Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning is an underrated open-world action-RPG with fluid combat system and character build freedom. Rich fantasy world, lore developed by R.A. Salvatore. Widely underrated.
Your verdict
Category
Action RPG1 player16+
Description
Open-world action RPG from 38 Studios and Big Huge Games in a heroic fantasy universe written by R.A. Salvatore. Published by EA, released in Europe in February 2012. Flexible class system with changeable destinies, vast open world to explore, dynamic real-time combat, over 200 quests, and in-depth crafting system.
Kingdoms of Amalur - Reckoning review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
The art direction stages the fury of combat and its power over fate. Weapon combos streak the screen with vivid effects, and the Fate mechanic triggers a slow-motion where the world drains of its colour, for the length of an execution that rewrites the enemy's doom. This visual tipping, tied to the theme of defied fate, sets the game apart from the tamer fantasy whose codes it borrows.
Grant Kirkhope, known for his mischievous platformer scores, signs here a grand orchestral fresco. Broad strings, heroic brass and melodic themes give the vast world the air of an epic tale, far from his comic works. The music embraces the game's outsized scale, born of an online-world project, and offers it the symphonic breath of a high-fantasy adventure.
The story rests on a strong idea: in a world where everyone's fate is woven in advance, the hero returns from the dead, freed from all written destiny. The only being without a fate, he can rewrite the future all believed fixed. The adventure becomes a fantasy meditation on free will, where each act of the protagonist cracks a doom no one else can undo.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Amalur's world, penned by R.A. Salvatore, unfolds across sprawling regions to roam for more than two hundred quests that chain on relentlessly. The shiftable destiny system invites you to experiment with several builds, while deep crafting and corners worth searching reward patient exploration. A generous action RPG, cut out for those who love to get lost.
Technical info
💾8,8 GB📅07/02/2012
Published by Electronic Arts
Kingdoms of Amalur - Reckoning (PS3) price, value & rarity
An action RPG born of the collaboration of Ken Rolston, R.A. Salvatore and Todd McFarlane, whose studio went bankrupt soon after release in a resounding financial wreck. Widely distributed in the West, its collector interest stays measured but tinged by this scuttled-studio story, making it a curiosity rather than a rarity. An affordable piece for fans of action RPGs and industry lore.
Is Kingdoms of Amalur - Reckoning still worth playing in 2026?
Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning is an open-world action RPG unjustly flown under the radar, amply deserving a second life. Its master asset is a combat system exceptionally fluid and dynamic for the genre, borrowing brawler briskness and legibility where most Western RPGs stayed stiff. The great freedom of character building, blending classes and skills without constraint, appeals to the optimisation fan. The fantasy world, whose lore was developed by R.A. Salvatore, is vast and colourful. For anyone after a generous and exhilarating action RPG, this underrated title is a true gem.
