More Like Descendingā¦
HIGH The voice acting.
LOW Shallow gameplay.
WTF Why does this platforming feel so outdated and weird?
The Legacy of Kain series is one of gamingās semi-forgotten cult franchises, now making a much-deserved, much-overdue comeback. Fans were treated to two Soul Reaver games last year, and the seriesā final entry, Legacy of Kain: Defiance (originally released in 2003) recently graced shelves with a solid remaster.
However, somewhere in the process of revamping these titles, the team decided to throw us a curveball by releasing a completely new entry in the series, which takes the form of a linear 2D action-platformer centered around a freshly-introduced character. While itās clear that the developers have their hearts in the right place, whatās on offer here is too short, plays too clumsily, and ultimately, offers practically nothing deserving of note, which is the opposite of how Iād describe the other Kain titles.Ā
In Ascendance, the plot switches not only between time periods, but also between no less than three characters, one of which is the newly-introduced Elaleth, whoās been retroactively inserted to provide a bit more backstory on Kain and Raziel. This new chapter is written with gusto, but, sadly isnāt as interesting or memorable as what came before, and main character Elalethās banter never reaches the level of sharpness and grandiosity that fans like myself yearn for.Ā As a result, the presence of series mainstays reprising their iconic roles (Michael Bell as Raziel, Simon Templeman as Kain, andĀ Richard Doyle as Moebius) feels wasted.
While each of the characters comes with good-looking sprites and gameplay abilities that evolve over the course of the game, the outdated platforming sections and severely underdeveloped combat drag the good bits down.
I have absolutely no issue with a modern title looking retro, I but find it worrying when such an approach isnāt supported by silky-smooth gameplay that mightāve justified the lack of visual flair. 2D platformers live and die by how intuitive, snappy, and enjoyable they feel, but the developers donāt deliver.
Each playable character only has a basic combo and a weird flying mechanic that relies on uncomfortable button mashing, making the charactersā weights seem somehow improperly calculated. Thereās also a riposte, but enemiesā placements warranted little use of it, given how easy it is to trick them into standing on a slightly higher platform before freely slashing at them without repercussions, since none of the foes know how to duck and strike.
Ascendance also features the outdated design philosophy of not allowing the player to progress through a section without having eliminated every enemy present, which feels wrong in 2026. Making it to the end of a screen only to see Raziel blocked by some unfathomable ābarrierā because he missed an enemy on a lonely platform far behind him makes no sense, and only adds to the rigidity of the experience. (Oh, and we also canāt manipulate the viewpoint to take a sneak peek directly below us, which often requires the player to make a leap of faith into an unseeable chasm.)
The only reason I put up with Ascendanceās subpar gameplay was to see the story through, and even that ends up not being a potent selling point at the end. Thereās nothing meaningful to recommend this title, and itās easy to call it the weakest entry in the entire Kain seriesāan outcome that falls far short of the modern revival I had hoped for.
Rating: 5 out of 10Ā
Buy Legacy of Kain: Ascendance: Steam ā PS ā Xbox ā Switch
Disclosures: This game was developed by Bit Bot Media and published by Crystal Dynamics. It is currently available on PS, SW/SW2, PC, and XB. This copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS5. Approximately 4 hours of play were devoted to the game, and it was completed. This is a single-player only title.Ā
Parents: This game has received an M rating from the ESRB and contains Blood and Gore, Violence. This is is a gothic-themed 2D game depicting a dark world where vampires, humans, and other fantastical creatures are locked in battle. The combat is brutal and accompanied by tons of blood, severed limbs, etc. The story explores mature themes like destiny, sacrifice, and redemption.
Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers:Ā While all dialogue in the game is recorded, itās also clearly displayed on screen via text, next to a large, semi-animated portrait of the speaker. Text cannot be resized or modified. All enemy attacks are clearly telegraphed on-screen with easy-to-note areas of attack, and no audio cues are necessary. Iād say this game is fully accessible.Ā
Remappable Controls:Ā This game does not offer a control diagram.Ā X is for jumping, square is for attacking, circle is for dodging, and triangle is for a special attack, depending on the character. The left stick and the arrows are for movement.
The post Legacy Of Kain: Ascendance Review appeared first on Gamecritics.com.
