Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning PlayStation 3
User Score
7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 247 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 187 out of 247
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 247
  3. Negative: 32 out of 247

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  1. CrusaderForever
    Feb 10, 2012
    10
    @Doublecross
    If I were you I would never use your computer again. All though your screen name is perfect! You are ruining an exceptional games metacritic rating because you didn't like a DEMO!!! That demo was 4-5 months old! Do everyone a favor and double slam your computer on the ground thus eliminating your stupidity from the internet.

    I am 13 hours in and I just adore this game. It    's just FUN! I am going through KoAR on hard and it's challenging. So far I haven't experienced a hiccup of any kind, it's been technically perfect. Well, I fixed my camera woes by lowering the sensitivity so that doesn't really count as a technical problem since it is now fixed for me. It is truly the jack of all trades for RPGs. They really have created something special. Does it have problems yes, no doubt, but so does Skyrim. Skyrim is a great game. KoAR is a great. They cannot really be compared. They both stand on their own 2 feet.

    I love the combat, oh the combat is exceptional! The sound, graphics, control, story/lore are wonderful. The graphics are gorgeous to my eyes. You have beautiful colors and dark dungeons. The world map looks huge! I am reading more books and scraps than I usually do in an RPG. I am very interested in the history of Amalur. Salvatore has done a wonderful job. There is always something new going on. There are a ton of quests. The leveling system is great. I am really enjoying the Alchemy, Blacksmithing and world itself. The Fateweaver is a great idea for tying massive character fate alterations into the story. The loot is huge and prevalent. I have found many items that upgraded above what I was currently using. The enemy design is second to none. You can see Todd McFarlane's genius here.

    There are problems and they are in the design. I didn't like how the hero didn't speak. Reminds me of Half-Life yet I didn't mind that Gordon didn't talk. But seeing my character stand there with no real emotion reminds me of someone who isn't quite right or has some sort of deficiency. The NPC lip syncing could use some work as well. The magic shield appearing out of no where bothers me too. I also don't like how my warrior sheaths his weapon so fast after killing an enemy even though other enemies are around. Also, the camera needs to be adjustable so you can make it farther away from your character. I believe that these design decisions can be fixed in a patch if the Reckoning forums are any indication of how much it bothers players.

    I cannot wait to pour more time into this special game. I can only hope it sells well so that they can come out with a sequel. I won't be interested in the MMO offering. However I am so very impressed that this their first game! Unreal, that they could hit a grand slam like this with their first offering.

    If you are on the fence get off and give this a try. Right now this is my 2012 GOTY! I am not sure if it will hold up with Mass Effect 3 less than a month away.    … Expand
  2. InnerWarChild
    Feb 10, 2012
    8
    The dev team for Amalur get a decent amount of kudos from me for this title. There is a lot of work put into this game and most of it really does come off quite well. It's not god's gift to RPG's, so I do think anyone giving this game a 10 is a bit crazy (or maybe this is their first game played in their life). No, it's not a life changing experience (at least when you play it while not tripping on mushrooms). But it is definitely worthy of a buy if you like games like God of War and Fable or action-RPG's in general. Trust me the game has some meat to it, though to be honest it's probably NOT worth $60 whopping USD they are charging for the PC version. I don't understand why it's $15 more on the PC when as far as I can tell there is nothing specific to the PC version that would warrant it. I will do this review in a different way than most and list pros and cons an final thoughts

    PROS:

    -Nice art direction care of artist Todd McFarlane
    -Large game world
    -Huge amounts of lore. The game was written to some extent by world renowned fantasy author R.A Salvatore, and the lore comes from his novels as far as I know. Every PC you can talk to has a few dialog options to speak about to fill you in a bit deeper on the lore if you care about it.
    -Fun "God ofWar" like combat
    -Bajillion sidequests -Fully voiced NPC's
    -Armor/weaponcrafting, alchemy, gemcrafting
    -Just a good solid RPG. CONS:

    -Your character has no voice - Some people don't mind this, but I prefer my protagonist to have a voice of his own. It is just one more thing that adds character and charm. -NPC's are too stiff during dialog- In games like Mass Effect 2, the characters really feel like they are "there". Here, everything is very wooden, and I'd like to see the next game in the series do more with the "acting". -Graphical texture pop in is very annoying and no way to fix it on the PC since it is hard coded into he game cross platform. This was done to make developing for the PS3 easier and so they could launch all platforms at the same time. To me it's very annoying and my eyes are constantly being drawn to these graphical anomalies because they just pop in so close to the character and they are therefore distracting to my game experience. -No worthwhile camera control - The camera is in my and many other players' opinions way to close to the character and there is no way to move it back. They give you an over the shoulder option (think Dead Space) but it's pointless and I don't know why anyone would use it to be honest. In a game like this you need to be able to see all sides of you. -Some claim the game is "too easy" even on Hard mode. -Some of the skills in the skill-trees can be rather "meh", but to get the highest tier abilities, you are forced to take them making some levels seem like a waste.
    -No autorun key (Trust me you will wish for one, though on the official forums someone linked a tool that you can run while playing the game where you can set an autorun key)
    -No real easy way to scroll through abilities making it hard to use them in the heat of battle (PC version, I don't know how it is on the consoles) though the program mentioned above allows you to also scroll through them with the mousewheel if you choose. -No real use for gold. I have currently $500,000 and I barely buy anything. There's definitely items that I could buy that will be an upgrade to my equipment, but since I maxed out smithing, I keep waiting to find the "Master" parts to craft top grade items. So in essence I'm running through the game with a slight handicap, but I've invested in alchemy so I pop potions galore to keep me alive. I would like to feel like i NEED to buy these items and do something with this gold though. THOUGHTS:

    I don't understand how some people are hating on this game. In my opinion these people are very jaded gamers that have seen it all by now and expect games being released now to change their life or something. None of the cons written above even when all combined are enough to stop me from playing and enjoying this game. I like the combat, I want to see what is next in the story, I like the loot hunting, the world looks nice, the story is very competent, and I really don't know what else in this era of gaming an RPG can offer besides that sort of gameplay. I highly suggest you purchase it at some point and show EA that giving a new game franchise a shot is a lucrative investment, or else all we may see is the same old same old. I really want to see what these guys do in a second installment because I think it will be what the Witcher 2 was to its predecessor.    … Expand
  3. Anarion25
    Feb 8, 2012
    10
    What an awesome game! I love Skyrim and that doesn't stop me from enjoying it! It is not an open world like Skyrim but it's certainly not a linear world like Dragon Age 2. Combat is fantastic and the freedom of character design is great.
  4. dpc
    Feb 7, 2012
    5
    I agree with Orc, but even his rating is too generous. Gameplay is good and definitely fun, but I doubt anyone will be having orgasmic seizures over the originality of it. The other reviews here, especially CMPN, seem too neatly written and succinctly structured to sound like a genuine player. While playing the game, I had a vague deja vu feeling. After a little while you get the sense that this is really nothing new. Don't get me wrong, it's good, but to me it's as enjoyable as Two Worlds II (which I sorta liked before the lack of polish and weird ideas finally did me in). The art style while kind of cool takes away that feeling of being immersed in a world like Skyrim does. And I'm not saying all games have to try to be "realistic" (yes, we know Skyrim isn't either), but you don't get the sense that you own the world. You always know you're playing an arcade-y type game. And that may appeal to a lot of people. To me, it's just ok.… Expand
  5. Johnsocr
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    This game is one of the best games you will ever play. Did you like Skyrim? This game is way better. Did you like God of War? This game is way better. Basically this game delivers everything and anything you hope for in an amazing game. They even give you free DLC on the first day! Big Huge Games & 38 Studios hit it out of the park with this one! It's awesome being able to customize your character any way you prefer. You aren't stuck with the generic mage class or warrior class. You can pick any combination and you are still rewarded for doing so! Go buy this game you won't be disappointed!… Expand
  6. sulsa11
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Fantastic gameplay and I love the questing and leveling. 200 hours here I come. Glad I got the collectors edition as well. Mcfarlane and team did a great job for my cravings.
  7. aeyroch
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Sweet combat system, stunning graphics, fantastic gamer support and feedback from devs online, better storyline than Dark Soul's and Skyrim both. I have no idea what people like Adam Sessler are smoking but they obviously have double standards. Since reviewers like him seem to only be able to compare games like this to Skyrim... Kingdoms of Amalur IMO has better combat, storyline, and graphics versus Skrim not to mention FAR less bugs and MUCH better support from devs.… Expand
  8. Velendris
    Feb 7, 2012
    6
    I wanted to like this game but there's just so much holding it back, the color palette and graphic design is pretty upsetting. It's like they went through a World of Warcraft filter and picked out the worst color combinations imaginable. And the NPC faces, they make Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion facial animation look good. Along with wrestling with the camera throughout your play session this games leaves much to be desired.… Expand
  9. CMPN
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning delivers exactly what it promises: a pitch-perfect fantasy RPG, with visceral, intuitive gameplay that is easy to pick up, difficult to master, wildly flexible and just plain fun, in a way that has yet to be seen in the genre. The world is accessible and vast, offering genre fans plenty to sink their teeth into. One gets the sense that they are watching an entire world unfold before them, one rich with history and lore and life. Amalur opens itself up to the player in a way that is both familiar and refreshing, then empowers the player to do incredible things. 38 Studios and Big Huge Games have created a world worth saving, and they have given us some pretty damn cool tools, with which to get the job done.… Expand
  10. bsNYC
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    I play RPGs for one reason: immersion. For me, immersion requires seamless and fun user-interface, a compelling plot, consistent suspension of disbelief, and characters you care about. More importantly, at its best, complete immersion is not a concatenation of these requisites but rather a coalescence. It is this rubric that informs my review of KOA:R. UI: the interface ranges from good to great. Combat manages to accomplish that all too difficult feat of being easy to engage yet rewardingly difficult to master (while not analogous in execution, it is analogous in quality to Arkham City). Bravo Big Huge Games! Menus are intuitively laid out yet complex. Game designers who worry that the complexity associated with RPGs (stats, loot, skills, crafting) is inherently anathema to intuitive menu design can learn a lot from KOA:R. Again, well-done BHG! Plot: fantasy stories are probably the most difficult to tell. They have to be foreign yet familiar enough not to alienate...and not so familiar that originality is lost. KOA:R is original, but its novelty does not rest on a unique plot but on a unique setting--unfortunately, it is unique in the wrong way. KOA:R setting is vast and complete with Tolkien-esque attention to detail and equally Tolkien-esque jargon. I am sure RA Salvator 's universe could rival Tolkien 's in size, scope, and minutiae. But I am equally sure that I do not want to take the time to learn about it. To be clearer, I'll compare it to Dragon Age: Origins whose setting, while not as complex, is fairly deep and detailed. But its profundity is teased out in a natural way so that the complexity never seems complex. You know as much as you need to but just a tiny bit shy of what you want to so that you keep going. Paradoxically, you are both satiated yet starving for more. Moreover, you always feel purposeful. In every quest you are dispatched, taking one huge step to your goal (even when you are, unbeknownst to you at the time, so far away from the end-game). This allows you to take in every detail and appreciate the intricacies of the universe as they unfold invitingly. KOA:R, on the hand, does not seductively weave your story amidst an elaborate tapestry of Amalur 's rich history so much as it vomits its details and sequesters its mystery. Consistent suspension of disbelief: KOA:R has rich animations both in dialogue and combat that serve well to foster immersion. Its effectiveness, unfortunately, makes glaring those instances when you are reminded that you are playing a game. For instance, you will be engaged in satisfying combat, overcoming overwhelming odds with brilliant strategy, watching your lithesome strikes, felicitous parries, and...uh...suddenly appearing/disappearing shield. Oh yeah...I am playing a game. Immersion ruined. The bad camera angles also take away from immersion. It's a bit too claustrophobic for my tastes. Characters you care about: While not impossible, it is rare for a game driven by a user-created-from-scratch-character to enthrall me. Usually, immersion for me requires a somewhat defined character (Mass Effect, Witcher). Again, to illustrate, DA:O made a nice compromise by giving me various origins from which to choose but each had his/her own touchstone to the world. I need this touchstone to be immersed. Especially if my character is voiceless. I felt isolated from the world in KOA:R. I felt like I was playing in someone else 's world, a world to which I didn 't truly belong. I never really cared for my character because of this: the more I cared about the world, the more glaring my alienation felt; the more I cared about my character, the more truncated the world felt. In other words, I was not immersed. Parting Thoughts: My expectations (which were high) have definitely shaped my criticisms--hence the negative slant of my review. But make no mistake: I am VERY impressed by BHG 's creation. This is their first game. FIRST! Think of Naughty Dog 's first game. Or how about Bethesda 's? Rockstar 's? Yeah, I know, right?! BHG undertook probably the most difficult kind of game to create and this is their first effort? WOW! I cannot wait for their second game. As an economist, I rate games by the price I should (in hindsight) be willing to pay for it. If you want to support this developer (and you should!) buy this game new. But buy it once it drops to $40-45… Expand
  11. Testdrive
    Feb 8, 2012
    5
    After 1 hour of play, it gets really boring. The shining coat wears off. The animation of voice acting is very 2000. The special combat turns into something bothersome. I just want to kill the monster and move on. It looks special the first time but not the 50th time. UI is not something to write home about on the PC version. After one hour, I do not care about any of the NPC or the story. I thought the action will keep me going but as said before. It gets stale. It seems to me this game just want to ride the popular names and rake in money while they can. If you really want to play the game, wait till Steam has it on sale. It will not be long.… Expand
  12. msbungle
    Feb 8, 2012
    3
    I really wanted to like this game, but obviously I didn't. Just remember that all reviews are written from a perspective. My perspective is someone who mainly plays MMO's, Sims and Elder Scrolls on the PC. So if you are a pc-gamer such as myself, then this review may have merit - if you hate and abhor all things PC-gaming, then feel free to ignore the rest of this. Or maybe, as others have said, you have nothing else better to play right now and so this may be good for you too.

