Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 466 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 331 out of 466
  2. Mixed: 89 out of 466
  3. Negative: 46 out of 466
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  1. Desdicado
    Feb 7, 2012
    3
    I really wanted to love this game because I love R A Salvatores books. I've played RPGs since the late 80s so love the genre. Unfortunately the game doesn't live up to the hype. I really really dislike the cartoony graphics, they look 5 years out of date. The quests are repetitive, go here kill that, go there kill that over and over. The skill trees are ok, but they've been done in similarI really wanted to love this game because I love R A Salvatores books. I've played RPGs since the late 80s so love the genre. Unfortunately the game doesn't live up to the hype. I really really dislike the cartoony graphics, they look 5 years out of date. The quests are repetitive, go here kill that, go there kill that over and over. The skill trees are ok, but they've been done in similar ways in countless games. The cut scenes are poor, your character just stands there staring of into the distance not reacting. There are no consequences to your actions so it doesnt feel like a living world. Bows are broken, you can't aim. All guards know when you've done something psychically which I hate. You can't jump, even over small things. it's not open, just interlinked blocks of space, the only good thing is the combat which is fun and well executed. Lets hope KOAR 2 is way more polished. Oh and the weapons degrade which I don't like either!… Expand
  2. Polar
    Feb 7, 2012
    0
    This giant corridor maze is not an "open world" in the slightest. Look, but don't touch applies to 75% of the terrain areas you see. You can't jump, and the use of invisible walls is absurdly gratuitous. They are everywhere where they shouldn't be. It's getting a 0 due to the fact that it is being falsely advertised as an "Open World Game." Add the fact of how it rips off other games inThis giant corridor maze is not an "open world" in the slightest. Look, but don't touch applies to 75% of the terrain areas you see. You can't jump, and the use of invisible walls is absurdly gratuitous. They are everywhere where they shouldn't be. It's getting a 0 due to the fact that it is being falsely advertised as an "Open World Game." Add the fact of how it rips off other games in graphics, and combat. You have your self a below mediocre game.… Expand
  3. musicgamer
    Feb 14, 2012
    3
    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 this games release!!!!..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 this 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, mostly collecting useless loot-items 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 other then hitting attack, attack, attack!. You walk a few steps before you have to repeat the same action by attacking everything in your way, but without any real challenge, as enemies fall very easily... I actually just run past them now!...Within a few hours play the gameplay in KoA:R does start to become action repetitive, actually very repetitive!!! . This is made worse as KoA:R lacks any real challenge, or required skill, or even discovering enemy weak-points which could have made fighting more varied and interesting. There are many attack options at your disposal, but are not actually required, as you can get through wave after wave of enemies using one same technique with ease. I do find it rather stupid for a game of this sort, that annoyingly, you remain on flat ground!! You can't jump freely or even over anything!. Because of this stupidity!, you are forced to walk around everything just to reach a place you can see 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 or walk around everything just to reach there. 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, is rather flat as you don't reach high places, no hills, no mountains, no ladders, no 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 (14+hrs played) and seems fairly generic so-far. Also there seems to be NO consequences to the actions you make!! I slaughtered a whole village(inc guards), yet no-one cared! , nothing happened,!!!..this destroys the feeling for a living game world. There isn't much activity gong on within the villages, and can be quiet and empty in many areas outside villages (so-far!). Cut scenes are poor as 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 rather then making deep choices, figuring out things, making moral choices, discovering secrets and stories that effect game direction, or searching for meaningful items/loots to help progress (everything is just thrown at you without ant real discovering!)...KoA;R has become a rather simplified rpg with its streamlined and overlygeneric style. The game has taken away the depth and development of an involving rpg and has instead made it more an arcade large Hack n Slash game!!! If played games like Skyrim, Mass Effect 2, Dark Souls, Fallout 3, Divinity II:DKS, The Witcher 2 - KoA:R will seem rather bland compared to other better and deeper rpg's out there!!!!… Expand
  4. 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
  5. Dexter
    Mar 18, 2012
    2
