Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (Sony PlayStation 1, 1997)

By the time I was done with it, this game was one of my all time favorite video games.

The first time I played this game was when it was released. I put the disc in, and immediately got reeled into the game. By the time I wsa done with it, this game was one of my all time favorite video games.

Here are the details.

Gameplay 10/10

Elements 10/10
Blood Omen is a semi-rpg/adventure game. You have an HP and a Mana bar. You can enlarge them by getting certain items. You also have a variety of abilities, items, armor, and weapons to play it. The game itself is vast, and the more you uncover, the higher your percentage of completion would be. But you could finish the game without it being at 100%, meaning you don't have to get all the secrets to finish the game. However getting everything is a TON of fun. The game itself includes many FMVs, and tons of narration that is done through voice overs. This in itself adds an immense amount of depth to this game. The game has a couple of different aspects. You have your basic kill the enemy, find items, solve puzzles, kill bosses, and exploration.

Controls 9/10
Everything about the controls is great, however I would have to give it a 9/10 because of the insanely long loading times to pull up the inventory menu.

Difficulty 7/10
This game is not very difficult. All gamers at all skill levels can basically finish this game. As for getting all the secrets, it needs a trained eye. So for that reason I will say the difficulty level is about a 7/10.

Story 9/10
The story is great!!! And the game uses excellent narration and FMVs to tell the story. The plot is not a simple plot, twisting and turning at various points. But suffice it to say it will keep you glued and playing till you finish it. Also I would like to note that the character develpment is done very well.

Audio 10/10
If just for the amazing voice acting I have to give this category a 10. This game has some of the best voice actings done on a game to this date.

Graphics 9/10
FMVs 9/10: The FMVs where way ahead of its time. And you will thoroughly enjoy them even if you watch them today.
Character Design 8/10: The character and enemy designs are very well done for their time. And I am not grading this part on how the norm looks like now, but as far as the quality of this graphics for when it was first released.
Backgrounds 9/10: The backgrounds were great, and that is a great plus, with a game which will involve a lot of exploration. This part was also graded based on the quality of the background compared to its time period.

Value 10/10
This is a LONG game, and it's very very fun. Taking into consideration the amazing gameplay, voice overs, and fmvs I have to give it a 10/10 for value. This game is Definitely a game you need to add to your collection. So I would vote for buying, rather than renting it. And considering it's very cheap right now, it's actually to your best interest to buy it.

Replayability
After everything is done, you might think that this game is not worth playing anymore. And you are right, as with most games of this type, there really is no point in replaying it once you get everything and finish the game. However, I have played this game 3 times from start to finish myself, and I can assure you that once every year, you will get the itch to replay it. :)

Fun Factor 10/10
This game is FUN FUN FUN. I will leave it at that.

I hope this review helps someone :)

Hey, remember when Sony allowed 2D games on the Playstation? Yeah, those were some good times, and this is a prime example of why. While not everything about this game has aged terribly well, it still stands as a perfect example of good 2D gaming. While on the surface it isn't much more than a Zelda clone, once you play it you can't deny that it has a personality of its own. As the titular Vampire Kain, you run around the fictional land of Nosgoth, mercilessly slaughtering and exacting revenge on the one who caused your death. As you continue playing, you soon learn that a lot more is at stake, and the entire fate of Nosgoth is up to you. Sure, the plotline is a bit played out, but that's not where this game's strengths are. Playing it is a real joy. Hacking and slashing with the many weapons at your disposal and Kain's battle cry of "Vae Victus!" are the meat and potatoes of combat. When an enemy is wounded (and standing in the "finish him" stance) you can drink his or her blood to restore your health. You'll also get many items and spells to finish off your foes in gruesome ways, and vampire fans will be happy to know you can transform into a werewolf, bats, mist and disguise yourself as an ordinary man to aide you on your quest. Now, that's not to say the game doesn't have its problems. First off, the loading times are terrible. Any time you open the menu, enter a new area, look at the map, open the options screen, load your gave, or save your game, you're treated to a painfully long loading screen. You'll need to switch weapons and spells often, so this does get a bit frustrating. You'll also get sick of hearing "Vae Victus!" all the time. Another annoyance is the difficulty in finding switches, which sometimes blend in with the background so well that you can't see them. Animation is also a bit iffy with fluid movements that don't always look quite right. The graphics are good, and every environment feels unique, but certain things just seem a bit off. The hit detection can be kind of flaky as well. However, in spite of all these problems, the game has MORE than enough to redeem itself. From Kain's cynical running commentary on the shape of the world, to the CG videos which, while looking bad by today's standards, were very impressive for their time (and are still better than Final Fantasy 7's praised CG), to just being able to run around as a vampire killing everything in sight, this game is an often overlooked classic that all serious gamers should play. It sets a wonderful standard in writing, voice acting (Tony Jay is featured) and execution that few games today can parallel. If that's not enough to convince you... Just consider that it was made by Silicon Knights. That's right, THE Silicon Knights. The same Silicon Knights that brought you Eternal Darkness. If that's not a seal of quality, I don't know what is.

