Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (2001)

About

In Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2, play as Raziel and journey through Nosgoth's past, seeking revenge on Kain and uncovering ancient mysteries. Gain new abilities and relics to interact with the environment and battle supernatural foes. With stunning graphics, a captivating narrative, and seamless transitions between realms, dive into this dark, gothic world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 (2001) screenshot

63%

Audience ScoreBased on 544 reviews

story145 positive mentions

stability31 negative mentions

The game features a masterclass in narrative storytelling with compelling character dynamics and voice acting.
The graphics and art design are impressive for its time, creating an immersive atmosphere.
The puzzles are more engaging and varied compared to the first game, providing a satisfying challenge.

The PC port is plagued with bugs, including crashes, unresponsive controls, and graphical issues.
Combat feels clunky and unsatisfying, often leading to frustration during encounters.
The game is linear with little exploration, and save points are infrequent, making progress tedious.

story
304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The story of "Soul Reaver 2" is widely praised for its intricate narrative, character development, and atmospheric design, making it a standout in the "Legacy of Kain" series. While the gameplay mechanics may feel outdated, the compelling plot, rich lore, and exceptional voice acting keep players engaged, often leading them to recommend experiencing the story through play or via cutscenes online. However, newcomers may find the narrative complex and challenging to follow without prior knowledge of the series.
- “This game is a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and atmospheric design, and it shines brightly even years after its original release.”
- “The story is unmatched.”
- “The atmosphere, the soundtrack, the voice acting, the script, the story - a true masterpiece.”
- “This also marks the point in the series where the story becomes a time-traveling mess, carried by the strong characters, writing, and voice acting.”
- “Man, this game is rough - if it wasn't for the story it would be a hard pass.”
- “Without contextual knowledge you will only get the plot on a surface level with encounters leaving you confused.”
gameplay
121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
62%
12%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fluid mechanics, engaging puzzles, and satisfying combat, while others criticize its linearity, outdated controls, and technical issues such as crashes and freezes. While some players appreciate the story-driven experience and improved graphics, many feel that the gameplay lacks depth and can be tedious, particularly due to repetitive backtracking and a lack of significant boss fights. Overall, the game is seen as a decent experience for those who prioritize narrative over gameplay mechanics.
- “The combat and puzzle mechanics are engaging and challenge you in the best ways possible.”
- “Every encounter feels satisfying, and the mix of platforming and puzzle-solving keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
- “The gameplay is similar to the first game; it's a 3rd action adventure with enough platforming and some nice puzzles.”
- “It crashes and freezes a lot during gameplay.”
- “Gameplay is broken.”
- “The combat mechanics are terrible.”
graphics
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
51%
6%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the impressive visuals and aesthetic design that still hold up well for their time, particularly on modern hardware. However, some players noted that the graphics show their age, with various glitches and outdated elements that detract from the overall experience. While the art style and character design are often highlighted as strong points, the need for a remaster to address these issues is a common sentiment among users.
- “Even on modern hardware, the aesthetic remains impressive, immersing you fully in this dark and atmospheric world.”
- “The beautiful game, level and character design are still here, with the visibly improved graphics!”
- “Its graphics aged really well and look very good under modern resolutions, the story and voice acting and atmosphere are as compelling as ever, and the level design is spectacular.”
- “Graphics look so terribly dated too.”
- “There are also a lot of graphic issues.”
- “The downsides are that the game is old so graphics and compatibility are really lacking.”
stability
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
3%
94%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent crashes, freezes, and game-breaking bugs that hinder gameplay. Many players struggle with control scheme issues and graphical glitches, making the game feel rushed and poorly optimized, particularly on PC. While some users have found workarounds, the overall consensus is that the game is currently in a broken state, significantly impacting the enjoyment of its otherwise engaging content.
- “It runs great for the most part for me, combat feels great, not too clunky.”
- “It crashes and freezes a lot during gameplay.”
- “I'm sorry to say it, but most of us can't even play and/or encounter game-breaking bugs like freezes, crashes, and whatnot.”
- “While I do love this game, the version currently available on Steam is buggy.”
music
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
39%
11%
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting the soundtrack's iconic and memorable quality. While some tracks are considered less impressive or recycled, the overall composition, including voice acting, is described as poetic and deeply resonant, contributing significantly to the game's emotional depth. Despite some criticisms regarding specific tracks, the music remains a standout feature that many players find unforgettable.
- “Furthermore, there are distinct audio effects for walking on different types of terrain, along with a soundtrack that complements the atmosphere.”
- “The music is unforgettable 20 years later.”
- “The atmosphere, the soundtrack, the voice acting, the script, the story - a true masterpiece.”
- “Personally, I think the music has taken a major hit compared to the first game, however.”