    The story of this game is awful and the people dont make me give a little care about the mission, the graphics are childish and too colorful. the sound is awful. the gameplay combat is pretty good - even excellent but there is too much problems in the game for it too be a good game.
  6. Emperorkuzko
    Mar 13, 2012
    3
    There were to many samey side quests. Go here, kill x amount of y and bring back 12 of their such and such. There was never a point where I felt like I needed to continue playing because neither the story nor the gameplay were engrossing enough to continue. The combat is just hammer X to win, the ranged combat is just terrible (I don't know why they thought autolock and replenishing arrowsThere were to many samey side quests. Go here, kill x amount of y and bring back 12 of their such and such. There was never a point where I felt like I needed to continue playing because neither the story nor the gameplay were engrossing enough to continue. The combat is just hammer X to win, the ranged combat is just terrible (I don't know why they thought autolock and replenishing arrows was a good thing.), and I never got into the magic part of it. All in all it was a disappointing game and I really did want to like it but it was just so damn mediocre and bland.… Expand
  7. Ukrutor
    Feb 26, 2012
    2
    Repetitive, boring, no epicness at all, no roleplay at all, main character is boring. The world look like a fairy tale, some locatins look amazing, but still after 20 hours of playing i found no "wow" effect. This is not the way games should be made.
  8. norse
    Apr 21, 2012
    4
    Maybe I did not give it enough time, but I simply couldn't get into the game - I didn't get what I was supposed to do, the dialogues annoyed me and I felt like I ran around aimlessly, killing and looting. Graphics are ok - I think the lack of facial animation and the camera have more to do with why I didn't enjoy that aspect as much as the cartoony shading.
  9. Skawt
    Feb 28, 2012
    2
    Calling Amalur an RPG is kind of an oxymoron, because there is so little depth to the story, the characters, the quests, or the world for that matter. And comparing it to God of War doesnt seem right either, since GOW actually had an entertaining story. I guess it all comes down to whether or not you can forgive KoA's lack of story for its combat and leveling, which are quite good. I couldn't.
  10. gayme3scenes
    Mar 6, 2012
    2
    I....HATE...this game. Where da dragons? I was tol'...dis game...by da commerdacial...dat it gonna be like Skrim. It ain't NOTHING like skrim. Skrim good. Amalura bad. This game ain't worth jack sqauterry! I traded dis game in, for another...My 14th...copy of Skrim. I like Skrim. Good game. Amalura bad. Long story short. Get Madden 12. I whoop yah at Madden.
  11. TheBlipi0
    May 3, 2012
    4
    Well, i sure got sucked into the hype on this one. How could this game not be epic? Sure had all the makings... Rolston, Salvatore and McFarlane...awesome! Well what a clunker this turned out to be... I know this review is pretty far after the fact but I just wanted to add my 2 cents... I'll echo pretty much the same sentiments as the other negative reviewers. The biggest thing....it wasWell, i sure got sucked into the hype on this one. How could this game not be epic? Sure had all the makings... Rolston, Salvatore and McFarlane...awesome! Well what a clunker this turned out to be... I know this review is pretty far after the fact but I just wanted to add my 2 cents... I'll echo pretty much the same sentiments as the other negative reviewers. The biggest thing....it was BORING! By halfway through the game I was skipping all dialogue. The Lore was pretty in depth, and they tried to create an interesting story, but the delivery was painful! The only gesture npc's ever made was an arm sweep across their body, while your character stands there looking like a dumba$$ saying nothing, looking off into space, no expression. The second biggest problem, way WAY too easy.... i'm no gaming master, but even on hard i had no problem whatsoever. Maybe when i was surrounded by 5 priests blasting me with spells, but even then there's no limit on how many health potions you can carry/drink. Because of that i never felt the need to invest time in any sort of smithing or weapon/armour upgrading. It wasn't a completely horrible game though. The combat was fairly enjoyable even if it was just a button mash, you could mix it up enough to keep it entertaining. Being able to totally change your class or "fate" at any time was a nice touch. Also, it was an easy 1000 gamerscore if that kind of thing matters to you. Apparently this game started out as an MMO, it felt like one, empty and lifeless. In the end it also reminded me of another series i hate...Fable, at least Fable games have some personality and emotion. Frankly i'm amazed at the high scores this game got, did all those people actually play it in its entirety? Or did they play it for a few hours and write their reviews? If so i'd like to see what they think of it now. I'm playing Witcher 2 now and what a breath of fresh air that is, it's excellent in every way. Don't wast your time with this one....… Expand
  12. Chuck_Woolery
    Nov 2, 2012
    4
    Complete WEAK SAUCE!

