Gamespot: Kingdoms of Amalur Review

Gamespots review

[hellzsupernova]

The Good

Top-notch combat with a real punch
Fantastic, flexible character advancement
Some great-looking creatures
Extensive world with tons of stuff to do and lots of monsters to fight.

The Bad

Generic story and characters
Generic world
Generic quests.

according to Gamespot

[Mottsy]

Extensive world with tons of stuff to do but yet so generic lol! I think the world is one of the best parts of this game. That and the battle!

[codename13]

I think gamespot means tons of stuff but those are not unique. Not arguing, just saying. Personally I think the game deserves at least 8.5 score. Because the combat is really a huge plus point that made this game really great.

[ChrisW]

While the demo was fun... there was nothing that screamed "buy me day 1!!!"

This review of the full game just confirms and reinforces my hesitance.

[jeseth]

This game looks excellent. was going to wait until it comes down on Amazon or something but I'm having a hard time not driving out and getting it right now!

And from Studio38 ... right here in Rhode Island! Way to go guys!

[Pushagree]

Sounds about right to me. This game is just a copy paste of WoW visually. Fable has done it, Dragon age has done it, WoW has done it, Two worlds 2 did it, Its getting old.

[morganfell]

Two hours into this game and it certainly isn't 7.5. Off the mark gamespot.

[SuperStrokey1123]

2 hours is hardly enough time to judge any game...

[lex-1020]

@Pushagree

Fable 1 Released September 2004
World of Warcraft Released November 2004

Your facts are wrong.

[Diver]

no superstokey, after 2 hours you'd have to be plain dumb not to see if a game is good or bad. bad games show themselves quick an 2 hours is enough time to recognize good design an game play mechanics.

[aPerson]

"Generic world"

Yeah, right... Enjoy your brown/grey palette games Gamespot, I'd rather play in a fun, colorful world any day.

"Generic quests"

Some are generic, sure, but most are fun. A bit hypocritical of them to criticize the quests in this game when they praised Skyrim's generic fetch/kill quests in their review.

So far I'm about 15 hours in and I'm enjoying it a lot.

[Ser]

"A bit hypocritical of them to criticize the quests in this game when they praised Skyrim's generic fetch/kill quests in their review."

This.

It seems a lot of review sites are totally oblivious to the fact that they praise some games for having something and then demerit the next for also having the same thing.

[johnnywit]

I feel skyrim is one of the most overrated games I've played. The combat was not great, the story wasn't all that, quest were boring, and parts was just unplayable. The most exciting part of skyrim was fighting the dragons and after you fought 3 you realize they are all they same. I hate that reviewers give high ratings to games like skyrim and throw a game like this under the bus.

[strange1986]

Colorful =/= unique.

Also, if you are enjoying it so much, why concern yourself so much with someone else's opinion? There's no need to take it personal.

[DevilishSix]

I really enjoyed Skyrim, but to give Skyrim GOTY then turn around 2 months later and say Amalur has generic quests is hypocritical imo.

Seems like Gamespot is off to a bad start in 2012 with its reviews because this review feels so "canned" almost robotic in natural as I read it. I would take Gamespots score and add +1. See what I did there?

[pain777pas]

I must agree that Skyrim is overated in a sense. Definitely, I want ND, Valve or Rockstar to make a Skyrim. You know... try and open every door type game where every character has a name. However, I love the gameplay mechanics of the aformentioned studios. I don't know if it is just me but, I really like the demo on PS3 and PC. Played both to see which I prefer. Seems there are more hoops from EA on the PC but I need to know if mods will be available at some point before choosing the platform. I can tell you that save for a jump button which I hate to not have I really liked PLAYING the game. I found the world colourful and inviting.

[come_at_me_bro]

Well, keep in mind GameSpot is not an autonomous entity. Same goes for IGN or any other big publication. Sometimes, things are going to be uneven. My complaint is why is there only one review per game? If you have tons of experienced reviewers (I wouldn't call them critics) for your publication (which GameSpot does) why does only one voice represent the entire company? This whole "open and shut case" mentality for game journalism is really annoying and amateurish.

