Windows

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

Now if this had been the end of the review, I would have given the game a 3. But there’s more. The most outstanding feature of the game is the ambience. The music is exceptional and adds a great deal to the gothic atmosphere. The graphics in the caverns are detailed, realistic and have a dark, brooding feel. The powerful atmosphere evoked by the music and graphics really enables you to experience Kain’s strange, dark world. But the feature that contributes most to the game’s atmosphere is the dialogue. Every time you come across something new (a new spell or story twist), the character has something to say. And the language he uses is special. I can’t really explain this, but suffice it to say that the dialogue is the best I’ve heard in any game I’ve played.

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is an epic role-playing game of the console genre ported to the PC. Die-hard PC RPG fans looking for stats and the like will not find it here. On the other hand, those looking for an epic action adventure akin to Diablo, yet a whole different experience altogether, will not be disappointed. I personally love this game. It's filled with atmosphere, color and a story far more intriguing and in-depth than many other RPGs available. If you want a game you can simply pick up and get immersed in with virtually no learning curve, yet deep and varied enough to keep you craving more, this is a definite buy, especially with Halloween coming. Unfortunately, there is no multiplayer support. This game would kick butt if it had cooperative multiplayer support. But if you are interested in games with a story and voice narratives more mature than your average PC title, this game will not disappoint you.

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is the latest offering from Crystal Dynamics, where you, as Kain, return from the grave as an undead, blood-sucking vampire in order to avenge your own death. Sound a little gruesome? It is. It is also a terrific game: intelligent, thoughtful, brutal, and just a bit evil.

Legacy of Kain disturbs, depresses, and delivers a first rate gaming experience. The high-paced action mixes fluidly with a story that steers players through every twist and turn of its plot. Like an orchestrated symphony, the game gradually crescendos into a titanic clash of epic powers. Winning this horrific, hard fought battle is guaranteed to leave players with a smug sense of accomplishment, and that's the true sign of a great game. It sucks all right, but in a good sort of way.

A wicked good time for those willing to accept a few technical problems.

Mimo że akcja jest liniowa, grając w ogóle się tego nie odczuwa. Zwiedzanie ogromnej krainy Nosgoth zajmie z pewnością wiele długich nocy.

Zehn Minuten nach Spielbeginn: Langsam kann ich Gegner und Gegenstände vom Hintergrund unterscheiden. Eine halbe Stunde später: Ein neuer Zauberspruch! Drei Stunden nach Spielstart: Die eintönige Landschaft nervt mich nur noch. So läßt sich mein Test kurz zusammenfassen. Erst war ich entsetzt, dann neugierig, zuletzt gelangweilt. Wann kapieren Softwarefirmen endlich, daß PCs und Konsolen zweierlei Welten sind? Warum darf ich nur an bestimmten Punkten speichern? Warum gibt’s nicht mehr Waffen? Weshalb wird jeder Dungeon, jede Hütte erst von CD nachgeladen? Hätte man hier sorgfältiger gearbeitet, wäre das Vampir-Abenteuer wirklich spannend geraten. Die riesige Welt und die Gegnerscharen sorgen immerhin dafür, daß Kains Rachefeldzug nicht zum kurzen Spaziergang gerät.

Die Steuerung ist Murks im Quadrtat. Selten kann ich unterscheiden, ob mein schauriger Protagonist mal wieder an perspektivisch falsch dargestellten Häuserdächern hängen bleibt, oder ob andere, unsichtbare Hinternisse seinen Weg versperren. Auch die Idee mit dem Gestaldwandeln erscheint zwar auf den ersten Blick ganz nett, erweist sich im Endeffekt jedoch als mäßig spannend.

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain features a rich, involving story and well-developed characters. It does an admirable job of integrating various action, adventure, and role-playing elements into a cohesive experience. In addition, it is packed with enough gameplay to keep players coming back for weeks on end. Unfortunately, it is impaired by dated graphics, poorly implemented controls, and a confining interface. If you have the patience to deal with these liabilities and enjoy good story-telling, Kain is definitely worth your time.