CLASSIC. this game got played to death(hardyharhar) on my playstation years ago. this is the only game that i can beat, and start right over from the beginning with the enthuisiasm of playing it for the first time. there's just SO MUCH TO THIS!

you play as kain, a nobleman traveling from distant coorhagen who, upon exiting a tavern (friggin' lush!) is fell upon by many assassins for unknown reasons. left for dead chained atop a volcano, the necromancer mortanius offers him a deal - life, in exchange for murdering those who murdered him. but it was a DAMNED life. from then on, things get bloody. VERY bloody.

you'll aquire more weapons and projectiles and spells than you can shake a mace at. one by one, the circle of the nine will fall to your unrelenting bloodlust! the worlds are huge, the enemies are fierce, the controls are precise (though there is some occasional slowdown to be found), the environments are BEAUTIFUL, and the varied gameplay and puzzles are never dull or tedious. this game kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. did i mention the ability to shape-shift? OF COURSE I DIDN'T! STUPID JON STUPID STUPID STUPID *smacks myself*
you gain new ablities to morph into not one, not two, not three, but FOUR different forms. werewolf (my favorite =D), bat (used to easily traverse the world of nosgoth), human form, and mist. you'll meet many MAAANY characters along the way (most of whom are out for your blood) but you'll also come across a kindred spirit in VORADOR! (who, by all rights, should have had his own spin-off by now)

the cut-scenes are like superglue for your eyeballs, not a dull moment in this game WHATSOEVER. always something to kill, a new ability or weapon to be found, and with the day/night system, there's always a new place to explore (some areas are only open during a full moon, which seldom comes along).

tons of secrets, great character depth, EXCELLENT graphics and voice acting, superb combat system, a plethora of death-dealing spells and weapons, a world to explore - pick this game up AT ALL COSTS! this is the electronic equivalent to lifesblood.

A truly gothic and bloody adventure set in the mythical land of Nosgoth. You are Kain, and aristocratic nobleman set out on a journey to discover yourself. Only to have your adventure cut short by cutthroats and brigands who have orders to kill you on sight. After being outnumbered and falling victim to their hands you awake in another world it seems impaled upon the sword that so quickly ended your life. You are greeted by a man who calls himself Mortanius. He offers you the chance at revenge against the people who assassinated you. Like a fool and without realizing the repercussions, Kain accepts the Necromancer's offer and is reborn in the world of Nosgoth. Not as a human, but as a vampire with an insatiable lust for blood. From the catacombs you arise to wreak havoc upon the ones who slayed you endowed with your new powers. Only to realize that the ones who killed you were nothing more than pawns of a higher power. Kain must traverse across the lands of Nosgoth in search of redemption and to find the ones who so vengefully ended his life. As the adventure ensues, Kain realizes that he is not only a pawn himself, but the one who is destined to bring balance back to the world of Nosgoth. Filled with plot twists and turns, this is one engrossing game from start to finish.

Overall I give this game an excellent rating. It has an amazing story, great voice acting and a terrific soundtrack. If you're a fan of Vampire games, this one is for you!

Simply put, Kain rules. If you have not yet bought and played every entry into this series yet, you simply must. All of them have incredibly compelling stories and awsome charachters that truely push the narrative to a level trancending traditional electronic entertainment into the realm of art. Blood Omen is no exception among the great offerings of this underated series, it is the masterpiece that started it all. Blood Omen offers incredible gameplay with tons of areas to explore,items and secrets to be uncovered, and badies to suck dry. This game is ahead of its time in terms of story,interactivity,and quality of presentation.If you are a gamer you simply must buy this game as well as its sequals and hope that someday Kain will return.