Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

A top-down change of pace from the usual crop of action games.

Blood Omen is marketed as an “epic role-playing game,” but donâ€™t expect an experience similar to Ultima, Might and Magic, or even Diablo. Blood Omen was originally released on the PlayStation and uses the term “role-playing” in the console way, meaning it’s an action adventure.

As the game begins, we learn that the title character, Kain, was a young nobleman murdered during his travels, and is resurrected as a vampire and is sent on a blood-curling quest for revenge.

Though it is firmly grounded as a kill-or-be killed action game, Blood Omenâ€™s biggest assets are its sheer size and variety. Along the way, Kain will meet and beat 170 different creatures and bosses, and uncover a variety of weapons, armor, and spells. As a bonus, Kain can morph into different forms, each possessing different abilities. He can change into a wolf, bat, mist, and can disguise himself as a human in order to move among mortals undetected.

My complaints with Blood Omen are relatively minor — the camera could have been smoother and less nauseating, and the graphics are a bit fuzzy. The darkness helps set the mood, but I would think any self-respecting nosferatu should be able to see in the dark.

Overall, Blood Omen has made a nice transition to the PC. It includes support for up to 10-button joysticks and gamepads as well as mouse support for menus, which is often lacking in console ports. However, the gameâ€™s console origins reveal a few rough edges that can detract from the fun. First, is the artificial intelligence for the creatures youâ€™ll encounter. Many creatures simply move back and forth between two points, oblivious to their surroundings. These grievances aside, Blood Omen is an enjoyable experience that gives PC owners a chance to savor console-style role-playing and an interesting story with little hassle.