[Mama Robotnik]

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver debuted back in 1999 and was a substantial critical and commercial success. It was also technically and aesthetically outstanding - a 3D Metroidvania-style action adventure with no loading times, real-time shifting between parallel worlds, an elegant art style and some of the best voice acting and writing the industry had ever seen. It pushed the humble Playstation to new limits, and eventually got ported to the Dreamcast and PC.

While it was a great game, a few puzzling observations could be made as the game progressed. If you haven't played it, here they are:

-The game ends abruptly with a wholly-unexpected TO BE CONTINUED. The elaborate story that has been woven is in no way resolved.

-When playing the game, early optional areas have masses of detail and exploration opportunities. Towards the end of the game the opposite is the case, with corridors inexplicable walled-off, and tantalising ledges just out of reach.

-In the final stages of the game, video sequences (described in the plot as visions in time) show the main characters in unfamiliar locations, wielding powers that are not achievable in the game

The answer to these puzzling observations is reasonably well known now: During the game's development, Soul Reaver was proving to be dangerously too ambitious for Crystal Dynamics. Very recently, former Crystal Dynamics lead Daniel Cabuco has given us this insight:

Let me tell you, this game ate up a lot of weekends and late nights. Even with that extra time in, we didn't have enough days to finish the game the way it was imagined. There was just too much stuff. Designers had planned the forges and powers that went along with them. One day, we had a come to Jesus moment where we just had to look at the (extremely large) overhead map and just start Xing out areas, powers, and abilities. It was painful and difficult. Each forge was tied to an ability, and each ability was supposed to unlock a new area, AND new mechanics. So it was all interwoven. Each cut was not minor.. it literally tore apart pages of well thought out design. (It was like killing your baby.. but Game Devs are the only ones who cry over it.. and people who find out about it later LOL). It was cut about 2/3 into the game. I think all the remaining glyphs were cut at the same time.. sometimes having too many ways to kill a Vampire can be bad too.. we realized there was a lot of redundancy as well. It takes resources from every department (Character, Environment, Engineering, Audio, FX, UI, Design, and Production) to get a single feature realized, so we made cuts that helped as many departments as possible, and sharpened the overall experience. [...] Any flat area like that was probably a secret area or pathway that got cut. [...] The Priestess, several vampire Hunter types, Demon designs, and vampire variants were all thrown out due to time or just plain not liking the design. I even tried to make a modular demon design so we could swap in parts and make different mix-and-match demons. That idea didn't last long. I tried some Sluagh variants and Vampire Wraith designs too.. and some Spectral creatures that nested in and around the Elder God. I have them all on a hard drive or CD.. somewhere. (Source: Daniel Cabuco, former Crystal Dynamics lead, August 2012.)

Masses of cuts were made to Soul Reaver during the latter half of its development. Creatures, concepts, powers, bosses, the entire ending of the game, plot-pivotal locations, secrets, and more. Many of these cut elements were substantially implemented into the game.

To put in perspective how much was actually planned for the game, here is a representation of the known included and intended content of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The content that made it into the game is highlighted in black borders, while the content that was cut before release is in red/yellow:




Locations





NPCs




Abilities




Bosses



As you can see, the amount of yellows is immense.

I’m going to provide you with concept art, screenshots and images of much of the above cut-content, with explanations where necessary. A large portion of these discoveries were made years ago by Ben Lincoln at The Lost Worlds, and I'd like to thank that site. A good portion of the below is my own work, discovered in a year of research – mostly the character/environment concept pieces and screenshots presented. You won't find some of this on other sites.


The plot


Opening – the same for both retail and intended releases

Kain is an ancient and powerful vampire who rules an empire of the undead. Millennia ago, he sired six vampire children, and sent each into the world to recruit humans with vampirism, forming six mighty clans. The clans conquered Nosgoth in the name of Kain, subjugated the humans and contained the survivors in a single citadel as domesticated cattle. The vampires assembled a giant smokestack and belched black fog into the skies to block out the sun.

The vampires prospered. Kain began to mutate, growing stronger and more powerful. After a few cycles, his sons would evolve the same abilities always behind their master. This process continued until Kain’s first-sired son Raziel, evolved wings before he did. In a seeming fit of jealous rage, Kain tore off the wings and, with his other sons, dragged Raziel to lake of acid to be burned for eternity. They “cast him in”.

After centuries of torment, a mysterious being called The Elder brings Raziel back, and explains to him that Kain’s corrupt empire has unbalanced the planet, causing an impending collapse. Raziel, blind with rage and torture, returns to the world of the Nosgoth to have his revenge.

