp in a cemetary, all of the settings are realistic and delicious. Trampling through piles of raked leaves causes them to fly up around you, water ripples when you step in it (in Raziel's case, anyway), and the architecture is breath-taking. Sound Voice Acting: 10/10 The LoK games have always had some of the greatest audio elements and Defiance does not disappoint. No matter how much the camera angles, graphics, or combat bother in this game or any of the other four, I am positive that it is universally agreed that the Legacy of Kain series has some of the highest quality voice acting around. The entire cast brings all of the characters to life, from the protagonists to the ever-embittered Vorador, melencholy Janos, devious Moebius, even the vampire hunters and undead. Effects: 9/10 Once again, great. While many of the sounds are reused from Soul Reaver 2, this is in no way a bad thing; I don't think it would make sense for the Reavers to sound different and I don't see anything wrong with water splooshing the same way it did before. There were some minor things that I missed from Soul Reaver 2, though, such as the delightfully realistic crunch of snow underfoot or echoes in some of the more cavernous areas. I love the new and old (particularly Air and Fire) Reaver sound effects, although I miss the tormented scream/roar heard in Soul Reaver 2 and Blood Omen 1 when the non-elemental Soul Reaver is fully charged. The new atmosphere of the spectral realm is intriguing and fitting but was a bit too obtrusive, almost over-done. I liked the previous background sound of the spectral plane just fine, with the music the same as in the material realm but distorted and eerie. The moaning and crying and whatnot make it much more hellish however and less like limbo or the shadow plane than in SR1 and SR2. Music: 7/10 Kurt Harland and Jim Hedges have been composing the music for the LoK games for quite some time now and I was pleased to see their names on Defiance as well. Sadly, there are very few new compositions in Defiance. Throughout the majority of the game, you will mostly hear interesting remixes from Soul Reaver 1 and Soul Reaver 2. This wouldn't bother me at all, as I enjoyed the soundtracks for both of those games except that there aren't really all that many tracks. Still, the remixes are enjoyable and well-timed and the occasional emergence of special characters' themes were a treat. Story Plot: 10/10 I love it. THIS is where the heart of all the Legacy of Kain games lie and like the previous games, Defiance is hard to tear yourself away from. It is thought-provoking and philosophically challenging, mature without being dry or boring, witty, and just damn entertaining. The characters' monologues make the game more of a fun interactive movie (or perhaps a book with audio and video would be more accurate), something that I wish more games would try. Comparing it to a movie is not to say the cutscenes drag on, it's just that the writing and directing are that good: it's a great experience. Characters: 10/10 Whether you've been playing the games since Blood Omen: The Legacy of Kain since 1996 or just started with last year's Blood Omen 2, you are bound to be satisfied with the characterizations. Kain is at his best: the willful, spoiled nobleman of Blood Omen 1 is long-gone and in its place is a MUCH older, much wiser, and much more cunning man. If you thought he was just a jealous tyrant in Soul Reaver 1, you've been wrong all this time. Raziel is just as headstrong and stubborn as he was in the Soul Reaver games and and I can't say I wasn't pleased to see that Dad still has to help him out after all these years. =P Best of all are the appearences of old favorites: Moebius, the Elder God, and Ariel all have a part to play and even a couple from whom we haven't heard from in several games make some great cameos. Gameplay Our two playable characters, Kain and Raziel, wield different forms of the partially sentient Reaver, which some say is a character in its own right. As the story progresses, both recieve upgrades to their respective Reavers, granting them new attacks, abilitis, and access to previously barred paths. Combat: 10/10 There are some games that just don't have any point to them but the combat system and while Defiance isn't one of them, it does make use of a combo system influenced and inspired by those games. Much like the Devil May Cry games, Defiance's combat system revolves around a few basic moves that can be chained together in a nearly infinite number of combinations. Both characters can make use of a telekenisis system that is innovative and fun; combined with the various different attacks and Reaver abilities, combat is a blast. Camera: 7/10 The much-discussed camera system for Defiance is very different from that of previous titles. Although it allows for a very cinematic view of everything, it occasionally doesn't move in the desired direction, causing combat to be hidden by the scenery unless one makes use of the camera control stick. This also fixes any problems that might crop up with perspective. I personally didn't have very many issues with the camera but it seems like a lot of others did. It's not that hard to tweak the L3 stick a bit and get the camera to pan a bit or just move a the character a little so the camera adjusts itself. Miscellaneous: I really liked having an inventory for the first time since Blood Omen 1 but I wish the items had had little explanations in the same way instead of just the names. The experience system was a something fun that we've never had in an LoK system before, but it didn't really play a very large part. One of my favorite parts about Soul Reaver 2 were the fabulous extras unlocked when the game was completed. Many fans expressed similar views and Crystal Dynamics heard them and has given us another riotous collection of outtakes from the recording sections, concept art, and cutscenes. Final Words I enjoyed Defiance immensely. It has gotten some unnecessarily harsh criticism, but only because people seemed to have failed to understand the camera control or experimented with the combos. In the end, I'd say Defiance is worth owning. If you're considering buying it now, do so. I was not at all sorry for spending $50 on it: indeed, I thought it was worth every cent. If you're low on cash now, no problem, give it a couple months and pick it up for $30 or $40. Either way, give it a try. You might find yourself not only pleasantly surprised but deeply intrigued, and totally yanked into the deep plot that makes this series so great. Final Score: 10/10… Expand
