<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2001	O
action-adventure	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Eidos	O
Interactive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
a	O
sequel	O
to	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
:	I-Application
Soul	I-Application
Reaver	I-Application
and	O
the	O
third	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Originally	O
developed	O
as	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
project	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
reworked	O
into	O
a	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
and	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
title	O
in	O
early	O
production	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
followed	O
by	O
two	O
sequels	O
,	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
:	I-Application
Defiance	I-Application
,	O
in	O
2002	O
and	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
continues	O
the	O
adventures	O
of	O
the	O
vampire-turned-wraith	O
Raziel	O
,	O
the	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hoping	O
to	O
deliver	O
a	O
more	O
story-focused	O
,	O
cinematic	O
experience	O
than	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
researched	O
time	O
travel	O
fiction	O
,	O
theology	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
works	O
of	O
Joseph	O
Campbell	O
when	O
creating	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2s	I-Application
narrative	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
developers	O
felt	O
the	O
final	O
product	O
fell	O
short	O
of	O
their	O
ambitions	O
,	O
but	O
it	O
performed	O
well	O
commercially	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
included	O
on	O
Sony	B-Device
's	I-Device
"	I-Device
Greatest	I-Device
Hits	I-Device
"	I-Device
list	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
single-player	O
action-adventure	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
controls	O
Raziel	O
,	O
a	O
ghostly	O
"	O
ex-vampire	O
"	O
,	O
from	O
a	O
third-person	O
perspective	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gameplay	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
original	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
prompts	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
shift	O
between	O
two	O
planes	O
of	O
existence	O
—	O
the	O
material	O
and	O
spectral	O
realms	O
—	O
to	O
progress	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
combat	O
consists	O
of	O
a	O
hack	B-Application
and	I-Application
slash	I-Application
system	O
,	O
entailing	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
combinations	O
of	O
attacks	O
before	O
executing	O
a	O
finishing	O
move	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Human	O
enemies	O
exist	O
only	O
in	O
the	O
material	O
world	O
,	O
and	O
include	O
mercenaries	O
,	O
demon	O
hunters	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Sarafan	O
,	O
a	O
monastic	O
order	O
of	O
vampire	B-Application
hunters	O
;	O
other	O
material	O
creatures	O
include	O
dogs	O
,	O
thralls	O
,	O
and	O
mutants	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
's	O
primary	O
weapon	O
is	O
a	O
ghostly	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
sword	O
,	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
the	O
wraith-blade	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
Nosgoth	O
,	O
a	O
fictional	O
land	O
with	O
fantasy	B-Application
aspects	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	B-Application
first	I-Application
game	I-Application
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
:	I-Application
Legacy	I-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
,	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
Kain	O
embarks	O
on	O
a	O
journey	O
to	O
restore	O
the	O
Pillars	B-Application
of	I-Application
Nosgoth	I-Application
—	O
nine	O
supernatural	O
edifices	O
which	O
are	O
inextricably	O
tied	O
to	O
the	O
health	O
of	O
the	O
land	O
,	O
but	O
become	O
corrupted.Raziel	O
:	O
The	O
Pillars	O
are	O
still	O
standing	O
in	O
this	O
time	O
?	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
