Legacy of Kain: Ascendance – Review

History detests paradox…

Tudor Enea: In the previous review, I discussed Legacy of Kain: Defiance and mentioned that the deluxe version of the game included a demo for Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy, a sequel intended to present the events that took place after the apocalyptic battle at the end of Defiance. The Dark Prophecy didn't stay in the development cycle for long, which is why the demo is more a demonstration of the direction and atmosphere the developers wanted for a potential continuation of Kain's story. This attempt to continue the franchise took place in 2004 and was only brought to public attention in 2008, four years after the project's cancellation.

Since 2003, fans have been clamouring for a continuation of the universe, and Square Enix attempted to create a sequel called Dead Sun in 2009. This game was intended to be an entry point into the franchise, with a story taking place hundreds of years after the events of Defiance and with very few references to Kain or Raziel's adventures. The theme was no longer that of destiny, but a religious one, in which a dual protagonist, similar to Talion from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, embarked on a mission of revenge that would throw him into the middle of a conspiracy related to the chthonic god from previous titles. The few materials that became public showed us a complex world, with a history as rich as that of the preceding games, as well as an evolution of the series, highlighted by complex character progression systems. Because there was a strong trend towards multiplayer modes at that time, the developer was forced to include a mode that would keep players glued to their screens, similar to a modern live service. Unfortunately, the single-player component of the game was cancelled in 2012, and the multiplayer component was released under the name Nosgoth, an atypical free-to-play spin-off in which two teams battled in deathmatches.

For 21 years I hoped there would be a worthy continuation of the franchise, and in 2024 that hope no longer seemed futile, as Aspyr released a remaster for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2. These became a standard for remasters and reminded the community how complex and interesting the world of Nosgoth is. As a result, I was pleasantly surprised to see the announcement regarding Defiance at this year's February State of Play showcase. However, I didn't expect to hear about a completely new game in this legendary franchise.

Unfortunately, Bit Bot Media faced a Herculean task: to create a game worthy of the legacy left by Crystal Dynamics. Expectations were high, and the developer chose what they thought would be easier: to create a small adventure that takes place somewhere between the events of the two Soul Reaver games. But what seemed like a simple choice quickly turned into an affront to the story, because Ascendance doesn't limit itself to being a small project with a few links to the other five games, but rather prefers to rewrite the events that defined the franchise. As you've come to expect from us, we'll start with the story.

Ela-who?

For the first time in Legacy of Kain history, the game features no fewer than three protagonists: Kain, Raziel, and Elaleth, Raziel's sister, mentioned in the recent comic book Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise. The narrative thread follows part of the soul devourer's two previous adventures, but the two vampires for whom the franchise is known seem to be secondary characters in Elaleth's story.

Like the comic book, Ascendance commits two major mistakes: it shifts attention from established characters to a completely new character and rewrites the narrative thread of the entire franchise. As a result, the rest of the games seem to lose their meaning, as certain key events were caused by the new character. Kain's idea of resurrecting the Saraphan inquisitors? It was suggested to him by Elaleth, who guided him to the necropolis where they were interred. Raziel's attempt to discover who he was in his mortal life? It vanished in a puff of smoke, along with all his evolution from Soul Reaver 2, because Elaleth is the one who tells him these things when the soul devourer was still a commander of Kain. As a result, many fans consider this creation from Bit Bot Media a slap in the face to Amy Hennig's work, as it seems more like fan fiction than a new game in the legendary franchise.

You're probably wondering: the story can't be that bad, can it? Well, it's even worse than you expect. Unfortunately, it doesn't fare much better in terms of gameplay either, as the game doesn't know what genre it wants to be. The presentation makes us think of Castlevania, but the game isn't a Metroidvania. The developer mentioned a few times in promotional materials that it would be an action-platformer, but it has so little action, and the platforming sections are so annoying, that it's hard to justify this classification. The goal is to traverse each level from left to right, similar to a Famicom-era Super Mario game, and fight the various enemies that appear along the way. Sounds simple, right? But Ascendance retains the "hunger" mechanic from other titles in the franchise, which is why the characters' health gradually decreases due to the vampiric need to feed on enemies' blood. As such, the game constantly pushes you into fights to replenish your health bar, and the battles themselves are rudimentary, with no combos or a real progression system. Worse, enemies tend to rush the player in groups, and this aspect can cause the much-detested stun-lock if the protagonist isn't positioned correctly.

The only difference between the three protagonists is the ability to fly, which Kain doesn't seem to have access to. Instead, the bloody tyrant has the ability to transform into mist or a swarm of bats to traverse long distances. Even though Elaleth and Raziel are, in theory, as free as birds, in practice they are limited by an energy bar that depletes quickly during flight. For more complicated platforming sections that require aerial movement, the player must execute highly precise movements to catch points that replenish the energy bar.

