Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning PC Games

Released on 10-Feb-2012

• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Preview

  Star cast

  Headlined by the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, last year was a great year for role playing games, and 2012 looks set to kick off with a bang when Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning launches in February. A single-player RPG that challenges players to unlock the mysteries of a magical world filled with strange landscapes, exotic cities, colourful characters and terrifying creatures, expectations are particularly high given the star cast involved in the game's creation.

  Fantasy world Amalur and its 10,000 years of fiction was created by 22-time New York Times bestselling author R.A. Salvatore, and has been brought to life visually for the game by renowned Spider-Man artist and Spawn creator Todd McFarlane. Featuring over 60 hours of story, diverse side quests and exploration, the title's open world, free-roaming design has been developed under the leadership of RPG guru Ken Rolston, formerly lead designer on the critically acclaimed Elder Scrolls games Morrowind and Oblivion.

  Choose your destiny

  Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning gives players great scope for personalising their character, with the freedom of choice extending well beyond just physical appearance. Destinies, which are the essentially the game's version of classes, enable players to develop and master their personal battle style, crafting their character without many of the constraints associated with traditional RPGs.

  The Destiny system is basically a class-switching feature defined by abilities managed and unlocked within Sorcery, Might, and Finesse specialisations. Whether dabbling in all three specialities or pouring every point into one, path-shaping destinies continually evolve and new ones open up. For example, a battle-hardened warrior can incorporate the stealthy quickness of a rogue as well as the magical mastery of a sorcerer, or adopt subtle variations of them all. The choice is yours.

  RPG combat evolved

  From our brief exposure to the game, perhaps its standout feature is its non-traditional take on combat. While most RPGs see fighters trading blows until whoever has the least hit points loses, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning's responsive, lightning-quick combat is more influenced by fluid third-person action series like God of War and Ninja Gaiden. Warriors can roll out of danger, mages can teleport-dodge, and characters perform brutal combos - the lead combat designer happens to be a tournament level Tekken player - while the camera sweeps around framing the action in the most exciting way possible.

  While it's still possible to button-mash your way through duels, chaining skills together and precise timing will pay off and develop your character further. Once you've acquired enough energy from defeated enemies to fill up the game's 'fate meter' you can also unleash 'Reckoning' mode, which slows down time for your opponents, giving you an upper hand that lets you zap around dishing out damage and taking out the more deadly enemies with brutal kills that require you to react to button prompts on the screen which, if your timing is spot on, appear to earn you additional experience as you close in on flashy kills.

  Based on what we've played to date, we're more than a little excited to see more of what Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has to offer with its gorgeous open world, fast-paced, visceral combat and its interesting take on character creation and development.
  

  Published: 24/01/2012

• Final Fantasy XIII-2 soars to top of UK charts

  Role-playing epic Final Fantasy XIII-2 has become the first new release of the year to top the UK all-formats chart.

  The latest instalment in Square Enix's legendary series toppled the long-reigning FIFA 12 from the summit of the GfK-ChartTrack rankings, emulating the chart-topping debut of its direct predecessor Final Fantasy XIII.

  It was one of a number of new releases to make a big splash this week, with second place going to Konami's compilation title Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which features three of the most popular entries in the classic stealth series.

  Third and fourth place went to chart stalwarts Battlefield 3 and FIFA 12, while another new entry - Namco Bandai's fighting sequel SoulCalibur V - debuted in fifth.

  Other top ten titles included long-term favourites such as Assassin's Creed Revelations, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

  Next week should see another batch of new releases making their chart debuts, including fantasy blockbuster Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, comic book shooter The Darkness II and quirky relationship drama Catherine.

  Published: 06/02/2012

• Todd McFarlane: Kingdoms of Amalur sequel depends on word of mouth

  Comic legend Todd McFarlane has said that future entries in the Kingdoms of Amalur role-playing series, which he helped create, will depend largely on fans recommending it to their friends.

