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Inside PlayStation Network – Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain

The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.

Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.

Today, we gear up for a medieval blood-fest in the PSOne Classic, Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain.

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Developer: Silicon Knights
Region(s) available: North America
Players: 1

As far as anti-heroes go, few resonate more with the modern gamer than god of war’s perpetually cheesed-off protagonist Kratos. While the bald brute has achieved iconic status among players over the past half a decade, however, one chap boasts a career that far outweighs his contemporaries. Yep, we’re talking about Legacy of Kain’s eponymous, brooding vamp. Arriving on the scene back in 1996, Kain’s inaugural adventure showcased developer Silicon Knights’ desire to blend brain aching cerebral challenges, exploration and combat with an immersive, nail-biting narrative. Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain quickly cemented the titular character among the most hailed videogame protagonists of the mid-late 90s, catapulting the franchise to global success and spawning numerous sequels in the process.

Set in the evocative, novel-esque fantasy realm of Nosgoth, Legend of Kain adopts a bird’s eye view of the proceedings as you guide Kain through a gaggle of medieval locales, including castles, dungeons, temples and more. Naturally, you’ll also slaughter numerous nasties along the way, as well as popping on your thinking cap from time to time to stimulate the old grey matter as you solve various puzzles. The story, meanwhile, weaves a classically moody tale of revenge; Kain, a 30-year-old nobleman, is slain by a sect of slippery assassins before being resurrected as a blood sucking undead. Naturally, ol’ fang face is pretty ticked off at this; in fact, he thirsts for vengeance. If that wasn’t enough incentive, there’s also the promise of redemption in the form of a cure for his newly found vampirism. Indeed, anyone who’s fed up to the back teeth of morally unambiguous poster boy heroes should feel right at home in Blood Omen’s decidedly unloving, cold embrace.

As expected, Kain is a particularly vicious bugger. He comes armed with an array of weaponry, abilities and various magics to wield in combat. The game’s bog standard arsenal is nothing short of impressive, with everything from swords, axes, maces and the legendary Soul Reaver up for grabs for plenty of claret-spraying opportunities. The vamp anti-hero can also pull off some fancy shape-shifting shenanigans, such as assuming the form of werewolf, bat or human peasant among others to facilitate his journey to new areas. Of course, being a vampire, Kain lusts for a bit of the red stuff, and so you’ll have ample opportunity to drain the blood of your hapless victims to keep yourself in tip-top condition.

Or, if Kain isn’t feeling that peckish, you can just clobber them with a viscerally satisfying finishing move — whatever tickles your fancy. Aside from the vampire’s inexorable quest for revenge, there’s also a heap of secrets to unearth — 100 to be precise — that can be found by hitting switches and other such tasks. Furthermore, as with any decent RPG worth its salt, Blood Omen packs a meaty main quest, offering in the region of 50+ hours worth of blood-sucking action. If that doesn’t quench your thirst, then we recommend popping over to the PS Store and investing in the sequel.

Join us tomorrow as we take yet another butcher’s Inside PlayStation Network.