his	O
adventure	O
,	O
Moebius	O
,	O
a	O
manipulative	O
sorcerer	O
,	O
tricks	O
Kain	O
into	O
orchestrating	O
the	O
destruction	O
of	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
race	O
:	O
Kain	O
is	O
left	O
the	O
last	O
surviving	O
vampire	B-Application
in	O
Nosgoth.Kain	O
:	O
In	O
my	O
youth	O
,	O
I	O
witnessed	O
William	O
's	O
rise	O
to	O
power	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
transformation	O
into	O
the	O
'	O
Nemesis	O
 '	O
who	O
laid	O
waste	O
to	O
Nosgoth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
I	O
,	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
assassin	O
,	O
become	O
the	O
author	O
of	O
my	O
own	O
species	O
 '	O
extinction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
triggers	O
the	O
Pillars	O
 '	O
collapse	O
,	O
and	O
dooms	O
the	O
world	O
to	O
eternal	O
decay	O
,	O
but	O
enables	O
Kain	O
to	O
live	O
on	O
and	O
revive	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
race.Kain	O
:	O
Thirty	O
years	O
hence	O
,	O
I	O
am	O
presented	O
with	O
a	O
dilemma	O
–	O
let	O
's	O
call	O
it	O
a	O
two-sided	O
coin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
But	O
as	O
the	O
last	O
surviving	O
vampire	B-Application
in	O
Nosgoth	O
,	O
this	O
would	O
mean	O
the	O
annihilation	O
of	O
our	O
species	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
1500	O
years	O
later	O
,	O
Kain	O
is	O
a	O
despotic	O
emperor	O
,	O
his	O
vampires	B-Application
dominate	O
the	O
land	O
,	O
and	O
Nosgoth	O
hinges	O
on	O
the	O
brink	O
of	O
collapse.Raziel	O
:	O
I	O
emerged	O
...	O
and	O
for	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
beheld	O
Nosgoth	O
in	O
its	O
former	O
glory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Elder	O
God	O
,	O
a	O
demiurge-like	O
entity	O
,	O
lurks	O
beneath	O
Nosgoth	O
and	O
controls	O
the	O
cycle	O
of	O
reincarnation	O
;	O
the	O
vampires	B-Application
,	O
whose	O
biological	O
immortality	O
opposes	O
his	O
doctrine	O
,	O
are	O
his	O
enemies.The	O
Elder	O
God	O
:	O
These	O
are	O
the	O
fathomless	O
truths	O
,	O
Raziel	O
:	O
the	O
agony	O
of	O
birth	O
and	O
death	O
and	O
rebirth	O
–	O
this	O
is	O
the	O
Wheel	O
of	O
Fate	O
,	O
the	O
purifying	O
cycle	O
which	O
sustains	O
all	O
life	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vampires	B-Application
are	O
an	O
abomination	O
,	O
a	O
plague	O
which	O
leeches	O
this	O
land	O
of	O
its	O
spiritual	O
strength	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Your	O
destiny	O
is	O
irresistible	O
,	O
Raziel	O
–	O
you	O
are	O
my	O
soul	B-Application
reaver	I-Application
,	O
the	O
scourge	O
of	O
the	O
vampires	B-Application
,	O
reaper	O
of	O
their	O
apostate	O
souls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
End	O
the	O
vampires	B-Application
 '	O
parasitic	O
curse	O
,	O
and	O
restore	O
Nosgoth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
Kain	O
's	O
lieutenant	O
—	O
is	O
executed	O
by	O
Kain	O
,	O
but	O
The	O
Elder	O
God	O
resurrects	O
him	O
and	O
encourages	O
him	O
to	O
exact	O
revenge.Raziel	O
:	O
Indebted	O
?	O
</s>
<s>
Do	O
not	O
fail	O
me	O
,	O
my	O
servant	O
...	O
Traversing	O
the	O
wasteland	O
and	O
murdering	O
the	O
vampires	B-Application
,	O
Raziel	O
confronts	O
Kain	O
,	O
who	O
attacks	O
him	O
with	O
the	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
sword	O
,	O
imbued	O
with	O
a	O
spirit	O
which	O
absorbs	O
its	O
victims	O
 '	O
souls	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
shatters	O
when	O
it	O
strikes	O
Raziel	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
blade	O
's	O
spirit	O
binds	O
itself	O
to	O
his	O
arm.Raziel	O
:	O
And	O
here	O
I	O
discovered	O
the	O
source	O
of	O
the	O
displacement	O
–	O
the	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
itself	O
,	O
laid	O
out	O
like	O
a	O
holy	O
relic	O
...	O
And	O
broken	O
,	O
apparently	O
in	O
the	O
battle	O
between	O
William	O
and	O
Kain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
it	O
is	O
established	O
that	O
,	O
in	O
Nosgoth	O
,	O
fatalism	O
is	O
an	O
actuality	O
—	O
history	O
is	O
immutable	O
,	O
and	O
all	O
individuals	O
are	O
subject	O
to	O
predestination.Kain	O
