Genre: RPG
Platform: PC
When one thinks of an RPG , certain titles immediately come to mind; but what does the term "Role playing game" truly mean? What does one expect from their RPG? If you answered “A great story, well thought out characters, and a true sense of immersion", you would be on your way to properly defining all great RPGs. Arcanum: Of Magic & Steamworks Obscura has all that and more: Specifically: The ability to choose.
In addition to a beautiful soundtrack (which will capture you right from the get go), an enthralling back story filled with deception and mystery, and a diverse world for you to travel upon, you receive above all in Arcanum more choices than you could ever hope to imagine; something that shoots Arcanum’s replay value through the roof. You start the game creating your own character; as such you can choose from the quirky human race, to the elegant elves, to the brutish half orc. Your choices also start now, as Arcanum allows you to choose a unique background for your character that provides you with certain advances or hindrances. From here, you learn the primary quirk of the game: Magic Versus Technology. In the world of Arcanum, Magic and Technology are directly adverse; as you advance in one, the other becomes opposed to you (Which can result in some fun experiments when your high arcanist attempts to fire off a blast rifle!). You must now choose one or the other, or to walk the middle road, or none. The choice in character is your first taste of the versatility of this game.
Without divulging too much, you are then thrown from the character creation screen into a world where you are thought to be the Man/Woman/Elf/Orc of Prophecy, and from there the story evolves….any way you want really! You choose ultimately where you go, and what you do; if you talk , or if you fight. You are free to test the system as much as possible, and no two experiences in the world of Arcanum will ever be alike. You could, for example, raise your skills in persuasion above all else, talk your way around battle, and convince your "minions" to fight for you, getting through much if not all of the game without ever lifting a finger to battle. Conversely, you can fight your way through the entire game without looking back once; the choices are yours, the successes you make define your character, and the failures…well lets just say you get some interesting ones!
The graphics, are what is to be expected from a pre-Diablo II era of computer gaming, so don’t expect any eye candy as compared to the heightened visual experiences of the PS3, Wii, and 360. However, if you can let your eyes get past this minor draw back, your brain and inner gamer will be consistently thanking you. Sadly, you will not be seeing Arcanum flying off your shelves anytime soon. It is now very likely considered a relic of the early computer gaming era; floating around up there (or on ebay if you care to look) with the likes of other great and often overlooked titles such as Planescape: Torment. Sadly, this review must end in a regretful: You don’t know what you’re missing.
[Taken from a post made by me at www.gamervision.com on 10-19-07]
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