Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain
- March 29, 2002
- Crystal Dynamics
- 10h median play time
"Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2" is a horror action game with good gameplay, graphics, and a dense atmosphere, but is very buggy. As the vampire Kain, players navigate 3D environments, battling enemies and solving puzzles in a quest to rule Nosgoth. Gaining new dark gifts allows access to treacherous areas and stronger enemies, with in-game cinematic sequences revealing the unfolding story.
PC
Windows
Nintendo Gamecube
PlayStation
Playstation 2
Xbox
Reviews
- Nostalgic experience for fans of the original game, bringing back fond memories.
- Interesting story and character development, particularly for Kain as a villain protagonist.
- Works well on Steam Deck and has some fun gameplay mechanics once you get past the initial setup issues.
- Frequent crashes and freezing issues, especially on modern systems, making it frustrating to play.
- Poor controller support and clunky controls that detract from the overall experience.
- Many players report that the game requires extensive troubleshooting to run properly, which can be a significant barrier.
- story152 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its interesting plot and character development, particularly in relation to Kain's journey in the Legacy of Kain universe. However, many critics highlight issues such as poor writing, lack of depth, and a failure to connect with the overarching narrative of the series, making it feel redundant or forgettable. Overall, while the game offers some engaging elements, it is often seen as a lesser installment compared to its predecessors, with a narrative that may not be essential for understanding the broader lore.
“The storytelling has always been solid for me.”
“Great story and great atmosphere.”
“The story flow is so well made and the voice acting is great!”
“This is an easy game to give a negative review to, because unlike the other Legacy of Kain games which I've been playing through for the first time, Blood Omen 2 has no immersive worldbuilding and god-tier story and dialogue to string me along.”
“Blood Omen 2, however, is almost an embarrassment compared to its peers: the black sheep of the series that largely ignores the established story in favor of a pointless interquel excursion into that brief period of Kain's life between the end of Blood Omen and the beginning of Soul Reaver.”
“You can scrap this game and the rest of the story from the other games will still make sense without it - and I'm afraid the only thing this game does story-wise is give a little bit more insight into our anti-hero Kain.”
- gameplay87 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its dated mechanics and repetitive combat, which can feel clunky and frustrating at times. While some appreciate the unique vampire powers and engaging story, others criticize the lack of depth in puzzles and the presence of bugs and crashes that hinder the experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as decent for its time but struggles to meet modern standards, often overshadowed by its narrative and atmospheric elements.
“The game revolves mostly around adventuring through environments utilizing stealth, platforming, and brawling-style gameplay to kill vampires, humans, and other monstrosities, with occasional puzzle solving.”
“Great story and unique gameplay.”
“The gameplay rocks; the fighting style is unique, with carefully placed switches, good explanations by the authors, and many vicious ways to kill all those people!”
“Wanted to recall an old time... but the game crashed on me twice in 16 minutes of gameplay!”
“The bad: humdrum combat, repetitive gameplay, and monotonous puzzles; bugs and crashes present.”
“The gameplay is simple, but unfortunately, if you change the affinity, the cinematics will be bugged, they will be spiky, the sound will be delayed, etc.”
- graphics56 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its origins on the PS2, with many users noting pixelated textures and a lack of modern visual fidelity. While some appreciate the nostalgic atmosphere and effective use of lighting, others criticize the visuals as poorly aged and in need of third-party fixes to enhance compatibility. Overall, while the graphics may not meet contemporary standards, they still contribute to the game's charm for fans of classic titles.
“The game utilizes its graphics effectively to properly give you a good idea of the scope of Nosgoth as you travel through cities, the outer wastes, and abandoned ruins, among other areas.”
“The graphics are dated, but they service the atmosphere of the game just fine, using lighting and fog-of-war effectively to create moody settings.”
“Action-packed, story-rich, and beautiful graphics (for an older game).”
“I played this game back in the day and loved it; that being said, it's kind of hard to go back to now due to the poorly aged graphics and clunky feeling controls.”
“The only real issue I have with the game is that it hasn't aged very well at all graphically, and as a result, a lot of the textures are very pixelated looking.”
“Graphics are a bit too bad even for an old game, hardly any decent shadows, but the eerie atmosphere is still pretty good.”
- stability45 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and glitches that render it nearly unplayable. Many players experience issues even in the main menu, requiring them to restart their computers, and there are complaints about the game not functioning properly on various systems, including Windows 10. Overall, the game's stability issues significantly detract from the experience, leading to a general recommendation to avoid it until these problems are addressed.
“No glitches or anything on PC.”
“No glitches.”
“Constantly freezes to where I can't alt+tab, forcing me to restart my computer.”
“Don't waste your time, the menu loading is painfully slow, and the game freezes quite frequently, causing me to sign out of my computer to fix it, because Ctrl+Alt+Del won't even work.”
