‘Legacy of Kain’ – If Shakespeare Wrote About Time-Traveling Vampires
The Legacy of Kain series is the perfect gothic horror setting with characters and story that remain unparalleled.
The Legacy of Kain series is probably the best story in any medium that I’ve engaged with. It’s a story that (with very few exceptions) gets continuously better with each new story beat. Every character has relatable and understandable motivations, although the viewer might not be aware of them at first. Thus, it’s a story that only gets better with each new playthrough. It’s a shame the gameplay honestly isn’t on the same level.
We recently took a look at some Playstation 1 titles in need of a remake, and Legacy of Kain was obviously on that list. So, let’s dive a little deeper into why.
The Setting of Nosgoth
The world of Nosgoth is as integral to the story as any of the characters. Most of the motivations of the characters revolve around controlling, repairing, or destroying it. But Nosgoth is a world unlike any other.
Thematically, Nosgoth is deeply depressing and ruined, with a heavy gothic aesthetic. Buildings like The Cathedral of Avernus are literal gothic style architecture, but also everything is spooky and Hot Topic-y.
A lot of the story revolves around the Pillars of Nosgoth. They are a physical manifestation of the building blocks of the world and they reflect the status of Nosgoth. If Nosgoth is in balance, the pillars stand tall and strong. However, as the fate of Nosgoth hangs in the balance, the pillars begin to darken and crumble, eventually collapsing completely.
The Actual Legacy of Kain
When discussing the characters of the Legacy of Kain series, you might think Kain is the hero of the story, but you’d be wrong. Sort of. Kain is the protagonist, in that he is the driving force behind the plot. However, his vampire-turned-wraith lieutenant, Raziel, is the main character, as the one who is most affected by the story unfolding around him. There is a difference.
Kain begins as the hero in the first game in the series, Blood Omen. However, he slowly becomes more accustomed to his grisly new vampiric view of the world. And by the second game, Soul Reaver, he quickly shifts to being the antagonist to Raziel. However, as the story unfolds through Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance, Kain’s manipulation of Raziel becomes less obviously villainous and more nuanced.
The Presentation
The Legacy of Kain series is known for many things, perhaps the highest among them is the voice acting and script. Each cutscene is fully voice-acted by star voice actors like Michael Bell, Simon Templeton, and Tony Jay. Listening to the characters describe and reflect on the world around them is often near poetic.
The overarching story of the series is so deep and complex, I wouldn’t even know how to try to keep it succinct. It’s not like Kingdom Hearts or Metal Gear Solid where it’s needlessly complicated. As the story unfolds in Legacy of Kain, the player continuously learns new information which shines previously learned information in a new light. This makes each new playthrough much more satisfying when you fully understand each character’s hidden motivations and helps to appreciate those characters all the more.
Well, Now What?
It seems like a remaster of the series is being seriously considered right now. Earlier this month, Crystal Dynamics released a fan survey that seemed to strongly hint they were considering a remake/remaster of the series. I absolutely love this series and a well-done remaster could rejuvenate fans of the series enough to ensure another new entry in the series.
If you’re interested in learning more about the series, I highly recommend Strictly Fantasy on YouTube. He has done multiple character studies on the series, as well as some of the more impactful artifacts. They are well-researched and excellently presented. I can not recommend the channel enough for Legacy of Kain fans.
