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. wafflebott
    Feb 7, 2012
    6
    Game is a single player MMO with Fable-ish graphics. Combat feels a bit like Darksiders but not quite as fun. I feel the Penny Arcade mention was payola-esque in nature, calling this an open world game is like calling an escalator a roller coaster.

    It's an OK game, fine for killing some time. It's great for people who don't want to read any text, as they include color coded *get on with    Game is a single player MMO with Fable-ish graphics. Combat feels a bit like Darksiders but not quite as fun. I feel the Penny Arcade mention was payola-esque in nature, calling this an open world game is like calling an escalator a roller coaster.

    It's an OK game, fine for killing some time. It's great for people who don't want to read any text, as they include color coded *get on with the action* text and everything is fully voiced. But, I find it lacks in character, I'm not particularly attached to any in game character or place and the designers seem to be "embarrassing uncles" on the humor scale.    … Expand
  2. uh-huh
    Feb 7, 2012
    6
    Ignore the fanboys, they'll be out in force for this one, doing all they can to inflate the score. The game is mediocre at best. The graphics are sub-Fable. It suffers from terrible pop up and texture problems. There is literally nothing original on offer. The developers have made the length of the game a major selling point, but when a game is as bland and unmemorable as this one, thatIgnore the fanboys, they'll be out in force for this one, doing all they can to inflate the score. The game is mediocre at best. The graphics are sub-Fable. It suffers from terrible pop up and texture problems. There is literally nothing original on offer. The developers have made the length of the game a major selling point, but when a game is as bland and unmemorable as this one, that quickly becomes another minus. Especially when you realise most of the game is made up of fetch quests. This would have been much better if it had been released in 2005.… Expand
  3. caudill150
    Mar 21, 2012
    5
    I wanted to like this game so bad. I had high hopes for this game, so i went and bought it on launch day. I initially loved it, the combat was great, the story wasnt awful, and the voice acting great. Though as I continued I found that the combat was repetitive, the quests were all the same (basically fetch quests). Maybey this just isnt my kind of game. For right now i think i'llI wanted to like this game so bad. I had high hopes for this game, so i went and bought it on launch day. I initially loved it, the combat was great, the story wasnt awful, and the voice acting great. Though as I continued I found that the combat was repetitive, the quests were all the same (basically fetch quests). Maybey this just isnt my kind of game. For right now i think i'll stick with TES and Dragon age… Expand
  4. Acquiredempire
    Feb 18, 2012
    7
    Decent start to a new RPG game series. Lacking in the story department and ending is lackluster but the combat was fun throughout. Worth the play through but do your self a favor and get it used in a few months.
  5. wellfedup
    Feb 28, 2012
    5
    Just when you think nothing else can go wrong with this game the sound is out of sink, it is like watching the old foreign movies where you see the lips move and a few seconds later there is sound. It is the same for this game. They need to sort this out, if they got rid of all the faults this would be great game.
  6. Comrade_Critic
    Feb 13, 2012
    6
    If you combined the most recent Fable with the first of the Knights of the Old Republic, and took out all the engaging story elements of the latter, you'd fave Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. As an RPG junky, I'll probably play the heck out of this game until Mass Effect 3 comes out, but if you're not as into this genre as I am, this game is not for you. Most disappointing are the characterIf you combined the most recent Fable with the first of the Knights of the Old Republic, and took out all the engaging story elements of the latter, you'd fave Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. As an RPG junky, I'll probably play the heck out of this game until Mass Effect 3 comes out, but if you're not as into this genre as I am, this game is not for you. Most disappointing are the character interaction scenes. They are reminiscent of something on the original Xbox. Just not impressive. There is a kernel of a good game here, but it feels rushed. Only recommended for serious RPG junkies who've already finished Skyrim. Otherwise, just skip.… Expand
  7. krabboss
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    Plays out too much like an MMO. The zones feel like they were ripped out of any given fantasy MMO - just by their layout and content. There are a fair few fetch quests in the game and a lot of simple excuses to just have you clear out a dungeon. The combat is fine, but even on hard the game is very easy. I found it generally took one or two spells to kill most enemies, which is unfortunatePlays out too much like an MMO. The zones feel like they were ripped out of any given fantasy MMO - just by their layout and content. There are a fair few fetch quests in the game and a lot of simple excuses to just have you clear out a dungeon. The combat is fine, but even on hard the game is very easy. I found it generally took one or two spells to kill most enemies, which is unfortunate given the decent combo system in the game. The crafting systems in the game are some of the best I've seen, at least.… Expand
  8. SmittShow
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    I really wanted to like this game because of how much I love RA Salvatore books and how much I love fantasy. The cut scenes are terrible in this game, the lips don't move in sync with the lips all the time and the quests are way to similar to WOW quests, the only reason I suffered through these quests in WOW was because at least I could do them/interact with other people. The game playI really wanted to like this game because of how much I love RA Salvatore books and how much I love fantasy. The cut scenes are terrible in this game, the lips don't move in sync with the lips all the time and the quests are way to similar to WOW quests, the only reason I suffered through these quests in WOW was because at least I could do them/interact with other people. The game play itself is really awesome, it is how they should make future MMO's instead of point and click. I liked how colourful the world was and how big it was but having to constantly move the camera around became annoying very fast. If you aren't done Skyrim yet don't bother picking this up you will end up going back to Skyrim. Not a bad game but very little greatness in it.… Expand
