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The Ring Menu, also known as the Glyph menu, Glyph spell menu or Select menu, is circular menu interface used in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver and Soul Reaver 2 to select Glyphs and other similar applications.

Profile[]

Icon Soul ReaverLegacy of Kain: Soul Reaver[]

The Ring Menu first appeared in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, where the menu was accessible through a specific button press and consisted of seven slots for Glyph spells arranged in a circular pattern. Raziel started with a single position filled - The Shift Glyph - all others were represented by white dots and gaining their Glyph spells was entirely optional. In order to acquire the other spells, it was necessary for Raziel to solve the specific Glyph altar related to the spell; solving a puzzle which unlocked the particular Glyph and opened their entry on the ring menu. Each of the Glyphs consumed a different amount of Eldritch energy which was displayed in the ring menu in the top-left corner: The Force Glyph costs 1, Stone costs 2, Sound costs 4, Water 6, Fire 8 and the Sunlight Glyph costs 10 Eldritch energy; only the Shift Glyph costs no energy. All of the Glyphs would be 'greyed out' and inaccessible when in the Spectral Realm, with the exception of the Shift Glyph which was only available if Raziel was stood on a planar portal with a full Health coil. Glyphs would also be greyed out if Raziel's eldritch energy was insufficient to cast the spell.[Soul Reaver][Soul Reaver strategy guide (Prima)][Soul Reaver manual (US)][Soul Reaver manual (UK)]

One Glyph spell - the Spirit Glyph - was intended to feature in the ring menu, but the glyph and its accompanying Reaver enhancement were ultimately cut due to timing and budgetary constraints. Though it does not appear in the retail version of the game, preview material reveals that the glyph was implemented and included in the ring menu in early stages of development, taking a position between the Stone and Force glyphs.[1]

Menu Items[]

The following table list the ring menu items both present in and cut from Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, illustrating the symbols and their corresponding Glyphs, cost and availability :

Menu Item Icon/Principle Gained from Cost Availability
Shift Glyph/Shifting
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Shift
innate None Available continuously in Material Realm but only available in Spectral when stood on a planar portal with full health.
Force Glyph
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Force
Force Glyph Altar, The Necropolis 1 eldritch point Unavailable if Eldritch energy is insufficient.
Stone Glyph
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Stone
Stone Glyph Altar, Nupraptor's Retreat 2 eldritch points Unavailable if Eldritch energy is insufficient.
Sound Glyph
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Sound
Sound Glyph Altar, The Silenced Cathedral 4 eldritch points Unavailable if Eldritch energy is insufficient.
Water Glyph
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Water
Water Glyph Altar, The Human Citadel 6 eldritch points Unavailable if Eldritch energy is insufficient.
Fire Glyph
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Fire
Fire Glyph Altar, Raziel's Clan Territory 8 eldritch points Unavailable if Eldritch energy is insufficient.
Sunlight Glyph
SR1-Icon-Glyph-Sunlight
The Sunlight Glyph Altar 10 eldritch points Unavailable if Eldritch energy is insufficient.
Spirit Glyph (cut)
 SR1-Prima-SpiritGlyph-Mislabel
unknown unknown unknown

Development[]

The Soul Reaver alphas feature an early version of the ring menu with distinctly different symbols which includes the cut Spirit Glyph. As in the retail version each was intended to be gained from a specific glyph altar - some altars were moved between builds and not all were functional, so some glyphs had to be activated from the debug menu.

The Glyphs themselves are reshuffled in this menu - reflecting differing comparative power levels. In this version the Glyph were ranked in order from weakest to strongest: Shift, Sunlight, Water, Fire, Stone, Spirit, Force and Sound. Eldritch energy has yet to be implemented so there is no cost associated with the use of glyphs.

The following table list the ring menu items in the alpha of Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, illustrating the symbols and their corresponding Glyphs, cost and availability:

Menu Item Icon/Principle Gained from Cost Availability/Notes
Shift Glyph/Shifting
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Shift
innate None Available continuously in Material Realm but only available in Spectral when stood on a planar portal with full health or when in possession of Shift At Will.
Sunlight Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Sunlight
Sunlight Glyph Altar (accessed through training area/Sanctuary of the Clans Unknown Blinds enemies
Water Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Water
Water Glyph Altar, The Human Citadel Unknown Causes water/burn damage to susceptible enemies
Fire Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Fire
Fire Glyph Altar, Raziel's Clan Territory Unknown Burns enemies
Stone Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Stone
Stone Glyph Altar, Nupraptor's Retreat Unknown Intended to Petrify Enemies
Spirit Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Spirit
Spirit Glyph Altar, Turel's Clan Territory Unknown 'Vortex' of Soul Energy
Force Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Force
The Force Glyph Altar, Drowned Abbey Unknown Telekinetically flings enemies
Sound Glyph
SR1-Alpha-Glyph-Icon-Sound
Sound Glyph Altar, Sanctuary of the Clans/Tomb of the Sarafan Unknown Vampires Shatter, Human unaffected

