User Rating: 9.1 | Legacy of Kain: Defiance XBOX
***Be aware: the following reveiw contains spoilers*** OK, first of all I'm a huge LoK fan. I always loved the plot, and this latest installment continues the tradition. Simply put, it is a work of art. Amy Henning is quite the director. Almost all the questions are answered, there are plenty of twists and suprises, and both Kain and Raziel complete their destinies. All in all it is quite satisfying. As for the gameplay this can go either way. The two characters play very similarly which, while it is easy to change between them, makes them feel too similar. The only differences are the animations, Raziel's ability to enter the spectral realm, and Kain's telekinetic advantage (though that lasts only until the tenth chapter). The combat is excellent. It's a shame there weren't more combos, but there are enough to satisfy the game's needs. I am addicted to the telekinesis. Whoever said sadistic fun was bad? Again, these are basically the same attacks with different animations, but that doesn't take away from the sheer fun of it. The Reaver upgrades are a lot of fun, however there were a few I disliked (like Kain's Lightning Reaver). It's a shame that the best three (Kain's Time Reaver, Raziel's Spirit Reaver, and Kain's Soul Reaver) had so little play time. As for the puzzles, they are simplistic enough to solve on your own, but challenging enough to give the player a... well, challenge. One thing I think the game could have used though is a map. It is very easy to get lost, and a map would really have helped. Also, you don't get anything gameplay-wise for completing the game, like starting with the Soul and Spirit Reavers, or being able to traverse past areas with full powers a la Soul Reaver 1. Overall, though, I loved it. The graphics and sound in the game are definately above-average, but still have slight problems. The graphics are clean and crisp, with amazing textures. The protagonists, and bosses look great too. The enemies are good, but nothing new here. There are some clipping issues (not in combat, thankfully), that, while they don't hinder the game, are still noticible. As for sound, all the voice actors return. And, as before, they bring life to the characters like few others can. During boss battles you hear music remixed from SR1, SR2, and BO2. Unfortunately, there isn't much music in the rest of the game. The sound effects are decent, nothing more. Defiance has a load of extras, and they greatly increase the value of the game. There is concept art, cast pictures, credits, scenes with the voice actors, and hiliarious outtakes. But best of all is The Dark Chronicle. It serves to show you every cutscene from the game, so you can relieve the story with out having to save before every important cutscene. Needless to say, it rules. Defiance is a game no LoK fan should be without. You owe it to yourself to get this game. If you are new to the series, I suggest you play the others games first, and then play Defiance. It will own your soul. 