  9. VermillionHaze
    Feb 16, 2012
    6
    I really wanted to like this game. However it's cross promotions with Mass Effect and it's cool art and screens seem to point to a unique and engaging experience. However this is not the case. The actual game is better then mediocre titles like Risen or Eco Draconis but feels extremely lazy and uninspiring compared to any of the genres staples. It's cartoonish look and fable clonedI really wanted to like this game. However it's cross promotions with Mass Effect and it's cool art and screens seem to point to a unique and engaging experience. However this is not the case. The actual game is better then mediocre titles like Risen or Eco Draconis but feels extremely lazy and uninspiring compared to any of the genres staples. It's cartoonish look and fable cloned mechanics leave you wishing they bothered to put more thought into the core gameplay then trying to convince people it's good with flash and theatrics.… Expand
  10. osprey
    Mar 10, 2012
    5
    After playing the demo for this game I was very excited to play this game and chose it over The Darkness 2 to buy even though I had played and LOVED The Darkness 1. At first I thought I had made the right choice but as I continued to play the game I discovered that I wasn't really having any fun. I completed the game, doing all the side quests and faction quests and almost all of theAfter playing the demo for this game I was very excited to play this game and chose it over The Darkness 2 to buy even though I had played and LOVED The Darkness 1. At first I thought I had made the right choice but as I continued to play the game I discovered that I wasn't really having any fun. I completed the game, doing all the side quests and faction quests and almost all of the achievements but it never really became fun. I don't know what was missing, just something very flat about the experience. The combat I will agree was excellent but there was nothing unique about the game. It seemed to be bits and pieces of many better games. In the end I just couldn't imagine paying more for dlc and so traded it in. Sadly , for a game I was so excited to play I felt very let down. I wanted to love it but just couldn't and can't even really say I like it.… Expand
  11. LogicIncarnate
    Feb 23, 2012
    6
    Kingdoms of Amalure: Reckoning is the result of trying to include as much as you can in a game without really focusing on anything in particular. Built as a pre-cursor to a planned MMO, It feels as though a group of people sat around a table and made an honest attempt to build a game that contained â
  12. InformedGamer
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    This is defintely an MMORPG about to happen. It feels like, looks like and plays like World of Warcraft on XBOX without the multiplayer aspect. It doesn't feel like a traditional RPG much, alot of cutscenes and VERY fast paced combat. Feels like Mortal Kombat with some RPG elements thrown in. It's not a bad game, I just wouldn't call it a "real" RPG. This game will just be tweaked andThis is defintely an MMORPG about to happen. It feels like, looks like and plays like World of Warcraft on XBOX without the multiplayer aspect. It doesn't feel like a traditional RPG much, alot of cutscenes and VERY fast paced combat. Feels like Mortal Kombat with some RPG elements thrown in. It's not a bad game, I just wouldn't call it a "real" RPG. This game will just be tweaked and released as an MMO one day. The story was a little lackluster as well. Worth a try but not at $60.… Expand
  13. SkipperPenguin
    Feb 26, 2012
    7
    This is a good game, like some movies are meant to be popcorn films, this is a popcorn game. It is enjoyable, but I have not yet discovered the wealth of choice and change that I had hoped for. Quite the opposite, the story feels pretty directed as if I really have no control over the overall story...I could be wrong, but at this stage (10 hours in) I have not felt in control of the storyline.
  14. MalFet1999
    Apr 25, 2012
    6
    An RPG like KoA:Real should be more than this. The combat is engaging, but becomes repetitive, and fateshifting makes any battle a sinch. Even respecing your character somehow lacks the feeling of true customization. Frankly, I'm underwhelmed by every aspect, but character interactions deserve a special place in gaming hell. Your character looks like it's completely spaced out, and alwaysAn RPG like KoA:Real should be more than this. The combat is engaging, but becomes repetitive, and fateshifting makes any battle a sinch. Even respecing your character somehow lacks the feeling of true customization. Frankly, I'm underwhelmed by every aspect, but character interactions deserve a special place in gaming hell. Your character looks like it's completely spaced out, and always a little surprise by the horizon. Conversation scenes look like someone's class project, constantly recycling the same gestures. There is no feeling of immersion, and for a game of this scope, that's a death sentence in my book. This game could have been a contender, but this isn't horse shoes or hand grenades.… Expand
  15. jthompson
    Feb 8, 2012
    6
    in the first three hours i spent with KoA, my 360 crashed three times. i'm not a big fan of the cartoony look of the game either. also why are all the npc's teeth blue. its very distracting. other than that the combat is fun, but i haven't gotten far enough into the story to know if it will become interesting enough to keep me playing. for the $60 that i spent hoping this game would bein the first three hours i spent with KoA, my 360 crashed three times. i'm not a big fan of the cartoony look of the game either. also why are all the npc's teeth blue. its very distracting. other than that the combat is fun, but i haven't gotten far enough into the story to know if it will become interesting enough to keep me playing. for the $60 that i spent hoping this game would be worth it, i'll keep playing it. i just hope it gets better. so far i'm pretty disappointed. the demo preformed better on my 360 than the final product has which seems a little backwards to me. based on first impressions the best i can give KoA is a 6/10.… Expand
