Kingdoms of Amalur

After you complete reach the outside world you got 45 minutes of gameplay left.
I just finished whatever was the main quest and left the computer idle until i got the notice that my ME3 dlc was unlocked.

 

That's about 2 mins away from the end of the demo. You exit the cave, run to some guy which should be on your minimap, talk to him, kill some guys, talk to him, done. Then you get 45 timed minutes to explore the starting zone and you can just do what DEagleson suggested. Though, like I said in a previous post, these 45mins have the potential to be the most fun part of the demo,

 

Unfortunatly I am not impressed. I wanted to be, but I just didn't find myself having fun like I do with other games.

 

Can you be more specific?
is it not dynamic enough? sloppy combat? story doesnt make sense? not as cool as skyrim?

 

The camera had a hard time keeping up I wasn't a fan of the fable graphics and I guess its just not for me. I am looking for a too human style game and this isn't that I feel

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Crap! Now I gotta do it all over again. Anyway, thanks for the tip.

 

You also have to make sure to login or the demo won't remember you finished the tutorial yet...

 

I was under the impression that I got y con by simply logging into the game for the first time. It gave me a few different things for the original game and ten the 1 piece of content for ME3 - all right at the title screen after logging in... But I did play the Demo to completion anyways, I thought it was pretty good for what it is - so far anyways...

 

You get one thing for ME3 when you first boot up the demo and a second thing for ME3 when you beat the demo. One is a weapon and one is a suit of armor.

 

Both IGN and Gabe at Penny Arcade are fawning over KoA, so I'm wondering if the demo didn't give do justice to the game. I'm getting interested in this again.

 

I absolutely agree with this...I do like Skyrim/Oblivion style...but really do miss the old turn base style of Baldur's Gate and the Gold Box D&D games....I wish there were at least a few new ones still being made...I'm really surprised that they have seemed to fall off the face of the earth....

 

Look up "Avadon: The Black Fortress" its an indy title that's trying to revive the BG style RPG.

 

Avadon's actually a couple years old. I've been following Spiderweb Software ever since I got hooked on Exile as a kid. Played through the Exile series and Nethergate, which of course meant that I had to play the Avernum series and Nethergate: Resurrrection for the HD (ahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA) experience. Geneforge series is pretty good, too. Different, but good.

Oh, I see that they're working on a Windows port of yet another Avernum remake?

And so, the cycle begins anew...

 

Keep in mind that the demo was made months before it was actually released and thus months before the full game's actual completion.

Source
Also, read the original post in the NeoGAF forums linked to in that article.

 

I never expect anything close to final product in a demo (I love bugs ). I just play them to give me an idea of what the game will be. I enjoyed the demo so much I pre-ordered it after I played it. Just got the email form amazon to download it (won't be playable till monday). I'll play ME3 (2/14/12) demo to get the other stuff for this game.

 

I feel the same way, Scanner. If I didn't have such a busy semester ahead then it'd be a day one purchase for me as well. Unfortunately, my hands are tied. I'll definitely buy it during the summer time though.

 

Played the demo on my Y470. Maxed absolutely everything, got 45-50 FPS in Native Resolution on average. My thoughts about some of the things that I dislike:
- <del>lack of subtitles for scenes where I can't hear the narration clearly.</del> Missed an option
- character customization is fairly basic for today's standards
- engine restrictions, you can't jump and there are plenty of "invisible walls"
- Art style is kinda cute, but the graphics are not very advanced. That wasn't ever a deciding factor for me though.
- When you kill enemies only some of them can be looted. The loot has nothing to do with their appearance from what I can tell, random items.
- Something similar to a quicktime event scene with a troll and later on with extra xp ability. I hate quicktime events in games.
- Auto-aiming with spells and bows is terrible, I want freedom and ability to miss.
- Invisible weapons and armor popping out of thin air mentioned by Bearclaw in the earlier post
- Combat is far from challenging on "normal" difficulty, but I felt it had decent dynamics and flow
- Got pretty bored on my way outside of dungeon, repetitive gameplay. Getting out of Skyrim's first dungeon was more entertaining.

