Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

[Rosella]

Well, I'm downloading the demo now, at the very least because I want the items for Mass Effect. I'm hoping that the glitches are just a byproduct of it being a demo and that the final game is more polished.

Though for the record, I wouldn't mind playing a combination of Dragon Age/WoW in a Lord of the Rings universe.

[wilco64256]

Granted, a lot of the videos I've seen of the game show some pretty cool gameplay stuff so I'm more than willing to give it another go, but currently I kinda feel like I experienced pretty much everything the game had to offer in the demo.

[Fierce Deity]

I played the demo on my PC, and I had a very distracted playthrough. It constantly slowed down and even paused for a few moments. There were also times that I'd run through the forest, and some graphical glitches that would pop-up and make it hard to see what was happening. Bugs and glitches aside, the game clearly was made for the console. The only thing that was appealing was the hotkeys, but in the midst of hacking and slashing enemies with one button, who's honestly going to need an entire array of skills at their disposal? If I had to pick one, I'd go with the PS3/360 version. If I had to make a recommendation, wait till the game is cheaper or just rent it. This game was hyped up to the max with some pretty heavy-hitters behind it, and it seems that it will not live up to that hype.

In some respects though, the game does adopt some pretty unique traits from other RPGs. The crafting system of WoW, picking locks like Elder Scrolls, and leveling up classes like Fable. If bugs are fixed and the price is lowered (extremely), I'd say you could nab a perfectly watered-down hybrid of the best that this genre has to offer.

[Rosella]

Ok, I see what you mean by it looking like WoW. The graphics are pretty cartoony, and the animation is almost Sims-like. I experienced a lot of bugs too. The first time I started the game, it gave me a few intro cutscenes and then hit me with the "Now experience the full game! List of features!" ad that I assume is supposed to come at the end. The second time, I woke up without a head. The default camera is also terribly unwieldy, though at least that's adjustable.

Also, why did it change from a radial dialogue menu to a list form? I'm so confused.

The combat system is really gratifying though, at least the basic "Press square to attack things," mechanic. The part where it makes you smash stuff to look for a shield was really, really enjoyable.

It is rather derivative. The beginning felt lifted straight out of Morrowind or Oblivion and just about everything else screamed Bioware but I don't think that necessarily devalues the end product. Overall, I really do like the mechanics. Everything they ripped off is good. Like, the stealth is almost identical to stealth in Skyrim, but it's intuitive that way. The combat feels really similar to Dragon Age 2, but the combat was one of the best parts of that game. There are definitely a few issues, but I honestly really like it.

The subtitles disappeared a few times, but I don't think any of the dialogue cut out, so at least I didn't have that problem. The random, unexplained QTEs were sort of annoying, and I could probably write a paper on the elements they stole and where they were taken from, but I'm enjoying it.

The lockpicking REALLY needs some force feedback though. Just having the lockpick disappear can't be how it's finally implemented in-game.

[Fierce Deity]

Also, why did it change from a radial dialogue menu to a list form? I'm so confused.

I think they are for two different kinds of conversation. For instance, when you are choosing a unique response that shapes how your character will be perceived by the NPCs, you will be shown the radial menu. But when you are questioning the NPC on different topics of discussion, it goes to the list of topics/questions. I think it's counterproductive, cause there is no morality system where the radial menu would really be necessary, and the list of topics tend to be specific to each character you are talking to. There is no sense of control with the conversations. Everything is pretty linear. They could have picked one form over the other, and it wouldn't have made a difference.

Clearly, this game is trying too hard to be like everything else, that it literally couldn't settle for any one thing. It had to be EVERYTHING!!! It's the one thing that turns me away from the game. It doesn't do anything new. It's just a hybrid of everything that has been done already. Truth be told, I'll probably get the game eventually, but I am not going to pay full price, or anywhere near it. For the amount of promise that was put into this title, I was disappointed by the result. I'm better off just getting Skyrim. 

[dark-daventry]

For those interested: I went to the midnight launch in Bellingham Massachusetts. My Assistant Store Manager, his friend and I all drove 45 minutes to go to the midnight. There were over 200 people in line. It was truly, supremely awesome. I got my game signed by both R.A. Salvatore and Curt Schilling, and the Community Manager for 38 Studios gave me some great resume tips. I will be uploading photos of my signed game later. Unfortunately, I was unable to get photos with either Curt or R.A., but believe me, the midnight was awesome.

And now on to the game: It's sucked my entire life away. It's amazing. It's truly deserving of the five stars from Joystiq. 38 Studios and Epic Games have produced my new favorite game of 2012, and perhaps of all time. This game is amazing. I'm so utterly in love with it it's not even funny. Buy it. Buy this game now. You will not regret it, I promise you that.

[Fierce Deity]

No offense, but I'm still going to wait. The game is okay, but that's all I can get out of it. I'm gonna rent it, and probably buy it when it goes down in price (like way down in price). I feel like my money is better saved for a game that at least meets my expectations. Here's hoping that Mass Effect 3 is of a prime example.

