Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Review

Combat

KoA:R delivers satisfying action-RPG combat that is marred only by the camera’s tendency to awkwardly lock-up at inopportune times. Rather than simply follow behind you, during climactic battles, the camera develops a mind of its own and remains in whichever position it deems best for that skirmish, grudgingly moving from its lofty position and returning to follow you at a snail’s pace only once you’ve moved quite a distance away from it.

Ranged combat is a bit of a mess, relying on a bizarre mixture of auto-targeting and actual aiming. I imagine it being more natural for gamepad users, but with a mouse, it required some getting used to.

But perhaps I’m painting the wrong picture, here — KoA:R’s combat is fun. Hack-and-slash action is spiced up with fighting-game style “moves” or “combos,” the combat roll ensures melees progress at a fast pace, and a mechanic reminiscent of Mortal Kombat’s fatalities allows you to finish off enemies in cinematic style.

General Gameplay

Outside of combat, Bethesda’s influence can once again be seen, with a lock-picking mechanic taken straight out of Skyrim/Fallout 3, but KoA:R does make significant departures from its competition, even if they are small. For instance, stacks of crates are liberally placed throughout towns, and smashing them carries the possibility of finding gold. It’s a small thing, but smashing crates to bits is immensely fun in a cathartic way, and the crates periodically respawn, giving you an infinite supply of destruction.

Another feature I loved came through the game’s engaging crafting system — you actually get to name the items you create. Sure, you can use the default name, but why carry around a Fine Iron Longsword when you can wield the fiery Flametongue? Again, it’s a small thing, but being able to insert your own creativity into the game world helps connect and engage you with it. As far as I’m concerned, every singleplayer RPG should henceforth allow you to name your items.

During your play experience, you’ll progress through a series of main and optional quests that take you through the game’s expansive world in a manner not unlike an MMORPG. You are free to travel wherever you wish, but you may not be able to survive the challenges that await you if you stray from the beaten path. Amalur’s varied regions are connected via a bizarre pseudo-dungeon layout, with each major region in the world consisting of a roughly circular “room” that is connected to one or more other regions through small corridors. It’s a world that seems ideally set up for an MMORPG.

Oh, and can we have a “jump” button, please?