Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

 PC
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1215 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 614 out of 1215
  2. Mixed: 345 out of 1215
  3. Negative: 256 out of 1215
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  1. Killeah
    Feb 26, 2012
    9
    GRAPHICS: 85 - Nice color palette and blending, missing better light/shadow effects and details

    SOUND: 85 - Decent soundtrack, especially the Tuatha score is epic, some dull moments here and there. GAMEPLAY: 93 - Spot on controls, Well done utilizing mouse/keyboard combination. Haven't seen so fast and sharp combat since WoW. Minigames regarding dispelling,lockpicking works!! VALUE: 95    GRAPHICS: 85 - Nice color palette and blending, missing better light/shadow effects and details

    SOUND: 85 - Decent soundtrack, especially the Tuatha score is epic, some dull moments here and there.

    GAMEPLAY: 93 -
    Spot on controls, Well done utilizing mouse/keyboard combination. Haven't seen so fast and sharp combat since WoW. Minigames regarding dispelling,lockpicking works!!

    VALUE: 95 - Looking at my steam played counter for Kingdoms of amalur : 57.7 hours. I´ve only discovered about 25% of the regions in the game, and my bet is that the amount of quests I´ve done (65), are about the same. This game is HUGE.

    APPEAL: 85 - The game is somewhat slow to start. The story requires patience to unfold. And perhaps too much side information is given. It wasn´t until around 20 hours played that I got a good idea of where this story was taking off to. But it is worth the wait. Some quests are tedious, and I would have love a bit more in depth conversation and response to my character from the NPC´s.


    OVERALL: 90
    A brilliant single player RPG with tons of locations/lore/stories to explore. The character building is spot on with tons of possibilities. The story - once taking off, is exciting and thorough.    … Expand
  2. Miskin
    Feb 24, 2012
    10
    It is very strange. If you check the reviews the average rating is a lot higher. This implies that metacritic user score is open to abuse.
    The game is a gem. I enjoyed it.
  3. ilscuro
    Feb 24, 2012
    5
    I really wanted to like this game, but after 6 hours of gameplay, honestly i'm bored to tears of it, like many others have said the only good thing is the combat, everything else is not good, it's far far to easy, the cartoony graphics although nice are out of place in my opinion, a darker demon/dark souls setting would have been better i think, plus add the difficulty from those games andI really wanted to like this game, but after 6 hours of gameplay, honestly i'm bored to tears of it, like many others have said the only good thing is the combat, everything else is not good, it's far far to easy, the cartoony graphics although nice are out of place in my opinion, a darker demon/dark souls setting would have been better i think, plus add the difficulty from those games and it would have been a winner.

    So not a terrible game, but one i wont be playing again in a hurry.    … Expand
  4. defive
    Feb 24, 2012
    5
    Decent, but not great. Combat is fun and the engine is pretty but overall I found the game to be bland and boring. Very little innovation and in general not very interesting.
  5. Nashira
    Feb 23, 2012
    5
    (PC Review) Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning could have been a great game if more effort had been put into it. I found the art style adequate. I've seen it regrettably compared to the visual style used in World of Warcraft. Aside from the colors in the Fae/Elven forests being similar, as they are in so many games, animated shorts, and videos, beyond that, the similarities end. The main(PC Review) Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning could have been a great game if more effort had been put into it. I found the art style adequate. I've seen it regrettably compared to the visual style used in World of Warcraft. Aside from the colors in the Fae/Elven forests being similar, as they are in so many games, animated shorts, and videos, beyond that, the similarities end. The main problems with the game were that I felt little connection with the main characters. I had minimal interaction with the main NPC's. I found the difficulty to be very underwhelming even at hard-mode. The "skills" that the character is forced to get as they level eventually break the economy one way or another. The player is given a choice of racial origin, yet this has little bearing on role play and nothing to do with the story. There's very little that makes me want to play this game again. The combat system was a good premise, even if it was a little wonky on the PC. All this aside, I found it fairly enjoyable to play thought once, with a half-way decent storyline. I only encountered a few bugs that were hardly game-breaking. If you are not the hard-core nightmare-mode type of gamer, and aren't too nit-picky you'll probably enjoy this for at least a play through.… Expand
  6. Digitalkid
    Feb 23, 2012
    2
    Best combat? Is it some kind of joke? Enemy can't even hit you once on hardest difficulty level. You just lock on him and keep clicking until he's dead! Game includes each and every fantasy cliche. Bad guys are just bad, they just woke up one day and decided to kill everyone. Graphics -WoW. Combat - Korean MMO.
  7. frast
    Feb 23, 2012
    8
    The game is very good, similar to the best (or one of the best) crpg Fable. A huge, powerful, fun world, fun colorful graphics that gives an interesting atmosphere, and generally the whole game that can be called just a very good role-playing game. But it has its drawbacks, compared to many great role-playing game is not as great and sometimes tedious and difficult, but still very good. MyThe game is very good, similar to the best (or one of the best) crpg Fable. A huge, powerful, fun world, fun colorful graphics that gives an interesting atmosphere, and generally the whole game that can be called just a very good role-playing game. But it has its drawbacks, compared to many great role-playing game is not as great and sometimes tedious and difficult, but still very good. My rating - 8/10… Expand
  8. Bronnen
    Feb 23, 2012
    10
    I`m giving this game 1 point score higher for the simple reason that 99% of all the negative ratings are because they are idiots who don't like EA and the entire Origin program.

    That being said, the game is fantastic. Ignore all of the negative ratings, most of the people who have written those haven't even played the game and are just harping on it because they can. This game is fun,    I`m giving this game 1 point score higher for the simple reason that 99% of all the negative ratings are because they are idiots who don't like EA and the entire Origin program.

    That being said, the game is fantastic. Ignore all of the negative ratings, most of the people who have written those haven't even played the game and are just harping on it because they can. This game is fun, simple, has an incredible world and story, and is just beautiful to look at. Not nearly as deep as say... The Witcher, but it's also not trying to be the same sort of game.    … Expand
  9. metalmat
    Feb 23, 2012
    6
    A single player MMO focused on battle mechanics with a unique open world experience and a tad too easy sums of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The graphics and sound is summed up as an "HD World of Warcraft" kind of experience. While the game offers many hours of playtime, you will find yourself caring very little about the story lines of character interactions of the side quests. The mainA single player MMO focused on battle mechanics with a unique open world experience and a tad too easy sums of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The graphics and sound is summed up as an "HD World of Warcraft" kind of experience. While the game offers many hours of playtime, you will find yourself caring very little about the story lines of character interactions of the side quests. The main storyline is decent, but nothing to write home about. The real Achilles heel of a game like this is the lack of multiplayer Ala "Diablo" style. With the focus of the game concentrated on loot, whats the point of collecting all this loot if you have nobody to trade with or show to? Another problem is that it becomes much too easy and you will find yourself out leveling the game after completing a decent portion of the sidequests.… Expand
  10. 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 anAfter 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
  11. spmxvc
    Feb 21, 2012
    2
    I want to like this game. No, I want to LOVE this game. I just canâ
  12. GFierce
    Feb 21, 2012
    8
    Overall a good game but lost focus in story and quest fairly quickly. Only other problem is controls are more tailored to the console and plays much better with a controller. Otherwise good game and would recommended to anyone who enjoys action RPG's or good long stories in their games.
  13. Xborn74
    Feb 21, 2012
    8
    The game has a more simple approach to gameplay, and is a mixture between Fable and Sacred 2, with some elements of Skyrim (Stealth, blacksmith, pickpocket, etc.): although is a fun game, if you keep this in mind, and don't compare with other recent RPGs (and RPG do have various subdivision in the main style). The characters has a more simple appearance, but with good details, and theThe game has a more simple approach to gameplay, and is a mixture between Fable and Sacred 2, with some elements of Skyrim (Stealth, blacksmith, pickpocket, etc.): although is a fun game, if you keep this in mind, and don't compare with other recent RPGs (and RPG do have various subdivision in the main style). The characters has a more simple appearance, but with good details, and the scenarios are beautifully made. Every NPC has a voice (cheesy sometimes), and the soundtrack is adequate.

    Tons of Side-Quests guarantee many hours of gameplay, the Main Quest alone being about 7 hours, and has a good customization system of Weapons and Armor. The main story is interesting, but the Side Quests, are quite general (like the Sacred 2 side quest were).

    I would give the game a 7,7 score, having in mind what I said in the first line.    … Expand
  14. Grumppi
    Feb 21, 2012
    9
    Reckoning's combat very much reminds me of Fable, which is certainly a plus, while the exploration and size of the world are akin to Skyrim. If you really like Fable, but want a lot more content, this game will be very appealing to you. Don't let the Skyrim "fan-boys," trolls, and haters dissuade you; this is a very good game that has excellent art direction, combat, world immersion, story, etc.
  15. vtvyper
    Feb 21, 2012
    9
    I played the demo and wasn't 'grabbed' but decided to pick up the game anyway, hoping the full version would be better. Initially, again the game seemed flat, but then as I gained more abilities (and remapped the aweful default keyboard bindings) the game grew on me in a big way. The combat system is outstanding and the abilities are really a lot of fun. Most of my time is with a rogueI played the demo and wasn't 'grabbed' but decided to pick up the game anyway, hoping the full version would be better. Initially, again the game seemed flat, but then as I gained more abilities (and remapped the aweful default keyboard bindings) the game grew on me in a big way. The combat system is outstanding and the abilities are really a lot of fun. Most of my time is with a rogue style character but even my low level caster and warrior will see more play. For those comparing TES to KOA, they both have their strengths and weaknesses. I've loved the TES series from the beginning but the combat was always a bit weak. KOA does great in this area. Where could KOA do better? 1) The inventory system on the PC is pitiful--way too many clicks to sort out and compare items, 2) variety of adversaries--good but I agree with others in that it could be even deeper, 3) default keymapping was a hand cramping nightmare--I nearly gave up playing until fiddling with it, 4) more options in character creation with more depth of meaningful choices, 5) broader skill set (as opposed to the abilities) or at least make all the current ones more balanced between each other (lockpicking and others are worthless.) All this being said, I'm having a blast with Amalur and will be playing several different characters through the engaging storyline. For those that gave the game a 3 or less...really? I don't think I've ever played a 3 or less in my life. If I had, it would have been memorable as the most pitiful failure I'd ever spent money on. Do we really have to throw scores to the extreme?

    In closing, I'd love to see a program pulling the best features of both the TES and KOA franchises together. To be honest, based on this initial attempt by 38 Studios, I think the next version of KOA could be the prime contender to a fully realized game world with a very engaging combat system.    … Expand
  16. sai
    Feb 20, 2012
    4
    The story line is rather generic and becomes clumsy with side quests, although I understand how some may see this as a blessing. The combat system for an RPG is great and definitely one of the highlights, but KoA is the final nail in the EA coffin for me. Sure they release great sporting titles, but if I wanted an xbox I would have bought one already. There is no option to reallyThe story line is rather generic and becomes clumsy with side quests, although I understand how some may see this as a blessing. The combat system for an RPG is great and definitely one of the highlights, but KoA is the final nail in the EA coffin for me. Sure they release great sporting titles, but if I wanted an xbox I would have bought one already. There is no option to really change your graphics nor is the in-game aiming all that accurate, you just seem to always hit your target or open that door lever.… Expand
  17. tw3lv3
    Feb 19, 2012
    8
    I've bought the game after 7 hours of demo-gameplay regardless of the bad user score over here at metacritics. 30 hours in the game, probably at the middle of the main story line, i do not regret it. Combat is great, especially if you mix the different talent trees AND use an xbox-style gamepad. The button mashing and interface does not fit a Keyboard/Mouse setup very well. Quests areI've bought the game after 7 hours of demo-gameplay regardless of the bad user score over here at metacritics. 30 hours in the game, probably at the middle of the main story line, i do not regret it. Combat is great, especially if you mix the different talent trees AND use an xbox-style gamepad. The button mashing and interface does not fit a Keyboard/Mouse setup very well. Quests are good, some very creative, others more like the typical kill-this/loot-that side quests. The main story and setting may not be as immersive as Skyrim or Mass Effect, but it's very good for a hack & slay game like this.