Raziel is taught to shift between the worlds of the dead and living and how to devour souls. Raziel emerges from the underworld to discover a ruined planet, with his entire clan apparently wiped out in a genocide.


What happened next in the retail release:

Raziel slaughters his way through his brothers, obtaining numerous abilities and glyph powers. In a battle with Kain, the ancient vampire escapes but leaves his magical sword – the Soul Reaver – to which Raziel bonds. Raziel discovers that when they were human, he and his brethren were Knights of the Sarafan, a human army dedicated to destroying the vampire menace. Raziel kills all but one of his brothers, and chases Kain into the bowels of an ancient Time Machine. Kain escapes by jumping through a portal into Nosgoth’s past, and Raziel follows. TO BE CONTINUED.


What would have happened instead in the intended release:

Note: This is not definite but heavily supported by the materials found.

Raziel slaughters his way through his brothers, obtaining numerous abilities and glyph powers. In a battle with Kain, the ancient vampire escapes but leaves his magical sword – the Soul Reaver – to which Raziel bonds. Raziel discovers that when they were human, he and his brethren were Knights of the Sarafan, a human army dedicated to destroying the vampire menace. Raziel discovers that the world is filled with reaver forges, and imbues the Soul Reaver within them giving the weapon elemental attunements.

Raziel chases Kain into the bowels of an ancient time machine, and succeeds in consuming a portion of Kain’s soul. This portion grants Raziel the ability to shift between the worlds of the dead and living at any point.

Kain escapes, and Raziel searches for further ways to progress. He discovers that there are many ancient passageways buried deep in the Human Citadel and eventually accesses the Undercity. Beneath this huge, cavernous area, Raziel discovers a Temple in which humans worship vampires, led by a mad Priestess. Raziel kills her, and devours her soul , giving him the ability to possess other creatures.

Raziel uses these new abilities to reach the ancient smokestack, still belching ash into the sky blocking out the sunlight. He overcomes the strong vampires and lava traps defending the facility, and murders its lord, Turel – Raziel’s last surviving brother.

Raziel overcomes the vampire forces blocking him from Kain. Raziel reaches Kain’s Mountain Retreat and discovers that Kain had planned this series of events all along, and had used the Time Machine aeons ago to learn that Raziel would always be executed and would come back. Kain wants the world healed and knows that he and his vampire offspring must die for this to take place. Kain advises Raziel that he will need to imbue the Soul Reaver the soul of an ancient ghost – Ariel, Kain’s predecessor millennia ago – in order to kill him. Ariel is summoned to this fate. Kain tells Raziel “You have served me well” and Raziel kills him.

Imbued with Kain’s soul, Raziel senses he can overcome any obstacle with his newfound power, and The Elder God directs him to an ancient human weapon, The Pinnacle of the Silenced Cathedral. Raziel overcomes a final onslaught of crazed monstrous vampires, activates the weapon, and in an instant moment of genocide exterminates all vampires from the face of the planet.


The locations


Beneath the Citadel

In the retail release of Soul Reaver, the Human Citadel was an optional area, highly detailed but with little plot significance. There are many passageways and ledges leading to nowhere. The intention was for the following areas to be linked to the Citadel.

This area appears to be a large network of tunnels, sewers and pipes that descend beneath the Citdadel. Some of the concept art shows multiple vampire hunters, suggesting that Raiziel would have had to overcome armed human resistance. Two pieces of concept art are labelled “chair” and “battle room”, perhaps indicating some sort of yet-undiscovered boss battle.



















(Source: Arnold Ayala)


The Undercity

This cavernous area suggests that the entire Citadel is suspended on beams and supports. Daniel Cabuco has recently revealed this about the area:

The Undercity (which I loved.. LOVED) would have used a lot of pulley/chain puzzles to create walkways, portcullises, and drop stairwells. [...] You would need shift at will, passthrough, glide, wallcrawling, and water immunity for undercity I believe. [...] Well the Undercity just didn't work technically. We split the streaming into two haves but didn't have time to reconcile the visibility limitations for playable space. We didn't have enough memory to do vistas either. It literally got the point where if you looked left you could see half the city and the other half disappeared, and if you looked right the opposite would occur. It is, of course, possible today, but you'd have to know how to add a level to the system. It was influenced by noted architect Lebbeus Woods. I also like the lighting and look of http://riversforgotten.com/ so it would fall along those lines.. some areas claustrophobic, and others vast and beautiful (and too much for a Playstation 1) (Source)

(Source: Arnold Ayala)


The Temple

Through the Undercity, we would have encountered the temple of Vampire Worshippers.
There are no screenshots of this area, but a few texture files have been discovered– with ancient murals demonising the vampires having been defaced by the temple devout occupants.