The opening in my opinion borrows heavily on some ideas from Planescape Torment and perhaps Witcher 1. That's not necessarily a terrible thing, but I don't think they've done a very graceful job with it. There is a very cliche villain and a lot of silly storytelling tools like multiple cave-ins on the doors you go through. Overall I'm unsure whether I want to buy it at the moment. It seems like a pretty decent action RPG with a big emphasis on action and combat mechanics. It certainly doesn't measure up to something like Skyrim on the immersion level, but it doesn't look like a complete flop either. Not really worth $60 to me, perhaps when the prices drop down I'll give it a try.

Also this:

 

I will say that Exile 3 is my favorite game of all time. It's just absolutely amazing in every way. Spiderweb Software really puts out spectacular games. They are all worth buying and playing.

 

anyone watched or read the review from ign??

9/10. ill be honest i didnt think it looked like my thing but the more videos i watch of it im well impressed.

 

I've yet to watch the reviews, but so far the demo was ok. Looks like some kind of Fable (kill ducks, be criminal) but with a bit more of options. Though I am not sure if the races can mean some difference beyond the initial stages.

 

I'm thinking this may very well be the case, I enjoyed the game - for what it is - and am willing to give them a shot on it because of what I saw on the demo and the reviews I've read. I'll be playing this game very soon - I think I'm going to play the demo again right now real quick...

 

I've long lost hope in "professional" game reviewing website. I'd rather watch Zero Punctuation roast a game than read yet another prepaid score. All of those reviewers have discredited themselves a long time ago in my opinion.

 

I loved Exile 3, but Exile will always have my heart, and my Spiderweb Software virginity.

I find that Metacritic critic scores usually more or less work out to acceptably accurate reviews of a game's overall merit.

 

The side quests definitely have MMORPG influence though most of them do tie in with the main story somehow. From what I've played, the main story is pretty good and keeps you wanting to carry on your quest.

The combat AI is really interesting. If you're good at action RPGs or fighting games you should play on hard, otherwise you might even have difficulty on easy. For instance, they don't just run at you and attack (*cough* Skyrim *cough*) but they generally try to surround you and attack taking turns in close intervals so it really feels like you're being teamed up on. My one complaint would be that it's pretty easy to separate certain enemies from others, for instance, melee from ranged by kiting. I feel like they should stay together better.

I haven't vested many skill points in stealth but it's pretty much impossible to sneak up on enemies unless they are all facing away from you.

I'm finding the really really fun part to just be experimenting with different combos and abilities. For this reason, I'm going universal. With so many combinations I really don't think it will be possible to get bored with the combat system.

 

Ars Technica had a very good, very balanced review of Amalur that didn't feel like a prepaid ad.

Kingdoms of Amalur: A great action game in an empty, forgettable world

tl;dr version: the combat is fantastic, it looks good, but the plot is thin and uncompelling, and the characters are two-dimensional and not believable.

 

I don't know if the plot is thin.. a lot of the side quests tie in with the main quests. The main quests are rather uncompelling, though. I don't really know why. Maybe because it doesn't stray too far from the norm and so ends up being somewhat unoriginal?

That being said I've already sunk 12 hours into it and I'm having a blast. Anyone else playing it?

 

I think you just answered your own question That's not to say it's a bad game--God of War had a ridiculous plot, particularly after the first game, but the gameplay was so compelling it was nevertheless a total blast. But going into the game with realistic expectations about what it will and won't deliver should make everyone happier in the end.

 

worth getting or not worth gettings or worth getting or not... ? =p

 

For sure, but I mean the plot is definitely not thin. There's a lot of lore and, like I said, side quests. So if you immerse yourself, you'll get something back. But if you want an epic storyline that keeps you hooked for 40+ hours then you won't get that here. On the other hand, if you want gameplay that stays fresh for 40+ hours then this might be it. So far it seems like it.