    Speaking of Skyrim, you should not make the fault to compare these two games. The only thing they share is the major flaw of both: It get's dull once you start fast-travelling a lot. From my POV, this may just be a sign that games are getting too long these days to stay entertaining from start to finish. Anyways, for me this is a solid 8 if you use a gamepad, maybe only a 6 when playing with a keyboard. Go give it a try and see for yourself - if you like the demo a lot, don't let the bad reviews keep you from buying the full game.    … Expand
  18. BlazingBlade
    Feb 19, 2012
    10
    Everything an Action-RPG lover can ask for: Interesting story, decent graphics, smooth combat, awesome execution moves, lots of loots and hidden elements, and so on.
  19. Krepost
    Feb 18, 2012
    9
    While the storyline and some of the environments are a big generic and mmo-like, the combat system is unique and the combo system will blow you away (wait until you see reckoning mode..it sounds lame, but it's easily forgiven, what a cool game mechanic). Also, this game had the courage to say "screw realism" and ask themselves how to make a truly fun game (arrows recharge and your shieldWhile the storyline and some of the environments are a big generic and mmo-like, the combat system is unique and the combo system will blow you away (wait until you see reckoning mode..it sounds lame, but it's easily forgiven, what a cool game mechanic). Also, this game had the courage to say "screw realism" and ask themselves how to make a truly fun game (arrows recharge and your shield appears when you hit a button - not realistic, but boy does it work well!). The game is a bit too easy as well, I play on hard and it is not challenging. Another thing - the game stays from the depressing gray and browns that plague today's "realistic" games and created environments which are artsy and beautiful. There are certain games where you can tell the designers stayed late to create their game out of love for what they do. It is evident that the designers put a great deal of work into KOAR and it shows, they have every reason to be proud of it.… Expand
  20. Sock
    Feb 18, 2012
    3
    To me, this game is what would be the result if Skyrim and WoW had a baby. And that baby was premature and retarded. They leave all the great things about both on the wayside.

    The combat is nice at first, but it gets old fast. If this were a multiplayer game, it'd be a lot more fun. And I tend to hate multiplayer games, but AI is entirely too predictable. It doesn't hurt that there are    To me, this game is what would be the result if Skyrim and WoW had a baby. And that baby was premature and retarded. They leave all the great things about both on the wayside.

    The combat is nice at first, but it gets old fast. If this were a multiplayer game, it'd be a lot more fun. And I tend to hate multiplayer games, but AI is entirely too predictable. It doesn't hurt that there are only about a dozen different enemies. Bandits, Bears, Tuatha, Ogres, Bolg, Sprites, Brownies, Boggarts, Bog Threshes, those undead Faer things, those banshee things, and then the fishman things and their spawner. Might be another one or two things, but that's seriously it. And all of these things have predictable fighting styles. Within some of those creature types are 2-3 other soldier types, but it makes little difference in the end.

    Quests are simple. "Go there, kill that." And that's pretty much it, aside from the Fed-Ex quests. The main story isn't anything special. Some of the plot-line battles are fun, but few and far apart.

    Also, one of my biggest pet peeves... this game has armor sets, but it's a single player and most of them are random drops. So, you end up running around with a several incomplete sets, and no way to trade for what you're missing. Honestly, if you're on the fence... I'd wait until it's on sale on Steam for around $20. I had to force myself to finish it because I had lost all interest, but felt like I should wait until I'd finished it to actually critique it.    … Expand
  21. LonelySheep
    Feb 18, 2012
    7
    KOAR is a good RPG with a lot of fun to be had but it does have its flaws. The combat is superb, but the game is let down by the sheer overdose of quests that are thrown at you. More than often you feel compelled into completing every last quest in your log before continuing, but doing so will only lead to more and more side quests which will ultimately lead you to finding the gameKOAR is a good RPG with a lot of fun to be had but it does have its flaws. The combat is superb, but the game is let down by the sheer overdose of quests that are thrown at you. More than often you feel compelled into completing every last quest in your log before continuing, but doing so will only lead to more and more side quests which will ultimately lead you to finding the game extremely repetitive as all quests are either kill X amount of monsters or loot these items then return to quest giver. There's a very big world to explore but it does lack the depth of quest variation like titles such as Skyrim or WoW. On that note, be prepared for A LOT of looting as this game is looting galore. However, if you enjoy paying attention to the silly plots of the hundreds of side quests then rejoice as you will have hundreds of hours of content for you to play with.

    The profession trees are levelled by talents points gained each level and they not very innovative. You will find most of them not very useful save for the crafting ones in which luck will decide whether you will have the mats to make a better item than what you are currently wearing.

    The voice acting is moderate at best, and the camera can sometimes be extremely frustrating and bug out, and there's also no option to adjust the field of view.

    Wrapping up, if the developers had put more time into enhancing main quests and making them a little more innovating rather than throwing in hundreds of side quests this could've been a great game. However, if you truly wish to enjoy this title, follow the story of the faction quest lines and the main quest line and only do a handful of side quests in each area before moving on to keep the experience exciting and fresh. Don't bore yourself before you get to the end.

    To wrap things up, KOAR has good character customization, great combat, too many quests to keep serious track of, an overload of looting, and can get very repetitive. If you pace yourself the right way and not hang around in the one area for too long you should make it to the end.    … Expand
  22. moifoi
    Feb 17, 2012
    1
    It's not a bad game but when you leave out the tooltips from the shop windows making it tedious to view items when buying and selling then you fail at the most simple of designs.
  23. vizionblind
    Feb 17, 2012
    10
    A better version of fable. The camera needs work though on the PC. The graphics are very much like WOW, love it or hate it, but the combat and loot is what sells this game
  24. DirtyMexicans
    Feb 17, 2012
    5
    First thing that stood out about this game is its Combat System, the Combat is simply bloody fun. At the start, the combat feels familiar to the Fable series, but as you progress and level up, the Combat becomes alot more interesting and complex. By the end the combat feels like a bit of Tekken because of the epic combos that can be performed and a bit like Fable in terms of the Hack andFirst thing that stood out about this game is its Combat System, the Combat is simply bloody fun. At the start, the combat feels familiar to the Fable series, but as you progress and level up, the Combat becomes alot more interesting and complex. By the end the combat feels like a bit of Tekken because of the epic combos that can be performed and a bit like Fable in terms of the Hack and Slash side of the Combat.
    The magic system is great with very interesting Powers to be used.
    The combat can get very annoying when fighting large groups of enemies, you will start fighting a large group, then next minute your stuck in between them all getting bashed with no chance of getting a hit in.

    The open-world side of the game is just full of crap, you will find yourself just running through narrow hallways and canyons the whole time, the enviroments are ok, but will come across as generic the more you explore the game. Graphics are also pretty bad compared to what can be done these days.

    The story is good, but your silent character will start to feel like a waste of space in the game world, and the dialog gets kinda crap, but doesn't completely turn to crap.

    Now the quests get crap very fast, you will quickly come to your sences and notice the game is just running from 1 quest to the other, and thats it, quest to another quest to another quest.

    Now The Armour Making and Potion Making is crap, it is hard to find the ingredients, and you won't know what potion your making when making potions.

    All up, the Combat and Gameplay are very fun, but it gets let down by its World of Warcraft feel with no content to keep the game going. Big Fail for a game thats been getting so much hype for a year and a bit.    … Expand
  25. libellus
    Feb 17, 2012
    7
    Engaging and fun if you like hack and slash like me, but it bugged out for me twice in the same exact place, so I'm displeased. I'm usually very patient with bugs and even full crashes, but not when they happen ten minutes in. The story seems pretty interesting and not quite like other undead-centric RPGs that I've played before.
  26. yani9o
    Feb 17, 2012
    2
  27. G-man
    Feb 17, 2012
    7
    I played only the demo version, but this game does not swill worthy of the true fans of the RPG-genre, but for the efforts and for the development of the world put the game 7.
  28. Gramby
    Feb 16, 2012
    9
    This game is a combination of Diablo, World of Warcraft, Skyrim, and Dragon Age. The gameplay may be the best in any current generation RPG, and is much better than Skyrim's. I really enjoyed this game and can't believe all these negative reviews.
  29. pnathan_28
    Feb 16, 2012
    4
    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. this game can only be chalked up to a MASSIVE disappointment. i really wish now i had waited for theWhen 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. this game can only be chalked up to a MASSIVE disappointment. i really wish now i had waited for the reviews, this one 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
  30. NeverwinterNigh
    Feb 16, 2012
    3
    I had bought this game with high expectations. I was promised an experience that I haven't received over 8 hours in. 8 hours in, and still, I haven't seen what makes this game so deserving of praise from the critics. Am I playing this game wrong? Is that what's going on here? Maybe it's because I'm more of a fan of the classics from the PSX era like Xenogears or Final Fantasy IX, but thisI had bought this game with high expectations. I was promised an experience that I haven't received over 8 hours in. 8 hours in, and still, I haven't seen what makes this game so deserving of praise from the critics. Am I playing this game wrong? Is that what's going on here? Maybe it's because I'm more of a fan of the classics from the PSX era like Xenogears or Final Fantasy IX, but this game is supposed to be a AAA title, and all it feels like is an RPG that tries to emulate its better cousins from the PS2 era. The graphics are deplorable for a game that is supposed to be on par with say, Final Fantasy XIII. The music is stock, it's not even that memorable. The gameplay is clunky and at times, unresponsive. Truly, this game feels like World of Warcraft stuffed into different packaging without an intriguing story, sub-par music, graphics, and gameplay elements. Lastly, I only have this to say...three skill trees. Three. This game must be so great, that it can only contain three skill trees! Note my sarcasm.… Expand
  31. alucard6500
    Feb 16, 2012
    9
    Kingoms of Amulur to me is a great game, reason being is I have been playing skyrim almost 300 hours and got this game as a palet clenser and it works. Todd mcfarlane is one of my favorite people and his designs make it feel right at home for me with the twisted and skulky characters input into this game, R.L Salvatore made the story fit perfectly to let "You" fill in more of the blanksKingoms of Amulur to me is a great game, reason being is I have been playing skyrim almost 300 hours and got this game as a palet clenser and it works. Todd mcfarlane is one of my favorite people and his designs make it feel right at home for me with the twisted and skulky characters input into this game, R.L Salvatore made the story fit perfectly to let "You" fill in more of the blanks that others expected to be given, I mean isn't that what reading is all about anyways and he managed to do it in a visual standard and then Todd howard, so much of this game reminds me of a fantasy animated elder schrolls elements based game. In other words people quit being such harsh critics when you should understand all the elements that make up this game, iff I didn't have to say one thing about this game that is a slight negative would be the camera sometimes wants to scroll down but hey im fine with it otherwise, Good Job guys 9.0+… Expand
  32. ZootMan
    Feb 16, 2012
    4
    I was sooooo rooting for this game. I bought into all the stratospheric hype, the comparisons to god of war/devil may cry caliber combat, the expansive world with enormous variety and locales, the myriad of weapons and skills and talents to acquire and complement the game systems.Sadly, expectations rarely match the end product.............First off, the good-visually, the game makes aI was sooooo rooting for this game. I bought into all the stratospheric hype, the comparisons to god of war/devil may cry caliber combat, the expansive world with enormous variety and locales, the myriad of weapons and skills and talents to acquire and complement the game systems.Sadly, expectations rarely match the end product.............First off, the good-visually, the game makes a great first impression, with WoW/Torchlight-esque cartoony fantasy style characters and objects. The world is colorful, the animations are expressive and the scope of the world is huge. The inventory system is genius. The ability to 'trash' unwanted items is a godsend, and would have made Skyrim vastly improved for loot finding. After trying all three variants of combat, the mage is enjoyable to play, as a DPS role equivilent to an MMO style 'nuker' character.............And now, the shortcomings. If you thought, like myself that this combat would be as rewarding as say a Ninja Gaiden, stop... just STOP...Do not purchase this game. You will be bored silly. I have beaten Ninja Gaiden three times since its relaease, and action combat is best when fast, fluid and responsive. Amalur does not achieve this high watermark. You cannot cancel attack animation with a simple counter/block. For the first few hours, I thought it was user error, but the more I played, the more a I realized that the game is essentially turn based realtime combat. If you can deal with this, then great...but the majority of action gamers, PLEASE STEER CLEAR. Disappointment abounds........Unfortunately, this game being the size it is, carries with it a great deal of complaints. The story, the lore is a fanfic...funny sounding name here, some artifact of power here, nasty antagonist with malevolent-sounding name there. Well tread terrain with zero originality. Take every fantasy trope you can imagine and set to blend and you have amalur. Switching gears, the combat classes themselves are way out of balance. As I said, the first 5 hours with a mage are enjoyable. Respeccing to the other two, it was abundantly clear how inferior and less fun they were to play as. There is no excuse for not providing adequate crowd control in a single player class...............As I said, I wanted to enjoy this game. It simply comes up short in the combat. The designers could have provided a simple canceling fix so you could actually counter/block effectively. But nope, get ready to dodge roll A LOT. Yawn....… Expand
  33. seuche
    Feb 16, 2012
    0
    sorry, but this game pure rubbish! especially the UI which seem to come directly from hell. this game is a total waste of money and time for every pc gamer.
  34. bolinbattle
    Feb 16, 2012
    10
    Play this game!! This is a console port done right. It offers great gameplay and a huge world. The crafting system is top notch. This is the type of game where you look up at the clock and realize you have been playing 5 hours.
    The full version is SOOO much better than the demo.
  35. steelmccoy
    Feb 16, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur is a great action-RPG. It's pretty much the game Dragon Age 2 should have been and compares favorably to Skyrim. I really don't understand the harsh reviews, so I'll focus on what many have listed as it's short-comings.