Icon Soul Reaver 2Soul Reaver 2[]

The Ring menu returned in Soul Reaver 2 but was significantly reduced for that title, consisting of only three symbols; only two of which were initially available. The Shift Glyph/Shifting icon was the only returning icon, featuring a slightly redesigned symbol, it again allowed Raziel to switch Realms but could only be used in the Spectral Realm when stood on a planar portal with a full Health coil. The next icon related to the World map and this displayed a simplified map of Nosgoth with the current area and objective highlighted and previously visited locations listed - this was the only icon available continuously in either realm. The third and final symbol represented the Reaver and summoned the Wraith Blade to the Material Realm, however it was not gained until part-way through "A Reaver in Time" when the Wraith blade was upgraded following its encounter with Moebius's Staff - previous to this the wraith blade depended upon Raziel being at full health and after it could be summoned at will.[Soul Reaver 2][Soul Reaver 2 strategy guide (Prima)][Soul Reaver 2 manual]

Several Glyphs related to the Pillars of Nosgoth were planned to complete the ring menu for Soul Reaver 2 but these were ultimately cut and removed due to time constraints. Initially planned to revolve around "new ways to interact with the environment" rather than the direct combat applications of their predecessors, these glyphs were not featured in the Ring menu in the retail version of the title, which only contained the three standard interactions; however the Pillar-related Glyphs did appear under Debug menus as non-functional entries and pre-release demo versions (like the Air forge demo) also featured debug options allowing the full 12-item ring menu to be manifested with inactive placeholder symbols or white dots representing the incomplete/cut glyphs. No applications or abilities of the Soul Reaver 2 Pillar Glyphs are currently known.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Menu Items[]

The following table list the ring menu items both present in and cut from Soul Reaver 2, illustrating the symbols and their corresponding applications and availability :

Menu Item Icon/Principle Gained from Effect Availability
Shift Glyph/Shifting
SR2-Icon-RingMenu-Shift
innate Shifting between Realms Available continuously in Material Realm but only available in Spectral when stood on a planar portal with full health.
World map
SR2-Icon-RingMenu-Map
innate Displays the World map with the current location highlighted Continuous, though only displays known locations
Wraith Blade
SR2-Icon-RingMenu-WraithBlade
William's Chapel, Sanctuary, A Reaver in Time Summons the Wraith Blade to the Material Realm Menu item unavailable in Spectral Realm
Balance Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Balance
unknown unknown unknown
Conflict Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Conflict
unknown unknown unknown
Death Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Death
unknown unknown unknown
Dimension Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Dimension
unknown unknown unknown
Energy Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Energy
unknown unknown unknown
Mind Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Mind
unknown unknown unknown
Nature Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Nature
unknown unknown unknown
States Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-States
unknown unknown unknown
Time Glyph (cut)
Defiance-Fankit-Symbol-Pillars-Time
unknown unknown unknown

Notes[]

Ring-menu2

The Soul Reaver ring menu with Shift Glyph selected, Force collected and others undiscovered and represented as white dots

  • Early versions of the Ring menu exist in both titles which feature a large amount of developmental and placeholder symbols for the ring menu entries, which were eventually updated or discarded before the retail versions.[1][3][4][5][7]
  • The usage of the ring menu resembles a refinement of the various quick menus used to select items and spells in Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain.[Blood Omen] A circular 'wheel' menu system similar to the ring menu would subsequently be used to select Dark gifts in Blood Omen 2,[Blood Omen 2] however Legacy of Kain: Defiance discarded the system, returning to a quick menu style system for selecting Reaver enhancements (and Shifting) and an inventory system for other items.[Defiance]

See also[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Icon The Lost Worlds The Spirit Glyph at The Lost Worlds (be Ben Lincoln).
  2. Soul Reaver 2: Director's Interview - PlayStation 2 Feature at IGN (by Douglass Perry), page 6
  3. 3.0 3.1 Icon The Lost Worlds The Debug Menu at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  4. 4.0 4.1 Icon The Lost Worlds The Pillar Glyphs at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  5. 5.0 5.1 Icon The Lost Worlds The Full Ring Menu at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Icon The Lost Worlds Early Versions of Soul Reaver 2 at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Icon The Lost Worlds The Air Forge Demo at The Lost Worlds (by Ben Lincoln)

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