New 'Skyrim' rival features rich graphics, strong story line, but lacks innovative structure
The historic debut of "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" in November set the standards incredibly high for role-playing games in 2012. "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" is this year's first real challenge to the success of "Skyrim" and the first solid attempt to win its devoted fan base. But much in the same way "Skyrim" supposedly changed the direction of RPGs, "Reckoning" shifts the focus back to something missing in both "Skyrim" and last year's other RPGs: richness, both in terms of narrative and graphics.
The main character of "Reckoning" enjoys a special place in the gameplay as the Fateless One; resurrected from death, the player's character can plot his or her own destiny in a predestined world. Players forge their characters in a story line that encompasses both the traditional quest structure of other RPGs while incorporating the larger interactions of cultures and factions, such as the Summer and Winter Fae or the Scholia Arcana. Behind this detailed narrative backdrop is R.A. Salvatore, a giant of fantasy writing and the man responsible for the game's complex folklore.
A rich backstory from a renowned author combined with expansive options for narrative choice and character alignment make "Reckoning" a story powerhouse for this year's video game industry.
Lush greens, vibrant reds, electric blues — "Reckoning's" graphics are a welcome contrast to "Skyrim's" dark browns and blacks. Terrains vary from forests to sparse cliffs in a way that really communicates a diverse and changing world. Combat is almost explosive with its visuals. Spells dominate the screen, and the physical moves with swords or daggers have a finesse that is skillfully followed by strokes of color and other effects. "Reckoning" buries the austerity of "Skyrim" in graphics that take the colorfulness of something like "Fable III" and make a controlled use of it, without slipping into cartoonlike representations. This use of color and effect is the game's real strength.
The weaknesses, however, start to show in play style and character development. RPGs have started to move away from traditional class-based characters into more player-directed builds, which makes for unique play styles that invest a player more deeply into the action. "Skyrim" handled this growing trend with a system of attributes and perks that made combinations natural. "Reckoning" attempts this with its different Destinies that cross traditional classes with certain bonuses.
However, the intuition seen in "Skyrim" is gone in "Reckoning." True, a player can choose to be a fighter-mage, fighter-rogue or a jack of all trades, but these choices are systemized within the game. The freedom to focus on one gameplay quality over the other to varying, individual degrees is limited in a way that reminds players too much of the traditional model that "Skyrim" broke. "Reckoning" may increase the number of choices with its classes, but those choices still live within those classes, a fact that makes its gameplay a step in the wrong direction.
"Reckoning" will be an impressive game for 2012 in its return to typical RPG strengths — complex story line and rich graphics — and its continuation of the innovations already in the works for the genre. It is definitely worth a gamer's attention, both as a good experience in itself and as an indication of where fantasy RPGs will be headed in the months to come. "Reckoning" will be released Tuesday; preorder is still available.