KINGDOMS of AMALUR review
In many ways it is your classic RPG, you’re the chosen one,
the fateless one who can change the sad course the world is on, you can be a
fighter, thief or mage, there are ogres, and kobolds, and brigands, there are
forests and caves and swords and spells, and everybody has a quest for you to
complete. Where the game diverges is
important, unlike in many RPG’s which ask you what you want to be when you grow
up and you are stuck on that track until you complete the game, Reckoning
allows you to play however you like and rewards you regardless. Want to be a magic-using thief, or a
warrior/sorcerer/ rogue, please do. If
you decide you want to specialize in a different kind of weapon or don’t enjoy
shadow-slinking, fine, got to a Fateweaver and reallocate all your points to
create a completely different build. I
loved this because I want everything; I want to see what my elf looks like in
big, spikey armor, or what happens when I completely level up the fire spell
track. Usually this means I have to try a different playthrough- not this
time. Being a rogue, which usually just
frustrates the heck out of me, is something I can try for a bit to see how I
like it. It’s also friendly to new
players or players who don’t like math and aren’t interested in finding the
most dangerous build, if you find you made a mistake or miscalculation you are
free to change it. The system works
really well, and all the possibilities are very well balanced, exceedingly well
balanced, so I never felt like the game had one way it wanted me to play.
The world is bright and beautiful. They went crazy with their color palate, the
dark dungeons have glowing flowers and luminous glyphs, the forests are filled
with plant life and strange creatures- not all of which are trying to kill you. There are details everywhere that show the
love and dedication of the designers, moving cogs that are in motion in the
background, clever looking doors, animal and plant life that is varied and
alive. The world is huge, but it never
felt generic.
There is almost too much to do. Everyone lost a locket, or a child, need s
help with giant spiders and ettins, or cannot live without ten scorpion
glands. My advice, ignore most of it,
play the main quest and then go back if you’re interested in more. Every character is well and fully voiced, and
they do love to talk. The factions’
quests where you can join groups who focus in specific disciplines and have
their own lore are interesting and worth investigating and between those and
the main quest you have got at least 40 good hours of gameplay. Sidetracking on the sidequests makes the
story feel fractured, and while many of them are compelling, they’re not
compelling enough to get mired in as you go back and forth to find/kill
something and return for your reward.
Kingdoms of Amalur:Reckoning is fast-paced and fun. Every button does something immediately after
you press it. Combos are easy to pull
off, and every weapon is a different type of gameplay and you can use two at
once, like bow and hammer, or staff and sword, or my favorites the chakrams
(yes, just like Xena had). It’s a joy
for neophytes and RPG veterans both.
Amalur is fun to explore, vast, and easy to put down and come back to;
it’s a game that gives you whatever you need to enjoy it however you want.
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