Nine (lethal) reasons Fable fans will love Kingdoms of Amalur

With Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion designer Ken Rolston spear-heading the credits, EA's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning was always going to prompt comparison with Bethesda's legendary efforts. We were rather taken aback, however, by just how extensively it resembles another fantasy series, the mighty Fable.

Amalur isn't simply comparable to Lionhead's beloved heroism sim - as Matt noted in last week's preview, it handles like Fable might if the gentlemanly Peter Molyneux had obsessed a little less over moral choice, and obsessed a little more over sharp metallic objects. It's thus a game Fable fanatics should keep both eyes on, particularly those displeased by the franchise's move to Kinect.

We can think of no better way to illustrate all this than by detailing Amalur's weapons. There are nine of them - nine classes, rather, spread across three broad categories (Might, Finesse and Sorcery). You can wield two weapons from each class at once, switching between them breezily with taps of X and Y. Fable's nameless Hero would approve. In fact, we suspect that illustrious personage would be envious. And we haven't even mentioned the Mass Effect 3 crossover yet. Here's some fuel for the fire:

Might

The Longsword

Amalur's most basic weapon is the obligatory balancing act 'twixt range, power and speed. It lets you windmill through crowds without worrying too much about targeting, offering optional precision in the form of an unlockable Phantom Strike - your character will duck under a blow in the process of dealing another. The top-level unlockables aren't a patch on those of two-handed weapons, mind.

The Greatsword

Perhaps the heaviest weapon in the game, and one whose potency comes at the expense of speed. You'll need plenty of wind-up time in order to use the Greatsword effectively, so best knock your enemies off guard first with a secondary weapon like the Staff. Then, segue into whirlwind strikes and ground-stabbing earthquake moves, reserving a brutal Siegfied-off-Soul-Calibur-esque double chop for larger foes like Trolls.

The Hammer

It's the melee equivalent of a Magnum pistol - not so hot against groups but unanswerable against a single opponent. Use it to stagger and beat down champion-class foes before they can overpower you with super moves. The unlockable shoulder charge is a fine way to start things off, carrying you from medium to short range in an eyeblink.

Finesse

The Fae Blades

Remember that sword the Klingons use? The Bat'leth? Well, that's basically what a Fae Blade is. Except you carry two at once, and rather than thrusting them clumsily into surfaces like a man with an enormous staple, you'll use them to rip apart small knots of opposition and tornado-drill alpha enemies into corners, where you can dispose of them at relative leisure. Rogues equipped with Fae Blades are Amalur's shock troopers, not as quick as those armed with Daggers, but absolute hell-raisers in a brawl.