Legacy of Kain: Defiance

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"Legacy of Kain: Defiance" is an action-adventure game that follows the story of two anti-heroes, Kain and Raziel, in a dark, gothic world. Players can switch between the two characters, each with unique abilities, as they uncover the truth about their past and the fate of their world. The game is known for its complex narrative, challenging puzzles, and intense combat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 598 reviews

story157 positive mentions

stability7 negative mentions

The game features a rich and engaging storyline that ties up many loose ends from previous entries in the series.
The voice acting is top-notch, with memorable performances that enhance the overall experience.
The combat system is improved, allowing for dynamic gameplay with both Kain and Raziel, each offering unique abilities.

The camera angles are poorly implemented, often leading to frustrating gameplay during platforming and combat sections.
The game suffers from repetitive combat encounters and backtracking, which can make the experience feel tedious.
The controls can be clunky, especially when using a keyboard and mouse, making it difficult to navigate effectively.

story
347 mentions
45 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "Legacy of Kain: Defiance" is widely praised for its depth, intricate plot, and strong character development, effectively concluding the long-running saga of Kain and Raziel. While the narrative is compelling and features excellent voice acting, many players note that the gameplay mechanics, such as clunky controls and frustrating camera angles, detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the rich storytelling and emotional weight of the characters make it a must-play for fans of the series and those who appreciate immersive narratives.
- “The story is so rich and amazing.”
- “The story, voice acting, twists, and overall atmosphere are what make it such a cult classic.”
- “The story is unmatched.”
- “The story takes an absolute shit on itself; I'm 8 hours in and have 0 answers to anything.”
- “I'm really disappointed with Defiance. Sure, it's the last proper Soul Reaver game with an okay 'conclusion' if you can call it that. It's still story-focused, but much of the gameplay is too focused on tedious and annoying combat, and you have to fight an unwieldy camera.”
- “The only thing holding this heap of garbage together is the story.”
gameplay
119 mentions
39 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its blend of action and puzzle-solving, as well as the ability to switch between characters Kain and Raziel, which keeps the experience fresh. However, many players criticize the repetitive combat, clunky controls, and frustrating camera angles that detract from the overall experience. While the gameplay may feel dated and lacks variety, it is often overshadowed by the game's exceptional story and character development.
- “The gameplay is a fantastic blend of action and puzzle-solving.”
- “I loved switching between Kain and Raziel, as each character brings unique skills and perspectives that keep the gameplay fresh.”
- “Defiance has the best combat gameplay in my opinion, in terms of just 'how good it feels to swing a sword.' It also mixes things up by having you alternate in each level from playing as Kain to playing as Raziel.”
- “While the combat is again more streamlined and feels better for the first hour of gameplay, it quickly devolves into the same repetitive pattern and you really get tired of it.”
- “The key issues that this game has gameplay-wise are bad camera angles that can make platforming and movement difficult, and getting locked in a room full of enemies that you have no choice but to fight like four billion times.”
- “The gameplay is dated and boring now, but the story is what really fuels these games and it is exceptional.”
graphics
60 mentions
30 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful, gothic environments and artistic design that were impressive for their time. However, several players noted that the visuals have aged poorly compared to modern standards, with outdated camera angles and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, while the game showcases strong visuals and cinematic cutscenes, it struggles to meet contemporary expectations, leading to a consensus that it is best appreciated in the context of its release era.
- “The game’s environments are beautifully designed, immersing you in the dark, gothic aesthetic that the series is known for.”
- “This game is unbelievably good, great art style with beautiful level design, the cutscenes are cinematic and atmospheric.”
- “The visuals in this game are simply gorgeous!”
- “It lacks in the graphics department, especially the camera angles, but such was the norm for the time.”
- “One of the greatest games ever made... except the graphics are incredibly outdated and the camera angles are horrible.”
- “The game is old so graphics and compatibility are not that great.”
music
31 mentions
52 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its haunting beauty and iconic status, while others note that much of the soundtrack consists of recycled themes from previous titles. Despite the repetition in gameplay elements, the atmospheric score and voice acting are highlighted as standout features that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its legacy within the series.
- “The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the atmosphere and elevating the overall experience.”
- “The soundtracks are beautiful and they match the 'dark' atmosphere of the game.”
- “It has an overly impressive storyline, good gameplay, and some of the best musical scores out there.”
- “Levels repeat, blue guys dungeons repeat, bosses repeat, battles repeat, very brain dead puzzles repeat, the music repeats (like two themes per character, not level, character! At least blue guys' exploration music is nice).”
- “It's not that good as Soul Reaver 1; it focuses more on hack and slash gameplay rather than puzzles and horror. The game lacks soundtracks, and boss fights are just repetitive. Though it's an old game, it's like the black sheep of the Legacy of Kain series. Sorry, but this game has a 4/10; it's just likable thanks to its combat system, the rest... meh.”
- “As for the game, the plot is really cool (especially if you're into vampires), but the soundtrack is very iconic and unfortunately the most important part, which is the gameplay, is at best okay.”
atmosphere
22 mentions