    -Generic fantasy world. I didn't really find this to be the case. It's much less generic than the setting of the Elder Scrolls. It's at least as    Kingdoms of Amalur is a great action-RPG. It's pretty much the game Dragon Age 2 should have been and compares favorably to Skyrim. I really don't understand the harsh reviews, so I'll focus on what many have listed as it's short-comings.

    -Generic fantasy world. I didn't really find this to be the case. It's much less generic than the setting of the Elder Scrolls. It's at least as original as the Dragon Age setting. Sure it uses traditional fantasy races like elves and gnomes. But it also draws elements from other traditional folk lore that hasn't been touched as much. -Not open world. Of course it is! Movement isn't as free as it is in Skyrim, but it's close to Fallout. Really, navigation is pretty much identical to Dragon Age - you can't jump and the areas are fairly "narrow." For example, you'll run through a forest and have to stick to paths. But you have the freedom to go anywhere you want at any time - that's open world. Saying this game isn't open world is like saying that the GTA games weren't open world since there are buildings that force you to stay on streets. The first region of the game does feel a little flat and claustrophobic, but this changes later in the game. You'll find a desert canyon area that has plenty of dimension, a plains area that is much more wide open, etc.

    -Weak story, characters, and side quests. I really like the main plot. The whole fate is a really interesting aspect, and it definitely has that epic feel without being too cliched. I think the characters are also very interesting. There's the traditional wizened world-guide character, but he's much different from the stereotype as he has personal issues that make him very interesting. I think the other main character is enigmatic and compelling. I've played a ton of RPGs, and the side quests in this game are very original and don't feel very repetitive. Yes, there are a fair share of "go here and get this item," but there are others which don't fit the traditional mold and most have good plots and twists that make you want to do them. If we're comparing KoA to Skryim, I feel that KoA has the vastly superior plot, deeper and more original characters, and side-quests that are at least as good and in many cases better than those found in Skyrim.

    -Graphics. I actually agree here. They're serviceable, not amazing. Definitely cartoonish, which does seem to clash a little with the somewhat dark nature of the setting. Probably 6/10 for these.

    -Camera. This can be annoying. You can't manually zoom, which leaves you really close in to your character when exploring. This contributes to the sort of claustrophobic feel, and if you could zoom out you might be able to enjoy the surrounding environment a bit more. In combat, the camera doesn't rotate to give you a good view of your enemies enough. Sometimes it will zoom waaay out to try to give you a view of an enemy that is far enough away that it's not a threat, and giving you a poor view of the enemies you're actually engaging. Not game-ruining, by any stretch, but plenty of room for improvement.

    In conclusion, KoA is a great RPG. The combat is fast-paced and interesting. Character customization is really flexible, letting you mix and match abilities rather than confining you to narrow character classes. The main plot and side quests are engaging. Again, compared to Skyrim, it has better story, characters, and combat. It is less immersive due to weaker graphics, camera, exploration, and interaction with the environment. I'd say they are about on the same level, a solid 9/10. I feel like giving it a 10/10 to balance out those ridiculous 1/10 reviews, but I'll just be honest with my score.    … Expand
  36. kumo82
    Feb 16, 2012
    9
    Fun and plenty of things to explore much like Skyrim but more action-orientated. Enjoyed playing it with both K+B or keypad. Didn't encounter any game breaking bug nor CTD so that is a good pint. Of course the game is not perfect but the fun factor is high and I see some re-playability in it although it might be a single player game.
  37. Gene
    Feb 15, 2012
    5
    This game is all sorts of average I'm not surprised it's getting such good professional reviews as average is the new 8. If you saw the trailer and had this really uneasy feeling that you're watching an MMO, that's about what the game looks and plays, a single player MMO complete with kill 10 rats and fedex quests. The combat is merely competent, it feels like the designers went for theThis game is all sorts of average I'm not surprised it's getting such good professional reviews as average is the new 8. If you saw the trailer and had this really uneasy feeling that you're watching an MMO, that's about what the game looks and plays, a single player MMO complete with kill 10 rats and fedex quests. The combat is merely competent, it feels like the designers went for the God Of War aesthetic, got it just good enough, and stopped polishing it further. Throw in a crash to desktop every few hours, but not regular enough to really make one hate it, and I just have nothing good or bad to say, just meh.… Expand
  38. Dashery
    Feb 15, 2012
    6
    I'm going to keep this review short and too the point. Kingdoms of Amalur feels as if the 34 Studios took the combat mechanics from Fable, mashed them together with the questing style of an MMO and added a dialogue system that mimiced an early Bioware game, such as Jade Empire or KotOR. However, in doing so, the only real thing that feels preserved is the mmo questing. Many quests areI'm going to keep this review short and too the point. Kingdoms of Amalur feels as if the 34 Studios took the combat mechanics from Fable, mashed them together with the questing style of an MMO and added a dialogue system that mimiced an early Bioware game, such as Jade Empire or KotOR. However, in doing so, the only real thing that feels preserved is the mmo questing. Many quests are simply tedious fetches or slay X quests. This, I personally feel, wouldn't have been so bad if the other aspects were preserved. The things that made Fable great was the personality of the game. Here there is none of that. You won't be farting in peasant faces or flexing to gain their love, you'll simply just stand around mute. And along the lines of mute, early Bioware games at least made it feel like your character was interacting, here I can't stand it. Dialogue is annoying because you don't speak and feels unnatural and in a modern game, I feel this should be addressed. The rest of the voice acting is superb, but the lack of any main character personality is a real put off in such a long RPG. I can't stress enough how much it diminishes an RPG to have a personality-less character, my old WoW characters had more personality than my char with his /silly commands. Graphically, it's nothing special, however, I'm not a huge McFarlane, so it definately wasn't winning any points in my book, but if you are a McFarlane fan I'm sure you'll enjoy the creature designs and what have you. Musically it's nice, but again, it feels like I'm playing an MMO, zones have their own music playing on loops until you zone them out. In conclusion: this game feels like a single player MMO.… Expand
  39. gimmedatsammich
    Feb 15, 2012
    9
    This is a great games. Huge open world with plenty to do and see, an engaging main story and many interesting, well written side quests, fantastic combat, beautiful art direction and eye pleasing, though not groundbreaking, graphics, and enough content to last you all the way through this year and well into the next. I don't understand all the hate KoA is getting; who are these people whoThis is a great games. Huge open world with plenty to do and see, an engaging main story and many interesting, well written side quests, fantastic combat, beautiful art direction and eye pleasing, though not groundbreaking, graphics, and enough content to last you all the way through this year and well into the next. I don't understand all the hate KoA is getting; who are these people who are voting all of the new, positive reviews down? Is it aisgruntled former employee, or a pissed off, cheeto strained, skyrim-crazy neckbeard in his mother's basement who has taken offense to the new WRPG in town? Who knows. Don't listen to the naysayers, though; buy this game and support this promising new studio. Happy gaming!… Expand
  40. Skoggra
    Feb 15, 2012
    8
    8 out 10

    The Good: An odd mix of Oblivion (world), WoW (combat and graphics) and Batman Arkham Asylum (combat). The combat smacks of Batman Arkham Asylum - fast paced but always in control. At to that the fun spells and attacks and you have a fun game on your hand. Especially the ability to mix and match the three talent builds (Might, Finesses and Magic) adds a lot of versatility to this    8 out 10

    The Good: An odd mix of Oblivion (world), WoW (combat and graphics) and Batman Arkham Asylum (combat). The combat smacks of Batman Arkham Asylum - fast paced but always in control. At to that the fun spells and attacks and you have a fun game on your hand. Especially the ability to mix and match the three talent builds (Might, Finesses and Magic) adds a lot of versatility to this game. Graphic style is beautiful and lots of great looking weapons.

    The Bad: Suffers heavily of consilitis and poor graphics. The RPG elements in the open world are not fleshed out and feel gimmicky. Cliche high fantasy story.

