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. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. eoloperfido
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Really a great game. I've been playing it for 3 hours and enjoyed it a lot. The game is very Flexible and the action combat system is exciting and really working here... This year was a lucky one for PC Rpg fans. Skyrin, Witcher 2 and now KOA. Going back to play...
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. MetaMan
    Mar 3, 2012
    6
    The game is beautiful, the monsters are for the most part great. The enemies are varied and has different skills, some of which are quite challenging. Different weapons and talents that could be reset for some coins, no need for grinding for items, and fast-travel to previously visited locations makes the game overall pleasant to play.

    However, the game is too big for it's own good. The    The game is beautiful, the monsters are for the most part great. The enemies are varied and has different skills, some of which are quite challenging. Different weapons and talents that could be reset for some coins, no need for grinding for items, and fast-travel to previously visited locations makes the game overall pleasant to play.

    However, the game is too big for it's own good. The action and quests become repetitive after a while, and there are few memorable quests. I don't care about the nth side quest. All the side quest dialogue makes me also lose the attention for the main story line. There could also be better methods for interrupting, blocking or avoiding attacks, and I feel like I just end up clicking the left mouse button continuously while fighting. In the end I felt like I was just running around from mark to mark and clicking left mouse button over and over.    … Expand
  9. dryerlaw
    Mar 10, 2012
    7
    PROS: (+) Fluid and intense combat. (+) Plethora of skills and combat styles to choose from. (+) Great voice-acting. (+) Myriad of loots and rich trading system. (+) Many not-bad side-quests and crafting skills to keep players busy for hours. (+) Rich lore to marvel at. CONS: (-) Side-quests get rather boring after a while due to not having too many variations. (-) Graphics engine outdatedPROS: (+) Fluid and intense combat. (+) Plethora of skills and combat styles to choose from. (+) Great voice-acting. (+) Myriad of loots and rich trading system. (+) Many not-bad side-quests and crafting skills to keep players busy for hours. (+) Rich lore to marvel at. CONS: (-) Side-quests get rather boring after a while due to not having too many variations. (-) Graphics engine outdated by two years or three. (-) Characters lack personality to provide full immersion. OVERALL: Kingdom of Amalur the Reckoning isn't trying to be an epic groundbreaking RPG, but it certainly is successful in packaging all the positive elements of a good RPG in a simple game.… Expand
  10. FatalExcursion
    Mar 19, 2012
    7
    A charming escape from floaty FPRPGs to a world that is charmingly reminiscent of Morrowind and Fable, but pushed to the peak with a solid story, a great palette of color and design, and smooth, satisfying, and fast-paced combat. Though it doesn't hold the holy grail for any epic RPGs, it held my attention for a while, clocking in at almost 40 hours (more than I can say for Skyrim). AA charming escape from floaty FPRPGs to a world that is charmingly reminiscent of Morrowind and Fable, but pushed to the peak with a solid story, a great palette of color and design, and smooth, satisfying, and fast-paced combat. Though it doesn't hold the holy grail for any epic RPGs, it held my attention for a while, clocking in at almost 40 hours (more than I can say for Skyrim). A problem noted though, is that most of the side quests didn't feel fleshed out enough. Some of the backstory is covered through these side quests, and I wish that more of the lore was introduced as I progressed. The skill trees are smartly executed, though somewhat lacking in customization in the end run. The ability to change your 'Fate' allows for a lot of experimentation in picking your favorite class, or creating one all on your own by interchanging points between multiple ones. But, leaving with a final con, I wish more weapons and creatures were introduced; it's a decent amount of diversity for an RPG, but after seeing the same enemies over and over, while using the same weapons, just upgraded, it gets tiresome. All in all though, everything leaves you satisfied if you're open to this game style; it's not Skyrim, and neither is it the Witcher, rather, it reintroduces a colorful new world with old homages to classic fantasy, while reinventing some cliches as well. I hope to see this world expanded, either with Copernicus, or with a sequel all on its own.… Expand
  11. Chatmak
    Mar 3, 2012
    9
    The graphic style is cartoon-y, offering a fresh alternative to some of the other RPGs of this generation, making the game a pleasure to look at, with varied and beautiful environments. The character look unique and special, but the lip-syncing could be better and the draw distance is not great. I haven't encountered any major graphical glitches yet, and the game runs smoothly.
    The    The graphic style is cartoon-y, offering a fresh alternative to some of the other RPGs of this generation, making the game a pleasure to look at, with varied and beautiful environments. The character look unique and special, but the lip-syncing could be better and the draw distance is not great. I haven't encountered any major graphical glitches yet, and the game runs smoothly.
    The dialogue is hit and miss; one type is a tedious list where everyone seems to have the same general options where they will offer vague, similar opinions on a topic plus maybe one additional character-specific topic that will lead you to a quest. The other is a mass-effect choice style where you can choose how you respond to a character (usually an important character). You also get a Fallout-style persuasion option which shows you the chance of success based on your persuasion skill. For main characters, dialogue is interesting and cool, but when you're just exploring, it doesn't do as good a very good job of immersing you but rather bores you, and while the developers could've found a more entertaining way of putting information across, this still does the job; you'll know what you need to know if you want to know it. Additionally, the choices you make have very minor effects and have no impact on the storyline whatsoever. This is fine as the game never claimed to contain major moral choices, but it's something to note if you're planning to get the game.
