February 7, 2012 - Good - Reckoning stands as a triumph; it's a first-time RPG from a studio known for RTS games, and a new property from a new company. It's a bold and audacious game that impresses me enough to wonder what its follow-up will be like. And, to circle back, it reminds me of the first time I heard The College Dropout: I can trace its roots and identify what he's sampling from, but overall, it's a damn good first effort.

February 7, 2012 - Good - How you react to Amalur likely depends on what kind of game you're expecting it to be. If you're expecting a good action game that bends over backwards to let you customize your character to fit your style, you won't be disappointed. If you're expecting a game that lets you play a major role in a memorable, epic story, you're out of luck.

February 7, 2012 - Good - Despite its problems, Reckoning is a good game with a lot of stuff worth checking out. But even with all of the talent backing it, it's just on the edge of being something much greater than it is. For a game that's all about breaking out of the confines of fate, it's a shame that so much of the content feels stuck within such narrow conventions.

March 2, 2012 - Good - You'll want to keep taking on quests because maybe you'll get a new sword that does more damage and looks cooler. Its dedication to enhancing player-power makes it a joy to play, even if a few minor issues keep it from true excellence.

February 7, 2012 - Good - You might want wonderful battles against cool creatures, terrific looting and leveling, and lots of ways to customize your skills and equipment. If so, then this is the world you should inhabit. The context is hardly inspired, but you'll be having so much fun that you may not care.

February 7, 2012 - Good - Amalur does a lot of things better than some of the best out there. The combat is stronger than Skyrim's by a long shot, and the world feels more alive than games like Fable. It tells a good story well, and lays the foundation for a series we hope to see more of in the future, fate be damned.

February 7, 2012 - Good - Reckoning is a big, meaty game that will thoroughly satisfy both RPG and action fans, and if you are a Skyrim player, then you should definitely make room for this too. You'll love it.

February 7, 2012 - Good - There are plenty of really great things to see and do in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and that stuff--the main quest line, the faction quests, and the interesting combat--makes the game fairly easy to recommend. But it's hard not to be at least a little disappointed when you start seeing the various spots where the game doesn't live up to the high bar set by its best content.

February 6, 2012 - Good - There's a good game hidden beneath the poorly used Lord Of The Rings aesthetics and Irish faeries. It's compulsive - as all good action RPGs need to be - but lacks the quality to make it a game for all tastes.

February 7, 2012 - Good - As a first attempt at the RPG, 38 Studios has crafted a satisfactory adventure. Battle mechanics are entertaining and honing characters feels rewarding. It's too bad Reckoning doesn't dig deeper into other elements to make this a truly engrossing epic.