Kingdoms of Amalur - gameplay (PC HD)

Following the conservative line of the genre to which it belongs, Amalur, setting in which all the events of the video game take place, is a land of confrontations. From the macro - the invasion of an immortal race that wishes to establish a new order - to the micro - power disputes between the different ethnic groups that inhabit the world - Kingdoms of Amalur is a title defined by the tradition of its heritage; a legacy of friction and tension that allows the story to flow and make sense within its respective context..

Within such a string of armed, political, social and magical conflicts, since there are deities and arcane matters strongly involved in the vicinity of Amalur, we will incarnate an unknown being who has escaped from the clutches of death, reviving and losing in it. process his role in the loom of destiny. Now, without a role to play in the fabric of the universe, we have the power to write our own history, changing the course of it for all those with whom we interact. ¿Our objetive? Save the world and discover our past. ¿Our obstacle? A vast world in which it is an enjoyment to get lost.

In this sense, Amalur is rich in multiple aspects, and one of the most notable is the ease with which it encourages us to explore them. Through its remarkable number of cities, settlements, dungeons, secrets and other elements, the video game manages to absorb and engage with palpable naturalness. However, unfortunately, when we describe it as a "land of confrontations" it is not only because it corresponds to the events it faces, but because there is also an antagonism between its playable immersion and its plot immersion; the mechanically enjoyable is not as remarkable in the narrative.

Therefore, although it is a delight to wander through the metropolises of the title to accept secondary orders or follow the history of a faction, aspects such as the null capacity of influence of our protagonist on the world that surrounds him, the equally meager importance of our participation in forgettable dialogues or NPCs lacking in charisma cause Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning to affect the role-playing deficiencies that its predecessor suffered. Thus, their world and exploration are one of the fundamental pillars of production, but they are motivated more by their remarkable playful compositions than by the value they give to the lore of delivery.

The fact of not having a destination is an opportune situation due to the relevance with which it adapts the typical narrative of an anonymous hero molded by the player to the context of the video game; a consideration that, in addition to being argumentative, transcends even what is playable. And, thanks to this, we have the perfect justification to choose between being a magician, a rogue, a warrior or combining them, since there is nothing on the loom of fate that has predetermined that we should be one or the other. Even the possibility of 'rewriting our destiny' through dedicated NPCs is, as usual in the game, a sublime consonance between narrative and gameplay, despite the fact that the latter is the obviously imperative section.

In this regard, it is clear that the intention of Kingdoms of Amalur is, ultimately, entertainment and engagement, and it does so easily. Without the need to reinvent the genre, since it replicates a large number of the foundations that support it, the work remarkably fulfills being fun. Ergo, although we are faced with the long-standing formula of experience points, skill tree, equipment that can be improved as the hours progress, level or skill requirements in a particular branch, vocations such as blacksmithing, persuasion or registration and others, we are also faced with a long-standing formula that works, and that the video game makes it work fully.

Although, given its repercussion and transcendence over time, it is impossible to list the number of creations that have been influenced by the great World of Warcraft, the parallels that can be drawn between Amalur and Azeroth take on a new level. The color palette, the characters, the enemies, the biomes, the architecture... Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is the single-player counterpart of Blizzard's MMORPG and, far from being a negative question, it is a perfect description of the artistic greatness of the project.

Because, indeed, traveling through Amalur is outstanding in that there is much to do but, at the same time, in that there is much to observe. The contrasts between barren plains, magical forests, millennial dungeons and modern cities is magnificent for its individual contribution and for its participation in an even bigger beautiful puzzle, which benefits in colossal measure from its atmospheric soundtrack and excellent dubbing work. Likewise, the Re-Reckoning version has been in charge of suitably adapting the beauty of its universe to current graphics; no work to brag about, but more than competent to deliver what is expected of a remastering.

The value of Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning lies in the opportunity it offers the industry to reclaim itself and place it where it deserves; namely, among the great action and fantasy titles. As in 2012, the hours of fun provided by this piece are so numerous and genuine that the recommendation is guaranteed, whether by inviting them to immerse themselves in Amalur again or by exhorting them to discover it for the first time. In any case, its quality continues to be more than current, so that its dense and vivid landscapes are, once again, a golden opportunity to enjoy a new destination.