Fighting across Nosgoth, Blood Omen 2 follows vampire Kain's quest for revenge against those who defeated him and took his sword, the Soul Reaver. Upon awakening after 200 years, Kain finds a world vastly different from the one he knew, with humans ruling under martial law and vampires hunted down by the Serafan Order. The city of Meridian is ruled with an iron fist, its citizens oppressed, and strange glyph magic fuels industry while being deadly to vampires.
The Blood Omen 2 experience is a third-person action game with adventure elements, similar in style to Soul Reaver. The player controls Kain from behind his shoulder, moving him through the environment, attacking, jumping, using dark gifts, and grabbing on ledges. Kain's life energy must be constantly replenished by drinking blood found by consuming living creatures, often after defeating enemies in combat.
The Serafan Order relies on glyph magic to power machines and switches, making it deadly to vampires. The player must navigate areas with glyph barriers, using the magical energy to progress through the game. Puzzles involve creating glyph circuits to deliver power to specific points, and the player can see the energy spark as it travels down its path.