<s>
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
:	I-Application
Legacy	I-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
is	O
an	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
,	O
with	O
distribution	O
involvement	O
from	O
Activision	O
and	O
BMG	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
in	O
1996	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
port	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
Semi	O
Logic	O
Entertainments	O
and	O
released	O
jointly	O
by	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
and	O
Activision	O
in	O
1997	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
later	O
rereleased	O
digitally	O
via	O
GOG.com	O
in	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
title	O
in	O
the	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
follows	O
Kain	O
,	O
a	O
slain	O
nobleman	O
newly	O
resurrected	O
as	O
a	O
vampire	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Silicon	O
Knights	O
designed	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
as	O
"	O
a	O
game	O
which	O
adults	O
would	O
want	O
to	O
play	O
"	O
,	O
intending	O
to	O
evolve	O
the	O
action	O
role-playing	O
genre	O
and	O
bring	O
artistic	O
cinema	O
to	O
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
consoles	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
its	O
release	O
,	O
a	O
dispute	O
arose	O
concerning	O
ownership	O
of	O
its	O
intellectual	O
property	O
rights	O
,	O
after	O
which	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
retained	O
permission	O
to	O
continue	O
the	O
series	O
with	O
their	O
1999	O
sequel	O
,	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
:	I-Application
Soul	I-Application
Reaver	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
is	O
a	O
two-dimensional	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gameplay	O
is	O
divided	O
between	O
outdoor	O
traversal	O
and	O
dungeon	O
crawls	O
,	O
entailing	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
combat	O
,	O
puzzle-solving	O
,	O
and	O
navigating	O
hazards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
advance	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
Kain	O
must	O
locate	O
and	O
defeat	O
the	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
Circle	O
of	O
Nine	O
-	O
who	O
act	O
as	O
boss	O
enemies	O
-	O
and	O
return	O
their	O
tokens	O
to	O
the	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
a	O
vampire	B-Application
,	O
Kain	O
is	O
required	O
to	O
consume	O
the	O
red	O
blood	O
of	O
living	O
creatures	O
to	O
replenish	O
his	O
health	O
meter	O
,	O
which	O
gradually	O
drains	O
over	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
diminishes	O
more	O
quickly	O
if	O
he	O
sustains	O
damage	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
he	O
casts	O
spells	O
or	O
shapeshifts	O
,	O
he	O
expends	O
magic	B-Application
energy	I-Application
—	O
this	O
recovers	O
in	O
time	O
,	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
replenished	O
by	O
drinking	O
the	O
blue	O
blood	O
of	O
ghostly	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Weapons	O
include	O
iron	O
and	O
fire-elemental	O
swords	O
,	O
a	O
spiked	O
mace	O
,	O
twin	O
axes	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
a	O
two-handed	O
flamberge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
introduces	O
the	O
land	O
of	O
Nosgoth	O
,	O
a	O
fantasy	O
setting	O
dominated	O
by	O
humans	O
and	O
vampires	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
health	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
is	O
inextricably	O
connected	O
to	O
the	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
—	O
nine	O
supernatural	O
edifices	O
,	O
each	O
one	O
protected	O
and	O
represented	O
by	O
a	O
human	O
guardian	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hundreds	O
of	O
years	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
story	O
,	O
the	O
Circle	O
formed	O
and	O
sponsored	O
the	O
Sarafan	O
,	O
an	O
order	O
of	O
monastic	O
warriors	O
devoted	O
to	O
eradicating	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
race	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
prologue	O
,	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
Vorador	O
reacts	O
vengefully	O
by	O
killing	O
six	O
of	O
the	O
guardians	O
and	O
defeating	O
Malek	O
,	O
the	O
Sarafan	O
leader	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
the	O
Sarafan	O
disband	O
,	O
vampires	B-Application
continue	O
to	O
be	O
persecuted	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
intervening	O
years	O
,	O
new	O
guardians	O
have	O
been	O
summoned	O
,	O
Nosgoth	O
's	O
surviving	O
vampires	B-Application
have	O
retreated	O
into	O
hiding	O
,	O
and	O
humanity	O
has	O
separated	O
into	O
two	O
opposing	O
factions	O
:	O
the	O
kingdom	O
of	O
Willendorf	O
,	O
inspired	O
by	O
Arthurian	B-Application
legend	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	O
Legions	O
of	O
the	O
Nemesis	O
