When Kingdoms of Amalur first released in 2012, it sadly did not do as well as it should have and the studio responsible for it shut down. Which was a real shame, as the game was actually good, and had one of the best combat systems in an action RPGs back then, something that I was reminded of whilst playing this re-release. Re: Reckoning is being sold as a remaster for the original game, promising enhanced visuals and updated balancing.

The base game as I have mentioned is still a lot of fun, and the combat is just good as I remember. What really makes the combat stand out still in my opinion, is not only the large variety of weapons but also the amazing animations that accompany them, giving proper weight and physicality to the attacks. The animations chain together effortlessly as well, making combat both feel responsive and look spectacular.

Games that usually boast about having a wide variety of weapons seldomly manage to make them feel distinct. Luckily, in Kingdoms of Amalur each weapon class feels distinct and has its own advantages and disadvantages in the grand scheme. Some weapons will be heavy, and deal a lot of interruption damage, making enemies more prone to stun, whilst some might be great for crowd control, keeping multiple enemies away from you. What really makes this useful, however, is the fact that the game lets you equip a primary and secondary weapon.

One of the features that usually make games frustrating and hold back the strength of their variety is when the game limits what can go into a primary or secondary slot, forcing you to stick to its balance. It’s an easy way out for developers in my opinion. However, Amalur does not limit you like that and you are free to choose any weapon you want in each slot, giving you a chance to actually think about your loadout and spec. The game allows you to quickly switch between two different weapons at the press of a button, allowing you to better handle different scenarios.

However, I would have liked it better with a few more modern updates, especially a loadout manager that lets you switch between different builds easily, in order to bring the loadout system more in line with other great action RPGs such as Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. I only say this because the game deals with all the usual stats like damage types and resistances, so it would be nice to switch quickly to a different loadout, based on the area you were about to fight in.

A welcome change, however, is that they have removed the level cap from areas, meaning that unlike the original, you are no longer prevented from exploring the entire world in fear of difficulty spikes. It is a much welcome change that really makes the game more engaging. I don’t have issues with level capping in high fantasy RPGs like this, but that system just wasn’t substantial enough to work in the original.

The main storyline is still interesting, dealing with themes of fate and destiny, which fits well with an RPG game, as your character’s destiny is actually open to you. The world and its inhabitants feel lively as well with great atmospheric music and solid performances, making the world feel live and dynamic.

Not to mention, the game has stellar landmark design and level dressing which makes exploring the world interesting. For example, just by looking at one of the forests that have its trees covered in white web, you can tell that it is infested with spiders, giving it a feeling of being lived in. I have also felt that they have increased the enemy amount around the map, which makes sure you are in action more this time around.

The side stories are interesting enough as well, giving you a variety of tasks and storylines to follow. In one instance you might be helping a town cure itself of a plague, and another, trying to change a human back to its original wolf form. The side stories are well worth playing with some interesting outcomes. Not to mention, you get a lot of valuable loot from the places these quests bring you, making them worth it both intrinsically and extrinsically.

Speaking of the loot, rather than still being completely random, the developers have balanced it so that items that match your skillset have a better weighing for their drop, making it so that you will hopefully get more useful items from chests and enemies. They have overhauled the camera system as well, so it feels much less restrictive with added options like camera follow delay and toggle; enemy focus, camera height, distance, and field of view settings that let you tailor it towards your preference. It is a welcome change.

There are some aspects that still feel dated, such as the menu design, UI layout, and the models making it a bit tedious to move around different menus and consequentially less accessible than most modern games. The PC resolution settings are an example of this, where I cannot see what resolution I am playing in during certain non-full-screen modes as easily. Inventory management could have been refined as well, making it easier to sort, filter, and equip things.

Still, these are barely an inconvenience and do not take away from the overall experience. The control of the dialogue system is inconsistent as well, as it jumps between a wheel and list system for dialogue choices on a whim, making it confusing. I can understand this is THQ checking if this series still has enough interest, and I hope that this does well, and we get a well-deserved sequel. I get goosebumps just thinking how amazing a modern triple-A game with these mechanics will be, and how much it would stand out amongst the general RPG crowd.

If you have never played Kingdoms of Amalur, there is no better time to jump in as it comes with all the DLCs included! If you already own the game on PC, you can upgrade at a discount, making it a good time to revisit! Overall, I am very glad that Kingdoms of Amalur has gotten new life, and enjoyed the game even more than I originally remember. With smartly polished combat mechanics, and improved loot and enemy calculations, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is well worth the price!

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