Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Demo's up on Steam and (I think?) XBox Live.

Before the demo, I thought I was fairly certain I wasn't interested, but I think the demo's got me hooked enough to actually purchase the game.

Gameplay-wise, it's closest to the Batman Arkham series (at least among games I've played) with RPG elements to craft items, itemize, and level. There seems to be enough to make the player want to explore the world, and as in Batman Arkham, combat is super slick. Though, perhaps, the RPG elements are a little on the lighter side, they're still enough to want the player to discover new things.

They really couldn't have come up with a better name?

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Originally Posted by Nermy2k

They really couldn't have come up with a better name?

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i no, rite?

I don't know if I would compare to batman, but I still liked the demo. I tried it both on PC ( I got a strong one) and PS3. The gameplay is much better on PS3, though the graphics are way better on PC of course. The PS3 demo had some nice demos, but it had some frame rate drops which was really disturbing. Maybe I'll see if they can patch it so it looks more stable, or maybe I could just play it on my controller on PC, but I still just prefer it on PS3. Pretty dumb how they require an EA online pass to play the game (it's single player). I have a feeling this game will drop to 20-30 pretty fast though.

The interface was really shitty on the PC though...

The camera is way too close for me to enjoy the game.

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Originally Posted by crapoo16

I don't know if I would compare to batman, but I still liked the demo. I tried it both on PC ( I got a strong one) and PS3.

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I was trying to think of some game to compare it to.

Actually combat is really similar to The Witcher 2, but The Witcher 2 probably does it a lot better.

Actually I'm restarting Witcher 2 because I didn't get far in my first play through, but now I remember why it's such a great game.

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Pretty dumb how they require an EA online pass to play the game (it's single player). I have a feeling this game will drop to 20-30 pretty fast though.

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way of the fucking future...

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The interface was really shitty on the PC though...

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Yeah it was. Really benefits from an XBox 360 controller.

(Actually by comparison I prefer The Witcher 2 with mouse + keyboard.)

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Originally Posted by Nick2.1

The camera is way too close for me to enjoy the game.

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Frankly, I think the camera would be less clunky if using a mouse were a more realistic option. I dislike moving the camera around in combat with the analog stick.

I actually still haven't gotten around to the Witcher 2. I just reinstalled the Witcher, I had about 5 hours of gameplay.. and I totally don't remember what I was even doing in the game LOL. Should I even bother beating the first to play the 2nd. I suppose I could have tried it playing on the controller, though it was a demo and for some reason I was too lazy to figure out if it was compatible with the controller.

My friend asked me if I was going to get it, and I made the same argument, he said most of the people he sees streaming it are playing on PC using controller, I guess I just may do the same. But too, many, games, to, play...

No don't bother with the first witcher. I tried, didn't like it. It's meant to be really good story/atmosphere, but horrible controls/gameplay etc. A lot of people really like it.

Witcher 2 is amazing and you don't miss out on anything from not playing the first.
Go straight to the second imo.

edit: also guys! anyone who has played the witcher games NEEDS to watch the polish tv series. it got shit reviews but it is actually very, very good. its all in polish with subtitles, feels really gritty like the games, and sticks very closely to the games characters (mainly geralt and his personality lol. identical to the game, i was impressed). gives some background on Geralt and his childhood too, its pretty awesome.


(sorry for derailing)

Scared to "buy it" they sure are cracking down on pirates for that game, think they fined some Germans for it, i'll wait for a good sale. If only it were coming to the PS3 as it is coming to the Xbox..

Witcher 2 is actually one of the few games I would suggest you buy. It's an awesome game, and the developers are awesome. Indie game company but they release amazing content, as well as a mini expansion with new game modes, some extra content, a large patch, online play, and some other shit, for free.

Their collectors edition of the game also had some pretty awesome shit.

So yeah, CD Projekt RED are awesome. Not a game to pirate/ "buy it".