    First, I will say there were a few things I liked. The story seemed okay, the graphics were cartoon-y, but not in what I feel is a bad way. The combat was fast and fluent , but you can still pause the game for pots or to change weapons, etc - just like other solo RPG's. There were quick slots at the bottom of the screen which I really liked - I hate having to hit every button to find the weapon or spell I want in Skyrim. Otherwise, I really felt like they took WoW, Rift, Elder Scrolls and Dragon Age, put them in a blender, and then just created a back story for it. It feels more linear than any Elder Scrolls game and like there is a bit of hand-holding involved - which is what I really disliked. BUT, others may be annoyed by the lack of linearity and back store in ES games. Then this game may be for you. Now, I've read in other places that if I would have just played for 5-7 hours, it becomes more open. I have a few other games I am playing right now that have kept me interested from the beginning so 5-7 hours is unacceptable.

    And I'm sure there will be the naysayers so let me show you a few comparisons:
    In KOA you wake up and don't know your history (every elder scrolls game), and then you have to fight your way out of this "dungeon" area (Oblivion) all while being shown the finer points of the game. One of the first things I found after leaving the dungeon and continuing on with the story was a stone alter. When I clicked it, I got a buff (elder scrolls). I'm not sure why so many people care so much about whether this game "beats" Skyrim or not though. It's not like Salvatore or Shilling are going to pay you for kissing their butts and neither is anyone at EA. They will just continue to take your money! If you are on the fence about this game, I would say wait a few months until it goes on sale on Steam and then pick it up.    … Expand
  13. gehirnspasti
    Feb 29, 2012
    4
    First off, I was SUPER EXCITED for this game. All the interviews and pre-release footage made me hope for an RPG that was as good as Skyrim in story, atmosphere and open-world gameplay, yet with refined action combat so that the countless hours I was gonna spend playing would be fun and, most importantly, challenging. But this game turned out to be a letdown. I'm 50 hours in and have absolutely no desire to finish this game anymore. When I first started my new game I was incredibly motivated to keep playing, explore the world and do as much sidequests as possible. The combat is fast, fluid and really felt like, well, combat (as opposed to e.g. Skyrim). The skill system seemed fine and I very much enjoyed the first 15 hours of the game as rogue, hacking, slashing and backstabbing my enemies. I also appreciate that both rogue and warrior have access to magic. The abilities are fun and fit well into the playstyle of each class. The cartooney style of the world isn't exactly 'beautiful', but it worked for me, granted the size of the game I didn't care all that much about graphics. To this point I was happy I bought the game. As I continued playing though, I noticed how the game wasn't increasing in difficulty. Sure, I could still pull off sick combos to make the combat more fun, but it really would've been enough to just mash the square/triangle buttons the whole time. To spice things up a little I decided to reset my skills and tried out different classes. At this point, as I realised how easy COMPLETELY overhauling your character is, and how you wouldnt have to face any consequences, like being a really weak warrior when you were a mage before, I started to lose interest in my character. Usually you care about your character in an RPG and about the decisions you make, but in this game, where you have absolutely no disadvantages for doing whatever the hell you like, this is not the case. There is no reason for you to really commit to this game, and this is what really bugs me. We were promised a "hardcore open world RPG with fast action combat", but what we got is a mediocre button masher that has RPG elements like an open world, lots of quests and skill trees. These RPG elements however are so badly put together, that this can't be called a real RPG. Let's take a look at each aspect more closely:
    The world: It's big, more or less open, has capital cities and lots of dungeons. Exploring it might be fun at first, but as the world isn't fully open (like Skyrim) and you're unable to jump, you cant scale cool structures you might come across or get into really secret places, which ruins the overall experience. Other than loads of random loot, of which only about 5% are useful, there is no real reward in exploring. Even finding set pieces becomes annoying as they are very frequent and often pretty useless (also there are basically no item requirements, another reason why not to care about your character and equipment). The world quickly gets boring, as every big area is divided into 5 to 8 smaller areas which basically look all the same. There are forests, plains, a canyon/desert and the obligatory dark/evil final-boss-area.
    Quests: Meaningless. That's probably the most accurate word to describe it. I appreciate how every NPC got its own little backstory and the voice acting is mediocre to good (the facial animations were truly terrible though). But the quests they give are always, ALWAYS, "get that thing out of that dungeon", "kill these guys" or "talk to that guy". The quest rewards are usually the same garbage you find when exploring and collecting random loot, so no point in delving into the storylines and paying attention to what's actually happening. The skill system: At first glance it might appear deep. As you continue playing, however, you quickly realise there is no depth at all and you'll quickly have reached the final talent in your tree not even halfway through the game. Getting your ultimate would feel like a huge accomplishment in any other RPG, not so in KoA. It sure is fun to use those talents at first, and you're very powerful when doing so (too powerful even), but it's impossible to care even the slightest about them, as you can reset your skills as you please. What disappointed me most, is that there is an OUTRAGEOUS imbalance between each skill tree. While it was fun to play rogue, playing a mage is so absurdly easy, that it's almost insulting to call this a video game. Even on the highest difficulty there is no challenge whatsoever. If you're not completely dull, you won't die, and as mage you'll one-shot downright everything. When I play an RPG, I want challenge, depth and a character I care about. KoA has none of these. It looked very promising, as it was supposed to breathe new life into the genre with its refined combat, but this game is nothing but a HUGE disappointment. 4 points for the fun start and how the game runs almost without bugs/glitches whatsoever.    … Expand
  14. xxMurdoK
    Feb 7, 2012
    8
    Pretty fun game.. Story lacks any kind of focus and the lack of your character speaking or the npc's around having facial expressions you never really get attached to the story. Combat is a big improvement in the genre although judge up against counterparts of actions titles such as DMC or GoW the controls are "far" from tight and responsive and nowhere near as fluent. After 10 hours of play I can definitely recommend due to it's just plain fun factor and at the end of the day who really cares about the comparisons if a game is fun it's fun and this game is DEFINITELY fun!… Expand
  15. IcarusLives
    Feb 8, 2012
    9
    Fantastic game. It combines elements of crazy action games, with deep RPG elements. The world is rich and pretty, the characters are interesting, and the combat is incredibly satisfying. It's a very easy game, so pump up the difficulty. I'd be ballsy enough to compare it to Skyrim.
  16. DSouls_guy
    Feb 7, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur can only be described in one way and that is.....AWSOME!!!
    When I played the demo I didn't think much since it was very buggy and unpolished at the time,but I decided to get this game anyway's and see the finished product and I'm Happy I did so.koa is worth a look since it doesn't have game breaking bug's like Skyrim which I haven't played since 11/13/11 thanks to Bethes    da not being good enough on their promise of patch 1.4 being released on time *go Figure*KOA is a must own for any rpg fan.now there are some technical problems here but none are game breaking so far and I'm enjoying KOA alot.this game get's a good ole 9 out of 10 from me.… Expand
  17. lostkoss
    Feb 7, 2012
    5
    I expected more. I just couldn't shake a been there done that feeling while trying this game. I do give them credit for making a decent arcade combat. The rest of what I saw from the crafting to the questing reeked of a generic sameness. If I wanted to play WoW or Rift I would , uhhh, go play WoW or Rift. At least then I would have some one to show off the fact that I did a bunch boring fetch and kill quests in a zone like structure.