  "There are some surprises in it," he told Gamasutra in an interview this week. "If we delivered enough of them, maybe [players will] phone up their buddy and go, 'Hey, Fred, I just played this game and you've got to see it. It's kind of cool, man.' If we can get that word of mouth going, then there's a big potential for us to succeed and maybe have a sequel come out someday."

  Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has an enviable pedigree. Ken Rolston, lead designer on The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind and sequel, Oblivion, is the man in the driving seat. Best-selling fantasy author R.A. Salvatore has written the story and created the gameworld. McFarlane, famous for creating Spawn as well as his blockbuster runs on Hulk and Spider-Man, supplies the artwork. Reviews have been highly positive, comparing the game favourably to the likes of Fable, Skyrim and World of Warcraft.
  
  Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is out on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this Friday.

• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning launches with first-day DLC pack

  Role-playing fans are to be introduced to a whole new fantasy universe this week when EA and 38 Studios' Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning hits stores, with add-on content set to be available online right from launch day.

  Developed by Big Huge Games, the epic adventure is released on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Players can battle creatures and see amazing sights in Amalur, a world created by bestselling author RA Salvatore, comics legend Todd McFarlane and acclaimed game designer Ken Rolston.

  Those who pick up a new copy of the game will also receive an Online Pass that allows them to download House of Valor, a DLC pack that includes seven exclusive additional quests.

  In House of Valor, players will compete in a barbaric combat tournament at the behest of grand champion Tyr Magnus, as well as visiting the Arena Battle Board to access various challenges and unlock new items.

  Curt Schilling, founder and chairman of 38 Studios, said: "We are deeply committed to the RPG community and plan to continue to serve up a lot more story-based and action-packed content in the near and long term."

  Fans can unlock additional content in Kingdoms of Amalur by downloading the upcoming demo of Mass Effect 3.

  Published: 08/02/2012

• Kingdoms of Amalur reigns supreme in UK charts

  EA's new role-playing game Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has ascended to the top of the UK all-formats chart in its first week of release.

  The much-anticipated title from 38 Studios and Big Huge Games dethroned Final Fantasy XIII-2 at the summit of the GfK-ChartTrack rankings, becoming the first brand new series to top the charts since last year's Dead Island.

  It was not the only debutant to excel this week, as comic book-inspired shooter The Darkness II came in third, behind the latest Final Fantasy game.

  Last week's runner-up Metal Gear Solid HD Collection came fourth, while the ever-popular FIFA 12 rounded out the top five.

  Other new titles to debut in the top 40 included Deep Silver's quirky relationship drama Catherine and EA's sports sequel Grand Slam Tennis 2.

  Next week will see the return of THQ's acclaimed UFC Undisputed mixed martial arts series, with UFC Undisputed 3 coming to Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

  Published: 13/02/2012

• Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning - Review

  
  

  

  A whole new world?

  Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC) is a new challenger in the field of open-world role-playing games. It's got its eye firmly on the huge success of Bethesda's Elder Scrolls games, including the recent sales phenomenon Skyrim. That's not surprising - Reckoning's lead designer worked on Skyrim's predecessors, Morrowind and Oblivion. So you get thievery, crafting, a main quest and faction quests that lead you through its sprawling fantasy universe.

  But, if you know anything about RPGs, you'll notice a lot of other influences here, too. Conversational choices play out much as they do in BioWare games, the art style and mass of side-quests owe a clear debt to Blizzard's World of Warcraft, and the huge amounts of highly customisable equipment are straight out of another Blizzard series, Diablo. What really sets it apart, though, is a dynamic, fast-paced, combo-led combat system that's more reminiscent of console action-adventures like God of War or Darksiders.

  It's something of a hotchpotch, then, and you can tell that it's the work of a new company that's still finding its identity. 38 Studios is the brainchild of baseball hero and WOW addict Curt Schilling, who ultimately plans to make a whole online world based on the Kingdoms of Amalur universe. This setting was devised - at great expense, presumably - by comic artist Todd McFarlane (creator of Spawn) and fantasy novelist R. A. Salvatore. Like BioWare's Dragon Age, it's intended to provide an alternative to established fantasy worlds like Dungeons & Dragons and Warcraft.

