Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Previews

Those of you in search of new hands-on previews of 38 Studios and Big Huge Games' Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will find a pair awaiting you over at Atomic...
Refreshingly, what you don't get to choose from the outset is your class. Instead, Amalur uses a '˜Destiny system' to allow players to create their class based on how they choose to play the game and level up their character. This is similar to what we'll experience in Skyrim, and is another step in the right direction for the RPG genre. Personally, there's nothing worse than having to weigh up the frustration of restarting a game with the prospect of spending the next X amount of hours playing as a class that isn't quite working for me.

Outside of these class choices, players will also be able to explore a (massive world) which, in practical terms, breaks down to five unique regions, six factions that have their own storyline options and more than 120 handcrafted dungeons. Main quest haters will also be able to dabble in hundreds of different sidequests. Combine all of these options with 60 abilities to choose from across three core categories (might, finesse and sorcery), and player empowerment becomes a whole lot more interesting and palpable.

...as well as 360GamerCast:
The early quests I was given were easy fetch type quests like searching for a medicine for a dying character or finding a wise old man. I only assume that as you progress through the game for a longer period the quests become more complex. I was given the option of many side quests but just didn't have the time to take them on.

The graphics are just beautiful and with the combat you can choose from your usual melee attacks with a sword or you can use magic with a selection of different spells to choose from by using the RT button which brings up a radial menu with them all to choose from.