  16. youngzen69
    Feb 8, 2012
    5
    Okay, if one has played the demo one has played this game! I really wanted to like this game. After only 12 hours of playing this game just grudging though boring fetch quest after boring fetch quest hoping that maybe the best is yet to come. I never want to pick this game up and play this game again. Back to Dark Souls for me. This game is all hype and no substance. First, lets start offOkay, if one has played the demo one has played this game! I really wanted to like this game. After only 12 hours of playing this game just grudging though boring fetch quest after boring fetch quest hoping that maybe the best is yet to come. I never want to pick this game up and play this game again. Back to Dark Souls for me. This game is all hype and no substance. First, lets start off with the story. The story is filled with so many unpronounceable words that it is largely forgettable and takes one right out of the experience. Second, if the experience isn't an immersive experience, who cares about game-play. Thirdly, the cut-scenes just felt very uninspired and dead. Fourthly, This game is not a true open world kinda game, nor is it truly linear either. So what do I mean? The main story itself is linear. The story itself will remain static from beginning to ending and nothing u do in the game will changed that. Which is ironic since this game is suppose to be about having no fate. But their are plenty of fetch quest to detour you from the main quest in other directions giving one the iIlusion of an open world. At best this game deserved a 6/10. I am giving it a 5/10… Expand
  17. Sceptic
    Feb 8, 2012
    7
    A decidedly average RPG with not an original idea in sight.The story,touted as the work of Bob Salvatore,is bland.Some gameplay elements such as stealth and crafting are decent,but nothing you haven't done before.The good news is that the game is quite lengthy and the combat system is deep.However,tech issues not withstanding,compared to the truly great RPGs of this generation,namelyA decidedly average RPG with not an original idea in sight.The story,touted as the work of Bob Salvatore,is bland.Some gameplay elements such as stealth and crafting are decent,but nothing you haven't done before.The good news is that the game is quite lengthy and the combat system is deep.However,tech issues not withstanding,compared to the truly great RPGs of this generation,namely Skyrim,Dark Souls,Fallout 3 and Mass Effect,KOA:R is just a bit meh.… Expand
  18. Velendris
    Feb 7, 2012
    6
    I wanted to like this game but there's just so much holding it back, the color palette and graphic design is pretty upsetting. It's like they went through a World of Warcraft filter and picked out the worst color combinations imaginable. And the NPC faces, they make Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion facial animation look good. Along with wrestling with the camera throughout your play session thisI wanted to like this game but there's just so much holding it back, the color palette and graphic design is pretty upsetting. It's like they went through a World of Warcraft filter and picked out the worst color combinations imaginable. And the NPC faces, they make Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion facial animation look good. Along with wrestling with the camera throughout your play session this games leaves much to be desired.… Expand
  19. Auburok
    Feb 12, 2012
    5
    A generic RPG seemingly devoid of the all-star talent they've advertised at every opportunity. Todd McFarlane has either become extremely unimaginative, or produced a few sets of armor and weapons and called it a day. R.A. Salvatore urinated out the most boring dialog I've seen in an RPG. While this game delivers for the first hour or so, it's easily something that loses it's luster. TheA generic RPG seemingly devoid of the all-star talent they've advertised at every opportunity. Todd McFarlane has either become extremely unimaginative, or produced a few sets of armor and weapons and called it a day. R.A. Salvatore urinated out the most boring dialog I've seen in an RPG. While this game delivers for the first hour or so, it's easily something that loses it's luster. The combat is solid enough, with a few skills that are pretty useless since that game can be beat by mashing "A" until everything is dead. This includes the several dozen boss fights that involve the boss summoning ten or so cronies to fight you at the same time. It becomes routine, mechanical, and boring. The lack of variation in character's attire and weapons offers no excitement for acquiring loot. The quest lines leave much to be desired, and are relatively devoid of any interesting elements. Some of the more interesting ones almost seem plucked from Elder Scrolls games of the past, with characters such as the Lord of the Hunt and curses involving such a person. Combat offers many paths, so long as you want to use one of the nine weapons provided. It feels rather limited for a fantasy RPG, to be honest. Many of the abilities provided for each of the classes (finesse, might and sorcery) are ultimately flashy and useless, especially in the games offered "hard mode" where stagger occurs with just about every hit. A majority of the game will be spent mashing that "A" button and guzzling health potions to get through the game, rather than any amount of skill.

    The game doesn't seem to be as free roaming as advertised. A lot of the area is inaccessible and the map leads you to believe it's a lot larger than it is. Unfortunately, a lot of the land if uninspired, and there's not a whole lot to get lost in when exploring. Most exploring will be pushed by quests, rather than wanderlust.

    The game's lore is well established, but the name-dropping by NPCs mid-dialog is intrusive and poorly done. If they are so well known, why haven't I heard about them before this point? While reading in game lore can be amusing, the game relies on it for any sort of feeling of grandeur in your actions, which leaves the player to respond "kay" everytime some random hero of the past is referenced.

    The only redeeming qualities of this game are the high points of the main quest. The main quest is entertaining enough, but there's enough fluff in between the main quest points to bore all but the most bored of players.

    I game with my girlfriend, and this is one of the few games that while looking across each one another's shoulder, we don't have the urge to buy another copy so we can both play.

