Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 402 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 275 out of 402
  2. Mixed: 88 out of 402
  3. Negative: 39 out of 402
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  1. lsrngb
    Apr 6, 2012
    4
    Based on 55hrs of game play. I was really excited about this game, and I probably would have rated it about 8.0 after 10 or so hours, but that number seemed to continue going down the longer I played. The main issue with the game is that I don't find it immersive, I want a sense of wonder from my games, and this game did not have that. I can't find any compelling reason to finish the game.Based on 55hrs of game play. I was really excited about this game, and I probably would have rated it about 8.0 after 10 or so hours, but that number seemed to continue going down the longer I played. The main issue with the game is that I don't find it immersive, I want a sense of wonder from my games, and this game did not have that. I can't find any compelling reason to finish the game. The game world feels plastic, the side quests feel like tacked on fetch quests, and I just don't care about the story. The game is very repetitive with quests and with combat. It felt very constraining to be able to unlock many different skills, yet only be able to use 4 at a time. At first, this destiny system seemed it would allow to create the kind of player that you want, but in reality it is much more constraining than many other RPGs. The ability to only use two weapons also seemed to put be constraints on play style. It was a very cumbersome process if you wanted to say use 1 magic weapon, one melee weapon, and a bow. Also, the most useful fighting method in the game is to merely spam the melee weapon button. Stealth is useless. The bow is also pretty pitiful, and many of the magic abilities you can't use much latter in the game because they have very long casting times, and because the enemies attack relentlessly it renders much of the magic useless. Therefore you just use melee, over and over and over. There are also camera angle issues. The game can be pretty, but mostly you just see the ground behind your character. I don't want to look at the ground the time when I could be looking at beautiful vistas.
    This game also does too much hand holding. You never have to search for a quest, you never stumble into a quest from a random dialog with an NPC. Amalur puts an exclamation point over the head of any NPC with a quest, so there is no point to explore and talk to anyone else. Also the dialog you need to choose is always the first option, and is highlighted. Dungeons are also too formulaic. They almost always have a circular shape so you can't get lost. Two days ago I had an epiphany when I realized that this game had become a chore to play. I was trying to finish it solely because I had spent money on pre-odering it. (oh, the pre-order bonuses were worthless. Do not PAY for them. You will have better equipment after about 8-10 hours.) I took the game and traded it in without finishing it...and I feel free. It's a game that I am happy to be rid of and sorry I wasted as much time as i did on it. Some of you may love this game..anyways this is my view.    … Expand
  2. gehirnspasti
    Feb 29, 2012
    4
    First off, I was SUPER EXCITED for this game. All the interviews and pre-release footage made me hope for an RPG that was as good as Skyrim in story, atmosphere and open-world gameplay, yet with refined action combat so that the countless hours I was gonna spend playing would be fun and, most importantly, challenging. But this game turned out to be a letdown. I'm 50 hours in and haveFirst off, I was SUPER EXCITED for this game. All the interviews and pre-release footage made me hope for an RPG that was as good as Skyrim in story, atmosphere and open-world gameplay, yet with refined action combat so that the countless hours I was gonna spend playing would be fun and, most importantly, challenging. But this game turned out to be a letdown. I'm 50 hours in and have absolutely no desire to finish this game anymore. When I first started my new game I was incredibly motivated to keep playing, explore the world and do as much sidequests as possible. The combat is fast, fluid and really felt like, well, combat (as opposed to e.g. Skyrim). The skill system seemed fine and I very much enjoyed the first 15 hours of the game as rogue, hacking, slashing and backstabbing my enemies. I also appreciate that both rogue and warrior have access to magic. The abilities are fun and fit well into the playstyle of each class. The cartooney style of the world isn't exactly 'beautiful', but it worked for me, granted the size of the game I didn't care all that much about graphics. To this point I was happy I bought the game. As I continued playing though, I noticed how the game wasn't increasing in difficulty. Sure, I could still pull off sick combos to make the combat more fun, but it really would've been enough to just mash the square/triangle buttons the whole time. To spice things up a little I decided to reset my skills and tried out different classes. At this point, as I realised how easy COMPLETELY overhauling your character is, and how you wouldnt have to face any consequences, like being a really weak warrior when you were a mage before, I started to lose interest in my character. Usually you care about your character in an RPG and about the decisions you make, but in this game, where you have absolutely no disadvantages for doing whatever the hell you like, this is not the case. There is no reason for you to really commit to this game, and this is what really bugs me. We were promised a "hardcore open world RPG with fast action combat", but what we got is a mediocre button masher that has RPG elements like an open world, lots of quests and skill trees. These RPG elements however are so badly put together, that this can't be called a real RPG. Let's take a look at each aspect more closely:
    The world: It's big, more or less open, has capital cities and lots of dungeons. Exploring it might be fun at first, but as the world isn't fully open (like Skyrim) and you're unable to jump, you cant scale cool structures you might come across or get into really secret places, which ruins the overall experience. Other than loads of random loot, of which only about 5% are useful, there is no real reward in exploring. Even finding set pieces becomes annoying as they are very frequent and often pretty useless (also there are basically no item requirements, another reason why not to care about your character and equipment). The world quickly gets boring, as every big area is divided into 5 to 8 smaller areas which basically look all the same. There are forests, plains, a canyon/desert and the obligatory dark/evil final-boss-area.