(Source: The Lost Worlds)


The Ancient Sewers


Next to nothing is known about this area. A network of pipes seems to be pumping water through an ancient structure, with two sewer-like entrances visible.







(Source: Fred Lee)


The Reaver Forges and the Spirit Glyph

In the retail release there is one lone reaver forge – the Fire Forge, buried in a hidden behind a stained-glass window in the drowned abbey:



In the intended release, there were to be five further forges – sound, stone, light, water and spirit, and a Spirit Glyph altar.

The locations of most forges was adjacent to a boss room. (Source)

Only images of three of these exist:




The Mountain Ascent


In the retail release, there is a tall structure built into the side of a cliff between the ruined city of Dumahim and the Oracle’s Cave. Raziel would have presumably used the excised Shift-at-Will and Possession abilities to traverse this:




The Turelim Clan Territory

In the opening FMV for Soul Reaver, we see a giant distant smokestack belching ash into the air – blocking out the sun for the convenience of Nosgoth’s vampire masters:



This smokestack is the territory of the Turelim and Raziel’s final surviving brother, Turel. In the intended release of Soul Reaver, this area was to be filled with vampires, eggs, fire traps and lava:

Turel's had a lot of sneaking past eggs, and great fire blasts you had to either time or turn off. [...] Yep. Eggs like Zephon, which you would have to crawl by not to activate. I don't remember too much about Turel's area.. I'd need to see the images that have been floating around. Sorry it's been over a decade for me. (Source)

(Source: The Lost Worlds)


Ariel Encounter

At some point, Ariel would have appeared to Raziel, and submitted herself for consumption by the Soul Reaver, in order to empower it to strike down Kain. The only footage of this is shown in the Chronoplast visions in the retail release:



Where this takes place is unclear. As per Legacy of Kain lore, Ariel is bound to The Pillars, and cannot leave their base while Kain lives. As she is clearly not at The Pillars in this image, the mystery remains unresolved.

You can hear the dialogue for this encounter here.


Kain’s Mountain Retreat

Kain’s sanctuary fortress, located in the mountains beyond Turel’s domain. The only existing media from this area is the following, from the Chronoplast visions in the retail release:




The Pinaccle of the Silenced Cathedral

In the retail release, Raziel explores the lower levels of the Silenced Cathedral – a giant weapon of sound built by the humans to try and wipe out their vampire enemies. The insectoid clan of vampires – the Zephonim – had occupied the weapon and rendered it inert.

This texture may be from this area – it fits in with the organic flesh-walls seen in Raziel’s earlier visit to the cathedral:



During Raziel’s exploration of this area, he opens some sound valves and three nearby vampires are immediately destroyed by the resonance.

In the intended ending, Raziel would have used his abilities to reach the upper levels of the gigantic cathedral, and activate all of the sounding pipes. The noise would have resonated across Nosgoth, killing the entire vampire race.




NPCs


Wolf Vampire

This wolf creature – presumed to be a vampire – never made it past the concept stage.




(Source: Arnold Ayala)


Winged Vampire

This winged vampire also didn't make it past the concept stage. Consider how the vampire clans evolved – with deformities based on the changes happening to their sire. Given that Raziel grew wings – could we be looking at a surviving Razielim?



(Source: Arnold Ayala)


Female Vampires

These grotesque creatures, with faces that fall off revealing the bestial devolved vampire within, were yet another vampire permutation that didn’t get past concept:





(Source: Arnold Ayala)


The Foresaken

These characters appear to be heavily armoured vampires – the three-claws that they possess instead of fingers is a sign of vampirism in the Legacy of Kain lore. It is unclear why they are armed – were they somehow aligned with the humans of Nosgoth, hunting their vampiric kin?











(Source: Arnold Ayala)


Gargantuan

It is unclear what this creature was meant to be – it looks like a troll, domesticated and armed. Given the humanoid shape standing next to it, could this creature have been somehow enslaved to The Foresaken?



(Source: Arnold Ayala)


Armoured Vampire Hunter

A heavily armoured Vampire Hunter, looking far more advanced and formidable than any encountered in the retail release.