    With the pedigree of the people working on this game I expected more. Invisible walls everywhere and no jumping over that pebble in the road? Come on, gimme a break. 6/10 In my opinion this game is about as original and fun as Monster Hunter, from my PS2 collection, just bigger. I played on both a PC and PS3 - I thought it played better on a game pad, but still not worth release day money.    … Expand
  18. Implement
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    This game has come as a big surprise to me. Its REALLY GOOD. The combat is the best I have ever seen in an RPG. It's like Dragon Age 2 times 1000. The story has been fun to follow so far, and the world is HUGE. The graphics are decent, the sound effects in battles are cool, there is TONS of QUESTS. G4TV should be banned from TV for giving this game a poor rating. We need more quality RPG's, and this is one of them! I will fully support this company to see Kingdoms of Amalur the next Elder Scrolls. They have made some really good design decisions, and I like their style more then I like The Elder Scrolls. I just wish that they would mate and have babies.… Expand
  19. viper548
    Feb 8, 2012
    10
    Have been gaming 30 years in some fashion or another and a gotta tell you this game as far as rpg's go is a breath of fresh air and exactly what the industry needed.All the other big name rpg publishers will have to change up their games to have this kind of fun gameplay,most rpg's feel like a chore to play but this one is incredible...way to go 38 and bhg good job..:)
  20. lsrngb
    Apr 6, 2012
    4
    Based on 55hrs of game play. I was really excited about this game, and I probably would have rated it about 8.0 after 10 or so hours, but that number seemed to continue going down the longer I played. The main issue with the game is that I don't find it immersive, I want a sense of wonder from my games, and this game did not have that. I can't find any compelling reason to finish the game. The game world feels plastic, the side quests feel like tacked on fetch quests, and I just don't care about the story. The game is very repetitive with quests and with combat. It felt very constraining to be able to unlock many different skills, yet only be able to use 4 at a time. At first, this destiny system seemed it would allow to create the kind of player that you want, but in reality it is much more constraining than many other RPGs. The ability to only use two weapons also seemed to put be constraints on play style. It was a very cumbersome process if you wanted to say use 1 magic weapon, one melee weapon, and a bow. Also, the most useful fighting method in the game is to merely spam the melee weapon button. Stealth is useless. The bow is also pretty pitiful, and many of the magic abilities you can't use much latter in the game because they have very long casting times, and because the enemies attack relentlessly it renders much of the magic useless. Therefore you just use melee, over and over and over. There are also camera angle issues. The game can be pretty, but mostly you just see the ground behind your character. I don't want to look at the ground the time when I could be looking at beautiful vistas.
    This game also does too much hand holding. You never have to search for a quest, you never stumble into a quest from a random dialog with an NPC. Amalur puts an exclamation point over the head of any NPC with a quest, so there is no point to explore and talk to anyone else. Also the dialog you need to choose is always the first option, and is highlighted. Dungeons are also too formulaic. They almost always have a circular shape so you can't get lost. Two days ago I had an epiphany when I realized that this game had become a chore to play. I was trying to finish it solely because I had spent money on pre-odering it. (oh, the pre-order bonuses were worthless. Do not PAY for them. You will have better equipment after about 8-10 hours.) I took the game and traded it in without finishing it...and I feel free. It's a game that I am happy to be rid of and sorry I wasted as much time as i did on it. Some of you may love this game..anyways this is my view.    … Expand
  21. pnathan_28
    Feb 16, 2012
    5
    When this game was about to release i was really excited for it , i mean just take into account the pedigree of talent behind the development team alone plus all the previews and pre-launch talk, mostly on G4 made me want to play KoA . That was then, now it's a completely different story. can only be chalked up to a MASSIVE disappointment. i really wish now i had waited for the reviews, the one by G4 in particular instead of getting caught up in the hype and pre-ordering KoA. Granted the combat is engaging and better than just about every rpg on the market but that is all this game has going for it. The graphics are OK, the camera is sub-par , the voice acting and dialogue are dull and boring.
    my biggest fault with Amalur is that, with any good rpg, you have an emotional investment in your character as they are an extension of ourselves , and in this respect KoA fails miserably. i tried (45 hours into it) till i just couldn't feign enthusiasm anymore. at no point did the game give me a reason to care about my character or the multitudes of fetch -quests that i was being sent on. all you FANBOYS out there that are waving your pitch forks around need to realize that this game did fail on delivering what it set out to. thank you to the brave few who came out with an honest review of this game while the rest of the reviews pretty much rehashed EA talking points .    … Expand
  22. LagJ
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Sure as hell would like to know how can you people review an 100-hour rpg that was released today. You did what, play the tutorial and formed an educated and meaningful opinion about the game? I played it once and liked it so here, let me contribute.
  23. Leram504
    Feb 10, 2012
    9
    Buy this game. I'm about 7 hours in and I'm having a true blast. From the opening menu, the game heavily reminds me of playing World of Warcraft II on my PlayStation 1. From the wonderful music (which is like a Danny Elfman score, a good thing!) the font they use for all the menus, the dialogue and the overall look--it will keep you wrapped in it's world. I played the demo and thought it was "okay, not bad" but I had two friends tell me it's really fun and I should pick it up. Very happy I did! The only thing two things I think that can bring the game down is the lip syncing in dialogue scenes and the facial expression are a little average, not wonderful. Along with frame rate drops here and there but it doesn't distract from the game much at all. The voice acting is great, I've been roaming towns and what's great is I haven't heard a voice repeated yet. The greatest two pros are the combat system (amazing) and story. I really feel like the story is Lord of the Rings meets Spawn. You play a person brought back to life from the Well of Souls and no one knows how you are changing "fate" where everyone else's fate is predestined. I'm currently playing the game on hard, which I recommend if you want a fair challenge! I think the real magic of the game begins when you start seeing that doing a quest for someone actually gains you some nice items or a lot of gold, useful things unlike a lot of fetch questing in games where you get junk. Also, the story is strong enough that I can't see you just side questing for too long between story missions. If you're looking for a game with a lot of character building, an awesome Gauntlet style combat system and a solid story--pick up, "Reckoning!"… Expand
  24. Tino
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    This is a fantastic game, primarily because it was made by Curt Schilling. What more do you really need to know? I'm a Yankees fan and even I respect the guy. And he made a video game! I'm swooning! In all seriousness, this is actually a really great game. I do prefer it over Skyrim. This game tries new things where Skyrim just retreads old ground. In five years nobody will be playing Skyrim, but there's nothing quite like Amalur at this time, and there's a good chance I'll still be playing it in five years. Highly recommended.

    (Also, I hear there's a mission where you paint blood on a sock, but I've not gotten to it yet.)

    (Oh, also, how much do you think those Diamondbacks hated Byung-Hyun Kim after Game 4 and 5? Holy S.)    … Expand
  25. Deadlazy
    Feb 10, 2012
    9
    Most will dismiss this game thinking they know better in the first few hours. I almost did. However, this game continued to get better and exceed my expectations. It's not going to come off as a fantasy simulation but rather a fun game. I would look to the critic reviews and like always ignore user reviews.
    For those out there that were so excited for the first Fable and ended totally     disapointed and annoyed this is the game you were hoping for. I would so love to turn my toon into a fat tub of guts but with only that lacking this is a truly fun game.… Expand
  26. aspentitan
    Apr 30, 2012
    8
    Kingdoms of Amalur is a mixed bag collection of all the popular features of the rpgs of the past. It can best be described as a (PS2) Champions of Norrath/Baldurs Gate backbone into which they stole elements and expanded the gameplay based on certain inspirations of other popular rpgs such as oblivion, fable, white knight chronicles and to some degree even god of war. A few new features have been added such as "reckoning mode" and "fate" and so the developers in my opinion despite ripping off every other rpg game have made a brilliant game with a ton of customization. I can't see anyone who isn't a rpg fan not liking this game. The game is role playing through heavy customization, not role playing in the sense of heavy story and immersion. This is by far a hack and slash oriented towards actionable customization. There is an abundance of stuff to do although most of this is fetch-questing which i'm not really a fan of to be honest but this game was enjoyable none the less because I found the enemy bestiary quite well crafted. Each enemy or creature acts as a unique creature which really helped boost the appeal of the game for me - each creature has their own unique strengths and weakness' and in turn this made combat very fun and allowed tactiles to be enjoyed, unlike most hack and slashes this one has unique ways to fight, and this is especially fun by being able to toggle difficulty at any time anywhere in the game. For an EA game they finally did a good job on this one!!!: Very few software problems. Camera can be a little wonky and could definately use a rebuild in certain spots of the game it was very frustrating. This is the real major gripe but the games very playable in most areas with no problem. A few glitches remain such that sometimes quest icons get lost but they come back with a small amount of menu changing and also some stuff you quick slot cannot actually be enabled. Typical EA gltichs right but as least they are not overwhelming in this game. Overall there is plenty to do in this game albeit a hack and slash, but with the customization available and a lot of the other goodies embedded in this game I think an 8 for a score is very reasonable.… Expand
  27. Mattaclysm
    Feb 8, 2012
    8
    A game like this takes me back to the PS2 era when we had a lot of these types of games. Not exactly the open world size, but there were games like Baldur's Gate and Champions of Norrath which is probably better to compare KoA to. When these kind of RPG's were called action rpg's that is. I'm not sure what the lobbying about the battle system is. It's a cool but there isn't a lot of depth to it. Comparing it to god of war? Come on... The game is awesome but I'm not giving it a ten, I think a ten is too much because this game isn't perfect. My game froze once, within the first hour of my playtime actually. I have seen a few bugs as well but not anything Skyrim-esque. I fell through the map and had to reload my last auto save. So lucky for auto save otherwise I'd hate this game. The story is alright and the voice acting ranges from good to ok.. It's not Uncharted 3 or something not a lot of these types of RPG's have stellar VA. I personally enjoy the soundtrack it's amazing and goes well with the environments you're put in. I haven't seen any weather effects, which I find is disappointing.. There is a night/day cycle but it's almost like it's broken. I've seen NPC's sleep during the day and not during the night. Weird things like that. There are a lot of side-quests, in fact... sometimes it gets to the point where it can be a bit overwhelming. Graphics are nice and shiny just the way I like them, NPC's are kind of ugly but no problem when the environment looks so pristine. This game is amazing and is well worth the money. I can find myself putting a ton of time into this game, the world is massive and takes hours to get through. KoA is no skyrim or dark souls but it's a good game on it's own and well worth playing.… Expand
  28. JPoppaWUSC
    Feb 10, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning provides the most fun I've had in a fantasy RPG since the 16-bit era. It has already been compared to The Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age, Fable, and even Dark Souls, but frankly, I think it feels more like an evolution of hack-n-slash action RPGs like Diablo or Champions of Norrath, albeit with much deeper role-playing mechanics than you normally get from those games. The focus is obviously on combat, which borrows heavily from the Devil May Cry lineage (God of War, Bayonetta, etc.). With loot waiting to be snagged around every corner and after every battle, you can quickly build a character in any direction, and weapon-armor loadouts make an enormous difference in how that character handles. You also don't need to worry about experimenting with a set of skills, since you always have the option of wiping the slate clean or simply shifting your focus to a different set of abilities. Destiny cards then allow you to buff your character out with stat enhancements that match your desired focus, kind of like a flexible class system. You can easily create a magic-using rogue or a wizard with a longsword on standby, pretty much any combination you can dream up. There's no shortage of content, either, since the game's story quests and optional missions easily add up to 200+ hours. You can buy houses to store your junk, restore your health, and allow makeover options, and these residences can be upgraded in a variety of ways. There's also a day-night cycle that impacts NPC/enemy activity as well as adding some pretty environmental effects to the lush environments, though no dynamic weather is present like it is in Skyrim. On that subject, many players have criticised Amalur's level design for being more restrictive than Skyrim's, but in my opinion, the inability to cross mountains or go whereever you please adds to the brilliance of the map layout. Every area is designed in a memorable way, and getting from one place to the other can be a sort of environmental puzzle, more like classic 16-bit RPGs than the recent open-world trend. I see that as a positive, since it not only illustrates greater focus on design but also makes it a challenge to get from one side of the map to the other. You'll need to meet quest requirements, defeat bosses, and gain key items to access some of the coolest locales, and considering the intelligence of some enemy mobs, that provides a real sense of accomplishment. It's not Dark Souls, by any stretch, but if you fancy yourself a strong gamer, I would highly encourage playing on Hard, as Normal mode can seem too easy for veterans of the genre. Like Dark Souls, though, battles require a bit of strategy and precise strikes, but all of it is much faster and more forgiving than Souls. This game really is meant for fans of loot, combat, and exploration, and it does all of these elements very well. The only shortcomings are its minor technical flaws (mostly in glitchy audio) and its fairly standard fantasy lore/plot. The scripting and scenario writing isn't bad within those confines, though, since R.A. Salvatore provided most of the storytelling. Also, Todd McFarlane's artistic direction is cool, but it's much lighter-hearted than some of his comic book and action figure designs, resembling a more detailed World of Warcraft or Fable-esque aesthetic. Even the game's controls are a little like Fable, but again, Reckoning is clearly the more advanced evolution between the two. All in all, I would actually call Reckoning my favorite fantasy RPG of this generation, above Skyrim or Dragon Age: Origins, but considering it satisfies a different set of criteria than either of those games, it can co-exist with your other favorites just fine. Buy it for its fun factor. Buy it for its unique mixture of elements from other RPG heavyweights. Buy it because it's the first time we've seen God of War combat in an action RPG, and frankly, I want more!… Expand
  29. EliteOp11
    Feb 8, 2012
    8
    8.5 I'd say, Game has good combat which is a nice change of pace after Skyrim's dull combat. I enjoy the questing in the game, traditional RPG style. Story telling is top notch, tons of quests to be done and items to be had. Its an RPG'ers RPG.
  30. ferith
    Feb 7, 2012
    9
    This is a solid RPG imo....not the promise that Skyrim had in terms of an open world, nor the excellent combat system in Dark Souls....but it shines were both of those fell a bit flat, at least for me. Skyrim was a laggy disaster on the ps3 and its combat was very weak unless you were playing a stealth archer. Dark Souls combat was excellent but it fell short on the story side of the RPG. Sure there was story there but it was hard to find and sort through. This game has a feel that reminds me a lot of playing something like Diablo 2, only with far more world building involved. Others seem to be harping on its generic world building but I think we are all starting to get a bit jaded on traditional fantasy, and that is ultimately what this is...a traditional fantasy setting, albeit with bit of day-glo graphics. Story and graphics wise its everything that is to be expected in a solid fantasy setting.

    What I like perhaps most is what amounts to a classless system and the flexibility to not be locked into bad choices like with many other games. If you screw up, you can fix it...and its nice that that is built into the story of the game as well with fateweavers...if your going to allow for a respec mechanic, then you might as well have it be part of the story.

    so imo...if you want a solid single player RPG to just have some fun with, this is a good one to get

    At least it won't turn into a lag fest like Skyrim or have game breaking progression issues like War in the North, both of which I am still very frustrated with and have an axe to grind with. Of course, if I end up hitting those issues in this game I'll be right back here to edit this review!    … Expand
  31. Turner48
    Feb 7, 2012
    10
    Exceeds all of my expectations for a game in the A-RPG genre. Gameplay is stellar and unparalleled by any of its competitors. If you're looking for a great game that will be one of the funnest you've played, then this is the one for you. I was also surprised at how well they integrated the fantastic combat into a lore-laden world. The immersion is instant and perpetual which as an RPG junkie, is a must… Expand
  32. Rogosh
    Feb 9, 2012
    9
    Reckoning delivers on combat combat combat, no other video game with rpg elements has this great of a combat system. Dark Souls is close but i would consider it more action based. With that being said the world is very open after you get past the demo, with lots of side quests and an upward spin of over 200 hours of gameplay.

