Metacritic Games

Blood Omen 2 (GameCube)

The latest installment in the Legacy of Kain Series is a 3rd person 3D action/combat game in which the player assumes the role of the vampire Kain. A compelling story drives the player through huge lushly detailed 3D environments and challenges his game play skills in combat, puzzle solving, stealth and exploration. With each success, the player achieves new dark powers that will grant Kain the ability to access treacherous new areas to explore and the power to face stronger, more aggressive enemies. As the player develops a stronger, more skilled vampire, he is rewarded with dozens of in-game cinematic sequences that unfold the continuing epic of Nosgoth, and Kain's attempts to ultimately rule over it. [Eidos Interactive]

Eidos Interactive
Action, Adventure
Players: 1
M (Mature)
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Released December 3, 2002

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

71 / 100

Critic Reviews

80	GamePro May be repetitive, overwrought, and fraught with unimaginative puzzles and enemies, but those of you dying for some bloody GameCube fun won’t get it much better than this.
78	Nintendo Power Beautifully detailed gothic environments. [Feb 2003, p.155]
77	TotalGames.net Graphically, it certainly won’t win any awards but the surroundings are suitably gothic and provide a convincing setting for the bloodthirsty business at hand.
76	GameZone The game is a touch too simplistic, but does have solid characters, and very good sound.
75	GamerWeb Nintendo The graphics are well above average, the sound is superb and the gameplay is good, if a tad stale.
75	Game Informer Nine months and no enhancements later, BO2 hits the 'Cube. Surprisingly, it's still darn good. [Jan 2003, p.102]
71	GameSpot The story has at least a couple of fine twists, and Kain is as memorable of a main character as they come.
70	IGN This doesn't feel like a true next-generation game. If you can live with that, the dark nature and gritty storyline of the title may outweigh its drawbacks.
70	Nintendophiles Linear and repetitive gameplay, inferior hit detection, and unattractive visuals makes a good deal of this title difficult to go through even once.
70	Cheat Code Central Hardcore gamers need not apply; this game does not push the series in any direction. In fact it kind of drags it back a little but that's fine as long as it hits its intended audience.
69	Armchair Empire It’s got a great story and a well-defined protagonist, the graphics and sound provide a suitable sense of place, but the problem with the “lock” during combat and the funnel quality will more than likely turn some people off.
68	GameSpy The least impressive title in the Legacy of Kain series.
65	Electronic Gaming Monthly For an undead ruler, Kain sure has to flip a lot of switches and push around oodles of crates. [Feb 2003, p.144]
60	Thunderbolt While it features an excellent overall presentation, the actual gameplay comes off dull and uninspired.
50	Play Magazine Kain is stiff when mutilating the townspeople, and the clunky character designs collapse the mood even more. [Jan 2003, p.76]