Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning

This game was reviewed on Xbox One.

When it comes to comic book tie-ins, gaming and movies frequently find it hard to keep with the origins and storyline of the comic universe. Within the last 20 years, comics have started setting up multiverse concepts. This allows each writer and artist to design the original characters how they see fit. In this game, you get to play as Ms. Marvel. No, not the Carol Danvers one.. She's being added later on. Ms. Marvel is Kamala Khan, a recent addition to the Marvel Universe.

Marvel saw it fit to design a character that centered around the Muslim people, specifically, women. These women, many oppressed by where they lived at the time, found hope in a new character. Born Kamala Khan, she inherited her powers from a terrigen gas released into the atmosphere by Black Bolt. In the game, however, it is released via MODOK, the centralized villain of this world.

Our journey begins with Kamala trying to find peace with her new powers. She's a bit of a Mr. Fantastic, with the ability to stretch her body, making huge fists to pound enemies. She's labeled as an inhuman, a human that has been given abilities they weren't born with. In the comic world, an inhuman is a race of beings, originally experimented on to create genetically superior warriors to fight in the Skull-Kree war. This is a major change from the comics. It is to be expected, however, since this is a video game.

SPOILERS AHEAD. If you do not wish to read the spoilers, kindly skip the next paragraph to read the final verdict on our review.

In the Avengers game, the attack on what was now called A-Day, led the Avengers to go into hiding. Kamala's main objective is to find them and reassemble the broken team. She finds what appears to be footage of Captain America being locked inside the helicarrier, now a new model, labeled as the Chimera. You also witness the birth of a new villain, MODOK.

Most of this game is centered around the "war table", which you will select main missions and side projects. The side projects can be tackled with friends or online multiplayer. You can also try to finish them on their own. Leveling up in the game is complicated. In order to level up, the player must find gear to raise their power levels. The player then proceeds to take on the war table missions, each with their own power level requirements.

Multiplayer during the campaign mode, and in general, is still pretty rough. It takes an average of five minutes to find one player. Then, while you both sit there waiting on another player, you risk losing the 2nd player. I've had that happen at least 7 times out of 10 sessions. I gave up and did the entire campaign solo. I did have to turn it too easy difficulty, though, as this was meant to be a grindy game as a service. Yes, game as a service. The game tries to mimic Destiny 1.

I do like the first Destiny, I love Destiny 2. I hope that they fix the matchmaking, as well as add more multiplayer. There are leaks that have been mentioned with adding Wakanda missions, possibly hubs, and other characters. We do know that Spider-Man (not the one from the PS4 game), is coming exclusively to Sony on PS4. We also know of Hawkeye and Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, whom also have their own story added in later. Crystal Dynamics did a hell of a job with this game and waiting on Black Panther, to honor the fallen Chadwick Boseman was a brilliant idea. Props to my friend, Andrew Kane, as well, for his work on the online aspect of this game.

All of this is part of what is labeled as the Avengers Initiative. Also, do NOT start multiplayer until after you finish the campaign, or you risk starting at level 1. Use the campaign to unlock the gear and such needed to go stronger in the multiplayer mode. PvP may also be in the works for this game. But until it gets polished with the many other glitches and mouths not moving with words, then this game is scoring a low 4/5 for me. Mainly because the campaign was good, but fell short in parts. The majority of the game's backstory seems to be filled in with the multiplayer as well. I believe the should go the route of Destiny 2 and not make a second game. Instead add more campaign DLC, missions, and such. Keep supporting the game as if it was its own world. This is how games as a service model should be set up.

Brian Eckles