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First off the many graphical glitches the demo had aren't present in the game. Kingdoms of Amalur is a good game. Its art style is similar to Fable with more of a deeper RPG feel. The game has everything needed to keep players busy for many hours. There are multiple side quests, several ways to build your character from mages to warriors and rogues. The real fun of this game is the battle system and many weapon types. The combat isn't boring like some games get. The games crafting and smithing system work well once you level them up. You only get one point at a time so you have to decide what area you are going to focus on. This means you won't be both a master smith and alchemist at least not early in the game. Your level in each area determines what items you find to use so it's a bit restrictive. The dialog system is odd as sometimes you get a dialog wheel and other times you get one word to click on. It works but doesn't feel quite like you're having a conversation. The characters I've encountered have more to say so you get some background on why you are doing the quest un like Skyrim where people just said hey go get this for me. I recommend the game because its battles are fun the story has some detail and you can play how you want. The developer claims there's over 200 hours of quests and I believe them since there are quests everywhere.
Update: You can redistribute your skills and change your character build for a reasonable fee. If you no longer want to be say a mage you can switch your skill set to something else. I am finding the merchants prices on items and to be a bit high on items though. Gold isn't made so quickly like some games so you need to spend carefully. The game has many spells you can learn but you can only map 4 at a time. It would have been nice if they made a way to map more spells for use.
Update: There's a lot of side-quests lore and collectables in the game. The main story is not its strongest point as most of what's going in the world is learned by exploring new areas and doing quests. You can't really power level to max all skills nor do you need to. The weapon smithing and gem crafting are fun when fully leveled up. My only 2 gripes with the game are its inventory system is severely limited for space and the menus are clunky to scroll through. The 4 spell limit is a bummer too because it forces you to really choose what spells you like. (The way both Dragon Age games used the R2 button to double scroll the buttons would have have really helped this game out.) I do really enjoy playing this game and recommend it to anyone who enjoys Rpgs.
Pros
Many ways to play the game mages warriors or stealth rogues
Play how you want...steel, sneak and many quests allow a peaceful or combative solution.
Detailed alchemy crafting and smithing systems
Fun battle system
Many side quests
Beautiful environments with a huge world to explore
Good story and voice acting.
100+ hours of play time
Doesn't lock up my PS3
Cons
Restrictive leveling only 1 point per level to spend on skills like smithing alchemy sneaking persuasion etc. It takes several points to max an area so you'll want to focus on being either a mage rogue or warrior. This can be changed for money but you still wont be able to max all skills until at very high levels
Some of the graphics on the characters look like they needed more polish
Sometimes the camera goes off into la la land in conversations.
Load times are around 20-30 seconds when entering buildings (it varies some go fast some are slow)
Some slowdowns with graphics engine when a lot is going on.
Camera can blind you at times in combat
I encountered a nasty glitch that made the whole TV screen twitch every 10 seconds and it would not go away until a previous save was loaded. My character got stuck in a spell cast mode during a battle so I lost a half hour of play time.
Only able to use 4 spells at a time
Some minor graphical hiccups occur in some spots
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I play games for a variety of reasons. I play them to relax, to get lost in a world, to hear/play a good story, and I play them as a way to escape. This game fits the bill on all of those accounts perfectly. As a mature (read: over 30 years old) gamer, I have a different set of expectations that have grown and changes as I have gotten older.This game first appeared on my radar as word of R.A. Salvatore being involved trickled out onto the web. I have played another game he was involved in, "Demon Stone" for the PS2. As with that iteration, this one is well writtenthe story takes the cake. Intrigue, plot twists, friends, foes, allies, and antagonists all take center stage in a tale that is fun and engaging here. The main quest is a good yarn in and of itself, but veering off the well beaten path takes you to other villages, characters, problems, and areas that you would just as easily miss if you don't look around. Superb writing, plotting, and setting. The story might seem kind of contrived and a mash up of genre staples...but Salvatore weaves it all together into something wonderful. I would have to say this game is like "playing" a very ambitious fantasy novel.