    Due to its third person perspective, Reckoning isn't as accessible as first-person games like Skyrim. It's open-world, but it still has clear boundaries that you cannot cross. It's like A LOT of linear, confined areas have been put next to each other to create a pretty big open world, which works. The interesting thing about Kingdoms of Amalur is that it manages to take bits and bobs from other major RPGs, such as the Dragon Age skill tree, Elder Scrolls looting, Mass Effect dialogue, etc. but still remains original in its own way. You likely won't find something and marvel at its originality, but when you look at the game as a whole, it's easy to see that the developers have taken the best bits out of other games, put them all together and added the element that many of them were somewhat lacking in, game-play, and made a game that is perhaps more complete than any other fantasy RPG on the market.
    The game-play, as I'm sure you will have heard is very good. The combat feels fluid, fun and varied, with an array of weapons and spells to use. For the most part, it doesn't feel too challenging at the Normal setting, but there are certain creatures that will certainly pose a threat. The game offers a real-time XP/Level-up system, rewarding players for killing creatures as soon as they do so, which is good. The level-up system is reminiscent of Dragon Age's, where you pick a perk every time you level up and choose which skill from one of the three skill trees (Might, Finesse and Sorcery, or basically, Warrior, Bowman and Mage) to invest points into. Arguably the best thing about Amalur's level-up system is the fact that it never locks you into a certain path. If you invested all your points into Sorcery but never use staffs, that's fine. There's nothing stopping you from playing the game that way. Matching your playing style to your point investment definitely helps, but is never required.
    The inventory system is inferior to pretty much every other modern RPG. It's basically a list, going into another list etc. then you get to what you like. Luckily, you can equip any weapon to a Primary or Secondary weapon and can switch between them at the press of a button at any time during game-play, (so you can have a sword as your primary and another sword as your secondary, or a sword and a bow/staff and so on) which is good, but if you want to remap one of your weapon slots, you have to go through several tiers of lists. There is a hotkey system for spells, a dial for potions and two slots for weapons but ultimately this falls flat compared to Skyrim's all-encompassing favourite system which allows you to just have what you want in one, easy-to-access list.
    One gripe I have with Reckoning is that it just dumps tons of information onto you as if it was meaningless. The implication of doing something can be as little as a tick on the quest screen. You don't feel like you're doing what you're doing for a reason but rather to just complete the quest. You'll find a town, meet some that give you a quest each, go do their quests (which will likely be generic and boring), turn them in, get your reward and be done. The faction and main story quests are much more fun, but the majority of the side quests aren't.
    Overall, Reckoning is fun to play, and that's what matters. The RPG elements work fine, the world is vast and packed with content, and the combat doesn't feel laborious or monotonous, but fun and varied; his game is definitely worth playing if you're an RPG fan.    … Expand
  12. rrtyu
    Mar 27, 2012
    6
    This game is very much a console port this can be seen from the menus to the combat. The world is extremely generic as in good vs bad and elves and gnomes basically. The main story isn't exactly good but it isn't very bad it is however generic as in raising an army to beat the bad guys. The best part is probably the combat which was very fun to use. It is still a port so auto lock-on forThis game is very much a console port this can be seen from the menus to the combat. The world is extremely generic as in good vs bad and elves and gnomes basically. The main story isn't exactly good but it isn't very bad it is however generic as in raising an army to beat the bad guys. The best part is probably the combat which was very fun to use. It is still a port so auto lock-on for the enemies and there are some overpowered abilities. The game is also not open world like they say it is. The places you go are connected by paths so it's like leaving 1box for another. This game should really be played with a gamepad as it is much easier. KOA had some much potential but horrible graphics, lackluster lore, and a game that only last's roughly about 30 hour's have made it a bad experience. if you want a decent RPG try The Witcher 2, Skyrim, Mass Effect 3, or some older ones like DA2, Neverwinter Nights 2, and World Of Warcraft. They are all much better than this game and something you wouldn't regret to purchase.… Expand
  13. BigTimeOwen
    May 13, 2012
    5
    There is not a single aspect of this game that really makes me feel positively towards it. It's well put together and perhaps well considered but the gameplay is entirely lacking, the story uninteresting and there are numerous problems with the interface and combat systems for PC. I will say that they shipped it relatively bug free and I had no problem with compatibility. However, the PCThere is not a single aspect of this game that really makes me feel positively towards it. It's well put together and perhaps well considered but the gameplay is entirely lacking, the story uninteresting and there are numerous problems with the interface and combat systems for PC. I will say that they shipped it relatively bug free and I had no problem with compatibility. However, the PC version was clearly second fiddle to the consoles and it plays like it.

