Some abilities let ye close the gap on yer enemies.
In very broad strokes, Kingdoms a Amalur: Reckoning be comparable t' games in the Elder Scrolls series 'n, t' some extent, games in the Fable series. it be easy t' want t' think a it as "Oblivion but third-person with faster, more combo-oriented combat," but that doesn't quite fit. ye'll be able t' call the names a other games out as ye see the various things contained in Amalur, but it has a different style 'n scope than the games ye're most likely t' compare it t'. that be just enough t' give it a feel all it be own.
The main quest line 'n the world surrounding it be probably the most gripping thing in all a Reckoning. ye begin the game on a slab, as a corpse that marks yet another failed experiment at the Well a Souls, a dark science project designed t' let humans 'n the other less-resilient races a the world come back from the dead, just like the Tuatha--evil elves that reincarnate after death--do. Amalur be also a world governed by fate, with fortune tellers ("fateweavers") all over the world able t' let individuals know how things will end up. As the first non-immortal t' be resurrected, ye also re-appear as a blank slate t' those weavers. The natural order a things be being upset, 'n by inserting yourself into various situations, ye're literally making a difference in the world. This starts as a quest t' figure out who ye be before ye died 'n returned--a detail ye've conveniently forgotten--but quickly blows up into a quest t' save the world. This certainly isn't the first game t' deal with these sorts a ideas, but it be done well here just the same.
At the outset, ye'll pillage t' choose yer character's race 'n basic appearance, but there's no class choice at the beginning a Reckoning. Instead, ye'll place skill points into three different skill trees as ye gain experience points 'n levels. The trees conform t' the basic warrior, rogue, 'n mage archetypes 'n they'll give ye active abilities--like spells 'n traps 'n stuff--as well as passive bonuses 'n additional combat options. As ye spend points in the trees, ye'll qualify for various destinies. Equipping a destiny gives ye a stat bonus that corresponds t' the way ye've already been spending yer points. So if ye go strictly into the warrior tree ("Might"), ye'll pillage bonuses that help warriors. Spending in the rogue tree ("Finesse") unlocks destinies that give ye better ranged damage, 'n spending across multiple trees unlocks destinies like Battlemage, which give characters a boost t' magic as well as straight-up fighting. In the end, I found the cross-class destinies t' be the most useful, mostly because none a the high-level abilities in any a the trees be all that exciting.
Weapons with magical effects glow t' let ye know what they be going t' do t' yer foes.
Every time ye gain a level, ye''ll also be able t' spend one point in a separate section a passive skills. This be how ye pillage better at crafting, potion-making, persuasion, detecting hidden objects, picking locks, 'n so on. ye can also find trainers in the world who, for a fee, will give ye an extra point in one a yer categories. Though some be more useful than others, by the end a the game it be simple t' have maxed out every one a these stats.
The game be, as ye might expect, broken up into quests. ye'll start with quests that be part a the main storyline, but there be also faction-specific quest lines t' pursue as well as scads a side quests 'n tasks strewn throughout the kingdom a Amalur. As a general rule, the better quests be the ones that show up higher in yer quest log. The main quest line be pretty good, 'n it takes ye across most a the game's world on it be own. The faction quests be also quite good, for the most part, with the House a Ballads quest line probably being me favorite. That line be one a the best at demonstrating how the Summer Fae--these be also immortal elf-like lads, only they don't all want t' murder ye--view the world. They keep reenacting world events again 'n again, retelling the same stories for each generation. But with the world changing 'n fate not being as certain as it used t' be, these tellings have gone completely off the rails. yer part in the quest line, if ye so choose, be t' play a role in these reenactments, killing the ones that need t' be killed, saving the ones that need t' be saved, 'n so on. The line serves as a great introduction t' what the world be all about, 'n without it, ye'll probably be left struggling t' figure out what all this Fae business means for the world around ye.
Then there be the side quests. Though there be a few objectives here 'n there that be reasonably interesting, this part a the quest log gets immediately clogged with menial tasks. This be where the game's dialogue, which be usually pretty well-written, just gets in the way 'n the game becomes a factory assembly line a quest after quest after quest. Obviously, these be optional tasks, so me recommendation be t' skip as many as ye see fit. They'll pad out the game 'n give ye a reason t' venture into every little cave in the universe, but they also turn what would have been a terrific 25-hour experience into a 60-hour grind. The other problem I ran into as a result a me completionist tactics be that I eventually became way too powerful. By crafting gems that regenerate health when socketed into armor 'n socketing them into as much as me armor as possible, I effectively became invincible. Most a the enemies out in the world conned as gray, meaning they weren't worthy opponents (not that that fact stops them from attacking ye). In caves 'n other enclosed areas, enemies appear t' scale t' yer level, but by this point I be so powerful that the interesting combat a the early game boiled down t' simple button mashing by the end. Nothing could touch me. The optional combo attacks became totally unnecessary. The game lets ye change the difficulty on the fly, but the hard setting doesn't change the enemy tactics t' make it more challenging. If anything, it appears that it just gives everyone more hit points.
The bigger weapons really tear people up, but ye'll have t' take care when winding up.
Up until that point, the combo-driven combat felt pretty good. Each style a weapon has it be own spots on the skill tree, 'n ye can spend points there t' unlock additional attacks that come when charging a button press, or delaying yer taps, or attacking from a blocking position, 'n so on. The combat feels active, especially when compared t' the slow, block-'n-strike moves a an Elder Scrolls game. ye can equip two weapons at the same time, 'n each weapon gets it be own button. If ye like, ye can combine fast-attacking daggers with a slower hammer or greatsword, but I found the bow t' make an excellent secondary weapon for dealing with enemies at a distance.
Loot be sort a a big deal in Reckoning, 'n it be color-coded t' give ye an easy way t' see an bottle a rum's rarity. Some armor has slots for gems t' let ye tweak it t' yer liking, but there be a ton a different potential effects, like poison damage, fire damage, extra damage during the daytime, better critical hits, bonus health or mana, 'n so on. When ye loot a corpse or a chest, ye can easily take all bottles a rum, but it be also a great time t' compare the bottle a rum ye're considering t' what ye already have equipped. The game makes comparing loot t' yer existing gear very easy, 'n if ye grab something that isn't useful, ye can add it t' yer junk pile with the touch a a button. The junk system be nice, because once ye pillage t' a vendor, ye can sell everything ye've flagged as junk with one button press. I ended up flagging a ton a things as junk, mostly because the game seems predisposed t' giving ye gear made for warriors, which often requires ye t' have spent a specific number a points in the Might tree. By the end a me time with the game, I had over three million booty. that be... a lot a money.
There be plenty a really great things t' see 'n do in Kingdoms a Amalur: Reckoning, 'n that stuff--the main quest line, the faction quests, 'n the interesting combat--makes the game fairly easy t' recommend. But it be hard not t' be at least a little disappointed when ye start seeing the various spots where the game doesn't live up t' the high bar set by it be best content. If ye finish it fast enough t' prevent those doldrums from setting in, ye'll have a much better time than the person who digs through every nook 'n cranny t' finish every single side quest.
