Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a single player Action RPG that blends a new approach to character development with intuitive, yet challenging real-time combat. Characters enter the game as something of a blank slate after they are resurrected from death by the mysterious "Well of Souls" following a grand in-game conflict. Spurning the rigid character class systems commonly used in RPGs for the development of characters, the game instead focuses on player-shaped "destines" which hinge on the chosen combinations of abilities and equipped items and weapons attached to their character as the game progresses. With no traditional classes these are blended as the play wishes. This along with a large item inventory limit and a robust crafting system for creating new items, allows for a nearly limitless number of possible character paths, or destines.

Active combat plays a major role in the game as players explore the Open World environment of the game on quests that bring them into contact with all manner of creatures. Regardless of character paths, all characters have access to primary and secondary weapons as well as magic. Unique attacks are tied to your choice of weapons, armor and strategies. The game also features powerful slow-motion attack opportunities called "Fateshift Kills" triggered by specific situations and/or equipped items. These devastating attacks are measured out as players time moves to a separate "Fate Energy" power meter. Additional features include unscripted real-time battles against large-scale enemies, melee and ranged weapons and enemy tagging abilities for ranged or delayed attacks.