- “Some tracks are recycled/covered in better quality and crisper sounds, but other tracks are lazy, droning, lifeless ambiance which didn't fit the ethereal, disturbing yet lively music of the past game.”
- “The ethereal realm music is especially poor in my opinion, with it sounding more like a glitched sound effect.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
24%
18%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by impressive architectural design, detailed environmental effects, and a haunting soundtrack that complements the setting. Reviewers highlight the successful blend of storytelling, character development, and sound design, creating a dark and engaging world that remains compelling even years after its release. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's legacy.
- “This game is a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and atmospheric design, and it shines brightly even years after its original release.”
- “Even on modern hardware, the aesthetic remains impressive, immersing you fully in this dark and atmospheric world.”
- “The atmosphere, the soundtrack, the voice acting, the script, the story - a true masterpiece.”
- “Gone are the block puzzles - which some will be delighted to hear, but personally I enjoyed them a lot and missed their absence - the open level design that encouraged player-led backtracking and exploration with your expanding powers, and even the PS1 title's dour and moody atmosphere.”
- “Sound design imbues the atmosphere with a gothicness and darkness.”
- “The gameplay's certainly improved from Soul Reaver 1, and everything else (the story, the atmosphere, the voice acting, and the music) continue to be excellent.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with dungeons and combat often described as tedious and repetitive. While some puzzles are enjoyable, many feel simplistic and lack variety, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite these issues, the game offers good production value and story contributions, making it more appealing to fans of the series who can endure the grind.
- “The puzzles are quite enjoyable and the game is overall paced quite well, but the combat can get repetitive and a little tedious at times.”
- “Instead of a wonderfully crafted 3D Metroidvania like the original, it's a massive back and forth between the same path with a few 'puzzles' that range from putting your sword into a door to pick up an item and bring it here, which makes me ironically miss the overabundance of block puzzles from the original. Combat is okay, but the game's lack of new moves and abilities means it gets tedious fast, especially since it lacks bosses.”
- “To sum things up, the game is brilliant if you can bring yourself to go through the tedious startup.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
The game excels in character development, offering a masterful blend of storytelling and atmospheric design that remains impactful years after its release. Players appreciate the progressive character arcs, captivating cutscenes, and impressive graphics that enhance the overall experience, while some note that the pacing of character development can feel stagnant at times. The sequel further elevates this aspect with exceptional world-building and meaningful callbacks to the original.
- “This game is a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and atmospheric design, and it shines brightly even years after its original release.”
- “The most compelling aspect is the enticing narrative, interconnected tale, captivating presentation, compelling plot, fascinating cutscenes with impressive cinematography, and character development.”
- “In this sequel, the world building, character development, and callbacks to the first game are simply off the charts.”
- “While this game definitely keeps the story and character developments rolling, it just kind of treads water with the rest.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
Overall, "Soul Reaver 2" on Steam offers improved performance and accessibility for both new and returning players, providing a seamless experience with no in-game loading times. However, some users report bugs, particularly with realm transitions, and express dissatisfaction with the game's optimization for higher resolution displays, indicating that controls and overall optimization could be significantly better.
- “Playing Soul Reaver 2 on Steam has allowed both old fans and newcomers to experience this classic in a modern format, with improved performance and easy accessibility.”
- “Overall, there weren't any performance-related issues, and with no in-game loading times, the journey unearthing the mysteries feels unimpeded, delivering a seamless experience.”
- “With all my complaints, I at least stuck around because of the performance and story.”
- “You can't get full optimization for your 1080 monitors, let alone 4K!”
- “Very poor optimization and controls.”
- “I don't normally leave reviews, but I wanted to give anyone who wants to try this a heads up on the performance.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a sense of frustration and disappointment, particularly during cutscenes and puzzle-solving, which some players find to be overly simplistic and lacking depth, leading to feelings of sadness and exasperation.
- “The emotional depth of the story truly resonates with players, making every moment feel impactful.”
- “The cutscene where I talked to Modeius left me in tears; it was a powerful moment that connected me to the characters.”
- “The game evokes a range of emotions, from joy to sadness, making it an unforgettable experience.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is likened to a less amusing version of "Groundhog Day," with players finding it lacking in comedic value. While some technical issues, such as a broken auto-aim system, were addressed through workarounds, the overall experience is marred by frequent crashes, detracting from any potential humor.
- “Time is a funny thing, isn't it?”
- “Tried out several workarounds suggested in forums, but while those at least repaired the hilariously broken auto-aim system, this didn't prevent the game from crashing at random intervals.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find value in the sidequests reminiscent of the original, others feel that it lacks sufficient incentives to return after the initial playthrough.
- “But you probably won't come back to it for its replay value.”
- “One of the most replayable elements of the original was its side quests.”