Analysis of Kingdom of Amalur Re-Reckoning for Nintendo Switch. We tell you if the hybrid console version of this action RPG set in a fantasy world manages to live up to expectations.
In September 2020 Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning came to PS4, Xbox One and PC, a remastering of the game of the same name (except for that extra “Re”) for PS3 and Xbox 360. His return caught us all by surprise, given that of all the action RPGs of that generation, Amalur is probably the most forgotten (although not for that reason the least loved). Luckily, THQ got the rights to the franchise and thanks to that we have this remastering and, even more surprising, a new DLC on the way (of which, by the way, we continue without news).
And for only two days, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning is also available for Nintendo Switch. And that raises the inevitable question: how is this new version doing? Does it measure up to the others? Worth? We have once again put ourselves in the shoes of the “without destiny”, traveling through fantasy scenarios, exploring caverns and fighting against enemies of all races and sizes to tell you about it in our análisis de Kingdom of Amalur Re-Reckoning para Nintendo Switch.
My kingdom for a laptop
As you already know by now, instead of delving into the content of the game, in this analysis we are going to focus on the work of conversion to Nintendo Switch. In case you want to know how to play, what the plot is about or know the crazy story of the creation and bankruptcy of those responsible, 38 Studios (it’s worth it, we guarantee it), you can consult our analysis of Kingdoms of Amalur Re -Reckoning for PS4, Xbox One and PC.
The remastering work in that case was somewhat difficult to appreciate at first glance, since the improvement of the textures was not too obvious, but when compared to the PS3 and Xbox 360 game you could see a huge leap. In the first place the framerate was increased to 60, something that always represents an important change, but perhaps what we appreciated the most was the possibility of fiddling with the camera options (in the original it was absolutely terrible) and other adjustments to improve the “quality of life”.
And good? What about the Nintendo Switch version? Let’s start with the performance: on the hybrid console the framerate drops to 30 with some slowdowns here and there, especially when using attacks that contain particle effects (spells, mostly). It is not a perfect performance, that is clear, but the truth is that when playing it is hardly noticeable and does not negatively affect the experience.
The funny thing is that playing in portable mode is where we have least noticed these slowdowns. It’s more, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning looks surprisingly good when played this way. Although it is not a game that stands out in the graphic (it is nine years old, after all), it is the kind of title that stands out a lot when you see it in motion on a machine that you can take anywhere. A contributing factor to this is that resolution does not drop dramatically when gaming on laptop, something that unfortunately is common in many conversions (we are looking at you, Crash Bandicoot 4).
And what about loading times? If you have read the analysis of the version for PS4, Xbox One and PC, you will know that they were one of the aspects that fell into “The worst” due to its excessive duration. They are especially painful when you have to charge the outside (which has been the “open world” of the Kingdoms of Amalur), and not so much when it comes to the inside. In the Switch version they have been slightly corrected, reducing their duration a few seconds … but they are still a nuisance.
As for everything else, Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning for Nintendo Switch is a virtually identical version to the one we were able to enjoy a few months ago on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. That is, we can make a series of adjustments to make the game experience much more pleasant: by default, the camera is placed in exactly the same position as in the original PS360 (that is: too close to the character), but we can fiddle with the height, distance, field of vision, automatic tracking … Until getting something closer to current third-person action games.
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We also find adjustments in the difficulty so that it is not excessively easy and a new level for those looking for an extreme challenge; adjustments in obtaining “loot” that increase the probability of finding objects related to our build; an increase in the amount of objects that we can store in the chests of our homes; a second wheel that allows us to assign another four abilities or spells to access them easily; the ability to reduce the size of the HUD or disable it entirely; and the option to modify the run button (which is inexplicably assigned by default to A, the interact button). And although less remarkable, the Switch version does not have excessively low brightness, so it is not necessary to adjust it (something that happened on the PS4).
In short and now to close: have done a great job with the Nintendo Switch version of Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning. If you were thinking of getting this version for portability and you were afraid that it would be far below the rest, you can rest easy and go for it without fear. You will still enjoy it, with the added bonus of being able to level up to defeat the most complicated “bugs” anywhere.
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Assessment
Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning comes to Nintendo Switch with a great conversion that maintains the type regardless of how we play, making it an ideal option to meet or rediscover this fantasy action RPG.
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The best
Good visual level and performance on TV and -especially- laptop. All improvements added with the Re-Reckoning version.
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Worst
Although they have improved, loading times are still a pain in the neck. Specific slowdowns.
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