,	O
an	O
all-conquering	O
army	O
determined	O
to	O
bring	O
an	O
end	O
to	O
civilization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kain	O
(	O
voiced	O
by	O
Simon	O
Templeman	O
)	O
,	O
an	O
ambitious	O
,	O
cynical	O
young	O
nobleman	O
murdered	O
and	O
reluctantly	O
raised	O
as	O
a	O
vampire	B-Application
,	O
is	O
the	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Conceived	O
as	O
an	O
antihero	B-Application
whose	O
nature	O
reflects	O
the	O
story	O
's	O
moral	O
ambiguity	O
,	O
Kain	O
was	O
partially	O
modeled	O
on	O
the	O
character	O
of	O
William	O
Munny	O
from	O
the	O
1992	O
Clint	O
Eastwood	O
film	O
,	O
Unforgiven	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reclusive	O
and	O
decadent	O
vampire	B-Application
Vorador	O
(	O
Paul	O
Lukather	O
)	O
acts	O
as	O
a	O
mentor	O
and	O
father	O
figure	O
to	O
Kain	O
,	O
encouraging	O
him	O
to	O
accept	O
vampirism	O
,	O
whereas	O
the	O
specter	O
of	O
the	O
deceased	O
balance	O
guardian	O
,	O
Ariel	O
(	O
Anna	O
Gunn	O
)	O
,	O
directs	O
Kain	O
in	O
his	O
quest	O
to	O
restore	O
the	O
land	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
major	O
characters	O
include	O
King	O
Ottmar	O
(	O
Ross	O
)	O
,	O
the	O
ruler	O
of	O
Willendorf	O
;	O
The	O
Nemesis	O
(	O
Jay	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
once-benign	O
monarch	O
known	O
as	O
William	O
the	O
Just	O
,	O
turned	O
despot	O
and	O
tyrant	O
;	O
and	O
The	O
Dark	O
Entity	O
(	O
Jay	O
)	O
,	O
an	O
otherworldly	O
being	O
capable	O
of	O
demonic	O
possession	O
who	O
is	O
the	O
overall	O
mastermind	O
behind	O
events	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
primary	O
antagonist	O
and	O
final	O
boss	O
of	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
seeking	O
to	O
topple	O
the	O
Circle	O
and	O
the	O
Pillars	O
and	O
establish	O
its	O
reign	O
in	O
Nosgoth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mortanius	O
offers	O
him	O
the	O
chance	O
to	O
exact	O
revenge	O
;	O
Kain	O
assents	O
,	O
heedless	O
of	O
the	O
cost	O
,	O
and	O
awakes	O
as	O
a	O
vampire	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
search	O
of	O
the	O
truth	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
cure	O
to	O
his	O
vampiric	O
curse	O
,	O
Kain	O
travels	O
to	O
the	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
defeat	O
Malek	O
,	O
Kain	O
solicits	O
the	O
advice	O
of	O
the	O
Oracle	B-General_Concept
of	O
Nosgoth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Oracle	B-General_Concept
forewarns	O
him	O
of	O
the	O
Legions	O
of	O
the	O
Nemesis	O
,	O
and	O
instructs	O
him	O
to	O
seek	O
out	O
Vorador	O
,	O
Malek	O
's	O
old	O
adversary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Haunted	O
by	O
the	O
elder	O
vampire	B-Application
,	O
who	O
serves	O
as	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
what	O
he	O
will	O
become	O
if	O
he	O
fails	O
to	O
find	O
a	O
cure	O
,	O
Kain	O
persists	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
decisive	O
showdown	O
,	O
Vorador	O
vanquishes	O
Malek	O
while	O
Kain	O
kills	O
Bane	O
the	O
Druid	O
and	O
DeJoule	O
the	O
Energist	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
when	O
Kain	O
returns	O
to	O
the	O
present	O
day	O
,	O
he	O
discovers	O
that	O
William	O
's	O
murder	O
has	O
sparked	O
a	O
renewed	O
vampire	B-Application
purge	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Oracle	B-General_Concept
of	O
Nosgoth	O
—	O
revealed	O
to	O
be	O
Moebius	O
the	O
Time	O
Streamer	O
,	O
a	O
member	O
of	O
the	O
Circle	O
—	O
leads	O
the	O
genocidal	O
crusade	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
having	O
masterminded	O
Kain	O
's	O
actions	O
from	O
the	O
outset	O
,	O
consummates	O
his	O
trap	O
by	O
executing	O
Vorador	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
can	O
choose	O
whether	O
to	O
heal	O
the	O
world	O
-	O
an	O
ending	O
in	O
which	O
Kain	O
sacrifices	O
his	O
life	O
,	O
ensuring	O
the	O
extinction	O
of	O
the	O
vampires	B-Application
and	O
restoration	O
of	O
Nosgoth	O
-	O
or	O
damn	O
the	O
world	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
case	O
the	O
Pillars	O
collapse	O
,	O
leaving	O
Nosgoth	O
an	O
irredeemable	O
wasteland	O
,	O
with	O
Kain	O
fully	O
embracing	O
his	O
curse	O
and	O
living	O
on	O
as	O
the	O
most	O
powerful	O
entity	O
in	O
the	O
land	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
originated	O
as	O
The	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
,	O
a	O
game	O
proposal	O
drafted	O
circa	O
1993	O
by	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
president	O
Denis	O
Dyack	O
and	O
art	O
director	O
and	O
writer	O
Ken	O
McCulloch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1993	O
,	O
while	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
completed	O
work	O
on	O
Dark	B-Application
Legions	I-Application
,	O
Dyack	O
met	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
producer	O
Lyle	O
Hall	O
at	O
a	O
conference	O
,	O
and	O
they	O
shared	O
their	O
