After 23 years, Legacy of Kain is back with a chunky retro platformer featuring M-rated pixel gore and "lore-heavy" PS1-inspired 3D for the true Kain sickos

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered made its debut at today's Sony State of Play, but it's not the only bit of news for fans of the long-dormant action-adventure series. We're also getting the first new series entry in decades in the form of Legacy of Kain: Ascendance, a retro-style 2D platformer telling a brand-new story.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is set to launch on March 31, 2026 across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, and PC. It features three playable characters with series mainstays Kain and Raziel being joined by Elaleth, a vampire previously introduced in the recent graphic novel. Each has a unique playstyle, and the chunky, M-rated pixel gore adds some flair to the visuals.

Ascendance is being developed by FreakZone Games, a studio with a long history of solid retro action titles – most notably including the Angry Video Game Nerd game. But the big focus this time is on story, as Ascendance features an array of anime-style cutscenes with much of the original voice cast, including Michael Bell as Raziel, Simon Templeman as Kain, Anna Gunn as Ariel, and Richard Doyle as Moebius.

While the game is mostly made up of 2D pixel art, there are also 3D segments inspired by the PS1 era – appropriate given the series' origins. A press release says these bits are "lore-heavy sequences that reward fans of the Legacy of Kain mythos," so it's clear the target audience is the most hardcore members of the long-suffering fandom.

Individual pricing for Ascendance has not yet been detailed, but it will be available as part of the Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered Heart of Darkness Collection, which is $45 USD. Defiance Remastered on its own will be $25 USD.

If you can't get enough of retro gaming, check out our list of the best PS1 games of all time.