  That might be a bit of a stretch. Although the world looks colourful and inviting and has a very detailed history to delve into, it's nothing fantasy fans haven't seen before. The race of Fae might be based on old British and Irish legends, but they look like the elves in every other game, while lots of the dialogue is boring and clich� and the world never feels very atmospheric or convincing.

  Stick with it, though, and there are some decent stories in there. Your character dies at the start of the game and is resurrected with no memory and, according to the local seers, no fate. You're free to choose your role in the world and (supposedly) the fates of those around you. As you search for your own identity and your place in a war between the inhabitants of the world and a rebel faction of warlike Fae, things get increasingly incident-packed and intriguing, and the game livens up a lot in its second half.

  Anyway, this new fantasy world isn't the only thing 38 Studios has up its sleeve.

  

  Hit me with your rhythm stick

  If 38 Studios seems like a bit of a novice in world-building, it definitely isn't in quality game design and production. Reckoning is very polished and solidly put together, it's got a huge amount of content, some great systems that you will lose hours to and - especially - really enjoyable combat.

  A lot of big RPGs suffer when it comes to combat - it often seems tame, slow or basic when compared to action games, and lacks feedback. The interest is usually more in the invisible dice-rolls and number-crunching of stats that goes on behind the action.

  Not so in Kingdoms of Amalur, whose combat is the equal of anything this side of Dark Souls. You're usually facing off against multiple enemies, moving your character, blocking and dodging, and stringing together rhythmic combos with your weapon or setting off special abilities at just the right moment. Fight smart and you'll build up a Reckoning meter that, when full, allows you to slow time and unleash devastating finishing moves.

  Although it's not particularly difficult most of the time - except some properly tense boss fights - timing, positioning, tactics and skill are all important to Reckoning's combat. It's fun and hugely satisfying to play.

  

  In the background, the game has an excellent system for character development. Each time you level up, you invest points across just three skill trees - rogue, warrior and sorcerer, basically - but there are lots of great options here that offer immediate rewards, and more permutations and combinations of skills than you can count. That's not even counting the secondary skills like stealth, lock-picking, persuasion, and the excellent crafting systems.

  Despite this wealth of choice, it's much easier to understand than these systems can be in a lot of RPGs. Stats and character bonuses are all clearly explained, and you'll be able to pick out the equipment that works best for your character and play style with total ease. What's more, you're given the option to reset all your skill points and try a completely different character build at any point in the game, for just a little gold.

  So while Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning's world may seem a little trite on the surface - and its title hardly helps it stand out from the crowd - delve deep, and you'll find plenty for role-playing fans to sink their teeth into. It's a supremely well-crafted, tight and enjoyable game that's easy to play, but with plenty of depth if you want it - and enough content to keep you going for dozens upon dozens of hours.

  Our rating 8.0

  What's Good?

  • Visceral and well tuned action combat that's more fun and skilful than in most RPGs
    
  • Excellent systems for character development, crafting and loot to nerd out with
    
  • A stupid amount of stuff to do, with a tale that sinks its claws in over time

  What's Bad?

  • Kingdoms of Somethingorother: What now? It looks and sounds very generic
    
  • Flat dialogue and unsympathetic characters don't really hold the attention
    
  • Slow to get going with some samey environments at the start
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning - Review

  
  

  

  Taking on the King

  Launching on the back of the runaway success of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim could be a curse or a blessing for Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, out now on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. While the former title is regarded in multiple circles as the definitive open world role playing game of this generation, many of its players will be needing a break or be ready to move on three months after release, and Skyrim has undoubtedly grown interest in the genre.

  Just as well that Kingdoms of Amalur manages to emerge from Skyrim's towering shadow to forge a unique identity of its own and present itself as a welcome alternative. It features a generous 50-plus hour gameplay experience that's more accessible than Skyrim, delivers more fluid combat, and offers a great fantasy world of its own to explore courtesy of Oblivion lead designer Ken Rolston.