    The only flaws are the camera, which needs to zoom out a bit     more. I am sure 38 studios will have a fix for this soon as it seems to be the number one problem on the reckoning forums. As a new IP this is one game worth checking out, as I am sure someone else has said this game also will become an mmo at some point. Hopefully they can come up with a co-op mode as well before then.… Expand
  33. Dro81
    Feb 8, 2012
    9
    A couple things first. A 3, really? I mean I get that it might not be your cup of tea but it's in no way a BAD game! Negative reviews are always sour grapes. They are either from fanboys of other franchises or from people that got bored and decided to raid metacritic looking for games to dump on.

    Now to my review! I am admittedly only about nine hours in so I can't give you a full review,     I can't imagine anyone that wrote a user review could give you a full review since the game just came out yesterday and it takes over 200 hours to complete everything you can do it it. There hasn't been enough time to even do half of that yet. From what I have seen so far. This game has been a lot of fun to play. I know a lot has been made about the combat and there's good reason for that, it rocks! I really like the environments I've been to so far and I have found most (not all) of the characters I've met very interesting and I enjoy the dialog and story as well.

    So this or may not be your "thing" but it's working out pretty well for me!    … Expand
  34. Otakkun
    Feb 8, 2012
    10
    KOA delivers just about everything that I hoped for. Sure, there are some bumps along the ride, things here and there that you could polish, but let's get real here, no game in this genre is perfect. Take a look at the best of the best out there, Skyrim, and you'll find most of the glitches and mistakes you see here.
    The bad? Facial expressions, lip sync, the dreaded useless options when     speaking to an NPC, meaningless sidequests.
    The good? Everything else. The world is beautiful, the story works for heavy rpg players as well as light ones, the combat ... oh the combat. I'm sure it'll change most rpgs from now on.
    Then there's the fact that this is a new IP, so I'm just drooling to see what else can they deliver after this little jewel. Most bad reviews I've seen for this game are from people that seem to say they would rate iknecrat with a 5/100 because it has 1990 graphics. You have to rate games according to what they can deliver.    … Expand
  35. davethebaker
    Feb 9, 2012
    10
    this game was even better then i expected.. its a perfect game,,, the music the animations and it has a great story,, the dificulty level is just right, and the quests are varried and none of them seem to be fillers they all relate to the story
  36. Bossner
    Feb 9, 2012
    10
    As advertised from the very beginning, Reckoning is indeed a "guided" open world game. The combat is a breath of fresh air, combining elements of hack n' slash and action games residing over a sturdy and deep traditional RPG stat system that's sure to give you the satisfaction of both a standard RPG spreadsheet character along with the awesome combat of something similar to God of War. The world is alive and majestic, easily overtaking its peers in terms of immersion and sense of wonder. I'd like to reiterate that the game was never marketed as anything other than "guided open world". Folks who are upset that the game is not nearly as open as Skyrim have simply failed to be good consumers and do proper research into the product they are buying. The voice acting is phenomenal, rivaling some of the best RPGs to date. Although this appears to be an area of contention among reviewers, it's important to note that this is one of the more subjective categories of game review. Crafting is surprisingly deep, allowing you to customize your equipment to fit your playstyle rather than your standard spam professions present in World of Warcraft or Skyrim. The graphics are heavily stylized in a comic book fashion. It's no wonder with the likes of Todd McFarlane heading development there. The story is rich and unique, playing on several real life political themes as well as your standard fantasy flair. In terms of high fantasy, Reckoning stands apart from your cliche genre, introducing a new type of elf - the Alfar - which are quite different from your Lord of the Rings derivations you might be used to. In addition, many unique creatures call Amalur their home, including Jottun and Boggarts. I'd point out that most reviews here seem to be comparing the game directly to Skyrim, which makes me believe that there are more than a few angry TES fanboys who are non-too-happy about having a challenger to the open world throne. Unfortunately, they'll have to learn to deal with it, as Reckoning has finally provided RPG fans with a game that can have elements of other genres (particularly combat), while staying true to long-standing RPG conventions running behind the scenes, such as stats.… Expand
  37. FloorTank
    Feb 9, 2012
    9
    Really liking this game. It has a cartoony style such as in WoW mixed with a nice engine and feel ala Sykrim. The combat feels fast paced but not too complicated. Story may lack or not, but that is up to everyone else.
  38. jhffmn
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    Kingdom of Amalur: Reckoning is to modern RPG what an action movie is to Cinema. Sure, a game like Skyrim is going to get better reviews from the critics. But let's be honest, you got bored half way through Skyrim and never touched it again. KoAR may not have a deep story, you will never find yourself emotionally invested in the characters, but you will have fun, lots of fun. And in the end, isn't that the point of a video game?

    The game doesn't really add anything original to the genre, it feels more like a conglamoration of existing titles. The artwork is fantastic. It's a bit cartoony, but the world is vibrant and aesthetically pleasing in a way that's reminiscant of blizzard. The action is fantastic for an RPG.

    Think of a summer blockbuster action movie. Sure, it ain't going to win an Oscar, but you'll have a lot of fun.    … Expand
  39. ShadowNotSeen
    Mar 31, 2012
    5
    This is not a great game, nor is it a bad game. High points: world size is large and backstory (concerning the fae and other races) is consistently woven into the main and side quests and is at least mildly interesting. The graphics are not immersive but are otherwise of good quality - the main play areas (maps) are diversely painted though the different geographies have no impact on play (it all works the same whether your in forest, plains or desert.) The role-playing element is non-existent - your dialogue interaction with NPC's serve only to acquire/update quests and be spoon fed backstory. Opportunities to alter game course with persuasion or dialogue options appear limited. Low points: combat system is simplistic and the game presents few real challenges. I am at best an average quality gamer and on normal level the game presents no difficulty. I'm about 60-70% through the game (estimated on portion of world map revealed) and have not touched the options to reswizzle your character (throughout the game you can change from fighter to rogue to sorceror focused character.) Why not? The game has given me no reason to. I knew that was an option so I started with what I assumed was the simplest model - put on some armor, grab a sword and start hacking. And to this point (my character level is somewhere in the 20's) I've had no reason to change. Further, the game gives you access to various maneuvers as you level but I can hardly tell you what they are because I don't have to care. Mash the square, pepper in the occasional dodge (circle) and the monsters fall like rain. The monsters fall into one of about 4 types and are easily dispatched. Mini-bosses and tougher monsters are child's play with the fate shift ability (monsters are essentially paused and you get to hack the crap out them while they do little or nothing to you.) Again, I'm on normal level and leveled in the 20's and I can't remember the last time I died. Heck, I hardly need health potions and if you do, they're as abundant as grass. (And if your answer is: the game is harder as a rogue or sorcerer, in my mind that's still a "fail" - my career choice should not affect difficulty at least to this degree.) Aside: like every other frpg I've ever played the economic system is broken (and therefore it does not factor into my rating.) There are multiple crafting options - potions, weapons, gems (for socketing into items) but there seems little reason to do so other than for the satisfaction of having done it. I put some effort into sagecrafting and it does make items better but as soon as I did it, I found a better option on fallen enemies or in treasure chests. Perhaps a simpler description: I have 800,000gp and nothing to spend it on.
    Conclusion: on normal setting, my simplistic, brute force play style should produce the occasional death or drive me to consider other tactics. (Counter example: in Uncharted 2 and 3 on normal, I died frequently enough to be annoying - which tells you about my skill level.)
    With all this negative feedback, why do you keep playing? I'm stubborn, spent over $50 on the game and I'm something of a dinosaur - hack and slash appeals to me. But if you're reading these reviews and thinking this game has a cool combat system - umm, No.    … Expand
  40. frogwipe
    Feb 14, 2012
    9
    Let me first say that "RPG" style games aren't really my style of game. But this game is different than most games that I would consider to be standard style RPG's. This has a more action oriented battle system (Think "God of War" combat style) combined with insane upgrade paths and leveling tree's that keep you wanting more everytime you're done playing. Honestly if I play a non mulitplayer game for more than 5 hours it's a miracle, I'm 8+ hours into this game and it has my thought proccess consumed and I'm itching to play some more and I havent's even scratched teh surface of the first world/region/area. My only concern at this point is I'm starting to see a pattern of enemies, e.g. there always seems to be either 3 or 4 enemies to fight at a time and I've leveled up to the point where I can pretty much mow through them easily. But in fairness, it's too early to tell or make a judgement on whether or not this will be a problem. For the record, I have died about 10 times (learning the ropes) already. All in all, it's a fun game and I'm happy that I took a chance on it because like I said, RPG's aren't my thing. This however is a great game.… Expand
  41. Gorzil
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    I started out by giving this game an 8, but how ignorant I was until I started playing it more, I am amazed by the hour, it is the most fantastic and addictive game ever, it's unbelievable how much this game has to offer, if you enjoy games like Fable or Darksiders, or any action adventure or RPG this game will blow your mind. it is an absolute classic! a rare Gem. Worth every penny and then some. 9.5/10… Expand
  42. Kreon
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    An excellent game for any RPG-lover. I am now 11 hours into the game and am completely overwhelmed by all of the content. Sure critics can say that it's not really innovative, but neither was Skyrim! and no one ever complained about Skyrim being bland. Kingdoms of Amalur is almost completely bug-free. The gameplay is very nice and is easy to get used to. Environments are beautiful, however a little too bright at occasions. And the dialogues really are not that horrendous as people would like you to believe. It may feel a bit outdated but with the size of the game, that is forgiveable. 10/10… Expand
  43. Ravenger
    Feb 10, 2012
    6
    Hello, Please help scoreing games people. Don't just give it a 10 or a Zero I posted a review on Reckoning forum prior to release to see if I would get any response as they were wanting feedback on the demo.. I never did. Here it is.
    Wondering if we will feel freedom of movement ?
    PC . Mouse / keyboard 1600X1050 widescreen

    I've played the demo 4 times now with different characters. First     Impressions:
    The Story line I found engaging and interesting. The combat is beautifully fluid and fun. The graphic style is correct in look for 2012 and I like the solid look of the beasts. About the camera, I was surprised that I couldn't look straight up. It gave me the impression there's a ceiling. And not being able to use the wheel mouse to zoom to MY tastes was missing. The "reckoning" portion of combat is a masterpiece. new fresh and the feeling of greatness was nice. Cons: The feeling of freedom is paramount. Not being able to jump or climb . I "didn't" know we are suppose to feel like we are always PASTED to the floor ! I do understand the game is a huge undertaking. And you list the game as "open world" BUT I expected to be able to swim AND explore underwater (Not just swim on the surface), or do what you would think as a simple thing as wading ankle deep in small pools of water something of that difficult a task not to be able to? I purchased Guild-wars as a pre-order. After finding out the SAME limitations I only played the game for the 30 days and dropped it afterwards not wanting to spend any more money on it. Mind you... I've played them ALL. Please respond to this posting and assure me these setbacks will be remedied in the future. Otherwise I'll have to cancel my pre-order. Thank everyone for the hard work that has been put into this adventure. (applause)
    The update to this post is that I did cancel my pre order... looks like I was correct in doing so.    … Expand
  44. MetalManTN
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    First of all, let me just say, this game actually works on PS3! Huge success right there!

