KoA Reckoning DLC: The Legend of Dead Kel Review (360)

Shiver my timbers, pieces of eight and… err, yarr? 38 Studios adds a distinctly piratical flavour to Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning with some new downloadable content for their hit game. The Legend of Dead Kel requires a character level of ten to access the content and is available by trekking across the map to Rathir and commandeering a ship. I started a new character to play through this content and it seems a little odd that the start point is a place you won’t actually discover till you’re maybe two thirds of the way through the original game.

In an incredibly welcome about turn to the House of Valor “Season Pass” content, this DLC pack feels like a well thought out additional quest hub rather than a bit of an afterthought. There’s a proper story and everything. Washed up on an island suitably named “Gallows End”, you set about fixing wrongs, doing good and trying not to laugh at the poor Faer Gorta who all seem to have been dressed up in little pirate outfits.

There’s nothing earth movingly new in this DLC but the area and quest design both feel a lot tighter than the main game, I found myself spending less time aimlessly milling about the side quests and with the exception of the final dungeon crawl, I didn’t get weary of any one area. It’s possibly the inclusion of some player housing quests that helps to keep this new content engaging, asking you to invest in your lovely new fort through a couple of collection quests and then rewarding you with a shop keeper, beast trainer, other goodies .. and a throne. It makes you feel like you really should get down to that Neighbourhood Watch meeting and take an interest, meet the locals, that kind of thing.

Loot drops, mini bosses and chatty characters are in abundance, though the voice acting still reels from passable to dire like a drunken sailor; with a least one of my story choices being made based on who’s the least annoying NPC to listen to prattling away. Interestingly, compared to the main game it felt like there was an increased drop rate for the unique weapons so if you fancied gaining some shiny gear without shelling out 400 MSP for a Weapons & Armour Bundle on its own this wouldn’t be a bad move.

You get a good amount of content for your £6.99 this time, easily seven hours and more if you obsessively collect flowers or hunt down hidden areas. Story wise I don’t think it brings anything extra to the main plot line but in and of itself I enjoyed these quests more than about fifty percent of the original content and there’s less Elves. If you enjoy the core game mechanics of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and fancy a little something to refresh your palette I can recommend you download this DLC pack.

The Legend of Dead Kel is available for £6.99 on Steam, 800 MSP on Xbox360 and PSN.

We also have PS Store codes to give away for both The Legend of Dead Kel and the Weapons & Armour bundle. To enter the draw, just leave a comment telling us your favourite quest in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. We’ll pick a winner at 5pm on Friday 4th May.

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