Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

"I can’t help but love a game that lets you do naughty things to sheep."

Bestiality aside, do you have a few hundred hours to spare? Then definitely get Arcanum. I am the kind of person that HATES linear, fetch and carry, go from point A to point B type RPG’s. Arcanum is definitely as non-linear as you get. Each game is different, every character unique. Even the quest availability changes and shapes itself to the way you decide to play the game.

Gameplay: 10

The player holds all of the cards in this game. From the start, the limitless character creation system lets you customize your character to a tee. You can be anything from an evil male gnome who was raised by snake handlers to a female half-orc who ran away with the circus. This is better than playing with Barbie dolls, I tell you.

The game interface is simple to use and it is easily accessible. The detailed notes really come in handy when you are trying to figure out where you want to go next. Your (auto-archived) journal keeps track of rumors and notes you hear in conversations, your quests (mentioned, accepted, completed, and aborted), reputations you have earned while traveling, blessings and curses, major kills and injuries, character background, and even the contents of your key ring.

The battle system (either real-time or turn-based) is also quite impressive. If you are a tecchie, your battles will usually be fought with upgraded weapons like fully automatic guns made from scraps or dynamite made from an empty wine bottle you steal from a bum, etc. A magick user can hurl fireballs, resurrect dead zombie minions, or force nearby animals to attack instead... The possibilities are truly endless.

Story: 10

Arcanum is a world in which magick and technology exist in an uneasy balance. The tension between the two plays a key role in the dynamics of the world. You adventure through both towns and wilderness trying to piece together clues about your quest, undoubtedly incurring more quests in the meantime.

The storyline is unique in that it changes according to your character’s stats. For example, stats like intelligence and persuasion open up more dialogue and quests. Stats like beauty and charisma will affect how much NPC’s trust you, the amount of followers you have, and your public appeal, which can drastically affect the storyline. Each game is different, and memorable in its own rights. One of my favorite characters was a regular frequenter of the “gentlemen’s clubs” found in major cities (see title); another was an idiot savant orc who always managed to save the day. To really appreciate the depth of the Arcanum world, I would suggest playing two very different characters (smart vs. dumb, good vs. evil, magic vs. technological) concurrently so that you can see just how diverse the game can be.

Sound: 7

The music in Arcanum, while well done in its own right, isn’t dynamic enough to really do justice to the game. It has a tendency to drag at times, especially during battle. The sound effects, however, are another story. They are diverse, interesting, and well-suited to the game. In the city you can hear newspaper boys, horses plodding around, and random conversation, which is great. The switch from daylight to night also brings in a different set of sound effects (snoring, owls, etc.) which really contributes to the atmosphere.

Graphics: 6

The graphics are above average, but not particularly outstanding. The color scheme is reality based, so there are a lot of browns and dull greens. The world is fully detailed, so you can wander around looking at all of the different rooms and still not be bored. But, if you are the kind of person that wants to see fireworks, explosions, and amazing graphics, you really wouldn’t like this game.

Replay Value: 10

This is the BEST part of the game. I’ve had it forever, and I am still playing it. Once you play through the entire game, you are left with the urge to create dozens of other characters to have fun with all of the character specific quests and plots. With the character creation system, there really is no end to this, which increases its value exponentially.

Buy or Rent:

Buy, of course. Renting it would only make you experience withdrawals and “what ifs?” for a very long time.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 07/23/02, Updated 07/23/02