    Presentation: The fit, finish, and polish of this game feels absolutely AAA to me. For an example of a game that is not AAA, play through Two Worlds II. I actually enjoyed TWII, but the fit and finish was nowhere near what we are presented with in Reckoning. I find the collapsible menus to be well la    id out, even if slightly scroll intensive. I have had no problems whatsoever with any facet of the game working as it should, and this includes DLC, preorder DLC codes, saves, auto-saves, etc. . . The only issue I have found is during one cut scene the dialog was not synced exactly with the NPCâ… Expand
  45. eslayer09
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Kingdom of Amalur Reckoning is one of the best game I had played this year. Open world with plenty of quests to complete, you will be drawn to this fantasy world. The combat was very good too, had so much fun using faeblades with chakram. The only minor issue I had with this game is that the camera kinda close to my character, but that very minor and it didn't take away the fun I had with this game. I must also praised the dev, for every dungeons I entered are unique and not recycled. The storyline is pretty good too. I have put in many good hours in this game and it has not freeze/lag on me, kudos to the dev for making a game this huge being so stable.… Expand
  46. Stobi
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Best RPG that I have played in a long long time...I just simply love the Art; Characters; Combat and the expansive world...Looking forward to more from 38 Stuios and Big Huge Games....Well Done!!!
  47. Altarus
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    I have not stopped playing this game since it came out. There is just so much to do that you will tend to forget that there is even a main quest. The story is very good and the combat is very fun and addictive. I've played my share of RPGs. Open world, sandbox, action, you name it! In my opinion Reckoning is the best out there. It takes all the goods from an RPG and gives it the action of God of War. This game is really God of War meets Skyrim. If you love RPGs please give this game a chance. I'm positive that if you really love RPGs you will not put this game down for a WHILE!… Expand
  48. CC61
    Mar 8, 2013
    9
    I think this game is amazing. The interesting story and innovative combat will overpower the few bugs you naturally run into. Try this game and, if you give it a chance, you'll enjoy it.
  49. JeffK
    Feb 10, 2012
    5
    Try before you buy. That's all I really need to say. Download and play the free demo first. I thought I would like this game, but it has the look and feel of a game from the last gen consoles, and it got old pretty fast. I have no desire to play more when there are so many other great games out there. Too bad, because the preview videos made it look like this game would be right up my alley.
  50. Isotopesam
    Feb 13, 2012
    9
    This is a wonderful game that blends RPG element and action-oriented gameplay perfectly. It doesn't do anything new but the experience is unique. The world of Amalur is vast, lush and beautiful albeit in a WOWesque style, which is definitely not bad in my books. The story isn't particularly good but just enough to get you going. The thought of collecting better gear and killing enemies using your unique skills keeps me going. The side quests are varied and interesting enough. I haven't come across too many grindfest quests; I'm still in the starting zone and there's plenty to do. I believe the sticker on the box that advertises the 300+ hours of gameplay. There is just so much to do. The game encourages exploration by placing random dungeons across the world. The game also give you freedom to fine-tune your character just the way you want. It give you three basic classes to start with and then allows you to mix-and-match in any way you see fit. This keeps the game engaging and interesting. This game doesn't get a perfect score from me because the story and the overall lore is forgetful (Shame on you, Salvatore) and your actions does not seem to have much consequences in the world. For RPG lovers out there, this game is a must buy.… Expand
  51. Schuback
    Apr 2, 2012
    4
    Kingdoms of Amalur is an extremely boring chore. Though not the worst rpg, it lacks the one thing that makes an awesome rpg, the immersion. The story elements and npcs are a letdown and there is nothing in this game that actually stands out. Nothing!! While ithe game offers a huge map, it is not entirely an open-world as the story paths are highly linear. Character customisation is limited, there isn't any memorable moments in quests and while npcs have lots to say, they are very generic and lack any form of personality.. There's not much decision making involved in the story and therefore you don't have to listen and understand all the long conversations. You will likely skip them too as they are so monotonous and dull. While some people think the gameplay makes up for these infuriating flaws, in actual fact, the gameplay is like God of War, meaning repetitive hack-and-slash as you fight swarms of enemies in your path. Good if you're into that kind of stuff, otherwise this will be a chore for you. KoAR holds so much potential but instead chooses to be mediocre in a wide range of area withought being good in any of them. NO THANK YOU!! I've fallen for their marketing ploy and am here to tell you, turn back now!!… Expand
  52. LP68CA
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    Reckoning is a good action RPG, with solid combat, great animation and spell effects, a unique game world, and colorful art palette. The class, skill and ability system is deep and rewarding. Quests are engaging, and there is plenty of content to get lost in. The game world is absolutely massive, employing a zone architecture like you find in MMO's like WoW. It is a fantastic, 200+ hour, well-polished start on a brand new series of games. Try it, enjoy it, and support new IPs! :)… Expand
  53. JohnGolden68
    Feb 9, 2012
    7
    It's true that there are some serious flaws with KOA, which is why I can completely understand the disappointment expressed from other players, but the one aspect of the game that I think they got right is the combat. Yes, it is pretty much your typical hack and slash, but I do like the way you can change your fighting style on the fly without having to pause the game to equip different gear. Using different methods can make the game very fun at times, but sadly it is there is no escaping the fact the story line and dialogue between the fights can make the game as equally tedious.… Expand
  54. youngzen69
    Feb 16, 2012
    5
    Okay, I think their has been a lot of confusion as to the word (open world) and what that actually means. That word is getting throw around allot lately by developers these days. The very word open world means varied, free. Meaning that I could start the game off as a good person and end the game just as evil as the final boss itself if I so chose(or vise versa). That whatever I did in the game had the potential to effect the final outcome of the entire game. Simply put the more varied and flexible a game is the more open world the game is. The less flexible and varied a game is the more linear the game is. That said their are some really good linear role playing games out their, and the reason that they are good is because the story is so immersive. One actually cares about what happens to the characters and how the story finally ins. Just not in this game!… Expand
  55. Kailin
    Feb 10, 2012
    9
    Overall I found KOA to be more fun than the the sum of its parts. Even if most of those parts borrow heavily from many other more popular rpg's. Combat is fluid and fun, there's lots of great loot to search for, and the world just looks and feels right to me. After logging about 20+ hours the only issues I can find are minor issues with the camera/targeting, and that the story is a bit lacking. That is not to say I don't like the story, but that I think that the idea of being one whom is reborn with no destiny and the ability to change the world for better or worse could have been so much more than what it is. I would have liked to have seen a bit more impact to other or the world depending on decisions made.… Expand
  56. Hannar
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Amazing quest structure and lore. Engaging and addictive combat. The world is beautifully designed. Controller integration is flawless and helps the game feel fast paced. I'm about 50 hours in right now and absolutely loving the game. Some of the skills are unbalanced and need tweaking, but this is a phenomenal first effort from 38 Studios/Big Huge Games in the Amalur world.
  57. Caz
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    KOAR is one of those hidden gems. Overall, it's an amazing game, well delivered and well written with respectable replay value. As you would expect from a modern RPG, the world's population evolves as you progress through the storyline. The combat is engaging, though a little too easy for veteran gamers. The crafting, however, is where the game is lacking.

    The RPG side of things is we    ll done. The VA is superb except in a few rare circumstances. Some NPCs are belligerent and rude as you walk up to them and then treat you like a long-time friend during some of the dialogue options. Even with that inconsistency, however, the VA is delivered beautifully. The Fae are a foreign society and, as such, can be difficult to really empathize with. It must be stated, though, that is a redeeming quality and not a negative mark against the game's lore. Some of the concepts and ideals are not conveyed well enough to make them clear, however. House of Ballads is a great example of this. While talking about this particular timeline with a friend, he pointed out several things that weren't made clear until he explained them. Perhaps that's intentional to allow players a more personal interpretation of the faction. Regardless, it was delivered well and I genuinely felt a like and dislike of each supporting character I was interacting with.

    It's debatable whether combat or story is the main focus of the game as both are so expertly done. Dodging, attacking, mixing attacks and countering based on various actions all make for a robust combat system. It needs to be said, however, that as of launch, the combat is far too easy for veteran gamers. You can use the same basic attacks to win most any fight. The beauty of the combat system is that you don't have to and, in a small way, are encouraged not to. The more flashy (varied) your combo, the more Fate you are rewarded with, thus allowing you to use Reckoning more often. Reckoning is, simply put, a way to earn bonus experience on kills.

    And now we get to the reason I can't give KOAR a 10. The crafting. It's horrible. Everything about it feels as though it was a last minute thought and rushed to get it in. Salvaging is inconsistent, often netting you the lowest possible materials while leaving you in want of much better that are often easily purchased off a vendor anyway. Another downside to Salvaging is that you can fall back on the save/load trick that many gamers have used for years. It almost equates to cheating (save, salvage, load if didn't the material you wanted. rinse and repeat until you do). Actually making an item is simple enough, though. Sagecraft is lackluster at best. It's basically making gems, but there's little use for most of them. Alchemy suffers from that even more so. You rarely need potions for any circumstance and even when you do, you can easily have more than enough just from what you can find on vendors.

    One last thing that prevents me from giving KOAR a 10 is lockpicking and dispelling. Lockpicking is insultingly easy. Ironically, I lose more picks on Easy locks than I do on Hard simply because I'm not paying attention. Dispelling is an interesting attempt to add a variation of the lockpicking system, but it's cumbersome and can often leave you afflicted with a curses that are oddly varied in their power. Some will make you more susceptible to fire, ice or lighting (-25% resist) while some will decrease your skills by several points (-3 to all skills). Having a -3 to all skills can greatly hinder your character in some events while a decrease in resistance is barely noticeable to the point it's trivial.

