It would have to be so faithful that it could lift the voice lines from the games. Idk if anyone else could do the characters justice. Or at least get the original actors and use the game audio for Tony Jay.
@@CandleLight129 that's right. You woudn't even need to dub it. The voice acting in the five games to this day, 20 years later is still some of the best in the entirety of fiction.
Thanks, the game's character animation in general was rather lacking, but thankfully I think the writing and voice acting sold what the visuals couldn't.
@@julien-lemay Really? When they talk, it kinda gives me that high quality old animation vibe, like Pocahontas or something. I hope you can find some way to finish up the work, though, not gonna lie.
This is the most amazing thing I've seen in years. Outstanding. I know it would be extra work, but adding Vorador's Ring to Kain's ear would be a nice touch to the animation's look and overall lore.
Thank you very much. Honestly, the only LoK titles I've finished so far are Blood Omen 1 and 2. I based Kain exclusively on his BO2 appearance, which doesn't include the ring. I understand the game itself has some issues with the series' lore.
@@julien-lemay Of course. Not trying to subdue this masterpiece you made in any way. The animation style reminds me a bit of "Pirates of the Dark Water". For a second there I had the sensation you actually added it. Either way, I am "abusing" the replay button, so GREAT JOB!
Thank you. BO2 didn't have very good facial animation, but I'd say a number of sixth generation games excelled, especially first-party games on all platforms.
@@julien-lemay Agreed. Do you plan to animate more of BO2 stuff ? Or perhaps finish this animatics with all the colours and lights ? This looks quite impressive even as it is. Movement is very smooth, so I bet it took ages.
@@anetapuzewicz That it did: over two years. Colours and clean lines were never part of the plan, I really prefer just doing roughs. I have ideas for more BO2 content at some point, but LoK won't be the core of this channel.
@@julien-lemay Still grate. If someone can animate it's always worth the wait. And even raw animatic can be quite amazing. I draw comics so for me it's interesting at this stage too. As I can see better lines and appreciate details that may vanish in colour and post version. Well you have new watcher I will check out other raw animatics too. :)
@@julien-lemay Steve A. Ross on Blood Omen 2's development: "Not my fondest memories. This project took three years while we built our engine from scratch. Trying to art direct this while also doing all the concept work and being a full time environment artist, designer, and UI artist nearly killed me." So it was clearly understaffed and I imagine underbudgeted.
@@AllardRT That's not hard to believe. Thankfully there's more discussion than ever now about crunch culture in the entertainment industry, especially in games, but I'm sure it will remain the AAA industry standard for many years.
@@julien-lemay Blood Omen 2 had awesome atmosphere, it just didn't follow the flow of the series fluently and it looked like it was itroduced really clumsily, almost unrelatable to the rest of the series
@@Razamaniac I wonder how many interquels have that problem. At any rate, the games were coming out at a yearly pace at the time, which must have been a production nightmare.
Omg yes! I've always wanted a legacy of Kain animated show, it's lore is so badass and this is probably the closest we'll get. Thank you so much, you're very talented!
@@Dionysus-207 I've already made a few attempts with new programs. Unfortunately, software limitations, as well as my own inexperience and other factors have drastically slowed down my animation output. But things are starting to change and I would certainly like to give it another go at some point.
@@Dionysus-207 Even if content rights weren't an issue, I doubt I'd have the planning skills to get a team together and make so much as a series of shorts.
- Does your victory seem so assured now? the emphasis and animation of "now" is bringing me to my knees awesome, truly awesome. thank you for this gift
That is brilliant! It has something that was lacking in the game visuals - that animation makes this story much, much more interesting. I would love to see whole BO2 animated like this, but.. well. One can have his dreams xD
Thank you, though this particular project was one I'd been considering for years... and one that took a few years more to get done. But hopefully Square Enix do something with the series eventually.
@@julien-lemay Seriously it took that long? Wow O_o So it means it was first and last animation about LoK (I would like to see something from Soul Reaver Kain vs Raziel)? About "Square Enix do something with the series eventually" - hehe no....I don't think it will happen, not for now ;p They focus again on "Tomb Raider"
@@I_Alevat_I Recent news tells us that square enix sold LOK and TR back to Crystal Dynamics. with any luck we might get a finish dark prophecies or just a remaster rerelease of the games. Lok NEEDS this sooner rather then later since the games have issues on pc and the console versions arent sold anymore.
@@RecoilGunnerStudios I know don't worry, but I don't think remaster is good enough - Soul Reaver gameplay is outdated and very old. Remake is good enough for this game, but if they will start from BO1 first then remaster will be good (because for me BO1 gameplay is not outdated and it is fun). Don't think about getting "The Dark Prophecy" first because hardly anyone would know what's going on, what happened before, etc. (I mean new players of which there would be a lot)
That was the coolest thing iv seen in a long time. Blood omen 2 gets alot of hate and I can understand why but still one of my favorite games of all time. Wish we could get an animated LoK series. Thank you for the sweet taste of something that may never be. Keep up the amazing work!
A bad game in the Legacy of Kain series still has the voice acting, art direction and story to beat the ever-loving hell out of any AAA title these days.
@@MagicalMasteryeah by LoK standards the story is way too full of generic sounding McGuffins but at the same time I do have to appreciate how much more eventful it ends up being compared to Soul Reaver 1 and I like getting to wander around a more populated world that feels lived in while seeing tons of things that flesh out the Hylden. And like you said it's still better in so many other ways than any AAA game. One thing that bothers me about the non-Blood Omen games is how Nosgoth barely looks like anyone ever actually lived there. The buildings and environments feel so abstract. I don't expect to see lots of people going about their daily routine in Soul Reaver 1 but even in an apocalyptic setting, the ruins could still look lived-in but they absolutely don't, which is never a feeling I got in Blood Omen 1 or 2.
Your animation manages to capture all the *positive* aspects of Kain as a protagonist while almost masking the negative ones, much like how a vampire captures the appearance and mannerisms of the human they were while masking the predatory creature they've become. With the pauses and minimalistic body language, Kain seems less like a ruthless dictator off to seek vengeance against *another* ruthless dictator and more like an honorable, noble warrior who feels personally insulted by the betrayal of one of his own. Even the line about Faustus' victory sounds less like an arrogant yet powerful ruler mocking their soon to be dead foe and more like a former comrade trying one last to talk sense into someone they know won't listen.
