Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning brings back to our day a marvelous RPG but instead of remaking it, this remaster adds some improvements to the original formula, rather than trying to rejuvenate its appearance. The result, which includes all the original game's extra content, is an effort whose gameplay experience fits perfectly today, and whose frantic combat and vast world to explore will captivate both the players who know the original and those discovering it now.

The idea of the open world RPG has greatly expanded over the last several years, and it’s perhaps that aspect where Kingdoms of Amalur has lost a bit of shine. But I think there’s a certain charm to its big-but-not-too-big areas, and the impressive amount of polish and high quality of the creative components combined with the satisfying combat make for a solid adventure that will keep you busy for quite a while.

Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning comes to Nintendo Switch with a great conversion that maintains the type regardless of how we play, becoming an ideal option to meet or rediscover this fantasy action RPG.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning finally arrives on Nintendo Switch with a good porting.

The Switch version is as good as the others when it comes to content, and even if some compromises have to be accepted, the possibility to enjoy this underrated action RPG on the go is a very welcome one. Give it a try.

On Nintendo Switch, Kingdom of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is the perfect example of a successful port. Complete on cartridge, and very technically correct, failing to really offer the (mysterious) graphic improvements of the remaster, the title now in the hands of Kaiko is ready to welcome Nintendo players for the first time. As such, it becomes only essential, especially when no bad surprise comes to spoil the party.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning on Nintendo Switch is a decent remastering effort of a game that, while largely excellent for its time, hasn’t aged flawlessly. Some of this is the unavoidable battering of time, but other things, such as the lack of a target lock, feel like improvements that could have, and should have, been implemented. Approaching Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning from an entirely modern perspective, therefore, will likely lead to some frustration. However, if you can put yourself in the necessary headspace, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is an enthralling, though flawed, adventure that perfectly encapsulates a very specific era in game design history.

How much you get out of Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is really going to depend on what you expect from it. It’s a familiar fantasy action RPG, but comforting in that familiarity and easy to just lose yourself in. It may have been overshadowed by the games that have followed in its footsteps in the decade since Reckoning first came out, and Open World: The Game has well overstayed its welcome by now, but Kingdoms of Amalur finds the right balance of simple fun and routine yet satisfying RPG loops to make that format work, even today.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning hasn't aged well when it comes to its presentation, and while the core of the game makes it quite playable, its less impressive elements prevent it from being a must-play if players missed it in 2012. It's not a bad title - the foundation of the game is too good, even years later, for that - but it's lost some of its greatness over time, and for those who haven't experienced it before, it seems like it might be difficult to discern why people enjoyed it back then. Old fans of Kingdoms of Amalur will no doubt enjoy revisiting it on Nintendo Switch, which is the best way to experience it given its smooth processing and portability - but it's a tougher sell for newcomers, who will have to decide if a now-by-the-book RPG experience is worth it for a still-excellent story.

If you are looking for a massive, portable RPG adventure, the existence of alternative (and arguably better) experiences in the form of Skyrim, Divinity: Original Sin II and The Witcher 3 mean that unless you are an absolute fantasy fiend you'd likely be better served elsewhere. Of course, if you've already scoured these games to their limits, and are inclined to really push into this genre, then Re-Reckoning, especially at its reasonable RRP, would be worth your investment.

Despite being labeled a remaster, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning shows signs of its age and rocky development history. It has enough qualities to appeal to fans of western RPGs, but only if you’ve already played the better options available.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a rather barebones revamp of a cult classic action RPG that's really beginning to show its age in many respects. The core combat here is still strong stuff, crunchy hack and slash action with plenty of flexibility and variety in how you go about decking out your character, but it's also surrounded by a world and story that are very much of their time. Fans of the original game will no doubt enjoy what is a mostly fine Switch port, but there so many other, more modern RPG experiences available at this point on Nintendo's console that everyone else should perhaps approach with a measure of caution.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a game boasting a classic fantasy feel with an addicting gameplay loop that some players may find themselves enticed by. The narrative will be the biggest draw for some, but I was too distracted by the dull combat and dated presentation to really care. The Switch allows fans to bring this fantasy on the go, but new players should do their best to understand what they’re getting themselves into.