Played through the demo last night on the PC. It's fine, perfectly functional, controls are okay, kind of feels like what I think Torchlight would be like in 3rd person.

My big problem with this game tho, and maybe it's just me, is that EVERYTHING looks like it was pulled directly out of World of Warcraft, even more so than other games I've felt like took too much from the WoW art style.

I know other games have done the same thing, and I understand that the WoW art style is just kind of a thing certain games strive for these day, but I kind of wish they didn't, since it makes the game feel more dated than it should IMO, and I just don't like that look personally.

Otherwise, good stuff, I may still grab it just because I enjoy a nice, open world RPG with lots of loot.

Not only that it looks so wow-ish, but also that it lacks the charm and character from that game. Those blizzard art guys are like magicians, they get so much out a bunch of simple polygons with some crude textures pasted on it. This just feels really generic and lifeless for some reason, at least the starter dungeon and the first open area. I know it's totally subjective, but from the reactions to the demo a lot of people feel the same way.

It feels a little samey but it doesn't bother me too much. If the mechanics stay enjoyable and it has a cool story, that makes a bigger difference to me then the art style ultimately. I like what i've played so far and while it looks a bit generic, I enjoyed the style.

Well, Curt Schilling is a huge fan of WoW and it's what inspired him to start a game studio for the purpose of making his own MMO in the future (which is supposed to be their next project, and also based in the same world as KOA). I will say though that this game doesn't seem to do it quite as well... there is just a certain something that's missing, and I just can't quite put my finger on it.

Yeah, but that's kind of what makes me really like it.

Yeah that's irked me a little bit since the day I saw the first screenshots.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of the WoW aesthetic but seeing as how Blizzard did it so well and so efficiently (min spec masters) and so many games have aped it since I think you gotta at least add your own touch, or do it so well that it can be seen as more than just a copy-paste.

I think of Vigil (Darksiders) as a great example of using a very similar "style" but then embellishing it enough that it stands on it own.

Obviously if the game is good enough none of this will matter, but yeah, it's visuals fail to pique any interest for me.

I don't know man, I think the chunky cartoon look fits it really well, specially since they have some nice vibrant colors. It feels refreshing to me since most games these days try to look realistic, at least to a point, and fairly dark lighting.

I'd take this over dull and brown any day.

good i thought i was the only one with that feeling. At a point i was thinking that i was playing an empty MMO.

The artstyle does seem a bit off putting. I generally prefer more realistic like Skyrim or Dark Fantasy like Dark Souls. But when it comes down to it, as long is the game is good I will play it.

Not only that it looks so wow-ish, but also that it lacks the charm and character from that game. Those blizzard art guys are like magicians, they get so much out a bunch of simple polygons with some crude textures pasted on it. This just feels really generic and lifeless for some reason, at least the starter dungeon and the first open area. I know it's totally subjective, but from the reactions to the demo a lot of people feel the same way.

It reminded me a lot of the that cheap unoriginal Gameloft game Dungeon Hunter Alliance. I killed two rats back at to the XMB and deleted it off my hdd!

Yes, Yes, YES. I've been saying this from first I saw it until I played the demo. It's not a style I'm any fan of, to say the least. There's a reason I never jumped on the wow wagon

That thought really kicked in when I played the demo. At least Albion was somewhat distinctive, given the cross between fantasy and industrial settings but Amalur's world just feels "Generic fantasy land" without the charm of Azeroth, the creepy moodiness of Boletaria and whatnot. I'm also worried about the gameplay part. I mean it was fun but Castlevania: LoS got boring to play before the story ended so if Amalur is basically Fable 2, I'd rather not play 11 Fable 2's in one playthrough.

looks nothing like WoW; it's more like skyrim or fable; with a much better combat system.

I'm not bothered by the artstyle, it's different enough for me.
Have more issues with the very MMO like zone design.

@Aronman789 said:

I don't know man, I think the chunky cartoon look fits it really well, specially since they have some nice vibrant colors. It feels refreshing to me since most games these days try to look realistic, at least to a point, and fairly dark lighting.

I'd take this over dull and brown any day.

I'm going to second this.

I'll also say that the enemy designs are fantastic. Kobolds look like they're part of the Sly Cooper series, and the little Impy fae things look like they're from a Miyazaki film. I don't know. I'm a big fan of the art in this game.

Reminds me more of Darksiders. Which itself received the same criticism so I guess it makes since. Though for the record I think Darksiders and Reckoning are gorgeous games.

I'm put off by the WoW look of it, since I think WoW's exaggerated look is stupid, and Amalur looks similarly stupid. But I've heard enough other things that I want to try it out anyways, to see if the combat and skill system are interesting or different.

It's a western RPG that isn't trying to be realistic, cartoony seems to become the default and WoW's art style is well known and liked. I don't dislike it but it is uninspired

I like 'Dark WoW'. The places and characters that are 'mysterious gritty dark dangerous comic brutal'. The tutorial dungeon part of the demo is kinda 'Dark WoW' and I'm sure there's lots more of that in the game and I dig it. The open area after is 'Cutesy Candy WoW' which is a nice contrast, but I don't dig 'Cute WoW' much.

That said. I played the demo yesterday and turned it off before the timer was up. I played it again today and the time ran out too quickly. I'm currently pondering to do another stint in the demo and check out some other places. It's a slow burner, I decided to get past all the offputting tidbits and boy do I feel like it is a bonfire of addiction and joy just waiting to burst in fire in KoA:R.

Don't know why people say the game looks like WOW because WOW sucks. Amalur reminds of of Fable if anything. The combat system is good but I thought it would be at least as good as Darksiders... Guess not. Still interested in the game. Will buy it if the reviews are good but will get ME3 first :)

I don't mind the WoW similarities because I like WoW. If the story turns out to be lifeless and boring, then I'll care.