:	O
–	O
and	O
profoundly	O
ingrained	O
,	O
Raziel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
You	O
have	O
a	O
choice	O
,	O
Raziel	O
–	O
Kain	O
relies	O
on	O
Raziel	O
's	O
free	O
will	O
in	O
a	O
bid	O
to	O
outsmart	O
Moebius	O
and	O
resolve	O
the	O
dilemma	O
he	O
faced	O
in	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
ultimately	O
hoping	O
to	O
enable	O
both	O
the	O
restored	O
Pillars	O
and	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
race	O
to	O
co-exist	O
in	O
the	O
future.Kain	O
:	O
How	O
strange	O
to	O
see	O
this	O
place	O
long	O
before	O
my	O
birth	O
...	O
centuries	O
before	O
the	O
corruption	O
set	O
in	O
that	O
would	O
poison	O
the	O
land	O
,	O
and	O
put	O
me	O
on	O
the	O
treacherous	O
path	O
I	O
still	O
followed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
opens	O
as	O
Raziel	O
emerges	O
from	O
the	O
time	O
slip	O
and	O
is	O
greeted	O
by	O
Moebius	O
,	O
having	O
arrived	O
in	O
an	O
era	O
30	O
years	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
Blood	O
Omen.Moebius	O
:	O
My	O
role	O
as	O
Time	O
Guardian	O
affords	O
me	O
a	O
certain	O
level	O
of	O
omniscience	O
,	O
Raziel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
further	O
time	O
periods	O
,	O
100	O
years	O
after	O
and	O
500	O
years	O
before	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
respectively	O
,	O
are	O
also	O
explored	O
as	O
the	O
story	O
progresses	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Raziel	O
returns	O
as	O
the	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
Raziel	O
discovered	O
that	O
he	O
was	O
once	O
a	O
human	O
and	O
a	O
leading	O
member	O
of	O
the	O
vampire-hunting	O
Sarafan	O
brotherhood	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
epiphanies	O
drive	O
the	O
conflict	O
in	O
the	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kain	O
,	O
the	O
antagonist	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
appears	O
as	O
a	O
non-player	O
character	O
in	O
cutscenes	O
,	O
urging	O
Raziel	O
to	O
unearth	O
his	O
destiny	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Moebius	O
the	O
Time	O
Streamer	O
,	O
a	O
sorcerer	O
who	O
was	O
a	O
villain	O
in	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
and	O
had	O
a	O
cameo	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
is	O
a	O
primary	O
antagonist	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
who	O
attempts	O
to	O
manipulate	O
Raziel	O
into	O
destroying	O
Kain	O
-	O
it	O
is	O
revealed	O
that	O
he	O
is	O
an	O
agent	O
of	O
The	O
Elder	O
God	O
,	O
Raziel	O
's	O
ally	O
and	O
guide	O
in	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
who	O
is	O
slowly	O
established	O
as	O
a	O
more	O
sinister	O
entity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ariel	O
,	O
a	O
specter	O
bound	O
to	O
the	O
Pillars	O
who	O
featured	O
in	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
and	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
returns	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
Vorador	O
,	O
also	O
from	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
assists	O
Raziel	O
early	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ancient	O
vampire	B-Application
Janos	O
Audron	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
character	O
who	O
was	O
previously	O
only	O
mentioned	O
in	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
acts	O
as	O
Raziel	O
's	O
mentor	O
towards	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
continues	O
by	O
summarizing	O
the	B-Application
first	I-Application
game	I-Application
's	O
ending	O
:	O
Raziel	O
confronts	O
Kain	O
in	O
Nosgoth	O
's	O
wasteland	O
and	O
pursues	O
him	O
through	O
a	O
portal	O
leading	O
to	O
the	O
past	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Moebius	O
,	O
the	O
leader	O
of	O
a	O
vampire-hunting	O
crusade	O
in	O
this	O
age	O
,	O
coerces	O
Raziel	O
to	O
re-embrace	O
his	O
former	O
heritage	O
as	O
a	O
Sarafan	O
vampire	B-Application
hunter	O
by	O
killing	O
Kain.Moebius	O
:	O
You	O
may	O
never	O
again	O
be	O
human	O
,	O
Raziel	O
...	O
</s>
<s>
his	O
enthusiasm	O
wanes	O
over	O
time	O
as	O
he	O
witnesses	O