    Overall, this game is mediocre at best. Those blinded by the promise of a new and interesting experience have clung to that idea, and let the lack of polished content go unnoticed. While this may be enough for some, those looking for a well refined RPG experience may want to wait for Mass Effect, or pick up Skyrim if they haven't already. KoA:R is unfortunately not in a shape that can be spruced up with patches, but rather, a complete retooling of a large chunk of the game.    … Expand
  20. seasley
    Feb 10, 2012
    7
    I really wanted to get into this game, unfortunately, its just not happening. It is obvious that this game started its development as an MMO and thats not a good thing. The world is completely forgettable. The NPCs keep telling my character how important he is but I never get the feeling that I've done anything at all. Its really too bad because this game has so much potential. Its soI really wanted to get into this game, unfortunately, its just not happening. It is obvious that this game started its development as an MMO and thats not a good thing. The world is completely forgettable. The NPCs keep telling my character how important he is but I never get the feeling that I've done anything at all. Its really too bad because this game has so much potential. Its so close to epic and exhilarating. The game is still fun and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a Western RPG with solid gameplay.… Expand
  21. charlius2
    May 24, 2012
    5
    Big colourful world which turns out to be very dull.. A few good moments.. some good combat for a while then becoming monotonous. The characters and story are just not worth investing in. You will have to have the patients of a saint once those cutscenes start to roll for the voice acting and characters are atrocious.. This is a game i can imagine a 10 year old liking.. maybe...
  22. Watermelon789
    Apr 1, 2012
    7
    I was expecting a lot more, KOAR didn't drowned like many forgettable games out there but it's not a impressive game . With visuals like the Fable series, combat similar to Fable and and an interesting world may convince RPG fans. I'm not that person, but I'm fine that I played KOAR. The begining has its hits and miss and the conversations are hilarious , the facial animations of the mainI was expecting a lot more, KOAR didn't drowned like many forgettable games out there but it's not a impressive game . With visuals like the Fable series, combat similar to Fable and and an interesting world may convince RPG fans. I'm not that person, but I'm fine that I played KOAR. The begining has its hits and miss and the conversations are hilarious , the facial animations of the main characters is lifeless and the same description it's the same for the person talking to your avatar. Cartoonish violence filled with gory scenes it's a little bit out of contrast by the reason that everything is cute and out of place. However , if you're eager to try KoA and you want to play something fresh , the game delivers , while not the " perfect " recommendable game, you wont feel "stolen" or disappointed .… Expand
  23. QuiterRaga
    Mar 8, 2012
    7
    A game that has potential to do a lot more, seems like they just took every big name producer and hoped for a smash hit.I look forward for the sequels in the series and hopefully better leveling mechanics.
  24. Sasquatch
    Mar 18, 2012
    7
    This game is awesome. Has a fantastic combat system and an interesting world. But the game gets a bit boring after you beat it. There's so much loot in the game that you can't use because you didn't level it correctly. So it leaves me only caring if it's a certain type of loot with better stats. If not I sell it and move on. It feels like it's missing something, but is well worth buyingThis game is awesome. Has a fantastic combat system and an interesting world. But the game gets a bit boring after you beat it. There's so much loot in the game that you can't use because you didn't level it correctly. So it leaves me only caring if it's a certain type of loot with better stats. If not I sell it and move on. It feels like it's missing something, but is well worth buying it. I see myself returning to it some day soon, but not too soon.… Expand
  25. XerSMMack
    Feb 25, 2012
    7
    My ps3 died with Skyrim in it! In the interim, my wife thought that Valentine's Day would be a good time to cheer me up with a different RPG. I love Schilling and wanted this game to be great, but alas it was not. The combat is the selling point for this game. It is better than most RPG's but a far cry from the likes of GoW and other combat oriented action games. The "open world" is theMy ps3 died with Skyrim in it! In the interim, my wife thought that Valentine's Day would be a good time to cheer me up with a different RPG. I love Schilling and wanted this game to be great, but alas it was not. The combat is the selling point for this game. It is better than most RPG's but a far cry from the likes of GoW and other combat oriented action games. The "open world" is the most frustrating part of this game. You cannot jump and cannot move through many invisible barriers. You must also travel to each new area through a corridor (seriously?) I found the crafting skills to be very pointless as you can do so much more without wasting time on them. This game LACKS HEART and that is the most upsetting. You feel absolutely nothing for your character and even less for any of the NPCs. I have played near 50 hours and have gotten so bored I feel like I need to force myself to pick it up and finish just to get it done. This had a lot of potential and the 'world' of Amalur should survive this first venture, but it had better come back strong next time.… Expand
  26. DreadNoise
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    (BTW my score means NOTHING. Score is in no way more informative than the Review. Read. Now.)
    Kingdoms of Amalur, where o where do i begin. Well let's start with the positive then move onto the worst parts shall we? Alrighty then.
    Ahem, Kingdoms of Amalur has combat that carves our it's own little niche. It IS just that distinct, if you've seen the trailer for the game then you've seen    (BTW my score means NOTHING. Score is in no way more informative than the Review. Read. Now.)
    Kingdoms of Amalur, where o where do i begin. Well let's start with the positive then move onto the worst parts shall we? Alrighty then.
    Ahem, Kingdoms of Amalur has combat that carves our it's own little niche. It IS just that distinct, if you've seen the trailer for the game then you've seen that combat works like a cross between a fighting game and a regular RPG. For instance, ever wanted to use a Greatsword and then immediately switch to Daggers to get a Air combo? You can. And, it's customisible. Oh, what do i mean you ask? Well, what i mean is that the trailer shows NEXT TO NOTHING about just how many different combos you can get, Greatsword airlaunch into Dagger combo is not even scratching the surface, you could spend hours, if not DAYS doing the different combos, so combat will never, ever, get old. Not to mention just how Flexible your character can be, ever wanted to use magic will Pimp slappin' **** with a Hammer? You can! Ever wanted to Shanky-ity Shank people but still able to attack enemies in direct combat without having to run like a **** You can! Ever wanted to be all three types of fighter? (Warrior Rogue Mage) You can!