mutual	O
ambition	O
to	O
build	O
"	O
epic	O
"	O
games	O
with	O
bigger	O
budgets	O
and	O
higher	O
expectations	O
than	O
the	O
then-current	O
industry	O
standard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Several	O
publishers	O
were	O
sent	O
The	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
,	O
the	O
science	O
fiction	O
concept	O
Too	B-Application
Human	I-Application
,	O
and	O
a	O
third	O
competing	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
pitch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Too	B-Application
Human	I-Application
was	O
almost	O
pursued	O
,	O
but	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
—	O
who	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
high	O
fantasy	O
genre	O
was	O
a	O
preferable	O
choice	O
—	O
made	O
a	O
deal	O
with	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
to	O
produce	O
The	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Design	O
work	O
continued	O
,	O
with	O
Amy	O
Hennig	O
at	O
the	O
helm	O
as	O
design	O
manager	O
,	O
for	O
approximately	O
six	O
to	O
eight	O
months	O
before	O
both	O
parties	O
reached	O
agreement	O
on	O
the	O
most	O
suitable	O
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
console	I-Device
to	O
publish	O
for	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hall	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
been	O
"	O
instantly	O
taken	O
"	O
by	O
the	O
project	O
,	O
thought	O
that	O
"	O
it	O
was	O
obvious	O
this	O
game	O
deserved	O
a	O
[	O
Legend	O
of ]	O
Zelda-style	O
take	O
on	O
a	O
vampire	B-Application
action	O
RPG	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
assisted	O
Dyack	O
in	O
convincing	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
to	O
choose	O
the	O
newly	O
announced	O
PlayStation	B-Device
over	O
the	O
3DO	B-Device
Interactive	I-Device
Multiplayer	I-Device
and	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dyack	O
and	O
Hall	O
believed	O
that	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
could	O
help	O
to	O
evolve	O
the	O
action	O
role-playing	O
genre	O
through	O
strong	O
writing	O
and	O
artistic	O
,	O
cinematic	O
flair	O
—	O
Dyack	O
summarized	O
it	O
as	O
a	O
game	O
which	O
adults	O
would	O
want	O
to	O
play	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Central	O
influences	O
included	O
vampire	B-Application
mythology	O
,	O
William	O
Shakespeare	O
's	O
plays	O
,	O
themes	O
of	O
ethical	O
dilemma	O
in	O
the	O
film	O
Unforgiven	O
,	O
the	O
visceral	O
qualities	O
of	O
the	O
Necroscope	O
novels	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
intricate	O
plot	O
of	O
The	O
Wheel	O
of	O
Time	O
book	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
antiheroes	B-Application
were	O
previously	O
uncommon	O
in	O
action-adventure	O
games	O
,	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
rejected	O
concerns	O
that	O
the	O
character	O
of	O
Kain	O
was	O
too	O
unconventional	O
and	O
the	O
story	O
too	O
ambitious	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cover	O
art	O
for	O
the	O
historical	O
novel	O
The	B-Application
Pillars	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Earth	I-Application
served	O
as	O
the	O
inspiration	O
behind	O
the	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
sword	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
originally	O
conceived	O
as	O
a	O
weapon	O
for	O
Too	B-Application
Human	I-Application
,	O
was	O
transferred	O
to	O
Blood	O
Omen'''s	O
fictional	O
universe	O
,	O
and	O
would	O
become	O
a	O
mainstay	O
weapon	O
in	O
subsequent	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
After	O
Herculean	B-Device
efforts	O
"	O
,	O
having	O
received	O
promotion	O
at	O
the	O
1995	O
and	O
1996	O
E3	O
trade	O
fairs	O
,	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
in	O
November	O
1996	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Activision	O
and	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
published	O
a	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
port	O
,	O
developed	O
by	O
Semi	O
Logic	O
Entertainments	O
,	O
in	O
1997	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Work	O
on	O
a	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
was	O
also	O
commenced	O
by	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
after	O
the	O
initial	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Employees	O
at	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
,	O
including	O
Steve	O
Groll	O
,	O
stated	O
that	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
was	O
completed	O
but	O
that	O
they	O
could	O
not	O
find	O
a	O
publisher	O
willing	O
to	O
release	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
website	O
insisted	O
that	O
this	O
"	O
was	O
simply	O
not	O
true	O
"	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
was	O
never	O
finished	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
was	O
named	O
the	O
best	O
game	O
showcased	O
at	O
the	O
inaugural	O
E3	O