That's very nice of you. I wouldn't say however that I was trying to downplay Kain's vicious nature. The context here might make him seem a bit different, but at this point in the story Kain is a cold, cruel, egocentric, power-hungry monster (and I wouldn't have him any other way).
It's a real testament to the quality of your animation and storyboarding that you were able to make the lackluster (compared to the rest of the series) writing far more compelling. Well done!
Amazing when I stumble on something from the Legacy of Kain fandom in the current year. Like its eponymous vampire it never truly dies. Merely fades, only to resurface when you least expect it. All in all amazing work!
Even as a WIP, this animation is amazing! The movements, enunciations, and pacing are just so well done; warms my heart to see the LoK community still keeping the torch lit with these fan works after all these years =) Without question, this is going in my LoK playlist =D
@@julien-lemay agreed. I heard crystal dynamics dropped a poll to fans, asking them what should be done with the series. I’m hoping remaster and continue the series honestly.
@@Odinfang Yes, there was a poll. I'm hoping for a (faithful) reboot, setting up a new series with more consistent gameplay and lore, all on the crucial condition that the original games remain available for purchase, including Soul Reaver 1 which still isn't back on storefronts.
The lip sync and movement of the characters is sublime. Absolutely amazing work and excellent choice of source material! Not enough people truly appreciate the care that was given to the Legacy of Kain series and its writing, so it's amazing to see it animated so beautifully!
I was thinking of doing a LoK animation myself. This was was done so well - it's absurd how underviewed it is. I'm gonna share this one and give you a sub real quick.
I've watched this six times over the last two days since first seeing it. I will most certainly be watching it several more! Definitely made me want to replay LoK!
@@julien-lemay Would you be alright with me posting it and linking directly to your channel here on youtube? I am certain that the subreddit would love this!
Thanks! But truthfully, the goal was never to complete the lineart and colours; my focus was mainly on rough drawings. And while I have ideas for other LoK videos, I mostly plan to create original content.
I love the little nods and gestures of your animation here. To do all that with tracking shots and shifting angles at the same time; that's really freakin' talented, man! Thank you for sharing this tribute.
I've just come across this animation when I was searching for the LoK intro. My goodness, this is amazing. I keep coming back to watching it over and over. The animation is so smooth, so well paced. I'm quite impressed with Kain's shoulder armament. It looks so solid and gives the illusion of 3D. To think this isn't even finished, but as an aspiring animator, all the better as I can use this as inspiration. Currently working on my own animation project and this is a fantastic example of potential. You did a phenomenal job with this. Bravo!
Thank you very much for all the compliments.I think I know which sequence you're thinking of when you mention Kain's pauldron, it was a tricky one. In any case, I wish you the best for your own animation, though I hope you don't spend over two years on it like I did on this.
@@julien-lemay Not likely even close as my skills can't match yours. I think I'll stick with limited animation because this meticulous amount of detail is clearly on a whole other tier compared to my skills. Still, I keep coming back to it as I keep learning something new every time I watch so who knows, maybe some of your skills will rub off on me, lol.
@@CrossoverGameReviews That's very kind, but I've found that perseverance and commitment matter much more than whatever "skill" the artist has. And at the very start, there's the question of whether a given project is even worth so much commitment. And that's usually a very hard question to answer.
Yo this is actually impressive good shit man, I don't even know how this got into my reccemended but I'm thankful. Blood omen 2 and Soul Reaver 2 introduced me to the series.
Thanks, this has been my most popular video by a huge margin. I was a little surprised at how many people enjoyed Blood Omen 2 as much as me, since it always seemed to be one of the less well regarded entries.
I'm so glad you kept the change of music, but I think it was better in the game because the combat music started right as Kain delivered his promise, rather than after it. Beautiful animation overall.
Maybe this has been said a lot here about this video...but I care not...I NEED MORE OF THIS FROM THE ENTIRE LOK SAGA since BLOOD OMEN 1, I love this! ❤🔥The animation, the pacing of the scene, managed to create better depth and emotion, just pure gold.
@@julien-lemay LoK has always been a legend among the people that love Gothic and Shakespeare literature. Ann Henning did an amazing production and it is sad that the series does not get the attention say that GOD OF WAR gets. Also it shows how much you yourself love this series. Keep up the awesome job, as an artist myself I really love to see those that can to be able to make it.
@@EternalRoman Not familiar with Ann Henning. Did you mean Amy Hennig? Though I don't think she worked on BO2... But thanks again, and good luck with your own art!
@@julien-lemay Also yes, she didn't work in BO2, my comment was more general since she worked in all of the others and as such the majority of the credit I give to her, especially since she expanded the characters more.
@@julien-lemay it was definitely worth it. I love all the games in the franchise but there was something about blood omen 2 that really resonated with me. I don't know if it was the game's art, the music or what. But it stood out more to me than the others.
@@keithbecknell6994 It's a good standalone story, but I would single out the oppressively sinister locations, particularly the city of Meridian which, at least in aesthetic terms, feels almost like a predecessor of sorts to Bloodborne's Yharnam.
@@julien-lemay I'd like to see a good animation of Vorador assault on the circle members. I always thought it looked crappy on the PS1 but I liked the concept of it. I bet someone could turn that scene into a pretty good animation. Possibly add Vorador fighting Malik.
Now this is some awesome animation and work. You literally had me and my brother at the edge of our seats waiting to see who will strike first! The facial expression, the camera shots, the tension between Kain and Faustace, the show of vampire strength. I can go on and on this is truly amazing work. Let me ask you this, what will it take for you to make a full commitment to do the whole game from the very beginning to the very end all completed, tell me what will it take.
That's very heartwarming to hear, thank you! The truth is though, this took over two years to make. I'm trying to make my way into the animation industry, as this medium is very collaborative by nature. Doing a "full show", of sorts, would take a varied team of specialists (and, likely, the publisher's explicit consent). Also, unlike Faustus' intro, some of the cutscenes have only a single audio track combining music, sound effects and dialogue, so extracting individual sounds, to control scene pacing, isn't possible.
