Review – Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning

With thanks to the folks at THQ Nordic and Kaiko, today I’m bringing you the full video review, and extended written review for Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning. As usual the full common sense parent’s guide is included, as well as our new accessibility rating. Read on for the extended written review, and find the bitesize video just here

The Basics

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning released back on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in 2012, and with the animations and play style it does feel like a 360 era title. Now, eight years later, the re-released and imaginatively titled Re-Reckoning is looking to provide an updated but authentic experience for both old fans and newcomers to the gaming scene.

The return brings the same third-person RPG action as the original, as well as much of the same expansive and immersive story. As well as that though, this re-released package is also bundled with all of the DLC for the title, expanding the world and your play time considerably if you didn’t get a chance to go through it the first time.

For those who haven’t played before, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning brings a swift fantasy third-person RPG with a good range of combat options. You’ll take the reins of The Fateless One, the first warrior ever to be resurrected from the battlefield. There’s a huge amont going on, and your aims can’t be easily summed up without spoilers, but safe to say you’ll parade through the standard RPG tasks with a robus and expansive story.

You’ll smash through the wide variety of fantasy foes using a mixture of magic and more conventional ranged and close quarters combat. With the ability to change your weapons whenever you like, changing up your play style can be done pretty quickly to keep the experience fresh.

Parent’s Eye View

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is rated by PEGI at 18 and above, and by the ESRB at a Mature 17 plus. I never got my hands on Reckoning when it first came out and, without looking over the age ratings (guitly!) was expecting a mix somewhere on the Fable side of Skyrim. Cute cartoon-esque visuals belie what is actually a pretty gory and blood soaked battlefield though, and the violence in this one can be fairly graphic.

There are also some suggestive themes in the title, however this does pale a little when compared to grabbing a fairy sprite, pinning it down and literally punching it to death. With the gory combat in this one, despite the cartoon visuals I’m afraid it’s one which we’re rating as decidedly not kid friendly.

Accessibility

This is a new rating for us here at Pixel Bandits, and it’s one which I wanted to give a little caveat on before we start. There’s nothing inherently good or bad about any of these ratings, but we just aim to give an idea on how much time you’ll need to sink into titles, and if any are particularly challenging.

In terms of accessibility, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is one which you will need to pump a little time into, and we’re rating it as High-Level. In terms of difficulty there are a good number of different levels available starting with casual, which really allow you to set your own experience.

Whatever mode you play on, you’ll need to clear some space from your diary for this one. The map is fairly huge, and there are a substantial number of side quests alongside an involving main campaign and all the title’s DLC. As with any RPG worth its salt, you’ll need to invest some time here to really get the best out of it.

The Run Down

Visuals – Good: The remastered visuals here hold up well, and if you have the specs for it you can even get up to native 4K. The action is smooth and there’s not really a lot I can say against it, however as a remaster instead of a complete rebuild there are telltale signs that it’s based on an older title. I would have liked to have seen some more updated styles in menus and overlays for the heads up display as those elements can feel quite dated, but overall it’s a good looking title.

Audio – Great: The voice acting in the title can be a little quaint but that’s exactly what I’m looking for with this style of game. Even with the twee (as expected) voices, this has been well done, and considering the number of lines of dialogue in the title, that’s pretty notable. In addition, sound effects and background music have been done well, and there has been nothing in this that I can fault it on.

Narrative – Great: The narrative of the first title was well received, and Re-Reckoning brings all that back, plus all the DLC. The story weaves its way through an immersive world and there are a large number of threads to follow, and a lot of world to traipse through on the way.

Replay – Great: The story elements are great and even outside the main narrative there are a huge number of side quests to run through. In combat, the mix of available weapons and magic lets you choose your play style, and being able to mix this up almost on the fly means if you get bored of whacking spirited with magical swords, you can burn them up with a magic staff instead.

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The Verdict

Overall the Pixel Bandits Fus-Ro-Damalur Level for Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is that you’ll probably find it Enjoyable. If you’re a fan of titles like Fable but are looking for a little more cut-throat edge this is likely one for you. Whether you played the original or note, there’s a lot of content here to get your teeth into and I’ve had a decent time in this one overall.

It should be noted that it does feel very much like a remastered title, and it’s instantly noticeable when compared to more contemporary titles. The movement, combat and menus all harken back to those heady days of eight years ago, and while that’s not a bad thing in itself (some of us enjoyed those heady days of eight years ago) it is certainly different.

While I can’t say to go out and grab straight away, it’s definitely one to keep your eye on for the next time you’re looking for a fantasy adventure, and with the fluid and customisable combat options it’s got something to suit most play styles.

Pick It Up

If This one has tickled your gaming tastebuds, you can grab it on;

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