    Overall, it's a top notch game and should see no problem in gaining a strong fan base.    … Expand
  58. ChrisMattar
    Feb 14, 2012
    10
    This cast of fantastic game designers have taken the best parts of so many games and have create one better than all of them. If you've enjoyed Fable, Darksiders, Torchlight even, you will love this one. It is so gorgeous, the music is incredible, reminiscent of Rockstar's Bully, The fighting system is loads of fun, you never stop improving your character, there is an incredible amount of things to do and ways to improve your character, the missions are fun and varied, the plot is interesting, and it seems to never get boring, the longer I play the more incredible it seems. The magic the weapons the special moves, just so many things to look forward to and so much loot it'll make you hungry for more. It is truly a game that is impossible to put down once you've started it. The camera isn't ideal but you'll get used to it, and the dialog and NPC textures might put some off a bit early on, but once you get into the game, all these things disappear into the background and you're left with an incredible experience that will get you hooked for very long hours. Haven't had this much fun in a long time.… Expand
  59. Desdicado
    Feb 22, 2012
    3
    The most comical thing on here is CMPNs review of the game, it's been lifted straight from the advertising blurb and pasted to the reviews of Amalur on all 3 platforms and it's the only thing he's reviewed, suspicious much? Anyway, I've played the full game a bit longer now, probably for 10 hours and have given up. It gets old fast, repetitive questing, that hemmed in feeling, out dated cartoon graphics and that oh so annoying lack of being able to get over tiny obstacles, how hard would it be to let me JUMP! and the fact I just stand there during cut scenes, not doing or saying anything, anyway, I give up. I'm not playing it again. Back to Skyrim until ME3 comes out.… Expand
  60. Mohammad22
    Feb 28, 2012
    10
    I dont care what people say.. This game is BETTER than Skyrim, i dont care if skyrim looks more "realistic" but KOA:Reckoning is millions times better and more fun the ln skyrim! I recommend this game to every "REAL" gamer outhere
  61. Dominii
    Mar 21, 2012
    3
    Background: Purchased the game, but decided to try the demo before opening. Subsequently, I returned it. Review: The combat is what Skryim should have had; it's fun, fast, responsive. This game takes the steps that RPGs need to take in gameplay; it's not revolutionary, just improved. The story, however, is lazy. It's a mediocre jRPG story from NES or SNES set to PS2 graphics. To top it off, the characters and dialogue aren't at all interesting. If you've haven't been gaming for long, you'll find this interesting. If you started gaming on NES or SNES, or have played a fair few RPGs, then skip this altogether, or wait to get it used.… Expand
  62. doctuar
    Feb 13, 2012
    8
    There is little I can say that hasn't already been said. If you are reading this review, then chances are you have already made your mind up about whether KOA:R is going to be your cup of tea. Comparisons to Fable have been made; yes, it looks similar. It's full of British voice actors. It has a 'cartoony' look to it. Even the combat is similar in style. But it has a much richer loot system, with weapon after item after potion being found; on enemies, in chests, in shops. The combat is also vastly superior and, whilst I am a Fable fan, KOA:R at times feels like the game Fable fans *wanted* it to be. You also hear people knock the graphics. Well, it looks pretty, and Skyward Sword certainly looks no worse for a game that has come out after 2010. Again, it has that thatched-cottage Fable feel to it, though the open-world aspect is a bit of a misnomer, with even forest locations being basically large, outdoor rooms. Again, nobody seemed to knock Zelda for this. Comparisons to Skyrim I don't understand. I love Skyrim, and think it was the best game of 2011. But that was gritty, brutal, fantasy, akin to 'Game of Thrones'. You could kick a wolf in the face, run a man through with a sword, chop a barmaids head off. You won't find that here. Admittedly, some of the special moves can be surprisingly violent, with your character sticking magical spikes through opponents faces, and the stealth kills leave nothing to the imagination. All in all, this game is a safe pair of hands. It borrows a lot of familiar aspects from well-trodden titles; Elder Scrolls, Fable, WOW, God of War even (how about those QTE finishing moves ay?). But it's not a bad game, and certainly has some effort behind it. A lot of these reviews will give it 7's or 8's. From that you can confer that if the idea of playing Skyrim, Zelda, Fable or WOW doesn't appeal to you, then don't come here. But if you think action-oriented RPG-lites are a fun way to waste time... well, then dive on in.… Expand
  63. amoralHeart
    Feb 15, 2012
    9
    Love the game, I've played around 35 hours already and I'm as immersed as I was with Skyrim. I think they're very different worlds, both great games. Find it cool to have so many different monsters to fight against, the bright colours area welcome change as most games today are using safe subdued neutral colours. I can easily overlook its small faults, as the first franchise of a new studio. It's not a 10, out of 10, but the fun factor makes it a 9 for me. I hope the game sells enough for the studio to survive the cut and make a bigger budget sequel.… Collapse
  64. Demothises
    Feb 15, 2012
    9
    I love this game: I would have to disagree with anyone who gave this lower than an 8. Its graphics while not the best are still really good, instead of taking a realistic look there is a beautiful comic looking environment akin to world of warcraft. On PS3 (where the full install is required) I have noticed very few flaws with the exception of some sound dialog glitches (far and few between and will hopefully be patched). While the game doesnâ… Expand
  65. e_x_p
    Feb 17, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur is a bit of everything, yet does not disappoint. It may not be the game of a generation, but surely is a must-play. It has the refreshing feeling of Borderlands to a standard FPS game, when compared to typical open-world RPGs such as Skyrim. The dialog system is successfully borrowed from EA's Mass Effect series. The standard crafting/smithing/composing/skilling/looting/binding system is present with no obvious flaws. It is the first game that succeeds in combining God of War, Elder Scrolls, and Diablo (previous attempt, Hunted: Demon's Forge failed miserably). KoA's strength is also its biggest disappointment - its game elements are varying, but does not excel in any of them. The fighting feels like a cheap God of War ripoff; the loot system has nothing surprising; the open world is vast and empty; the storyline is great but unattractive. Maybe if the fighting is harder / detailed like Demon's Souls / Dark Souls, this game would get a higher score. But I guess that would involve a complicated AI design that may ruin some of the smashing-fun part. Despite the downsides, KoA is still a worthy game to waste time on - it has me hooked for 20 hours now and will probably continue to do so for the next couple of weeks. And I do think this game deserves the 85-90 score range due to the developer's dedication to a 200+ hr game and bug-free launch (well, I haven't seen any yet). I hope to see a KoA 2 sometime in the future with better storyline and possibly co-op to make this a franchise hit.… Expand
  66. TonkaTough
    Feb 19, 2012
    8
    I am enjoying this game MUCH more than I thought I would. I tried the demo not long before the finished game reached retail release and I was not impressed. My initial thought was "Salvatore and Rolston did THIS?!" After being "spoiled" by TES and it's many open wonders (and wanders) I was left thinking about how I could ever love this game as much as I adore Morrowind. Short answer: I can't. BUT... I put myself in Fable mode.. and it made sense. Perfect sense. This game is what I wish ANY of the Fable series could have been. It's missing only two things that the Fable series did in spades: great comedic elements and Real Estate Mogul-ing. The combat is fantastic.. and I've only experienced a Rogue/Sorcerer hybrid at lvl 15 up until this point. Gotta say, though... loving the diversity in the skillsets. The graphics are actually rather nice. The developers did not want gritty realism, nor did they want Warcraft-esque blocks of bright colors. They added the correct details in the correct places and kept it all in great order. The overall artistic design, while nothing new, can sometimes floor you. I was running around in a cave beating the life out of Jotunn and, all of a sudden, I emerge from the cave onto a ledge with a HUGE forest sprawling beneath me and a very impressively done sunset with purples and pinks and blues in the sky and a single beam of light shining down, with fantasy-standard (but nonetheless impressively placed) Will-o-the-Wisps flitting about while behind and to the sides of me portions of the craggy cave opening and the walls ascending to meet the splendor of the skies above. I sat for a few minutes and took it all in. I did feel the pangs of want for near-infinite exploration (a la TES series) when I was in a different cave and stumbled upon an entire buried city stretching off into the distance of an immense cavern and the near devastating want for exploration into said abandoned metropolis, but I just had to take it all in stride. I put myself back into Fable mode immediately and just said "Oooh.. pretty... MUST KILL MORE!"

    I don't have many true complaints about the game. My one glaring concern is the lack of mobility in general. I can run into something no taller than street curb and, since jumping is absent, I am forced to move around it (the long way.) In yet another cavern I was met with a meager collapse of the top wall which left not more than one foot of debris at my feet... yet I can do nothing about it. Any other person would have lifted their feet a few inches more than a standard step and continued walking (albeit it with only slightly more exertion) past it all to explore more of the cave... Sadly, I was forced to turn around due to being rather challenged in the department of vertical movement. But, yet again, mental Fable-mode and I was back to enjoying the game in a heartbeat, thanks to the rather wonderful piece of loot I found only moments before.

    Which brings us to the Loot system. Wow... I find just as much crap (and amazing, nearly nerdgasm-inducing) pieces of gear and items in the strangest places as I would in a TES game. Thanks to a rather random placement of objects in the game-world I have been able to find amazing bows mere feet away from "Tattered Documents." (which are as useless as they sound) My gripe is the initial limitation to said system. Easily overcome later in the game with backpacks (the initial price of backpacks may seem daunting, but as you progress you will have a rather substantial amount of money)

    The skill system, combat ability trees, and crafting systems are all very well done. Since you cannot earn enough points to max all skills and abilities this actually leaves a lot of room for replay, or, if you wish, the ability to respec your character at almost any given time (for an ever-increasing nominal fee, of course) allows for some fantastic experimentation. Go from being a full-on arch mage hurling meteors from space into the brittle heads of Kobolds to a crossbreed Knight/Assassin with the ability to steal health and gold with every hit while remaining virtually undetected. As you progress and find more and more crafting materials, you are able to create more and more amazing weapons and armor, and tons of equally amazing gems to socket them with. If you can become a grandmaster in these, you can actually fabricate better equipment than the top-tier stuff the devs give you.. plus you can name it yourself. (I have a set of leggings named Ron Jeremy's Favorites)

    I'm waiting patiently for a co-op campaign DLC that won't break my pocketbook (oh how I long for the days when games were shipped completed for full-price)

    All in all this is a game to be played. Incredibly stable and 98% bug free (amazing, huh?) Pick it up, however you can. (Nothing illegal, please.)    … Expand
  67. swale7
    Feb 27, 2012
    5
    There are two main reason I was disappointed with this game. First it is certainly not an open world game (which it was advertised as) and it is structured weirdly, it has large open regions that you progress through but the world as a whole is not open at all. The second is that the story and presentation of the game did not draw me in and make me care in the slightest about my character or the world, it failed to show any original material to make me think this game was worth playing. Also the combat started out fun but rapidly got old. Played for about 15 hours, had a relatively good time but I got bored of it. Overall I am disappointed with this game but it doesn't deserve too bad a review score as it was fun at times.… Expand
  68. syaryel
    Mar 7, 2012
    6
    Despite the massive exploration and tons of lore..RPG-wise felt "empty" playing this game.. gameplay speed is too much for my liking..would give it an 8 if its a MMO title ..just another overrated action RPG
  69. JDConspirator
    Feb 5, 2013
    7
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has many treasures and riches in its RPG ensemble. A brilliant sense of weight defines every bludgeon from an axe and every swing of the greatsword. The colour and the melodic tones that shimmer in the background as you play, define the elegance of Amalur's creation. The big drawback though is that it feels comparatively small when the likes of Skyrim are giving you some awe inspiring landscapes. You tend to trundle the forests on your merry way, then you stumble across narrow paths densely populated either side by cliff faces. There isn't a grand sense of scale and awe. Furthermore it feels like you've been there and pillaged that when you are out and about completing fetch X amount of these items or kill Y amount of this. KOA therefore feels forged by the conventional trappings of a massively populated genre. With that said, it's still an impressive, elegant, rich and satisfying RPG that has some gusto to deliver your post Skyrim needs.… Expand
  70. durant0s
    Feb 14, 2012
    7
    It's in no way original but the combat system is very fun to use. You don't have to stick to only 1 skill tree so you can create really cool character combinations. Also this being the studios first title you can tell this is kind of a setup game, showing off the universe while not pulling too many strings. I have a whole lot of fun playing the console version and I expect better things out of their second game, a MMO.… Expand
  71. GalisCooper
    Feb 21, 2012
    9
    This game does little to escape RPG cliches as a story. In that respect it's nothing new - not meaning that the story is bad, it's just a little on the "I've heard all this before" side. The world is interesting and beautifully rendered! Nice to see different monsters with different tactics. The game's gameplay is really nice though...Although I'm a fan of old turn based RPGs I still enjoyed the fast paced action. In every level up you have something exciting to look forward to, like new moves and spells. All in all very well worth the play.
    To people who complain about the camera: I decreased camera sensitivity and the camera pretty much never bothered me...    … Expand
  72. CPB
    Feb 26, 2012
    9
    Great game, I'm actually a bit shocked at how good it is. It's not better then Skyrim, but damn it comes really close. Pros- Great combat, good voice acting, a ridiculous amount of content ( I have played ten hours and have barely scratched the surface), many different creatures throughout the game, graphics are pretty good, and no game ending bugs/freezes of any kind (so far on my playthrough).
    Cons- Frequent framerate dips, the story is pretty uninteresting for the most part, too easy (on the hardest setting I have only died about five times), the art style is pretty generic for the environments/creatures, and the camera is very finicky.
    My score- A solid 9.0.    … Expand
  73. GrumpyReviewer
    Oct 29, 2012
    9
    KOAR is a an almost flawless game. No, seriously, it's almost perfect [in my honest opinion, of course]. It's main issue is that it was released under Skyrim's shadow, so it didn't raise much awareness about it. People just didn't give it a chance [me included]. Once I gave up on Skyrim [PS3 version, for reasons I don't need to explain, we all know about them], I decided to give KOAR a try. And what a pleasant surprise. There's just so much content it's almost obscene. There's a lot of customization as well and many, many, many sidequests to complete (in a way that I don't even care about the main plot anymore). My only complaint, I'd say, is about the voice acting. It's a bit sub-par; and the cartonesque atmosphere might not please everyone. But, apart from that, this is an almost perfect western RPG. Should not be missed. Specially if you have time to dedicate to it.… Expand
  74. DragonRise1
    Feb 22, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an Action RPG developed by 38 Studios and Big Huge Games which puts the player into the expansive world of Amalur as the Fateless One, a person who is not bound by Fate. It is put in a good fantasy setting and puts a great twist on the races, most notably the Fae, who are Seelie and Unseelie. The review will be covered in four sections and each will be given a rating out of 10. Also, I will have some major spoilers, so if you don't want to know any plot important points, either skip the story section, or don't read any of the review.