  

  Fantasy world

  With a 10,000-year back-story imagined by New York Times best-selling fantasy author RA Salvatore, it's a world steeped in lore, offering a virtual history as comprehensive as any in the genre, and one that's filled with unique characters and interesting monsters. As we enter the scene, the fate of Amalur is at stake as a war rages between its mortals and the immortal Fae.

  After being killed in battle, your character becomes the first to be successfully resurrected by a strange contraption called the Well of Souls, which is subsequently destroyed. In Amalur's world, everyone's fate is written in stone and they're pre-destined to follow it to the letter, but not you. Torn from the tapestry of fate following your rebirth, you're now in control of your own future.

  

  Master of your own fate

  'Destinies' allow you to develop and master a personal battle style, crafting your character without the constraints of traditional classes. You can manage and unlock abilities within Warrior, Rogue and Mage specialisations, or choose to invest skill points across any combination of the three, meaning you're not forced into advancing down any single path.

  Our Mage/Warrior hybrid wielded enhanced damage, a magical shield and the ability to teleport around the battlefield after investing enough points in each skill tree. Pick something you don't like and you can even reset your skill points by visiting a Fateweaver who returns you to a clean slate. It's a remarkably accessible system that allows users to experiment and not worry about spending hard earned credits on non-refundable items.

  

  Varied, fluid combat

  Amalur's user-friendly pick-up-and-play approach also extends to its combat system, which ditches the 'you bash me, I bash you' turn-based duels found in so many RPGs for a swifter, more immediate alternative that brings to mind the fluidity of third person action series like God of War. You can dart around the battlefield, perform evasive rolls and teleport-dodges, and characters can pull off timed parries as well as brutal combos and finishing moves. Each class gets access to a number of magical abilities, while every weapon - swords, daggers, hammers, bows and more - feels different, despite being simply controlled using just one button.

  Ultimately, Kingdoms of Amalur does a lot of things better than some of its esteemed RPG rivals. The combat and character creation elements are great, the world's full of interesting things to see and do, and the low barrier to entry is definitely a major plus. There may be some room for improvement - visually it appears to borrow heavily from World of Warcraft and it's not as polished in the looks department as Skyrim - but the game lays the foundation for a series we definitely hope to see more of in the future.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good

  • Fluid, exciting combat.
    
  • Not being tied to a single class.
    
  • Interesting, unique world.

  The Bad

  • Some repetitive quests.
    
  • Some lengthy loading times.
    
  • Could be stronger looks-wise.

  Published: 16/02/2012

• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning to receive new story DLC

  The first batch of story-based downloadable content for the hit Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will be made available online this month.

  Entitled The Legend of Dead Kel, the DLC pack will be released on March 20th 2012 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, introducing a brand new continent called Gallows End to the world of Amalur.

  As well as experiencing an epic new questline, players will be able to meet all sorts of additional characters, explore dungeons and tackle various extra side missions, while also encountering new monsters and weapon types.

  The DLC expands the size of the already colossal game world by 15 per cent, allowing fans to immerse themselves further in the lore of Amalur, which was crafted by bestselling fantasy author RA Salvatore.

  38 Studios and Big Huge Games' debut release has proven a major success thus far, topping the UK charts and winning critical acclaim from publications such as IGN.

  The game allows players to become heroes in an immersive fantasy world and features art designs by Todd McFarlane, creator of comic book hero Spawn.

  Published: 02/03/2012

• Rule of the Dice: The Games That Made Role-playing Cool Again

  
  

  

  If you wanted to paint a portrait of the stereotypical geek, you'd have to include a nod to role-playing games in there somewhere. Along with Star Trek, the stat-based fantasies of the RPG form the basis of society's clichéd view of 'sad geek stuff'. And yet to look at the games charts today, you'd swear that role-playing was the hottest ticket in town.

