I was a little worried at the start. Getting through what I played in the demo was kind of a chore; I wanted to see something new. Then, my early quests consisted of the typical “in order to help this person, go talk to that person who will need help from this other person who will help you only if you go complete such and such a task for them” type of fetch quests. This was kind of annoying, but I went through the motions of completing them in the hopes that eventually I’d get to something more interesting. 
First, there’s a lot to do in this game. I played several hours before I even realized that I hadn’t even moved on the the second quest of the main storyline. Quests are numerous, but easy to keep track of and prioritize; very nice. Also, while not quite the “open world” experience of something like Skyrim, there’s still plenty to explore and discover. It’s open enough to give you a sense of freedom, but constricted enough that you’ll never feel completely lost. It’s also nice that the game has an easy to use “fast travel” system to help getting around during those fetch quests that much easier. There’s also plenty of loot drops. You’re constantly getting new and often useful items. You can also create your own items or upgrade your current equipment. Lots of customization options with your gear, and the constant loot drops compel you to keep exploring and fighting in the hopes that you’ll get something really cool.
Then there’s the fighting. The combat in Amalur is what really won me over. The quests aren’t all that memorable, the characters are forgettable, and the world you’re playing in looks fairly similar to any other fantasy/action game, but the combat; that was something else entirely and really helps this game stand out from the crowd. It’s deceptively simple. You basically have one button attacks. The joy is the in the fluidity in which you can switch up your attacks. Start off with ranged strikes using a bow, go in closer and throw down some spells with your magic staff, get in closer and do some damage with that massive sword you’re carrying around; and them mix and repeat in any fashion you choose to your hearts desire. However, some enemies are more vulnerable to certain types of attacks than others, so you’ll need to pay attention and use what’s most effective. 
Now even though I’ve said that the rest of the game is fairly bland, that’s really true in a general sense. There are moments and ideas that are rather interesting. The whole idea of being someone who is outside of fate, and therefore capable of reshaping not only your own fate, but the fate of others is rather interesting. So is the suggestion that this ability might be rather dangerous and have dire consequences. You know, the truth is that our fate is both predetermined and entirely up to us to shape. I know that may seem a little confusing, but here’s the short explanation. The destiny for all of us has already been written. The Bible is very clear that we are either destined for hell or for heaven; there are no other options, despite our attempts to create other options through denial and self-deception (Truth is still Truth, even if no one believes it, and a lie is still a lie even if everyone believes it). However, it’s entirely up to us what our fate will be. We didn’t always have that option, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we can now choose what our fate will be. We can choose to deny the Truth of the Bible and what it says about our condition and need for a Savior and embrace hell, or we can accept what it says and embrace heaven. God loves us, and he’d much prefer we chose heaven, but he won’t force the decision on us; that wouldn’t be very loving. It’s entirely up to us, so in a sense, our fate is entirely in our hands to be shaped how we see fit, one way or another. Granted, the consequences of weaving fate doesn’t have quite the same eternal and spiritual implications in Reckoning, but it certainly gets one thinking about fate and how the fate we choose has consequences not only for our lives, but the lives of those around us.
For the most part, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning doesn’t do anything new, but it does all the expected things well. There’s plenty to do and lots to explore in this fully realized, if derivative fantasy world. However, it’s saving grace from the forgettable blandness is the excellent combat system, and to some extent, the customizable experience. Level your character up however you like, but if you change your mind and want to be more of a warrior than a mage, then you can reset everything and level up your character differently. Meanwhile the combat is just straight up fun. I’m constantly finding new ways to combine my various abilities and chain my attacks. 
Score out of 7:
Graphics: 5 - This is a pretty game. The colors are bright and vibrant and the environments rich in detail. Character models at times look a little stiff during conversations, and they look less than life-like running around the world at times, but overall, this game is easy on the eyes.
Sound: 5 - Good voice work and a solid sound track help bring this world to life. The sound during combat helps add to the excitement by making every blow and spell and explosion sound epic.
Controls: 6 - Simple, intuitive, responsive controls. It’s easy to manage your inventory, to switch out new gear, level up and even quickly access things during combat. Combat controls are fast, fluid and responsive. The only problem I had was a little trouble with the conversation wheel at times not registering my selection.
Gameplay: 5 - The combat saves the gameplay in Reckoning. Most of it is pretty standard fare for this type of RPG. Well done, but still very typical and predictable. The combat, however, is a joy. It’s fun and also challenging without ever feeling cheap.
Story: 4 - Honestly, I didn’t invest a lot in the story. I just skipped through dialogue to get on to the next action, mostly because this is pretty familiar territory. Still, there are some interesting ideas about fate and shaping our own destiny. Some interesting twists and turns along the way.
Content: 4 - The game suffers somewhat from an identity crisis. It has s deceptively bright and cheery look to it with slightly cartoonish character models, and the combat gets brutal and bloody. Also, you have the typical, scantily clad females of the fantasy genre.
Final: 5 - The demo didn’t impress me with its homogenous feel, but spending extended time with the game changed my mind. It’s still fairly same-old, same-old for the most part, but the combat is just so much darn fun. Add in some pretty extensive customization options, you have a fairly engaging adventure if you aren’t all that concerned with story or character development. Definitely worth a rental, and if Mass Effect 3 weren’t on the horizon, I’d even say it’s worth buying.