    All in all a entertaining game with a playtime of about 70-100 hours depending on whether you do the side quests or not.    … Expand
  41. valber
    Feb 15, 2012
    8
    Although we do not bring any novelty to the world of RPGs, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an experience that can entertain for hours. This is due mainly to the combat system and the way the controlled hero evolves â
  42. Wilshere
    Feb 15, 2012
    8
    The game is enough atmospheric and interesting. Cons it is almost there. The only thing that really upset me - the lack of Russian language. Well, at least the text translated! What kind of disrespect for the Russian. :( The rest of the game is good, style of WOW, the gameplay Oblivion. Also in the game there is a good dinamic, which is very important. In the absence of the RussianThe game is enough atmospheric and interesting. Cons it is almost there. The only thing that really upset me - the lack of Russian language. Well, at least the text translated! What kind of disrespect for the Russian. :( The rest of the game is good, style of WOW, the gameplay Oblivion. Also in the game there is a good dinamic, which is very important. In the absence of the Russian language will not reduce the assessment. It would be unfair.… Expand
  43. Sula
    Feb 15, 2012
    3
    VERY simple and streamlined game. For first 10 or so levels it MIGHT seem like some good crpg ,but I simply realized how MUCH simplification and streamlining this game has.
    No real dialogues - every character just have 2-4 things you can ask them about ,but it is not real conversation with question and answers.
    Later in levels like from 15 level or so ,game changes into slasher like game.    VERY simple and streamlined game. For first 10 or so levels it MIGHT seem like some good crpg ,but I simply realized how MUCH simplification and streamlining this game has.
    No real dialogues - every character just have 2-4 things you can ask them about ,but it is not real conversation with question and answers.
    Later in levels like from 15 level or so ,game changes into slasher like game. Game throws on you sometimes 8-10 mobs which you slash in matter of seconds in flashy manner. I play on hard difficulty and while in beggining there might be some tough fights if you play "weaker" builds , then later on you just faceroll everything.

    OP crafting, insane amounts of XP for quests and kills so you will find yourself very OP quickly if you do most quests in areas, money after level 10 is not an issue - I just bathe in it.

    Game CLEARLY made for consoles. It just scream console !

    Don't treat it like Skyrim , The Withcher 2 or older crpg's (Baldur ,Fallout) with action combat.

    While in beggining it might seem like it - after level ~ 10 you will be stripped away from those "dreams".

    Just slasher / action game with some very limited RPG's-ish mechanics cause that's 'trendy' now and increase potential audience.    … Expand
  44. Bountak
    Feb 15, 2012
    8
    Loved the combat, loved the art style and animations and gameplay but it gets a bit repetitive after a few hours. The story is actually not bad however the quests are generic and feel like something that has been done many times in other RPGS , the games a bit linear and the dialogue isn't so great but the voice acting is OK. Character progressions is nice and the way you can combineLoved the combat, loved the art style and animations and gameplay but it gets a bit repetitive after a few hours. The story is actually not bad however the quests are generic and feel like something that has been done many times in other RPGS , the games a bit linear and the dialogue isn't so great but the voice acting is OK. Character progressions is nice and the way you can combine skills and create combos is very fun however i wish there were more skills in the game like the mage more spells and summons, etc. My biggest complaint it that it feels like an OFFLINE MMO...however if this game was online or had online features I might have given it a 9 or 10.… Expand
  45. Woodness
    Feb 15, 2012
    10
    Perhaps this game looks outdated to other but to me it looks quiet nice. If you liked the graphical style of Fable you will like this as well.
    Kingdoms of Amalur plays really nice tbh, the fighting system works just fine. There is quiet an amount of quests in this game and there is just much to do. Perhaps it is not as a big open world as people these days would like but it still is an    Perhaps this game looks outdated to other but to me it looks quiet nice. If you liked the graphical style of Fable you will like this as well.
    Kingdoms of Amalur plays really nice tbh, the fighting system works just fine. There is quiet an amount of quests in this game and there is just much to do. Perhaps it is not as a big open world as people these days would like but it still is an open world game. You can go to every place you want and can expect being attacked by the creeps that wonder those lands. I am currently enjoying this game and I have to say you this game can be compared to the early Fable 1.    … Expand
  46. gtracr
    Feb 14, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalua is an enjoyable game. The gameplay and story are gripping. The graphics and art style are well suited to the exaggerated weapon and armour design.

    There is so much satisfaction in swinging a large sword into an enemy and chaining moves to create combos. There is a great feeling of impact in battles. An uppercut with your sword will send your enemy skyward giving the    Kingdoms of Amalua is an enjoyable game. The gameplay and story are gripping. The graphics and art style are well suited to the exaggerated weapon and armour design.

    There is so much satisfaction in swinging a large sword into an enemy and chaining moves to create combos. There is a great feeling of impact in battles. An uppercut with your sword will send your enemy skyward giving the player time to execute the next move of choice before the enemy hits the ground.

    How the player chooses to battle is completely up to the player. The player is not stuck running through the same sequence of commands in every battle. The gameplay in this game is great.

    The side quests usually involve killing X number of things and thatâ    … Expand
  47. LD9000
    Feb 14, 2012
    7
    An Ok game. I guess this is what all modern RPGs devolve towards. People who havent played late 1990s RPGs would not know the difference, so companies can spoon feed them the same stuff over and over again.
  48. aksu113
    Feb 14, 2012
    1
    I am played many rpg games and I try to play this game but its too boring .i cant get addictive for this game quest are too similar and level design make this game boring.Some people cant play this game because graphics are annoying.weapons are nice and there is much weapons but there is only four class and that is sad also Lockping is too easy.maybe some team member make this game funny.I am played many rpg games and I try to play this game but its too boring .i cant get addictive for this game quest are too similar and level design make this game boring.Some people cant play this game because graphics are annoying.weapons are nice and there is much weapons but there is only four class and that is sad also Lockping is too easy.maybe some team member make this game funny. there is only temporarily team members and that sucks also game is too easy for any difficulty… Expand
  49. 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 ofThis 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
  50. DrGulag
    Feb 13, 2012
    3
    CONS : This game fails to deliver anything that resembles a compelling atmosphere/story, the difficulty level is also so easy that you can just mash your way to victory. MMO'ish experience, a hamster wheel if you will. I still cant name any of the NPC's after beating the game, because no-one cares about the plot. Just grind endless quests (pick this, kill that) and manage your inventoryCONS : This game fails to deliver anything that resembles a compelling atmosphere/story, the difficulty level is also so easy that you can just mash your way to victory. MMO'ish experience, a hamster wheel if you will. I still cant name any of the NPC's after beating the game, because no-one cares about the plot. Just grind endless quests (pick this, kill that) and manage your inventory every 5 minutes or so, because there is too much loot. The voice acting is also very mediocre. PROS : The graphics are quite nice… Expand
  51. rhyok
    Feb 13, 2012
    6
    I have played twenty hours of this game and after seeing the 'perfect' scores on the Internet for KoA I had to create a Metacritic account and give my two cents. Unlike the 'review' websites out there where all reviews read similar (smells of EA marketing engine at full steam), this is my opinion. First thing first, the 'Open World' claim- BS, it is not Open world. The world is nothingI have played twenty hours of this game and after seeing the 'perfect' scores on the Internet for KoA I had to create a Metacritic account and give my two cents. Unlike the 'review' websites out there where all reviews read similar (smells of EA marketing engine at full steam), this is my opinion. First thing first, the 'Open World' claim- BS, it is not Open world. The world is nothing more than an extensive maze where open exploration is made impossible by invisible walls. Avatar movement is far from free either, you may only jump at point marked by an arrow on your map. Read the reviews out there with a grain of salt, I honestly feel like I wasted 60 bucks for what was supposed to be a prime production. KoA is a decent fun game, but not one that keeps me coming back for more. IMO it is not worth 60 bucks...maybe 30 or 20 after a few months. Hopefully the follow-up will be better, KoA had promise.

    In short after twenty hours of game play, KoA has lost my attention. Honestly, it feels like the typical 'EA' rushed game...kind of like Dragon Age 2 but not as polished. The 'Skyrim Killer' blurbs out there, nah. I say buy the game (wait for price drop) then gripe to EA, tell them to spend their money on development NOT marketing. Bethesda has shown the PC gaming market is not dead, that players will pay for quality feature entertainment, and how versatile the PC platform is for gaming (CK, faster patching, etc.). EA has been disappointing more and more these past few years.    … Expand
  52. Darkstar01
    Feb 13, 2012
    5
    At First I thought OK maybe the demo was kind of small and didn't represent the game properly, but now that I have the actual game... I am very disappointed in the game designers and ashamed that I actually pain money for this game.
    Pro's While the combat can be fun at times it is very redundant and monotonous
    Con's Too many to list... Can't go over ledges, Guard's take FOREVER to stop    At First I thought OK maybe the demo was kind of small and didn't represent the game properly, but now that I have the actual game... I am very disappointed in the game designers and ashamed that I actually pain money for this game.
    Pro's While the combat can be fun at times it is very redundant and monotonous
    Con's Too many to list... Can't go over ledges, Guard's take FOREVER to stop chasing you and if a town doesn't have a guard they never forgive for a crime, i.e. you can never bribe or serve time to be forgiven for a crime. While the combat is fun at times it can also be annoying, you spend a lot of time on the ground or interrupted when in reality you should be able to keep swinging... The amount of time you spend stunned or on your back is almost as bad as a 5 dollar woman of the night, and i'm not talking vampire. They really need to release free patches to improve this game, call it a mercy update...