  

  The Skyrim's The Limit

  The massive success of Skyrim last year was perhaps the most obvious indicator that RPGs were cool again. Bethesda's vast time-sucking epic is about as nerdy as role-playing gets, filled with magical weapons, skill tree management and all the trolls and dragons you could shake an enchanted mace at, yet it still thundered to the top of the charts and stayed there. Millions bought it, and the acclaim was unanimous from the critical community as well. As 2011 came to a close, Skyrim was over-encumbered and could not run, so full was its backpack with Game of the Year trophies.

  

  But Skyrim wasn't alone. Vying for hardcore affection at the same time was Dark Souls, the punishingly brilliant third-person RPG by Japanese developer From Software. As foreboding and claustrophobic as Skyrim was empowering and liberating, Dark Souls showed that the genre could take console players to terrifying new places, simply by slowing down the pace, ratcheting up the difficulty and making every swing of your sword count. Few will manage to excavate all of Dark Souls' depths, but for those who make it out the other side alive, the experience will be transforming.

  

  Royal Flush

  Had the RPG bandwagon ground to a halt there, it could be written off as a freak occurrence, brought about by anticipation stoked by the five-year wait between Elder Scrolls sequels. But then along came Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, another massive open world fantasy game, stocked with elves and magic and dwarves, and that too raced up the charts.

  With a story by acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, and design work from legendary comic artist Todd McFarlane, Kingdoms of Amalur wore its geek credentials on its extravagantly embroidered wizard's sleeve. It may not have achieved the same ubiquity as Skyrim, but the fact it was so successful, so soon after Bethesda's monster smash should have exhausted the available pool of role-playing enthusiasts suggested that the genre could be on the upswing.

  So where will this renaissance take us next? Onwards and upwards seems to be the answer.

  

  Dungeons and Dragons and Monsters and Pirates and Demons and...

  April sees the Xbox 360 release of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, a console remake of the critically acclaimed PC adult role player. Cast as a monster hunter in a complex world governed by prejudice and fear, it's a far cry from the whimsical fare people commonly associate with fantasy gaming.

  Had Polish developer CD Projekt simply shunted the Witcher 2 code into an Xbox shape and hurried it to shelves, it wouldn't be a surprise. That it's instead opted to completely rebuild the game for console players, with additional content and a lavish collector's edition, proves that there's a mature market beyond the usual dice-rolling hobbyists for this kind of long-term in-depth gaming experience.

  

  Then in May we'll get Risen 2: Dark Waters, another sequel but one that trades the generic swords and sorcery realms of its predecessor for a saltier tale of pirate folk. Developed by Piranha Bytes, the studio behind hit RPG series Gothic, it promises to be more than a cult hit.

  

  We've just learned that May will also be the month that we'll finally get our hands on Diablo 3 from World of Warcraft developer Blizzard. A mere twelve years in the making, this top-down loot-dropping hack and slash RPG dungeon crawl is arguably the most eagerly anticipated PC game of the year.

  So what has caused this surge in role-playing fever? Are gamers simply burned out on militaristic first-person shooters and hungry for change? Or is it just that with their lengthy playing times and flexible character progression, RPGs offer more value for money and greater opportunities to define your own gaming experience?

  Whatever the reason, role-playing is firmly entrenched as the games industry's next big thing. These may be the games that have made it cool to roll the dice, but they certainly won't be the last.

  
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning DLC expansion launches

  Fans of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning can experience the game's first major downloadable expansion, The Legend of Dead Kel, from this week.

  Available to purchase now on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, the DLC pack introduces a massive new island area called Gallows End, which expands the size of the already huge game world by 15 per cent.

  As they explore this exotic new land, players will be able to encounter intriguing characters, face off against new types of enemy and enjoy a host of additional side quests, in addition to an epic new story quest.

  It is set to be the first of many DLC expansions for the acclaimed Kingdoms of Amalur, which topped the UK charts on its debut earlier this year.

  Developed by 38 Studios, the EA-published title is the product of an all-star collaboration between novelist RA Salvatore, artist Todd McFarlane and game designer Ken Rolston.

