Chief among the remaster’s bonus additions will, of course, be the four Lost Levels that will allow players to explore areas that were cut from the original Soul Reaver. Beyond that, however, you can also expect a new Lore Reader, which will feature new maps “poetic descriptions of places and events” that have been created in collaboration with the Legacy of Kain Fandom leaders, key community members, and Crystal Dynamics artists. Each map will also allow players to toggle between its pure and corrupted versions.

The remaster will also feature a Galleries section, which will include new and classic HD renders, enhanced versions of the original games’ FMV cinematics, concept art for players to peruse, and the original credits, demo videos, and outtakes. There’s also a Dark Chronicles section, which will tout a “a concise, text-based version of both games’ scripts in their entirety.”

Finally, the soundtracks of both original games will also be included. In addition to the original duology’s music, you can also expect a couple of new compositions, including the likes of “Priestess Encounter” and “Spirit Forge”.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered is due out for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on December 10.

Specifically, Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered will include four Lost Levels, which are areas that didn’t make it into the original game, but have been restored through the joint efforts of Crystal Dynamics, Aspyr, and key community members.

“Each provides a glimpse into alternative visions of the original Soul Reaver. You can explore the Lost Levels as Raziel, although you may find missing textures or areas that feel under construction,” explains Aspyr’s associate brand manager Matthew Ray. “Think of the Lost Levels as an interactive museum, an accessible copy of historic artifacts, preserved in their original state.”

The four Lost Levels on offer will take players to the human citadel of Undercity, which “features an extensive subterranean area that would have become accessible after Raziel’s second battle with Kain”; Smokestack, the massive fortress of Raziel’s brother Turel, where players would have acquired telekinetic traversal abilities; Retreat, Kain’s personal lair nestled in the mountains; and Forges that would have allowed Raziel to imbue the Reaver with sunlight, water, stone, sound, and spirit energy with “environmental sources scattered throughout the game world”.

On top of that, additional bonus content in the remaster will include new maps, a lore reader, new music tracks, and more. Read more on that through here.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered launches on December 10 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

To hype up its imminent launch, developer Aspyr has showcased a new trailer, showcasing glimpses of its story, characters, and of course, the visual upgrades the remaster will offer over the original releases, both of which are now over two decades old.

Raziel’s journey to exact vengeance against his former vampiric master with the use of new Elder God power holds a special place in the hearts of many to this day, which means anticipation surrounding the duology’s remastered release is high – higher even than Embracer Group expected, based on pre-orders – so this trailer should hopefully tide you over until launch. Check it out below.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered are due out for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC on December 10.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete

Animal Crossing fans may have to wait until the Nintendo Switch’s successor for a sequel, but Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete may fill the gap. Based on the defunct free-to-play title launched in 2017, this is a version of the game without the microtransactions and playable offline. It launches on December 3rd for iOS and Android, retailing for $9.99 until January 31st, 2025, and providing a whopping 10,000+ items to unlock, numerous events, and different animals to interact with while building your ideal camp.

Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (PS5)

After a troubled launch on PC and some redemption on Xbox Series X/S, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is finally making its way to PS5. Launching on December 3rd, it includes all the improvements and revamps, from the new Talent Trees for each class to Mastery, the Party Finder, and the brand new Havoc system, which adds challenging assignments post-Trust Level 30. If a compelling four-player co-op shooter based on Warhammer 40K sounds like your thing, Darktide may fill that void.

Infinity Nikki

One of my most anticipated games of 2024, Papergames’ Infinity Nikki is a free-to-play open-world title with gacha elements. However, it’s also a dress-up adventure title, where organic exploration and a relaxed atmosphere take precedence over min-maxing characters and still not beating Memory of Chaos 12. As Nikki and Momo arrive in Miraland, there are bosses to tackle, Curio Domains to conquer, and outfits granting different abilities. It’s oddly endearing, and launches on December 5th for PC, PS5, and mobile.

