Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

What is Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning?

Reckoning is an open-world single-player action RPG from Big Huge Games and Curt Schilling's 38 Studios. It's set in the fantasy realm of Amalur at a time when magic is just beginning to emerge.

Why should I care?

You should care because this crew has a serious pedigree. Kingdoms of Amalur pools together a pretty talented team. Among those involved are Ken Ralston (RPG master who worked on Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), Todd McFarlane (creator of Spawn and maker of awesome toys), and acclaimed novelist R.A. Salvatore. There are a number of other former Bethesda employees on the crew as well.

When does it come out?

Sometime in 2012. Long wait, I know.

What's the story?

You play as your own created character (male or female) who is the first to ever be reborn from the Well of Souls. A major focus at the outset is finding out who killed you in the first place and why. Who doesn't like a good revenge tale? Being the first to emerge from the Well of Souls, you're something of a celebrity. Sunglasses not included.

What's the world of Amalur like?

Amalur is divided into five distinct regions. What we've seen so far is a pretty colorful world, a bit like Fable, but just a touch grittier. It's not dim and ugly like Oblivion or most fantasy worlds. It's filled with unique-looking versions of well-known monsters (Kobolds, Trolls and the like). Big Huge Games is promising that everything in the world -- all the ancient ruins and any architecture -- exists for a reason. There's a story behind everything, some of which is told to you by non-playable characters, and some you can read in books found in the game world.

How does combat work?

Combat is designed to be more interesting than the average RPG. It's very combo-heavy, somewhat like a hack-and-slash game. And there are special moves and spells which are easily accessible for quick use. Seeing the combat in action, there are some pretty spectacular moves. Mages can be bad ass. Bad. Ass.

If you want something fast-paced that doesn't require a lot of inventory management or strategy, this looks to be your game.

How do you level up your character?

Experience is spent to buy paths on different class trees. You are never locked into being a mage or a warrior or a rogue, etc., but instead are always free to pursue different paths. You can have a mage/warrior hybrid if you want. As you progress, you earn new skills/spells. Big Huge Games has vowed to make the Rogue class "awesome" but aren't ready to show anything yet.

Why isn't this an MMO?

It will be. Reckoning is the prequel to the MMO, which is also being built. A release time for the MMO is unknown and it's unclear how it will fit in with the single-player story or if it will make its way to consoles or only be for PC.

How's it looking?

Pretty good so far. The world seems expansive, the combat looks fun, and the design philosophy is solid. The next thing to see is how the story elements work -- dialogue, getting missions, etc. After all, Mass Effect wouldn't be that great of a game if the dialogue and story stunk.

Call Of Duty Modern Warefare

Another first person shooter, this title is the fourth installment in the Call of Duty series, but the first to deviate from the WWII setting of the previous games. Set in 2011, Modern Warfare follows the story of civil war in Russia after the execution of a Middle Eastern leader by a radical faction. Fighting takes place in multiple locations throughout the world, including Pripyat, Ukraine, a now-abandoned city right next door to the scene of the notorious Chernobyl disaster.
With access to modern weaponry such as rocket propelled grenades and C-4 explosive, gameplay is a natural continuation of previous titles with regard to movement, damage, and AI teammates. Both the single-player campaign and multi-player modes received critical acclaim, though the game took some flak for not revolutionizing the concept of the first person shooter. Personally, if that's the biggest issue, I'm content to play anyhow. The graphics and general realism of the environments more than make up for any perceived lack of innovation with regard to gameplay. Bonus Fun Fact: The ending credits feature a rap performed by Mark Grigsby, who happens to be Modern Warfare's lead animator.

Left 4 Dead

Ah, the Zombie Apocalypse. A topic near and dear to my heart, and I know I am far from alone in that capacity. There is an obnoxious quantity of zombie-related games, but both of the Left 4 Dead games are particularly intriguing in that the co-op mode doesn't just involve playing together, or helping each other out. In certain instances, a player actually needs his or her co-players, like when the player respawns in a locked closet, or needs healing but is not carrying any form of medicine. Teammates can bring one another back from the brink of death with a defibrillator or lure the infected away from other teammates with a pipebomb.
If one takes it as a foregone conclusion that the goal of a first person shooter is to simulate a situation for a player to experience, then the L4D and L4D2 are the clear leaders in the zombie category, due to the fact that players must help each other through verbal communication, strategize together, and depend upon one another, which is more challenging than it sounds. There are certainly a lot of people that hate these games for this exact reason, and while this is totally a matter of personal preference, one has to wonder how long these folks might last in a real zombie apocalypse. Not that those of us who are lucky enough to have the luxury of being gamers are probably going to be leading the Zombie Resistance when the apocalypse goes critical anyway.
Enjoy tasting delicious, fellow numb-butts!