    One of the other things that makes this game different is the Art style, see, i still to this day play Oblivion. Why? Simple. I like Manga, so playing a game that looks SO MUCH like a cartoon just comes like breathing, and as such my opinion on the Art style is tainted, really, as it's a personal fav that makes me like cartoon art styles. So just watch the Trailer and decide for yourself if you like looking at the game, anyways now i have to, unfortunetly, get on to the WORST this game has to offer.
    Ahem, the environments, they are so god damn unoriginal it HURTS, i played Oblivion and was mesmerised by the sheer beauty of the game because of its sheer simplicity; It doesn't create memorable environments, it creates FAMILIAR environments, because, the way the game was made was that it was a Textbook Fantasy game, and as such, everything you did in the game ment you could be the Hero (Or the Villian) Of a story. Amalur however tries and falls flat on its face when trying to replicate such an iconic theme, what i mean is, Amalur is sooo distant from Textbook fantasy you can't relate to it, but it doesn't go so far as say, Morrwind, in where being in a unfamiliar place with strange people made it GOOD, Amalur does it in such a way that makes it BAD, and as such, the environments (Despite being wonderfully colourful) scuk major ass. Nothing is memorable, and nothing feels like you could relate to it, but not so strongly it was interesting. Now the soundtrack, is decent, now don't get me wrong, i don't hate the music, but i don't like it either. The music fits, but out of context, it would be terrible, and as such, that's my opinion of it; Good in game bad outside of it. And one thing i'd like to mention is that the Title screen theme for the game sounds like Spiderman. Seriously. SPIDERMAN.
    Oh, yes, lets talk about the Characters. Now, again, don't get me wrong, there are interesting Characters at every turn, BUT THAT'S JUST THE PROBLEM. They try TOO hard to make interesting Characters. For instance, in the very first town in the game, you meet this woman that is waiting for her Husband to come home from the war that's going on. But while out exploring you find; gasp; a Death Notice that says that her Husband died. And when you tell her, she says, and i kid you not, "Oh my hubby has returned to me! Thank you!". Yep, as it turns out, she was waiting for his Death Notice; Not him. While yes, this seems at first like all the side quests are good, no, there not. For instance, one can get tired of the Royal treatment very, very quickly in this game, you could get emotionally invested in this character, only for you to have to say Goodbye 10 minutes later. It's frustrating when every GOOD character, every character that you can actually feel emotions towards, just gets benched 5 minutes afterwards. Why couldn't they have, i don't know, maybe, HAVE THESE CHARACTERS CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLOT AFTER YOU DO A SIDE QUEST FOR THEM! Geez, what a missed opportunity 38.
    Now onto the story, the Main story falls flat on it's face as it is generic, with no real reason to do it beside just to get those Achievement points and "Advance the plot". HA! Like it was that good.
    Overall i have to say that if you want a game to play, get this game. It's pure fun spoiled just by the stupid plot and bland environments. BUT, if you want another Mass Effect, then look elsewhere.    … Expand
  27. Captiosus
    Feb 7, 2012
    6
    Are the "professional reviewers" playing the same game I am? Because giving this game marks as high as Skyrim is ridiculous. The menu and dialog system is clunky and obtrusive, graphically the game's backgrounds look great but the character models look like they were made back in 2007. The music is decent, but nowhere near the same level as work by other composers for RPGs or MMOs (such asAre the "professional reviewers" playing the same game I am? Because giving this game marks as high as Skyrim is ridiculous. The menu and dialog system is clunky and obtrusive, graphically the game's backgrounds look great but the character models look like they were made back in 2007. The music is decent, but nowhere near the same level as work by other composers for RPGs or MMOs (such as Blizzard's Russell Brower or Jeremy Soule) , and the sound effects range from so-so to ear grating. Texture pop in and texture glitches abound, the draw distance is absolutely horrid, the plot has been terribly disjointed, and the God of War-meets-Fable style of arcade-y combat gameplay rewards melee combat heavily over ranged and magic. The world isn't an "open world" format, it's an open area where players are limited to exploring specific areas with copious amounts of load time transitions between designated areas. ||| There is enough here for me to rate it slightly above average and keep me interested in the future of 38Studios and Big Huge Games, but compared to other games in the genre it's not worthy of an 8, 9 or 10 score. Ultimately, this is a game people might play for a month to tide them over and then trade it in so they can pick up Mass Effect 3. Aside: Now watch as all the fanboys come out to rate down this review because truth hurts. 12 hours in and I'm already deathly bored of the "great combat system". Oh, sure, I can make another class or build my class a different way - only to play essentially the same way. The game is mediocre and will NEVER be remembered in the same league as Bioware's or Bethesda's WRPGs. It's "Too Human", all over again: Lots of hype, lots of chest pounding, and ultimately forgettable.… Expand
  28. HarryManback
    Feb 10, 2012
    7
    The game is decent if you like loot based games. After beating the game I can say that the story is marginal at best. It lacks anything that would differentiate itself from other fantasy stories. The combat is solid but it will get monotonous after a while no matter what kind of build you make.

