Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this game is a one-of-a-kind experience. Legendary, and the myth entirely deserved. I wish I could just put to text here how many incredible experiences are laden in this game. But, there are too many, and such would be too trite.

If you want a game where the combat is secondary, the story is plugged into every nook and cranny, and there is so much text that future item descriptions forever seem wanting...

There are some downsides. In eschewing expectations, there are some unintuitive features. The foreign healing items, the outdated c-RPG base that was altered to fit the game, and expanses of the game where interactions become more streamlined and pigeon-holed (Curst Prison & Carceri, lookin' at you), the game shows some age. BUT, these encounters do succeed in making you feel something. From the late game's abundance of NPCs to either finally reward combat builds, or to build a sense of insurmountable struggle, or to reward tactical familiarity with your party.

I highly recommend playing with a guide, if you only intend to play once. Or think you might not replay the game. There's so much to find, one playthrough is hard to accomplish everything. At times, perhaps even impossible when you want to see the different nuanced outcomes.

Additionally, I highly recommend making your character a non-combat character. RUSH WISDOM. YOU WANT WISDOM. DO NOT SQUANDER IT. High charisma is something primarily your character can use in conversation, so it is also a very valuable piece. Intelligence accomodates this build better than STR, DEX, and CON do. Still, you're not forced into necessarily playing one way. There's flex to the stats, and you could play a High WIS-CHA fighter, rogue, or mage. And by late game, if you want to stomach the beatings, WIS-CHA-INT mage is absolutely unbeatable.

AND GET THE BRONZE SPHERE BACK. KEEP IT.

"Your words are heartening, for you would not fear us, unless we could truly do you harm!"

I love this remaster. This may be a controversial opinion, but I always enjoyed Defiance more than Soul Reaver 2. Of course Defiance had flaws, and of course this remaster isn't going to make it into some modern triple-A revival.

However, this remaster makes the original approachable and digestible in a way that is honestly really touching. I noticed things that I never realized when I was younger. I got moments of familiarity and I never felt like the changes were out of place. I don't know what I want for the future of the IP, but I will say this much at least:

We have never been so back.