the	O
ruthlessness	O
of	O
Moebius	O
's	O
soldiers.Raziel	O
:	O
These	O
vampires	B-Application
had	O
nothing	O
in	O
common	O
with	O
the	O
deranged	O
jackals	O
I	O
left	O
behind	O
in	O
Kain	O
's	O
derelict	O
empire	O
–	O
they	O
seemed	O
to	O
retain	O
much	O
of	O
their	O
former	O
humanity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
this	O
era	O
,	O
vampires	B-Application
were	O
clearly	O
not	O
the	O
uncontested	O
predators	O
we	O
had	O
been	O
...	O
these	O
creatures	O
were	O
hunted	O
mercilessly	O
,	O
and	O
oppressed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
race	O
created	O
the	O
Pillars	O
to	O
banish	O
their	O
adversaries	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
enemy	O
race	O
-	O
the	O
Hylden	O
-	O
retaliated	O
with	O
a	O
curse	O
which	O
transformed	O
the	O
Pillars	O
 '	O
architects	O
into	O
the	O
first	O
vampires.Raziel	O
:	O
The	O
scenes	O
I	O
discovered	O
here	O
were	O
unambiguous	O
...	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
race	O
of	O
winged	O
beings	O
–	O
the	O
architects	O
of	O
the	O
Pillars	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
creators	O
of	O
the	O
Reaver	O
–	O
were	O
Nosgoth	O
's	O
first	O
vampires	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
I	O
struggled	O
in	O
vain	O
to	O
see	O
how	O
the	O
pieces	O
fit	O
together	O
...	O
How	O
Kain	O
intended	O
to	O
escape	O
the	O
dilemma	O
of	O
his	O
destiny	O
,	O
and	O
what	O
role	O
he	O
had	O
plotted	O
for	O
me	O
...	O
And	O
why	O
Moebius	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
dark	O
powers	O
with	O
which	O
he	O
seemed	O
to	O
be	O
allied	O
,	O
were	O
so	O
desperate	O
to	O
see	O
Kain	O
dead	O
,	O
and	O
so	O
intent	O
on	O
me	O
being	O
the	O
instrument	O
of	O
his	O
execution	O
...	O
Kain	O
explains	O
that	O
,	O
had	O
he	O
sacrificed	O
himself	O
,	O
the	O
vampire	B-Application
race	O
—	O
the	O
rightful	O
inheritors	O
of	O
the	O
Pillars	O
—	O
would	O
have	O
become	O
extinct.Raziel	O
:	O
We	O
agree	O
then	O
that	O
the	O
Pillars	O
are	O
crucial	O
,	O
and	O
must	O
be	O
restored	O
?	O
</s>
<s>
Vorador	O
tells	O
Raziel	O
that	O
the	O
last	O
of	O
the	O
ancient	O
vampires	B-Application
,	O
Janos	O
Audron	O
,	O
held	O
the	O
key	O
to	O
Raziel	O
's	O
destiny	O
,	O
but	O
Janos	O
was	O
murdered	O
by	O
the	O
Sarafan	O
five	O
centuries	O
ago.Vorador	O
:	O
But	O
you	O
see	O
,	O
even	O
if	O
you	O
are	O
who	O
you	O
appear	O
to	O
be	O
,	O
it	O
no	O
longer	O
matters	O
...	O
You	O
're	O
simply	O
too	O
late	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
His	O
execution	O
marked	O
the	O
annihilation	O
of	O
the	O
vampires	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
there	O
,	O
Janos	O
presents	O
Raziel	O
with	O
the	O
Reaver	O
,	O
a	O
younger	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
physical	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
blade	O
which	O
will	O
later	O
house	O
a	O
soul-devouring	O
spirit.Janos	O
:	O
The	O
most	O
formidable	O
weapon	O
ever	O
forged	O
by	O
our	O
swordsmiths	O
...	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
it	O
was	O
I	O
who	O
put	O
these	O
bastards	O
in	O
their	O
tomb	O
–	O
thus	O
providing	O
the	O
corpses	O
for	O
Kain	O
to	O
raise	O
as	O
his	O
vampire	B-Application
sons	O
a	O
millennium	O
from	O
now	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
himself	O
has	O
always	O
been	O
the	O
ravenous	O
spirit	O
inside	O
the	O
Reaver	O
,	O
and	O
therefore	O
is	O
fated	O
to	O
be	O
stuck	O
in	O
a	O
time	O
loop	O
;	O
the	O
sword	O
shattered	O
against	O
him	O
in	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
because	O
it	O
was	O
unable	O
to	O
consume	O
itself.Raziel	O
:	O
With	O
all	O
other	O
foes	O
exhausted	O
,	O
the	O
conjoined	O
blades	O
turned	O
themselves	O
on	O
me	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
this	O
paradox	O
strains	O
Nosgoth	O
's	O
history	O
too	O
far	O
,	O
enabling	B-Application
the	I-Application
Hylden	I-Application
to	I-Application
return	I-Application
and	O
jeopardize	O
his	O
ambition	O
to	O
restore	O
the	O
Pillars.Raziel	O
:	O
Behind	O
Kain	O
's	O
eyes	O
,	O
I	O
could	O
see	O
new	O
memories	O
blooming	O
