Kingdoms of Amalur, Asura’s Wrath, NeverDead get first reviews

First reviews are in for EA, Capcom, and Konami titles. Final Fantasy XIII-2 and SoulCalibur V are reviewed as well.

[WolfLeBlack]

A great first score for Alamur, a game which I've been looking forward to for some time now. Hopefully it continues to garner impressive scores.

Kudos to NeverDead as well for picking up a great score. It certainly looks like an interesting title.

[JellyJelly]

The demo on Xbox Live was great, despite some minor camera control issues. I'm sure they can be adjusted though. It feels like a mix between Fable and Elder Scrolls.

[DaveMan]

Agreed. The demo definitely sold me the game. Love the mix of fable and elder in the game.

[da_2pacalypse]

Yes! I was afraid that Reckoning might end up flunking, I'm glad it's not... because it's an awesome idea. Day1 purchase :)

[NewMonday]

the only thing i want to know is if Alamur is standalone or with a cliffhanger ending.

[Bigpappy]

This game is obviously not trying to be like Skyrim (that is a good thing). I like that Skyrim has its own identity as a more immersive and realistic experience. This game feels more focused on action and making that aspect deeper than the Role Playing side.
Most younger gamers are not into the slower, deeper RPG's like skyrim, so they will prefer this type of action RPG. I played the demo and even though I prefer the deeper RPG elements over the action games, this game has a lot of input from Ken Rolston, and if he is involved, it can not be a shallow game.
The action fells very responsive, and the game looks and plays more like 'Fable' with some 'Torch Light' thrown in for good measure. Now I want to see how it plays once the world opens.

[Spydiggity]

i just played most of the demo...really enjoyed it. til it locked up on me. i'll likely be buying it. i just hope it doesn't turn out to be a 10 hour game like fable.

[LightofDarkness]

Just read about it now and watched some vids, this game looks great! I'll be picking it up on day 1, methinks.

[Drake117]

agreed i was looking forward to this game ever since i knew Ken Rolston was on board.

[Led-Zeppelin]

I was on board ever since I knew Todd McFarlane was in. The game looks beautiful.

[Bleucrunch]

yea I think I will have to purchase this game rather than rent it...It looks like a game that is going to be a lot of fun.

[ArabianKnight01]

Been waiting and anticipating KoA:R for a while and my hunch was dead on, seems like its gonna be an amazing game. Here's to many more good scores. Ps Demo is available as of today 1/17.

[Bundi]

Woohoo!! Go Kingdoms of Amalur

[Dark11]

Can't wait for Asura’s Wrath!
as for Kingdoms of Amalur .. great score but still won't buy it the game looks way too colorful for my taste.

[DaveMan]

You won't play a game because it's to "colorful"?

Seriously? It's one thing if you dislike rpg's, or dislike something mechanical about the game (like the gameplay) but to say you won't buy the game simply because of it's color just makes you sound ridicoulous.

[diabolicRapier]

Erm take a peek at his username.. nuff said :)

[vallencer]

A lot if people didn't play borderlands because of the way it looked. As dumb as his comment is it is still his opinion, albeit a rather stupid and shallow opinion. I agree though why decide not to play a game because its too colorful? What if skyrim was too colorful? You would have missed out in a fantastic game. Besides for a colorful game its rather dark and violent.

[Captain Qwark 9]

colorful is half the reason i want it, im so sick of grey, drak grey, light grey, brown, black and red games

[specialguest]

Dark11 is correct. It is too colorful.

http://i47.tinypic.com/2n1a...

[Dark11]

I just don't like colorful and shiny games
why people make it like it was crime?
and @vallencer
"a rather stupid and shallow opinion"
so my opinion is stupid cuz you don't agree with me? really? fuck off!

[Drake117]

Only conformists like colorful things right?

[Simon_Brezhnev]

Well I cant wait for Asura's Wrath also. I want to play Kingdoms of Amalur too i really hope the story is really good.

[Hozi]

Wow, those are some great scores. Kingdoms of Amalur has got my attention. That game looks highly impressive. I love the combat system too.

Now I have 2 games to pick up. This and Dragons Dogma.

[TheGameFoxJTV]

Go get a Game Boy then. >.>

[Kalowest]

The demo was okay, it fault like WoW to me.
I'm not buying this game.

[Lucreto]

I will play the demo tomorrow and see how it fairs. I was going to play it for items for ME3. A good marketing ploy from EA.