@@julien-lemay I see, I hope you achieve your goal in getting into an animation studio you seriously have some damn good talent and I’m 100% confident that if this video was fully completed you would easily take the animation community by surprise. My business partner and I are actually in the process of starting up our own animation studio so if you can’t get into the one you want then hopefully we can keep in contact and we will be happy to pick you up! You’ve won me on this video and I’m sure if I were to show my business partner he would definitely agree with me. Good luck to you and I hope you achieve your goals and make it big out there! Keep in touch.
@@Balance_Emblem Well, good luck to you also! I admire your commitment, it's nice to hear about new startups in animation. Considering how accessible the technology and distribution channels have become, I've gained much hope for the future of independent studios.
Thank you! One of my favourite parts of every LoK game is the dialogue, and in this regard as well as others, BO2 can stand as tall as any title in the series.
The art work is great! Very natural movements and acting, excellent Flow, I enjoyed the lip and the light push-ups of the face, you notice that you are a professional animator, I would be happy to follow your work. Faustus is perfect in his characterization, I think I would have varied a little Kain in the face but I understand your functional choice
The fact that this exists at all so long after the original games just proves truth to Kain's words. "As long as a single one of us stands, we are legion."
This 'is' how I imagine Blood Omen 2 in my mind when I do play it lol. It's a cool animation, it reminds me of Fire&Ice animated by Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta. But then when you start the action animation it's completely different but the style still sticks. Wish there was more.
You are turning The Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 into an animated series? Well, there is more truth in your animation style then I thought. I approve. :-)
That was delightful. As a diehard Soul Reaver fan, I was rather disappointed when I first picked up Blood Omen 2, as it seemed such a departure from the LoK that I had known. But the more I played, the more it grew on me. The action, the lore, and above all, the ambience were all exquisite. Now I have an itching to have another go at it.
That's very kind. I've long been aware of BO2's controversial place in the series, but as its own experience I've always loved its atmosphere, much of which can be attributed to the beautifully eerie city of Meridian.
I may have gone a little overboard but most of my characters used to be more forehead/nose-heavy with very weak chins. I discovered how to fix that about half-way through this project. Also I really love Ninja Scroll.
This is the best thing I've even seen. Edit: I'd even pay to watch a full animated and colored version of Boss fights from BO2. Edit 2: am I the only one who thinks that beside the perfect animation, the dialogue voice lines are also a masterpiece and they fit so well with that style?
Thanks for the kind words. The voice lines were one of the main reasons I undertook this project. A good number of people have floated the idea of an LoK animated show; my usual response is we should hope for a new game first.
Is it the sharp angles in the characters' faces? I tried avoiding those initially, but with the higher framerate required for lipsynching, angular lines became necessary for accurately maintaining shapes between frames.
@@julien-lemay it makes me think back to the Justice League cartoon that was so big back then, and I love it. It practically fits the style of the game.
that was... amazing to say the least, amazing!. it's a shame Blood Omen 2 had so many issues with its 3D animations, deep inside BO2 had an excellent dialogue and a great story to tell.
@@virtueofsunlight1342 I've just started a dedicated animation course, which now takes up the majority of my time. Feel free to advance any ideas though.
je me refais la serie des Legacy of Kain et la je vois ceci !!! un taff excellent ou tout est bon , la mise en scène le cadrage une 'animation au petits oignions (on oublie l'ail lol ^^') avec en plus un amour pour cette série qui n'as malheureusement pas plus brillé mais au combien il est chère pour une poignée qui a marqué !! merci mon ami !!!
C'est très aimable, merci bien ! Si la série est moins connue de nos jours, son public saisit toujours et encore toutes les occasions de la célébrer. Espérons qu'elle fasse de nouveau surface à l'avenir.
Very nice. This gets me hyped up for the revival of LoK now that SE sold the rights to it. It's criminal that they didn't do anything with this IP for so long.
I guess it's technically been close to 30 years so far. I still wouldn't say I exactly "know" how to draw or animate. But modern tools and materials make it more accessible than ever!
@@julien-lemay Oh man. I really want to get into art and maybe animation, but mostly graphic design along with programming so I can design games but because I haven't done anything so far, I'm in my mid 20s right now, I fear that it might be too late for me to get started again ever since I sort of had a passing interest in art that I loosely know how to draw but have not honed any new skills as of late. I'm in a bit of a rut.
@@doclouis4236 I suspected the "30 years" answer might be hard to interpret; I really just meant that I've been drawing all my conscious life, but I'll never know everything. That's why I followed that response with a commendation of current-day methods, many of which are very new. It's only been about 10 years since I really started reading books, watching tutorials (like Proko's) and drawing regularly. Before that I was doing my own amateur game development alongside various other projects. I still do, but my main focus is definitively animation. For now. Mid-twenties? Don't worry about it, you can do whatever you want. All you need are the right toolset and references.
@@julien-lemay Thanks, I suppose. I'm just going through a sort of mid Doomer phase at the moment (you know the wojak meme I'm talking about), concerns with health and a future career at the moment. I even held off going to community college due to me wanting to take a break after graduation and get a part-time job. I sort of took a longer break than I expected and I do know what career path I want to take, I'm just nervous if I'll be productive and successful. But if you could recommend me any material for an aspiring professional artist/animator, that would be greatly appreciated.
@@doclouis4236 I haven't animated anything professionally yet; my hope is that this channel will attract employers, and ideally create an online following. So I've learned to keep hope alive. Now, for references: For human anatomy, Proko and Aaron Blaise both have brilliant TH-cam channels as well as websites. Proko's site has great photo reference packs for sale, and Aaron's has paid video courses for animating/painting humans and all sorts of animals. The courses can be expensive, but they often go on deep sale so I'd subscribe to the newsletter. (Also, make sure to learn general proportions before anything else. Otherwise nothing will ever look right.) For environments... You can find any number of video tutorials on 1-/2-/3-point perspective, but past that, architecture/city planning is extremely variable and so are natural landscapes; as much as I dislike the usual, flippant advice to "find your own references", that may be necessary, depending on the sort of setting you want to render. If it's a realistic, modern place, I'd make a habit of taking pictures of buildings and streets whenever possible. Progress can be infuriatingly slow sometimes, but practicing with a clear goal does help a lot.