    Quests: Meaningless. That's probably the most accurate word to describe it. I appreciate how every NPC got its own little backstory and the voice acting is mediocre to good (the facial animations were truly terrible though). But the quests they give are always, ALWAYS, "get that thing out of that dungeon", "kill these guys" or "talk to that guy". The quest rewards are usually the same garbage you find when exploring and collecting random loot, so no point in delving into the storylines and paying attention to what's actually happening. The skill system: At first glance it might appear deep. As you continue playing, however, you quickly realise there is no depth at all and you'll quickly have reached the final talent in your tree not even halfway through the game. Getting your ultimate would feel like a huge accomplishment in any other RPG, not so in KoA. It sure is fun to use those talents at first, and you're very powerful when doing so (too powerful even), but it's impossible to care even the slightest about them, as you can reset your skills as you please. What disappointed me most, is that there is an OUTRAGEOUS imbalance between each skill tree. While it was fun to play rogue, playing a mage is so absurdly easy, that it's almost insulting to call this a video game. Even on the highest difficulty there is no challenge whatsoever. If you're not completely dull, you won't die, and as mage you'll one-shot downright everything. When I play an RPG, I want challenge, depth and a character I care about. KoA has none of these. It looked very promising, as it was supposed to breathe new life into the genre with its refined combat, but this game is nothing but a HUGE disappointment. 4 points for the fun start and how the game runs almost without bugs/glitches whatsoever.    … Expand
  3. Schuback
    Apr 2, 2012
    4
    Kingdoms of Amalur is an extremely boring chore. Though not the worst rpg, it lacks the one thing that makes an awesome rpg, the immersion. The story elements and npcs are a letdown and there is nothing in this game that actually stands out. Nothing!! While ithe game offers a huge map, it is not entirely an open-world as the story paths are highly linear. Character customisation isKingdoms of Amalur is an extremely boring chore. Though not the worst rpg, it lacks the one thing that makes an awesome rpg, the immersion. The story elements and npcs are a letdown and there is nothing in this game that actually stands out. Nothing!! While ithe game offers a huge map, it is not entirely an open-world as the story paths are highly linear. Character customisation is limited, there isn't any memorable moments in quests and while npcs have lots to say, they are very generic and lack any form of personality.. There's not much decision making involved in the story and therefore you don't have to listen and understand all the long conversations. You will likely skip them too as they are so monotonous and dull. While some people think the gameplay makes up for these infuriating flaws, in actual fact, the gameplay is like God of War, meaning repetitive hack-and-slash as you fight swarms of enemies in your path. Good if you're into that kind of stuff, otherwise this will be a chore for you. KoAR holds so much potential but instead chooses to be mediocre in a wide range of area withought being good in any of them. NO THANK YOU!! I've fallen for their marketing ploy and am here to tell you, turn back now!!… Expand
  4. Dominii
    Mar 21, 2012
    3
    Background: Purchased the game, but decided to try the demo before opening. Subsequently, I returned it. Review: The combat is what Skryim should have had; it's fun, fast, responsive. This game takes the steps that RPGs need to take in gameplay; it's not revolutionary, just improved. The story, however, is lazy. It's a mediocre jRPG story from NES or SNES set to PS2 graphics. To top itBackground: Purchased the game, but decided to try the demo before opening. Subsequently, I returned it. Review: The combat is what Skryim should have had; it's fun, fast, responsive. This game takes the steps that RPGs need to take in gameplay; it's not revolutionary, just improved. The story, however, is lazy. It's a mediocre jRPG story from NES or SNES set to PS2 graphics. To top it off, the characters and dialogue aren't at all interesting. If you've haven't been gaming for long, you'll find this interesting. If you started gaming on NES or SNES, or have played a fair few RPGs, then skip this altogether, or wait to get it used.… Expand
  5. Desdicado
    Feb 22, 2012
    3
    The most comical thing on here is CMPNs review of the game, it's been lifted straight from the advertising blurb and pasted to the reviews of Amalur on all 3 platforms and it's the only thing he's reviewed, suspicious much? Anyway, I've played the full game a bit longer now, probably for 10 hours and have given up. It gets old fast, repetitive questing, that hemmed in feeling, out datedThe most comical thing on here is CMPNs review of the game, it's been lifted straight from the advertising blurb and pasted to the reviews of Amalur on all 3 platforms and it's the only thing he's reviewed, suspicious much? Anyway, I've played the full game a bit longer now, probably for 10 hours and have given up. It gets old fast, repetitive questing, that hemmed in feeling, out dated cartoon graphics and that oh so annoying lack of being able to get over tiny obstacles, how hard would it be to let me JUMP! and the fact I just stand there during cut scenes, not doing or saying anything, anyway, I give up. I'm not playing it again. Back to Skyrim until ME3 comes out.… Expand
  6. msbungle