and	O
dying	O
,	O
as	O
history	O
labored	O
to	O
reshuffle	O
itself	O
around	O
this	O
monumental	O
obstruction	O
...	O
And	O
I	O
could	O
see	O
by	O
the	O
dawning	O
horror	O
on	O
his	O
face	O
that	O
perhaps	O
we	O
had	O
strained	O
history	O
too	O
far	O
this	O
time	O
...	O
that	O
by	O
trying	O
to	O
alter	O
my	O
fate	O
,	O
he	O
may	O
have	O
introduced	O
a	O
fatal	O
paradox	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Amidst	O
Kain	O
's	O
dismay	O
and	O
warning	O
to	O
not	O
revive	O
Janos	O
Audron	O
,	O
Raziel	O
slips	O
back	O
into	O
the	O
spirit	O
realm	O
and	O
realizes	O
that	O
the	O
wraith-blade	O
is	O
still	O
bound	O
to	O
him	O
,	O
and	O
despairingly	O
laments	O
that	O
his	O
destiny	O
has	O
not	O
been	O
changed	O
,	O
but	O
merely	O
postponed.Raziel	O
:	O
But	O
Kain	O
's	O
warning	O
was	O
lost	O
as	O
I	O
slipped	O
into	O
the	O
spirit	O
realm	O
,	O
too	O
weak	O
to	O
maintain	O
my	O
physical	O
form	O
...	O
And	O
there	O
,	O
waiting	O
for	O
me	O
as	O
always	O
,	O
was	O
the	O
Reaver	O
...	O
the	O
wraith	O
blade	O
–	O
my	O
own	O
soul	O
,	O
twinned	O
and	O
bound	O
eternally	O
to	O
me	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
I	O
had	O
merely	O
postponed	B-Application
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Even	O
before	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
were	O
aware	O
that	O
they	O
would	O
create	O
a	O
follow-up	O
,	O
but	O
had	O
no	O
"	O
master	O
plan	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
uses	O
the	O
engine	O
of	O
Gex	B-Application
:	I-Application
Enter	I-Application
the	I-Application
Gecko	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Prior	O
to	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
development	O
,	O
director	O
Amy	O
Hennig	O
emphasized	O
that	O
the	O
role-playing	O
game	O
elements	O
of	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
stronger	O
dialogue	O
and	O
character	O
interaction	O
,	O
a	O
greater	O
variety	O
of	O
acquirable	O
mechanics	O
,	O
and	O
wider	O
use	O
of	O
the	O
spectral	O
realm	O
should	O
figure	O
into	O
the	O
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Pre-production	O
began	O
in	O
late	O
1999	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
project	O
briefly	O
entered	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
Dreamcast	B-Operating_System
with	O
a	O
targeted	O
release	O
date	O
in	O
fall	O
of	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
was	O
given	O
approval	O
to	O
switch	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
after	O
creating	O
a	O
proof-of-concept	O
demo	O
for	O
E3	O
2000	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
announced	O
as	O
an	O
console	O
exclusive	O
title	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
dropping	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
and	O
original	B-Device
PlayStation	I-Device
versions	O
in	O
the	O
process	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Executive	O
producer	O
Andrew	O
Bennett	O
analogized	O
the	O
developers	O
 '	O
design	O
sensibilities	O
to	O
the	O
non-linear	O
nature	O
of	O
Nintendo	O
's	O
The	B-Application
Legend	I-Application
of	I-Application
Zelda	I-Application
and	O
Mario	B-Application
franchises	I-Application
,	O
but	O
said	O
it	O
was	O
decided	O
that	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
would	O
not	O
be	O
a	O
"	O
traditional	O
'	O
complete	O
a	O
level	O
,	O
fight	O
a	O
boss	O
 '	O
type	O
of	O
game	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
creating	O
more	O
inherent	O
and	O
optional	O
abilities	O
for	O
Raziel	O
,	O
they	O
focused	O
on	O
including	O
new	O
,	O
mandatory	O
enhancements	O
for	O
the	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
weapon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
crafted	O
to	O
feature	O
a	O
more	O
cinematic	O
,	O
story-focused	O
experience	O
than	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
which	O
the	O
developers	O
felt	O
had	O
been	O
"	O
patchy	O
"	O
in	O
this	O
regard	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
entered	O
production	O
after	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
but	O