Marvel Rivals

What happens when two Doctor Dooms wreak havoc with time and space, causing heroes from across realities to partake in interdimensional conflicts? You get NetEase’s Marvel Rivals, a free-to-play hero shooter that makes you feel like you’re Spider-Man. Or Venom, Iron Man, Captain America, and Jeff the Shark. With 6v6 battles, Team-Up Attacks that promote synergies between related characters, and a stylish presentation, Marvel Rivals offers its own take on the genre’s objective-based competitive play. It’s out on December 6th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, with 33 heroes, eight maps, and even more content to come post-launch.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Aiko’s Choice (PS5, Xbox Series X | S)

Mimimi Games is sadly no more, but Shadow Tactics lives on. Xbox Series X/S and PS5 players will finally get their hands on Aiko’s Choice, a standalone expansion focusing on the titular Kunoichi. There are three new main and interlude missions alongside brand new environments, as Aiko must confront her past and defeat her old sensei. If you enjoyed the base game and synergizing your party’s abilities to clear missions, lethally or otherwise, then Aiko’s Choice is a must-play. It goes live on December 6th for consoles.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

MachineGames’ newest full-fledged title is upon us, and it’s decidedly not a shooter-focused affair. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is based on the acclaimed movie series (we don’t know about the latest films), taking place between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade as Indy scours the globe to investigate the Great Circle. Don’t let the first-person, sometimes third-person perspective fool you – this is more of an action-adventure title with platforming and puzzle-solving. You can rely on stealth to knock out enemies or engage in melee combat. With MachineGames touting this as their longest game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle could be a great way to end the year when it launches on December 9th for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen anything from the franchise, and while not a new game, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered is still a dream come true. Out on December 12th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and PC, it remasters both Soul Reaver titles (if the name didn’t give it away) with improved visuals and even a new map and compass for exploration. Long-time fan or not, both titles are action-adventure classics that must be experienced.

Delta Force

Over 15 years since NovaLogic’s Delta Force: Xtreme 2, the series is making a comeback. Developed by TiMi Studio Group, Delta Force will be available in open beta form on PC starting December 5th. The free-to-play title features single-player and co-op, but multiplayer is the real appeal alongside an extraction shooter mode, Hazard Operations, and massive battles with vehicles and dozens of players available. Could it finally restore some luster to the Delta Force? We’ll find out next week.

Path of Exile 2 (Early Access)

Between all the delays since it was first announced, Grinding Gear Games’ long-awaited Path of Exile 2 is finally out on December 6th, albeit in early access, for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC. Don’t take this to mean it’s lacking content. There will be three campaign Acts, six classes (each with two Ascendancies), hundreds of passives, tons of Skill Gems, and much more to play around with. It should take a newcomer about 25 hours to finish the story content, but then you get to the endgame. The Atlas of Worlds has changed and taken some points out of Last Epoch’s Monoliths of Fate.

With Waystones equipped, you travel to nearby map nodes, clearing out enemies and bosses to clear corruption. Accessing Towers will unlock more of the map, which means more corruption and challenges. You’ll encounter revamped league mechanics like Breach, Delirium, Ritual, and Expedition, each with different rewards, bosses, and pursuits. The amount of content doubling during early access is mind-boggling, and we can’t wait to dive in.

Alien: Rogue Incursion

Alien: Isolation 2 is official at long last, but it will take a while to arrive. In the meantime, Alien: Rogue Incursion could serve as a decent substitute, at least for those with PlayStation VR2, Meta Quest 3, and SteamVR headsets. It launches on December 19th and focuses on Zula Hendricks, a former Colonial Marine who ventures to the planet, Purdan, to investigate an SOS. As you might guess, it’s Xenomorphs, and while iconic tools like the Motion Tracker, Pulse Rifle and Shotgun are available to fight them off, caution and careful movement are also important for survival.

Overthrown (Early Access)

With so many noteworthy survival crafting titles this year, it seems right to end with another, specifically Brimstone Games’ Overthrown. The premise is as you’d expect, with resource-gathering, farming, construction, and more, as you throw objects at them to expand. However, there’s a fair bit of combat as you fight off bandits and other threats. As one of the more popular titles during the last Steam Next Fest, Overthrown has generated some hype. Here’s hoping it delivers even more when it arrives in early access on December 5th for PC and Xbox Series X/S.