    Things that could be done to improve the game without totally redesigning it... I.E. with a single patch..
    Reduce the chance that things can stun, knock you down or disease/curse you. (You spend pretty much all the time diseased or cursed.) Also reduce the chance of getting the damned blood plague and other environment related effects... You are supposed to be Fate-less and immortal, why are we effected like a mortal?    … Expand
  53. matt_25
    Feb 13, 2012
    10
    Fantastic game!!
  54. sludog1
    Feb 13, 2012
    10
    I'm not sure who these lads are that say this game sucks. I'm guessing they are the same ones that think COD is awesome. This is a rich, vibrant world with a great story, some sick armor and weapon loot, the combat is jus straight up fun and once ya get into the game for about 40hours, the combat starts gettin tricky as hell. a fair amount of strategy is involved to get out alive andI'm not sure who these lads are that say this game sucks. I'm guessing they are the same ones that think COD is awesome. This is a rich, vibrant world with a great story, some sick armor and weapon loot, the combat is jus straight up fun and once ya get into the game for about 40hours, the combat starts gettin tricky as hell. a fair amount of strategy is involved to get out alive and its over 150hours of gameplay. the only parts I could careless for are the quiet main charecter, especially when every other charecter is voiced so nice and the fact ya cant jump. 2 minor gripes on a perfectly polished game. I think you F*ks are gettin brained F*kd from these publishers that are giving out 5-6 hour run n gun games. KOA:R is a great game. and yes I just made this account & commented after reading all the BS on here.… Expand
  55. 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 with 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,    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 with 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
  56. Gnomercy4U
    Feb 13, 2012
    6
    This game had an ensemble cast of professionals involved in this game, yet it turned out to be such a bore. Wow, 3 skill trees, warrior, rogue, mage? How innovative! I'm pretty sure I played games back in the 80s that had more diversity than this. This games graphics are pretty outdated and looks like they just copy/pasted WoW. Combat is the only thing in this game that can be consideredThis game had an ensemble cast of professionals involved in this game, yet it turned out to be such a bore. Wow, 3 skill trees, warrior, rogue, mage? How innovative! I'm pretty sure I played games back in the 80s that had more diversity than this. This games graphics are pretty outdated and looks like they just copy/pasted WoW. Combat is the only thing in this game that can be considered fun. I am pretty furious that I paid $60 for this errand-simulator. I've had more fun playing $5 and $10 indie games that offer more than this game does. I do have to say that it is relatively bug free and very responsive. I give it a 6/10 because it is not all that terrible, it's just I expected a lot more than the people involved and instead I get a remake of Fable. Also, I don't know what these professional critics are smoking but it is obvious from this site that they have no idea what they are talking about. For there to be such a drastic difference from the user reviews and the critics is proof of this.… Expand
  57. xsgenefuzz
    Feb 13, 2012
    8
    I'm 20 hours into the game, and I am having a blast. It is a classic RPG with an updated (and awesome!) combat system, and what makes it so enjoyable is that it knows what it is and doesn't try to be something else. There are even some wonderful moments of self-effacing humor when the game pokes fun at itself and the genre as a whole. I only give it an 8 (which is actually a very goodI'm 20 hours into the game, and I am having a blast. It is a classic RPG with an updated (and awesome!) combat system, and what makes it so enjoyable is that it knows what it is and doesn't try to be something else. There are even some wonderful moments of self-effacing humor when the game pokes fun at itself and the genre as a whole. I only give it an 8 (which is actually a very good score coming from me) because of two issues: 1) I wish I could zoom the camera out. This is a common complaint, and probably the biggest problem with the game. Most of the time, when I'm just running around, it isn't an issue (except that I can't properly appreciate all the attention to detail that went into the backgrounds!). But in combat, it can actually become detrimental. I'd really like to be able to pull back and get a more tactical view of the situation. 2) I really, really wish there were hotkeys to access the inventory and quest screens immediately from any other screen. And on a related note (issue 2.5, I suppose), the inventory setup is clunky and a bit annoying. Perhaps it works better for console users, but I'd prefer being able to see a list of all my items immediately upon entering the inventory screen instead of having to navigate through a menu system. But I'd put up with the inventory clunkiness if I just had a hotkey! Also, the voice acting isn't the best. It isn't terrible, but it isn't great either. There are times when the reading of a particular line (the way the person says it) is just plain wrong, and as an actor/director in RL, that drives me nuts. But unlike, say, Mass Effect or DA:Origins, this is not a character-driven story, so I can forgive the lack of attention in that area. The real treat, story-wise, is in reading every little thing you come across. This is a lore-driven game, so if you don't have the patience for that, you will end up feeling like you're just running around killing stuff for no reason. As for those who have complained that this is just a "single-player MMO," that's not an entirely inaccurate description. But I don't think there's anything wrong with that. That's what RPGs have always been, in a way. All in all, this game is just good old-fashioned RPG fun with fantastic combat mechanics. To the developers, I say, "Job well done."… Expand
  58. shai182
    Feb 13, 2012
    8
    i understand that most of the negative score is from people that simply trolling i for one enjoy every moment of this game and despite several despite several flaws this game give an outstanding performance and worth every penny i invested in to it.
  59. Dralger
    Feb 13, 2012
    10
    Skyrim / Fable world design meets God of War / Prince of Persia combat system with Diablo styled loot addiction. Kingdom of Amalur is a very entertaining game that blends many of the best qualities of the best single player RPGs from the past decade into one beast.

    The storyline is interesting and well done, the voice acting is high quality and the game lets you make decisions that    Skyrim / Fable world design meets God of War / Prince of Persia combat system with Diablo styled loot addiction. Kingdom of Amalur is a very entertaining game that blends many of the best qualities of the best single player RPGs from the past decade into one beast.

    The storyline is interesting and well done, the voice acting is high quality and the game lets you make decisions that have actual consequences. The world is huge with tons to explore in a non-linear fashion, herbs and hollow logs and more hidden goodies await! The character development is deep and fun, you can really customize yourself to suit your own playstyle. There are countless weapons and upgrades and crafting options to really dig your RPG teeth into. Finally the combat, is insanely fun and fast paced. You will be rolling, teleporting and leaping around like a ninja while you fight crazy epic monsters with a really unique design to them, this game has some of the coolest looking monsters to slaughter of any I have ever played (thanks Todd McFarlane!).

    If you like action RPG's, you should really at least try the demo!    … Expand
  60. musicgamer
    Feb 13, 2012
    4
    On receiving this game I thought it was fantastic Rpg/Adventure with great Action. I was really hoping to enjoy this game, BUT!, am now discovering how actually bland and simplistic this game is - esp once your about 7hrs inn!!

    I was hoping KoA:R would have varied quests and many options/decision paths/discoveries as described and mentioned by the makers before the games release!!!!.. Now    On receiving this game I thought it was fantastic Rpg/Adventure with great Action. I was really hoping to enjoy this game, BUT!, am now discovering how actually bland and simplistic this game is - esp once your about 7hrs inn!!

    I was hoping KoA:R would have varied quests and many options/decision paths/discoveries as described and mentioned by the makers before the games release!!!!.. Now with 14hrs of game play(approx); all I've been doing is bashing the attack button, slaying creatures for the many samey side-quests, or, simply fetching mostly useless item(s) that still involve slaying everything!!!. While combat seems cool and engaging at first, it's nothing more then a series one button presses and occasional block pausing. You can easily take on groups of 4-7 guys with ease!! EVEN ON HARD LEVEL!!..This does start to drag at times, as it doesn't really require anything, just attack, attack, attack!. You walk a few steps before you have to repeat the same action attacking everything in your way, but, without any real challenge, as enemies do fall fairly easily. I actually just run past them now!...After a few hours play the gameplay with KoA:R doesstart to become action repetitive, actually very repetitive!!! . This is made worse as KoA:R lacks challenge, or required skill, or even discovering enemy weak-points, that can make fighting more varied and interesting as battles come far to often. I also found one attack technique seems to beatsall (so-far!) - the many attacking options are there, but, are not , actually required.

    I do find it rather stupid, for a game of this sort, that annoyingly, you are stuck to the ground!! You can't jump freely or over anything!. Because of this stupidity you are forced to walk around everything just to reach a place you can see just a few steps away, but can't, as its blocked by a small rock, fence, water, edge, lake..etc; forcing you to find a longer route. You can't even fall/step-off the edge(unless its at a very limited fixed game design place)!!!!...The world, while attractive and fairly varied, it is rather flat as you don't reach high places, no hills, no mountains, no ladders, no reaching high peaks - everything is on ground floor! This is also not a true open world game in the sense of Oblivion, Skyrim, Fallout games, as you are funnelled into a one direction with many area architectural designs within the game world fairly similar - though painted with different textures !

    The story isn't very engrossing at present (14hrs) and seems fairly generic so-far. Also there seems to be NO consequences to the actions you make!! I slaughtered a whole village, yet no-one cared! this destroys feeling for a living game world. There isn't much activity gong onn in the villages, and can be quiet and empty in many areas too (so-far!). Cut scenes are poor, your character just stands staring of into the distance not reacting to anything; as do other characteres!!. Lip sync is bad too! like a badly dubbed movie.

    I will continue to play to the end, but it feels I'm using my thumb to bash buttons more then making deep choices, figuring out things, making moral choices that effect game direction, or searching for meaningful items/loots to help progress (everything is just thrown at you without ant real discovering!). With the streamlined and generic Rpg that is rather simplified has taken away the depth of an involving Rpg and has made it more a arcade large Hack n Slash game - without depth!!!    … Expand
  61. FrankFP
    Feb 13, 2012
    9
    Lovely RPG with lots of quest, a good story and an excellent combat system. There is loads of things to do in this game and it will take a very long time to get through all the content. The graphics might seem a little 'cartoony' in the screenshots, but it is actually a very beautiful game where it is fun to explore. It reminds me of Fable in the way it connects the different areas of theLovely RPG with lots of quest, a good story and an excellent combat system. There is loads of things to do in this game and it will take a very long time to get through all the content. The graphics might seem a little 'cartoony' in the screenshots, but it is actually a very beautiful game where it is fun to explore. It reminds me of Fable in the way it connects the different areas of the game, but where that feels limiting in Fable, it does not here. The area are large enough to explore and the connections between the areas feels more 'natural', so the world seems like a big coherent place. The combat is fun and quick. A lot of the fights are pretty easy when you get the basic move in your system, but you will be challenged as well. KOA is how action-RPG should be made. Lots of content, a good story in an interesting world, well handled skill system and exciting combat.… Expand
  62. VETJasper
    Feb 13, 2012
    7
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a good game (with a really bad title). A decent story, slightly generic world, and fun combat come together to make an enjoyable, but not perfect, experience.

    THE MAIN STORY does a good job of making the player feel important to the plot. It's not as detailed as comparable games such as Witcher 2, but Witcher 2 is a much more main story oriented game. In    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a good game (with a really bad title). A decent story, slightly generic world, and fun combat come together to make an enjoyable, but not perfect, experience.

    THE MAIN STORY does a good job of making the player feel important to the plot. It's not as detailed as comparable games such as Witcher 2, but Witcher 2 is a much more main story oriented game. In comparison, the huge amount of side quests in Amalur naturally make the main quest feel sluggish. It shoots for quantity while still retaining decent quality.

    THE WORLD is a bit on the generic side, using the elder scrolls method of taking your basic high fantasy races and locations and adding slight variations. Enemies follow the same route, being re-imagined classic creatures like kobolds and brownies. Overall disappointing, but still very bearable.

    COMBAT is visceral and fun, and while not nearly as difficult as current "hardcore" rpgs like Witcher 2 and Demon's Souls, it does take some concentration. Unfortunately some difficulty is given by combat animations delaying your block and roll, something the above games suffer from much less.

    GRAPHICS are vibrant and sharp, but overall very cartoonish. Depending on the person this could be one of the greatest features or biggest detriments, and I'm so-so on them. They don't have the realism and grit of Witcher 2's graphics, but are well done in their own right. Lighting is well used and there are some really great environments to admire.

    THE USER INTERFACE is a tiny bit clunky and bare, but still way better than Skyrim's launch.

    MISCELLANEOUS PROBLEMS include the camera, which I personally like but many find a problem with, mainly due to its floaty nature and fixed view distance. Character creation was pretty limited. My personal biggest was the lack of player voice overs, which really detracts from conversations. ALL IN ALL, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning gets a 7/10. It's a well polished game plagued by a generic take on fantasy.    … Expand
  63. Kazee
    Feb 12, 2012
    9
    I want to give this game a '10' but TBH I never rate anything with top score because I am a firm believer that there is always room for improvement to anything. Maybe it's nostalgia for the console RPG's of the 90's, maybe it's the comfort of a bright color palette, but this game really draws me in. I have probably 24-36 hours /played (not sure how to check on Origin) and I am currentlyI want to give this game a '10' but TBH I never rate anything with top score because I am a firm believer that there is always room for improvement to anything. Maybe it's nostalgia for the console RPG's of the 90's, maybe it's the comfort of a bright color palette, but this game really draws me in. I have probably 24-36 hours /played (not sure how to check on Origin) and I am currently lvl 22. The exploration is top notch, animation is wonderful and the combat makes it feel like an open world arcade fighter against multiple opponents. The game certainly gets better as it goes. The first few areas were solid, but not spectacular. By the time I got to level 10-ish and into the Webwood 'zone,' the game had improved drastically. I had a firm destiny (might / sorcery,) plenty of combo options, a player house with crafting stations, my blacksmithing was making great equipment and Webwood itself is the best 'dark forest' themed zone I've played in any game. Currently I have just arrived in The Forsaken Plane and I am enjoying this experience too much. I personally highly recommend this game to any RPG'er, especially explorer types and those who loved the classics like Finial Fantasy VII.… Expand
  64. Riot
    Feb 12, 2012
    4
    I only played the demo but I really struggled to get to the end of it, wanted to quit 1 hour earlier. To sum it up this game looks and feel like a Bioware clone done bad. The RPG elements are scarce and badly outlined. There is no real inventory, the list type is extremely unfriendly and hard to use. The whole menus are unfriendly and hard to get accustomed to. Speaking of RPG, theI only played the demo but I really struggled to get to the end of it, wanted to quit 1 hour earlier. To sum it up this game looks and feel like a Bioware clone done bad. The RPG elements are scarce and badly outlined. There is no real inventory, the list type is extremely unfriendly and hard to use. The whole menus are unfriendly and hard to get accustomed to. Speaking of RPG, the character creation is a joke, there's presets to be chosen from, neon glowing lipstick and hair colors, and ridiculous face tattoos. I'm baffled that in an age where facial 3D morphing is implemented in character creation, we are left with 20 premade choices!