I can see why people like the game, I still feel like I was let down though. For having an all-star team, the game should have been mind-blowing, not just a decent RPG in an age of mediocre RPGs. Once again, there is potential, and I will wait till it is at least $20, hopefully more during a Steam sale if possible.

[dark-daventry]

No offense, but I'm still going to wait. The game is okay, but that's all I can get out of it. I'm gonna rent it, and probably buy it when it goes down in price (like way down in price). I feel like my money is better saved for a game that at least meets my expectations. Here's hoping that Mass Effect 3 is of a prime example.

I can see why people like the game, I still feel like I was let down though. For having an all-star team, the game should have been mind-blowing, not just a decent RPG in an age of mediocre RPGs. Once again, there is potential, and I will wait till it is at least $20, hopefully more during a Steam sale if possible.

I can understand that. I am having an amazing time with the game, but I do have my own fair share of issues with the game. Rosella mentioned this: the camera angles are a little screwy sometimes. I notice that during conversations, the camera will turn a weird angle. Like, outside the normal game-world kind of weird. Sometimes it's behind a plant, other times it's zoomed in on something really weird. I also notice occasional bugs, but nothing major (so far).

The combat is amazing though. I've switched up my weapons from time to time to see what the differences are. So far, the Faeblades are my primary weapon as they're extremely fast and perform a decent amount of damage, and the Chakrams are my secondary weapon; they perform at midrange, and deal incredible damage (or at least they do for me after some of the upgrades I've invested into them...)

I think it's also important to note that this game is different than most (if not all) RPGs on the market currently. I can't think of a game besides Amalur where you can change your destiny at any time. Just go to a Fateweaver and you can unbind your destiny and re-allocate all of your upgrades and points as you see fit. This means you can literally try out everything in one playthrough. Better yet, this is tied directly into the plot of the game as you are The Fateless One. You have no pre-determined fate; you forge your own destiny through the weapons and skills you use. I've tried varying up my weapons and skills because I'm aiming to be a Jack of All Trades, but you can be just about anything you want. It's a very unique mechanic that I really like.

We did have a customer trade the game in today at work. He said the game was too cartoony for his taste and that he prefers Skyrim. The graphics aren't praiseworthy, but they work for me. I think they fit the game well. If you have the chance, definitely pick this game up and try it out at least. It's worth at least a thorough rent.

[drusain]

Yeah I mean to say that Kingdoms is that innovative or creative would be a lie from me but it is a fun game and sometimes I like to have fun. The combat is interesting (though so far for me pretty easy if you get decent gear; sometimes I need to recheck that I'm actually playing Hard difficulty). Skyrim pretty much beats Kingdoms on everything except for making combat look interesting. But it has a certain charm to it and really excels as a sandbox game for casual gamers.

Also I can hide my helmet which, as a player who always plays a plate-wearer with a greatsword, is a big plus for me, seriously.

[Fierce Deity]

We did have a customer trade the game in today at work. He said the game was too cartoony for his taste and that he prefers Skyrim. The graphics aren't praiseworthy, but they work for me. I think they fit the game well. If you have the chance, definitely pick this game up and try it out at least. It's worth at least a thorough rent.

I can at least say that Kingdoms is better than Skyrim. I haven't been able to get into an Elder Scrolls game at all. Skyrim will be another game that I won't pick up till it's dirt cheap. With Elder Scrolls games, there's so much content, but it only disguises what the real issue is, and that's a lackluster story. The story may be good for some, but I find myself wondering what is keeping me in the game. The characters in the game are scatterbrained nitwits, the story is forgettable, and the only thing that keeps a lot of the players playing the game for countless hours on end is the underwhelming crafting system and the irrational leveling system. The entire endgame is a grind, and if I wanted an overpriced grind that I could become obsessed with, I would resubscribe to WoW. /rant

In all seriousness, Kingdoms is a lot better than the RPGs that have annoyed me these past few years, but I still had the inkling that it was going to be a major title that would redefine the RPG genre. I might have been a fool for buying into the hype (I'm usually good at sifting through the BS), but the letdown has made me bitter. Talk to me in a month or two, I might change my mind.

I can't think of a game besides Amalur where you can change your destiny at any time. Just go to a Fateweaver and you can unbind your destiny and re-allocate all of your upgrades and points as you see fit. This means you can literally try out everything in one playthrough.

Isn't that kind of like a respec? There's not many single-player RPGs that allow you to reallocate your skill points, but it's far from an innovative feature. I do like how they tie your class into the story though. I thought that Dragon Age was going to have a bigger take on that kind of thing. Almost like a custom story built around your character, but then they threw the word "Grey Warden" around, and it didn't even matter whether your character was an elf or a dwarf, a mage or a thief, or a man or a woman.