‘Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2’ Remaster Announcement Is A Proof Of Concept Sony Should Aim For Instead Of Remastering Nearly-New Games
Sony’s surprising September State of Play gave fans something to smile about. One of many announcements made during the event was the much-anticipated confirmation of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered.
While Horizon Zero Dawn also got a remaster announcement along with a release date and upgrade pricing details, it is the Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered that truly shined.
For those unaware, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 tell the story of Raziel, a vampire-turned-wraith betrayed and executed by his master, Kain.
Set in the decaying world of Nosgoth, Raziel, resurrected by The Elder God, is on a quest for vengeance: hunting down vampires devouring their souls with his blade Soul Reaver. All the while switching between the Material and Spectral Realms to solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and uncover the lore.
The remaster of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 is poised to bring the haunting world of Nosgoth back to life with next-gen graphics, improved gameplay, and more. The game will have a new photo mode to save shots of Nosgoth’s dark aesthetics, while the developer, Aspyr, promises the addition of bonus levels and never-before-seen concept art. Furthermore, players will be able to switch between the game’s original graphics and remastered visuals at any moment.
With that said, Sony has a victory with this remaster. It is not just a tap into the nostalgia of the immensely popular PS1 and PS2 eras. It is a revival of classic titles that defined generations and would introduce them to new players who have missed out on the original.
Sony must focus on remastering older, classic games rather than fairly new ones. Titles like Final Fantasy Tactics and Legend of Dragoon could massively benefit from the same treatment. Rather than unnecessarily upgrading newer games like Horizon Zero Dawn or Days Gone, games with a legacy behind them deserve all the visual fidelity they can get and improvements to clunky mechanics that were there only due to the technological limitations of the era.
Gamers are growing tired of remastered titles that still hold up on current systems. The Soul Reaver collection is a battle won, but if Sony doesn’t listen to the community, the war will continue. If their creativity levels are at an all-time low, and if remasters are the only thing that drives them forward, then doing them right means giving old popular classics quality improvements rather than wasting resources on recent games that don’t need them.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered comes out on December 10, 2024, just in time for its 25th anniversary. It will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam at $29,99.
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