The Spirit of the Samurai

One of the more intriguing side-scrolling action games we’ve seen over the years, The Spirit of the Samurai focuses on three characters: the samurai Takeshi, the spirit Kodama, and Chisai, a cat. Between exploration and fighting off Tengu and Jorogumo, the real hook is the stop-motion animation, resulting in an unorthodox yet hypnotizing aesthetic. The Spirit of the Samurai launches on December 12th for PC, and if you’re looking for an unconventional Metroid-style experience, this could be worth checking out.

UFL

Aside from EA Sports FC, there isn’t much by way of other football titles to really embrace. UFL could change that, offering a free-to-play experience developed on Unreal Engine 5 with over 4500 real-life players, club management, a Premier Division, and much more to dive into. Given how other free-to-play titles like eFootball ended up, we’re a little skeptical, but UFL is still worth watching out for when it launches on December 5th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Skydance’s Behemoth

If you’re looking for a different kind of VR experience, something with more visceral melee combat, there’s Skydance’s Behemoth. Set in the Forsaken Lands, players control Wren the Hunter and embark on a quest to take down the Behemoths to end a terrible curse. Developed by the team behind The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, it’s out on December 5th for PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest and has offered some pretty satisfying combat thus far.

My First Gran Turismo

Less of a full game and more of a free trial version of Gran Turismo 7, My First Gran Turismo is meant to get newcomers into the franchise with specific tracks, cars, and events. It’s out this Holiday season for PS4 and PS5, potentially launching on December 3rd (the same day as PlayStation’s 30th anniversary). Though the content remains unknown, if you’ve ever been unsure about Gran Turismo 7, My First GT could be the perfect test.

During the company’s interim report for Q2 fiscal year 2025 (covering the period ending September 30th), CEO Lars Wingefors said, “For the Legacy of Kain, Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered, coming ready in December, that is performing on pre-ordering basis much stronger than expectations so far.”

This is good news for franchise fans waiting for a sequel, revival, remake, remaster, or really anything over the years. The remaster does more than just visually improve the two titles. It overhauls the appearance of several bosses, like Melchiah, Rahab, Dumah, and Kain. New features like the Map and Compass (which can be turned off) to help guide players have also been added alongside a collection tracker to keep track of health and energy upgrades.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered launches on December 10th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC at $29.99.

On the PlayStation Blog, Aspyr’s associated brand manager Matthew Ray broke down each boss’s improvements. Melchiah sports more realistic and gory skeletal mapping alongside a texture overhaul. Zephon’s face has been repainted, providing more clarity. Meanwhile, Rahab has a more vampiric look and red glow to go with the remodeled head.

Finally, Dumah is much dirtier-looking, with mold and blood across his armor. Kain’s models have also been re-designed, sporting increased polygons. The look is closer to the full-motion video scenes while ensuring parity across both games.

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered launches on December 10th. It will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, retailing for $29.99. Stay tuned for more details ahead of its launch.

The listing was promptly taken down, but you can view its contents below, courtesy of @Wario64 on Twitter. As per the listing, the remaster is being handled by Aspyr Media, and will include, as its name suggests, both Soul Reaver titles. Billed as a celebration of Soul Reaver’s 25th anniversary, the remaster will allow players to play both games either with enhanced visuals or in their original form. It is expected to launch on December 10. 

Screenshots and a trailer were also leaked courtesy of the listing. You can check them out below. Presumably, an official announcement will be following not long from now- likely at the State of Play presentation scheduled for later today. Stay tuned for further updates. 

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 were action-adventure games developed by Tomb Raider studio Crystal Dynamics that have a sizeable fan following, and though requests for a revival of the series have been high, it has remained dormant for over two decades at this point. 

However, it seems branding and a logo for Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 and 2 Remastered have been spotted at SDCC, as shared by @Wario64 on Twitter, who has tweeted images showing the same. A remaster of the Soul Reaver games has yet to be officially announced, so their supposed appearance at Comic-Con certainly raises eyebrows. 

Whether this means an official announcement is on the horizon is anyone’s guess. Crystal Dynamics has acknowledged the demand for Legacy of Kain’s return in the past, so the hope is that the studio is finally bringing the beloved series back into the limelight. Stay tuned for more updates.