KoA: Reckoning - The Basics @ IGN

IGN has a "Basics" look at Reckoning, summarising the main points. There's no new information if you're up to date but it might serve as an intro if you haven't been watching this game:

What's the world of Amalur like?
Amalur is divided into five distinct regions. What we've seen so far is a pretty colorful world, a bit like Fable, but just a touch grittier. It's not dim and ugly like Oblivion or most fantasy worlds. It's filled with unique-looking versions of well-known monsters (Kobolds, Trolls and the like). Big Huge Games is promising that everything in the world -- all the ancient ruins and any architecture -- exists for a reason. There's a story behind everything, some of which is told to you by non-playable characters, and some you can read in books found in the game world.