BTN News: Many fans have long awaited the return of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver on platforms like PC, Steam Deck, PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. But Crystal Dynamics has chosen a different path and announced a prequel in the form of a graphic novel.
Instead of bringing back the game, fans who have waited for over two decades will get new content. The new graphic novel, called “Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise,” is the first new content in the series since “Defiance” in 2003.
New Graphic Novel Serves as a Prequel to the Soul Reaver Games
According to IGN, “The Dead Shall Rise” is a prequel to the Soul Reaver games. It tells the story of Raziel’s past as a human Sárafan and how he became a vampire under Kain’s command. This new story will answer old questions about the series and introduce a new vampire who has close ties to Raziel and Kain.
Graphic Novel Collaboration Brings Together Talented Creators
“Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise” is a joint effort by Crystal Dynamics and Bit Bot Media. The script is written by Joshua Viola (known for “True Believers” and “It Came From the Multiplex”) and Angie Hodapp (“Unioverse” and “Shadow Atlas”). The artwork is done by Juan Samu (“Star Wars” and “Godzilla”) and Jeremiah Lambert (“Masters of the Universe” and “Transformers”). The covers are made by Dave Rapoza (“Destiny” and “Magic: The Gathering”) and Aaron Lovett (“Monster Train” and “Inkbound”).
Additional Art and Narrative Guidance Provided by Experts
Additional artwork is provided by Jonny Bush (“Rob Zombie” and “Ghost”) and Ninja Jo (“Star Wars” and “Stranger Things”). Brent Friedman (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Call of Duty”) offers narrative guidance. Crystal Dynamics has also given creative direction based on new and unseen elements from the Soul Reaver story.
Passionate Creators Share Their Excitement for the Project
“I made a Soul Reaver poster in college for a project and never thought I would officially contribute to the franchise,” Viola shared in a statement to IGN. “Even now, Raziel is on my tattoo sleeve, showing my deep connection with this universe. Fans can expect a project full of the same passion. Working with the creatives at Crystal Dynamics and reuniting with old partners makes this a very special effort,” he continued.
New Prequel Project to Be Funded Through Kickstarter Campaign
The prequel project “The Dead Shall Rise” will be funded through a Kickstarter-style campaign. Interested people can sign up on BackerKit to get a notification when the campaign starts.
Fans Hope for More New Projects from the Legacy of Kain Series
Hopefully, this graphic novel will not be the only new project from the Legacy of Kain series. Embracer Group, the current owner of the IP, said they got 100,000 requests for a new game in 2022. “We saw the news of our survey shared on social media and in the press, and we thought this was a great way to bring back the passionate fan community of this legendary game series on PC and consoles,” said Phil Rogers, CEO of Embracer’s operational group 12.
Crystal Dynamics’ announcement of “Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver – The Dead Shall Rise” as a graphic novel prequel gives fans hope for more updates and possible new projects in the future.