(quoted for size, click to see full)

(Source: David Preyes)


Demons

Daniel Cabuco has confirmed that demons were intended for inclusion in Soul Reaver at some point. These concept pieces may be them:







(Source: Arnold Ayala)

[Mama Robotnik]

Abilities

Amplified Force Projectile

In the retail release, Raziel acquires a Telekinetic Force Projectile by defeating Morlock. In the intended release, he would have amplified this power (the degree of amplification is unknown) by consuming Turel’s soul. We can presume that this power was somehow needed to access Kain’s Mountain Retreat.


Possession

Defeating the Priestess of the undercity would have earned Raziel the ability to possess NPCs.





(Source: The Lost Worlds)


Reaver Enhancements

In the intended release – the Soul Reaver could be enhanced with many upgrades gathered from hidden forges – Stone, Sound, Light, Water and Spirit. The two final enhancements, the Ariel and Amplified “Kain” Reaver, would be granted on killing each of the characters.

You can find the Elder God’s audio regarding these reavers here. The site also provides us with this list of powers for each reaver, taken from a magazine preview of the game:

Light Reaver: The first blow stuns, the second kills in a flash that blinds/stuns nearby enemies. Water Reaver: The first blow stuns, the second kills through burning with water. The projectile burns enemies with water. Stone Reaver: The first blow stuns/temporarily petrifies, the second shatters the enemy and has area-effect damage. Fire Reaver: One blow burns the enemy to death, as does the projectile. Sound Reaver One blow shatters the enemy, as does the projectile. Spirit Reaver: Spirit One blow destroys the enemy, as does the projectile. Amplified Reaver: Encompasses the abilities of all other Reavers.[/b]

Water Reaver:



Stone Reaver:



Sound Reaver:



Light Reaver:



Spirit Reaver:



Ariel Reaver:



Amplified “Kain” Reaver:




Bosses

The Priestess

The devout head of the Vampire Worshippers, this mortal would have been fought in the Temple, beneath the Undercity. No in-game shots of her are available, but she is included in a piece of concept art and in the promotional comic that accompanied the game:





You can hear Raziel’s interaction with the Priestess here. Raziel kills her, devours her soul and learns the possession ability.


Turel

The final brother, mysteriously absent from Soul Reaver’s retail release:













You can hear a reconstruction of Raziel’s encounter with Turel here. It strongly suggests that the battle would have involved submerging Turel in water, burning him alive. Upon defeat, consumption of his soul would have enhanced Raziel with the Amplified Force Projectile.


Kain – Final Encounter

Using the Ariel Reaver, Raziel would have finally caught up with Kain. The fantastic dialogue before the battle can be heard here. At this point it becomes apparent that Kain is, and always has been, on a suicide mission. He goads Raziel into killing him.
While Kain’s soul is being pulled into the Reaver, Ariel screams, knowing she must spent eternity trapped with her most hated enemy within the sword. The act grants Raziel the final amplified “Kain” reaver.




The Final Onslaught

With his powers uncontested by any being in Nosgoth, Raziel heads to the Silenced Cathedral to activate the dormant superweapon and wipe out the vampire species. The dialogue for this section can be heard here. It emphasises that vampires of all kinds will be chasing after Raziel in a “desperate fury” as they can sense his genocidal intentions. Overcoming the onslaught, Raziel activates the weapon, and a “hymn of death... enough to banish sanity” resonates across the land killing the vampire race. This is the intended ending to Soul Reaver.





In conclusion

There’s my evidence for the thread title. The ambition that went into Soul Reaver is really something to behold. Its dangerously ambitious in fact, as the entire project seemed to struggle under the weight. To get all of this content, streaming with no loading, onto a single PSX disc seems like a complete impossibility.

That so much of the content is optional and found through exploration, makes me wish I had a chance to play through this vast game. Alternately, I’m glad things worked out the way they did, as a consequence of the story revision, we got the impressive Soul Reaver 2 – one of the best stories in the gaming medium.

NOTE: MORE OBSERVATIONS HERE


Bonus Content

Just because it’s another discovery from my research:

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver did not start out as a Legacy of Kain game. It began its development life as “Shifter”, a third-person Crystal Dynamics action adventure intending to incorporate “biblical imagery”. A design document and a ton of concept art was put in place before the decision was made to integrate it into the Legacy of Kain universe. Here’s the only known concept art pieces, showing very early takes on “The Master” and “The Shifter” – the characters who would go on to become Kain and Raziel:






















































I hope someone enjoyed all that!

[SirIgbyCeaser]

I've never played this game, seems like I missed out on something fairly grand. Is there a PC version as well?