    Feb 8, 2012
    3
    I really wanted to like this game, but obviously I didn't. Just remember that all reviews are written from a perspective. My perspective is someone who mainly plays MMO's, Sims and Elder Scrolls on the PC. So if you are a pc-gamer such as myself, then this review may have merit - if you hate and abhor all things PC-gaming, then feel free to ignore the rest of this. Or maybe, as othersI really wanted to like this game, but obviously I didn't. Just remember that all reviews are written from a perspective. My perspective is someone who mainly plays MMO's, Sims and Elder Scrolls on the PC. So if you are a pc-gamer such as myself, then this review may have merit - if you hate and abhor all things PC-gaming, then feel free to ignore the rest of this. Or maybe, as others have said, you have nothing else better to play right now and so this may be good for you too.

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

    And I'm sure there will be the naysayers so let me show you a few comparisons:
    In KOA you wake up and don't know your history (every elder scrolls game), and then you have to fight your way out of this "dungeon" area (Oblivion) all while being shown the finer points of the game. One of the first things I found after leaving the dungeon and continuing on with the story was a stone alter. When I clicked it, I got a buff (elder scrolls). I'm not sure why so many people care so much about whether this game "beats" Skyrim or not though. It's not like Salvatore or Shilling are going to pay you for kissing their butts and neither is anyone at EA. They will just continue to take your money! If you are on the fence about this game, I would say wait a few months until it goes on sale on Steam and then pick it up.    … Expand
  7. death-dismantle
    Nov 18, 2013
    0
    This game is by far the worst game I have ever played. Graphics are plain ,ugly and utterly revolting. Gameplay is repetitive simply mash and dodge. Sound is horrible all the npc voices are horrendous the hits have no impact and feel like hitting a pillow and there are some reused assets from dragon age another terrible game. Story is pointless and boring. If you are searching for a realThis game is by far the worst game I have ever played. Graphics are plain ,ugly and utterly revolting. Gameplay is repetitive simply mash and dodge. Sound is horrible all the npc voices are horrendous the hits have no impact and feel like hitting a pillow and there are some reused assets from dragon age another terrible game. Story is pointless and boring. If you are searching for a real action rpg look towards Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, or Dragon's Dogma or just play Shadow of the Colosuss which are far better games. All in all avoid at all costs.… Expand
  8. the_blueprint
    Dec 18, 2013
    4
    I stopped this game after hours off gameplay. The game is very long but it's always the same. It's very very very repetitive and if there's a story to keep you going that helps but the story isn't very interesting. What's worse is that the world isn't interesting, the world never feels engaging, never feels real and never sucks you in. Another disappointment because this was supposed to beI stopped this game after hours off gameplay. The game is very long but it's always the same. It's very very very repetitive and if there's a story to keep you going that helps but the story isn't very interesting. What's worse is that the world isn't interesting, the world never feels engaging, never feels real and never sucks you in. Another disappointment because this was supposed to be a good rpg for a noob like me.… Expand
  9. reb101
    May 24, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game has a very interesting concept of coming back to life and being able to change fate. Though I just could not get into the storyline at all. R.A. Salvatore is one of my all time favorite fantasy writers. Though for some reason this game did not draw me in at all. I was bored many time trying to find something very interesting. The NPC also don't take in consideration that I have met a before when they send me there. Like I was already good with the fay and then the main quest sends me to talk to them too, as if I have never met them before.… Expand
  10. Abrissbirne
    Jun 5, 2013
    3
    When i first saw Gameplay from this game, i was kind of intrigued by the combat system and thought it had lots of depth (which it hasnt, all you need to do is press one button). Also i expected an immersive story and a world i would get drawn into. I actually havent had an RPG/MMO yet which i didnt like (apart from Godhand, which was great, but also a game breaking bug which prevented meWhen i first saw Gameplay from this game, i was kind of intrigued by the combat system and thought it had lots of depth (which it hasnt, all you need to do is press one button). Also i expected an immersive story and a world i would get drawn into. I actually havent had an RPG/MMO yet which i didnt like (apart from Godhand, which was great, but also a game breaking bug which prevented me from contiuing). Maybe i have played too many PC games in the last months, but this game is ugly and uninspired. It felt a lot like a WOW Rippoff. It looks like a PS2 game at times and the monster types are plain boring and it seems like there are only a couple of different monsters anyway. Also i could have finished the main story in 12 hours or less and when i realized that the game will be over soon, i did some sidequest which were just as boring as WOW type missions where you get something at point b and you bring it back to point a.
