Back in May, Square Enix sold Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal, and Square Enix Montreal to the Embracer Group in a deal said to be worth $300 million. In doing so, Square Enix gave up around 50 games across its back catalog, including the rights to everything from Tomb Raider to Thief, Deus-Ex, and Legacy of Kain. The implications of that deal were, and still are, huge. And while all I really want is a Soul Reaver remaster in the middle of things, I'm far from alone – GamesRadar+ Senior Guides Coordinator Leon Hurley makes a strong case here for why a Soul Reaver Remake is the perfect way to bring the series back on PS5.
This might be wishful thinking on our parts, granted, but it seems Embracer Group and Crystal Dynamics may now be thinking similar things. The results of the latter's interest-gauging questionnaire are in (issued last month to players interested in seeing the return of the Legacy of Kain series), having returned over 100,000 responses. "73,000 gamers completed it entirely," said Crystal Dynamics CEO Phil Rogers during an Embracer earnings call. "And if you are one of them, we thank you very much and we appreciate it was quite an effort given the survey was pretty extensive… Rest assured, we hear you loudly and clearly, and we'll continue to update you on the 'what if' possibilities ahead for Legacy of Kain in the future."
Which is pretty exciting. So exciting, in fact, that the Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver community can't believe it. "The cut content from the first Soul Reaver game alone is the stuff of legend," explains long-serving player and Soul Reaver remaster campaigner Federico Barreri, also known online as Wrongnu. "I don't exaggerate when I say many of us would have a heart attack if such a thing were made playable. This is so exciting."
Legacy matters
How Crystal Dynamics chooses to revitalize the Legacy of Kain series, assuming it even will, remains to be seen. But of all the Legacy of Kain games, surely Soul Reaver is the most intriguing? Set 1,500 years after Blood Omen, it has alternate dimensions, exploding vampires, sacrosanct clans and gods, and a son seeking vengeance on his father, all wrapped up in a solid action brawler-meets-RPG with Metroidvania elements before the term was as commonplace as it is today. In this age of video game remakes, where so many classics are being treated to a fresh lick of paint and mechanical overhauls, Soul Reaver ticks all of the boxes. Right?
Barreri certainly thinks so. He says: "The sense of desolation, loneliness, and free exploration – Soul Reaver does what many games fail to do even today. It lets you make that world yours, it makes you learn the pattern of the enemies, and understand where all the interconnected areas lead. It's not without its flaws, but the idea of playing as the 'son' of the previous game's protagonist, hellbent on murdering his creator? That's a pretty bold narrative choice – it blew my mind back then, and it still does when I think about it now."
"The Resident Evil remakes really started a new era for games remakes too. Soul Reaver is a peculiar creature because while imperfect, anyone I've spoken to who's played it will tell you the pros far outweigh the cons. That said, there is a lot of room for improvement. For me, many things should be reimagined entirely, as I don't think a frame-by-frame remake – similar to, say, Bluepoint's Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls – would work. I think reimagining a significant amount of features from scratch would help bring the essence of the original game in line with modern standards – including combat, puzzles (don't get me started on those stupid blocks), and, of course, graphics. Before Kratos, Raziel was one of PlayStation's main champions. He's a badass, both in design and backstory."
Barreri says the Legacy of Kain community is now abuzz with speculation and excitable guesswork as to where the overarching series might land next. Barreri himself says he'd more than welcome a Soul Reaver remake, incorporating the modern nips and tucks outlined above, while also using EA and Capcom's Dead Space and Resident Evil remakes as points of reference. The game's controls, physics, puzzles, combat, cutscenes, and dub, all should be reworked, reckons Barreri, while maintaining the tone and legacy of the original game. But his true desire would be to see the original 1999 action-adventure game remastered, with prettier visuals and a distinguished twist to satisfy long-standing fans.
He adds: "I've campaigned on social media for years to see a Soul Reaver remaster (not a remake, not yet at least). With time, I came up with the idea that the best possible solution – and this is something I pointed out in the survey – would be to have the game in its original, unadulterated form, with improved graphics and a twist: after clearing the game once – in pure Yoko Taro/NieR-style – you could replay the game by unlocking an extended version of the game, containing all the never-before-seen cut content restored. That'd include The Undercity, the final brother Turel, the third Kain fight with Ariel's sacrifice to empower the Reaver, and the final onslaught of vampires at the Silenced Cathedral. And, of course, the completely different, alternate ending."
"If you were to check my social media activity, that's pretty much my gaming dream. I'd love a complete Soul Reaver remake, but a remastered 'Director's Cut' is definitely my own first priority. And I can assure you many others within the community would love to see such a thing. Basically, I think that a series, before moving on with new products, should complete everything that was left unfinished. And, as I said, as good as it is, there's still so much of Soul Reaver that remains unfinished."
Crystal clear
"Today, something that once seemed so unlikely seems more possible now than ever."
Again, whether or not Crystal Dynamics chooses to "finish" Soul Reaver one way or another remains to be seen – but what is definitely clear at this stage is how celebrated Raziel's adventures still are today. In the process of announcing the conclusion of the questionnaire, Crystal Dynamics CEO Phil Rogers said that, in his experience, a census of this nature would normally return two to three thousand replies. To receive more than 33 times that number tells you everything you need to know about this fanbase.
Speaking directly to that passion, Barreri says: "I'm biased, but, oh man, you have no idea how passionate this group is. I've seen many fandoms, but the special thing about this one is it's made up of smart, understanding and mature people, all around the world. We might be separated by all kinds of barriers, from language to timezones, but there are many, many Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver fans out there, and today I think we're more united than ever. It's an extremely dedicated but also chill fandom, all working towards the same cause: to see the return of Soul Reaver – be that a remaster or a fully-fledged remake. Today, something that once seemed so unlikely seems more possible now than ever."
If you'd like to follow Soul Reaver remaster campaigner Federico Barreri, aka Wrongnu, you can do so via his Twitter page, or via the hashtags #RestoreSoulReaverCutContent and #SoulReaverUncutRemaster2022.
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