An animated series based on the five Legacy of Kain games would be one of the greatest things ever. That is, if it is 100% faithful to the games.
If it were 100% faithful, we would get to see Kain swivel in place every time he turns around, which admittedly would be very amusing.
@@julien-lemay Especially in Soul Reaver 1 :D
It would have to be so faithful that it could lift the voice lines from the games. Idk if anyone else could do the characters justice. Or at least get the original actors and use the game audio for Tony Jay.
@@CandleLight129 that's right. You woudn't even need to dub it. The voice acting in the five games to this day, 20 years later is still some of the best in the entirety of fiction.
It's such a solid story that a faithful animated series would be a guaranteed success.
I love how this series is still getting love 20 years later
Truly, it is an agonising passion for fans of the series.
All versions of Kain should have been a guest character in MK11 or 1 versus the likes of Spawn or Quan-Chi. Did not know you were a fan.
For people like you, this franchise is still alive. Very good work, sir.
Thank you, hopefully it'll come back in force someday.
I feel like you really captured Kain’s strength and grace with your design better than the game did.
Thanks, the game's character animation in general was rather lacking, but thankfully I think the writing and voice acting sold what the visuals couldn't.
@@julien-lemay Yes, especially Simon Templeman; he's a legend.
Goddamn, even the dialogue timing is WAY better than originally in the game. This is incredible.
Thanks!
This animation isn't even complete and I'm absolutely fawning over it!
Thank you. The goal was never to do any final lineart or colouring; I put all my time into the rough animation.
@@julien-lemay Really? When they talk, it kinda gives me that high quality old animation vibe, like Pocahontas or something. I hope you can find some way to finish up the work, though, not gonna lie.
@@deadeye4047 It's doubtful, since this took over two years to finish as it is. Of course, anyone could use it as a base for a more "final" version.
@@julien-lemay Two years! No wonder it's so good. No wonder you want to keep it as is, as well. Still, it's an accomplishment.
@@deadeye4047 Thanks again, I learned a lot from it.
This is the most amazing thing I've seen in years. Outstanding. I know it would be extra work, but adding Vorador's Ring to Kain's ear would be a nice touch to the animation's look and overall lore.
Thank you very much. Honestly, the only LoK titles I've finished so far are Blood Omen 1 and 2. I based Kain exclusively on his BO2 appearance, which doesn't include the ring. I understand the game itself has some issues with the series' lore.
@@julien-lemay Of course. Not trying to subdue this masterpiece you made in any way. The animation style reminds me a bit of "Pirates of the Dark Water". For a second there I had the sensation you actually added it. Either way, I am "abusing" the replay button, so GREAT JOB!
That's very kind. I never saw that show, but it's one of many I aim to watch at some point.
My friend you manage to capture emotions on their face, game models back then couldn't. Amazing job. Well done :)
Thank you. BO2 didn't have very good facial animation, but I'd say a number of sixth generation games excelled, especially first-party games on all platforms.
@@julien-lemay Agreed. Do you plan to animate more of BO2 stuff ? Or perhaps finish this animatics with all the colours and lights ? This looks quite impressive even as it is. Movement is very smooth, so I bet it took ages.
@@anetapuzewicz That it did: over two years. Colours and clean lines were never part of the plan, I really prefer just doing roughs. I have ideas for more BO2 content at some point, but LoK won't be the core of this channel.
@@julien-lemay Still grate. If someone can animate it's always worth the wait. And even raw animatic can be quite amazing. I draw comics so for me it's interesting at this stage too. As I can see better lines and appreciate details that may vanish in colour and post version. Well you have new watcher I will check out other raw animatics too. :)
If the game itself had this amount of articulation. Absolutely epic.
Thank you; given how fast the LoK games were coming out at the time, it was likely somewhat rushed, unfortunately.
@@julien-lemay Steve A. Ross on Blood Omen 2's development:
"Not my fondest memories. This project took three years while we built our engine from scratch. Trying to art direct this while also doing all the concept work and being a full time environment artist, designer, and UI artist nearly killed me."
So it was clearly understaffed and I imagine underbudgeted.
@@AllardRT That's not hard to believe. Thankfully there's more discussion than ever now about crunch culture in the entertainment industry, especially in games, but I'm sure it will remain the AAA industry standard for many years.
This is so beautiful
Thank you! I do like subtlety in character animation, especially in 2D where it's a little less common.
@@julien-lemay It's always the small details that can make a difference, your extra effort is appreciated
If only it was longer!!! This is better than all of BO2, haha xD Amazing stuff, loved it!
Thank you. I think Blood Omen 2 was a relatively low-budget project for Eidos; it probably deserved a bit better.
@@julien-lemay Blood Omen 2 had awesome atmosphere, it just didn't follow the flow of the series fluently and it looked like it was itroduced really clumsily, almost unrelatable to the rest of the series
@@Razamaniac I wonder how many interquels have that problem. At any rate, the games were coming out at a yearly pace at the time, which must have been a production nightmare.
@@julien-lemay I guess all the interquels that chnge developer hands
@@Razamaniac the music and much of the sound design and concept art is some of my favorite in the series. But it got shafted pretty hard.
Your art style compliments Blood Omen 2's character design so well. This is beautiful.
Thank you, simplifying the designs for 2D was tough to figure out.
Omg yes! I've always wanted a legacy of Kain animated show, it's lore is so badass and this is probably the closest we'll get. Thank you so much, you're very talented!
Thanks, this was quite an exercise.
OMG BRO! this is amazing! a lot of work! no one frame on hold! alll animated like a pro!
Thank you, though there are some frame holds. (Look at Kain's legs when he says "Vampire have turned against their own kind".)
I'm coming back to this video every now and then.
Thanks for the amazing work, the LoK community needs something new like this!
Thanks, it's the best I've done so far; hoping to improve in time.
@@julien-lemay Do you think you'll ever attempt again something like this based on LoK in the future?
@@Dionysus-207 I've already made a few attempts with new programs. Unfortunately, software limitations, as well as my own inexperience and other factors have drastically slowed down my animation output. But things are starting to change and I would certainly like to give it another go at some point.
@@julien-lemayHave you considered starting a Patreon? I’d definitely try to support anything like this.
