For all its dense fiction, mountains of loot, and vast exploration, the most exciting thing about Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is the promise of power. Consistent, rapid growth is an encouraging reason to return to Amalur, whether you're one hour deep or 100. This is what makes 38 Studios and Big Huge Games' first add-on such a smart addition to the excellent action-RPG.

The Legend of Dead Kel is an empowering expansion pack. It isn't just more of the same in a new setting -- although it's a bit of that, too. This is a prime example of a game understanding what it does well and then doing more with it. Whether your hero meets the level 10 minimum requirement or enters having hit the level cap, they'll sail away from the expansive island of Gallows End as a formidable, better badass.

That's a large leap forward from the helplessness of its introduction.

The new island belongs to Dead Kel, an undead pirate king whose been sinking boats and slaughtering survivors for centuries. He's a territorial guy, apparently. Naturally, your story starts with a shipwreck. You arrive at Gallows End by way of Captain Brattigan, a young woman whose innocence is compromised by her incompetence.

She's brave -- nobody else was crazy enough to join your suicidal hunt for Dead Kel -- but lacks the necessary know-how to keep her boat from crash-landing on the shores of Gallows End. She can't swim, she can't sail, she has an oopsie attitude after accidentally killing her crew. Brattigan is a bit of a shipwreck herself. This, along with her tactless demeanor, sex-fueled stories, and subtle condescension make her the most interesting and likable character in the expansion.

Brattigan is a scene-stealing sidekick who, sadly, isn't around as often as would be ideal. This is your adventure, so the focus remains on what your hero accomplishes in new territory. Fortunately, she isn't the only distinct personality.


The island itself is as interesting a character as any other area of Amalur. Its pirate theme is prevalent without becoming overwhelming and cheesy. There is a sharp contrast between a bleak pirate fortress and a beautiful, colorful cave, for instance.

The real Achilles heel of The Legend of Dead Kel is Dead Kel himself. Imagine a melodramatic LeChuck who's missing his funny bone. He's a forgettable villain whose cartoonish, senseless goals are established poorly, even within the small scale of the story.

This leaves his three main cronies pick up the personality slack. Not that we learn much about them besides the color of their blood, but their outlandish looks, weaponry, and skills make for fun, familiar battles.

Their lootable super-powered weapons nail both the "power" and "personality" notes. The hammer made from a giant spine is just delightful.


The main quest runs around four hours, excluding the wide range of side-quests to take care of along the way. The most notable of The Legend of Dead Kel's contributions is Gravehal Keep, a housing fixer-upper. Like your stashes elsewhere in Amalur, this is your go-to personal HQ in Gallows End. Unlike the others, though, you can build new facilities within Gravehal Keep for various bonuses. Creating a stable gives you access to pets, for example. Taming a bear and spider gives you a health boost and improved poison resistance, respectively, and feeding them earns you even better buffs.

Eventually you'll add an armory, hire a painter, scout, librarian, and diplomat to carry out various activities to benefit your character. Everything in the Keep comes back to you. It's representative of your growing strength, both visually as you pump money into it and in the rewards it pays out. It's a perpetual ego stroke, really, and isn't that what we play this for anyway?

When The Legend of Dead Kel ends, you're put in a place of such extraordinary power that it opens up a few options for additional expansions. If the follow-ups are as substantial, enjoyable, and memorable as this, then keep 'em coming.

The Legend of Dead Kel releases on Xbox Live, the PlayStation Network, Origin, and Steam on March 20 for $9.99.