I really should finish the witcher 2...

That and no DRM

yes, i knew there was something else awesome about them i was forgetting...

I echo everything ShitFace(d) said about The Witcher 2. If only more games were comparable to it.

That said, no spoilers, but two of my criticisms were:

1) The new (rel. to W1) potion system. I hate how I can only take them to prepare for battle IF I'm at a place I can meditate. Also, having to take them before enemy encounters means that if I want to take any more situational potions, I have to have foreknowledge of what's coming up. And at times the only way to obtain that knowledge is to enter the encounter, and if I die, then I use the potions I need from the knowledge of what is coming up.

Granted there are some potions that are good for most any battle, and this system is more in keeping with the way witchers actually use potions in the original stories. Also, it hasn't prevented me from not choosing Alchemy as my specialization path.

2) The Quick Time Events (QTE) system. In these sorts of events, you have to press keyboard or mouse buttons quickly as they appear on screen in order to perform a canned action to, say, turn a wheel that opens a gate or to execute an attack in an unarmed brawl. Yeah, it's cute in certain contexts, but it's annoying that they used this system for fist fights now as well. It's just too easy sometimes.


But, one GREAT thing about the game is that, on the higher difficulty levels (especially the new Dark difficulty introduced with patch 2.0), it can be quite hard and punishing. There are places where one or two hits means death, even somewhat relatively early in the game.

Also... the world is violent and sexy, unlike say Warcraft, where everyone appears to be asexual.

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Originally Posted by ShitFace

edit: also guys! anyone who has played the witcher games NEEDS to watch the polish tv series. it got shit reviews but it is actually very, very good. its all in polish with subtitles, feels really gritty like the games, and sticks very closely to the games characters (mainly geralt and his personality lol. identical to the game, i was impressed). gives some background on Geralt and his childhood too, its pretty awesome.

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Wow, I was unaware. I'll have to find it.

let me know what you think of it.

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Originally Posted by ShitFace

let me know what you think of it.

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I wanted to just watch like the first 15 minutes of the first episode. I wasn't expecting much.

But I couldn't stop watching until the end. It's really, really good.

Yay.

I have no idea why it got shit reviews.

I'm gonna go ahead and snatch it, $15 for Witcher 2

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051BH6FK?

Though to support CD, click on the Amazon banner at the top of the page, then search witcher 2, find the digital premium edition and purchase. I had a bug at first where the buy button was blocked out and the price in my cart was $30, but it works fine. Downloading now.

The witcher 2 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played. Though it only takes 20 hours to beat, they were a miraculous 20 hours and I plan to play it again very soon cause it's been almost a year. I am about 15 hours into KoA:R and while it is fun, I'm waiting for a FoV fix.

i have about 40 hours into the witcher 2 and not completed it...were you speed completing or something?

No.

I think I spend too much time on my rpg characters.

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Originally Posted by Nick2.1

The witcher 2 is one of the best RPGs I've ever played. Though it only takes 20 hours to beat, they were a miraculous 20 hours and I plan to play it again very soon cause it's been almost a year. I am about 15 hours into KoA:R and while it is fun, I'm waiting for a FoV fix.

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I hear Amalur could be at least 100 hours.. T_T

Finally playing me some Amalur, though I can't get it to work on my controller (I use a logitech controller, but it's worked on every game I've tried it on so far). I think the control and UI are just horrendous for PC, but it's runs really smoothly (My logitech G15 keyboard shows 2700 FPS during the intro, and 400 during game lol... though I think 60FPS is really all that matters?

Can't really tell the difference past 30fps.
Well you can, but it doesn't make a difference to gameplay really.

Also I realised the other day I forgot to backup my witcher 2 saves. I will have to grab them off old pc at somepoint..but effort :'(

edit: also, my new pc can run the witcher 2 on ultra settings at 60+fps, bar ubersampling ( which drops the fps to 25...)
*prances around like sycld during gay pride*

<3 new pc

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Originally Posted by ShitFace

Can't really tell the difference past 30fps.
Well you can, but it doesn't make a difference to gameplay really.