@@Dionysus-207 Even if content rights weren't an issue, I doubt I'd have the planning skills to get a team together and make so much as a series of shorts.
- Does your victory seem so assured now?
the emphasis and animation of "now" is bringing me to my knees
awesome, truly awesome. thank you for this gift
Thank you kindly; I've always found the voice acting on its own to be very evocative.
Nice, I'm really liking this. The voices match perfectly from the game.
Thanks, glad fans are enjoying it.
That is one of the BEST fan works i have ever seen on TH-cam. This animation project really needs funding . Amazing work!
That's too kind. But for me, this project is complete, no funding necessary.
That is brilliant! It has something that was lacking in the game visuals - that animation makes this story much, much more interesting. I would love to see whole BO2 animated like this, but.. well. One can have his dreams xD
Thank you! An animated series, or just a new game entry, either would be great to see.
Don't ever think about to stop it. I wait for more from lok stuff
Thank you, though this particular project was one I'd been considering for years... and one that took a few years more to get done. But hopefully Square Enix do something with the series eventually.
@@julien-lemay Seriously it took that long? Wow O_o So it means it was first and last animation about LoK (I would like to see something from Soul Reaver Kain vs Raziel)? About "Square Enix do something with the series eventually" - hehe no....I don't think it will happen, not for now ;p They focus again on "Tomb Raider"
@@I_Alevat_I Recent news tells us that square enix sold LOK and TR back to Crystal Dynamics.
with any luck we might get a finish dark prophecies or just a remaster rerelease of the games. Lok NEEDS this sooner rather then later since the games have issues on pc and the console versions arent sold anymore.
@@RecoilGunnerStudios I know don't worry, but I don't think remaster is good enough - Soul Reaver gameplay is outdated and very old. Remake is good enough for this game, but if they will start from BO1 first then remaster will be good (because for me BO1 gameplay is not outdated and it is fun).
Don't think about getting "The Dark Prophecy" first because hardly anyone would know what's going on, what happened before, etc. (I mean new players of which there would be a lot)
That was the coolest thing iv seen in a long time. Blood omen 2 gets alot of hate and I can understand why but still one of my favorite games of all time. Wish we could get an animated LoK series. Thank you for the sweet taste of something that may never be. Keep up the amazing work!
Thank you very much; I figured no one else would ever make this, and that was part of what drew me to the idea.
A bad game in the Legacy of Kain series still has the voice acting, art direction and story to beat the ever-loving hell out of any AAA title these days.
@@MagicalMasteryeah by LoK standards the story is way too full of generic sounding McGuffins but at the same time I do have to appreciate how much more eventful it ends up being compared to Soul Reaver 1 and I like getting to wander around a more populated world that feels lived in while seeing tons of things that flesh out the Hylden. And like you said it's still better in so many other ways than any AAA game.
One thing that bothers me about the non-Blood Omen games is how Nosgoth barely looks like anyone ever actually lived there. The buildings and environments feel so abstract. I don't expect to see lots of people going about their daily routine in Soul Reaver 1 but even in an apocalyptic setting, the ruins could still look lived-in but they absolutely don't, which is never a feeling I got in Blood Omen 1 or 2.
Your animation manages to capture all the *positive* aspects of Kain as a protagonist while almost masking the negative ones, much like how a vampire captures the appearance and mannerisms of the human they were while masking the predatory creature they've become. With the pauses and minimalistic body language, Kain seems less like a ruthless dictator off to seek vengeance against *another* ruthless dictator and more like an honorable, noble warrior who feels personally insulted by the betrayal of one of his own. Even the line about Faustus' victory sounds less like an arrogant yet powerful ruler mocking their soon to be dead foe and more like a former comrade trying one last to talk sense into someone they know won't listen.
That's very nice of you. I wouldn't say however that I was trying to downplay Kain's vicious nature. The context here might make him seem a bit different, but at this point in the story Kain is a cold, cruel, egocentric, power-hungry monster (and I wouldn't have him any other way).
It's a real testament to the quality of your animation and storyboarding that you were able to make the lackluster (compared to the rest of the series) writing far more compelling. Well done!
Thank you. The best part of LoK is its characters, which in my opinion are still excellently written in BO2.
I enjoy video games turned into art or animations. Especially, the ones like this. It's like Castlevania on Netflix.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks, it was certainly an adventure making this.
The animation is so smooth ' ^ '
Thank you for still making content for this franchise!
Thank you, I'd been thinking about it for years.
THIS.. NEEDS.. MORE.. VIEWS..!!!!
I hope the algorithm agrees in time!
Amazing when I stumble on something from the Legacy of Kain fandom in the current year. Like its eponymous vampire it never truly dies. Merely fades, only to resurface when you least expect it. All in all amazing work!
Late response; my apologies. Thank you for the compliments, I do hope we get to see Kain and the gang again someday.
Holy shit, this is absolutely incredible dude, well done!
Thanks!
Even as a WIP, this animation is amazing!
The movements, enunciations, and pacing are just so well done; warms my heart to see the LoK community still keeping the torch lit with these fan works after all these years =)
Without question, this is going in my LoK playlist =D
Much appreciated, though this is no longer a work in progress; rough lineart was always the endpoint of the project.
This is phenomenal work
Lok series is so underrated and deserves more recognition and your animation is so smooth with great designs and choreography
Thank you, I really tried to do it justice.
Excellent work I’m seeing here. This honestly would be a great way to pitch a blood omen animated series.
Thank you, maybe we'll get to see that someday.
@@julien-lemay agreed. I heard crystal dynamics dropped a poll to fans, asking them what should be done with the series. I’m hoping remaster and continue the series honestly.
@@Odinfang Yes, there was a poll. I'm hoping for a (faithful) reboot, setting up a new series with more consistent gameplay and lore, all on the crucial condition that the original games remain available for purchase, including Soul Reaver 1 which still isn't back on storefronts.
@@julien-lemay I hope they don’t disappoint.
amazing stuff man, the artstyle works great for this game
Thank you, it wasn't easy to nail down.
The lip sync and movement of the characters is sublime. Absolutely amazing work and excellent choice of source material!
Not enough people truly appreciate the care that was given to the Legacy of Kain series and its writing, so it's amazing to see it animated so beautifully!
