Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning(Released on February 7th)

[thespyder]

^ This. And I said a few posts ago, the boss fights are definitively epic.

You start off the first game where the entire first level IS the boss battle. And it is a Kracken. No game before or since has given such an epic scope to the monsters you face. Every boss battle is insane and even the non-boss battles are friggin awesome.

Voice acting is pitch perfect. Art and design (for each relative platform) is unbelievablely great. And yes, Kratos is pretty unredemptive, but then look what happened to him.

Anyway, back on topic. Gamespot is comparing the combat in Reckoning to be "As good as any combat oriented game out there". What does everyone think? Anyone played it beyond the demo? Any comments?

 

[PhatoseAlpha]

Different strokes for different folks I suppose. The production values in the first two just didn't seem all that remarkable, and as far as I could tell the story was basically "Kratos is pissed at himself, so he kills everyone else hoping to find someone to blame."

And yes, Kratos is pretty unredemptive, but then look what happened to him.

Did I miss something? Cause it looked to me like there wasn't anything done to Kratos - just a bunch of stuff he did to himself.

 

[gothamhunter]

9/10 from IGN and 5/5 from Joystiq...seems to be doing very well. Pretty much under my radar because of my backlog, and I can't wait for it to go down a little bit.

 

[thespyder]

Different strokes for different folks I suppose. The production values in the first two just didn't seem all that remarkable, and as far as I could tell the story was basically "Kratos is pissed at himself, so he kills everyone else hoping to find someone to blame."

Did I miss something? Cause it looked to me like there wasn't anything done to Kratos - just a bunch of stuff he did to himself.

Um, yeah. you missed a bunch of what happened to Kratos. Far to much to include here.

As for production values, did you by chance play them significantly after they came out? Like YEARS? Because upon release GoW was hailed as the game that pushed the PS2 to it's limits graphically and technically. Voice acting was top notch. controls were smoother than any game to date for the system. Battles were far more epic than had been seen for the time. And continuity was pretty flawless. Not sure how that could be seen as "(not) all that remarkable".

And, and while GoW 2 wasn't a significant step forward, it was still a solid game. But GoW 3 was insane as far as production values. If GoW 1 set the bar, GoW 3 blew that bar away.

 

[SMOGZINN]

9/10 from IGN and 5/5 from Joystiq...seems to be doing very well. Pretty much under my radar because of my backlog, and I can't wait for it to go down a little bit.

I played the demo last night, looks like something I'll eventually pick up, but I too have such a backlog that it will probably be the Steam christmas sell before I get around to it.

 

[Aikouka]

If I'm remembering correctly, GMG is offering 20% off KoA right now. I assume it would register with Origin in this case.

 

[zinfamous]

This game does look fun. I did enjoy the style of the first Fable game, so if the skill system is fun, it's worth a pickup, I guess.

I'm rather sick of that voice actor though--the one in the preview. I think it is one of the main guys in Fable, no?

 

[Dankk]

Ars Technica review of the game: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/revie...action-game-in-an-empty-forgettable-world.ars

They tend to be much more critical and unbiased than your usual IGN bullshit.

 

[cytoSiN]

Anyone if the retail box version can be used with Steam instead of Origin? I know you can buy the game through Steam, but I'm hoping I can load my boxed version through Steam as well. I guess I'll find out in a few more hours (sigh, why does work always interfere with what's important?), but if anyone already knows the answer I'd be interested.

 

[thespyder]

Ars Technica review of the game: http://arstechnica.com/gaming/revie...action-game-in-an-empty-forgettable-world.ars

They tend to be much more critical and unbiased than your usual IGN bullshit.

Not quite sure about the unbiased bit.

Basically what I have been reading (ratings aside) is that the combat is rich and engaging. There is lots of stuff to do and that it is a beautiful world. and there is a whole lot of customization that can be done (and re-done). Balancing is tight and there is lots to do and see. But that it doesn't do anything necessarily original.

I have to say that playing the demo (which I have done a few times now) the combat is fun. Not sure if it is "Best in class" but it is absolutely hands down better than almost every other RPG on the market today. And that it is definitely a pretty world.

Based on the strength of that, I think it is a worth while purchase for me. Now I just have to decide if I want to go PC (for which even the Demo makes it chug) or Xbox. Leaning towards the console because combat is a huge component and it seems designed for a controller (and my PC might not run it to any justice).

 

[Dankk]

Anyone if the retail box version can be used with Steam instead of Origin? I know you can buy the game through Steam, but I'm hoping I can load my boxed version through Steam as well. I guess I'll find out in a few more hours (sigh, why does work always interfere with what's important?), but if anyone already knows the answer I'd be interested.

