Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

For the right price this game is definitely a gem that shines. The story hooks you from the start and even though the gameplay seems daunting at first {combat is incredibly difficult in the beginning if you don't focus your early skills in melee and dodge} the game compensates as it draws you into the world of Arcanum and its technology vs magick legend and cast of colorful characters, many of whom will fight by your side if you ask them. Arcanum is also a very lengthy game although near the end combat becomes tedious because you have already hit the level cap of 50. There are a few flaws in game mechanics like npcs getting stuck or broken quests but all in all its a very fun game with lots to do. Just remember to save often!

This was really under-rated, unknown. It has a lot in common with Fallout, even though the setting is very different. Imagine a typical fantasy world, mixed with Earth of 1800's. Steam engines, guns, trains, elves, mages, dwarves, orcs all together. And magic and technology don't mix well, often interfering with each other's functioning. They don't necessarily get along to well. Cons? In some ways it's stuck inbetween Baldur's Gate and Fallout. There's only a few joinable group NPC's at best that have real BG-style personalities. It makes the ones with little no dialogue seem... almost broken by comparison. And either magic is overpowered, or technology is underpowered. It's a shame, since the story seems to overwhelmingly be about technology beginning to replace magic, which is ridiculous if you compare a heal and harm spamming-mage to a wimpy tech guy. Yeah, the unbalance is a shame. I'd have liked to see more powerful guns and tech armors. Still, I like the tech side more, because, well, I've seen all the magic stuff before in other games. So anyway, yes, it's worth a try if you liked Fallout and BG.

Whether you are an inventor, praised by the industrial age around you, or a powerful wizard type, you will find many a great challenge. not to mention those are a rather broad brand for each group, of which each path is complex and twisting. Affect the world around you with every step.

Did you ever want to play a steampunk RPG? Well, this is the closest you are going to get. The game lets you explore a world in which magic and technology are diverging, and your character gets to make the decision of which they will pursue. (You can even choose a mixture of both). One negative is that if you want to follow the path of guns, you are going to have a very rough road of it. You have to purchase bullets, which happen to not be that cheap. And the damage that the guns deal does not power up as quickly as the swords do. The story is interesting, it's a world of elves, dwarves, gnomes, orcs, and humans - and with the mix of tech and magic in the 19th century, you have lots of intriguing interactions and characters. The final boss brings an interesting twist, and the final boss is not so much a snarling villain twisting his mustache, but a sympathetic character. Is this game as good as Planescape: Torment? Not even close. Is it worth playing? Definitely!

Hours of fun but like some of these older games, can get a bit tedious.