Thank you. It's a very bold and unique series, which I find quite inspiring.
I was thinking of doing a LoK animation myself. This was was done so well - it's absurd how underviewed it is. I'm gonna share this one and give you a sub real quick.
Thank you, I'm glad viewers have been enjoying it. You also have a very polished style, and I wouldn't mind seeing it for LoK!
@@julien-lemay Might come asking you for a few tips. We'll see.
I've watched this six times over the last two days since first seeing it. I will most certainly be watching it several more! Definitely made me want to replay LoK!
That's very kind, I hope more people go back to (or discover) the series in the future.
@@julien-lemay Have you posted this on r/LegacyOfKain?
I'm sure they would absolutely devour this!
@@Chumblechap I'm not a huge social media user, and I don't have a Reddit account. Though I suppose it's worth considering, thanks for the suggestion.
@@julien-lemay Would you be alright with me posting it and linking directly to your channel here on youtube?
I am certain that the subreddit would love this!
@@Chumblechap I wouldn't ask for it, but certainly, if you think the video is worth sharing in any way, feel free! Thanks for the support.
damn, this was smooth and beautiful. well done
Thanks!
i love this, BO2 is one of my favorite games in the franchise, and the character and costume designs are absolutely amazing in this game.
Thank you. Agreed, visual flair has always been a strong point of the series, particularly with regard to the main cast.
You did an amazing job of capturing the art style of Blood Omen 2, also thank for showing how a Legacy of Kain animated series would look.
Thank you, adapting those characters wasn't very easy.
I keep rewatching this! ❤
Have fun!
an amazing job! fantastic fantastic! those two years are really great!!
Thanks; it took far too long, but I learned a lot from it.
Holy moly, this is the best thing I've seen in a long time.
You're too kind; glad you like it!
As a lifelong fan of this long dormant series, I loved every second of this. Thank you.
I'm glad to hear that; it's been lovely seeing some of the LoK community resurface with such enthusiasm.
This is just amazing !!! Great work :D !!
Thanks!
*Throws Dark Souls' talking stone to the ground: "VERY GOOD!"
Thank you!
Love this hopefully you get it fully colorized and everything or you do more legacy of kain fan animation you definitely got a subscriber in me
Thanks! But truthfully, the goal was never to complete the lineart and colours; my focus was mainly on rough drawings.
And while I have ideas for other LoK videos, I mostly plan to create original content.
@@julien-lemay well the line work is great it’s like getting a glimpse of what a legacy of kain animated movie or series could look like
@@Reacted1991 Glad to hear it, that's what I was going for.
This was absolutely amazing!!! If it would be a complete show, I would binge watch the hell out of this. :D
Thanks, hopefully we'll at least get to see another game in a few years.
I keep coming back to this. So goof
Thanks!
How is it that I'm only getting this put in my recommendations now? Awesome job, good sir.
Thank you very much!
I love the little nods and gestures of your animation here. To do all that with tracking shots and shifting angles at the same time; that's really freakin' talented, man!
Thank you for sharing this tribute.
Thanks, I always felt that the voice acting deserved a bit more visual flair than it got from the game.
Holy Sweet Honied Ice Tea!! This is amazing!! Are you a professional?? This is so clean!
An aspiring professional for now; thanks for the ice tea.
You have GOT to get this fully colored
Colour isn't really my department. I'd rather do more roughs, as I expect to in the future.
Dude! This is amazing! The smoothness of the animation, the natural movements... just wow. I commend you.
Thanks, that's much appreciated!
I've just come across this animation when I was searching for the LoK intro. My goodness, this is amazing. I keep coming back to watching it over and over. The animation is so smooth, so well paced. I'm quite impressed with Kain's shoulder armament. It looks so solid and gives the illusion of 3D. To think this isn't even finished, but as an aspiring animator, all the better as I can use this as inspiration. Currently working on my own animation project and this is a fantastic example of potential.
You did a phenomenal job with this. Bravo!
Thank you very much for all the compliments.I think I know which sequence you're thinking of when you mention Kain's pauldron, it was a tricky one. In any case, I wish you the best for your own animation, though I hope you don't spend over two years on it like I did on this.
@@julien-lemay Not likely even close as my skills can't match yours. I think I'll stick with limited animation because this meticulous amount of detail is clearly on a whole other tier compared to my skills.
Still, I keep coming back to it as I keep learning something new every time I watch so who knows, maybe some of your skills will rub off on me, lol.
@@CrossoverGameReviews That's very kind, but I've found that perseverance and commitment matter much more than whatever "skill" the artist has. And at the very start, there's the question of whether a given project is even worth so much commitment. And that's usually a very hard question to answer.
My God, my soul yearns more of this masterpiece.
I must thank you for this, great job!!!
Much appreciated! Glad you liked it.
This is good. More of this, please.
Thanks, there might be similar content in the future, but not necessarily LoK-related.
And its out for the ps5. A remaster would be awesome
Yo this is actually impressive good shit man, I don't even know how this got into my reccemended but I'm thankful. Blood omen 2 and Soul Reaver 2 introduced me to the series.
Thanks, this has been my most popular video by a huge margin. I was a little surprised at how many people enjoyed Blood Omen 2 as much as me, since it always seemed to be one of the less well regarded entries.
That looks really cool animation of LOK Blood Omen2
Thanks
This looks fantastic! Even the facial expressions are amazing!
Thank you! They were challenging, but rewarding.
I'm so glad you kept the change of music, but I think it was better in the game because the combat music started right as Kain delivered his promise, rather than after it.
Beautiful animation overall.
Either way, the intent is to signal a turning point in the conversation; I feel it works fairly well in both versions.
Maybe this has been said a lot here about this video...but I care not...I NEED MORE OF THIS FROM THE ENTIRE LOK SAGA since BLOOD OMEN 1, I love this! ❤🔥The animation, the pacing of the scene, managed to create better depth and emotion, just pure gold.
Thank you, it's been quite encouraging, and somewhat surprising, to see so many LoK fans react so enthusiastically.
@@julien-lemay LoK has always been a legend among the people that love Gothic and Shakespeare literature. Ann Henning did an amazing production and it is sad that the series does not get the attention say that GOD OF WAR gets.