    Crafting exists in this game but seems basic and too easy, not really a crafting in it's true name, just gather stuff in the world (gathering is a decent word, more likely looting) and assemble them in town. The lockpicking and dispell actions are very badly done: lockpicking is more based on your luck rather than your skill and in order to dispell you need to do it at least 10 times to get it right, badly explained and frustrating because it's time limited.

    Graphics are old, somewhere around the WOW age, but improved with tons of blur to make it look filtered. Colors look fake, objects are squarish and again too much blur.

    Dialogues are well made, congrats to that, the combat system is very well made, no complaints there, also I haven't noticed bugs or glitches. Quests are a bit too many and too stupid, but maybe you need them to appeal to a fantasy niche. Creatures are extremely cartoonish and child like, again the fantasy niche.

    All in all I had the feel of playing a more budget-wise version of Torchlight and after getting bored through the demo I am convinced this is not for me and do not see much potential of it.    … Expand
  65. acerockolla
    Feb 12, 2012
    9
    Reckoning is an unbelievable debut outing of a game. There is so much to do and see. There is no wrong way to build your character. Most fun and visceral combat I've ever seen in an RPG. The art direction, in particular the gorgeous range of the color palette, is a breath of fresh air in today's gray and brown mainstream video game world. I've read a lot of complaining that "the NPC's haveReckoning is an unbelievable debut outing of a game. There is so much to do and see. There is no wrong way to build your character. Most fun and visceral combat I've ever seen in an RPG. The art direction, in particular the gorgeous range of the color palette, is a breath of fresh air in today's gray and brown mainstream video game world. I've read a lot of complaining that "the NPC's have too much dialogue" or "there are too many quests". Think about what you're asking for - it's every other game I've played in the last 5 years. I think 38 studios should be applauded for packing so much into this world - they've got an interested follower in me.… Expand
  66. BluntBlades
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    I have played this game for 40+ hours and I would to say this is one of best best RPG games created in recent five years. It combines wow, gow, diablo, and skyrim into one game. The world is huge and beautiful.
    The best part of this game is its combat system, there is rarely a RPG game having a better combat system than this.
  67. DougM
    Feb 12, 2012
    4
    The disappointment with this game is almost immediate with the introduction of the character customization tool that offers no real customization. After a minute or so of exhausting all the customization options the player then enters a a low resolution world inhabited by some of the most uninspired character designs in modern video game history. The attempt at a story is hobbled alongThe disappointment with this game is almost immediate with the introduction of the character customization tool that offers no real customization. After a minute or so of exhausting all the customization options the player then enters a a low resolution world inhabited by some of the most uninspired character designs in modern video game history. The attempt at a story is hobbled along by one insufferable NPC dialog after another. The voice acting is downright awful and rarely in synch with character mouth movements. Thankfully the developers have enabled subtitles by default and a convenient skip button which allows the player to speed read through the babble. Side quests are chores, the main quest is nonsense, the 'open world' is full of force fields, the menu system is clunky and the much vaunted hack and slash combat is crippled by the out of control camera view. KoA is essentially Ratchet and Clank with generic RPG cut scenes. Recommend avoid this hateful title until it reaches the Steam bargain bin.… Expand
  68. Redfordsto
    Feb 12, 2012
    7
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a fascinating paradox. On one hand, there doesn't seem to be anything truly special about it. On the other hand; the simplified combat, unending loot, and vibrant color scheme make this world strangely addictive. The first thing you'll notice is the presentation, it's bright and varied and without the need for comparison, very familiar. It's also fairlyKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a fascinating paradox. On one hand, there doesn't seem to be anything truly special about it. On the other hand; the simplified combat, unending loot, and vibrant color scheme make this world strangely addictive. The first thing you'll notice is the presentation, it's bright and varied and without the need for comparison, very familiar. It's also fairly large. Sadly, the character models are nothing truly special. You're own avatar can be custom created, but the options are comparatively limited. Further, your character lacks... well, character. He (or she) is silent. His choices are strangely inconsequential in a world where he can affect every inhabitant's fate. There are usually only two options for every quest and both end with a similar reward. Interaction is made further vapid by a varied quality of voice acting with inadequate modeling and emotation. Still, there is fun here. Fun in the way wandering around in the worlds of Grand Theft Auto or Torchlight without any goal or purpose is enjoyable. Constant and varied loot drives the insatiable need for a stronger and better character. Combat may be simple, but it's also rewarding. And the ability to mix and change your powers keeps gameplay interesting. It's not a great game, but it's an excellent option for dropping in to spend a few hours hacking, slashing, and looting in a colorful and perhaps comfortingly predictable world.… Expand
  69. WMD
    Feb 12, 2012
    8
    My first thought after seeing all the people that appear to be posting bad reviews of this game like they have some vendetta against it was to right a glowing review, give it a ten, and call it a day. Then I decided that would make me no better than the people posting ridiculously low review numbers for a game that is obviously better than something like a three. So here it is, my score isMy first thought after seeing all the people that appear to be posting bad reviews of this game like they have some vendetta against it was to right a glowing review, give it a ten, and call it a day. Then I decided that would make me no better than the people posting ridiculously low review numbers for a game that is obviously better than something like a three. So here it is, my score is an 8. Sound: Music is good, sound effects have punch to go along with the combat system. The ambient sound track is well done, in that you don't notice it is there unless you specifically listen for it. Having said that, there were some bugs with soundtrack cutting in and out. It gets a 7.

    Graphics: Obviously a ridiculously subjective area, but I *loved* the graphics. The use of soft lighting and soft textures made me feel like I was in a dream-world rather than just earth, with dragons *cough* Skyrim *cough*. The brighter color pallet pulled me into the fantasy world more so than the drab pallets of some of this games competitors. The combat animations are fluid and very, very well animated. The FoV is *very* low which may be an issue for some (headaches etc) but I found it allowed me to better admire the work that was put into the character models and armor. Solid 9.

    Story line: Generic. It does a good job of keeping you interested enough to continue playing but it doesn't do much more. If I was basing this score on the main story line alone I would give it a 6. However, this game is more than just the main story line. The secondary quest lines (especially the faction quest lines) have some GREAT stories to them. The House of Ballads story arch is one of my favorite story archs in any games I have played. The secondary story lines pull this score up to a 7.

    Character Development: Poor. There are a limited number of main characters (I would peg the number at three) and I only cared *at all* about one of them. 38 Studios and BHG along with R.A. Salvatore and the games writers really, really missed the mark on this one in my opinion. I understand that story development is second to gameplay in this game but c'mon, at least make me feel something towards the other characters. As far as the antagonist goes, Gadflow makes a good one, but once again, they don't really give you a *reason* to hate the guy. This is a big miss for me. 4.

    Combat: Combat gets a 10. I am just gonna throw that out at the beginning. This in my opinion is one of the hardest parts of a game to review without getting too technical, I'll do my best not to put you to sleep. Anyways, this is some of the most fun I have ever had in a video game. The game gives you plenty of choices as to how you want to play your character (straight forward rogue, mage, warrior, or *any* mix of the three) and allows you to utilize pretty much any weapon you wish. The active blocking encourages you to pay attention to enemy attackers while juggling your own abilities. The the longer combo chains open you up to combo breakers from the enemies so they need to be planned, the risk versus reward is built in. At the same time careful planning will allow you to break enemy combos. The TLDR version: The combat feels visceral, impactful and responsive. (PS. Play with a controller that has force feedback, it adds a lot to the combat!) As I said above, this is a 10.

    Character Customizeability: Avatar customization is pretty weak by today's standards, especially in comparison to something like Skyrim. Having said that it did not detract from the experience for me at all. I was able to easily find a character look that I enjoyed. There is enough diversity in armor sets that you are pretty much guaranteed to find a look you like. 7.

    Replayability: You can change your spec at *any* time if you have the gold to pay for it. I finished the game as a Warrior / Mage hybrid and am ready to play through it a completely different way. It took my 32 hours to finish the main quest line having hit up probably 40-50% of the random quests I saw on the way to the finish line. There is just so much in this game, it is freaking huge, and after you finish the main story line you can take your character and finish off all the quests you missed. There is just so freaking much to do it is almost overwhelming. I know I can squeeze another 60 to 80 hours of enjoyment ouf of this game. Going with a 9. Last Words: Don't be fooled, this game is not a 10, not by a long shot. But neither is it a 0, or even a 3. Definitely an 8. The game does a great job of keeping the player engaged and learning, and rewarding him with a plethora of drops and new gear. If you go into this game expecting to be drawn in by the story line and story line alone you may be disappointed, but as is obvious from the outset, it is the combat system that is the star of the show here, and it does not disappoint. This game is an amazing freshman effort from the folks at 38 Studios and BHG. Onwards to Copernicus!    … Expand
  70. Catlin
    Feb 12, 2012
    1
    Terrible boring game,tedious un evolved combat,its more like a hack and slash and that is very repetitive.
    I found the quests boring as anything,just typical RPG hype,the trailer looked better than the game is.
  71. HappyWolfie
    Feb 12, 2012
    4
    Mediocre game with full set of trendy features, player cant see anything new in this game. Game world is 2d with no heights. Scenario is boring, fighting is flawed (PC stunned after each hit of any enemy, character action speed is static) etc etc.
  72. clintonmichaelj
    Feb 12, 2012
    9
    A very fun and addictive game. Loot, salvage, craft, sell - rinse and repeat. If you enjoy questing and customizing, this is the game for you.

    Another little cool feature is the ability to customize you character's appearance at any time. Get bored with the way he is looking and you can tweak it. No need to start a new game. Also, when you save - the game allows you to play while it    A very fun and addictive game. Loot, salvage, craft, sell - rinse and repeat. If you enjoy questing and customizing, this is the game for you.

    Another little cool feature is the ability to customize you character's appearance at any time. Get bored with the way he is looking and you can tweak it. No need to start a new game. Also, when you save - the game allows you to play while it is saving. A very small yet very cool feature. I enjoyed Skyrim and I am enjoying this.

    It's okay people - you can enjoy both games! :)    … Expand
  73. Drogden1
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    This game is great. The storyline is way better then Skyrim. The combat is better then Skyrim. The only thing Skyrim has on this game is Graphics. Which I could care less about. I'm looking for a game worth playing and This game was well worth it, Pros- Storyline, Combat, The World.

    Cons- Graphics, Your char does get over powered, and Hard mode is to easy.

    Worth playing!
  74. WastedJoker
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    The game plays like Torchlight meets Fable but without the childishness which spoiled Fable games for the adult gamer.

    I'm level 9 and around 19hrs in yet, looking at the map, I'm barely 20% into the game. The variety of enemy is good and each one has it's own style which means you have to adapt to it. Weapons and armour are nicely varied and you have plenty of additional moves for each    The game plays like Torchlight meets Fable but without the childishness which spoiled Fable games for the adult gamer.