    I finished it in 19 hours couldnt care about anything that happened and was pissed off that i wasted the time to even play this game. When i tried to do a sidequest sth about a Witchking, i killed the quest mobs on the main mission, because had to be in the area and when i did the sidequest, they didnt spawn and i couldnt get the key i needed), i experienced a bug that didnt let me finish the quest and that was the only way to obtain a really powerful weapon unless i would decide to grind in an offline game to get it with a random drop. There is one thing i hate and thats not being able to complete something. After that i couldnt care about sidequest since this could have happened again. The main story was predictable and boring, seriously i have never cared less about a protagonist and his friends. I prefer a freaking CoD or Barbie Game Story over this crap. The final letdown was the "big reveal" where this elf woman talks to you and i pressed on the runestone thing and i couldnt hear what she said (not that i cared at this point, i wanted the game to be over), because this runestone started to talk as well and you couldnt hear a thing of what she was saying. Great design choice! Almost as good as game breaking sidequests and the least immersive world i have ever seen. At least the crafting and blacksmithing could have been fun, if you like to grind for the best parts or you use quicksave which isnt available on the PS3 and 360. Good thing this studio got shut down, the MMO they planned would have tanked hard.

    I can recommend this game to anyone, i have played at least 50 RPGs that are a million times better than this crap. Actually the PS2 alone might have 50 RPGs that are better and more inspiring than this game.    … Expand
  11. Monkeystrummer
    Aug 19, 2012
    4
    Had i written this review based on the first 10hrs of playing, i would have likely given it a 9 going on ten. The trouble is, the further into the game i get, the less enchanted it becomes. This is Because of one very important issue... The gameplay is far, far too easy! The quests consist of follow the BIG yellow circle on the map, fight, collect or steal whatever you have been sent toHad i written this review based on the first 10hrs of playing, i would have likely given it a 9 going on ten. The trouble is, the further into the game i get, the less enchanted it becomes. This is Because of one very important issue... The gameplay is far, far too easy! The quests consist of follow the BIG yellow circle on the map, fight, collect or steal whatever you have been sent to do and then follow the yellow circle again, normally back to where you started, to get your reward... When I started out, there were occasions when I found myself challenged by some of the fights, on some occasions... my character even died!! Not anymore!! My character is so overpowered now, It is almost impossible for me to die! My red energy bar barely depletes and ifit does, it regenerates before I even notice it had gone down. There are some nice features to the game. Weapon crafting and sagecrafting is nice, but this feature makes buying stuff pretty much redundant. The landscape is purty and the monsters are nicely drawn. Its just a pity they are stupid due to their dumb AI The battles follow the same pattern, mash square, occasionally use circle to dodge or if you want a bit of variety, hold triangle to fire off some arrows. There are no tactics as such or strategy when fighting different monsters.
    It is sad how far from my favour this game has fallen because, to begin with, i loved it to bits! Now i am not even sure I can be bothered completing it as it is just a huge, HUGE game of the same easy fights over and over and over and the same easy quests over and over again.
    Do yourself favour and wait for Baldurs Gate Enhanced Edition this September    … Expand
  12. MaxPayneIsGod
    Oct 2, 2018
    4
    6 years old and it shows. Boring, wide-open areas. Boring button-mashing, one dimensional combat. Boring repetitive fetch-quest mission structure.
    Washed out, blurry graphics. Uninteresting Lore.
    Needed more time in development. Needed to be more focused. Needed to be smaller. Needed more direction. To put it bluntly, don't play it. Not now, it simply doesn't hold up, on any level,    6 years old and it shows. Boring, wide-open areas. Boring button-mashing, one dimensional combat. Boring repetitive fetch-quest mission structure.
    Washed out, blurry graphics. Uninteresting Lore.
    Needed more time in development.
    Needed to be more focused.
    Needed to be smaller.
    Needed more direction.
    To put it bluntly, don't play it. Not now, it simply doesn't hold up, on any level, to games coming out today and it doesn't even hold up to older RPGs from 2012.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best PS3 Game of 2012
16
#16 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2012
25
#25 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 34 Critic Reviews

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