Renowned fantasy author R.A. Salvatore was the writer for an innovative 2012 RPG calledKingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, and he had pretty high hopes for the game when it first released. At one point during an interview around the time of the game’s release, Salvatore claimed this game was “going to raise the bar on the RPG genre,” a bold claim that may or may not have been justified depending on who you ask. While the game was eventually well-received by fans of the RPG genre to some extent, Salvatore’s writing had very little to do with that success.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoningwas largely praised for its unique combat mechanics that were quite different from anything in the RPG genre that had been seen before. However, the role-playing elements of the RPG were sorely lacking and widely criticized despite the game’s relative success. Since its 2012 launch,Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoningwas remastered and re-released asKingdoms of Amalur:Re-Reckoning, and is currently at a massive discount on the PlayStation Storeif you’re interested in seeing for yourself what the game has to offer.
R.A. Salvatore Thought Reckoning Would Redefine The RPG Genre
In an interview conducted around the time ofKoA: Reckoning’slaunch, lead writer for the project and iconic fantasy writer R.A. Salvatore said relatively confidently that the game was"going to raise the bar on the RPG genre in computer gaming"(viaLightSpeed Magazine).There were many reasons for him to believe this was going to be the case, and the gamecertainly did some interesting and innovative things with its combat mechanics.Salvatore describes the game as having"killer combat,“saying he knew players would be"on the edge of your seat,“experiencing"something you haven’t seen in an RPG before.”
As the lead writer for the game, Salvatore is rightfully optimistic about his work and, of course, was going to paint in the best light possible. On paper,Reckoninghad all the ingredients to be an unforgettable RPG experience, with the iconic R.A. Salvatore as the head writer, lead designer Ken Rolston (Morrowind, Oblivion), and the artist behind the legendarySpawncomic book character, theinfamous Todd McFarlane, on the project as well. While the game definitely developed a dedicated and enthusiastic fanbase over the years, Salvatore’s enthusiasm might have been slightly overstated before the game’s launch.
Why Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Didn’t Quite Live Up To The Hype
An RPG With Lac kluster Role-Play Isn’t The Best Combination
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoningdid a lot of things right, but unfortunately fell short where it mattered most. An RPG has to deliver on a few basic promises of the genre, which is togive players some sense of immersion and connectionto the various storylines, quests, NPCs, etc. Overall,Reckoning’sstory was a completely original IP that didn’t end up developing its unique characters and plot in a meaningful way. The design and aesthetics of the game are excellent even by modern standards, but act as more of a backdrop for somewhat dry character interactions.
This is perhaps the most surprising outcome forReckoningconsidering R.A. Salvatore’s contributions, as you’d expect the story and character development to be of a higher caliber. However,it turns out Salvatore wasn’t as involved in the actual story or character creationin any meaningful way, and different narrative leads were in charge of taking Salvatore’s IP and creating their own machinations based on his established world. This makes a lot more sense in the grand scheme of things, as Salvatore’s world-building is virtually unparalleled in the fantasy space.
“Reckoning ended up relying heavily on side characters and NPCs to tell its story, but it desperately needed a strong protagonist.”
In a later interview withGameSpot, Salvatore makes it clear that the world-building aspects were his primary focus for the project, while also expanding on how much combat was a focus during the development process.Salvatore’s hands-off approach might have been a critical error, and what the game was sorely lacking was a main character to center the story and the player experience in a more tangible way.Reckoningended up relying heavily on side characters and NPCs to tell its story, but it desperately needed a strong protagonist.
Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning Never Found A Foothold
The Project Went Through Various Iterations Before It Launched
Combat was such an emphasis throughoutReckoning’sdevelopment largely because the game was created under the premise that exciting combat was uncommon in the RPG space at the time. The game’s initial form was part of setting up an MMORPG conceptcalledProject Copernicusthat expanded on the IP on a grander scale, but the project was eventually canned, as was an eventual sequel toReckoning. The core combat mechanics of the original prototype were preserved from the game’s original state, but eventually many story and RPG elements were reworked from the ground up with only general guidance from Salvatore.
Ultimately,Reckoningmay have been focused on the wrong things from the beginning, and while the combat was fun and kept players engaged, the game needed to innovate its RPG elements just as much as its other standout features. Of course, this is easy to say from a modern perspective, withRPGs likeBaldur’s Gate 3truly raising the bar on the genre in ways Salvatore likely hopedReckoningwould back before its release. Regardless,Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoninghad enough of a fanbase to warrant aremaster,Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, which is well worth it, especially at its current discount.
You Should Play The Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning Remaster - Especially While It’s So Cheap
Despite Its Shortcomings, Re-Reckoning Is A Well-Done Remaster & Is Currently On Sale
Reckoningwas eventually remastered and re-released in 2020 asKingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning,and despite the above-stated issues regarding lacking RPG elements, the game is well worth picking up. Aside from being a spectacular and beautifully designed world that you can explore and enjoy, the innovative combat mechanics are a ton of fun, and the game was even given anative 4k patchfor the PS5 in 2021. Now is the time to try it out, as the game has been given a massive discount on thePlayStation Storewhere it’s just $7.99 USD, a massive 80% off.
Overall, whileReckoningmay not have been the groundbreaking RPG that"raised the bar"in the genre as R.A. Salvatore anticipated, it is a highly respectable game that is beloved by fans and critics alike, primarily for its innovative combat and aesthetics as opposed to its specific RPG elements. If you’ve never had the chance to play it, I’d recommend picking upKingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoningfor yourself while it’s available at a massive discount.
