As you’d probably uncover through this review, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is not the most offbeat piece of work. It’s essentially a new game infused with a fresh narrative and all that stuff. But the fact that it banks on familiar elements from the western RPG genre in the most calculative manner stops it from becoming a ‘phenomenon,’ if you will. Nevertheless, this game takes no prisoners whatsoever while rustling up a fun-filled, combat-heavy experience that’s a treat to the eyes. Ken Rolston, the guy behind the likes of Morrowind and Oblivion, has lent his mind to yet another offering which also showcases the talents of biggies like R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane.
Fate is one word you’ll possibly hear about a thousand times in KoA: Reckoning. That’s because, you’re the only fateless one in the whole of Amalur. You see, you died and were brought back to life by the gnome-invented Well of Souls. Now having no fate at all means you’re free to do whatever pleases you. And there you have it – the ‘chosen one’ story which is a staple in western RPGs these days. As you tread the exquisite landscapes of Amalur, you’ll find yourself coming to terms with your past life and also learning that you’re the only one who can free the region of all its evils, for you can weave your fate as you want. Like the character in the game, we too were clueless about what was happening around us for quite some time. But the story quickly manifested itself into the fantasy emprise that it is, getting us hooked onto it before we knew it.
And now, let’s talk about the most exciting part of the KoA: Reckoning experience – its combat. The entire gameplay is defined by the boisterous weapon-wielding that’s at your disposal. The choice of arms that are thrown at you is varied in itself and wastes no time in propelling you to pick your favorites and level up accordingly. From swords and staves to the deadly new chakrams, and also the omniblades received through the Mass Effect 3 demo, we enjoyed fighting, juggling and killing monsters and evil creatures with pretty much everything that was on offer. And the slick level up tree sure added to the experience. The smooth controls in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning make you feel right at home each time you catch hold of your controller. Before you know it, you’ll be wielding your sword, launching arrows, casting spells and defending yourself with a shield, while expertly alternating between all of them. That’s the kind of finesse which the title grants you quite amicably.
The role-playing bit of this game could have been made more bendable, as the choices you make don’t quite result in big differences to the final outcomes. In fact, in some cases, two choices will have the same reactions from the NPCs. But somehow, this flaw doesn’t go on to hinder your experience. Besides the long and sturdy campaign in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, the title’s exploration and side quest aspects are also quite enjoyable. And the men and women of Amalur don’t hesitate to reward you handsomely for helping them in their tasks. If they don’t meet up to your expectations, you’re free to execute them by turning on the aggressive mode which when switched on, makes civilians vulnerable to your weapons.
The massive locales depicted in KoA: Reckoning are nothing less than brilliant pieces of art. The environments echo originality with all their characteristics. And the variety of surroundings which Amalur comprises of speaks volumes about the work that has gone into the game. The mystical forests of Dalentarth, the dark paths of Alabastra, the plains of Erathel and the rock-filled deserts of Detyre are just some of the varied areas that you’ll encounter within the title. And what’s more, they’re all filled with deadly creatures to keep interrupting your quests from time to time. Now these enemies may be well-designed and we give full points to their wide-ranging diversity, but their frequent appearances sure prove annoying at times.
The top-notch visuals in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning are given first-quality treatment with the title’s excellent lighting. And they even have some pretty nice sounds to tag along with them. The music is as grand as is expected from RPGs of this scale, and the skillful voice-acting takes nothing away from the game. Issues maybe experienced with the camera which goes wayward during certain combat sequences. Apart from that, occasional pop-ins and framerate drops occurred even after we installed the game on our Xbox 360. But we have to give it to the developers – despite being so huge in size, this game never froze on us. And it delivered smooth and crisp textures each time we played it.
Final Word: Like we’ve mentioned before, what Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning delivers is not entirely out of the ordinary. But it does so well in set pieces that it ensures you won’t just be playing it, you’ll be busy playing it. It engages you alright, and it even keeps surprising you from time to time with all kinds of cool stuff. The developers have incorporated it with such superior combat, it’s hard to get your hands off your controller. It’s an RPG which definitely deserves to be experienced by fans of the genre.
Graphics: 9/10
Sounds: 9/10
Environments: 9.5/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Replay Value: 8.5/10
Overall (not an average): 9/10