    Like many have said, this looks and plays like an MMO--particularly World of Warcraft, outdated and cartoonish graphics included along with boring and entirely unoriginal quests. Most quests consist of fetch 5 X, kill Y. Add to that the character leveling system and it's definitely necessary to grind your way through all these mundane tasks in order to make progress in the game. The game touts its open world, but even that manages to feel incredibly linear and exploring it is wholly unsatisfying. For guys who worked on the masterpiece of a world, Morrowind, I have a hard time accepting that the rather boring (yet brightly colored) environments were all they could come up with.

    With the actual gameplay, I think it would certainly feel much more natural using a controller than a mouse. It is incredibly irritating, if using a mouse, to have your camera pointed in one direction while your character is pointed slightly in a different direction, and you press W to move or you attack only to have your character move or swing in the completely unintended direction. This can be a very big problem in combat because it is obviously much more fast paced than trying to hit some barrels. Say you swing the camera around to see how many enemies there are attacking you and you have your camera locked on in one direction, press attack and then your character swings in the entirely opposite direction. It's simply obnoxious. To add to that, the combat really is just button mashing the same button over and over with very little sense of timing or rhythm. It is certainly not revolutionary but maybe if you want something with no learning curve you'll find some satisfaction in it. The user interface is nothing short of obnoxious. The menu and the inventory are an absolute pain to use with PC. First, they selected some arbitrary keys to use for simple commands like drop which feel entirely unnatural and take some serious getting used to--why they couldn't just go with some standard techniques like right click to drop or click+shift to drop I do not understand. The inventory system is also an incredible pain to simply navigate. Equipping your weapons means going through 2 screens, first the generic pause screen, then the entire inventory screen, then the weapon screen and THEN you have to select primary weapon or secondary weapon. Why not put all the weapons on one screen, have you click one, then another--or maybe click it and then click primary or secondary? Even on consoles it makes no sense to do it that way. And if you want to change your magic spells? Go back and do it all over again. Then if you want to change your "moves," go back and do it one more time. A lot of people have spent countless on this game but I can only wonder how much of it they actually spent just fiddling through the menu.

