Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver

Computer and Video Games (CVG) ( ) (100%)

This deserves credit for being a real sequel rather than just an add on to the previous game, Legacy of Kain. It's better looking than Tomb Raider and has much more going on than some of the Lara games. It's really creepy too and you panic when you see a creature and start slashing wildly to kill it as quick as possible. You almost get the shivers...

Adrenaline Vault, The (AVault) ( ) (100%)

While many titles attempt to boast a host of new innovations, Soul Reaver delivers on its braggadocio with an amazing mix of fighting, puzzle-solving, and platform style action and adventure. The only PlayStation titles that come even remotely close to being this immersive and enjoyable in my experience is the Resident Evil family, but even they lack the sheer depth and playability of Raziel’s quest. While the appeal of becoming an angel of death may not strike home with some, most players will really be able to sink their teeth into this one. Don’t think twice about it, buy this bloody masterpiece if given the chance. Rest assured it’s good to the last drop.

Playstation Illustrated (99 out of 100) (99%)

This one is mechanics candy, as well as eye candy. You have the ability to grab weapons off of the walls to attack your enemies. You can burn them, lure them into sunlight, pick them up and impale them on spikes, run them through and impale them on your spear, you can move huge stone blocks almost effortlessly... and the 'morphing' engine is beautiful. Then you have the 'streaming' engine... which keeps you from seeing the load times. Even the detail put into eating souls and the handling of the life meters in the spectral and temporal worlds - all point to a well developed, extremely functional game.

Power Unlimited (9.6 out of 10) (96%)

Soul Reaver is pure klasse. Het is een must voor iedereen die ook maar een kleine zwak heeft voor fantasy action of vampieren. Deze game komt bij mij in de kast te staan naast Metal Gear Solid en Tekken 3.

PSX Extreme (9.6 out of 10) (96%)

Soul Reaver is like a mix of Resident Evil, and Tomb Raider, and a little bit of Mortal Kombat Special Forces. If you are having second thoughts about Soul Reaver, then I must say you do not know what you are missing.

Jeuxvideo.com (19 out of 20) (95%)

Un must ! Soul Reaver combine à merveille jouabilité, ambiance et beauté. Caméra intelligente et mouvements complexes montrent aussi que les programmeurs ne se sont pas juste attachés à faire un jeu beau, ce qui est malheureusement souvent le cas. Moi, je vous le dis, Lara Croft n'a qu'à bien se tenir !

Absolute Playstation (94 out of 100) (94%)

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver has been a long time in the making but after witnessing the final product all I can say is it was well worth the wait. With drop dead graphics, haunting sound effects and non stop action it will leave you in a similar state last experienced with the original Tomb Raider. This game is going to be another massive hit for Eidos and is a natural progression for the development team of Crystal Dynamics. I knew they had a classic in their blood after Pandemonium and Gex 3.

IGN (9.3 out of 10) (93%)

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is the ongoing history of a vampiric dynasty, and it's told with an amazing sense of vision and imagination that's rarely been seen in any game. Every aspect of this game - sound, atmosphere, gameplay, design, and especially the use of language - is saturated with a foreboding dark wrath, intelligence, and plodding, plodding details. The game world (and engine) is so evolved, Raziel, the protagonist, can shift from a spiritual to the material world, while columns, cliffs and the ground under your feet actually alter in shape -- in realtime. Soul Reaver, like Gran Turismo, Final Fantasy VII, and Metal Gear Solid before it, is a complete world, a near-perfect realization of a concept that's never been achieved with such clarity and ambition.

Mega Fun (93 out of 100) (93%)

Um es gleich vorwegzunehmen: Ja, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver ist der erwartete Top-Titel. In keinem 3D-Action-Adventure zuvor waren die Locations so riesig und die Atmosphäre so dicht wie in Crystal Dynamics‘ Mega-Abenteuer. Dabei glänzt die hochauflösende Grafik mit feinsten Texturen. Verdichtet wird die beklemmende Atmosphäre zusätzlich vom mystischen Soundtrack, der sich zeitweise sogar rhythmisch an die Geschehnisse anpasst. Vorbildlich sind die automatische Kameraführung, die euch stets den besten Überblick über die Geschehnisse vermittelt, sowie die präzise Steuerung, dank der es nie zu Frustmomenten kommt. Einziger kleiner Kritikpunkt sind die meist zu simpel gestrickten Rätsel, die stark an die der Tomb-Raider-Abenteuer erinnern. Lediglich die räumlichen Veränderungen beim Wechsel in das Paralleluniversum heben sich in diesem Bereich von der Konkurrenz ab.

Gaming Age (A-) (91%)

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is definitely a terrific game. Right after popping in the CD, and viewing the introduction, you will know that this is something special. Bring on Legacy of Kain 3!

Just RPG (91 out of 100) (91%)

Overall, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver is a great action-adventure game. Whether you're a fan of the action-adventure genre, or just love vampires, Soul Reaver is a highly recommended game. With an exciting story, unique gameplay, and excellent presentation, you can't go wrong with Soul Reaver.