Also it shows how much you yourself love this series. Keep up the awesome job, as an artist myself I really love to see those that can to be able to make it.
@@EternalRoman Not familiar with Ann Henning. Did you mean Amy Hennig? Though I don't think she worked on BO2... But thanks again, and good luck with your own art!
@@julien-lemay Sorry yes, Amy Henning, I crossed the names with an old Speed Skater that I was discussing in a class 😅😅
@@julien-lemay Also yes, she didn't work in BO2, my comment was more general since she worked in all of the others and as such the majority of the credit I give to her, especially since she expanded the characters more.
Amaizing work, love to see LoK content even after all these years
Thanks!
Your animation is fantastic! Awesome job!
Thank you!
You're awesome for making this. Bad ass man, bad ass indeed.
Thanks; I felt like the game was worth it.
@@julien-lemay it was definitely worth it. I love all the games in the franchise but there was something about blood omen 2 that really resonated with me. I don't know if it was the game's art, the music or what. But it stood out more to me than the others.
@@keithbecknell6994 It's a good standalone story, but I would single out the oppressively sinister locations, particularly the city of Meridian which, at least in aesthetic terms, feels almost like a predecessor of sorts to Bloodborne's Yharnam.
@@julien-lemay I can see a resemblance now that you mention.i never thought about that before.
@@julien-lemay I'd like to see a good animation of Vorador assault on the circle members. I always thought it looked crappy on the PS1 but I liked the concept of it. I bet someone could turn that scene into a pretty good animation. Possibly add Vorador fighting Malik.
I've been waiting 20 years for shit like this! Keep it up Lemay!
Glad you liked it!
Now this is some awesome animation and work. You literally had me and my brother at the edge of our seats waiting to see who will strike first! The facial expression, the camera shots, the tension between Kain and Faustace, the show of vampire strength. I can go on and on this is truly amazing work. Let me ask you this, what will it take for you to make a full commitment to do the whole game from the very beginning to the very end all completed, tell me what will it take.
That's very heartwarming to hear, thank you! The truth is though, this took over two years to make. I'm trying to make my way into the animation industry, as this medium is very collaborative by nature. Doing a "full show", of sorts, would take a varied team of specialists (and, likely, the publisher's explicit consent). Also, unlike Faustus' intro, some of the cutscenes have only a single audio track combining music, sound effects and dialogue, so extracting individual sounds, to control scene pacing, isn't possible.
@@julien-lemay I see, I hope you achieve your goal in getting into an animation studio you seriously have some damn good talent and I’m 100% confident that if this video was fully completed you would easily take the animation community by surprise. My business partner and I are actually in the process of starting up our own animation studio so if you can’t get into the one you want then hopefully we can keep in contact and we will be happy to pick you up! You’ve won me on this video and I’m sure if I were to show my business partner he would definitely agree with me. Good luck to you and I hope you achieve your goals and make it big out there! Keep in touch.
@@Balance_Emblem Well, good luck to you also! I admire your commitment, it's nice to hear about new startups in animation. Considering how accessible the technology and distribution channels have become, I've gained much hope for the future of independent studios.
This is hands down beyond epic. Thank you so much for sharing this project of love.
Thank you for watching!
Absolutely magnificent! So glad I ran into this, BO2 was such a good title despite its drawbacks.
Thank you! One of my favourite parts of every LoK game is the dialogue, and in this regard as well as others, BO2 can stand as tall as any title in the series.
The art work is great! Very natural movements and acting, excellent Flow, I enjoyed the lip and the light push-ups of the face, you notice that you are a professional animator, I would be happy to follow your work. Faustus is perfect in his characterization, I think I would have varied a little Kain in the face but I understand your functional choice
Much appreciated. This was quite a learning experience, and I don't think I could ever have made it the same way twice.
@@julien-lemay Yours is a commendable work, I hope I can learn a lot from you
There will always be a lot to learn for all of us, no doubt.
This is incredible!
Thanks!
The fact that this exists at all so long after the original games just proves truth to Kain's words.
"As long as a single one of us stands, we are legion."
The series was remarkably short-lived for the number of titles it generated, but it certainly made its mark.
Stunning! MORE PLZ! 🙏
Thanks, it takes time but I hope to oblige.
chapeau Julien !.. sacré travail réalisé avec brio !.. Impressionnant !.. 👍 ❤ 🕊
C'est très aimable, merci bien !
This 'is' how I imagine Blood Omen 2 in my mind when I do play it lol.
It's a cool animation, it reminds me of Fire&Ice animated by Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta.
But then when you start the action animation it's completely different but the style still sticks.
Wish there was more.
Wow, I'm not sure it deserves a comparison to Fire and Ice, but thank you for the kind words.
Adorably! Great job. LOK series deserves revival. I hope Crystal Dynamics do it in next years.
Thanks! Crystal Dynamics are interested in revisiting the series, but we'll have to see what happens with the parent company...
You are turning The Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 into an animated series?
Well, there is more truth in your animation style then I thought. I approve. :-)
More truth? I'm not entirely sure what you mean, but I wouldn't expect a follow-up to this anytime soon. But thanks for the comment!
That was delightful. As a diehard Soul Reaver fan, I was rather disappointed when I first picked up Blood Omen 2, as it seemed such a departure from the LoK that I had known. But the more I played, the more it grew on me. The action, the lore, and above all, the ambience were all exquisite. Now I have an itching to have another go at it.
That's very kind. I've long been aware of BO2's controversial place in the series, but as its own experience I've always loved its atmosphere, much of which can be attributed to the beautifully eerie city of Meridian.
@@julien-lemay The ambience of BO2 is truly exquisite, but so is the gameplay to be honest. I really enjoyed the dark gifts and the gruesome weapons
This is Amazing. I absolutely love it.
Thank you very much!
Art style suit it very well. Love the mega chins.
I may have gone a little overboard but most of my characters used to be more forehead/nose-heavy with very weak chins. I discovered how to fix that about half-way through this project. Also I really love Ninja Scroll.
@julien-lemay ahhh yes I can see the ninja scroll. Excellent taste.
This is the best thing I've even seen.
Edit: I'd even pay to watch a full animated and colored version of Boss fights from BO2.
