Blood Omen 2

"The greatest installment of the Legacy of Kain series"

Since I first played Blood Omen, I have quickly became absorbed in the incredible story that falls out throughout the world of Nosgoth. I now own all of the Legacy of Kain series, including this new installment. And I am not disappointed.

Basic Plot:
You once again play as Kain, the would-be vampire lord of Nosgoth. Would-be? Those of you who have not yet played this game might wonder about that. But at the beginning of this game, Kain is thrown from his seat of power and stripped of his powers and of his most prized possession, the Soul Reaver. He lies asleep for 200 years, and awakes to an utterly transformed Nosgoth. He now must find a way to recover his throne, all the while uncovering a horrible plot of the Sarafan to subjugate all, humans and vampires alike.

Story: This is incredible. One of the best stories behind a game that I've seen for a while.

Graphics: These are amazing! Sure, they don't look real like lifelike, like FFX, but should they? Kain is as menacing as ever, his eyes glowing red as he sucks the blood from a victims body, blood realistically flying during battle. The effects of your attacks are quite fun to watch, and the subtle contortion of horror and agony on your victims face is rather amusing. The FMV sequences are very few, being only in the intro and at the end, and for the rest of the game, you see only in-game sequences, but these are still quite good.

Gameplay/Controls:
I am a huge fan of the Legacy of Kain series, but I must admit, I was a bit skeptical at first. But soon I found that
these controls created an excellent combat system for the game. The blocking system was especially creative, making players have to time it just right in order to block an attack and get in their own. These games never disappoint...
The boss fights are quite fun to play, just for fun even. Although parts of them are solving certain puzzles to defeat your enemies, theres nothing like the allout battle between two powerful vampires that you get at the start of the fight, before your opponent makes it a bit tougher. The weapon attacking is especially inventive, giving you 4 different kills with each, two for stealth kills, and two for when you have your enemy by the throat. I am constantly impressed by this series.

I must say, I had great expectations for this game, and it managed to surpass even those. This is one of the best games I have ever played, hands down.

Overall: 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 03/26/02, Updated 03/26/02