fair	O
by	O
DieHard	O
GameFan	O
in	O
1995	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Review	O
aggregator	O
site	O
GameRankings	O
assigned	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
average	O
rating	O
of	O
83%	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
Generation	O
made	O
a	O
favorable	O
comparison	O
to	O
the	O
1985	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
game	O
Gauntlet	B-Device
,	O
remarking	O
on	O
Blood	O
Omen'''s	O
unique	O
design	O
elements	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
high	O
production	O
values	O
behind	O
its	O
"	O
huge	O
and	O
extremely	O
gory	O
"	O
game	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
com	O
's	O
staff	O
lauded	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
their	O
synopsis	O
,	O
saying	O
it	O
offered	O
"	O
the	O
best	O
plot	O
of	O
any	O
PlayStation	B-Device
game	O
to	O
date	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
's	O
Greg	O
Kasavin	O
praised	O
Kain	O
as	O
"	O
the	O
perfect	O
antihero	B-Application
"	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
story	O
as	O
"	O
unique	O
,	O
involving	O
,	O
and	O
epic	O
in	O
proportion	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
said	O
"	O
the	O
game	O
itself	O
does	O
n't	O
quite	O
keep	O
up	O
"	O
,	O
hindered	O
by	O
sluggish	O
controls	O
and	O
technological	O
limitations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hugh	O
Falk	O
of	O
PC	O
Gamer	O
echoed	O
a	O
complaint	O
raised	O
by	O
both	O
Gerstmann	O
and	O
Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
that	O
the	O
graphics	O
are	O
excessively	O
dark	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
disappointed	O
in	O
the	B-Application
artificial	I-Application
intelligence	I-Application
,	O
but	O
dismissed	O
these	O
as	O
"	O
minor	O
"	O
grievances	O
with	O
the	O
conclusion	O
that	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
was	O
an	O
excellent	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
role-playing	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
reviewers	O
,	O
though	O
,	O
described	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
iteration	O
's	O
loading	O
times	O
as	O
particularly	O
exorbitant	O
and	O
unsatisfactory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
Generation	O
and	O
GamePro	O
both	O
decried	O
these	O
as	O
"	O
noticeable	O
and	O
at	O
times	O
intrusive	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
IGN	O
rebuked	O
them	O
as	O
"	O
agonizing	O
"	O
,	O
but	O
said	O
that	O
they	O
are	O
common	O
to	O
disc-based	O
games	O
,	O
and	O
reasonably	O
unobtrusive	O
in	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dyack	O
rationalized	O
the	O
slowdown	O
as	O
a	O
consequence	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
's	O
random-access	B-Architecture
memory	I-Architecture
constraints	O
on	O
video	O
data	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Baldric	O
noted	O
in	O
his	O
review	O
that	O
the	O
Windows	O
port	O
alleviated	O
,	O
but	O
did	O
not	O
fully	O
amend	O
,	O
the	O
issue.Next	O
Generation	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
held	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
inferior	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
,	O
noting	O
that	O
the	O
hi-res	O
mode	O
runs	O
at	O
a	O
choppy	O
frame	O
rate	O
on	O
all	O
but	O
the	O
most	O
high-end	O
PC	O
hardware	O
and	O
arguing	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
better	O
played	O
with	O
a	O
joypad	O
than	O
with	O
a	O
keyboard	O
or	O
joystick.Electronic	O
Gaming	O
Monthly	O
named	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
:	I-Application
Legacy	I-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
Role-Playing	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
,	O
explaining	O
that	O
,	O
"	O
This	O
was	O
a	O
close	O
race	O
with	O
Suikoden	B-Application
,	O
but	O
the	O
dark	O
and	O
violent	O
nature	O
of	O
Kain	O
won	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
time	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
was	O
released	O
,	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
had	O
already	O
secured	O
a	O
deal	O
with	O
Activision	O
to	O
publish	O
a	O
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
did	O
receive	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
but	O
its	O
production	O
was	O
impeded	O
by	O
a	O
litigious	O
battle	O
between	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
stakeholders	O
and	O
developer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
interview	O
conducted	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
release	O
,	O
Dyack	O
contemplated	O
the	O
possibility	O
of	O
creating	O
a	O
prequel	O
centered	O
around	O
the	O
character	O
of	O
Vorador	O
-	O
referring	O
to	O
it	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
series	O
"	O
-	O
but	O
mentioned	O
that	O
it	O
was	O
"	O
extremely	O
unlikely	O
"	O