FF XIII-2 also got a good score and I will look forward to playing that. Then Mass Effect 3 a few weeks later and I am still playing Skyrim.

I don't know where I will fit in Kingdoms of Amalur.

[rob6021]

The way it reads, it's like the guy posting it wanted to ignore the FFXIII-2 score, I don't understand the hate with this game with some people. It says Alamur got the top score, but that's not true FFXIII-2 one upped it with a near-perfect score.

[Lucreto]

Haters got to hate I suppose. I liked FF XIII it has its flaws but it was still good.

It looks like people have written off FF XIII-2 before it was even released here.

[radphil]

@rob6021

People would rather still love to hate, even if they're wrong and/or never even played it. Rather than listen to those that even have the game, they'd still focus on reviews.

[MasterD919]

I originally downloaded it just for the ME3 armor but I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised by this game. I would consider it more like Dragon Age than Fable.

I think the camera will get a stability update for sure as it is a bit loose.

[Bebedora]

Hold on a minute...Do I actually have to consider a buy? A new epos like DA:O would be fragadelikk-muyo-dublonenza-fa ntastico.(a great buy)

[MasterD919]

I don't know if it is a must-buy yet as I haven't fully completed the demo yet but I did enjoy what I played so far.

Will this replace Skyrim or other any other RPG? I don't think so but it is a nice pallet cleanser and feels different enough to warrant at least a try.

Download it and at the very least get the ME3 stuff.

[Captain Qwark 9]

@master

i think its leaps and bounds better than skyrim. skyrims combat sucks, they did nothing to improve it from morrowind or oblivion, if anything its worse as there are less options than ever before

[MasterD919]

@Qwark
I could agree with you on Skyrim but I do enjoy it regardless. Didn't want to step on anyone's toes either.

That being said...I am actually playing through the KoA demo right now and am definitely enjoying it. I find the world they created to be quite impressive and as I said before, it is different enough from any other RPG to at least warrant a try.

[Acquiescence]

First reviews are always the highest for a video game due to initial hype, and all the scores here seem very generous (9.5 for XIII-2?!).

At the same time, I really want SoulCalibur V, NeverDead and Asura's Wrath to be good, so maybe the scores rounded up here are a good sign of things to come. I especially want NeverDead to deliver; it looks like a good lark.

[Hozi]

So are you saying that you would only buy a game if a site gave it a good review? Havn't you seen the gameplay videos? this game looks incredible? oh and check out Dragon's Dogma too.

[mttrackmaster38]

"First reviews are always the highest for a video game"

Did you miss the early Amy reviews?

[Acquiescence]

They gave it 4.7 out of 10. That is one actually one of the highest scores the game has received!

[Arts1000]

Kingdoms of Amalur

I am getting a bit gun shy of these games that demo for months on 360 and PC ( skyrim )
My only system is a PS3 so I will wait this time . The game looks FANTASTIC !!!!!

[bwazy]

"Other releases reviewed in the magazine include Final Fantasy XIII-2 (9.5)"

Thats it, shows over folks, its time to shut down the internet.

[-Gespenst-]

What's your point exactly???

[bwazy]

Please don't make me bring in Cptn. Obvious again, he's really starting to hate the commenters on this site.

[joab777]

My expectations for this game are probably too high as an avid RPG fan coming off skyrim. This appeared to be a great start until I noticed that ff13-2 got a 9.5. I haven't seen any reviews that high for or. Hopefully its a preference issue but ill take it as a good start.

[TheGameFoxJTV]

Maybe FFXIII-2 is actually a good game. Ever considered that? GASP

[joab777]

If you read 10 reviews and they averaged about an 8 or 8.5 from trusted sources that gave the first a 9, you may b a little surprised to see a 9.5. Considering that i haven't played it yet, i don't have much to go on except sources that i have trusted. Thus, logic would seem to point me to the thought that maybe they scale differently, or have a preference for final fantasy games. Since its the first review for KoA, a game I am going to invest money in, I was a bit taken a back to see ff13-2 get a 9.5. But, I guess u have already played ff13-2 & can verify that despite many reviews, it does, in fact, deserve a score on par with skyrim and Batman arkham city.

[SwampCroc]

I've had Kingdoms of Amalur pre-ordered since I learned the development team...

