Legacy of Kain: Ascendance

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a mixed bag. It was great to see a continuation of the world and characters from Nosgoth. The story is beautifully told and realized. The gameplay was really fun once I adapted to it. The different characters keep things feeling fresh. But the game is very linear, and there are no skill trees or RPG mechanics. There’s no way for the player to experiment with the game’s mechanics, and there’s not a lot of reason to keep playing once the story’s done. There are some of us who like nice, linear old-school action platform progression, though. The game also demands a lot of the player and has a lack of polish that works against those demands. I’m still so happy Legacy of Kain: Ascendance was made, though, and I really hope this leads to more games in the series.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is simultaneously everything we wanted and everything we didn’t from this franchise. Crystal Dynamics and Bit Bot Media skillfully use the character of Elaleth to recount the behind-the-scenes events that shaped Nosgoth, introducing a series of narrative elements that pave the way for the saga’s future. On the flip side, however, the artistic and gameplay offerings fail to satisfy those who have waited over 20 years for a new chapter. With the exception of the voice acting and a soundtrack that matches the quality of previous entries, Ascendance represents a technical step backward in every respect. For those who love 2D platformers or can look past a low-budget aesthetic and gameplay, there is a well-told story here; one that lays the groundwork for a future that will hopefully head in a different direction.

We’ve thought about it, but Ascendance doesn’t even manage to earn a 6, in our opinion. The developers’ love for the Legacy of Kain saga is evident in the lore and the narrative structure. Everything else, however, is truly lacking. Ascendance is a very weak game, never fun or entertaining; it’s playable from start to finish, but don’t expect this to be the game that will resurrect Raziel from his eternal slumber.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance fails to honor its lineage, delivering a shockingly brief three-hour experience. While the atmospheric music and original voice acting evoke nostalgia, the repetitive 2D combat and simplistic platforming feel dated. Despite an intriguing narrative tone, the controversial lore retcons and inconsistent difficulty result in a mediocre, uninspired revival.

There’s a fun concept in Ascendance right from the jump, reintroducing one of gaming’s most beloved vampire epics with a riff on one of their closest peers in the medium. However, the game is held back by some lackluster design choices and overall lack of depth. While the game can be fun, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance never quite matches the ambitions it set for itself.

The ultimate monkey’s paw. We should be reveling in the return of more Legacy of Kain, but instead, poor design decisions blunt the impact of this franchise return in nearly every conceivable way.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance unfortunately falls flat in continuing such a cult classic franchise. While some of the writing and visuals still match the quality of its predecessors, the narrative feels forced and the gameplay is often deeply frustrating and rife with issues. Overall, if this is indicative of the direction that the Legacy of Kain series could go in, then perhaps the series is better off being forgotten.

Fun platformer that actually lets you use Raziel’s wings. Expands the story with appropriate Kain time travel/magic shenanigans and even explores Raziel’s family life. Reminds me a bit of Rygar but with a lot more platforming “puzzles” - wish it were a bit longer.

Ascendance feels like a low-budget experiment; however, even though its gameplay is overly simplistic, I found revisiting the saga’s story to be excellent. If you’re not a fan of the series, stay away—this game isn’t for you.

The game has a great narrative with the voices that make the franchise a classic. The bad part is the game is repetitive and lacks the climax that make us realize we are fighting the final boss. This game should be treated more like a missing part of the story than a standalone game per se. It may content only the fans of the franchise due to it's story, not for the gameplay.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

It's come to the attention of Legacy of Kain fans that this game may be getting review boosted by BitBot. Sleuths on social media have found that several 9 and 10 reviews have usernames that are related to BitBot associates. This is rumor and speculation, please do your own research. As for the game itself, it's not fun. I've been waiting for a new LoK game for 20 years and this isn't what I wanted. Elaleth takes center stage and she's just not a good character.