    Overall I found no real enjoyment playing this game. When I wasn't irritated with the interface and gameplay mechanics I simply found it boring.    … Expand
  14. 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
  15. WaneY
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    Take all the best bits from any number of RPG's and put them together and this is what you get.
    10 out of 10. The combat straight out of an Action slasher, the Story tight and structured but still allowing for exploration. The Character development/branching good and not too complicated. The inventory is an improvement from Skyrim and Witcher 2 , but still could be slimmed down and maybe    Take all the best bits from any number of RPG's and put them together and this is what you get.
    10 out of 10. The combat straight out of an Action slasher, the Story tight and structured but still allowing for exploration. The Character development/branching good and not too complicated. The inventory is an improvement from Skyrim and Witcher 2 , but still could be slimmed down and maybe the game could have been more challenging. But this game is fun and never boring and the Fast Travel helps cut down on travelling time which I liked alot.    … Expand
  16. Jimbob2k666
    Feb 9, 2012
    8
    First off the graphics: Although they may feel a little dated, the most important factor here is that they run very well, with no dipping below 60fps with vysnc turned on and maxxed out. All this on a 4 year old CPU, 4gb RAM and a 6870 GPU. Some people have compared the graphics with WOW - these people must be blinkered or blind, as they are nowhere near as dated as WOW.......... Next,First off the graphics: Although they may feel a little dated, the most important factor here is that they run very well, with no dipping below 60fps with vysnc turned on and maxxed out. All this on a 4 year old CPU, 4gb RAM and a 6870 GPU. Some people have compared the graphics with WOW - these people must be blinkered or blind, as they are nowhere near as dated as WOW.......... Next, the gameplay: The combat is fun, nothing extraordinary but it has enough variety and advancement to make it a well done component of the game. One thing that is evident is the "MMO" style of quest hubs and the way you progress through them, which is actually quite good from what I've seen so far........ Story: Your usual fantasy fare but the underlying main storyline is well executed........ SUMMARY: In a genre filled with some stunning games over the past 12 months or so, KoAR should find its very own core of fans. It is different enough to claim that it has differences which establish itself as a new IP and providing it is given the right support by its developers, it ought to result in success and a sequel. 8/10.......................PRO: Good performance on average PC........ CON: Its biggest fault is it's field of vision - the character, which is 3rd person is too big on the screen and it is often difficult to see the horizon point - this needs fixing quickly as it feels very claustraphobic. (PS: The "pro's" who have given this game 100% must have been locked away in dark cupobards and haven't been playing games for the last 2 years. The game is good, but 100%? No way).… Expand
  17. Gorzil
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    I started out giving this game an 8 because of a few little things that bothered me such as camera and dialog style, but i soon got used to them and the more i play the more i am amazed, this game is absolutely incredible!
    If you enjoyed Fable, or Darksiders, if you like any action adventure and RPG, this game is gonna rock your world, loving it more by the hour, it's insane how much there    I started out giving this game an 8 because of a few little things that bothered me such as camera and dialog style, but i soon got used to them and the more i play the more i am amazed, this game is absolutely incredible!
    If you enjoyed Fable, or Darksiders, if you like any action adventure and RPG, this game is gonna rock your world, loving it more by the hour, it's insane how much there is to it, you never stop discovering, a must have! you will adore it! 9.5/10    … Expand
  18. azizex666
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    This game is pretty amazing despite a few minor flaws.
    for a first release from 38 studios, they did a wonderful job of creating a beautiful world and a very dynamic combat system.
    My verdict as an avid PC gamer, try it!
  19. barrettkeegan
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a fantastic game. It is a little rough around the edges in some places (I'm looking at you character models), but the majority of the design is very well done, and the all important fun factor is a 10/10. Unfortunately, for some reason, the PC version of the game has taken a beating from users, and when searching through other reviews, I would encourage youKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a fantastic game. It is a little rough around the edges in some places (I'm looking at you character models), but the majority of the design is very well done, and the all important fun factor is a 10/10. Unfortunately, for some reason, the PC version of the game has taken a beating from users, and when searching through other reviews, I would encourage you to look critically at them. Complaints like not being able to aim bows are irrelevant. There is an auto-aim system. With that out of the way, feel free to read the rest of this review, which will be more in-depth.

    First, the game runs great. I actually have it installed on a two year old laptop, and I get good performance at all but the very highest possible graphic setting combination. There are some framerate issues where you would expect - high intensity particle effects during combat, and when the you switch from looking mostly at the ground to a more environment intensive "heads-up" view. During my 25 hours of gameplay, I have experienced only one major graphical glitch, which is another plus.

    The game plays very much like an arcade, complete with a very classic combo-oriented fighting style. Each enemy is different, and there are frequent cases where you must adapt how you play in order to prevail. That said, each no play style feels frustratingly pointless. Stealth, Magic, and Might all have their own merits, and are enjoyable to play. You can also combine these fighting styles in any grouping and be sure that it is a workable way to play. If you are ever frustrated and want to restart, you can even reset the skill trees that you can invest in each time you level up. Gameplay is fast paced, dynamic, and responds to what you put in.
    My experience with the Dispelling mechanic is my only real complaint, and even then, I feel that it may be my own ineptitude.

    However, the game is noticeably easy. As the ideal player model who finds normal modes a fair but plausible challenge, I don't have too much problem on hard here. However, if you have played the demo, note that the game is harder in the actual version.

    Graphically, the game is Cartoony and colorful, the graphical aspect at times feels a little cliche. That really isn't a bad thing though, all things considered. The terrain is wonderfully detailed and constructed, feeling varied and exciting. However, character models, while certainly not awful, are severely lacking - particularly your own, who you do have to watch stare mutely at various NPCs during the cutscenes that litter the game. The fighting is great fun to watch, and I must say, the kill cams when you manipulate fate are a treat to see.

    The sound is nice, if unobtrusive. Music is very beautiful and fitting, but relatively sparse. The sound effects are nice as well, blending in well, with no obvious annoying noises sticking out. Where the game sags a little is the voice acting. Most of it is actually very good, but the accents chosen are horrifically corny. All the gnomes have that terrible Olde British sound that has been an RPG staple for years. The thing is, that sound has worn off by now, and many other voices fall prey to the same trap.

