Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Game Review

Back in 2012, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning expected by many came out. The passage of this game promised to be an interesting and unforgettable sight, which was expected by millions of gamers. Still, after all, very eminent developers worked on its creation, which was to make the future Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning a masterpiece. A review of Gambling Mania informed the players that Robert Salvatore (author of many fantasy books) worked on the script, Todd MacFarlane (comic book artist who created Spawn) directed the drawing, and the creator of Morrowind, Ken Rolston, was in charge of the overall work. But, as often happens, the stellar cast failed to fulfill its plan.

System requirements

To begin with, we’ll talk about what may be required to launch Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The review that you will continue to read is not intended to discourage you from playing this undeniably interesting game, but to prevent and reduce excitement so that you are not disappointed in your expectations.

In order to play this RPG, you will not need any super powers. Even for 2012, system requirements were very democratic. All you need is a dual-core processor with a frequency of 2.4 GHz, 2 gigabytes of RAM and a video card level GeForce 8800 GT with 1 gigabyte of memory.

To run this toy at maximum settings, you will need a computer with a quad-core processor with 2.4 GHz, 4 gigabytes of RAM and a video card similar in power to the GeForce GTX260.

As you can see, the requirements are very democratic for such a vibrant and lively game like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The review, which you read below, will allow you to fully appreciate the ability of developers to optimize their game for the weakest computers.

Plot

He is as old as the world. However, it is unique in its own way. In a distant, distant world called Amalur there were several races - Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Fay. Humanity, the “gnomos" and the elven race (despite their longevity) were called the Peoples of the Dust, since death came to them once and for all. Fey are immortal creatures who after death pass through hell and return to life.

And among this majestic race, apostates and racists begin to appear who are confident in their superiority over the lower forms of life and decide to destroy them. The apostates call themselves Tuat and declare war.

The story of our hero begins some time after the beginning of this "crusade". The peoples of Dust are gradually losing the war, despite numerical superiority. The immortal troops of the Tuat are slowly but surely defeating. At the same time, the weak races are trying to develop a device that will resurrect the dead. And the main character becomes the first of them, waking up in a dump for corpses and not remembering himself.

First problems

And here an interesting idea and fairy tale sharply turn to the very dust that they call the weak races in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The review and reviews of the players that they leave in a variety of forums may indicate that the game is turning into the likeness of the seediest MMORPG.

You are given quests - bring, take, kill - that cannot please separately with an interesting storyline, as it was in Dragon Age, they are not able to diversify the main plot, in which everyone says that you are the chosen one (legacy Morrowind?) With his undecided fate.

Perhaps this is the only interesting solution in the plot. If in ordinary games the user becomes the chosen one with a certain fate - to become a hero, defeat the dragon, save the princess, then everyone will claim that you are free from fate. After all, the future of all other residents of Amalur is predetermined ... But this will not change anything, and at the end of the game you still have to defeat the dragon ...

The non-linearity promised by the developers of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning turned into a farce.

Race

Having figured out the plot, let's get down to the gameplay and the game itself. Unlike many other games, you have a choice when creating a hero. The first thing you need is to choose your future race. The direction of the character’s development and which gods he can pray for will depend on this.

Despite the fact that the game has gnomes, you can’t play for them. There are four options to choose from.

1. Dokkalfar (elf). A kind of intellectual elite. They are charismatic and smart. This race is ideal for those who want to play a magician.
2. Llosalfar (elf). In any other game, they could become forest elves or druids. Keepers of the forest and order, who are also more prone to magical sciences.
3. Varan (man). Mercenary, traveler, merchant. A closer class will be the dodger (robber, archer). Theft is good for skills.
4. Almayne (man). Warriors (paladins), whose life is dedicated to the fight against Darkness in all its manifestations.

Despite the fact that the description of the races makes you think that they are better for someone in the class, your choice will not affect the skills.

Worship

Each race worships its gods. To save time, we have compiled a table for you. See column intersections. If there is a dash, then the race does not receive a bonus from this patron.

As you can see, the classes are quite balanced, and the bonuses from the patron transparently hint at which class they are more suitable for.

Combat system and classes

You and I have already examined the gods and races in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. This review, unfortunately, gives us practically nothing. The main problem is that most of the characteristics of the characters depend on pumping it “in the field”. There are several nuances that are worth remembering when playing this game.

• There are only 3 branches of character development - a magician, archer, warrior.
• You can simultaneously pump over various aspects of the personality, but remember that skill points are not infinite, and new levels are difficult to take.
• In order to learn some skills, you have to spend skill points on something useless. So, improving your dagger skill, you can open access to more advanced bow handling techniques.
• The game has a click-through method. You can kill opponents with auto attacks, but combo attacks are much more effective.

This is the minimum that every player in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning should know. A review of classes, if complete, can take a huge amount of time. Despite the fact that the skill tree in each branch is relatively small, and each skill can be improved up to a maximum of 5 steps, there are an infinite number of combinations that a player can collect.

In addition, you will open cards of fate, combining various classes. This will give you extra bonuses and "buns".

Retribution

This idea is as old as the world, but even in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, it will sparkle with new colors. The bottom line is that, fighting many enemies, you will gradually accumulate a combat resource - the energy of fate. Upon reaching 500 units, you can enter the mode of retaliation, increasing your damage and slowing down opponents.

