I like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. I like it a lot. Now usually when I get a chance to preview a game when I come back to write about it, we usually go with the Death By Robots faithful of ‘what I think of the game, I will take you through step by step what I did’: “I created my character and then I launched the game and then I swung my sword about and then I spoke to an NPC”… that kind of thing. But not today, oh no.
You see what I am going to do is highlight a few reasons why you need to experience Reckoning. I know a lot of you will be reading this, content with sitting in your comfort zones, exploring Skyrim - and that is the biggest problem that Reckoning faces. It is being released while gamers are still enjoying playing another fantasy RPG, and they won’t let anything come between them and their endless wandering, ‘taking things from desks’ simulator.
So, Skyrim players take note; Reckoning is a completely different game. Yes it has armour and swords and mages, yes it is set in a land that isn’t Earth, and yes it is an RPG, but that is where the similarities stop and were Reckoning comes into its own. So, sit back and digest what I am about to tell you.
Visuals
The first thing that strikes you about Reckoning is the visual style. It truly is something stunning. Walking the fine line between realism and fantasy, character models are based in realism with exaggerated features that you would expect for a certain race. Dwarf-like characters (known as Gnomes in the Reckoning world) look fantastic with their slightly larger noses and custom fit armour, whose attention to detail is nothing short of stunning (pun intended). The living, breathing world is full of colour, unlike 90% of video games these days. It really is refreshing to see a colour palette that uses more than just grey, dark grey and the occasional brown. Even in the murkier settings, such as caves, there are always little areas of light that shine through – usually in the form of plants that have a light glow emanating from them.
Enemies and friendly figures are varied with plenty of races to learn, and you will quickly become accustomed to what each one looks like; the Dokkalfars with their pale skin and elf ears, the Fae who look as if they have been born of the earth with their nature inspired outfits, the Almain and Varani are two human clans who have their own looks about them, and the Tuatha Deohn with their glowing red eyes who are the enemies you first encounter in the game, and you will find out much more about as the plot progresses.
Combat
So you have this completely different colour palette which sets Reckoning apart from similar games on the market and then there is the combat. Without a shadow of a doubt in any western RPG Reckoning has the best combat system I have ever had the pleasure of going hands-on with. The great thing with Reckoning is that you don’t have to force yourself into specialising in just one area and weapon type – you are able to have two weapons equipped at once as well as some magical powers. The different weapon types include Swords, Staffs, Sceptres, Bows, Daggers and Chakrams, as well as different versions of those I have just mentioned. You can equip one weapon as a primary and one as a secondary weapon, allowing you to participate in combat however you see fit. As you level up you are given points to spend on new abilities and weapon upgrades that will unlock new combos and strength for the specific weapons, but it is fantastic that you can be a long sword wielding, magic staff waving hero if you wanted to be.
The combat happens at a frightening pace and the ability to use your long sword a couple of times quickly, followed up by a few biting dagger stabs, ending with a magical burst of thunder sent the way of your enemy really gets your heart beating. Enemies have different weaknesses and attack types that will keep you thinking as you progress through the game, some being more vulnerable to physical attacks and other magical, it’s just something else that keeps you on your toes. One little thing that really impressed me was when I came across a pack of three wolves who quickly turned to attack me. Instead of just lining up and trying one by one to attack me they quickly spread themselves and surrounded me, attacking one at a time, and as I tried to fend off the one attacking another snarling beast comes from the side and tries to rip the windpipe from my throat. It’s the little details like this that just show how much thought has gone into Reckoning.
Story
Now, I don’t want to talk about the actual plot of the game at all but I just want to bring it to your attention that Amalur has been crafted around a 10,000 year history. R.A Salvatore best known for the Forgotten Realms book series has written this incredibly detailed back story which has allowed Amalur to feel like a world that exists in its own reality, and hasn’t just been thrown together. As well as the main plot there promises to be hundreds of side quests for you to sink your teeth into and allow you to explore every nook and cranny of the mystical world.
Demo and Mass Effect 3
I can tell you that there will be so much more to Reckoning than just the above, but you really have to experience it to see what else is on offer. Luckily you are able to get your hands on a demo on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC worldwide on 17th January 2012. The demo will show off the very beginning of the game, allowing you to test out the character creation system and make your way through the first area. When you meet a character called Agarth you will have 45 minutes to freely explore Amalur and get a feel for just how this game plays.
One of the selling points that EA have pulled with the Reckoning demo is the fact that actually playing and completing the demo unlocks extra content for the full release:
- A Twist of Fate Card is earned after you have installed the Reckoning demo and linked your Origin account.
- The Twinned Souls Chakram is earned after you have installed the Reckoning demo and linked your Origin account.
- The Infernal Helm is earned after completing the Reckoning Mode Tutorial.
As well as unlocking Reckoning’s in-game items for free there is also a genius crossover with Mass Effect 3. Playing the demo through to completion will achieve the unlock of the Reckoner Knight Armour for Commander Shepard to use and also a Chakram launcher. It is nice to see EA bringing 38 studios and Bioware together to cross promote the games and offer some content for free instead of purely pre-order bonus content. It also means, hopefully, that more people will download the Reckoning demo and give the game a chance purely because they might want their free Mass Effect items.
So there you go. Just a few reasons why Reckoning should be on your radar. There are no excuses to not give Reckoning a try on 17th January when the demo is released. That will give you a few weeks to sharpen your Chakrams, re-string your bow and craft yourself some potions ready for the full release on 10th February.
