Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

[Spoonless]

Well, Curt Schilling's 38 Studios released its first game today, the massive action-RPG, Reckoning. A pretty impressive project, with a world designed with the help of RA Salvatore and art direction by Todd McFarlane. So far, I've been having a lot of fun. Supposedly the world is near-Skyrim in its expansiveness, and the 3rd-person combat is fun and rewarding.

My biggest complaint is that for $60, the booklet that comes with the game is terrible. I know it's silly, but getting a game home and reading through the booklet cover-to-cover has always been one of my favorite rituals. Though I suppose that the game booklet being my biggest complaint is a good sign.

Anyway, check out the demo at the very least, even if you hate Schilling.

[allstar1579]

Well, Curt Schilling's 38 Studios released its first game today, the massive action-RPG, Reckoning. A pretty impressive project, with a world designed with the help of RA Salvatore and art direction by Todd McFarlane. So far, I've been having a lot of fun. Supposedly the world is near-Skyrim in its expansiveness, and the 3rd-person combat is fun and rewarding.

My biggest complaint is that for $60, the booklet that comes with the game is terrible. I know it's silly, but getting a game home and reading through the booklet cover-to-cover has always been one of my favorite rituals. Though I suppose that the game booklet being my biggest complaint is a good sign.

Anyway, check out the demo at the very least, even if you hate Schilling.

I never impulsively buy games, I always do a ton of homework, but for whatever reason my gut said to take a flier on this one, so I picked it up on the way home. Waiting for the wife to go to bed so I can take it for a spin, but I have high hopes.

[Objectivity]

I played the demo so I would get extra armor for Mass Effect 3.

Seemed like a cross between an Elder Scrolls game and God of War. Not sure if that's good or bad.

[allstar1579]

I like it alot. It's like a love child of Dragon Age 2 and Skyrim, with better gameplay. Great RPG elements, lots of customization, weapon crafting, and you can make a multi-skilled character, like a Mage that's good with swords and melee, or an Archer that can cast spells for the ultimate ranged character. I'm only about an hour in, but I really do like it a lot.

[MCalvert1]

Also worth noting, the development was done at Big Huge Games, which is based in Timonium, MD. So go support a local company?

MjC

[allstar1579]

Also worth noting, the development was done at Big Huge Games, which is based in Timonium, MD. So go support a local company?

MjC

Yeah my company did some AV work for them a couple months ago, Curt Schilling saved them from going out of business a few months back when THQ folded.

[thundercleetz]

I played the demo and it was a little too artsy for me. Based on the reviews, storyline is a little cliche as well. I am not a fan of the WoW-type graphics, even though the game looks gorgeous in motion. The gameplay was pretty awesome though, Big Huge Games definitely has some potential to put out some awesome action-RPGs in the future.

[allstar1579]

I played the demo and it was a little too artsy for me. Based on the reviews, storyline is a little cliche as well. I am not a fan of the WoW-type graphics, even though the game looks gorgeous in motion. The gameplay was pretty awesome though, Big Huge Games definitely has some potential to put out some awesome action-RPGs in the future.

The demo just doesn't do it justice. The main storyline is actually pretty fresh and unique. I play a TON of these games and it's the first like this I've ever come across. I mean like any other game you see where it's going a mile away, but the premise is different at least and there's still a little bit of doubt of which way it's going to go at a certain point.

I've been avoiding the main quest for the most part and trying to do a bunch of side quests I'm just about finished with the 3 secordary quests and i'm 40 hours in.

[Spoonless]

I feel like many people are saying it has WoW-like graphics just because the scenery is colorful.

[allstar1579]

I feel like many people are saying it has WoW-like graphics just because the scenery is colorful.

Yeah I stayed away from WoW, I don't do PC games, and I can see a couple similarities, but I think the graphics are pretty good. Dark inside caves, light out in open fields, light shining through in the right spots, and the screen can handle multiple enemies on screen at the same time. It's hard to keep up with the fast paced gameplay and outside of a couple glitches I've noticed in the game itself, if you like action RPGs this is about a 9.75/10 for me.

[Spoonless]

There's a video comparing the two side-by-side here:


And while there are some similarities, I'm not convinced the graphics are "WoW-like" outside of both games featuring similar landscapes in a high fantasy setting. I'm sure you could get screencaps of other fantasy games and they'll look similar as well.

[allstar1579]

There's a video comparing the two side-by-side here:


And while there are some similarities, I'm not convinced the graphics are "WoW-like" outside of both games featuring similar landscapes in a high fantasy setting. I'm sure you could get screencaps of other fantasy games and they'll look similar as well.

Fable comes to mind. I mean to a degree any 3rd person action RPG is going to come close to these, and if I recall the proprietary engine that Blizzard uses was based off the Havok engine that Amular is made on.