Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen is a tragic story of rebirth and complicated revenge by a simple nobleman from Coorhagen. I played this masterpiece on PS1 in 1996, bought from the electronics bargain bin inside Value City. From the case art and the searing words of revenge, I knew I was in for a magnificent ride. The difficulty of this game is something that I would have never expected, even for the time. I believed Blood Omen was beyond many titles available at the time and some of the stages, (Cathedral) were and are some of the hardest gaming experiences I have encountered to date. The world of Nosgoth is so dark for Kain. after his transformation, a simple revenge tale delves into the muck of world politics, where magic, death, and the very stability of his world are at stake. the simple bar scene during the opening and the way Kain spoke to the innkeeper has a way of giving the player the impression that Kain is someone of noble birth obviously, but also someone with empathy, which is foreign in Nosgoth. It isn't until his resurrection, that you see firsthand the depths of depravity he will be forced to go, willingly, to secure even a whiff of "an honorable revenge", his frustration, apparent, the resentment of his new station, obvious, Kain is a lost soul seeking redemption that is nothing but fleeting. Kain slowly begins to understand the gravity of his role in the very fate of Nosgoth as the truth and depth of his betrayal are even deeper than he could ever imagine, will Kain be the savior Nosgoth so desperately needs or will he be a herald of its destruction?

Loved it as a kid, and now too as a middle aged man. great story line.

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is a charmingly sick venture into dark fantasy. While the experience shows its age today, it is worth seeing through to the end. This is a straightforward, top-down action game with puzzle elements. It is akin to A Link to the Past, but is also drenched in violence and twisted themes. Combat can be rather cathartic, albeit with some flaws. The interface for switching between different weapons, items, and spells is not very intuitive. Attacking or defending in a diagonal direction is not a reliable maneuver. Aside from those kinds of issues, slaying heaps of foes with a flaming sword just doesn't get old. Telekinetically stealing blood from several victims at once can also make for crooked fun. The puzzle designs can be simplistic and unintrusive, aside from a few obtuse solutions and a broken mechanic in the form of "Moon Gates." The art direction is quite pronounced here. The game proudly showcases its pre-rendered cutscenes and sprites in all their mid-90's glory. The visual themes of this corrupted world are consistently morbid, eerie, and oddly intriguing. The overall detail of Nosgoth remains impressive here. The score is also great and takes full advantage of the synthesized instrumentation of its day. Blood Omen's story is a bit jumbled, but it at least succeeds in reinforcing Kain as a badass warrior to be reckoned with. In terms of moral alignment, Kain acts as an agent of neutral evil, roaming a land deeply infested with chaotic evil. It is clear that someone, if not a few people, had a real vision for this game's plot, but it sadly was not fully realized here. The voice acting for all characters is quite good, with Kain's performance carrying an edgy, dastardly tone and a bit of snobbery. This game seems ripe for a remaster within the coming years. But regardless of that possibility, Blood Omen is quite fun and is definitely recommended to fans of the franchise and genre.

when i was 16 i couldnt even look at this game...for me diablo 1 was the ultimate horror RPG game . 24 years later and i play this game and i cant describe how much fun i have! this is an amazing game and hopefully will find it in its original box and add it to my collection

Brill