It doesn't seem to be Steam activatable. Makes sense too, considering it's an EA game. Not like they'd allow it to activate on anything other than their own Origin service.

 

[NoSoup4You]

The demo bored me to tears with the dreadful voice acting, annoyingly forgetable NPC's (every single one of them), terrible quests of the "kill 5 deer" variety, and inventory management that was painful on every level.

Sure, the combat was fun and the graphics were pleasant. I wanted to like this game, but after 2 hours with the demo I didn't want to ever touch it again, let alone invest the reported 200 hours of content it apparently contains.

I'm glad they offered a demo since I originally intending on buying this game on the day of release. Now I don't see myself buying it at all. Really it comes down not to the price of the game itself but rather to the price of my free time. My free time is valuable and to spemd it on a game like this where everything is of no consequence... why would I do that? Why would I play a game where the NPC's and backstory are devoid of any interest whatsoever. They exist simply to be done, there is nothing invested in them and as a result, and also due in no small part to the insipid voice acting, I found myself more uninterested in helping out NPC's with their trivial quests than I have ever felt in any RPG, ever. Games with bad voice acting like Risen and Gothic 4 kept me more interested than this.

The fact IGN gave Amalur a 9/10 is an absolute embarrassment and the final nail in the coffin (what took me so long? ) as far as their credibility is concerned. Good grief.

 

[zinfamous]

Anyone if the retail box version can be used with Steam instead of Origin? I know you can buy the game through Steam, but I'm hoping I can load my boxed version through Steam as well. I guess I'll find out in a few more hours (sigh, why does work always interfere with what's important?), but if anyone already knows the answer I'd be interested.

I'm almost 100% certain that it is not a steamworks game.

 

[cytoSiN]

I'm almost 100% certain that it is not a steamworks game.

That's what I figured. But the demo was available on steam, as is the retail version. Stands to reason that all versions might also be steamable, but I guess the retail box likely won't be. I'll find out in about 2 hours.

 

[Rhezuss]

Where do we get the demo bonus items? I just started and i'm to meet the Fatereader (spelling?) just past the mines when you get out...

I thought they gave them right away...are they in a chest in the first village then?

 

[dmoney1980]

Gamespot posted their review- http://www.gamespot.com/kingdoms-of-amalur-reckoning/

 

[zinfamous]

That's what I figured. But the demo was available on steam, as is the retail version. Stands to reason that all versions might also be steamable, but I guess the retail box likely won't be. I'll find out in about 2 hours.

the demo awards you some actual in-game items through Origin, and I believe if you do the steam demo and purchase through steam, you get TF2 hats, correct?

I think that's what I saw...

 

[Anubis]

you have to connect to the EA servers when you log in even with steam. same way Dragon Age worked IIRC, so id imagine you still get your demo items. i could however be wrong

 

[cytoSiN]

the demo awards you some actual in-game items through Origin, and I believe if you do the steam demo and purchase through steam, you get TF2 hats, correct?

I think that's what I saw...

I preordered from Amazon (they had what seemed like the best preorder items -- a fate-touched weapons pack and a staff that causes herbs to glow on your minimap -- and I'm getting the retail box, not a download, so I'm hoping I have the option to use Steam, not Origin. Heading home now so I'll know shortly.

you have to connect to the EA servers when you log in even with steam. same way Dragon Age worked IIRC, so id imagine you still get your demo items. i could however be wrong

This is exactly what I'm hoping for.

 

[SZLiao214]

I'm probably going to pick up the game as i'm a sucker for these sandbox fantasy games.

The story behind the company that made the game is pretty cool too.

 

[Anubis]

I can confirm that the demo loot is there in the chest in the town after you get out of the starting are you played in the demo, its in the chest by the inn. screenshot below

I have noticed 1 bug so far, however its most likely my computer and not the game. If i set AA to 8x in CCC the came is 100% unplayable. plays fine on 4x. Im running dual 6870s in CF, should not be a HP issue, could simply be a CF issue, guess ill try turning it off

 

[Anubis]

didn't they say there was a day 1 DLC for this as well? anyone see it?

 

[terry107]

didn't they say there was a day 1 DLC for this as well? anyone see it?

I thought they said for the PC it was incorporated. 360 and PS3 players would have to download it separately.

 

[Anubis]

I thought they said for the PC it was incorporated. 360 and PS3 players would have to download it separately.

ahh that could be the reason,


also my 8x AA issue does not seem to be CrossFire related. not a big deal really just interesting

 

[cytoSiN]

I can confirm that the retail box requires Origin installation...followed by Origin update...followed by Origin account creation and setup. Oh well...installing now, finally.