    I'm level 9 and around 19hrs in yet, looking at the map, I'm barely 20% into the game. The variety of enemy is good and each one has it's own style which means you have to adapt to it. Weapons and armour are nicely varied and you have plenty of additional moves for each weapon.

    Graphically it won't break any records but the game runs very smoothly and it does look very atmospheric especially some of the caves.

    The music is suitably ethereal and builds the scene well.

    Pros:

    Easy to play, difficult to master
    Excellent fighting mechanics (entering Fate mode is awesome)
    Good voice acting
    Loads and loads of side quests
    Reasonably good character customization
    Decent storyline so far Cons

    Characters are a bit stereotype-y but that's personal preference
    UI and settings are very consoley which may annoy PC gamers.    … Expand
  75. seaban
    Feb 12, 2012
    9
    I am having a blast playing Reckoning! I really don't understand all the super low scores on here. I can understand the 5 and 6's because it just may not be your type of game. However to give the game a 1-4 is saying this game is absolute trash. This is a FUN game. PRO: -Combat is awesome. I am discovering new combatI am having a blast playing Reckoning! I really don't understand all the super low scores on here. I can understand the 5 and 6's because it just may not be your type of game. However to give the game a 1-4 is saying this game is absolute trash. This is a FUN game. PRO: -Combat is awesome. I am discovering new combat mechanics constantly
    -Great and exciting loot.
    -Personally I like the art and graphics.
    -When you play a game and say "I wish it would do this". Reckoning probably does. -Personally I like the story. It's nothing mindblowing but it's not a con (there is a con to it though)

    Con:
    -Story takes awhile to care about.
    -Needs an even harder difficulty, it is hard on hard, but I would like a super hard mode.

    This is a love it or its a "meh" type game. I hope everyone will at least try the game. If you like the aesthetics and combat, the game gets so much better as you go. This is what a game should be, fun.    … Expand
  76. Sprock
    Feb 12, 2012
    8
    This is a good game in my opinion. Graphics are nice (Not amazing graphics, but the art style was obviously deliberate to those who say the graphics are bad), No bugs runs smooth as a whistle. Decent enough story to go upon (Again i don't get the complaints about the story, its if not the same in decency as a few other RPG's). I got skyrim and only played a few hours and haven't touched itThis is a good game in my opinion. Graphics are nice (Not amazing graphics, but the art style was obviously deliberate to those who say the graphics are bad), No bugs runs smooth as a whistle. Decent enough story to go upon (Again i don't get the complaints about the story, its if not the same in decency as a few other RPG's). I got skyrim and only played a few hours and haven't touched it since, i've already played this more and enjoy it more. The combat is extremely well done, which comes out looking impressive.
    As others have stated, you can tell this was to be an MMO at some point, and it would fit in well as an MMO. It sorta does feel lacking without any online play.But overall is an enjoyable game.    … Expand
  77. naudica
    Feb 12, 2012
    4
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.. Yet. It is incredibly unbalanced, on the hardest difficulty you will 1 hit everything. I died once in 25 hours of game play. And it was because I was AFK.

    Healing potions are instant and can be spammed to full health, the trade skills make your character incredibly overpowered. The skill tree "Might" makes your character literally un-killable. You can sit there for    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME.. Yet. It is incredibly unbalanced, on the hardest difficulty you will 1 hit everything. I died once in 25 hours of game play. And it was because I was AFK.

    Healing potions are instant and can be spammed to full health, the trade skills make your character incredibly overpowered.

    The skill tree "Might" makes your character literally un-killable. You can sit there for 20 minutes getting hit over and over again and never die.

    The world is barren, and feels like an empty MMO server. The storyline is incredibly bad, and you will find yourself skipping through all of it after the first few dialogues. Zones and quests don't take into account character level so you end up fighting mobs way below your level. The main ability called "Reckoning" will end boss fights in 1-2 hits, making even the hardest encounters very very easy. All in all the game just needs to be balanced. Wait till they patch it a few times before spending $60. Trust me!    … Expand
  78. Sevorast
    Feb 12, 2012
    7
    Excellent game all around, a rich and vibrant world with a deep lore backbone. The combat is very satisfying with great animations and hit detection, and the sound effects are absolutely perfect.

    It is on the easy side, no dark souls here difficulty wise, even on hard it is pretty easy for me, ymmv of course based on how good you are at these types of games or just generally at games in general.
  79. Geovas77
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Awesome game one of the best WRPGS I have played for a long time and certainly alot more exciting than Skyrim which I also gave a long playtime but its combat leaves alot to be desired. This game has the best combat system around and a ton of content to use it in. It seems there is a huge number of trolls trying to drag the game down on metacritic by scoring it down but give this game aAwesome game one of the best WRPGS I have played for a long time and certainly alot more exciting than Skyrim which I also gave a long playtime but its combat leaves alot to be desired. This game has the best combat system around and a ton of content to use it in. It seems there is a huge number of trolls trying to drag the game down on metacritic by scoring it down but give this game a chance and you might be surprised. 9/10 in my book with Skyrim being an 8/10 but giving it a 10 to counter the trolls!… Expand
  80. St4n13y415c
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning is one of the best rpg iv'e played in YEARS. From the combat all the way to the lore and story it is UNRIVALED. Every side quest i have done i can recall and explain why the side quest needed to be done. They each have their own unique short story to them. I actually WANT to do them unlike many other RPGS where i would do the side quests for the sake of doingKingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning is one of the best rpg iv'e played in YEARS. From the combat all the way to the lore and story it is UNRIVALED. Every side quest i have done i can recall and explain why the side quest needed to be done. They each have their own unique short story to them. I actually WANT to do them unlike many other RPGS where i would do the side quests for the sake of doing them. The combat is strategic and challenging if you are playing on HARD difficulty and not playing a full mage. I've gotten beat from lower level monsters if i stopped playing tactically and started mashing. The world also offers much content,exploration, and variety in environments. The dungeons are amazing for the most part and the loot is even better as there are certain sets you can get which urges you to explore and try to get them all and not to mention the fact they look amazing! There are some issues like FOV and control rebinding but those are negligible considering the fact the interface works amazingly well for PC despite looking a little hideous. The npcs might stand around and the towns might feel dead but overall the story,lore,combat,variety,loot,quests,dungeons and so much more makes up for every flaw the game could have. This game definitely deserves more recognition and I recommend this to any fan of RPGS.… Expand
  81. badken
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    Ever since I've played RPGs I've wanted one that has exciting combat, and Reckoning delivers. The character building system is fantastic, too. I love playing multi-classed characters, and this game doesn't penalize you for that. All the combinations of fighter mage and rogue are covered. I'm knocking off a couple points for issues with leveling. If you explore the world too fast or you doEver since I've played RPGs I've wanted one that has exciting combat, and Reckoning delivers. The character building system is fantastic, too. I love playing multi-classed characters, and this game doesn't penalize you for that. All the combinations of fighter mage and rogue are covered. I'm knocking off a couple points for issues with leveling. If you explore the world too fast or you do too many quests, it's possible to outlevel the main story. The game loses all challenge and balance when you're fighting nothing but gray enemies. Fortunately you can avoid that problem by not running all over the place and sticking to one area at a time, but I think they could have come up with a balance between that and the horrible level-matching nightmare of Oblivion that punishes you for leveling up.

    Presentation is outstanding, gameplay is outstanding if you love action oriented combat, and the story and world are really interesting. I'm looking forward to playing more chapters in Amalur (not in the upcoming MMO, though).    … Expand
  82. wcparry
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Okay, so the environment and character graphics (Including foliage and 2d rendering areas of it) are "Outdated" as I've seen many state; keep in mind this IS a port from console world, which leaves many things left to be desired for PC gamers. WE are serious people about our games, though most of "Us" whine when games tax our systems, and we whine when they do not; go figure. TheOkay, so the environment and character graphics (Including foliage and 2d rendering areas of it) are "Outdated" as I've seen many state; keep in mind this IS a port from console world, which leaves many things left to be desired for PC gamers. WE are serious people about our games, though most of "Us" whine when games tax our systems, and we whine when they do not; go figure. The controls are clunky with aiming, again due to CONSOLE porting, it leaves the accuracy and what we are "used to" as PC gamers out. So that's the bad, or most of it from my standpoint. The good?

    It is FUN! It is a "hack and slash" RPG, though in some ways more hack and slash. The RP elements are very strong when you look at the differences in class and character builds that can be done. It is HUGE on build potential via the mechanics. I've been playing for about 30 hours thus far, and have seen VERY few bugs (That's impressive, since even the worst games suffer from perennial bugs on day 1 releases) aside from an install issue, I've had 0 issues with it. The gameplay and fighting isn't "Japanisized" as most "action" games seem to go toward lately, which is terribly annoying, though the swords are a tad huge, they aren't the size of cars like FF and the others that give me nausea. The story line is GREAT and gripping, if you take the time to invest your thought in it at the beginning of the game. Sure, some concepts are tired, but...what more is there for RPGs or any other game for that matter? It isn't as if there are thousands of "New" ways of adding role playing elements to any gaming structure. Did I mention the fighting is fun? It is, though my mouse finger is TIRED! The game is smooth, no stuttering at all with everything maxed, sure that's because of the consoleesque textures, but still, I've played uglier that ran MUCH worse. Has all the "Usual" characters, but they are a necessity in most all RP style games in a not-modern environment. The voice acting though a bit stiff, is good. The lip syncing is outstanding, the company that did the facial animation is top-notch at their profession it seems. People comparing it to Skyrim are silly, it looks and feels nothing like it. If you don't like a game because it is "Different" then that is your issue, not the developers' fact is, without those differences we'd be even more bored and all be playing some nonsensical Reality TV based RP or WoW instead. It is rich, well written and if you don't click through everything it will grab your mind. Play with it, the options are endless and differ well enough to give anyone a challenge in some way.    … Expand
  83. HeyJoe
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Unlike Skyrim, Reckoning is virtually bug-free. I've played for close to 30 hours and have encountered only one minor bug. Contrast that with Skyrim, which had broken quests and weird glitches every step of the way (yet still somehow manages to be awesome). Technically then, Reckoning gets 10/10.

    Many don't care for the visual style. I have to respectfully disagree. Reckoning is not    Unlike Skyrim, Reckoning is virtually bug-free. I've played for close to 30 hours and have encountered only one minor bug. Contrast that with Skyrim, which had broken quests and weird glitches every step of the way (yet still somehow manages to be awesome). Technically then, Reckoning gets 10/10.

    Many don't care for the visual style. I have to respectfully disagree. Reckoning is not Dragon Age or Skyrim. Fantasy needn't be browns, grays, and endless white. It worked for Skyrim because TES leans a little more towards photo-realism. Reckoning is more along the lines of a dreamlike, high-fantasy fairy tale... and that has a place in the genre. The combat system is simply awesome, and I can easily see myself playing through the game again using a different archetype just to experience some of the awesome combos and finishing moves. Finally, I really love the loot system. I like that I can gain meaningful loot upgrades from both monster/chest drops AND crafting. An irritation of mine with Skyrim is that I was soon able to craft daedric gear that far outshone anything dropped by any creature or chest in the game. Even the daedra quest items were a joke when compared to my crafted armor and weapons. Anyhow, great job on Reckoning and I look forward to DLC and any future release in this franchise.    … Expand
  84. 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 ofI 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
  85. Morgana
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Yes there are a few shortcomings: like limited quicksaves, inability to name your saved game files the way you want, the camera can be very annoying, lipsyncing and a few questbugs. They are however erased by the beauty of the world they created, the awesome visceral combat, the size of the world, the variety in the quests, the smoothness in the way the game runs.