GameSpot (9 out of 10) (90%)

Crystal Dynamics' long-awaited sequel to Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is a far different animal from its predecessor.

GameCritics.com (9 out of 10) (90%)

Soul Reaver brushes with perfection but falls short. It's got the visual and aural punch that sets it apart from other games right off the top and Soul Reaver is just an outstanding realization of its creators' imaginations. It holds the conceptual edge over most games period, but it had just enough holes in the final product to lose points. All in all, it was an excellent product and for Crystal Dynamics to come so close to getting it right is a triumph in and of itself. It is a "must-play" for any surly gamer who's "seen it all" or have been burned by the empty promises of other games.

Consoles Plus (90 out of 100) (90%)

Soul Reaver constitue une excellente suite à Legacy of Kain. Graphisme de toute beauté et durée de vie conséquente.

GamesCollection (9 out of 10) (90%)

Soul Reaver prosegue in maniera magistrale la storia del predecessore. Le differenze nel gameplay non minano la natura della serie, anzi è la doverosa risposta al passaggio del tempo, la giusta evoluzione della saga, che riesce nel contempo a portare un vento di novità nel panorama adventure con molte idee originali. Una storia appassionante, un protagonista carismatico e un comparto tecnico di alto livello creano una miscela esplosiva, un capolavoro che lascia il segno.

Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (OPM) ( ) (90%)

...As far as I'm concerned, even at its worst this cerebral adventure puts every other game in the genre to shame. Try it.

Video Games (89 out of 100) (89%)

Respekt, Respekt! Nicht nur für die zweifellos erstklassige Arbeit, die Eides hier abgeliefert hat. Auch der Mut, dem eigenen Aushängeschild Tomb Raider eine solch starke Konkurrenz entgegenzusetzen, verdient Bewunderung. Denn sieben dem Vampir Raziel, alias Soul Reaver wirkt nicht nur Lara Croft etwas schwach auf der Brust (im übertragenen Sinne natürlich). Dieses Spiel hat alles, was man sich als Genreliebhaber wünschen kann. Eine fesselnde Story, packende Atmophäre und eine brillante technische Umsetzung, gepaart mit einer tollen Spielbarkeit. Wer sich auch nur im entferntesten mit diesem Genre anfreunden kann, oder aber einfach nur mal wieder ein richtig gutes Horrorspiel möchte, dem sei Soul Reaver wärmstens ans Herz gelegt.

VicioJuegos.com / uVeJuegos.com (87 out of 100) (87%)

Legacy of Kain es un juego que les dejará un buen sabor de boca a todos aquellos jugadores que decidan darle una oportunidad por diversas razones como son el carisma del protagonista, el argumento, la ambientación y la combinación de dos mundos para sortear los peligros y continuar el camino. Podría haber sido un juego excelente dada sus capacidades para absorber a todo aquel que se aventure en el mundo de Nosgoth, pero tiene puntos negativos que reducen la experiencia como una mala posición de la cámara que hará que los jugadores puedan desesperarse mientras controlan a Raziel. Tampoco agrada que el final sea abierto y que siga en su tercera y última parte. Quienes les perdonen estos errores se encontrarán ante un juego que a pesar de los años mantiene el listón muy alto en todos sus apartados y que justifica con creces su compra.

GameCritics.com (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

Is there life after death? Well, according to fiction and pop-culture, there most certainly is. For as long as we've known, tales of the undead have permeated through our society in the forms of Nosferatu, Dracula, and Tom Cruise. It's gotten to the point where society readily accepts the notion of the undead, which leaves writers now pondering how to go beyond this passe notion, in hopes of re-igniting public interest and dollars. So, in their latest creation, Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver, Crystal Dynamics seems to have caught the scent of a new trail, which they believe will lead them to a new promised land of riches.

Super Play (Sweden) (83 out of 100) (83%)

Soul Reaver är ett ojämt spel som bör testas av den potentielle köparen som inte kan genren. Hardcorefans av vampyrstuff kan dock köpa det utan att bli besvikna.

Spel för Alla (8 out of 10) (80%)

Det här är ett grymt bra spel, du kommer inte bli besviken om du köper det. Miljöerna är kusligt mörka och spännande och grafiken är helt okej, men en detalj som är grymt irriterande är att det inte går att titta uppåt eller nedåt. Frustrerande.

Game Revolution (B-) (67%)

Unfortunately, the horrible ending to this game has ruined what looked to be a good contender for the best Playstation game of the year. All the potential is there, but Eidos and Crystal Dynamics simply released an unfinished product. While the gameplay up to the ending is fine, the abrupt conclusion will leave many gamers feeling completely ripped off. Furthermore, Soul Reav.

GamesFirst! ( ) (60%)

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad game, it’s just not a great game. It was six months late and it should have been a year late. Millennium approaches, PC’s are rocking, third and forth generation PlayStation games are looking super sweet, and the Dreamcast has launched. An unfinished product just isn’t going to cut it. The bottom line on Kain; Could have been, should have been, and tragically wasn’t.