Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Preview

Cheat Code Central offers a preview of the upcoming action RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, pondering how the title will pull off a deep narrative with God of War-esque gameplay.

An action fan, for example, will love mastering the fighting system, which, like Bayonetta, depends on timing and juggling instead of complicated combos. It introduces “fate-shift kills,” which are spectacular finishing moves. These folks will also love the graphics, which depict the huge world (with everything from forests to fields to dungeons) in a highly realistic way. Early previews indicate that the action itself is brutal and intense, a far cry from what you’ll find in a lot of modern RPGs. Even mages will have to get close to enemies for some melee brawling. Most interestingly, if action fans don’t feel like spending hours puzzling over their inventories, they can simply switch between items like they would in an action game.

Don’t think that the option of simple item management means that Amalur has been dumbed down across the board, however. The game begins with a detailed character creator, and you also have to pick between four races and five gods. As everything unfolds, you develop your character through the use of tech trees that improve your sorcery, might, and finesse. These attributes replace the “class” system found in most RPGs, allowing you to get the feel of the game before making the important decisions that will turn you into a warrior or a mage. There’s even an extensive crafting system, including the ability to use gems to make your equipment more powerful, for those who want to make their own weapons and armor. Expect a lot of looting, dungeons, powerful weaponry, outlandish costumes, and flashy spells, even if the basic combat is simple.