A mix of systems from other games pays off for Big Huge Games
As an entire experience, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning provides enjoyable, yet not entirely original gameplay. With a main storyline lasting somewhere between 13 and 15 hours, and another 30 - 40 hours of faction and side quests you can easily justify paying $60 for this title. If you are willing to forgive the lack of quality in the side quests.
Before this game came out, most people were comparing it to the Elder Scrolls series, which is an easy comparison to make on the surface level. The quest system is the one thing that is most comparable to an Elder Scrolls, but I found that comparisons to Zelda: Ocarina of Time and Fable are more applicable. The world is not open in the sense of a Bethesda or Rockstar open world game. Instead there are hub areas that are connected by narrow pathways, again similar to Ocarina of Time. Even to the point that when you are entering a new area the camera will pan away from your character and fade to black.
The combat in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a blend of the God of War series' combo system with the inclusion of a juggling mechanic seen in fighting games. The targeting is not the easiest thing to maneuver, but it will target the nearest enemy to you by default, which helps the user out.
I would recommend this game to anyone wanting to play an rpg with a unique mix of borrowed ideas in an original universe (however original a fantasy universe can be at this point) with an interesting story line and different enough play styles between the classes that could potentially offer tens of hours of replay.
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