The combat is easy to master, but still presents a challenge as enemies scale to your level, the fighting can get intense, and there are several moves and tactics that unlock as you level up that make all the zipping around the screen fun and satisfying. The weapon and spell effts are nice, realized well, and graphically pleasing. Intense colors, good sound design, and a freedom of movement lends itself to combat that doesn't feel stale and challenges you to mix it up and see what happens. McFarlane's talent really shines through in the creature design and world art. From things that are creepy to sillythere a quite a few vistas, creatures, plants, and areas to look at. It is very pretty, vibrant, and busy. Other areas are appropriately dark, somber, and decayed. All in allthe game looks as good as it plays, and in may ways, the setting of Amalur is a character in and of itself.
Collectors of in-game stuff rejoice! As this game is packed with all you would come to expect from Rolstonthe mad genius behind some "Elder Scrolls" games. There are scraps of paper, books, lore stones, items, journals, lockpicks, chests, loot, and tomes to collect, read, and discover. The info is doled out well and comes at a pace that encourages exploration. There are several times (as I am not done with the game yet) where I have been distracted with a side quest just because I want to know more about what is happening in the world around me. It lends itself to a very fleshed out feeling, a world fully developed, alive, and teeming with secrets to discover. Again, this game is superb in its presentation on all of those accounts.
Getting down to the technical details, there are systems that feel familiar, yet lend their own flair to the game. Crafting, weapon/equipment repair, and reagent gathering are all things that have been done before. They are integrated well with this game and the feeling of familiarity is helpful at keeps the learning curve from getting too steep. There is not a physical manual included with the game...it is added to the disc. I don't find that I miss it, as info in pretty easy to come by and the interface is user-friendly and easy to navigate. Taking the best parts of past games, throwing in new ones, and whipping up a recipe for something new is a welcome addition to both the genre and the world of video games in general. I haven't experienced a single glitch, hitch, or mess-up with the game on my system. Load times are forgiveable and don't take foreverbut then again, with the amount of content and data I don't expect instant load times. The world is vast, expansive, and feels that way as well. With that, fast travel isn't a "must have" but is something that I use quite often, just to traverse the distances that soon become very apparent.
Others might say this game is too similar to "Fable" or some other megalithic MMO out there. While I see some of the similarities, I also see that 38 studios has crafted an entirely different, yet familiar feeling, monster. They have poured passion, heart, blood, sweat, and tears into this gameand it shows. Its massive, teeming with things to discover, and presented in a beautiful package. Combat, crafting, exploration, leveling, and play styles are all as fluid as you would wantthey (the devs) have really tried to make an expansive and all-inclusive gameand they have come as close to perfection as is possible at this point in my opinion.
Sobuy this game if you are looking for some amazing value for your dollars. Buy it if you want to see where I predict the next generations of RPG's will be going. Buy it if you want an awesome story, amazing playability, and some great art. Buy it if you are looking to really get into a game and not be finished in 10 hours. This is hands downone of the BEST games I have every played. Simply amazingworth every penny spent and then some.
Buy Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Now
Background:For those that do not know, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a new intellectual property and is the first in what is hoped to be a new line of RPG games. The game was created by 38 games/Big Huge Games and published by EA. There are quite a few properties that are out there populating the field that it wants to become part of. This game has quite an all star group that have helped to create the game and I believe it has earned its place in the gaming world. Also, for a while there, the RPG field was bare and dry especially on the XBOX and so I welcome the change to explore a new and interesting world.
Todd McFarlane, the genius behind Spawn and other adult themed comics has provided inspiration for the artwork. The storyline was written by R.A. Salvatore who has published 20+ books in the field of Sci-Fi/Fantasy. Executive Director was Ken Rolston, the lead designer of the Elder Scrolls III Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion.
Graphics:
The graphics on this game are beautiful and colorful. Over the past few months I have finished playing Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Dark Souls and it is refreshing wandering a world that is bright and colorful. It reminds me of some portions of World of Warcraft such as the Blood Elves on the Horde side. You can see Todd McFarlanes influence on the art department in the multitude of characters you encounter.
Combat:
The trend for RPG's have aimed for the hybrid of Action-RPG with most falling on RPG elements and action as a second thought. This game has chosen to put Action in the forefront. The combat resembles the God of War: Collection series. When you are at a certain point, a lot of button mashing is required to score the kill and extra experience that comes from it. After the extreme difficulty of Dark Souls and continuous dying, it was nice to be able to enjoy combat that I felt I had an actual fighting chance of winning.