that	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
would	O
work	O
with	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
again	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Subsequently	O
,	O
the	O
relationship	O
between	O
both	O
parties	O
dissolved	O
,	O
and	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
-	O
who	O
had	O
withdrawn	O
from	O
software	O
publishing	O
to	O
focus	O
exclusively	O
on	O
game	O
development	O
-	O
announced	O
their	O
own	O
follow-up	O
in	O
the	O
form	O
of	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
:	I-Application
Soul	I-Application
Reaver	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
1997	O
,	O
GameSpot	O
divulged	O
that	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
had	O
filed	O
a	O
lawsuit	O
against	O
their	O
former	O
partner	O
for	O
ownership	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
requesting	O
an	O
injunction	O
to	O
prevent	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
from	O
publicizing	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
dispute	O
was	O
settled	O
in	O
private	O
,	O
with	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
retaining	O
the	O
rights	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
and	O
permission	O
to	O
create	O
derivative	O
work	O
using	O
its	O
characters	O
,	O
provided	O
they	O
credit	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
as	O
the	O
developer	O
of	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
in	O
their	O
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
was	O
acquired	O
by	O
Eidos	O
Interactive	O
,	O
who	O
published	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
in	O
1999	O
to	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
it	O
publicly	O
emerged	O
that	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
had	O
never	O
been	O
a	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
concept	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
originated	O
as	O
Shifter	O
-	O
an	O
unrelated	O
project	O
inspired	O
by	O
Biblical	O
mythology	O
,	O
devised	O
by	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
 '	O
Amy	O
Hennig	O
and	O
Seth	O
Carus	O
(	O
both	O
of	O
whom	O
had	O
worked	O
as	O
designers	O
on	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
)	O
-	O
whose	O
team	O
,	O
initially	O
reluctantly	O
,	O
reworked	O
it	O
into	O
a	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
sequel	O
at	O
the	O
request	O
of	O
company	O
management	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Successive	O
titles	O
in	O
what	O
was	O
now	O
the	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
series	O
were	O
produced	O
by	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
and	O
Eidos	O
,	O
whereas	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
walked	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
franchise	O
to	O
begin	O
work	O
on	O
Too	B-Application
Human	I-Application
,	O
and	O
later	O
Eternal	B-Application
Darkness	I-Application
:	I-Application
Sanity	I-Application
's	I-Application
Requiem	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
proceedings	O
,	O
Silicon	O
Knights	O
stated	O
that	O
they	O
had	O
ceded	O
the	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
intellectual	O
property	O
to	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
under	O
"	O
financial	O
duress	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
the	O
case	O
was	O
resolved	O
,	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
trademark	O
belonged	O
to	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
,	O
and	O
Kain	O
II	O
was	O
either	O
canceled	O
or	O
superseded	O
when	O
Shifter	O
became	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
staff	O
who	O
worked	O
on	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
declined	O
to	O
comment	O
on	O
the	O
discovery	O
,	O
Dyack	O
had	O
previously	O
affirmed	O
that	O
"[they]	O
tried	O
to	O
take	O
it	O
over	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
We	O
understand	O
that	O
some	O
people	O
love	O
the	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
series	O
and	O
we	O
think	O
that	O
is	O
great	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
2008	O
interview	O
,	O
he	O
elaborated	O
his	O
sentiment	O
that	O
"	O
if	O
you	O
look	O
at	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
where	O
it	O
is	O
right	O
now	O
--	O
so	O
diluted	O
,	O
so	O
dysfunctional	O
--	O
as	O
a	O
property	O
itself	O
,	O
it	O
's	O
pretty	O
much	O
gone	O
in	O
a	O
completely	O
different	O
direction	O
than	O
we	O
would	O
have	O
ever	O
taken	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2020	O
,	O
Denis	O
Dyack	O
announced	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
to	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
called	O
Deadhaus	B-Application
Sonata	I-Application
,	O
which	O
is	O
a	O
free-to-play	O
cooperative	O
action	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
