The Potential Future of Soul Reaver

I've heard a certain buzz around the Internet surrounding a future Soul Reaver title, which has raised the question of whether or not Crystal Dynamics will pursue a continuation of the epic vampire mythos. When last we left Raziel and Kain, it was in Legacy of Kain: Defiance, a title released in Feb. 2004. Four years later, fans of the series are chomping at the bit for more information regarding the series and it's closely watched timeline. Well friends, while I do have a little information, I cannot guarantee a game will be released for any specific platform or time frame...I also cannot guarantee the game will be as good as its predecessors. I'll just have to let you draw your own conclusions.

At the end of the development cycle for Legacy of Kain: Defiance, Eidos (Crystal Dynamics' parent company) decided that Core Design wasn't making the Tomb Raider franchise up to par with standards after the last two Tomb Raider games were critically blasted for horrible game play mechanics and graphical issues within the game. They commissioned Crystal Dynamics to revitalize the franchise and thus the Kain games were shelved. Tomb Raider: Legend was produced to critical acclaim. Crystal Dynamics went on to produce Tomb Raider Anniversary, and is currently working on Tomb Raider Underworld, which was this past January (2008) announced for next generation consoles. So where does that leave Soul Reaver?

Most Important to the series future is Director and Writer Amy Hennig, who left Crystal Dynamics shortly after LOK:Defiance was released. Hennig, team leader for the development team of the Kain games, plays an integral part in writing the quality script which the series must adhere to. This presents a MAJOR challenge to any remaining Soul Reaver team still at Crystal Dynamics. Secondly, Kyle Mannerburg, the man Hennig left in charge of the Soul Reaver games, passed away last year. Also, for those of you who didn't know, Tony Jay, the voice of the Elder God in all three Soul Reaver games, and other minor characters, passed away in August of 2006. His role in the game plays a central part in the Soul Reaver mythos, and his death may effect further productions. All in all, the future seems bleak for Soul Reaver. Glimmers of hope have shined here and there however!

According to Wikipedia: " Two unlockable extra costumes for Lara Croft: 'Gothic' and 'Gothic, Lace Shirt' variations of Lara's ensemble. In these costumes, Lara bears a neck tattoo of Raziel's clan Glyph, and her belt buckle carries Kain's Glyph. The Soul Reaver sword itself is also an unlockable extra only available upon 100% completion of the game. There are portraits of Kain in her mansion, which can be found in the "Kain's Tomb" section of Defiance. " Whether or not these are just nods to the games, or simply signatures of graphic artists who worked on both games remains to be seen.

In the March, 2008 Issue of Game Informer Magazine, Bill Gardner, CEO of US publishing for Eidos Interactive, stated in an interview when asked if the Kain games would have a chance at a comeback, "I would Say absolutely. Some of the franchises that this company has that we haven't exploited need to be brought back out before we go look at new franchises. What about what we've got? I would say that Legacy of Kain and Soul Reaver are two that I would absolutely be pushing very hard for." Straight from the proverbial horses mouth, yet not a guarantee that the series will return any time soon if at all.

If I had to make a wager, I would say that while Legacy of Kain wasn't the most profitable software that Eidos published, it was certainly held at a higher standard than most games are, and deserves a second look. However, the fact that Crystal Dynamics is knee-deep in a high profile franchise like Tomb Raider hinders any chance of it being developed anytime soon.