Edit 2: am I the only one who thinks that beside the perfect animation, the dialogue voice lines are also a masterpiece and they fit so well with that style?
Thanks for the kind words. The voice lines were one of the main reasons I undertook this project. A good number of people have floated the idea of an LoK animated show; my usual response is we should hope for a new game first.
This has early 2000’s cartoon energy and I am all for it.
Is it the sharp angles in the characters' faces? I tried avoiding those initially, but with the higher framerate required for lipsynching, angular lines became necessary for accurately maintaining shapes between frames.
@@julien-lemay it makes me think back to the Justice League cartoon that was so big back then, and I love it. It practically fits the style of the game.
@@crimsondynamo615 Given Kain's build, I'm inclined to agree.
У меня нет слов, как это прекрасно! Браво! В этой анимации мои любимые персонажи ожили. Спасибо)))
...не за что...?
that was... amazing to say the least, amazing!. it's a shame Blood Omen 2 had so many issues with its 3D animations, deep inside BO2 had an excellent dialogue and a great story to tell.
Thank you! BO2 is a rather rough game, but it has more than enough qualities to be worth playing.
What an absolutely amazing piece of artwork and animation!!!
Thank you very much!
@@julien-lemay I do hope we see more of this!
@@jackiealmasy7948 There may be more LoK at some point, but for now I have something else in development.
coool im suprised, thanks for animeted this
Sure, thanks for watching.
Simply spectacular!
Thanks!
@@julien-lemayold you by any chance do commissions?
@@virtueofsunlight1342 I've just started a dedicated animation course, which now takes up the majority of my time. Feel free to advance any ideas though.
Really nice arty style and animation 😍
Thanks
This is really well animated! Kudos! Reminds me of Legend of Korra for some reason.
Thank you, though I probably haven't seen enough of Korra to spot any similarities.
I love this so much! DO ALL THE SCENES!! plz 🙏
Thank you, but based on how long this took, I don't think I have enough years left to live. I would like to get back to this game eventually though.
Haha! I totally understand. This is incredible though. Amazing work.
Great job with this animation! Why am I finding this just now? :O
Algorithms! What an enigma. Thank you for the kind words.
Sooo awesome! please continue it!
Thank you, but this one is done. The verbal exchange is easily the most interesting part of the boss fight.
Brilliant, this is a masterpiece
A bit overly generous, but I'm glad you enjoyed it!
oh wow! that is so great! hope to see the final versione once upon !!
Thank you, but this is the final version; my focus is mainly on rough drawings.
je me refais la serie des Legacy of Kain et la je vois ceci !!! un taff excellent ou tout est bon , la mise en scène le cadrage une 'animation au petits oignions (on oublie l'ail lol ^^') avec en plus un amour pour cette série qui n'as malheureusement pas plus brillé mais au combien il est chère pour une poignée qui a marqué !! merci mon ami !!!
C'est très aimable, merci bien ! Si la série est moins connue de nos jours, son public saisit toujours et encore toutes les occasions de la célébrer. Espérons qu'elle fasse de nouveau surface à l'avenir.
Very nice. This gets me hyped up for the revival of LoK now that SE sold the rights to it. It's criminal that they didn't do anything with this IP for so long.
Thanks. They did do a few things... It's just that none of them really went anywhere.
OMG WE NEED MORE OF THIS AAAA
Thanks! Maybe someday.
get this person a budget and lets get a legacy of kain animated series going.
But make a new game first!
your animation skills are outstanding, cheers :D
Thanks!
Amazing work, how long did it take you to learn to drawn then animate?
I guess it's technically been close to 30 years so far. I still wouldn't say I exactly "know" how to draw or animate.
But modern tools and materials make it more accessible than ever!
@@julien-lemay Oh man.
I really want to get into art and maybe animation, but mostly graphic design along with programming so I can design games but because I haven't done anything so far, I'm in my mid 20s right now, I fear that it might be too late for me to get started again ever since I sort of had a passing interest in art that I loosely know how to draw but have not honed any new skills as of late. I'm in a bit of a rut.
@@doclouis4236 I suspected the "30 years" answer might be hard to interpret; I really just meant that I've been drawing all my conscious life, but I'll never know everything. That's why I followed that response with a commendation of current-day methods, many of which are very new.
It's only been about 10 years since I really started reading books, watching tutorials (like Proko's) and drawing regularly. Before that I was doing my own amateur game development alongside various other projects. I still do, but my main focus is definitively animation. For now.
Mid-twenties? Don't worry about it, you can do whatever you want. All you need are the right toolset and references.
@@julien-lemay Thanks, I suppose.
I'm just going through a sort of mid Doomer phase at the moment (you know the wojak meme I'm talking about), concerns with health and a future career at the moment. I even held off going to community college due to me wanting to take a break after graduation and get a part-time job. I sort of took a longer break than I expected and I do know what career path I want to take, I'm just nervous if I'll be productive and successful.
But if you could recommend me any material for an aspiring professional artist/animator, that would be greatly appreciated.
@@doclouis4236 I haven't animated anything professionally yet; my hope is that this channel will attract employers, and ideally create an online following. So I've learned to keep hope alive. Now, for references:
For human anatomy, Proko and Aaron Blaise both have brilliant TH-cam channels as well as websites. Proko's site has great photo reference packs for sale, and Aaron's has paid video courses for animating/painting humans and all sorts of animals. The courses can be expensive, but they often go on deep sale so I'd subscribe to the newsletter. (Also, make sure to learn general proportions before anything else. Otherwise nothing will ever look right.)
For environments... You can find any number of video tutorials on 1-/2-/3-point perspective, but past that, architecture/city planning is extremely variable and so are natural landscapes; as much as I dislike the usual, flippant advice to "find your own references", that may be necessary, depending on the sort of setting you want to render. If it's a realistic, modern place, I'd make a habit of taking pictures of buildings and streets whenever possible.
Progress can be infuriatingly slow sometimes, but practicing with a clear goal does help a lot.
Blood Omen 2 wasn't really on par with the rest of the series but it still was for most of it's runtime an excellent game.
Lovely animation.
Thank you. The game was arguably a side story, less grand than what the series usually did, but I've always found it to be greatly underrated.