[EVOL 100%]

I've never played this game, seems like I missed out on something fairly grand. Is there a PC version as well?

I know there's a PC version, but I never played this.

This is really making me want to play it. Does it hold up?

[Hasemo]

Sir, yes, there is a PC version on GOG.

Mama Robotnik, another thread of pure awesomeness. Those are truly golden for SR fans (like me).

[Prozel]

Intro scene was damn awesome.

[dreamer3kx]

[Vortex566]

What an amazing thread! I love the Kain universe and would love to see a new game on a modern console!

Darksiders 2 is basically Soul Reaver.

[S1kkZ]

fantastic thread!

i really hope we get a reboot/sequel of the franchise with the nextgen consoles.

[Ammish]

I know there's a PC version, but I never played this. This is really making me want to play it. Does it hold up?

The game definitely holds up. The PC version however, from what I've heard, was not as optimised as the PS1 version. Best version is the Dreamcast Version because of sharper textures.

I loved Soul Reaver. The first Legacy of Kain game I was exposed to. But sadly, never completed any of them except for Blood Omen 2 and that is the weakest game in the series. I should really play all of them, but I keep forgetting to.

[Panajev2001a]

Awesome thread, SR is a marvelous game, incredible even if you think it is a PSOne game too.

[Perkel]

oh my !

[BHK3]

They wanted to have that many more reavers?

When you think about it, it still is a bit of a overly ambitious project even for today. To have all that in todays graphics would be astounding.

[UrbanRats]

Wow @ all the cut content.. and yet, still one of the best games i've ever played.

[lordmrw]

I know there's a PC version, but I never played this. This is really making me want to play it. Does it hold up?

For the most part it holds up. The only major issue I have with Soul Reaver is the heavy reliance on box pushing puzzles; its best to play the game in chunks to avoid burning out on the puzzles.

[ProtomanNeo]

My Sunday morning is made!

[jonno394]

I know what game i'm downloading on PSN later.

Great read, even though i've never played an SR game.

[Mington]

I'm favourite game of that generation.

possible reboot on the way. Do you think this is for real?
http://www.vg247.com/2012/03/20/rumo...reaver-reboot/

[haikira]

Went to GOG to buy it because of this thread, but GOG is down.

[SeanNoonan]

Excellent thread, chap. Reminds me of the glory days of the Playstation. The Soul Reaver demo was the first thing I ever played on my own personal PS1.

Good stuff.

[BibiMaghoo]

Have to say I'm VERY glad the ending was changed. For me, the games have always been about Kain, and using that ending would have pretty much ruined the series, nevermind prevented further games.

It's been a while since I played it, but didn't some of those cut forges make it into SR2?

Cool thread though Mama, I thought I was a LoK fanboy, but dammit you make me look like a noob lol.

[LiquidMetal14]

Wow, talk about comprehensive. This is very fascinating and entertaining to read. Especially from someone who got the game day 1 on PS1 back in the day.

[Mington]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUyFE...e_gdata_player

Intro was so good

[Shikamaru Ninja]

I have very mixed feelings about Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The introduction of Raziel, and the dynamic of Raziel and Kain was anything but epic. But once you actually begin the game you realize that you are stuck in that drab, empty, and decrepit version of Nosgoth. Exploring through that empty gray world and moving block puzzles was not so exhilarating. The plot itself begins and ends, but there isn't much substance in outside of the major Kain confrontations.

Hennig really overhauled Soul Reaver 2 into the real classic of the Soul Reaver series. Though mostly it is the dialogue and cinematics that blow me away.

[Himself]

Thank you! Another amazing thread and great read. Even with all the cut content I don't believe I ever finished this game.

[goodfella]

:(

[HotGarbage]

Amazing work per usual!

[highluxury]

This obsession with Soul Reaver is getting unhealthy OP.

[Ebris]

The amount of detail you put into these Soul Reaver/LoK threads is astounding. Amazing job.

[Ingueferroque]

Incredible game for its time.

[Saint Gregory]

Amazing work as usual MR. Soul Reaver is one of the best games I ever played and I'm glad to finally get some answers about the disjointed ending of the game.

I played both the PS1 and DC version and it's been a long time but I'm sure that in one of the versions there was a glitch that gives you access to the light reaver.

[Speedymanic]

These threads, while great, are like a rusty dagger coated with TPC slowly being driven through my heart. I loved, loved this series and the lack of new game hurts worse than suffering through a kidney stone as it slowly makes it down your urinary tract.