    If you come into this game expecting a deep story that will keep you interested, you will    The game is decent if you like loot based games. After beating the game I can say that the story is marginal at best. It lacks anything that would differentiate itself from other fantasy stories. The combat is solid but it will get monotonous after a while no matter what kind of build you make.

    If you come into this game expecting a deep story that will keep you interested, you will probably be let down. But if you come into this game knowing that it is all about the loot, you are going to have some fun. This game is suited best to people that enjoy Diablo 2 and Borderlands. I was only able to really enjoy it for one play through but that is just me, your mileage may vary.    … Expand
  29. Loonestar
    Feb 13, 2012
    7
    Pretty decent for what it is: an awkward hybrid of Fable, Dragon Age and Oblivion. The world is beautiful, but can feel claustrophobic when you run into invisible barriers. There is freedom to explore and pursue countless quests, but none of them feel important and while fun, the combat soon becomes repetitious and boring. Basically, every feature of the game, from story, to combat toPretty decent for what it is: an awkward hybrid of Fable, Dragon Age and Oblivion. The world is beautiful, but can feel claustrophobic when you run into invisible barriers. There is freedom to explore and pursue countless quests, but none of them feel important and while fun, the combat soon becomes repetitious and boring. Basically, every feature of the game, from story, to combat to exploration can be summed up by saying "it's good, but........"… Expand
  30. GuruJoeyy
    Dec 19, 2012
    7
    All in all, I liked the game a ton, I felt that is brought a lot to the table in terms of ways you could play your character. But I'm afraid the replay value just wasn't there for me, I know I could create another class to play and such, but I just didn't feel it. This game would do well to make it feel more open world, and less like the main story is drawing you in. I only drifted fromAll in all, I liked the game a ton, I felt that is brought a lot to the table in terms of ways you could play your character. But I'm afraid the replay value just wasn't there for me, I know I could create another class to play and such, but I just didn't feel it. This game would do well to make it feel more open world, and less like the main story is drawing you in. I only drifted from the main story twice, mostly cause I didn't feel like the side quests were even interesting. It does well to drag you into the main story line but I feel like it did a fairly bad job at making you interested in the world overall. The story to me was relatively short and the ending very dissatisfying unless they plan a sequel. Which if they don't do a sequel then this game might as well just be tossed away cause you learned nothing of what you truly are. Apparently you are a protector of destiny or something but it doesn't really delve into it too much, I loved the overall story IDEA but the background behind it was relatively dissatisfying. I felt this game shouldn't taken a more God of War/Dante's Inferno approach to combat. The final boss was extremely awesome looking but the mechanics weren't all that revolutionary or fun, but the boss itself was cool. Overall a sequel I'd definitely rent it, but I don't think I'd buy it, not that no one else should but I think you should rent it for a few days before you decide whether to buy it.… Expand
  31. Zyrocalt
    May 25, 2012
    6
    A different and unique Game,The art style is great,The graphics makes you happy,The music is like taken from a magical fantasy world. This game feels like a mix of fable and elder scrolls. and with a little bit of dragon age,the art style reminds me of world of warcraft,The story is that typical you are the chose one of some sort,I wont spoil to much for you.And sometimes it feels moreA different and unique Game,The art style is great,The graphics makes you happy,The music is like taken from a magical fantasy world. This game feels like a mix of fable and elder scrolls. and with a little bit of dragon age,the art style reminds me of world of warcraft,The story is that typical you are the chose one of some sort,I wont spoil to much for you.And sometimes it feels more like a action game then a RPG.And the lockpicking mini game is pretty weird and too easy,And the story seems a bit aimed for young kids and this game could use a more depth to it.Voice acting could have been better but its pretty good,No game is perfect.And this game would fit with a co-op system,i actually thought that when i got this game. But anyway,Kingdom of amalur is a good but mediocre game,And its difficult for those that come from other big rpg games like elder scrolls or dragon age to fall in love with this. Seems difficult to roleplay in this world and get to know its lore from what you are used too,But if youare a big rpg fan you gottatry this.its a fun game.… Expand
  32. 1voiceoreason
    May 15, 2012
    7
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a good game, but that just it. Its simply a good game technically, visually, and gameplay wise. Everything in the game is good except the combat which is great. I wouldn't compare this game to skyrim or other rpg's like that. It more closely resembles the fable franchise and that type of third person action game. I look at the things they choose to focus onKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a good game, but that just it. Its simply a good game technically, visually, and gameplay wise. Everything in the game is good except the combat which is great. I wouldn't compare this game to skyrim or other rpg's like that. It more closely resembles the fable franchise and that type of third person action game. I look at the things they choose to focus on in terms of world building and I am reminded of a MMO. Except this MMO is deserted and I'm the only one playing. If your going to make a MMO-esque experience like this I really think co-op needs to be seriously looked at. Other than that I just think the game is really middle of the road and didn't give me a reason to want to play for 100+ hours. I didn't even finish the main quest before I realized i was forcing my self to play it just to finish and that is not why i play games.… Expand
  33. aadms
    Jul 14, 2013
    6
