Everyone compares Arcanum with Fallout, and well, yes, so will I. If you liked Fallout 1/2, you'll like Arcanum. However, I feel Fallout 1 and 2 as a whole were better. Maybe it's just my Alzheimer setting in, but I can't really remember having too much frustration with those games, whereas Arcanum can be frustrating. Having said that, I should straight away mention that I feel it's worth the frustration. It's a fun game, with lots to explore and lots to do. Did I say Fallout 1 and 2 were better? Yes, but Arcanum has some (rough) diamonds which Fallout was missing. So here's my advice: Play Fallout 1 and 2 first. If you like those, you'll probably like Arcanum. It's a great game. However, if only they had gotten the interface and the graphics right, then it would have been one of the very best.