shipped	O
almost	O
six	O
months	O
before	O
the	O
latter	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
separate	O
team	O
within	O
Crystal	O
Dynamics	O
,	O
with	O
creative	O
autonomy	O
,	O
developed	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
and	O
contradictions	O
created	O
by	O
its	O
scenario	O
hindered	O
work	O
on	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
researching	O
time	O
travel	O
fiction	O
,	O
Hennig	O
devised	O
a	O
subplot	O
concerning	O
temporal	O
paradoxes	O
to	O
resolve	O
the	O
continuity	O
problems	O
between	O
both	O
titles	O
,	O
and	O
established	O
that	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
2s	I-Application
story	O
is	O
a	O
product	O
of	O
the	O
final	O
paradox	O
created	O
when	O
Kain	O
saves	O
Raziel	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
features	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
boss	O
encounters	O
,	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
does	O
not	O
;	O
this	O
was	O
a	O
conscious	O
decision	O
on	O
the	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
staff	O
,	O
to	O
ensure	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
pacing	O
more	O
closely	O
emulated	O
that	O
of	O
a	O
novel	O
or	O
a	O
film	O
,	O
although	O
near	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
Sarafan	O
commanders	O
including	O
Raziel	O
's	O
human	O
self	O
are	O
considered	O
somewhat	O
as	O
a	O
"	O
bosses	O
"	O
since	O
they	O
are	O
more	O
challenging	O
than	O
the	O
usual	O
enemies	O
during	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
expanding	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
fiction	O
,	O
Hennig	O
sought	O
to	O
take	O
people	O
back	O
to	O
the	O
characters	O
and	O
mythology	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
,	O
and	O
built	O
on	O
its	O
latent	O
themes	O
,	O
including	O
issues	O
of	O
fatalism	O
,	O
ethical	O
dilemma	O
and	O
morality	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
story	O
needed	O
to	O
be	O
restructured	O
several	O
times	O
before	O
its	O
completion	O
,	O
and	O
,	O
like	O
the	O
original	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
many	O
planned	O
areas	O
and	O
abilities	O
were	O
excised	O
,	O
including	O
three	O
elemental	O
forges	O
(	O
earth	O
,	O
water	O
and	O
spirit	O
)	O
,	O
more	O
Reaver	O
enhancements	O
,	O
and	O
nine	O
"	O
spell-type	O
things	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
She	O
explained	O
that	O
the	O
project	O
's	O
small	O
programming	O
crew	O
,	O
its	O
switch	O
to	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
,	O
and	O
its	O
limited	O
17	O
month	O
production	O
schedule	O
had	O
forced	O
the	O
team	O
to	O
"	O
pick	O
their	O
battles	O
"	O
,	O
leading	O
numerous	O
features	O
to	O
be	O
simplified	O
or	O
eliminated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Commenting	O
on	O
the	O
final	O
product	O
,	O
lead	O
designer	O
Richard	O
Lemarchand	O
said	O
that	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
"	O
fell	O
short	O
of	O
what	O
the	O
team	O
had	O
wanted	O
to	O
accomplish	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Harland	O
and	O
Hedges	O
had	O
already	O
collaborated	O
on	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
but	O
Hedges	O
had	O
not	O
previously	O
contributed	O
compositions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Music	O
from	O
both	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
and	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
a	O
promotional	O
soundtrack	O
in	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Voice	O
actors	O
from	O
both	O
Blood	B-Application
Omen	I-Application
and	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
reprised	O
their	O
roles	O
,	O
with	O
Michael	O
Bell	O
playing	O
Raziel	O
and	O
Simon	O
Templeman	O
portraying	O
Kain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Paul	O
Lukather	O
,	O
absent	O
from	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
rejoined	O
the	O
cast	O
as	O
Vorador	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
René	O
Auberjonois	O
,	O
the	O
only	O
newcomer	O
to	O
the	O