“I loved the game back in the day and I so wanted to play it again, but it's impossible on the PC; it just crashes and freezes every couple of minutes. Very disappointing.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain" is widely praised for its gothic, moody settings, effective use of lighting and ambient music, and detailed world design that enhances immersion. While some reviewers note dated graphics and sound issues, the overall ambiance and storytelling create a compelling experience that resonates with fans of the series and newcomers alike. Despite its age, the game successfully evokes a dark and engaging atmosphere that many players find enjoyable.
“The graphics are dated, but they service the atmosphere of the game just fine, using lighting and fog-of-war effectively to create moody settings.”
“Some of the best aspects in the 'Legacy of Kain' series are the well-detailed environments, soul-crushing atmosphere, and a world with just as much character as everyone else, and this game definitely delivers (for the most part) and probably has the most varied environments in the entire series.”
“It's fun, with a relaxing pace, the story is compelling, and the dark atmosphere all make this game a joy to immerse yourself in despite the fact that it's clearly showing its age.”
“In other words, both gameplay-wise and the atmosphere-wise, this game feels nothing like the original.”
“I played it for the nostalgic value, didn't get any because it doesn't have the atmosphere of the original games, music is poor, battle system is bad, all new characters are boring.”
“Now I know many would like it but it is ridiculous and breaks the atmosphere.”
- music18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as atmospheric, enhancing the overall environment rather than being particularly memorable on its own. While some tracks, like those during boss fights, stand out, many players find the soundtrack to be generic and lacking in variety, with ambient sounds often overshadowing dialogue. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, but it may not leave a lasting impression.
“Game is very atmospheric mainly because of world design and background music.”
“Also, as always the voice acting is top notch & all of the music is pretty great & the ambient themes help improve the already great atmosphere.”
“The music serves the atmosphere more than being memorable on its own, accompanying each environment with its own special flair.”
“I played it for the nostalgic value, didn't get any because it doesn't have the atmosphere of the Soul Reaver games; the music is poor, the battle system is bad, and all new characters are boring.”
“There is not enough music in Blood Omen 2, and what little can be heard is mostly quiet and ambient.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 57 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant stuttering and freezing issues, particularly on modern systems. While certain adjustments, like rearranging affinity or using third-party programs, can improve performance, many users still find the game poorly optimized for Windows 10, leading to frustration and long load times. Overall, players recommend caution and patience when attempting to run the game on contemporary hardware.
“Terribly optimized, I don't recommend this game unless you have extreme patience as it takes a while to even get it to boot on modern systems.”
“Having in mind that these games are pretty old, I still think they should be optimized for Windows 10.”
“Many of the complaints here are warranted as this game was not optimized for PC, but the dgVoodoo program stabilized the game, and now it not only instantly loads areas, it instantly saves as well somehow.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspects of the game to be tedious, with combat and puzzles lacking challenge and often feeling repetitive. While the world-building, music, and story are praised, the lengthy levels and confusing control setup contribute to a sense of frustration. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant drawback, overshadowing the game's positive elements.
“Combat isn't hard, it's just tedious.”
“My truly major complaint was I felt the levels were too long sometimes with the story being much of the time go here/do that, long and tedious; at one point in the story cinematic, Kain even mentions that he is running around like a lap dog.”
“Yeah, the combat in those other games was kinda janky, and I just ended up running past hordes of mindless enemies while occasionally groaning at some tedious puzzles, but my god the world-building, music, and story were amazing in all of them; I could put up with the somewhat repetitive core gameplay because those other elements were so good.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as campy and reminiscent of 90s aesthetics, blending funny and creepy elements with a well-written comedic story. Players appreciate its quirky charm, finding it enjoyable despite its glitchy nature. Overall, the humor adds a unique and entertaining layer to the gameplay experience.
“The game is campy and funny in a 90's Matrix sense. At first, I wasn't sure, but about midway through, I figured it was better to think of it as a well-written comedy.”
“- Still a fun game; the story is hilariously great and a bit campy.”
“Funny, creepy, old, glitchy—just what I love!”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find "Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain" to evoke a strong emotional connection, immersing them in the role of an assassin/vampire in a unique way. The game's story is highlighted as a key element that enhances the emotional experience, despite its rough gameplay edges. Additionally, the emotional involvement of family members during gameplay adds a layer of enjoyment and connection.
“And for a final note, I'll say that Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain made me feel like an assassin/vampire unlike any other modern game.”
“I get even more laughs when my family becomes emotionally involved in my progress.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users suggest that the game's replayability may vary between platforms, with the GOG version potentially offering a more enjoyable experience than the Steam version.
“The replay value of this game is incredible, with multiple paths and endings to explore.”
“Each playthrough offers a unique experience, making you want to dive back in for more.”
“The variety of choices and character builds keeps the game fresh and engaging every time you play.”
“The replay value is quite low, as the game doesn't offer enough variety in gameplay to keep me coming back.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay the game.”
“The lack of different endings or significant choices makes replaying feel pointless.”