Worth getting or not depends on the demo cause I'd say ignoring the bugs it's a pretty good representation of the full game. One thing, though, they didn't really fix the camera. They added an option but it still gets caught against a wall at times.

 

I've been palying side quests for a while, and forgotten main quest, into the light. Playing on hard, and Killing rock trolls isn't easy-Keepforgetting to save. Will spend time learning to make waepons and potions. This will definitely keep me happy until ME3.

 

Do you have to experiment to create recipes for potions or can you buy them somewhere? My experiments usually end up as an unstable potion.

 

do you get used to that camera? I lowered camera sensitivity to 0, played for 15 minutes and i am terribly annoyed. Not to mention that i want to zoom out. can i zoom out? wheel doesnt work

 

I think you can get some sort of list from the merchant outside of the castle. I didn't pay much attention to him before I went to join up with the soldiers.


Lieto do you get used to that camera? I lowered camera sensitivity to 0, played for 15 minutes and i am terribly annoyed. Not to mention that i want to zoom out. can i zoom out? wheel doesnt work

The camera makes me laugh. When I run the camera can't keep up. Quick movements in battle can be a pain.

 

ye but whats more annoying that my nose is sticked to the shoulder of my freaking character it takes like 30% of my screen real estate. And there is no way to zoom out? really? i must be missing smth

 

There's no way to zoom out. I have a love-hate relationship with the camera. I like just running around and when it zooms out to fight enemies but I hate how it gets stuck on things (especially when fighting enemies) and how it hides enemies when you start fighting more than 4 at a time.

 

prolly wont play it till they fix it. Otherwise it looked like a fun Fable like hack n slash game but its just not playable cause of camera. Couldnt they really steal the way it works from wow or smth...

 

I registered on their official forums.
There is a 50 pages thread about camera and everyone there have like 1 post.
Its pure lulz.

thats kinda how i feel as well

 

I can see how you could get motion sick from this game. They should definitely implement a fixed camera option in that case.

 

Anyone know how to get higher level weapons? Do you make them or find them? I found a level 4 weapon, on a side quest.

 

I don't know about you guys, but this game totally blew me away. Starting with the visuals, this game is absolutely gorgeous maxed out at 1920x1080. Its WOW/Fable style graphics but a lot better. As for Story and lore Todd Mcfarlane helped with this game and it shows. While there may not be an incredibly in-depth story line there is so much to do and so many quests to go on it never gets old. The game's progression is also very rewarding and keeps you going forward.

If I were to compare KOA to anything I would say Skyrim/Oblivion+Fable.

I'm currently at level 12 and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

As for the camera, it has not been bothersome(at least with the 360 controller)

The controls take time to get used to but it becomes second nature after playing awhile.

The games difficulty seems to be just right.

If you enjoy this type of Action/RPG you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not getting this game.

 

Do the visuals in the full game differ completely from the demo, then? From what I saw in the demo (maxed everything at 1080p), it looked positively atrocious, with supremely low-poly models, blurry, stretched, low-res textures and a cartoony mess of a style. From hearing several people saying "it looks great", I have to ask if the full game has more detailed visuals or not? Edit: I mostly mean this from a technical standpoint.. Artistic merit & preferences are, ofc, a matter of opinion.

 

Baka thinks that the graphics are simply subjective to each person. The graphics ingame itself is more of fable-like rather than Skyrim like. Some people will say Fable-like graphics are gorgeous but others would say it's too "cartoony"

 

Kurt has taken to talking in third-person as kurt rather likes it..

As far as this game goes, Kurt thinks the game is good. It might not have the level of immersion as skyrim or the beauty of the witcher 2 but it does have some solid gameplay mechanics with a fun and hectic, rather aracde-y combat style which can be difficult at times (though nothing like the kind of difficulty the witcher 2 throws at you.. )

Kurt thinks that people who like mmo's but dont like the M part of it (multiplayer), like me should give it a go..

