Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an action RPG set in Amalur, a fictional world divided into various domains. It was once a peaceful planet until Gadflow, the new king of the magical Faelands kingdom’s Winter Court, marched with his followers – the Tuatha Deohn – to wage war against Amalur’s fledgling races. He believes Tirnoch, a new god, will be born in the East. For the other races, the fight is hopeless because the Fae resurrect after death. From a third-person perspective, the player controls the protagonist, Fateless One. He (or she, the gender that can be selected after the introduction) falls in the struggle and is dragged away into a mass grave ten years into the battle. When he awakens, he realizes he was revived by the gnomish scientist Fomorous Hugues via an experimental Well of Souls. He has no recollection of his past, and when Tuatha Deohn assaults the institution, he is forced to flee. When he returns to the earth, he learns from Fateweaver Agarth that he is the only one who has escaped fate, the predestination to which all individuals are enslaved. His original purpose is to find Hugues and learn more about the experiment. Still, the hunt quickly becomes entwined with a broader plot involving Gadflow, his henchmen, and the new deity.
Following the introduction, the player creates a character by selecting a race and gender: Almain, Varani, Ljosalfar, or Dokkalfar. In that order, they are Civilized Humans, Nomadic Humans, Light Elves, and Dark Elves. They each have one or more racial advantages. The next option is to become a patron of one of the gods bound to the race (Fire, Water, War, Death, Mischief, Earth, Love, Fate, Wisdom, Order, Justice, and others, or none at all), added benefits. The name and appearance can also be customized using preset or manually modifying characteristics.
The fight is fast-paced, and different interpersonal and long-range weapons can be used. A primary and secondary weapon can be equipped, and other things such as helmets, chest plates, and footwear can be collected and assigned to an inventory. There is a mana for magical attacks next to the health bar. These are spells. However, various goods can be allocated to quick slots in-game via a radial item menu. Multiple foes must often be dealt with simultaneously in the fight, and many attacks, such as combinations, blocking, and dodging, are available. There are quick-time events throughout some sequences; a fury meter can be built up for a deadly assault, and it is possible to fate shift a single opponent for a cinematic finisher. Looting stuff and collecting gold are also options for players. The main character can engage with NPCs, and there are radial conversation options, similar to those in the Mass Effect games, next to speech trees that offer choice and consequence.
Combat experience is utilized to advance in the game. To further define the character, the player can specialize in abilities like as alchemy, blacksmithing, lockpicking, mercantile, persuasion, stealth, and more at each new level. Skill progression is divided into three stages (basic, advanced, and master), each with various skill levels. Capabilities provide additional personalization. Experience points are also swapped for abilities via a skill tree divided into three sections: Might, Finesse, and Sorcery. This corresponds to the RPG classes warrior, rogue, and mage. Following the introductory scenes, the game eventually expands into a broader realm with a primary plot and several sidequests. Various towns can be visited to obtain new items and new tasks.