    What kind of crack are the reviewers smoking who say it is "deep" or "complete"? Boring character models, repetitive combat, and a skill level that reminds me of Skylanders: Spyros Adventure for 4-10 year olds. Quests are shallow, getting better gear makes barely a difference. I was dominating everything within a few hours, even on high difficulty. LAME!    Complete WEAK SAUCE!

    What kind of crack are the reviewers smoking who say it is "deep" or "complete"?

    Boring character models, repetitive combat, and a skill level that reminds me of Skylanders: Spyros Adventure for 4-10 year olds. Quests are shallow, getting better gear makes barely a difference. I was dominating everything within a few hours, even on high difficulty. LAME!

    World is not very "open"

    Good points fiction is OK, scope and size good    … Expand
  13. Broyax
    Apr 10, 2017
    4
    ça m'a fait penser à Borderlands : un hack & slash (en mode ultra fantasy bien sûr) qui repose sur une mécanique bien huilée. Armes, arbres de progression, capacités, magie et coups spéciaux, le combat est bien fichu. Et heureusement parce qu'il n'y a que ça. Certes l'emballage fait très jeu de rôle, nombreux dialogues (dans une excellente VF) et un monde qu'on a voulu cohérent et soigné.ça m'a fait penser à Borderlands : un hack & slash (en mode ultra fantasy bien sûr) qui repose sur une mécanique bien huilée. Armes, arbres de progression, capacités, magie et coups spéciaux, le combat est bien fichu. Et heureusement parce qu'il n'y a que ça. Certes l'emballage fait très jeu de rôle, nombreux dialogues (dans une excellente VF) et un monde qu'on a voulu cohérent et soigné. Cependant il ne fait illusion que les premières heures et le vernis s'écaille rapidement.

    L'histoire est nulle, les quêtes sont nulles. On dirait presque un MMO qui est devenu un jeu solo dans l'urgence comme en témoignent les environnements immenses et la patte graphique particulière (on dirait du WOW par moments et pas qu'un peu... voilà qui est fort désagréable). C'est donc très logiquement très répétitif.

    Le studio qui a pondu ce truc s'est cassé la gueule. Bonne nouvelle ma foi, ça l'empêchera de sévir à nouveau.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

55
#55 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
14
#14 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
22
#22 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 71
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 71
  3. Negative: 0 out of 71
  1. GamesBeat
    Apr 11, 2012
    67
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is not all bad, it's just very bland. For a game that was in development for roughly seven years, the different gameplay systems don't seem all that well-thought-out. And perhaps the lengthy development also explains why Amalur brings absolutely nothing fresh to the table. It simply lacks its own identity.
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  2. Xbox World Australia
    Apr 2, 2012
    86
    In terms of laying the groundwork for future iterations, Reckoning does an incredible job of establishing the lore as well as the world of Amalur itself. On the other hand, it fails to dish up a compelling single-player narrative, as the main plotline lacks substance and culminates in an almost cliché boss encounter by today's standards.
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  3. D+PAD Magazine
    Mar 22, 2012
    90
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a hoot to play. It feels like Fable done right, like a third person Skyrim edited to a workable size.
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