I'm looking forward to replaying this on vita, like really crazy looking forward to it. Just imagining what the game will look like on dat OLED.

[clem84]

I absolutely loved this game and played the hell out of it on my Dreamcast back in the day. I had no idea so much stuff got cut from it. It's kind of depressing.

[Necrovex]

Each time I see these Soul Reaver threads, I really want to finally play it. I simply want a HD upgrade, and I would play the hell out of it. :-(

[Smellycat]

I have never played the game, but I remember the intro and the story very well!! My brother used to play it all the time. I was so pissed off at the ending. haha

Oh, and you did an amazing job MB!!!

[phantomspiker]

I know there's a PC version, but I never played this. This is really making me want to play it. Does it hold up?

The only thing that really holds up is the story and voice acting I think. The graphics are really muddy looking, the combat is kinda repetitive and most of the puzzles involve pushing blocks around.

It's a shame because I really loved that game as a child.

[Log4Girlz]

Didn't realize you were a fan. Bravo.

[daevv]

I've never played the game but remember a friend raving about it back in the day. I kinda want to play it now.

[Router]

Bloody Amazing.

[Tymerend]

Loved this game back in the day. The voice work was absolutely superb for it's time, too, and the controls were so spot on.

[Won]

That's a lot of reavers. Probably for the better that so much stuff had to be cut.

[renitou]

Returning to Soul Reaver after its sequels reminds me about what made me love the series to begin with - the story becomes grander in SR2 and Defiance, and I remember soaking up every moment, but those titles lacked so much of the gameplay ambitions of the first two-thirds of Soul Reaver.

[Mister Saturn]

I have very mixed feelings about Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. The introduction of Raziel, and the dynamic of Raziel and Kain was anything but epic. But once you actually begin the game you realize that you are stuck in that drab, empty, and decrepit version of Nosgoth. Exploring through that empty gray world and moving block puzzles was not so exhilarating. The plot itself begins and ends, but there isn't much substance in outside of the major Kain confrontations. Hennig really overhauled Soul Reaver 2 into the real classic of the Soul Reaver series. Though mostly it is the dialogue and cinematics that blow me away.

That doesn't sound like mixed feelings at all, but more like you straight up didn't like the game, and I couldn't disagree more. Within the limitations of the tech at the time, Soul Reaver felt incredible to play. The block puzzles were a little excessive, but I felt the captivating level traversal puzzles, music and voice work, and unfolding mythos, were just incredible for the time.

[SkylineRKR]

Soul Reaver intrigues me ever since its release because even at its unfinished state its one of the best games ever made.

The first time I came into contact with the game was via the demo included with Akuji. That was a whole different experience to the end result. On top of that was also the court case between Silicon Knights and Crystal Dynamics.

Its a fascinating game.

[jett]

Great post. I remember loving the shit out of this game back in the PS1 days, I also remember it petering out near the end, for reasons everyone knows. :P There's rumors of a LoK/SR reboot isn't it?

[Jawmuncher]

[QUOTE=jett;41422235]Great post. I remember loving the shit out of this game back in the PS1 days, I also remember it petering out near the end, for reasons everyone knows. :P There's rumors of a LoK/SR reboot isn't it?[/QUOTE]

Yeah murmurs right now.

[Evolved1]

This dude has like a PhD in Soul Reaver...

[Discotheque]

The only thing that really holds up is the story and voice acting I think. The graphics are really muddy looking, the combat is kinda repetitive and most of the puzzles involve pushing blocks around. It's a shame because I really loved that game as a child.

The story holds up big time. I hate to say it but Amy Hennig stepped down big time doing the Uncharted series. Sure the banter is nice but they feel like nothing more than Sahara-tier Indy knockoffs plot-wise while Soul Reaver just felt like a legitimately great written game series.

[Y2Kev]

Great thread. But this makes me wonder: exactly what was the original scope of this game? Soul Reaver was a very long and very large game, ambitious in both scale and technology. This looks like the game was originally double (or longer) in length. How could they have hoped to finish this all and would it even make the game better to be so large?

Further, I wonder if these sections would have added a bit more variety into the overall formula. There is an awful lot of block pushing in the game.

I've never played SR2. Is it a) good and b) does it vary up the gameplay? I really want to play something like a puzzle dungeoner.

What an amazing thread! I love the Kain universe and would love to see a new game on a modern console! Darksiders 2 is basically Soul Reaver.

Ehhh...

[Cpt.Underpants]

The very first games I've played on my pS1

So many good memories