    Gameplay 9/10

    The game uses X as a main action button like Skyrim does, meaning you use it to talk, open doors, etc. Weapons can be mapped to Square and Triangle allowing you to switch between two weapons quickly in combat resulting in versatility where you can be using a hammer on larger more difficult opponents and then quickly start using daggers to kill faster moving enemies. While holding R1, your magic options will appear. The option are mapped to the x, square, triangle, and circle buttons and when one button is pressed you will cast said spell without breaking the pace of combat. Reckoning Mode, in which you effectively take your enemies Fate and proceed to kill them with it, starts out looking like an insane way to kill your enemies, but soon you begin to resent it, as you can kill most of the bosses without even thinking, as Reckoning Mode is basically a quick way to skip a battle. Most people would argue that you could just not use it, but then you have to face an enemy with too much power for you to defeat without attempting the fight repeatedly and hoping for a win this time. So gameplay could have gotten a 10/10 if Reckoning Mode was a bit more balanced. The world is not truly "Open" like Skyrim, but it is still "Open" enough to be able to wander around the world without hitting too many closed areas. The leveling system is possibly one of the best I have seen. As you level up, you choose one skill to add a point to and three points can be assorted to varying abilities in three main categories. This allows you to mix and match your class into multiple forms. If you get tired of your build, you can go to a Fateweaver and pay to get all of your skills and abilities back to their original levels, so that you can assign them into new spots. This keeps the game fresh and avoids the usual RPG problem where you get stuck with useless skills or abilities.

    Story 10/10

    The main story of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning might seem generic at first, as it is just another Evil Overlord that you must kill, but then it slowly forms into a good story. Gadflow, the leader of the Tuatha, an evil faction corrupted by Prismere, takes the role of our Evil Overlord, who has created a new 'God'. This 'God' is later revealed to be Tirnoch, a dragon, which has more power than Amalur's Gods. Along the way to learning this, you will meet a few allies, though only about four. To make up for the slightly lacking main story, the faction quests throw in more quality stories that are rather short, but are worthy of praise. The House of Ballads is especially notable due to The Maiden of Windemere and the her offer, which is not weighted on good or bad, but what you believe to be the right thing to do.

    Style 10/10

    The artistic style is impressive to me, but everyone has their own preference. It is great change from the hype of making the art style realistic or dark. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning gives you colorful foliage and exotic creatures to fight. Some creatures appear in specific areas, while others are located across the entire province. The map has a wide variety of terrain allowing for beautiful scenes across all of the Faelands. The soundtrack is also a plus for the game. However, the facial expressions of the characters are nonexistent, but I don't see that as a major flaw.

    Overall 10/10

    Pros:
    Great Combat
    Great Overall Stories
    Beautiful Scenery
    Great Controls
    Great Leveling System
    Nice Change from Most RPGs

    Cons:
    Reckoning Mode is Too Powerful
    Some Choices Aren't Too Altering to the World

    Also, 10/10 doesn't mean perfect, it means a must play game.    … Expand
  75. billgates0904
    Feb 22, 2012
    10
    I love Kingdoms of Amalur, everything works perfectly, no bugs, the environment is brilliant, the fight dynamic is great, the story is cool and even the simplest quests are fun to play. 10/10
  76. tombo
    Feb 25, 2012
    9
    Say farewell to the dreary grey of winter and welcome the spring-like joy of Amalur.It's not just
    the vibrant,sun-splashed color ; it's a new beginning---perhaps the most captivating,fun combat
    yet found in a fantasy RPG.As I progress, (now 60 hours on hard difficulty) I sometimes long for
    greater,varied challenge, but I realize it's not Dark Souls.The usual RPG elements as well as
    novel a    spects make for an engrossing experience.… Expand
  77. ConsoleKingz
    Feb 23, 2012
    10
    After 75hours of playing this game so far, I can safely say that this is one of the most addictive games ever. It is absolutely fantastic anyway you look at it, a bit or Darksiders a bit of Fable a bit of God of war, a bit of everything great and you end up with this true Gem of a game. Not playing this is a sin. Wonderful story, visual, superb music, worth every penny. Especially for an RPG fan. Sure it has a few minor issues, with camera and occasionally an NPC texture, but for such a humongous epic game it is virtually bug free and flawless. Skyrim, Fable and Fallout 3 are among my favorite games of all time, and they are all infinitely more buggy which is understandable for such big games. All in all, it is the most fun you can have and I see very few games being worth your money coming out this year. A game of the year contender. Don't miss it!… Expand
  78. DarthMang
    Apr 2, 2012
    8
    Kingdoms of Amalur is a bit of a roller coaster, albeit maybe a kiddie coaster. At first you get this sense that you are in for something truly amazing, then a few hours in you begin to wonder. The action begins to stagnate and the loot begins to seem all useless, but what kept me going is the fact that although many sidequests seemed bland, and the action did feel a little stale, the main quest remains interesting enough and the visuals and music create a beautiful atmosphere in which to watch the story unfold. Also, looting seems less of an issue once you learn what is worth looting and what is worth ignoring. I would hope to see a patch that adds more difficulty, because even on hard it's a mashfest, but I survived the original Final Fantasy, so I can overlook it here. The lore is deep for those who are interested, but easy to ignore if not. In the first hour, I'd have given it a 10, in the 15th, I'd have given it a 5. But now that I'm nearing completion, I think an 8 should do just fine, now I know HOW to enjoy this game.… Expand
  79. Hahalo
    Apr 21, 2012
    6
    After putting sufficient time in this game. Is an above average game, I would say enjoyable for passing time. But I've to rate it down to 6 because the RPG element is so basic.

    To be Super Honest, is a Hack and Slash Game, with very basic RPG element. Basic character development, nothing you do matters, or your conversation matters. 95% of the time you will still end up hacking and slash    ing to finish a quest. Applies to both Main and Side quest, and then multiply it by 70-80 hours then you have the game.

    Monster you see in your first 20 hours, will be the same monster (with stronger stats) you see at End of game. Seriously.. thats BORING.

    The monsters are super easy (even on Hard mode), most players now are finding ways to make it harder for our own satisfaction. Can see in almost every forums out there.

    I can't help but feeling is EA way of trying to dumb down the game and also make it super easy for the mass market.

    The game has potential, the ideas are there, but just lack the finishing touch, everything is left at the very basic level.    … Expand
  80. Isaac_adhd
    Aug 8, 2012
    10
    Im not much of an rpg fan and I must say to date this is the only RG that took me and gave me a magnificient experience. It's theawesome action in the great fightig system that makes this game so much more valuable to me that skyrim is. I need action in games and this is the only rpg that delivers on the action front. Love it!
  81. marcusvco
    Mar 5, 2012
    10
    I had played The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and now I'm playing Kingdom of Amalur and you know something ?
    I'm enjoing play more Kingdom than Skyrim, I wonâ
  82. VidsRule
    Feb 28, 2012
    9
    This gets a 9 because it just doesn't give you a reason not to play it. It's like 1+1+1+1=5. Nothing is exceptional but it is all sooo enjoyable. Skyrim might be a game (10 btw) that you can lose youself in but this is the 'cooldown' from that. You just fight, run, fight, talk, but it is all so friendly (which is my new fav word). Just always push forward and have fun. But it is not immersive.
  83. FozzyTheForger
    Mar 9, 2012
    9
    So, I was absolutely certain I wouldn't like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. I was wrong. The graphical style at first reminded me of the unique American McGee's Alice of old, with stocky yet cute dwarf folks, lots of strange machinery and scary bits right from the get-go. Then a comparison with World of Warcraft forces itself on the gamer, and from an aesthetic perspective, KoA:R doesn't have to shy the comparison, as it looks and feels like an update in many respects. Further into the game, memories of my first encounter with Fable surface, and while it seems genuinely hard to make such a mix of everything past actually work yet still feel fresh, I think KoA:R does it, even gracefully so. I do have some minor gripes, such as the camera seemingly actively working against me, and the constant need to zoom and shift and rotate the camera to where I actually need to be looking, say in combat where not seeing my enemy seems like a bad idea. Also, the camera hovers slightly above and behind the player character, tilted down - you're bound to miss a lot of the sights because of this, as the camera is mostly aimed at the ground, which takes some getting used to in order not to feel completely lost. The fighting is more action-oriented than anything I've seen in role-playing so far, and reminds me yet again of many an action or action-adventure title of the past, all rolled into one. In general, KoA:R is a bit like giant sushi; a confusing multitude of tastes at first, but good and healthy soul food once you wrap your head around it.… Expand
  84. fatoldsun_98
    Aug 2, 2012
    5
    This is Dragon Age 2-IMPROVED. I recommend this game to kids, 14 and under. It is an excellent starter RPG for them. As for me, there wasn't enough diversity and mystery to keep me interested. You get a quest, activate in the menu and walla, there's a marker on the map right where the item is. You need to find somebody to get a quest, there's markers above each NPC that is a quest-giver. This is NOT an awful game, just a bit childish. The menus are slow and flat, not much organization and you have to scroll (very slow) a LONG ways to get to things. It reminds me of Star Ocean, a LOT like a JRPG except the enemies don't come up in an array and then you pop into combat, however you can go into this hyper-reality mode given that you have built up the "fate" to do so, much like Star Ocean too where you build up points for specific moves. Don't buy this, rent it if you have to check it out. After about 50 hours into it, this game became pure drudgery to play and I dropped it and regretted buying it. However if there's some people interested in how RPGs work and want to find out what they're about, I would start them out with this game, as it has some lovely scenery if you can get the cam to work right, and the general idea of what RPG'ing is about is generally contained in this game. The monsters are cute, some of them I really feel bad about killing; threshes seem intimidating but once you figure out when you get close to them you can keep mashing the melee key with whatever weapon you have and when they're down, keep knocking them down until they die, not really ingenious in my mind, just the epidemy of hack and slash. Everything seems contrived meaning the game will let you win every battle, I never sensed I was in real danger because there's so many ways to get your health back up. Sneaking is useless. The more I keep writing, the more stars I keep knocking off so that's all folks.… Expand
  85. Shahadot
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (KAR) is a great game for an RPG newcomer. For someone not entirely into RPGs (never played elder scrolls or skyrim or fable or fallout etc.) whos only rpg experience is mass effect 2 & 3, KAR is brilliant, but not without flaws.
    The most intriguing thing about the game is the combat system which draws similarities from God of War in particular. This is somet    hing not found in other rpg titles and was what attracted me to this game. While the games combat never comes close to the fluidity of the aforementioned, it is still hugely enjoyable and deep. you can chain hits with your two weapons and even magic to give numerous ways of dishing out damage to enemies. Upgrades can be made to powers and weapons. You can even craft gems which can socket into weapons to boost their stats allowing you to deal even more damage. Reckoning mode allows you to slow everything down and deal massive damage. When an enemy is sufficiently weakened, you can apply a finishing move which is stylish and never boring. Transitions between primary and secondary weapons couldve been improved. Moving between the two weapons of choice feel sluggish and out of tune. Also, with the huge number of weapons that you will find, having a weapon system like bayonetta where you have 2 weapon sets wouldve worked great. Enemies provide a decent challenge. They will regularly try to break your combo and deal damage in numbers. The variety of the enemies is generally quite low. 10 Hours into the game and you will be frequently seeing the same enemies. This makes the combat get boring but the constant upgrades to your powers allows some respite from the same fighting scenarios. Unlike other RPG games, KAR doesnt force you to choose one class and run with it. Instead, if you choose to, investing in several classes opens up hybrids of the two or 3 classes you invested in. Of course there is always the choice of going down one road only. If however you decide to want to change things up, you can reset your fate (your points invested in your powers) and start a fresh (providing you have the cash). This means you can go from being a Warrior (for example) to stealth/magic/warrior hybrid. This is neat feature which helps keep the gameplay interesting throughout.
    The story of KAR is based around your character whos been resurrected from the dead and who has the ability to choose his own fate. Being a an rpg, its easy to lose track of the main mission because of the numerous side missions (not a bad thing) but it stil provides a means of moving forward in the game.
    The world is the most important thing in RPG games - being able to immerse yourself and get lost in constant side missions. Thankfully KAR has that in spades. 20 minutes in and you will find several things to do. Missions can be relatively short requiring you to do one thing and thats it. Others may be much longer with a series of missions that need to be finished in order to completely finish that certain quest.
    The world of amalur is big. But the design of it can make it seem smaller than it is. Others will see this as a negative but as a newcomer in RPG, it works well in my opinion. Consider Skyrim. Its world is so vast and at the start of the game you're let go and asked to explore. It can be daunting to know where to start and easily lose track. Not in Amalur. The corridor design allows you to traverse the area without losing your way. Fast travel is on hand if you want to travel between distant areas in a couple seconds. If you ever need to convince yourself that KAR world is big, just open the world map.
    The graphics of KAR is not bad but also not the greatest thing about it. Areas look great and enough detail to give it a rich feel. However, character models arent very well done. Features such as a beard or hair or jewellry look like theyve been cut and pasted from another picture and put onto a blank model. The lip syncing is also really bad. When a character speaks, The first word is in sync and then every other word isnt. Character mouths seem to just go up and down. It means character conversations are hard to look at and you'll likely be skipping them and just reading the subs. Characters in KAR are diverse enough but after some time you will skip most conversations after getting tired of it.
    Lip syncing issues arent just the only problem. Nearly every reckoning mode sound effects was out of sync which removes some of the polish.