Sorry, this is off topic. I haven't played Amalur, nor do I plan to for awhile, but this is something that annoys me about journalism in general, not just with video games.

To pain777pas: I was watching McCabe and Mrs. Miller (a pretty good western from the 70s for those who are unfamiliar) a few weeks ago, and I thought about how great it would be for someone to combine Skyrim's aesthetics with Red Dead style gameplay. The frontier setting of the movie, I believe in Washington, was so beautifully photographed that it made me realize how many possibilities it had. Someone do it, please!

[Pintheshadows]

Gamespot is a joke anyway. They ignored the generic elements of Skyrim yet pick at them here. I think it's time they gave up. Terrible website is terrible.

[schlanz]

So generic story and characters but awesome everything else that makes a game, you know, fun, equals a mediocre 7.5?

Gamespot be trollin' yo.

[strange1986]

Ugh, this again. How is a 7.5 mediocre? A 7.5 would seem to indicate a good game (it even says "good" right below the score).

[schlanz]

Whether or not it means "good" by gamespots standards, its still mediocre by typical scoring standards. Besides, it's better deserving than "good" anyway.

[Objective]

This "journalist" makes his points well as to why he was disappointed by the game, and he has evaluated the pros and cons of the game quite thoroughly. More than can be said for a lot of review sites. I thoroughly agree with his sentiment that Reckoning does not capture the wonderment of a truly immersive world like Skyrim, and since that, to me, is a hallmark of a great RPG, I have to agree that Reckoning cannot best Skyrim. 7.5 is however harsh.

[MEsoJD]

From my playthrough of the demo, the games world seems boring. The combat was cool, but the presentation was dull. Maybe I'll pick up at discount.

[SephirothX21]

People get so bogged down on a 7.5. A 7.5 by Gamespot isn't so bad. They gave Fable 3, Killzone 3 and Infamous 2 a 7.5. If you want an rpg with great combat and great customisation, get it. If you want a great story (which few games have) and brilliant dialogue and characters, look elsewhere.

[Bobby Kotex]

This review seems more balanced. IGN gave it a 9.

[osamaq]

gamespot's reviews still the most reliable reviews out in the net

[ghaleon1980]

I used to think this until they gave Zelda Skyward Sword a 7.5.

[Captain_Freud]

Correction: Eurogamer. Their reviews are excellent.

[mynameisEvil]

Really? GameSpot's? The same site that fired Jeff Gerstmann for giving Kane and Lynch a 6 after the site had been bribed not to?

I guess you're right. I mean, after all, the only reviews you should rely on truly ARE the ones that they've been PAID to give specific scores to. How wonderful!

Come on, man...

[Dark11]

well i don't trust reviews sites
,but gametrailers is best reviews site
they have always been fair in most of their reviews.

[pain777pas]

Gametrailers is getting there and gameinformer is not too shabby. Gamespot... you have to try and figure out what the reviewer's history in the genre and look at the reasons why they gave a game a high score. Van Horn is unpredictable because he knocks some buggy games then praises other buggy games because atmosphere trumps all. I just don't know what to think of any media website anymore. With this game trust the gamer reviews they are usually the most helpful.

[Raider69]

The world is indeed very generic and lacks diversity in terms of graphics art display,the outside enviroments especially are very empty.

[Baba1906]

diversity really? i think skyrim lacks diversity. I love skyrim but still... all looked more or less the same. this game here seems to show so many different places. i cant wait for it =D

[DevilishSix]

"The world is indeed very generic and lacks diversity in terms of graphics art display" huh? I say the opposite here as much as I enjoy Skyrim it is in no way diverse in terms of graphics and art display. The world of Skyrim is a mostly a dull grey and brown landscape. Amalur is colorful and each area is uinques in its artstyle and color tone. It is not open for debate either it is what it is.

