$20 Game of the Week: Legacy of Kain – Defiance (Xbox, PS2)

The Legacy of Kain series was one of last generation’s most prolific franchises. Ever since Blood Omen on the original Playstation, gamers everywhere enjoyed the exploits of Kain, the nobleman who was unjustly killed and turned into a vampire. Being able to kill enemies by drinking blood and using an array of evil powers provided a refreshing change of pace from usual action games of it’s time. However, each succeeding entry in the series, from Blood Omen 2 to the Soul Reaver games, would have a few little things holding it back from being on the level of Castlevania and Mega Man in terms of gaming franchises. 2003s Defiance went a long way to addressing these problems.

Spanning across two different time periods, Defiance followed Kain’s quest to save the vampire race and Raizel’s quest to escape the elder god who has enslaved him. While both vampires have similar powers (such as telekinesis and flight) , they both have individual gameplay mechanics that set them apart. Kain can drink the blood of his enemies and transform into mist form while Raizel can shift between the spirit and material realms at any time. These powers are the key to solving the game’s puzzles and unraveling the plot line.

Although some of the areas and puzzles tend to get repetitive after a while, the game’s combat system (which is reminiscent of Devil May Cry), cool boss battles, and amazing plot twists make up for it. Although people who are new to the series may be in over their heads with the plot, fans of the series will not be disappointed with the way this game ties up the series’s loose plot threads.