Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

After greatly enjoying Fallout I was horribly disappointed by this game. Guns were too weak, conversation too repetitive (all NPCs have very similar options, except a few notable exceptions), quests sudden and cliche (Stranger, won't you go kill X and pick up Y to solve all my troubles), and the gameplay generally frustrating (long travel times, non-strategic combat, annoying mana system (sleep one hour?)). All in all, an overly overhyped, outdated game, probably mostly good for nostalgic purposes.

I admit, I love Fallout and Fallout 2. And this game had the potential to become the third in this set, but it didn't, and here's why. To make a Fallout-style game, the following things are absolutely needed: interesting and non-linear plot, lots of quests, lots of places to explore, excellent dialogs, turn-based combat that has at least some tactics in it, and multiple ways to develop a character. Arcanum has excellent world, interesting plot where you don't know where you'll be going next and have no idea how it could turn out in the end, it also has excellent dialogs and many interesting quests. There is even more ways to develop a playable character than it is in Fallout. But it also has its own faults, some of which are just too much. First off, the combat is very tedious and repetitive. If you develop the right skills, it is easy and boring. You'll have to fight the same type of monsters again and again, and you can have so many action points that any enemy can hardly get a chance to attack. To add to this, while the main plot is interesting, it is also somewhat linear, leaving the player with few choices as where to go next. In Fallout 2, you were absolutely free after the Den and until you reach Vault 13. In Arcanum, you only have little freedom in the beginning. This greatly decreases its replay value. And the balance issues don't make it better, either. It is approximately 10 times easier to play as magic/melee character than a gunslinger or an archer. And, as a finishing touch, we have that level cap when you stop gaining experience in the mid-game at easy difficulty setting. Surely, both Fallouts have their own caps too, but you could hardly hit them when playing a normal game. That being said, it is still one of the greatest RPGs of all time. It is definitely worth to play at least few times. The unique atmosphere alone makes up for a lot of faults and in-game texts are absolutely marvelous.

It's all the fun I remember. Unfortunately about 3/4 through the game it starts corrupting saves so quickly and crashing to windows that I haven't finished it yet

This has to be one of the most under-rated games of all time. It has so much to offer, a great story, great game play, a huge immersive world with so much freedom. I played this back when it came out and it was my first experience in open world RPG's. Yet, almost every one I talk to has never heard of it. It's a shame really, I feel this is a game that suffered partly for being a bit ahead of its time. I've played it 4 times and each time had a very different experience. Some may disagree, but this seems like one you either love or hate.

This game is a mess. Even with the latest patch and community fixes this game still has plenty of bugs and glitches. The game balance is horrible with certain builds being exponentially more powerful than others. The combat is horribly clunky combining turn-based and real-time into a mess that takes the worst of both worlds. At this point you may be wondering how in the world I gave this 4 out of 5 stars? I mean, I just spent a paragraph trashing the game, and rightfully so. Well, despite these glaring problems the game is quite fun and engaging. Why? Because the writing is very good, the characters are interesting and fleshed out, and the setting and atmosphere are fantastic. The game takes place in a Victorian Era-esque fantasy world where magic has started to fade and technology is starting to take over. There is a conflict between magic and technology and those clinging to the old ways and those welcoming the new world. It's a really interesting setting that strays from familiar tropes and really pulls you in and immerses you in its charm and intrigue. This game is a case of story and setting over gameplay. If gameplay is what matters the most to you then this is likely not the game for you because the gameplay is, quite frankly, not very good. However, if you feel story and setting is king, then you will likely love this game.