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For most people it does.

http://www.boallen.com/fps-compare.html

So 60FPS is all that really matters right? I play Dota2 and with Vsync on it caps at 60FPS, but with it off (well in console it says fps_max 120) but I get 120 FPS. It seems to run better, i'm not a huge fan of Vsync anyways. I might have to compare the two, I think I just prefer playing at 120FPS though. I have no clue if it makes a real difference.

I can't see a difference past about 70 FPS, I use Vsync for screen tearing.

As much as I love The Witcher 2, there are just some aspects of it that are mindbogglingly poorly designed.

For instance, near the end of Act 2:

Spoiler

The first part of the Eternal Battle when you play Seltkirk slaying the standard bearer, on Dark mode (the last part is important--DARK MODE HERE, not NORMAL, not EASY, but DARK mode).

What the fuck?! I have only access to parry, strong attack, and fast attack and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE?!!??! NOT EVEN FUCKING DODGING?!?!?

And I have to fight FOUR enemies that can kill me with 2 to 4 slices simultaneously in a REALLY cramped space???

You see, I spec'd in way that made that apparently silly assumption that I would have access to bombs, potions, and signs in combat at all times. I have ZERO points in Swordsmanship.

I had no clue that if I wanted to get past this one stupid part of the game, I would HAVE to have points in Swordsmanship.

It makes ZERO SENSE, and it REALLY pisses me off. I have NO clue what the hell CD PROJEKT was fucking thinking when they tuned this encounter in Dark mode.

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Originally Posted by Nick2.1

I can't see a difference past about 70 FPS, I use Vsync for screen tearing.

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Interesting, well I did run into artifacts the day after I built my new computer LOL, but just that once, I think I'll try it and see how I like it. Do you know why it caps at 60FPS with Dota2 on?

And sadly I haven't even touched Witcher 2 ever since I bought it T_T. Been so busy!

Played KoA. I played rogue/mage; never felt the need to change my class as it fucked shit up pretty easy.

It was okay, but it felt too much like an MMO for something that wasn't an MMO (although it's obvious they were going to make it one). I felt there weren't enough skill trees nor enough abilities for each tree. It certainly didn't take me 100 hours, it felt rather short. I guess if I replayed it on every difficulty it'd be that long or longer?

It felt like the only way to know where anything is, quest-wise, was through the map and compass. It relied on that far too much.

Overall, it was average; not the most engaging of games. My friend purchased it and can't even justify spending time on it when she's got Skyrim to play through instead.

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Originally Posted by sycld

As much as I love The Witcher 2, there are just some aspects of it that are mindbogglingly poorly designed.

For instance, near the end of Act 2:

Spoiler

The first part of the Eternal Battle when you play Seltkirk slaying the standard bearer, on Dark mode (the last part is important--DARK MODE HERE, not NORMAL, not EASY, but DARK mode).

What the fuck?! I have only access to parry, strong attack, and fast attack and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE?!!??! NOT EVEN FUCKING DODGING?!?!?

And I have to fight FOUR enemies that can kill me with 2 to 4 slices simultaneously in a REALLY cramped space???

You see, I spec'd in way that made that apparently silly assumption that I would have access to bombs, potions, and signs in combat at all times. I have ZERO points in Swordsmanship.

I had no clue that if I wanted to get past this one stupid part of the game, I would HAVE to have points in Swordsmanship.

It makes ZERO SENSE, and it REALLY pisses me off. I have NO clue what the hell CD PROJEKT was fucking thinking when they tuned this encounter in Dark mode.

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Late reply, I know, but:

Spoiler

No matter what you specced for Geralt, none of this transfers to Seltkirk. He doesn't have Geralt's body, he's just a human (well, a spectre of a human).