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Reckoning Diary: The Joy of Not Having a Fate

In Reckoning, you're simply the Fateless One, not the Dragonborn or anything like that

Feb 9, 2012 20:41 GMT  ·  By
Do anything you want in Reckoning
   Do anything you want in Reckoning

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has just been released by 38 Studios and Big Huge Games, in collaboration with Electronic Arts, for the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms.

We’ve already established its merits with a quick look at the demo, as well as with previous gamer diaries that focused on the opening segments of the game, including its tutorial and the beginner areas where you’re taught about the things you’ll encounter across the mystical realm of Amalur.

Now, it’s time to talk about your role in the story of this sprawling role playing game.

You start Reckoning in a peculiar position, as you’re just a dead body that’s being sent to the incinerator. Thanks to a clever dwarf that’s been experimenting with a device called the Well of Souls, you’re brought back to life. While this is very good for you, it’s not that great for the world of Amalur, where every character has a predetermined fate they can’t stray from.

Every one, except you, however, as you’re now The Fateless One, who can change and impact the world of the game as you see fit.

This freedom lifts a burden from the player’s shoulders, as you can pretty much do whatever it is you want because you’re not tied, at least not in the beginning, to the fate of being the Dragonborn from Skrim, the Champion of Kirkwall from Dragon Age 2, or Geralt of Rivia from The Witcher.

You’re just someone without a fate, meaning you can do anything you want, from picking flowers, to killing good or bad guys, to smashing boxes in search of hidden loot and gold coins. You can save locations and factions or just doom them by teaming up with the bad guys.

As you progress through the story, your eventual fateless state does begin to matter although, as opposed to some of the games I highlighted above, you’re still free to change your mind depending on your mood instead of asking yourself questions like “What would the Dragonborn do?”.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is now available on the PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 in North America, and will be out in Europe tomorrow, February 10.