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| Kain and Raziel featured in artwork representing Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered and Legacy of Kain: Ascendance. |
By Jon Scarr
Crystal Dynamics is bringing Legacy of Kain back this spring with two separate releases confirmed during PlayStation’s latest State of Play showcase. One revisits a late-era entry from the series’ original run, while the other introduces a brand-new format that explores Nosgoth from a different angle.
The first release, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered, launches March 3, 2026 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Later in the month, Legacy of Kain: Ascendance follows on March 31 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Rather than bundling everything into a single package, the two releases are positioned as distinct experiences, each focused on a different part of the franchise’s history.
Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered Revisits a Pivotal Chapter
Originally released in 2003, Defiance closed out the original storyline built around Kain and Raziel. The remastered edition keeps that structure intact while updating how it plays and how it looks on modern platforms.
You once again switch between Kain and Raziel, each with their own abilities and combat focus, as the story moves through Nosgoth’s ruined cities, temples, and strongholds. Visual updates cover character models, textures, and environments, alongside a new third-person camera option that sits alongside the original fixed camera. You can switch between classic and modern presentation instantly.
The remaster includes more than visual updates. Added content includes a photo mode, alternate character skins, a built-in lore reader, unreleased material, and “lost levels” that never appeared in the original release. Pre-orders also include Shifter-inspired skins for both Kain and Raziel, referencing early concepts tied to the Soul Reaver era.
Available editions (USD pricing)
- Standard Edition ($24.99 USD): Base game plus the Shifter Skin Pack
- Deluxe Edition ($29.99 USD): Adds a comic reader with three classic comics and a playable demo of the unreleased Legacy of Kain: The Dark Prophecy
- Heart of Darkness Collection ($44.99 USD, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S): Includes everything above, plus Legacy of Kain: Ascendance and Ascendance-themed skins for Defiance Remastered
Legacy of Kain: Ascendance Takes the Series in a New Direction
Ascendance is a prequel set before the events of Soul Reaver, built as a fast-paced 2D action platformer rather than a traditional 3D adventure. Combat focuses on chaining melee attacks, evasive movement, and supernatural abilities, with an emphasis on vertical traversal and aggressive play.
Most of the game uses detailed pixel art, but select story moments shift into PS1-era-inspired 3D sequences. These sections appear at key narrative points and focus on interaction and lore rather than combat.
You play across three perspectives. Kain brings his familiar vampiric abilities, Raziel appears earlier in his life as a human Sarafan knight before his transformation, and Elaleth introduces a faster, more aggressive combat style. Story beats are delivered through gameplay, animated cutscenes, and environmental details.
The original voice cast returns, with Simon Templeman, Michael Bell, Anna Gunn, and Richard Doyle reprising their roles. Music is handled by Klayton (Celldweller/Scandroid), providing an original score for this chapter of Nosgoth’s timeline.
Ascendance is available to pre-order exclusively through the Heart of Darkness Collection on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, and will also launch on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.
A Two-Part Return After Years of Silence
Legacy of Kain has spent years largely untouched, resurfacing through references rather than new releases. Launching a remaster and a new entry in the same month marks a clear effort to bring the series back into active rotation.
One release preserves a late-era chapter that many players either missed or haven’t revisited since the early 2000s. The other expands the timeline and experiments with a format the franchise hasn’t used before. Together, they offer both a clear re-entry point and a reason to stay invested beyond nostalgia.
Are you more interested in revisiting Defiance or jumping into Ascendance first?
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