The world of Arx is wrought with turmoil, brought to the brink of destruction by a violent war. The sun has disappeared from overhead to shroud the world in eternal darkness forcing communities to begin inhabiting the underground mines. But as food and drink becomes scarce, the wars become even more violent as each race struggles for survival.
You are plugged into this world of terror and must use bravery and cunning to uncover the long hidden secret of Arx. As your epic quest unfolds you will explore ancient temples, bustling cities and abandoned mines, unearth legendary artefacts and face terrifying foes...
Arx Fatalis features:
Lots of quest and sub-quest to complete; innovative gesture-casting system with 50 powerful spells based upon 20 runes; wield over 20 crushingly powerful weapons; no two games are ever the same: storyline and events change according to your actions; hundreds of characters to befriend or murder and massive underground world to discover and explore.
This game has been patched to the latest official version: 1.19
Age requirements: ESRB Rating: MATURE with Blood and Gore, Violence. PEGI Rating: 16+ with Violence.
Minimum system requirements: Windows XP or Windows Vista, 1 GHz Processor (1.4 GHz recommended), 256MB RAM (512 recommended), 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible with DirectX 9 recommended), Mouse, Keyboard.
As Fallout is to Wasteland, Arx Fatalis is to Ultima Underworld
(by
EyeNixon)
All long-time RPGers know of Fallout and its spiritual predecessor Wasteland. Arx Fatalis is quite similar to Fallout's legacy in that it has a clear inspiration, a strong influence from a classic in the genre. Arx Fatalis is of course, inspired by the fantastic Ultima Underworld, a Ultima spin-off revered to this day for its amazing strides in technology and the first utilization... full review of a true first person perspective.
Before Doom had even been released, Ultima Underworld allowed full 360 degree movement and not only that, but provided the ability to look up, down, jump and even levitate. Indeed, before Wolfenstein 3D or Doom, Ultima Underworld had already revolutionized gaming by creating unparalleled freedom of movement in the first person perspective.
Arx Fatalis directly borrows the setting of Ultima Underworld, however, unlike Ultima Underworld's Stygian Abyss which is a means of exile for prisoners, Arx Fatalis takes place in a world that was forced underground by the extinguished sun and the eternal winter that followed. As such, the denizens of Arx are typically far more friendly than those in Ultima Underworld, and you will find many more opportunities to interact with characters.
There are a few unique gameplay elements Arx introduces in order to stand out, including a spellcasting system which requires the use of mouse movements, similar to that of Black & White's. While you can precast spells and save them for later on, most spellcasting will require the mouse movement system, which while unique, requires precision and is quite difficult in the midst of combat.
Much like its spellcasting system, the world of Arx is quite unique and varied, and even very beautiful despite the age of the engine, NPCs are typically interesting and so is the story despite its typical plot of "you are the chosen one". Arx, unfortunately, does present quite a few bugs and problems from its localization, the voice acting is notably wonky, ranging from well done to unintentionally hilarious, comparable to the work done on Gothic.
Arx Fatalis is a fantastic revival of Ultima Underworld, certainly one of the most underrated RPGs of its time, overshadowed by titles such as Morrowind and even the fantastic Gothic. However, that does not mean it should be overlooked now that it's on GoG, in fact, any individual that considers themselves a roleplaying gamer is obligated to check out Arx Fatalis.
Spiritual sequal to Ultima Underworld
(by
MMAzrael)
A good ol' fashion dungeon crawl with true RPG elements. That's the best way to sum up this game. Like most RPGs from the late 90s and shortly thereafter, some of the story lines are a bit hokey but that doesn't distract from the overall game. With branching storylines and some decisions that affect the flow of the game, this is a very solid entry in the RPG world. It's not without... full review flaws but for those looking for an involved game with a good mix of action, strategy, puzzles and interaction, this game is a great pickup.
Arx Fatalis is the most atmospheric dungeon crawl I've played on the PC. If you like RPGs, but prefer exploring huge caverns, crypts and catacombs, this is for you.
EyeNixon)
MMAzrael)
Dezzy)