    The menus are a little clunky on the PC, and having seen some console gameplay, it is clear that the game was designed with consoles in mind, with their button mapping being much cleaner. You CAN rebind keys on the PC at least, which is a plus.

    Now for the story. This is something you will have to decide yourself. I personally enjoy it, although it doesn't live up to something like Deus Ex: Human Revolution. However, I do not believe there is any way someone could legitimately call it inept, or terrible. Either way, the thing to take away is that the story is not what drives the game, and if you like it, hey! Bonus points!

    The nice thing about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is that it is huge. You could probably spend 200 hours on this game without repeating yourself if you were thorough, and the main quest alone, while I have not completed it, is shaping up to be at least 50-60 hours long.
    It is technically open world, but the level scaling does mean that certain places are unbelievably dangerous to head into too early on. It also works more like separate map chunks linked by thin passages, but if you were to take away the maps of the game, nobody would notice the difference. I would have liked to see more enemy variety though. Each area seems to have two or three staple enemies, which sometimes gets a little old.

    The bottom line is, there are several rough spots in Kingoms of Amalur: Reckoning that mar an otherwise incredible game. While it may not be objectively as good as something like Skyrim, it is different enough to certainly warrant your time. The good far outweighs the mediocre in this amazing game from Big Huge studios. I would give it an 8.5 out of ten, but Metacritic requires whole number ratings, and this game is deserving of more than an 8.    … Expand
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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.
  24. stimpack99
    Feb 11, 2012
    9
    Finally an RPG without stupid automated bot controlled mmo'ified COMBAT. I've been waiting for videogames to get back to being games and not movies! This game was made FOR ME. Someone who has been disappointed with the so called "rpgs" of the last 10 years which catered to the reflexless and skill-less masses who only want pretty movies rendered on their consoles and PC's and theFinally an RPG without stupid automated bot controlled mmo'ified COMBAT. I've been waiting for videogames to get back to being games and not movies! This game was made FOR ME. Someone who has been disappointed with the so called "rpgs" of the last 10 years which catered to the reflexless and skill-less masses who only want pretty movies rendered on their consoles and PC's and the gameplay can take a backseat.

    The team behind Kingdoms of Amalur gets what gaming is about - doing things and being in control, not about watching movies. The most important part of the game - the combat, beats most RPG's that have come out over the last 10 years. While KoA (kingdoms of Amalur) is rough around the edges in terms of story and quests, the battle, loot and crafting systems are great and have even more potential in a sequel. I absolutely loved the arena section of the game and being able to have townhouses where you stash your items. If you love videogames you have to buy this game so a sequel gets made to fix the rough edges of this gem in the rough. If the game had more time in development it could have smoothed out the rough edges for story types, but as a videogame it is a must to buy to make sure more actual games get made and not stupid bot driven combat cutting out the gameplay for conveyor-belting you through a story as other RPG's and MMO's have all become over the last 10 years. The combat system makes all other MMO type RPG's look like games for skill-less and reflexless retards. Kingdoms of Amalur gets back to basics for videogames after 10 long years of automated combat.    … Expand
  25. Hannar
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Amazing quest structure and lore. Engaging and addictive combat. The world is beautifully designed. Controller integration is flawless and helps the game feel fast paced. I'm about 50 hours in right now and absolutely loving the game. Some of the skills are unbalanced and need tweaking, but this is a phenomenal first effort from 38 Studios/Big Huge Games in the Amalur world.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. Vatolicious
    Mar 16, 2012
    9
    This is the most fun game Ive played in 10 years. I am not saying its the best game ever, but its FUN! There is nothing quite like it out there. Its got plenty of flaws, but its fun its just fun! If you want a great hack n slash game, than this is for you. Its like fable x3, with tons and tons of loot, a crafting system and soooo many ways to multiclass! A fantastic play! Here is a videoThis is the most fun game Ive played in 10 years. I am not saying its the best game ever, but its FUN! There is nothing quite like it out there. Its got plenty of flaws, but its fun its just fun! If you want a great hack n slash game, than this is for you. Its like fable x3, with tons and tons of loot, a crafting system and soooo many ways to multiclass! A fantastic play! Here is a video review I did: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlQ2e6g9TIM… Expand
  29. 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.
  30. Honorcrown
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    Gorgeous artwork! And it's super easy to get started...and hooked. I've been playing all night. It's a terrific game to share with family and friends.
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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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