World:
The game originally was going to be an online MMO. You can sense that in the way that the world is created and interactions with the characters. It feels like an online MMO in a way but without the interaction of other players. The world is a liner sandbox world. It resembles somewhat a game such as Fable: The Lost Chapters or some of the Final Fantasy X games. There is a lot to explore in the world around you, though, so there is plenty to keep you busy.
Other:
Communication is a lot like Mass Effect where you rotate to the conversation choice. You can have negative or positive communications but I have not really seen many that affect the outcome or interaction with my character too terribly much. I may find more later on.
There is pre-order download content. I received the game in the morning. Unfortunately, the codes for the DLC (mainly items to help you start off with) did not arrive via email until around midnight which made their use moot.
Overall Impression:
I am an old school RPG player ever since I received my first free copy of Final Fantasy 1/Dragon Warrior (Dragon Quest) with my paid subscription to Nintendo Power back in the day. The trend for RPG's has to continue to the action-RPG hybrid element which I feel it has successfully achieved. With todays world, simplicity is the key. The character creation and leveling I feel has been watered down. Not at the level that is the Fable series or other RPG's but it has been simplified. You really cannot go wrong in how you create your character and you can truly customize the character to your playing style. The bugs that were present in the demo have been cleaned up quite a bit although there are still technical issues here and there (not on the same level as the demo)
I highly recommend this game. There are simply not enough good RPG's out there even if the field seems to be filled with them. There are a lot of mediocre titles that dot the landscape in-between Elder Scroll and Final Fantasy releases. I believe this Game, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a worthwhile RPG to invest ones time and energy into and is a world that truly deserves to be lost in. I wish someone would re-visit Betrayal at Krondor (Enhanced CD-ROM)
Read Best Reviews of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Here
Game's Info:(Players): 1 offline
(Required Hard Drive Space): 4.GB
(HD Video Output): 480P, 720P
(DUALSHOCK*3)
Game's Features:
Add-On Content / Trophies
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I will now give the "PROS" and "CONS" of the game and even add a "MID" as in stuff I didn't hate but also didn't love, but you or others might feel different about it...
PROS:
A great free world to run around in
Has a lot of way you can play it as a Rogue, Warrior, Sorcerer or if you want to them all.
The game play is clean and controls well and easy get use too.
Has a lot of kinds of items, monsters, people and quests to do in the game.
you can make your own character from the ground up and fit the way you like to play him/her.
Creating items like Potions and equipment is the most fun I ever had in making items in a game.
MIDS:
The story in the game seems pretty good but nothing that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.
Graphics and sound are pretty good as well, but not jaw droping.
The game is pretty easy at first, but as you get deeper in the game it will start getting harder.
CONS:
I've had few problems with the Camera in the game here and there...
Lockpicking is WAY to "easy"
The sound in the game can sometimes can be late for when the sound was supposed to happen.
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{My Thoughts}
I'm really enjoying this game, there hasn't been a game like this to come out in a long time. If you ask me I think you should really give this game a try... it maybe not as big and pretty as a few other games that has came out, but I think this game is a gem of it's own and please reamember this is the first game that "38 studios" has ever came out with and I think they did great job and I'm looking forward to see what they will do next. :)
Thank you for reading, I hope it helped you and if you have any questions about the "Game" just ask. ^^
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Skyrim was the first "real" RPG I have played in years and the first game I have ever played over 60+ hours. I played the original Paper Mario and even Super Mario RPG on the SNES. But I usually stuck to the likes of Diablo, Dungeon Siege and Action Games. I played Dragon Age Origins and Dragon Age 2 a bit but not in depth.I have to say that I feel this game is a great mix of Skyrim, God of war and Diablo.
Skyrim For the sheer size of the world. It may not be as "open" but it is still huge.
God of War For the combat. This what I liken it to not that the combat is on the same level as GOW, but that the animations and feel is.
Diablo For the sheer amount of loot that you find.
I have found I really enjoy the games graphics. They are not as detailed and real as Skyrim but they are amazing in a different way. I really liked Todd Mcfarlane's comics back in the day and I feel that some of his style has really rubbed off here.
Being about 10 hours into the game I find myself wanting to play it while I am at work and that has always been a key indicator if I really like a game.
Is it the best RPG ever, probably not, but I am having one heck of a time trying to find games (in my palette of games) that are as fun and with the amount of loot.
I can easily see myself playing this game for 70+ hours (that is where I was at with Skyrim).
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