#Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered – Destructoid

The Legacy Of Kain sequence has lastly risen from its tomb as soon as once more after 20 years of slumber. True vampire conduct, positive, albeit not the one initially supposed by its creators.

Crystal Dynamics tried to comply with up on 2003’s Legacy Of Kain: Defiance with the spectacular-looking Legacy Of Kain: Useless Solar, nevertheless it ended up being canceled for what I need to consider have been darkish causes. What we now have will not be the full-fledged continuation of the story, and even the now basic tender reboot.

It’s a remaster of the 2 basic Soul Reaver titles by Aspyr, the identical studio behind the rattling good Tomb Raider authentic trilogy remasters, and it doesn’t disappoint!

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered (PC [Reviewed])
Developer: Aspyr, Crystal Dynamics
Writer: Aspir
Launched: December 10, 2024
MSRP: $29.99

Seems to be-wise, Aspyr as soon as once more makes followers a proposal they can’t refuse. You may swap between the remastered graphics mode and the basic ones on the fly. When you’re solely right here for the newer graphics, you can be very completely satisfied as each video games — particularly the unique — bought a really respectful glow-up.

This isn’t a remake, somewhat seemingly Aspyr’s try at making the unique video games look nearly as good as they ever may. As a longtime fan of the sequence, I’m fairly glad by the strategy. The one attainable draw back is the way it may fail to seize the eye of recent gamers for not that includes present gen graphics.

I wasn’t too eager on the primary trailer Aspyr confirmed. A few of the enemies — Melchiah, the primary boss, particularly — regarded a bit too colourful for the monstrous pile of decrepit flesh he was imagined to be. I’m very completely satisfied to announce that Aspyr noticed it as effectively and ended up doing a welcome glow right down to the sport’s enemies. The primary Soul Reaver is now only a bit extra mild and colourful than it as soon as was, nevertheless it positive does stay by far essentially the most fantastically foul-looking of the 2.

When you simply need a fashionable approach to replay the basic one, that is additionally the sport for you, as now you can benefit from the authentic graphics in never-before-seen high-res. On PC, no less than, this remaster surpasses even that of the Tomb Raider trilogy. Regardless that the Tomb Raider PS5 remaster’s basic graphics mode launched larger res, it pressured gamers to “take pleasure in” the sport on the authentic PlayStation’s uneven framerate. Not right here, although. Each video games run silky easy on both graphics mode even on far-from-prime PC {hardware}.

High quality of life enhancements are aplenty, as effectively. Whereas the gameplay of both Soul Reaver has aged much more gracefully than that of the Tomb Raider‘s OT, it may nonetheless do with a revamp — and it positive did get one. The digicam is now absolutely modernized, permitting gamers to regulate it with the appropriate thumbstick, offering rather more intuitive controls, and leaving the shoulder buttons free for different functionalities. There are additionally graphical indicators popping up everytime you come near an merchandise that you would be able to work together with. It’d strike some as an excessive amount of hand-holding, however, no less than within the authentic format, a number of the sport’s vital visible components may show slightly too troublesome to inform from mere surroundings.

When you take a look at the screens above, you’ll additionally discover the presence of a compass. That’s additionally an addition made by the remaster. I initially laughed on the thought, because the compass in Tomb Raider has at all times been probably the most clowned-on ineffective options within the historical past of gaming, however I didn’t have the complete image. That compass really works fairly effectively when mixed with the map, which is one other new function. It had solely not too long ago come to my consideration that some gamers discovered the world of the unique sport to be a bit labyrinthian, so that is positive to assist create a smoother expertise.

One other factor enjoying within the remaster’s favor is the story — one of many components you possibly can’t actually change a lot — as a result of it stays as unbelievable and engrossing as ever. Ditto is chargeable for the sport’s voice performances and music. All an important and less-fixable options of this sequence have really aged like good outdated blood — of the sort you needn’t concern.

This remaster additionally has loads of additional stuff that followers will completely like to dive into. Whereas Soul Reaver 2 had a less-troubled improvement cycle, courtesy of following-up on one of many authentic PlayStation’s finest video games, the event of the unique was famously chaotic.

When you’d by no means inform from simply enjoying the sport, the unique sport was the results of a really rushed improvement cycle. It was by no means meant to spawn a sequence however to inform a one-and-done story. Although I’m glad in ended up rising into one thing greater and higher, I — and so many others — spent years wishing I may go to the huge quantity of fabric that ended up minimize.

Now, on prime of loads of cool idea artwork, fan artwork, loads of written lore to assist information gamers by means of this world, gamers can even entry a bunch of minimize ranges for the primary time. These areas aren’t out there with the remastered graphics and don’t have enemies or functioning puzzles, however followers will perceive simply how nice it’s to lastly go to locations that had gone down in historical past as myths.

Aspyr is displaying their craft and care, which fills me with hopes that studio really is the one to lastly make the upcoming remaster of the second — and wonkier- Tomb Raider trilogy work.

_{[This review is based on a press build of the game provided by the publisher.]}