"God of War" meets "Fable". The combat is the highlight of this action RPG.
The best thing in KOA is undoubtedly the combat system. Like the latest "Mass Effect" games, it's a blast to lay wastes to droves of enemies with all sorts of special weapons. If you've played "God of War", then you'll be familiar with the melee combat moves. But if you're one who prefers magic spells to swords, then you're given that option too. That's another great thing about KOA; the customization options. You can mix and match playing styles without any penalty. The game initially gives the player five character types to choose from. But then you're given the choice to customize their fighting styles. Melee combat, magic attacks and special abilities can all be fully customized, and weapons and armor can be obtained or purchased.
KOA is loaded with various enemy types and landscapes. And like "The Elder Scrolls", it is an epic, but it also lacks that game's original storytelling. Despite lore created by the legendary Salvatore, the game feels a tad bit generic. It's "Lord of the Rings"-lite. And while the enemy creations are from the mind of Todd McFarlane, you'd never guess that it was. The enemies of KOA seem to have jumped out of the bright world of "Fable" than the dark pages of "Spawn". Regardless, as I've stated before, it is a blast decimating enemies with all the moves you'd expect to find in an action game.
This game also includes all the looting, buying and selling you'd find in any RPG. Collecting weapon sets is fun, but you can also create you're very own by using Blacksmith tables and equipping them with magical gems for special properties. There is a large variety of weapons KOA; seven weapon classes in all and each weapon can perform numerous moves (you upgrade as you level up). And in terms of the adventure, you'll constantly find different quests and side-missions like in "The Elder Scrolls". The cutscenes that play out the less than satisfying story are good. They're entertaining and colorful, but it's too bad the player's character is robbed of any identity. Like Claude from GTA III, they're mute throughout the entire game.
Overall, "Kingdoms of Amalur" is a consistently entertaining game. It just lacks the original storytelling and quests that the best of genre possess. That being said, fans of "God of War" and action-based RPGS should have a blast with KOA. It's a swifty, polished action-adventure that'll last several hours to complete.