For those RPG fans who may be tiring of Bethesda's epic Skyrim, or even finished it (has anybody actually finished Skyrim?), a bold new RPG from Big Huge Games and EA could well be the fix you are looking for.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning comes with a very impressive pedigree.An open-world RPG design led by Ken Rolston (lead designer - Morrowind, Oblivion), creative director Mark Nelson (lead designer - Shivering Isles, Morrowind, Oblivion, Fallout 3), lead designer Ian Frazier (Titan Quest) and a Kingdoms of Amalur universe with 10,000 years of deep fiction created by 22-time New York Times best-selling author, R.A. Salvatore.
Add to that art direction from Spider-Man artist and Spawn creator, Todd McFarlane, and, if nothing, you have a whole load of potential.
Reckoning combines intense third-person action combat with deep exploration, expansive character development, customisation and immersive story-telling in a detailed fantasy universe.
Gamers start their journey when they miraculously rise from the dead, wielding dangerous new magic that's capable of changing the very Fate of Amalur. Thrust into a brutal war between multiple races, factions, and alliances, players vie for the secrets of their immortality and the ancient evil that threatens the world.
Despite having a compelling storyline and an enviable combat system, Reckoning comes across as a copy-and-paste or a mash-up of other RPG titles and has frustrations that may put purists off - but so does Skyrim. However, this is well worth a look and gets much better than the dull first level on display in the demo.