This is somewhat reminiscent of Devil May Cry (especially the 5th part) when transforming into a demon and a limit system from Final Fantasy. In general, this function will save your life more than once in a battle with a boss or a large number of opponents. And when you fight with ordinary monsters (of which there are most), you can get more experience by entering this mode.

This is the combat system in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. We will continue the review with a story about the system of fractions.

Fractions

As such, there are no fractional features here. In Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, passing a fraction to the end gives nothing special except experience. And given the fact that quests do not differ in variety, you are unlikely to be able to learn anything new about this fairy-tale world or the secret life and intrigues of "houses".

1. House Ballad. Adventurers, knights, bards - these are the main classes included in this fraction. They are engaged in the search for legends. All tasks are quite easy, except for the final ones.
2. Oaths of War. Mercenaries who fight for a considerable fee on the side of the world. However, even they have their own problems. Taking part in the life of this faction, you will have to expel Niskara, which harm the local lands.
3. Travelers. A completely harmless name for any guild does not mean at all what you think first. Thieves and scammers are the main members of this fraternity.
4. School of Secrets. Quite an ordinary name for the abode of magicians, when compared with other games. According to legend, they are those who are able to change the fate of any creature. This riddle is perfect for your protagonist, who has no fate at all.
5. House of Valor. You have to go through 7 long tasks, fight in the arena and, in the end, find your own home. Why it is needed in this game is not entirely clear, because the gameplay itself is not so long, and returning to old locations is pointless.
6. House of Sorrows. The apathetic and silent winter Fey, who make up the main backbone of this faction, just watch the world die. If you enter here, you will have to accept their ideals.

This concludes our Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning review. Part 1 of it we devoted to the game mechanics and some aspects of character development. Now it's time to briefly tell you about the plot of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. The passage will be very brief so as not to deprive you of the pleasure of learning all the details of the story yourself.

Part 1

For simplicity, the plot will be divided into three parts, 4 chapters each. It is worth noting that the game itself is not long, but most of the time it will take you to level the character with side quests to make it easier to go through the main story. So Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, walkthrough, part 1:

1. Out of the darkness. You come to your senses on a mountain of corpses. Pick up a weapon near one of the bodies and you will look for a way out. Not far from one of them you will meet the very dwarf who raised you up and help him fight off the attack. Get on the marker to the exit, and the gnome will open the passage. Here you have a few conversations, and then an escape.
2. To the light. This stage consists of a journey to the city of Garhart to the “Weaver of Fate”. After that, you will be sent to a certain Arden, but he will be dead. An unknown elf will give you the following quest. You will go to the region of Dellah to Agarz. After talking with him, follow the guide to the caves. After a series of battles and another chatter, the task will be completed.
3. Hunting for hunters. Now your path lies in Didenhill. There you will receive the next cave adventure quest. Go to the end and break the stone.
4. Old friends, new enemies. Now you have to visit the Ballad House, and from there go to Kaer Niralim and kill the next troll. After that, you will be sent to Aisa Gardens.

Part 2

Despite the fact that the plot seems very simple, the hero will meet many interesting locations along the way. Do not be lazy to study them and do additional tasks.

1. The approaching storm. After the Gardens you will be sent to the Supreme Court of Kings and put there on the Codex pedestal.
2. Old friend. After a series of conversations you will be sent to the Detayr desert, or rather to one particular cave (Soltwell). Find the Hugo in it and protect it from the killers.
3. Enemies at the top. Here you have to run a courier to Alessa and back. And then defeat the Templar.
4. Great routine. You have a walk in Emire. From there, you will be directed to Urul-Taska, and then - to search and activate the Stones of the Winds. After that, go into the fortress and defend the general. After victory, the quest will end.
5. Breakthrough siege. First you have to get to the city of Razier. After a few dialogs, you will sail to another continent. There, talk to the commander several times and take a walk around the city. Then you will again be led by the hand to the next task. Remove the siege from the city, kill their commander and summoned monster.

Part 3

This is where the final phase of your adventures in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning begins. The review, although not complete, and the passage is very short, but the completeness of the plot allows you to evaluate in all its glory. This game should be born as an online project, but ... Something has not grown together among publishers.

1. Quiet waterfalls. Having removed the siege, we immediately go for reinforcements to the Klurikon region and fulfill the task of the local head to destroy the chapels.
2. Echoes of the past. After the next dialogue, you will be sent to Dannestar. Fight off zombies and move to the tower. After a series of dialogues and the next “swagger” with corpses, the task will be completed.
3. Pride goes before a fall. Go to the fields of Haber. After a series of dialogs, fight in two fights Drena. After that, you will have to go to the House of Pride and clean it from enemies, including the Dark Knight. Destroy the crystal outside and skip the next dialogs.
4. Retribution. After talking with your comrades, stomp to Alabastra. Cut through hundreds of enemies who are not able to cause significant damage to the character from level 38. Then save your friend and after the conversation begin the attack. Destroy the House of Revenge, kill the governor, and then Gadflow.
5. Pay. Follow Elin deep into the dungeons. There you have the final battle with the main demon.

Summary

In general, the developers got a rather interesting project. Despite the fact that they borrowed a lot from other games, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning shines with bright colors as the next slasher. Neither the plot nor the crafting system nor the graphics save him. However, players continue to appreciate this creation primarily due to the combat system, which at later levels is able to compete even with Devil May Cry. We hope our review of the game Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning came in handy, and you could get all the necessary information from it.