    This game should be renamed Kingdoms of Amalur: 1001 dull side quests. Even the main story itself unfolded as nothing more than going on simple scavenger hunts, on after another. There was nothing compelling storywise, which is a shame because the premise of the world of Amalur is very interesting. but not when you present the saga in a MMO format. I'm not here with my friends on lineThis game should be renamed Kingdoms of Amalur: 1001 dull side quests. Even the main story itself unfolded as nothing more than going on simple scavenger hunts, on after another. There was nothing compelling storywise, which is a shame because the premise of the world of Amalur is very interesting. but not when you present the saga in a MMO format. I'm not here with my friends on line just to level up and gain loot, I wanted to play an epic solo rpg. But, after 19 days and 102 real game time hours, Kingdoms of Amalur has left very little impression on me. I stayed away from this game originally because of its characture artwork and oversized weapons because I just couldn't take a game too seriously when it looks like a cartoon. But with the drought of rpg games this past year (Mass Effect 3 rpg of the year. LOL) I downloaded the demo and was intriguied. I have to say that this world is impressive with the artwork, lore, the writing, the voice acting, and all the side quests they put into it; yet, as far an entertaining solo-game is concerened, it doesn't come together. The missions are so simple and non-eventful that it becomes dull after so many hours. Amalur plays like a game where The Elder Scrolls had a one-night stand with War of Warcraft and left their offspring on the doorstep of Fable to be raised. I recognize the effort they put into this, but the direction of how it was to entertain me falls short.… Expand
  34. SpunkyMonkey
    Oct 17, 2012
    6
    Yawn. Whilst KOA:R has it's moments, it's just too repetitive and tiresome overall to be deemed as anything more than a filler. The lush graphics and Fable-esq music create a superb fairy-tale environment, and the combat is good - often allowing for free-flowing, fun battles - however it's just a shame that there's no real game to back all that up. After a while even the combat becomesYawn. Whilst KOA:R has it's moments, it's just too repetitive and tiresome overall to be deemed as anything more than a filler. The lush graphics and Fable-esq music create a superb fairy-tale environment, and the combat is good - often allowing for free-flowing, fun battles - however it's just a shame that there's no real game to back all that up. After a while even the combat becomes boring simply because of the complete lack of challenge once you've hit the level 15-20 mark (which is barley a 1/3 of the way into the game), and all those environments count for nothing when you realize that they contain nothing but dull quest/character after dull quest/character. In fact I really can't overstate how dull and underdeveloped most of these characters are. Very rarely does the overall story ark ever feel relevant, and something else which doesn't help matters is the fact that the loot system just means you're constantly tripping over crap items and forever organizing junk. Also, the leveling system (which has received so much praise) actually hinders you for the first 5-10 levels as you try and figure out how to play - it's messy and unsatisfying, with me only finding any real fun in playing a Chakram wielding sorcerer. There's certainly some good to be found in KOA:R, and for around 10 hours I really enjoyed it, but 10 hours out of a 200-odd hour package is a small percentage and there's just so much work involved in getting to those good bits that after a while you really can't be bothered.… Expand
  35. ghorahn
    Jun 26, 2012
    6
    I made the mistake, when I first started playing this game, of doing every single quest in an area before I moved on. Before I knew it, I'd massively out-leveled the game and every fight except golems and boss fights were one-AoE fights. And after I leave the Sidhe area, I stopped finding the quests nearly as engaging...and before long, I was basically checking my watch with every quest toI made the mistake, when I first started playing this game, of doing every single quest in an area before I moved on. Before I knew it, I'd massively out-leveled the game and every fight except golems and boss fights were one-AoE fights. And after I leave the Sidhe area, I stopped finding the quests nearly as engaging...and before long, I was basically checking my watch with every quest to see how much longer I had to do this. So I started to get back on track of just doing the main quests. Now I'm just trying to force myself to the end so I feel like I got my money's worth. The game is well made, sure, but it's just not that interesting or fun. And inventory management...that's never some I enjoy in a game.… Expand
  36. sias
    Jun 4, 2012
    7
    A well polished yet unremarkable RPG with the aesthetics of WoW/Fable, the combat of God of War and the game world mechanics of Skyrim. GOOD: Wonderfully detailed environments with an impressively huge world to explore; Massive amounts of customisation for character levelling allowing you to create many different builds; Fairly decent story that could become very interesting if built uponA well polished yet unremarkable RPG with the aesthetics of WoW/Fable, the combat of God of War and the game world mechanics of Skyrim. GOOD: Wonderfully detailed environments with an impressively huge world to explore; Massive amounts of customisation for character levelling allowing you to create many different builds; Fairly decent story that could become very interesting if built upon in further sequels; Tons of loot to find and a nice clear weapon system; Superb combat mechanics that are easy to understand. BAD: Camera struggles during battles leading to unnecessary deaths as you become unable to see attacking enemies off-screen; Combat isn't particularly challenging as there is no stamina bar present so you can essentially stun-lock almost any enemy to death; Dialogue with NPCs is odd with a random mixture of list based options like Skyrim and a conversation wheel like Mass Effect; Invisible walls are present everywhere which severely reduces mobility as you must walk an entire stretch of a cliff just to find that one part where the game allows you to jump down; Enemy types are unremarkable and generally unthreatening making many enemy encounters really quite dull. OVERALL: KoA:R is a great, fun RPG with a brilliant combat and levelling system and a colourful world. Yet there's no denying that the overall package is really quite generic with a plethora of borrowed game mechanics which are presented in uninteresting ways. This game so obviously wants to marry itself with Skyrim, but in doing so it completely loses any sense of identity. And with genre re-defining RPGs like Dark Souls, The Witcher 2 and even Dragon's Dogma around, KoA:R struggles to find its place. But if you're after a solid straight forward RPG experience, this game might appeal. Just don't expect to find anything new here.… Expand
  37. Kietz91
    May 15, 2012
    7