  It features customisable characters, epic battles and a richly detailed fantasy world that is likely to be revisited in future games.

  Published: 22/03/2012

• Rule of the Dice - The Games That Made Role-Playing Cool

  
  

  If you wanted to paint a portrait of the stereotypical geek, you'd have to include a nod to role-playing games in there somewhere. Along with Star Trek, the stat-based fantasies of the RPG form the basis of society's clichéd view of 'sad geek stuff'. And yet to look at the games charts today, you'd swear that role-playing was the hottest ticket in town.

  

  The Skyrim's The Limit

  The massive success of Skyrim last year was perhaps the most obvious indicator that RPGs were cool again. Bethesda's vast time-sucking epic is about as nerdy as role-playing gets, filled with magical weapons, skill tree management and all the trolls and dragons you could shake an enchanted mace at, yet it still thundered to the top of the charts and stayed there. Millions bought it, and the acclaim was unanimous from the critical community as well. As 2011 came to a close, Skyrim was over-encumbered and could not run, so full was its backpack with Game of the Year trophies.

  

  But Skyrim wasn't alone. Vying for hardcore affection at the same time was Dark Souls, the punishingly brilliant third-person RPG by Japanese developer From Software. As foreboding and claustrophobic as Skyrim was empowering and liberating, Dark Souls showed that the genre could take console players to terrifying new places, simply by slowing down the pace, ratcheting up the difficulty and making every swing of your sword count. Few will manage to excavate all of Dark Souls' depths, but for those who make it out the other side alive, the experience will be transforming.

  

  Royal Flush

  Had the RPG bandwagon ground to a halt there, it could be written off as a freak occurrence, brought about by anticipation stoked by the five-year wait between Elder Scrolls sequels. But then along came Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, another massive open world fantasy game, stocked with elves and magic and dwarves, and that too raced up the charts.

  With a story by acclaimed fantasy author R.A. Salvatore, and design work from legendary comic artist Todd McFarlane, Kingdoms of Amalur wore its geek credentials on its extravagantly embroidered wizard's sleeve. It may not have achieved the same ubiquity as Skyrim, but the fact it was so successful, so soon after Bethesda's monster smash should have exhausted the available pool of role-playing enthusiasts suggested that the genre could be on the upswing.

  So where will this renaissance take us next? Onwards and upwards seems to be the answer.

  

  Dungeons and Dragons and Monsters and Pirates and Demons and...

  April sees the Xbox 360 release of The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, a console remake of the critically acclaimed PC adult role player. Cast as a monster hunter in a complex world governed by prejudice and fear, it's a far cry from the whimsical fare people commonly associate with fantasy gaming.

  Had Polish developer CD Projekt simply shunted the Witcher 2 code into an Xbox shape and hurried it to shelves, it wouldn't be a surprise. That it's instead opted to completely rebuild the game for console players, with additional content and a lavish collector's edition, proves that there's a mature market beyond the usual dice-rolling hobbyists for this kind of long-term in-depth gaming experience.

  

  Then in May we'll get Risen 2: Dark Waters, another sequel but one that trades the generic swords and sorcery realms of its predecessor for a saltier tale of pirate folk. Developed by Piranha Bytes, the studio behind hit RPG series Gothic, it promises to be more than a cult hit.

  

  We've just learned that May will also be the month that we'll finally get our hands on Diablo 3 from World of Warcraft developer Blizzard. A mere twelve years in the making, this top-down loot-dropping hack and slash RPG dungeon crawl is arguably the most eagerly anticipated PC game of the year.

  So what has caused this surge in role-playing fever? Are gamers simply burned out on militaristic first-person shooters and hungry for change? Or is it just that with their lengthy playing times and flexible character progression, RPGs offer more value for money and greater opportunities to define your own gaming experience?

  Whatever the reason, role-playing is firmly entrenched as the games industry's next big thing. These may be the games that have made it cool to roll the dice, but they certainly won't be the last.

  Published: 15/03/2012

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