Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

"Good Game, but could have been much better"

Ok, this is a solid single player game for people who are looking for a good in depth RPG experience. It's biggest fault is that it gets a little, well, boring after a few hours. I really enjoyed the game but it left me wanting more, so here goes.

Gameplay: 7 of 10 This game features a lot of character customization and limitless potential for character growth. The combat system works fairly well and you won't have to manage your followers very much. The only huge downside to game play is the sheer amount of items you need to carry, but can't due to an item limit or weight limit. You'll often find yourself carrying around extra followers simply to carry specific types of items. However there are enough mods to steal whole months away from you and the game, while long, is rather rich. If you enjoy a good book, you'll really love this game.

Story: 8 of 10: It's a great, non-liner story that seems to have plots and twists at every turn. The many side quests sometimes seem as big as some games. The plot isn't all that great but all in all, the story isn't this game's weak point.

Replay Value: 9 of 10 This game has GREAT replay value, as you can explore many options and paths, as well as character types, races, classes, and skills. There are a great number of endings, and sometimes seemingly unimportant things can alter the course of the game.

Graphics: 3 of 10 The graphics in this game are sub-par. The animations are lame and uninspiring and the characters look like paper cut outs. On the upside, this reduces lag as some of the areas have so many people, objects, and buildings it makes War Craft 3 look slow.

Sound: 5 of 10 The sound isn't all that bad but you may turn the music off just to keep from getting dragged into the boring sleepy setting of a suit covered city sometimes. The voice acting is superb however, and some of the spell sounds are fair so it gets a 5 out of 10.

Multiplayer Value: 1 of 10 It's very hard to find a multiplayer game, you can't keep items between games, and the multiplayer map layouts are pathetic. If you want a multiplayer game, this is absolutely not for you.

Game Value: 7 of 10 It's an overall good game, but it could have been much better. It's clear that a lot of effort and time was put into this, and it gets an extra point simply for that reason. It's a good game, no doubt about it, but those who enjoy a novel now and then will appreciate this game more than those who enjoy diablo dungeon crawlers.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 12/20/02, Updated 12/20/02