[videoxgamexfanboy]

I was to busy play soulcalibur 5 to go pick this gem up, but tomorrow its all mine! I care not what any review has to say. My review is the only review!

[videoxgamexfanboy]

I was to busy play soulcalibur 5 to go pick this gem up, but tomorrow its all mine! I care not what any review has to say. My review is the only review!!

[HacSawJimThugin]

Same here...whoever buys anything based on another person opinion is a just plain stupid. Skyrim got so much praise and it has been broken since it shipped. Whatever, I can't wait to pick this up in a few hours!!

[N311V]

Based on this review I don't think KoA is a game for me, shame really.

[Brownghost]

So I guess that you believe MW3 is amazing based on igns review and everyone should listen to their reviews

[SuperStrokey1123]

where did you get that from? He just said this game isnt for him. I dont see what you are talking about unless I am missing something.

[Lex_Dangerously]

You're doing it wrong.

[CKsquid]

Trolling right?

[turgore]

I kinda agree. The game looks super generic and was not on my radar before.

[urwifeminder]

Demo was pathetic to say the least ive had more fun using dried cow turds as a frizbee.

[christheredhead]

Demo wasn't all that great.

With that being said, KOA has an insane amount of depth and things to do. Im 15 hours in and have yet to do 1 quest that advances the story. Mostly I've just been exploring, side questing and leveling. The demo does not represent the full game even slightly.

[josephayal]

KOA is a great game for $20 no more no less

[littlezizu]

Personally i love this game... i seem to always think that gamespot review are worst out their as many games i love to play like infamous 2 , zelda got 7.5 last year... and many games they given 9 or more i seem to think those games are very much overrated.

[stonethebeast]

Wow i bought this game today and i think it is at least a 9. the combat is the best in an rpg ever.. absolutly love it

[Simon_Brezhnev]

I think the combat is second to only The Witcher 2. Im getting game regardless though.

[baboom223]

Ever heard of Dark Souls?

[Pintheshadows]

I can't believe the hate this game has generated. This is why we can't have nice things.

[SwampCroc]

I know. I have no quarrels with this game at all.. I keep hearing the "Art Style" has one of the main reasons...

and that is probably the worst excuse ever... because it is fucking beautiful... and because of this cartoony type art style KoA won't suffer any near the load times that Skyrim and other games experience.

Edit - Collectively with 40 Reviews on N4G... Kingdoms Of Amalur has 8.3.... Everyone should check this game out...

[Relientk77]

The game looks great to me, I cant wait to play it

[SwampCroc]

This game is a 9 and higher for me...

it's so fresh... the color palette is amazing.. I'm loving it.

they're bashing it saying the man character don't speak..

wow... many RPG style games have speechless characters.. if that was an item that actually affected the review score than that's really nit-picking for a low score.

[SwampCroc]

none of these reviews even talk about the crafting and socketable items...

that is awesome... reminds me of Diablo II...

crafted and socket items were the shit... i'm still in the early parts.. but good lord all the equipment from the pre-order bonuses and the demo...

I don't think a single game has given me this much crazy good shit with the pre-order codes.... I had like 43 items in my chest waiting in Gorhart

[Arts1000]

....................... that was nasty

[Arts1000]

Someone stole his sweet roll .

[rhap]

The problem is that people keep comparing it to Skyrim when they are completely different, and what is more funny is to read others saying "ITS BETTER THAN SKYRIM, MUCH BETTER HUEHEUHEUHEUEU".

Really, Kingdoms of Amalur is an average game. I played the demo on my PS3 and it wasn't mindblowing as Skyrim when I first walked around and saw an abandoned mine, got in and started to kill some bandits. On Amalur, all I remember is the feeling of playing a MMORPG alone, which is really stupid.

[Sargerus]

i found it funny so many ppl licking Gamespot's balls about this review, but when they gave BF3 a 8.5, everyone called them garbage,POS, etc.

[DOOMZ]

Day one for me... Will get back on SKYRIM as soon as they patch it so I can finish up some broken questd. But this game is cool so far, glad I got it!