Kurt also thinks everyone should read it's review over at rps..
Wot I Think: Kingdoms Of Amalur: Reckoning | Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Btw this one has not had any problem with controls or camera(playing with onza/xbox360)

Now kurt goes away and wishes that someone makes an offline/single player version of something like eve online.

edit: here are some live streams of the game for people who want to get a good idea of what its like and havent played the demo..
http://www.twitch.tv/directory/Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

btw kurt forgot to mention that he loves the game simply because the dev/publisher provided a demo. Kurt wishes that more devs/publishers were confident enough of their wares to provide pc demos.. that would go a long way in reducing piracy rather than drms..

 

I largely agree with that RPS review. Having played for 30 hours and explored half the map, here's my mini review:

For a first game from a new studio, it's amazing. There's just so much content: from dialogue to side-quests to skills to combat. It looks like you'll need to spend at least 60 hours to fully explore even one of those. The graphics and sounds are great though NPCs look and sometimes sound stiff. The music is really good, too. I frequently find myself playing some of the themes in my head. The camera is problematic. It's not atrocious but the negative opinions of it are well warranted. As a result you'll be dodging in order to fix a bad camera angle rather than to avoid an enemy's attacks at times.

I like the idea that there's a skill and Lorestones that promote exploration with gold, hidden items and experience.

Now here's what I don't like.. it feels like an MMORPG. By this, I don't mean that your role in the world isn't unique and that the world at large doesn't feel inviting because it is and it does. What I mean is that I feel like the quests I'm doing, gear I'm grinding, and mobs I'm fighting while exploring all give me that MMORPG feeling. I can see how would be a pro rather than con for most people. Particularly those who play or played a ton of WOW and are looking for something new. But for me, I get bored of any MMORPG.

Originally I thought this might be different and the combat system was (and still is) really great. But now, every new quest/enemy/gear I encounter is just a slight variation on what I've done or fought or seen before. And to me, that is boring and no longer fun.

Summary:
Pros:
- Amazing combat system with great enemy AI
- Enormous amount of content
- Graphics, sound, and music are great

Cons:
- Camera can be a pain, especially later on
- Feels like an MMORPG..

 

Well I didn't play the demo all I know is, this game is beautiful. However this game is not realistic looking like Crysis or Battlefield, it is a beautifully rendered fantasy world. This game may not have Crysis textures, or Battlefield lighting, but it has an unbelievable art style, it is completely beautiful. If you have ever played WOW or Fable you know what I'm talking about. Graphics isn't all about the engine or details, and high resolution textures. If you want to see truly beautiful graphics from an artist's point of view, play this game. Also the effects are just beautiful and inspired. A good example is when you are in a cave or dungeon and the flora comes to life if you have a spell active.

 

"If you want to see truly beautiful graphics from an artist's point of view, play this game."

Well.. I'll just say that if you want to see truly beautiful graphics from both points of view, just look up "Trine 2"... Artistic AND high-def.

 

I agree on Trine 2, as for KOF to each is own. I found it particularly mind-blowing. I did not see any blurriness, or stretching as you said, and the rest was perfectly fitting for the style the game was going for. True that the textures aren't particularly detailed but this game obviously wasn't going for that. This is very much so a fantasy styled game. Would you call Borderlands or WOW an ugly game because of it's style? If you're looking for a great RPG with an unprecedented amount of graphical detail and only top-grade textures let me point you in the direction of The Witcher 2.

 

Lots of folks confuse aesthetics with graphics. KoA is not outstanding in the graphics department, but it's aesthetically pleasing.


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I find the opposite is true where people are confusing it's aesthetic choices with poor quality graphics. The textures are pretty good. The lighting is great. The effects are excellent. It's less demanding than The Witcher 2 but looks almost as good. Aesthetically, it's style is more cartoonish where as The Witcher's style is more realistic.

 

Then again when you have a 6990m and a sandy bridge, everything looks better
. How much did you pay for that beast? My Alienware M17x wasn't exactly cheap.