Greetings to all

I've been looking for a game like Baldurs Gate/Neverwinter/Fallout. I found Arcanum, and I hear many good and positive reviews about this game. And the same amount of negativity towards it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTRmCfryH0c

Is Arcanum interesting, and worth playing?

Thank you
gogwitcher300

Yes.

It has some similarities to Fallout, in that you develop particular skills rather than leveling up in predefined character classes. It is a directed sandbox, with freedom to explore around the main quest, but with a number of areas that need to wait to be unlocked.

It also has a unique magic-steampunk vibe. Steampunk games are rare enough on their own; but to make the imbalance and mutual interference between magic and tech an actual plot point is part of the genius of this game.

This game also enjoys a high replayability, in part because of the choices you can make. While the main quest remains substantially the same, you have the option of being good or evil, becoming a thief, learning to talk your way out of most situations, choosing magic, choosing technology, playing as a low-intelligence character, playing as a despised character (either one with low beauty and charisma, or a half-orc), playing as a pacifist, etc. There's even a hidden quest (in-game; not a cheat) which can make you a god on Earth.

Hopefully I've already sold you. But if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Thank you for your time & assistance.
Kerebron and TwoHandedSword

Arcanum might have got a negative impression on me, just like Neverwinter Nights did.

Not that Neverwinter Nights was bad, but it just took me a very long time to jump into it.

I guess the same will be with Arcanum.
I will just begin my adventure and enjoy it to the fullest.

I've learned not to judge a book by its cover. Or in such case, don't judge a game by it's reviews. Try it out yourself, and see if you like it.

Thank you once again
gogwitcher300

To me, Arcanum felt very similar to Fallout. The method of exploring the world map is nearly identical, as is the emphasis on roleplaying, with many different ways to solve quests based on your character and your decisions. And while the character creation system is different, it allows for a similar variety of character designs that will each have a very different experience when playing through the game. Playing Arcanum, I could feel that it was designed by some of the same people who worked on Fallout.

As such, I would not hesitate to recommend it to any Fallout fans.

Yes, you are right. Some of the Interplay staff, including Tim Cain (the one who was responsible for Fallout) worked on Arcanum.

For what it's worth, I think Arcanum is much, much better than Neverwinter Nights. Only the best fan-made NWN modules come close to Arcanum.

There really is no other game like Arcanum. There were some great design ideas behind it, and no developer has tried to copy those ideas because it takes a huge amount of time and labor to make it work.

Yes, I agree.

It's like comparing Harry Potter with The Silmarillion.

J.K Rowling
Non original plot, with dull characters.
A dull version of Romeo & Juliet.

J.R.R Tolkien
A large world with a dozen of characters with unique names.
Deep, tear shedding drama. With characters that didn't deserve to die.

I'am not saying that DnD is bad. It just that NWN didn't have a compelling plot, and only had a handful of memorable characters. Personal favorite Tomi Undergallows

Would really like to have a role playing game which would have featured all the places of the DnD lore.
Some day, some day...

I haven't played Neverwinter Nights, but I've heard that the included story isn't really the point, it's more just a demo of the capabilities, and the real point of the game is the player-created modules. If that impression is accurate, it makes it a very different prospect than Arcanum. Neverwinter Nights has a simple playable story but players are encouraged to make their own, and seek out those created by others, sampling many different stories within the D&D setting. Arcanum, on the other hand, provides a hand-crafted experience with a detailed story and systems that allow players to pursue that story in many different ways, and have many different interactions with the people and creatures they meet.

So, in my mind, it doesn't really make sense to compare the two. But of course I could be completely wrong with this, since I haven't tried Neverwinter Nights myself yet.

Hey now, there's no need to throw shade at Harry Potter. May I suggest the Twilight books vs. Dracula instead?

Yes I agree.

There is some truth in what you say, but I can compare the amount of fun I had with both games. Arcanum wins by a mile. I also look forward to re-playing Arcanum one day, unlike NWN.

If you ever do try NWN, my advice is to ignore the original campaign entirely and jump right in with fan-made modules. Some of them are really good.