Legacy of Kain: Ascendance Review Summary

Original voice actors returned: Many players appreciated the return of the original voice actors, such as Simon Templeman and Michael Bell, who reprised their roles. This brought a sense of nostalgia and continuity to the game.

Excellent voice acting: The voice acting in the game was widely praised for being top-notch and well-performed. Players enjoyed the performances and found them to be a strong aspect of the game.

Awesome music: The music in the game was highlighted as being awesome and fitting well with the game's world. Players enjoyed the soundtrack and remixes.

Great pixel art: The pixel art and visual style were praised for being great and well-done. Players enjoyed the serviceable and solid pixel art.

Fun gameplay: Players found the gameplay to be fun and enjoyable overall. The game was described as decent and cute, providing a good experience.

Gameplay criticized as repetitive and frustrating: Many players found the gameplay to be repetitive, frustrating, and lacking depth. It was often described as simple, basic, and not fun, leading to a negative experience.

Story perceived as problematic and unengaging: The story was widely criticized for being problematic, unengaging, and poorly written. Players felt it was bland, cheap, and did not live up to expectations.

Combat described as boring and unsatisfying: The combat system was widely panned as boring, unsatisfying, and poorly executed. Players found it to be one-note, dull, and lacking depth.

Lack of variety and progression: The game was criticized for lacking puzzles, longevity, and progression. Players also noted poor level design and a lack of variety in gameplay elements.

Story mirrors the comic too closely: The story was criticized for being too similar to the comic it was based on, with little to no original content.

Platformer gameplay focus: The game is primarily a 2D side-scrolling platformer with vertical exploration and boss fights. It includes various platforming mechanics and sections.

Repetitive and bland gameplay: The gameplay is often described as repetitive and bland, with a core gameplay loop that can feel monotonous. Enemies and gameplay elements are frequently repeated.

Limited enemy variety: The game has few enemy types and the enemy AI is often lacking. Enemies can be too fast and difficult to avoid.

Clunky and awkward controls: Controls are often described as clunky, tanky, and sluggish. Movement and combat mechanics can feel awkward and poorly executed.

Metroidvania elements debated: The game is compared to Metroidvania and Castlevania styles, but some players feel it lacks true Metroidvania aspects. It includes exploration mechanics but may not fully deliver on them.

Controller stuttering and lag: There are issues with stuttering and lag when playing the game with a controller.

Audio quality issues: Players have reported problems with the sound quality and audio mixing in the game.

Buggy gameplay: Players have encountered bugs, including issues with hitboxes.

Graphical inconsistencies: The game has inconsistent graphical styles and could benefit from more detailed graphics.

Stable performance on Steam Deck: The game runs smoothly at 60 FPS on the Steam Deck, providing a solid gaming experience.

Avoid purchasing the game: Multiple reviews strongly advise against buying the game, suggesting to only consider it with a significant discount or to skip it entirely.

Recommendations for Legacy of Kain series: Several reviews suggest playing other games in the Legacy of Kain series, such as Blood Omen 1, Soul Reaver, or the Defiance Remaster, instead of this game.

Price concerns: Some reviews mention that the price of the game might be too high for what it offers, suggesting to wait for a sale.

Worth for Legacy of Kain fans: The game is considered worth it for fans of the Legacy of Kain series in general and for those who appreciate the old cast.

Desire for continuation of Kain's story: Reviews express a preference for the continuation of Kain's story and building on the combat from Defiance.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 3.5h.

Story completion: 3.5h.

The game is perceived as boring and frustrating from the beginning, with no clear fun moments or improvements as players progress.

Friction: boring gameplay; frustrating combat; poor story; terrible controls; linear platformer; repetitive enemies.

Loyal Franchise Fan: Overlooks gameplay flaws due to attachment to the series. Motivation: Support for the Legacy of Kain franchise. Stance: sale.

Completionist Bargain Hunter: Plays through the entire game despite flaws, seeking challenge and completion. Motivation: Achieving 100% completion and getting value for money. Stance: deep sale.

Linux and Proton: The game generally runs well on Linux and Steam Deck, with minor performance issues reported by some users. The overall experience seems positive with minimal tweaks required.

Links to external content: The reviews contain links that direct users to external content, which may not be relevant to the game itself.