Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered Review

Just in time for its 25th anniversary, fans of the iconic gothic gaming franchise Legacy of Kain can once again enjoy seeking revenge as the titular vampire with Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered. These visually stunning remasters of two classic games remain remarkably true to the original experiences, making them something die-hard fans and series newcomers can enjoy. That being said, some aspects of the true-to-the-original remasters haven’t aged quite as well and have this reviewer craving a total Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver remake.

As the name suggests, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is a graphical remaster of the iconic gothic adventure games and their sequel. Originally released in 1999 and 2001, respectively, the Soul Reaver titles are perhaps the most iconic and memorable of the Legacy of Kain franchise, a series of games known for introducing a bit of darkness into the video gaming world at a time when action-adventure games were typically more child-oriented.

Being a graphical remaster, players can expect the story of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered to be precisely the same as the originals. While I didn’t exactly play a lot of the original games myself, as far as I can tell, things are pretty much the same.

For those new to the series, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 follows the tale of Raziel, a lieutenant in the vampiric court of Kain, emperor of Nosgoth. When Raziel shows signs of surpassing Kain’s own vampiric gifts, Kain attacks him and has him thrown into the Lake of Souls to wither and die. Centuries later, Raziel is reborn by an elder god, tasked with seeking revenge against Kain and restoring order to the flow of life and death, becoming the Soul Reaver.

The Legacy of Kain series stands out for its unapologetically gothic storytelling, presenting a world of vampiric corruption, undead magic, and corrupt churches. At a time when such storytelling was beginning to be considered passé, I personally believe we have Legacy of Kain and the Soul Reaver sequels to thank, at least partially, for the resurgence of gothic themes in video games and media today.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered retains these gothic themes and dark storytelling. It is not a remake or simply a port of the game. Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered updates the models and textures of the original games to a higher level of visual fidelity. While not quite what you’d expect from a next-gen title, the remasters maintain the nostalgic feeling of the classic games’ style while looking pretty good, if I do say so myself.

You’ll still see the jagged edges and low-poly models of a game made in the late ’90s, but with crisp and clean textures that better convey the horrific world around you. Nowhere is this more evident than in Raziel’s crispy-looking zombie flesh.

Once again, I want to emphasize that Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is remarkably true to the original, with improved graphics bringing the game closer to a modern experience. This is true even for aspects of the game that can feel pretty dated—most noticeably, the gameplay.

The gameplay in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered feels completely unaltered from the 1999 and 2001 titles. Nostalgically charming is the nicest way I can describe it; clunky and repetitive are also perfectly valid adjectives.

The remasters deliver classic platforming beat-’em-up action games. Much of your time is spent brawling with enemies using simple button-mashing combat. The game provides a lock-on button because attacking enemies without it can lead to confusing, unwanted movement, and awkward camera angles. The repetitive nature of the gameplay was criticized in the original releases, and while longtime fans may find it nostalgic and enjoyable, it could deter potential newcomers.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is a great remaster of classic games. However, while it delivers the old experience with a fresh coat of paint, what it really got me craving was a complete remake of the Soul Reaver series.

In an era of dark fantasy resurgence, a remake of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver—complete with next-gen graphics (while hopefully maintaining the charm and style of the original) and updated gameplay—could do incredibly well. The story of Soul Reaver is incredibly original and shouldn’t be gatekept by aging technology. A remake could introduce the game to a new generation of players. While we see plenty of remakes of games that don’t really need them, I think Soul Reaver is long overdue for the discussion.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered perfectly delivers the original experience of these classic games with updated graphics and bonus content for fans to enjoy. However, playing these remasters left me longing for a full remake of the Soul Reaver games, something I hope to see in the near future.

Try Hard Guides received a PC review code for this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles on our Game Reviews page! Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered is available on Steam, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox.