Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

Bought this game when I was twelve and never put it down more than a month. It's a steampunk world of D&D style gameplay with graphics both beautiful and unhindering to any style of gamer. Turn based or otherwise. This is easily my favorite RPG ever and will continue to be until I find something with a more detailed and enthralling story.

This is a very solid open-ended RPG. You can play this game basically however you want, and there's a lot of world out there to discover. The key thing that makes this game badass is the fantasy steampunk setting, and the relationship between magic and technology is key to the development of the story. Whether you choose to develop a magical character or a technologist, any path is viable. There's merit to playing the game in just about any style, and you'll probably want to replay the game a different way after you've completed it. It's worth noting that some solid fan updates have come out for this game since its release that improve game balance and restore some cut content. So, search those out if you get the game.

I first purchased this game the week before freshman year finals in college. Needless to say, my grades that semester were not very good. I spent the next month of my life exploring the world of Arcanum from top to bottom, doing multiple playthroughs and just generally having a blast with this game. Is it buggy? At times yes, but much like the Fallout games, you can have a lot of fun making the game do things it wasn't supposed to do. The story is awesome, detailed, and very well written, and you really can play nearly any type of character you wish. Highly recommended to anyone who loves CRPGs from that era. Fantastic game, and thanks so much GOG for bringing it to us!

This game was great, and that's in a field of great games. I really enjoyed the mixture of science and magic and the ability to build my character however I chose, but without so much complexity like some other games that give you complete control over you character. I would have given the game 5 stars, but there were some irritating bugs and I got completely stuck at one point. I prefer to play the game without guides or help unless I really get stuck and when I did I found out it was a bug and there was nothing I could do other than go back before that point. Maybe there's been a patch since I last played it so long ago.

One of my all time favorites. I loved the steampunk atmosphere, and I loved the mix of magic and technology. A 6 gun toting wizard? Yes.. you can. A gambler that can heal? Yup. So many choices.. this is a game I'd love to see a re-boot/modernization of.