I’ve had the pleasure to write about plenty of great RPGs before. But Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is something of a novelty even for me. Why? Because it’s creators of course. As I mentioned, RPG’s are a thing of beauty to write about. For instance, The Elder Scrolls post was a true pleasure. But over here the focus is on the people behind the game. Behind the scenes, if you will. A trio of incredible artists that I’ve got to know through several different art forms. Todd McFarlane, Ken Rolston and R.A. Salvatore. But more on them later.
Kingdoms of Amalur: A Trio Of Fantastic Actors
Indeed, I’ll be focusing on Kingdoms of Amalur in this post. Mostly because we do have it here at Indiegala, and yes. Because it’s an amazing RPG game. However, I’ll be also focusing on the people responsible for the creation of Kingdoms of Amalur. For the most part, I’ll focus on Todd McFarlane, but at the same time on Ken Rolston and R.A. Salvatore as well.
However, I simply can’t go on any further without mentioning a thing or two about the game itself.
What’s Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning All About?
Developed by KAIKO, Big Huge Games and published by THQ Nordic GmbH, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is a remastered version of the great 2012 game.
And in it, you get to uncover the secrets of Amalur. From the vibrant city of Rathir to the vast region of Dalentarth. And of course to the grim dungeons of the Brigand Hall Caverns. You also get to rescue a world torn apart by a vicious war and control the keys to immortality. As the first warrior ever to face resurrection from the grips of death.
Todd McFarlane worked on the artwork, R. A. Salvatore created the game universe and lore. While Ken Rolston is the game’s executive designer of this fantastic RPG.
Some of the Steam comments about the game itself
– I’m so glad this game hasn’t been forgotten and made future-proof. Definitely one of my favorite RPGs ever, I can’t wait to play the new expansion planned for next year. – said Lengray on Steam.
– I never played the original, but this remaster is a really nice RPG for a newcomer. I was surprised by the interesting quest lines and NPCs. The dialog and voice acting are done really well. I like the variety of skills and love the fact that it’s a small fee to change them. – added starcrossed_hero.
But let’s get back to the trio of artists behind the game. Todd McFarlane, Ken Rolston and R.A. Salvatore. Indeed. I’ve been a fan of McFarlane for so long now, that I think it’s only fitting to devote almost an entire post to him. Rolston and Salvatore will get a mention here of course.
Todd McFarlane Is Just Awesome
And if you’re not a fan of Todd, you’re missing out on a true master of the craft. Not to mention, the fact that he’s one of the most versatile artists of his generation. He’s in everything you can think of. From creating and drawing comic books, producing music videos and producing feature-length movies. And let’s not forget about the creation of the toys, album covers and whatnot. Hey, he’ll even make his directorial debut soon. That’s right.
A new Spawn movie has been announced, I am still screaming from joy. Jamie Foxx will to play the titular role in this remake, while Jeremy Renner is tapped for a supporting role. Not bad, right? And you’ve guessed it. Todd McFarlane is about to make his feature-length debut with this remake. The man who created the iconic comic book character will now direct a movie that’s based on this character. How ironic is this?
But let’s take a moment and look back. Way back at the beginning of Todd’s career when he was just a struggling artist. Yes, this failed baseball player became one of the greatest artists of all time. And that’s a man whose beginnings are in both DC and Marvel. But it was his work on The Amazing Spider-Man that not only got the attention of the public. It’s what made him a superstar too.
Slick And Sexy Designs
One common theme among the works of Todd McFarlane is that he managed to find a way to make the characters different. He dared to break the rules and make the designs cool. By his own accounts, Todd is an innovation, not a creator and I have to agree to a certain extent. Look, he didn’t invent the wheel with his drawings, nor he’s the finest artist in the world. He just found a way to make everything in those comics look cool and sexy.
And you’ll find me using these two words a lot, here in this post. But they’re pretty apt I must say. And how did he do that? Well with a lot of rule-breaking, changes and no fear of trying something new mentality. Take the work on The Amazing Spider-Man for instance. He got the eyes of Spider-Man much bigger, he even changed the look of the web. Additionally, he pissed every single executive by doing so, but the fans seem to like this new approach. And it showed.
But it wasn’t until his work at Image Comics that really got him the acclaim. Furthermore, it was also the time in which Spawn was born and yes, changed the game for ever. To this day, Spawn is one of the best-selling independent comic books, and I love that. First of all, he created an African American comic book character in a time when there weren’t that many black characters.
Movies, TV, Music Videos And So Much More
Whatever you can think of, he’s done it. Some of my personal favorites are Todd McFarlane’s Spawn. The animated series with Keith Davis in the role of Spawn, and there are the music videos that he’s responsible for. Korn’s Freak on a Leash was directed by Todd and he co-directed the Do the Evolution. The music video for Pearl Jam’s hit song. Oh, and if you’re a fan of Korn, then make sure to check out his work on Follow the Leader. The third studio album by the band and that fantastic cover is all thanks to Todd and his team from Image Comics. Greg Capullo (as a penciller) and Brian Haberlin (as a colorist).
What About R. A. Salvatore And Ken Rolston?
Well, the former is a kick-ass fantasy/science fiction novel writer. While the latter is an incredible tabletop RPG creator and video game RPG creator. And you may have heard about some of his work? Does the Elder Scrolls game series ring any bells? Yes, he was the lead designer for both Morrowind and Oblivion. However, some of his earlier work in tabletop games includes games like Paranoia, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and the good old D&D. And I found out one of the most fascinating stuff about Salvatore while I did my research.
After he was laid off from 38 Studios and the company went bankrupt, the owner still owed him 2 million dollars in fees. Those 2 million dollars were never paid on Salvatore’s account, and still to this day he harbors no resentment towards his former boss. That’s very kind and generous of him because not everyone would be able to forgive 2 million dollars? I know I’d want every cent of those 2 million dollars.
“Why would I sue Curt [for the $2 million]? Maybe he made a couple of bad business decisions … [but] he didn’t do anything nefarious, and he got wiped out. He’s lying in the gutter and you want me to kick him in the head? Why would anyone do that?” said Salvatore in an interview with The Escapist.
Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning And Are You Excited About The Spawn Remake?
I know I am. Especially about the fact that Todd will be in charge of the direction and the script of the movie. Not to mention it will be an R-Rated version (heck yeah) with two of the finest actors in Hollywood. This is Jeremy Renner’s 6th comic book movie and Jamie Foxx’s 2nd, but I have no doubt that it’s gonna be great. Whenever it may be released. What do you think?
Let us know in the comment section. We’d love to know all about it.