    Excellent result for    Yes there are a few shortcomings: like limited quicksaves, inability to name your saved game files the way you want, the camera can be very annoying, lipsyncing and a few questbugs. They are however erased by the beauty of the world they created, the awesome visceral combat, the size of the world, the variety in the quests, the smoothness in the way the game runs.

    Excellent result for a first time IP!    … Expand
  86. Diego1975
    Feb 11, 2012
    6
    Played the demo after reading all the hype and watching the video trailers. I've been playing RPG's since Super NES and Final Fantasy II. As an artist, I expected much more than the cartoon characters and the watery, expressionistic backgrounds. The Combat System Rocks! That same system should be used in a better world, with better art, better story line, not so many side questsPlayed the demo after reading all the hype and watching the video trailers. I've been playing RPG's since Super NES and Final Fantasy II. As an artist, I expected much more than the cartoon characters and the watery, expressionistic backgrounds. The Combat System Rocks! That same system should be used in a better world, with better art, better story line, not so many side quests (GEEZ!), yes, yes a better game would do the combat system justice. Just so you know, I'm using a one year old top of the line Alienware computer to play this demo. I'm sorry, I just expect more from the artists in 2012.… Expand
  87. op8
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    really enjoyable action rpg, kinda like a mix of oblivion and fable.looks great, has awesome combat, tonnes of loot,weapons,armours abilities and skills to customize with. (not witcher2 grfx but serves its purpose, and you have maybe 5 second load screens entering homes,caves etc., and new lage areas of the map).you will recognise a lot of aspects from other rpg's but thats fine because itreally enjoyable action rpg, kinda like a mix of oblivion and fable.looks great, has awesome combat, tonnes of loot,weapons,armours abilities and skills to customize with. (not witcher2 grfx but serves its purpose, and you have maybe 5 second load screens entering homes,caves etc., and new lage areas of the map).you will recognise a lot of aspects from other rpg's but thats fine because it works well, so why the hell not use it.Also it is BUG FREE. There really is a HUGE amount of quests to do and so far they have been excellent, and i have only explored 25% of the map.Just wanna say again its so nice to be able to play a game WITHOUT ridiculous bugs, awful animations, dreary dialogue,boring quests and pathetic combat.........(i honestly dont know what game user "sf2000" was playing but it certainly wasnt this game, so please IGNORE this fool)… Expand
  88. Archangel
    Feb 11, 2012
    3
    Very disappointed playing this game. After playing Skyrim, I have raised bar on a game should be. Skyrim graphics were pretty amazing. This is just bland. Even Dragon age which out about a year ago, by the same publisher, was so much better in graphics. I feel the 60 dollars wasn't worth it. It has the look and feel of Drakensang.
  89. Stormchaser
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    PC Gamer here, At first I was a bit disapointed HOWEVER tweaking the nVidia panel and I must admit this game ROCKS VERY HARD!! Best fighting mechanics without a doubt, great gfx and a cool story line, don't be fooled by some of these chops posting nonsense here, they played 2 hours max and made up their mind that it sucks!? I'm giving it a 9 rating for sure.
  90. Nybling
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    This is an amazing game. Been playing a Sorcery build, and it's some of the most fun I've had in a long, long time. Lots of cool lore tidbits to uncover, some interesting storyline quests and factions (one downside is no faction equivalent of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion/Skyrim). I recommend that anyone who enjoys the Elder Scrolls series should play this game. The combat is great,This is an amazing game. Been playing a Sorcery build, and it's some of the most fun I've had in a long, long time. Lots of cool lore tidbits to uncover, some interesting storyline quests and factions (one downside is no faction equivalent of the Dark Brotherhood in Oblivion/Skyrim). I recommend that anyone who enjoys the Elder Scrolls series should play this game. The combat is great, there are lots of options on how to play your character, and lots and lots of content. (25 hours in, only finished the first 6 little zones).… Expand
  91. austenite
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    If they can manage to patch in a difficulty mode that actually provides any sort of challenge then 38 studios will have managed to make my game of the year. Beautiful world, Fantastic combat system.
  92. roguish98
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Review Info: Rig- Core i7 @ 3.3 Ghz, Radeon HD 6990, 12 GB RAM Time in-game- 24 hrs Pros: -Technically sound (frame rate high and steady, no CTD's, audio solid) -Art style (I am a fan of high fantasy and it is well represented here) -Emphasis on Celtic mythology -Boss battles (thoroughly exciting start to finish) -Faction quests (well-written) -Main quest (I am engaged) -Combat (first timeReview Info: Rig- Core i7 @ 3.3 Ghz, Radeon HD 6990, 12 GB RAM Time in-game- 24 hrs Pros: -Technically sound (frame rate high and steady, no CTD's, audio solid) -Art style (I am a fan of high fantasy and it is well represented here) -Emphasis on Celtic mythology -Boss battles (thoroughly exciting start to finish) -Faction quests (well-written) -Main quest (I am engaged) -Combat (first time I was organically encouraged to play melee) -stealth (I feel it is more nuanced than Skyrim's. There seems to be a greater emphasis on cover and the kill animations are satisfying) -"Destiny" system (feels natural) -"Detect hidden" (Great for role-playing a rogue) Cons: -Texture pop-in is significant enough to distract (may be a sacrifice to achieve the technical achievements I describe above?) -Dialog options are presented in an inconsistent manner (I am confused by the switch between listed dialogue and the Bioware conversation wheel) -Difficulty seems unbalanced (I usually play on "normal." Here I am playing on "hard" to achieve satisfactory difficulty) -Lock-picking is too easy (I often open even the most difficult locks on the first attempt) ***Score representing my overall enjoyment of the game 9/10 -Regards, Roguish98… Expand
  93. Kwambus
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    I created an account just to pop in a few comments on this game. I am around 20 hours in at the moment and having read some of the positive and negative reviews and comments I was honestly expecting the gaming equivalent of Marmite (you love it or hate it). Well, I can honestly say I love it. It's everything Fable should have been and a little more. Combat is great fun - I think everyoneI created an account just to pop in a few comments on this game. I am around 20 hours in at the moment and having read some of the positive and negative reviews and comments I was honestly expecting the gaming equivalent of Marmite (you love it or hate it). Well, I can honestly say I love it. It's everything Fable should have been and a little more. Combat is great fun - I think everyone agrees on that, but I also really like the Lore and story, quests are interesting too. Yes, they are go fetch, DHL or kill 10 rats but what honestly was anyone expecting? The combat more than makes up for this IMHO.

    The game's graphics are enchanting, and the world solid, bugs appear to be few and far between (PC version). Long time since I got lost in a game like this without getting distracted I would say it's one of my sleeper hits for this year. Yes I played Skyrim, don't expect that sort of open world epic and you won't be let down. The game appears to be massive it's not completely linear though, I think the people saying that are being a little unfair. Go try the demo if your unsure - personally I think you would have to be expecting too much or a little mean to give this game less than a 7.    … Expand
  94. Frek
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    The thing that keeps me playing this game is the combat. I'm glad somebody finally made a game that isn't a button masher but has all the fluff of a traditional RPG. Another strength is the loot system, if you like loot this game is for you. I found that it does take awhile into the game before you start to get a grasp on the lore within Amular. This isn't really a complaint though as itThe thing that keeps me playing this game is the combat. I'm glad somebody finally made a game that isn't a button masher but has all the fluff of a traditional RPG. Another strength is the loot system, if you like loot this game is for you. I found that it does take awhile into the game before you start to get a grasp on the lore within Amular. This isn't really a complaint though as it is expected from any new IP.
    The story isn't going to grab you and make you have to "just play one more hour". it's not bad but it's not great either, which was disappointing as R.A. Salvatore had a hand in the story.
    Technically I haven't run into any major bugs. The game is quite solid with 2 exceptions. 1.) The camera needs some work on the PC version. PC users should be able to zoom the camera out a little bit. 2.) The KB&M is super awkward due to the combat system. It is much more enjoyable to play this game with a controller, if you're on PC due yourself a favor and get a USB Xbox 360 controller.
    In conclusion, this game is perfect for people who like RPG's but want some real "action" to the combat.    … Expand
  95. Voldemordred
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Kingdoms of Amalur is absolutely brilliant!! It manages to give me a huge open world,without that feeling of aimlessness.a combat system that is so damn fluid and dynamic that it puts EVERY,yes I said every RPG to utter shame. and boat loads of great quests that are interesting and FUN. People tend to forget that games are about fun......and this has 200hrs of it. I am going to give youKingdoms of Amalur is absolutely brilliant!! It manages to give me a huge open world,without that feeling of aimlessness.a combat system that is so damn fluid and dynamic that it puts EVERY,yes I said every RPG to utter shame. and boat loads of great quests that are interesting and FUN. People tend to forget that games are about fun......and this has 200hrs of it. I am going to give you people some brutal honesty here. People that rate this game low haven't played it or are silly fanboys with their panties in a bunch, that hold irrational allegiances to their game of choice and feel they are betraying said game by enjoying something else. GROW THE HELL UP ALREADY. I love skyrim, LOVE Baldurs Gate 1,2. I love the witcher1,2 and YES I love this too.… Expand
  96. Ghylor
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    I really love this game, i enjoy more this game then Skyrim. I'm very happy and love the combat, and everything, remind me of a mmorpg but solo :-)
  97. RingX55
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Pros: Great versatile combat, class system, crafting system. There's a great feel to the world as well as the characters you come across and quests. Voice acting is always great and each character feels distinctly different. The story -line is well crafted and worth of R.A.

    Cons: Sub-par models for humanoids and lip syncing is off.
  98. Player4708
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    This is a great game, better than Skyrim in my opinion, Story line is fascinating and combat is the best of any rpg ever. Runs with out a hitch. Love this game!
  99. UnkleBustakap
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    This game will have you thinking it is a fable clone, however it is not the case. There is an immense amount of content within this game and the combat system and gameplay are second to none.
  100. DOMINATx
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Fans of the Original Fable will Love this game if you like playing Fantasy Action RPG's you will love this game. If however you prefer Fantasy Action Simulators (Skyrim) this is not the game for you it is more of an arcade style with Visceral Combat in a unique art style that not everyone will appreciate. However if you love story the lore in the game will surely have you content beforeFans of the Original Fable will Love this game if you like playing Fantasy Action RPG's you will love this game. If however you prefer Fantasy Action Simulators (Skyrim) this is not the game for you it is more of an arcade style with Visceral Combat in a unique art style that not everyone will appreciate. However if you love story the lore in the game will surely have you content before you reach the end. This game is not for everyone. However everyone should at least give it a shot.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best PC Game of 2012
24
#24 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
18
#18 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Apr 5, 2012
    60
    Fast and flashy combat in a shallow fantasy world. For the solo MMO player only. [Apr 2012, p.62]
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  2. CPUGamer
    Mar 27, 2012
    80
    For all the things that don't work well, the exciting combat and deep world make KAR a very worthy game to play. It's a shame Electronic Arts is doing such a poor job of promoting it, as there is enough here to make the foundation of a very solid franchise.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gamer
    Mar 21, 2012
    74
    Great combat and mountains of loot can't compensate for Amalur's generic world design and familiar story. [May 2012, p.72]
    Read full review
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