Arx Fatalis

Everything other reviewers have said about this game still hold true. Linux (and Windows users) can download this game, and then download Arx Liberatis, an open-source new engine for this (really) very good game which uses the data packs from the game. This engine modernizes the game for modern systems, and fixes bugs in the original game. Mac users can still use Arx Liberatis, but they'll have to download the source code and compile it for OSX.

I can't stress this enough, download and install Arx Libertatis after installing vanilla Arx Fatalis and play it with Arx Libertatis. You're gonna have a bad time if you try to play it unmodded, it runs incredibly bad without the AL mod, and has various other bugs that AL fixes. Also, no one is going to blame you for using the MAX secret rune cheat once you get to the Ylsides if you're having significant trouble with them. Seriously, F*** those guys.

A combat-focused first person RPG that really nails the atmosphere and the feel of fighting, has a unique and well-executed magic system, and manages to reward skill and provide good gameplay for a variety of fighting styles. VISUALS and AUDIO: Arx Fatalis is acceptable but not particularly impressive in the visuals department. Everything is rather low-polygon, and although the texture work is decent, the overall look is somewhat less smooth and detailed than the inevitable comparison, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (released in the same year). The strictly underground setting does rather limit the available palette, although splashes of color do make an appearance and different areas do have distinct visual styles depending on the race of their primary inhabitants. Weapons are distinct and clearly identifiable in combat, and spell effects are actually quite attractive. Since enemies use the same gesture-casting system you do, you can sometimes tell what is being cast before it is done and take appropriate preventative action, which is a nice touch. The audio work is quite good for the era, with well-chosen music adding to the claustrophobic atmosphere and a nice array of ambient sounds from native wildlife and bored NPCs (or even unaware enemies). There are a fair number of voice actors, and the inevitable similarity and re-use of voices for lesser and non-named NPCs isn't at all jarring. CONTROLS and GAMEPLAY: Arx Fatalis is a first-person combat RPG with familiar (and fully customizable) FPS-style controls, plus a couple neat gimmicks. Combat is smooth and surprisingly fluid, especially with fast weapons; thanks to good controls and clear hit registration, it is entirely possible to win a fight with a much tougher, better-armed opponent if you master the art of maneuvering and find room to do so (choosing how and when to swing is also important, particularly against faster opponents). You will of course need to improve your gear and skills for fights in tight passages and against some of the nastier, highly maneuverable baddies in the late game. The magic system is the most unique aspect of Arx's control scheme: spells consist of sequences of runes, but instead of merely selecting them, you draw them in the air. You can pre-cast and store up to three spells, so you can be a successful caster without mastering the art of drawing spells in combat . . . but having that ability grants you increased flexibility and can make combat a lot more fun and immersive. You can cast any spell for which you have found the component runes, and since each rune has a meaning, you can figure out several secret, unlisted spells by altering those shown in your spellbook. Character customization is pretty simple: you have 4 attributes and 9 skills, the latter partially derived from the former; these fit all the standard roles (melee and ranged combat, casting, thief skills, etc.). Most gear has stat and skill requirements to be usable, as well as a minimum item lore skill to be able to identify it at all (item lore is enhanced by most attributes, so it is not too onerous a barrier). The level cap is 10, but you are likely to only reach level 9 (monsters do not generally respawn, so there is no way to "grind"). There are no character classes, but with only a few levels' worth of points to distribute, there are benefits to focusing on melee, ranged combat, or spells. Inventory management is somewhat challenging until you get your first backpack expansion, but fortunately, items left on the ground will stay there until you come back for them. Weapon and armor degradation is actually quite well done - early, weak weapons are fragile but plentiful, and by the time that you have good gear about which you care, you will have access to smiths and your own repair skill, as well as a small number of magic items that can wear-proof pieces of gear. Furthermore, it encourages care in combat, as the fastest way to damage a weapon is smacking it into walls. STORY/ACTING: Although the connections between areas are fairly linear, you have a great deal of freedom after the early game and can roam anywhere that you can survive. As the game's story unfolds, you will have reasons to travel to each successive area (and story events may make doing so easier than it was before), but it gracefully handles most deviations from the expected path. With one notable exception, the quest chain will not break even when subjected to severe abuse - it is possible to complete the game even after murdering all friendly NPCs, if you want to take that route. You are given ample opportunities to choose sides in a variety of conflicts, or even to betray allies for various forms of profit; many players will take great pleasure in seeking revenge on some of the more irritating NPCs once they have outlived their usefulness. As with many RPGs, the main character suffers from amnesia at the beginning of the game (although there is an unusually good reason for this), and his driving motivation in the initial stages of the game is figuring out who he is. I enjoyed the designer's choice to make him self-interested rather than inexplicably heroic, and his irritated complaints and eventually tired resignation to helping an endless sequence of desperate NPCs were well-conveyed by the voice actor. Many of the performances were quite good, exceptionally so given when the game was released (but there are of course a few weak acts). All interaction is voiced and portrayed in-engine, although sometimes in scripted cutscenes; this and the lack of dialog choices contribute to fairly natural conversations. Major choices are made by the player's actions (e.g. giving items to NPCs) rather than selections from a list of replies in conversation. DIFFICULTY: There are no difficulty settings; the game is fairly straightforward, although some character builds will outperform others and it takes some practice to fight well (particularly mastering casting spells in combat). You will need to learn to maneuver in combat, and although bows are quite powerful at range, there are a few occasions where close-quarters fighting is required. Archery is interesting and rewards skill: arrows follow ballistic paths and are fairly slow, but do more damage the farther they travel (and are very weak at point blank range). In both archery and melee combat, holding a strike for about a second increases its power, so it is important to learn the timing. Healing potions are reasonably plentiful, but like the spell, heal everything in a small area around you, making them unsuitable if backed into a corner. The level cap and inability to grind mean that it isn't possible to become powerful enough to shrug off the game's strongest enemies, but with good gear they should be manageable (even with a far-from-optimal build). It is almost always possible to draw enemies out of groups and face them one at a time, so the player is never forced into punishingly difficult combat, although some situations do present a worthwhile challenge. For the challenge-inclined, there are several optional side quests that involve a mix of puzzles, riddles, and difficult combat. One of these has a significant influence on the main story's ending, although it has minimal gameplay consequences, while others reward the player with useful but nonessential gear, plus the satisfaction of helping friends (or sticking it to irritating NPCs). A player seeking more experience and toys (or one stuck on a main quest objective) is encouraged to re-visit NPCs and pay close attention to what they say, as not all quests are obviously signaled. I suggest investing in enough dexterity and missile skill (30) to use a bow; if nothing else, it is a convenient way to draw single enemies away from groups at very long range (you can refill quivers by getting them repaired). As mentioned above, thief skills will make your life far easier - even basic pickpocketing (Stealth 51; do note that the assassin's dagger is both an effective weapon and grants 10% Stealth, while the 3 stealth armor pieces each grant 5%) will grant access to a good number of keys. The Technical skill is also worth investing in, both for lockpicking and disarming traps. Finally, regardless of your combat specialty, 30 points in casting (or 10, plus two casting rings) grants access to Fireball, which is very helpful to have pre-cast for tough combats. It is also helpful to be able to reach 13 Strength (temporarily) by the end of the game, so that you can put on the best armor; a bless scroll will help here, as will an enchanted weapon. LEVELS, STRATEGY, and OTHER ELEMENTS: You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all quite different -- even though many levels are filled with winding, convoluted paths, they aren't particularly large (and the world becomes much more navigable once you gain access to the portal system). The automap will prevent you from getting truly lost, and there are enough landmarks to navigate by sight alone in most areas. As noted above, each race's living area has a distinct visual style, which extends to the layout of the level. The game provides multiple ways to solve almost every problem, up to and including slaughtering everyone. You are free to roam pretty much anywhere that you can handle the enemies, and quest lines are resilient to the player finding back doors, stealing keys, or picking locks early (with the notable exception of the "password" door in the Yellow Tulip - fortunately, if you unlock that too early, the unpleasant fellow behind it will likely convince you to turn back). As with many RPGs, it could be argued that thief skills make the game a bit too easy - they certainly guarantee that cash flow will never be a concern. The invisibility spell allows you to pick pockets with impunity, but a quick-fingered thief can even take advantage of the half-second delay between being caught and triggering an attack to rob an NPC from the front in broad daylight. Key theft or sufficient lockpicking skill enables theft from stores when they are closed, which should permanently solve any cash flow issues a struggling player might have. THE VERDICT: Although it isn't the prettiest RPG, Arx Fatalis really nails the atmosphere it is aiming for - trapped underground in a dying world, fighting a mysterious and growing threat. Character customization is well-tuned, simple enough to not dominate the game while still providing distinctly different gameplay for different builds. The core of the game is combat, and it is very well-executed. The gesture-casting system makes combat magery possible but quite hard, with the stored-spells option enabling the use of more complex spells (even for those who cannot master on-the-fly casting), and in marked contrast to many other games, the archery is well implemented, fun, skill-based, and a viable strategy into the endgame (level design, tough enemies, and very low point-blank damage helps make this possible without being abusive). Even the melee combat is exceptional for the time, with clear strike animations and excellent hit registration both improving immersion and ensuring that skill and maneuvering really matter.