The only truly good things about Ascendance are the performances of Michael Bell and Simon Templeman, who returned to their roles as the vampires Kain and Raziel, as well as the graphic style, which transitions from pixel art reminiscent of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night to a retro style similar to that of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. However, these two aspects fail to cover the game's shortcomings. And, to top it all off, it's also extremely short. In total, I spent less than three hours in Ascendance from start to finish credits.

Kain's turning in his grave!

Leo Luția: Like the vampires, I slowly awoke from the slumber of ignorance, and my first console was the PlayStation 5. My entire childhood was marked by playing on PC, and it wasn't until my student years that I got an Xbox 360, strictly for practical reasons – specifically, to have someone to swap games with. What I'm trying to say, in fact, is an excuse for not having experienced this wonderful series called Legacy of Kain sooner. But perhaps it's never too late to do certain things, or, in my case, to finally start a renowned title.

The problem is, if we were to finish all the best games, from William Higinbotham to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, we probably wouldn't have time for anything else. Sometimes, it can be beneficial to relax with an ordinary title that doesn't break the mould but offers a pleasant experience, such as, for example, Samson: A Tyndalston Story.

If you're like me and arrived late to the Legacy of Kain "party", no one should look down on us, especially since Aspyr offered a much-anticipated refresh for Soul Reaver 1 and 2, two essential titles in the series. This was just the first wave. Two years later, we can also enjoy Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, but it comes with a certain scepticism. It's no longer remastered by Aspyr and, unfortunately, it shows, but that's a separate discussion.

I've talked about the classic titles, but you're probably wondering: "Hey, I played those as a kid, where's a new title?" Hold your horses, it's here and it's called Ascendance. The next natural question would be: "But is it good? Is it worth it?" I'm glad you asked. Lately, it seems there's been a trend of releasing retro 2D games to quench fans' thirst for established series. A good example would be God of War and its recently released Sons of Sparta. Is it enough? Perhaps the topic deserves a separate article, but, at least in the cases mentioned and especially in this one, the answer seems to be no.

I believe that at GRIND, we have a very suitable space for such low-budget projects, and we are among those who want to support indie and AA titles, with one condition: they shouldn't be "cash grabs" or superficially generated content. I don't think Ascendance is made strictly for money or with excessive AI help, but something isn't quite right. A large part of the blame seems to be the lack of a clear identity or direction. Perhaps it would have worked better if it didn't bear the Legacy of Kain name. That way, it would have just been a pleasant product among many others released at the same time. But when you enter an established and much-loved series by fans, things become much more demanding.

I started Legacy of Kain: Ascendance on a very optimistic note. I was excited to play a new title and thus join the "gang" of those who had experienced this series. Instead, I found a simplistic game that tries to emulate the classic SNES Castlevania experience, but without fully understanding the formula. The combat is weak, inconsistent, and sometimes frustrating. The aesthetics are acceptable, but unimpressive even for the style it imitates, and the story seems forced and can be annoying for fans of the old titles in the series.

If you're wondering about optimisation, there's not much to say here. Being a retro-style 2D action-adventure, there shouldn't be any problems, especially on consoles. I played it on Nintendo Switch 2 and it ran flawlessly, both in handheld and docked mode. Nothing to complain about from that point of view.

Is Legacy of Kain: Ascendance worth the attention for £20? Personally, I'd say no. If you're a collector and want to have it in your library alongside the other titles, then it's your choice, but at least wait for a discount. I don't particularly enjoy writing negatively about a game, but I want to be honest, so you don't end up disappointed. Ascendance remains a pleasant attempt to mark a possible new beginning for the Legacy of Kain series, but it fails to convince. I don't think publisher Crystal Dynamics or developers Bit Bot Media will make big profits from sales, but I hope they at least learn a lesson. Gamers want a new Legacy of Kain, but not like this.

Tudor Enea: To my disappointment, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a title that can be ignored by both fans and newcomers curious about the franchise. If Crystal Dynamics was relying on this title to revitalise the franchise, then there's a real possibility that Legacy of Kain will return to the vampiric torpor of Vampire: The Masquerade…

Thanks to Sandbox Strategies for the review code and the opportunity to play Legacy of Kain: Ascendance.

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Available on: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC
Played on: PlayStation 5 (Tudor) and Nintendo Switch 2 (Leo)
Release date: 31 March 2026
Developer: Crystal Dynamics, Bit Bot Media
Publisher: Crystal Dynamics