Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

Have had this game for several years and have played it thru several times in different modes. It is most interesting, as it is intuitive, in that decisions you make will affect the game and outcome. I got out the CD/DVD to try again, but it does not run under W-7/64. Perhaps, a compat will work. FOR the money, this is a bargin and well met. I paid FULL retail for it when it came out and it was worth it. The different characters, gnome, elf, etc, all have different abilities and attributes, and some downsides. The challenge is to work with what you have, accentuate the positive and overcome the negative, which is not so hard. Some of the puzzles seem a bit vague, and hard, but all are doable. IF you have a 32-bit system, or know how to adapt, this game is worth the effort and at this price, a real bargain. I am tempted to buy it for back-up. There are some slow parts, and the music does get old,. There are a few well documented glitches, in the VOID zone, but overall, it ran well (32-bit). is a great game on several levels. There are several mods you can use to change-up. if you change putters, or lose the game, you can download again, anytime, so I am told. ANOTHER good thing about this game is the HOT keys. you can make one for save, I think F-5, for instant save. Having played many times. I still get it out for Old Times Sake. you should regret this minor outlay,

A fantastic game with some original concepts. If you love fallout or NWN, you'll love this one too. The only real problem with the game is that the technologist abilities are WAY underpowered. You can play through the game as a Magicker with ease (even on hard). But the technology track is soooo grueling. For instance, with a magic speced character, you can kill early enemies with 2 to 3 spell and dont miss (can be resisted, but usually not till endgame). It generally takes about 5 bullets, and you miss 1/2 the time. If you do play a techy, consider making them a melee type, or a bomb/boomerang thrower. Yes... you kill faster using a boomerang then a gun..... BUT- these issues have been handled in the unofficial mods if your into that sort of thing. Heck, theres a really amazing mod that adds like 20 hours of content, and cool stuff like magic-guns.

Actually, I say that about alot of games, but still, I love this game.

I am lucky to have the original disc copies and I've played this game for hours on end on my old bag of bricks PC but the shear randomness of this game alone and the way you change your good/bad karma in the beginning of your adventure talking to the first npc to the the last big baddy at the end. -SPOILERS- You can go throughout the game having a silver tongue without killing at all! It's hard but I challenge you gamers to try! PS Buy this game!

Let's face it, to this day, even if its an old game we want it to look... decent enough. That's why many don't like it. Also, it's too immersive and that's what bothers people who would rather kill stuff almost immediately after a short tutorial. And another "let's face it"... these kinds of games are demanding. They need you to read, to think, to make decisions that can "turn you off" because of how serious they are. In short, people these days like it with a long, well-made story and a thick combat system that gives them the freedom they want to feel. I'm no exception, but I loved this game more than most. I just hope I could play it again.