Legacy	B-Application
of	I-Application
Kain	I-Application
series	O
,	O
provided	O
the	O
voice	O
of	O
Janos	O
Audron	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Publisher	O
Eidos	O
Interactive	O
was	O
"	O
broadly	O
satisfied	O
"	O
with	O
the	O
commercial	O
performance	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
which	O
sold	O
more	O
than	O
500,000	O
copies	O
by	O
June	O
2002	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
Sony	O
re-released	O
it	O
under	O
the	O
"	B-Device
Greatest	I-Device
Hits	I-Device
"	I-Device
label	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
the	O
initial	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
release	O
on	O
October	O
30	O
,	O
2001	O
,	O
the	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
port	O
developed	O
by	O
Nixxes	O
Software	O
shipped	O
on	O
November	O
19	O
,	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
release	O
featured	O
bonus	O
material	O
,	O
including	O
voice	O
casting	O
outtakes	O
,	O
artworks	O
,	O
a	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
trailers	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
dialogue	O
script	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
compilation	O
of	O
Nosgoth	O
's	O
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2012	O
,	O
digital	O
distribution	O
services	O
GOG.com	O
and	O
Steam	B-Application
made	O
the	O
Windows	O
port	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
available	O
for	O
purchase	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ReceptionSoul	O
Reaver	O
2	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Perry	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
new	O
puzzles	O
involving	O
the	O
elemental	O
powers	O
of	O
the	O
Reaver	O
for	O
being	O
more	O
complex	O
and	O
diverse	O
than	O
the	O
block	O
puzzles	O
of	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
,	O
and	O
praised	O
the	O
combat	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Joe	O
Fielder	O
of	O
GameSpot	O
gave	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
a	O
score	O
of	O
8.8	O
and	O
called	O
it	O
an	O
excellent	O
sequel	O
,	O
again	O
praising	O
the	O
change	O
to	O
elemental	O
puzzles	O
and	O
the	O
combat	O
system	O
,	O
but	O
criticizing	O
the	O
dearth	O
of	O
sidequests	O
and	O
boss	O
fights	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
definite	O
resolution	O
to	O
the	O
storyline	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
for	O
Game	O
Informer	O
regarded	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
as	O
"	O
quite	O
engrossing	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Journalists	O
also	O
commonly	O
cited	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
's	O
poor	O
lifespan	O
and	O
replayability	O
as	O
an	O
issue	O
;	O
the	O
reviewer	O
for	O
Official	O
U.S.	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Magazine	O
opined	O
that	O
"	O
the	O
problem	O
is	O
that	O
there	O
just	O
is	O
n't	O
much	O
gameplay	O
there	O
"	O
and	O
Fielder	O
warned	O
that	O
play	O
"	O
burns	O
bright	O
,	O
but	O
not	O
as	O
long	O
as	O
you	O
'd	O
like	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jim	O
Preston	O
reviewed	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Next	O
Generation	O
,	O
rating	O
it	O
four	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
five	O
,	O
and	O
stated	O
that	O
"	O
Perhaps	O
a	O
little	O
too	O
rococo	O
for	O
our	O
tastes	O
,	O
Soul	B-Application
Reaver	I-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
nonetheless	O
an	O
absorbing	O
and	O
expertly	O
crafted	O
game.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
won	O
GameSpot''s	O
annual	O
"	O
Best	O
Sound	O
"	O
award	O
among	O
console	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
and	O
it	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
NAVGTR	O
Award	O
for	O
Outstanding	O
Art	O
Direction	O
in	O
a	O
Game	O
Cinema	O
and	O
Best	O
Writing	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
nomination	O
but	O
lost	O
to	O
Final	O
Fantasy	B-Application
X	O
and	O
Half-Life	B-Application
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
