Blood Omen (if you have it )

Soul Reaver
Soul Reaver 2
Defiance
Blood Omen 2

That's the best way to play for story cohesion.

Uhm, isn't Blood Omen 2 supposed to happen between SR2 and Defiance?

No it was released between them but timeline wise it actually occurs a few hundred years after Blood Omen 1 with a young Kain

It is actually takes place based on the events of Soul Reaver 2 and Defiance, which alter the timeline. Playing it last avoids much confusion.

I agree with you on these the first time you play it its going to be very confusing and you would have to wiki/tv trope it for it to make any sense. And how the devolopers made a elaborate stories with a few plot holes like in defiance [spoiler] when Moebius shows up after raziel kills kain during the events of BO1 which was during the same time as when Vorador execution is happening. And how the possessed Janos flys away during defiance as well, which leads to the events of BO2.

except for the ending of SR2 "We've walked right into their trap" part. you then have to wait untill BO2 to understand just what was meant by it.

MAJOR SPOILERS DOGEDDIE PLEASE DO NOT READ MAJOR SPOILERS

I don't like talking about this stuff in a topic of someone that probably hasn't seen the storyline. Not exactly, you have to play through Defiance to see the actual trap. The trap isn't BO2, BO2 is the result of the trap..or basically the attempts to see his entire plan fully come to fruition By keeping Raziel out of the Reaver for a while longer it allowed Raziel to resurrect Janos Audron, which is what the trap is, that's what he wanted to have happen. They needed an actual Ancient Vampire blood to power/use for The Device Which the Sarafan Lord is looking to use to eradicate all Vampires and Humans from the face of Nosgoth leaving the land for his people alone to come back from the Demon realm to inhabit.

This is the main reason why playing Defiance first I believe is so important. I mean it's bad enough Vorador is there, and more vampries, but then Janos as well. both are supposed to be dead. The Sarafan Lord himself and the Hylden.. where did they come from? Whats going on?

Defiance sets up Blood Omen 2 better by seeding these answers in ahead of time. So now if a person play Defiance then plays blood omen 2.. he'll be OH that's what happened to Janos after the Hylden Lord kicked Raziels ass and flew away and it immediately explains who these Hylden are and more specifically who the Sarafan Lord actual is. The same guy that's been involved in everything.

It just makes it all less confusing.

Actually, we never find out what the trap was, beyond that it was caused by Janos' resurrection. It wasn't just the events of BO2, because those get fully resolved with no obvious consequences.

I think someone confirmed that it was to be covered in that sequel which never got made.

I know almost nothing about this series, but I'm interested in it because I heard the story is very good. But the discussion in this thread is making me wary.

Do any of the later games offer a satisfying conclusion to the overall story?

Yes. Don't worry. The series has an open ending which is a bit frustrating, but it isn't a horrible cliffhanger where nothing is resolved. It's satisfying enough to call the story finished, at least in some sense.

SR1-2 end with a huge cliffanger, Defiance was so much better in that regard and brought some closure, but the story is still very much open at this point.

I'm still expecting one or two final games to close the saga.

Well, if you want to be sorry for playing the best, blood omen that gog doesn't have ATM... OTW I guess in chronological order as the rest were NOT nearly as good...

Blood Omen 2 is the result of changing the history that came with soul reaver 2 and Defiance is supposed to be the final closure.
What's open about it? Kain defeats the tentacle god that's been causing all the trouble around and finally becomes the guardian of ballance that he was supposed to be from all the way back in blood omen.

I've always gone with the order of
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2
Blood Omen 2: Legacy of Kain
Legacy of Kain: Defiance.

Pretty much the order I got them in anyway, and it makes the most sense to me to play Blood Omen 2 there, due to its relation SR2's plot. Its like experiencing the moment it all flashes across Kains mind at the end of SR2.

Although technically, I didn't actually play Blood Omen 1 till after I had played all the others, just due to never owning it, and ended up emulating it, though I had read up on the story back when I was playing SR1.
Kain isn't finished. The eldergod may be out of the way, but balance has not been restored. Kain has only been given "hope".
I would like to see Kain's story taken to completion, to actually restore balance and assume his role as guardian proper.

I still haven't seen what happens to Kain and the whole Nosgoth, not to mention the major villains of the series are still alive. I haven't played Blood Omen 1 and 2 though, so maybe I missed something important.