    Overall KAR is a great RPG for a newcomer and even RPG regulars. It provides a big world to explore coupled with a deep and enjoyable combat system that will keep you entertained for a considerable amount of time. I highly recommend you buy or even rent out.    … Expand
  86. crazydangerous
    May 1, 2012
    7
    This game is a bit bland story-wise, game-plays decent, it has a impressive length and a great bit invested in crafting and variations in items like armours etc. I'm a bit suspicious of the people who gave this game a 10/10 on all platforms and that's their only reviews. I say pay $40 or less for it if you just want a game that will last a long while to avoid buyer's remorse.
  87. Ps3blaze22
    Feb 28, 2012
    10
    LOL! @ Skyrim fanboys giving this game low scores, This game is BETTER than Skyrim, i dont care if skyrim looks more "realistic" KOA:Reckoning is millions times better and more fun than that buggy game called skyrim! I recommend this game to EVERYONE
  88. rpgMasterFan
    May 8, 2012
    0
    The game definitely for kids. Level of difficulty Hard = Very Easy. Map closed, the same ditches, canals, narrow valleys and mass of opponents on a single shot.
    The game is simple to pain. still pushing a single button. The whole rest is irrelevant and not needed and so we are almost indestructible from the beginning.
    Real levels of difficulty have been cut and will be sold as DLC for the     extra money. On their forum does not make sense to speak immediately cancel the topics and uncomfortable answers.… Expand
  89. ADavidS1986
    Apr 9, 2012
    10
    I absolutely loved this game so it's hard for me to write this review impartially. The sidequests can be get very repetetive but there are so many that you can skip the ones you have no interest in and not suffer with an low levelled character. The character builds are also incredibily fun, you can change easily by resetting your level points at a "fateweaver" for low cost although it does rise rapidly. You can then change your "fate" which lets you choose a specific move perk and play style bonus' like block %. The game is kinda let down by hollow characters but the combat is simply put the best action RPG, so none turn based combat system I have ever played. I never got bored of it after 70+ hours because if I did I simply changed play styles.… Expand
  90. disobedientlib
    Mar 13, 2012
    9
    A great RPG action game. Awesome combat that is closer in pedigree and especially gameplay to top-down hack and slashers Torchlight and Diablo than to Skyrim. In other words, there is lots and lots of loot and boxes to smash and creatures to button mash into oblivion as you wander it's serviceable and very large environments. While there is slight overload of superficial, fetch-side quests, the main and faction story lines are solid and deep.

    I also love the ability to completely respec your character at any time! A downside is the somewhat clunky inventory system to manage the massive amounts of loot drops. The last caution is the difficulty level. Except for some spikes in a couple of places, the difficulty level is a bit too easy. But if you set the difficulty up to Hard or above it does present some tactical combat challenges that require a bit of strategic use of powers and positioning.    … Expand
  91. sedoi
    Feb 29, 2012
    8
    Very fastpaced and enjoyable game. I enjoyed it far more than Skyrim. I hope they gonna make another one like that. The only let-down for me, is that it lacks real bosses. Other than that it has clever writing and awesome enemy designs.
  92. AwesomeGamer
    Dec 27, 2012
    10
    I don't know why great games like this don't sell, this game is better than Skyrim, if you deny that you're not an Rpg fan, I'm really sad this game didn't sell well, this is one of the best games I have ever played, please, do yourself a favour and go buy this game if you're a real gamer
  93. Gloomz
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is one of the most immersive and fulfilling RPG's to date. The Environments, Characters, Quests, Sounds and Combat are all exceptionally well done, and they all come together to create a cascade of colors and sounds which have never before been present in an RPG. The amount of content is amazing, and BigHuge has already made plans for more DLC. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a must-have in any gamers library.

    "I used to like combat in Skyrim, until I played KoA"

    Cheers,

    Gloomz    … Expand
  94. Shishkbob
    Mar 10, 2012
    9
    I was very much delighted to experience Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The combat did a fantastic job of making me feel like a super powered combatant while also presenting a challenge. The faction quests were interesting enough that I WANTED to complete them and the main quest was was masterfully unveiled. The graphics were a bit cartoony for this late in the current generation's life cycle and the side quests were usually the generic fetch-quests that wasted timein my 65 hour playthrough. I recommend this to any open world RPG fan.… Expand
  95. Jayso
    Mar 14, 2012
    9
    this is game is awesome! although it has a lot of aspects from other games its definitely a game i will be playing for a while. if you liked skyrim this is one that everyone will enjoy, it is a great RPG
  96. shrooomie
    Mar 29, 2012
    7
    This game is alright. This was one of the only RPGS i ever played where i skpped all side quest dialogue and did just ran from point a to point b
    COmbat was decent too
  97. Lycanthropunk
    Jun 5, 2012
    10
    I shall keep this short and sweet- if you like action RPGs buy this. Now!! It's absolutely stunning. It's the closest thing to Fable on the PS3, but ten times the size and with much better combat. Big Huge Games have pretty much learnt all the best ideas from other RPGs and put them into this one, thus reating a Super-RPG. Imagine Fable, Dragon Age, The Elder Scrolls and the charm of Folklore all rolled into one game. It's amazing. Everything feels right. It's by far and away the most user-friendly and intuitive. If you're shooting someone with a bow and they get too close, no probs you use your secondary fight button and hit them with your sword, mace, whatever- no having to change weapon sets in the menu. There are no limits as to how you deal with enemies- bash 'em with a giant hammer, shoot them with a bow or zap 'em with a lightning bolt- you can do all three in the same battle!

    The graphics are cartoony like Fable, but are superbly animated; the characters funny, the world huge and varied, the combat great fun. It's a welcome tonic after the sombre (but admittedly brilliant) tone of Skyrim and in it's own way, if a game was measured purely by the enjoyment gleaned from playing it, then it is easily its equal.    … Expand
  98. herozero
    Apr 16, 2012
    8
    I just wrapped up the main story to Amalur. To begin with, one of the best parts of this game: LOTS of content. You can easily get side-tracked off the main story with endless quests, hence why this review comes so late after the game's release. This was all together a very fun game, not a masterpiece but well worth your time and money. Graphically it is a beautiful game, not the dark shade of grey seen in Skyrim, but not the cartoony brilliance of Fable. There are fun colorful towns and dank dungeons and the art style captures both very well. The game does suffer from HORRIBLE screen draw at distance, especially in the open parts of the "world." Gameplay is excellent no matter what character type you decide to run with. The Fate system is a little cliche but being able to reset your abilities and not get locked into a certain character type from minute one is really nice, especially for RPG novices. The story is decent, but not exactly an Uncharted or AC2 killer. I found myself wanting at the end, with only average emotional involvement with the main story. Certain side quests I was definitely more interested in the outcome, especially when the game begins to present the good/evil action options. I would have no problem supporting the developer with a day one buy, there is plenty of content and intriguing gameplay to make it worth my while; picking this game up at a reduced price is quite frankly a steal.… Expand
  99. Cartteros
    May 24, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is the greatest surprise of 2012, so far. It's an awesome action-RPG game with a huge and beatiful world.
    Kingdoms of Amalur focuses more in combat than in story. It can be said that the game's story is quite hollow and simple, and you just don't feel like interested on it part because the voice acting is not that good and part because it's really not good. Bu    t the fact that the voice acting isn't good doesn't mean it's bad. I'll talk about this later on this review.
    Speaking of the gameplay, here's where the game's awesome. The combat is just fast and simple. Some may think it's just button smashing and in part it is, but it's still fun swing your huge badass hammer and roll to avoid a bunch of attackers. Hardcore RPG players would barely like it. The role-playing part of the game isn't deep and doesn't offer you much choice. You can be a mage, a thief or a soldier. Mixing it up doesn't feel good. The game may be a little easy for some, even on hard. The game menus are easy to go through and the junk functionality makes your life easier. Long story short about gameplay: it's and action-RPG but feels like a hack 'n' slash. It doesn't take away the greatness of testing your skills and having fun in a well animated combat though.
    The graphics are goddamn stylish. They give the game a playful appearance and take away all the serious **** you usually find in other RPGs. Colorful landscapes and bright visual effects are remarkable. These graphics play along with the voice acting and the script in dialogues to create a less dramatic and serious world. You barely note a character speaking with a serious tone and even when you do it doesn't feel that serious. The graphics and the "careless" voice acting make a good pair and work well. Plus, the soundtrack may be a bit repetitive, though it matches the feeling of the epic world of Amalur.
    Speaking of Amalur, it's an enormous place, beatiful as I said, but with few to explore. Sometimes, you find yourself in an open area with absolutely nothing to do, leading to a sense of no life. that's a bad point about the game.
    If you're looking for an RPG experience that's different of almost every single one that you had, enjoy a good combat, beautiful graphics and can forgive the lack of a good story, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is your game. A surprisingly good game!    … Expand
  100. julius98
    Dec 31, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur is a fantastic and immersive game. There. I said it. Should I tell you why? Well, first of all, we have the amazing combat. Unlike some RPGs *cough*Skyrim and Dragon Age *cough*, the combat is immersive, satisfying and aesthetically pleasing. Though your character is not fully customizable, that is not a problem here, because your appearance of starting bonuses are insignificant in this game. You will barely see your own character in this game. The most badass armor sets and weapons I have ever seen, are in this game. And you won't get those badass armor sets at the end of the game. No. You get those at the very beginning of the game. And it feels GOOD. You hear that Dragon Age and Skyrim?!!! It feels gooooood. Sure it is sometimes repetitive, but which RPG out there does not feel repetitive? On the contrary, I feel that this game is less repetitive than most, with enemy types that actually do feel different and challenging when combined. Let me give you an example: I played as a mage, and found out that the true powers laid in the abilities I acquired, when fighting different enemy types. As a mage you have very little armor, but high damage, and a good range. Due to this fact, I have to keep enemies at a distance. When fighting both trolls (close combat) and mages at the same (medium range) I had to summoning magic to keep the troll at a distance, and could then fight the mage with equal power. If I had tried to do the same thing in Skyrim, the enemies would have totally ignored what I had summoned and all charge directly at me. This is but one of the few things I truly love about Kingdoms, and a drop in the ocean of the content in this game. Beautiful colors, and an okay story with some memorable characters are just bonuses to the incredibly fun battles that can change fate. Buy this game.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 34
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 34
  3. Negative: 0 out of 34
  1. RPG Fan
    Mar 8, 2012
    76
    Needless to say, Reckoning is a repetitive experience. If you've played the first five hours, you've seen everything the game has to offer except a few bosses and superficially different environments.
    Read full review
  2. MEGamers
    Mar 5, 2012
    85
    When you set aside the forgettable characters and boring dialog you find a game that is so well polished in many of its other aspects. The title boasts one of the best combat systems ever in an action-RPG and a highly flexible class system that allows the player to choose to be whatever they want to.
    Read full review
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Mar 4, 2012
    80
    Reckoning is not about narrative. In this respect, it's a defiantly linear experience. What it is about is gameplay choice within the oft-rigid of an RPG. The way it accomplishes this is particularly fresh, and maybe even suggests a new precedent in the evolution of the genre. It's about time, right? Big Huge Games has clearly been paying a lot of attention to what's going on, and the result is that Reckoning is a patchwork of everything great that's been done to forward modern RPGs in recent times. [March 2012, p70]
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