I've never had so much fun with a game, from start to finish Arx Fatalis had me hooked. Maybe it was the innovative casting system, or the variety of weapons and spells, or maybe it was the real-time flow of the world, or...maybe it was the fact that the game is hardly breakable. Its not as long as Morrowind, but I intend to play Arx again and again....and again. Amazing game, I would highly recommend to fans of the FPRPG genre!

If you have tried and liked System Shock, Deus Ex, Thief or Bioshock then this is a must try. I had my doubts before I tried it. Give it a go and you'll like it as much as I did. It really is a good immersive sim and definately a must on your immersive sim list of games. Nice and understandable story. Good character build up and how you play is up to you. Save or kill everyone. General rule for older games: Before you start playing any old game always remember to update the game and make use of all graphical mods available. Mods for Arx Fatalis: "Arx Libertatis" + "Arx Neuralis". Apply these and your game will surely be more enjoyable. Rule of thumb: Always make use of the manual save function on the in-game menu. I did a mistake on only relying on quick-saves. Near the end of the game all my quick-saves files in-game suddenly dissapeared. The local quick-save files were still available on my file drive though corrupted and not recognized by the game anymore. This was a big bummer for me as I had invested so much time to the game. Non the less I did experianced the ending through a Youtube-video walkthrough of the game. I don't want anyone to experiance such and technical issue, therefore ALWAYS make use of the MANUAL SAVE function while playing a game. Despite the quick-save game disaster still give tihs game a 5/5. It really deserves that in my opinion. A GREAT IMMERSIVE SIM [with some usual old-game technical issues].