73 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, exceptional art style, and immersive level design, which together create a dark and captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the effective world-building, strong voice acting, and thematic depth that contribute to its cult classic status, with many noting that the atmosphere is a standout feature, earning perfect scores. Overall, the game's sound design and ambient elements significantly enhance the storytelling and adventure, making it a must-play for fans of atmospheric, story-driven games.
- “The soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful, perfectly complementing the atmosphere and elevating the overall experience.”
- “The story, the themes, the atmosphere, the characters, the voice acting... absolutely sublime.”
- “Fits the atmosphere perfectly, setting the tone for a dark adventure that you would expect.”
- “The Raziel bits involve a lot of worldbuilding, and while his combat may not be as intense as Kain's, the spectral realm doesn't disappoint in its haunting atmosphere.”
- “Sound design is good, with nice ambient sounds that help set the needed atmosphere.”
- “Go ahead and grab it; it has a story like no other, the combat system is very refreshing after the lame, visual-heavy versions you see nowadays, and the sound and atmosphere are still unmatched.”
optimization
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is notably poor, requiring players to implement various workarounds, such as running it in compatibility mode and disabling full-screen optimization, to address crashes and graphical issues. Despite the high-quality voice acting and engaging narrative, these technical challenges detract significantly from the overall experience.
- “You need many workarounds to make it work, like running it in compatibility mode with full screen optimization disabled and using tools like Xpadder to make it function properly, and even with this, it won't display correctly.”
- “And (tick) optimization for full screen disabled.”
- “My review is on the game itself, and I didn't include any technical details (OS, system hardware/performance).”
- “You need many workarounds to make it work, like running it in compatibility mode with full screen optimization disabled and using tools like Xpadder to make it function properly. Even with these adjustments, it won't display correctly.”
- “Optimization for full screen is disabled.”
- “Really bad optimization for PC.”
stability
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it generally avoids crashes at startup and in the main menu, players report frequent freezes and various bugs, particularly in the PC port. Issues include poor controls, camera problems, and noticeable graphical and audio glitches, especially on newer NVIDIA cards. Overall, while it functions better than previous entries in the series, significant stability issues remain.
- “But it's a very buggy PC port, that's for sure.”
- “The controls are awful, the camera sucks, and the game freezes very often, so that I couldn't even reach the first cutscene with Kain.”
- “Graphical glitches can be somewhat apparent on more recent NVIDIA cards, such as Raziel's wing membranes and Kain's cape physics breaking at certain points in the game.”
grinding
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant drawback, with players expressing frustration over repetitive combat encounters and tedious enemy mobs that detract from the overall experience. The auto-camera issues further exacerbate the grind, making both combat and platforming feel cumbersome. While the story remains engaging, the gameplay's focus on forced combat and lack of variety leads to a sense of monotony that disappoints many players.
- “But in this state, I cannot fathom grinding through endless repetitive combat encounters, only to be jerked around with platforming annoyances, just to get to the good story.”
- “Overall score: 7/10, due to the grindy endless combat and the awful auto-camera that screws with you both in combat and especially in platforming.”
- “It also focuses too much on forced combat sections, with enemy encounters getting tedious fast.”
character development
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Character development in "Legacy of Kain" is highly praised for its depth, particularly in the complex rivalry and intertwined destinies of Kain and Raziel. Reviewers highlight the immersive storytelling and character design, noting that these elements remain impressive and engaging, even years after the game's initial release.
- “The storyline and character development are just as intriguing and immersive as I remember it from my childhood.”
- “Legacy of Kain features some of the best storytelling, character design, and world design there is.”
- “The character development of Kain and Raziel is profound, adding layers of complexity to their rivalry and their intertwined destinies.”
- “The artwork, character design, and environments all hold up phenomenally well.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional depth of the game is highlighted by Raziel's tragic narrative and Kain's complex character, brought to life through strong voice performances. The writing, praised for its ability to engage players in a time-traveling vampire saga, evokes a range of feelings, although some players found the camera mechanics disorienting. Overall, the combination of storytelling and character development fosters a significant emotional investment in the game's world.
- “Raziel's tragic story continues with all the emotional distress possible, conveyed brilliantly by Michael Bell, and Kain's cryptic arrogance is on full display with Simon Templeman's worthy performance.”
- “The combat made me cry, but besides that, I liked it.”
- “Props to Amy Hennig for writing a phenomenal story that somehow makes time-traveling vampires something you can get emotionally invested in.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
"Legacy of Kain: Defiance" offers significant replayability due to its dual playable characters, Kain and Raziel, and a refined combat system that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate how the game not only continues the series' narrative but also provides a satisfying exploration of its lore, encouraging multiple playthroughs.
- “Legacy of Kain: Defiance delivers what it promised, the continuation of the series that answers more questions than it proposes, a refined combat system, and replay value.”
- “Defiance is the last game in the Legacy of Kain series and the only one in which both Kain and Raziel are playable.”
- “Legacy of Kain: Defiance delivers what it promised, the continuation of the series that answers more questions than it proposes, a refined combat system and replay value.”
humor
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is perceived as lacking, with players finding the controls and camera movement frustrating rather than amusing.