This is the first game I've played where the cut-scenes get in the way of playing. The preamble lasts forever, and once you're into Soul Reaver 2, there seems to be a cut-scene every couple of minutes - which you can't opt out of. Continuing on from the original, it's all about vampires, arcane knowledge and mysticism. Yes, nonsense.
I think Edgar Allen Poe's illiterate brother wrote the script. The prose is all florid and sounds grand, but means bugger all. The game, when you actually get to do something, is really a straightforward fighting game, it just has a few knobs on to make it seem as if it something more. (NP)