    Deep, but static. Pretty, but uninteresting. Fun, but largely repetitious. KoA is very much a mixed bag of good ideas, decent execution, and weak design choice. While It's deep character progression allows for many vastly different builds, your character largely remains flat and without means of showing any real personality - whether it be through player actions or through the story. TheDeep, but static. Pretty, but uninteresting. Fun, but largely repetitious. KoA is very much a mixed bag of good ideas, decent execution, and weak design choice. While It's deep character progression allows for many vastly different builds, your character largely remains flat and without means of showing any real personality - whether it be through player actions or through the story. The world, while very well design and interesting to look at is, sadly, very static. I never felt like I was actually part of the world, because it never felt that my actions left any real impact. This is a sad thing, being that it is something that usually pushes games of this type and size. Without it, it leaves the whole experience feeling rather flat. The combat, largely the game's strongest element, is very well done. It easily stands with some of the best titles in today's action games, and is certainly a highlight in today's action-rpg genre. At the same time, lacking many of the other elements seen in deeper roleplaying games, the game uses it's combat as a crutch, and, overtime, can become rather repetitious. KoA is not a bad game by any means. Between the good and the bad, I left having a pretty fun time with it. At the same time, I wish it the developers tried at something a little more. They created a large, nice looking world with an interesting story and faction quests, but left that world largely static, player choice largely non-existent, and the game itself too focused on the combat alone, tiring it's biggest pro long before the game ended.… Expand
  38. JayPlays
    Jan 27, 2013
    7
    Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a very good game, if you're an RPG fan then KoA will be a welcome addition to your collection, just don't expect anything revolutionary. KoA is a beautiful game, the environments and character models and all lovely, it's just a shame that the camera has been angled in such an obstructive and annoying way. There is a very high level of characterKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a very good game, if you're an RPG fan then KoA will be a welcome addition to your collection, just don't expect anything revolutionary. KoA is a beautiful game, the environments and character models and all lovely, it's just a shame that the camera has been angled in such an obstructive and annoying way. There is a very high level of character customisation in this game which is great. The skill and levelling systems are executed very well, it's fun to distribute your skill points amongst the 3 disciplines and skills such as blacksmithing and sagecrafting are fun to experiment with, but this is really just more of the same that we have seen from other games. The story is fairly unique, however there are only 1 or 2 interesting characters in the whole game. NPC's feel lifeless! Combat is where this game really shines, there are an insane number of weapons and spells to experiment with, delivering combos is fun and tactile, the 3 disciplines are pretty well balanced. There is an absurd amount of content in this game, after completing the main story, I had barely even scraped the surface; it's just a shame that most quests are your generic kill and fetch quests. The world is huge and a pleasure to explore. Overall KoA is a great game, it just doesn't really try anything new. It's not RPG of the decade, but it's still pretty fun to play.… Expand
  39. Rev1011
    Mar 15, 2013
    5
    The Pro:
    Great graphics, reminds me of a better version of fable. The con:
    Messes with you eyes when rotating the camera(has some horrible blurry effect), Can't zoom in and out of the camera angle and you can only jump at the edge of ledges (which that part is fine because of fable). I'll have to say I really can't force myself to play it because despite the awesome game that it is, the    The Pro:
    Great graphics, reminds me of a better version of fable. The con:
    Messes with you eyes when rotating the camera(has some horrible blurry effect), Can't zoom in and out of the camera angle and you can only jump at the edge of ledges (which that part is fine because of fable). I'll have to say I really can't force myself to play it because despite the awesome game that it is, the con side really prevents my enjoyment and ability to carry on.    … Expand
  40. Cornuelez
    Aug 6, 2014
    6
    Early into playing , KoA seemed like a solid transition from the Bethesda RPGs, with its smooth battle system, fastened pace, abundant loot, and it's colorful graphic scheme(a little outdated, but a nice change after having played WAY too much skyrim). Despite the games camera issues, dismal NPCs, and gameplay flaws I couldn't put the controller down. I couldn't get enough of the combat,Early into playing , KoA seemed like a solid transition from the Bethesda RPGs, with its smooth battle system, fastened pace, abundant loot, and it's colorful graphic scheme(a little outdated, but a nice change after having played WAY too much skyrim). Despite the games camera issues, dismal NPCs, and gameplay flaws I couldn't put the controller down. I couldn't get enough of the combat, fighting through every cave, dungeon, and keep I could just to amass loot and xp. It was really enjoyable for awhile, but when the combat started to lose some of its charm, I began to realize how lacking the rest of the game actually was.

    The side quests proved to be very monotonous, with very little or no strategy involved, and were almost completely void of any engaging narrative. The main story, which was so dull it seemed half-assed, didn't do the game much justice either. After awhile I felt like I was playing a game with very little to look forward to. The constant kill this, kill that hack and slash attitude of the game had really worn itself out after 50 hours of play, and the game became progressively more tedious as I moved on. Overall I don't think this was a horrible game by any means, and it does have some engaging elements, but just because it stylistically plays like an mmo doesn't really excuse it's poor storytelling, weak character interaction, and it's blatant repetitiveness. I honestly believe this game had the potential to be great, but the finished product fell disappointingly short.    … 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

All reviews »
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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