R.A. Salvatore alone is more than enough reason to own this.

edit - if you know anything about fantasy... and I'm not talking strictly videogames... then you should be happy R.A. Salvatore is behind the story.... I mean... he's a Bestselling Author.... contributor to the AD&D universe of Forgotten Realms.... the creator of Drizzt...

so the story and lore is on lock... they couldn't have got a more capable and qualified person...

monsters and character design - Todd McFarlane.... check, and double check...

and Ken Rolston - the lead designer of Oblivion and Morrowind is the executive director... - Triple Check..

if this game isn't on your radar... then get it on your radar... because this very well could be the game of the generation...

talent like this doesn't come together often...

be ready for an experience..

[Bebedora]

I have the book The Crystal Shard. I guess he's the author to that novel. =)

Good grief. I think I have to buy this one!

[Der_Kommandant]

I'm gonna try Kingdoms of Alumar

[Julie]

You should also try Kingdoms of Amalur =)

[spankdaddi]

win!

[Silly gameAr]

Glad to see Asura's Wrath and Neverdead get a decent scores. Don't know much about Kingdoms. Guess I'd better read up on that one.

[leahcim]

I wonder wich was the score for FF XIII from this magazine?

[Buuhan1]

Quite happy NeverDead got a good score, I really want that baby to be good.

[Game4life]

yeah. i mean who doesn't want to throw their own head around? sheer fun right there

[RockmanII7]

I was so disappointed by the Asura's Wrath demo. The entire thing was just quick time events.

[TheGameFoxJTV]

Is that a surprise to you? Hasn't it always been known that the game had tons of Epic QTE?

[Rampaged Death]

I'll be picking up Amalur and Soul Calibur. NeverDead will probably be a rent and I'll be not bothering with Asura's Wrath. The demo really put me off.

[Vladplaya]

Just tried the demo on PC... what a piece of shit console port. Thank god they released a demo, looked like an interesting game, turn out to be complete garbage.

[masa2009]

Didn't really like the art style in Amalur, but I like the fact that it mixes Computer RPG depth with console-style hack n slash.

[aPerson]

WHAT!!?? The art style is amazing!!

[SwampCroc]

Yeah I agree.. the art style/graphics... seem slightly cartoonish(not bad at all).. in a way that I think is going to be most beneficial to the game...

I believe because of Kingdom's art style the game isn't going to suffer from launch issues like other recent big title RPGS

like the issues in Skyrim... because everything is so technical and texture heavy... Amalur seems like the flow is seemless with smooth transition.

[-Gespenst-]

Funny how no one remarks on the Final Fantasy XIII-2 score. All the reviews for it so far have been great. I'm not going to assume too much, but I have a feeling an awful lot of people are going to be eating their words.

Also, article says KoA fared the best. Eh, no it didn't? XIII-2 got 9.5, KoA; 9.0

Seems like they don't want to accept it haha, they just gloss over it without much celebration.

[-Gespenst-]

Kingdoms of Amalur may well be very good, but the art style and aesthetic really puts me off. It reminds me of WoW, and I HATE the look of WoW. Ugliest game of all time. Every single colour on the screen at once.

[aPerson]

Oh well. Enjoy your black, brown and grey games... I'll enjoy the colorful world of Kingdoms of Amalur. :)

[-Gespenst-]

I'm just saying I prefer a more tasteful, minimal palette. A three to four colour scheme is fine, but this game is just too much.

[telekineticmantis]

After Skyrim, I'm a little hesitant. Definitely was disappointed in it.

[IWentBrokeForGaming]

Amalur... I never heard of it and all the people involved with this title I think is making me want to buy this so bad now? especially with a great review to follow... it's tempting!

Im keeping my opinion open for Never Dead... I don't want to go $60 in on a bargin bin game. I loved Shadows of the Damned so Im open to Never Dead. Im also looking forward to Lollipop Chainsaw!

[pandehz]

Just finished playing the demo and its a lot of fun.

I was getting tired of slow combat and Dragon Age style or DnD combat mechanics. Even Skyrim which I love feels a bit outdated now. The combat in this game is a lot of fun and actually makes me want to observe and act quickly with some cool moves added for flavour. Makes it feel like an action adventure with deep rpg.

The fate abilities are badass. One of the moves was very Mortal Kombat like. You throw a magical spear into the ground and then throw the enemy onto the spear and the enemy slides down through it with blood spewing all over the place. /sick

Getting this game, I'm convinced after the demo.

It feels like Warcraft 3 but as an action rpg. Just what I wanted when I used to play Warcraft 3 yrs ago. I barely ever played it like a strategy game, always taking Arthas to do everything :D

[Brownghost]

Played the demo for an hour and it is so amazing, kingdom of alamur is amazing