An RPG in the same engine as Quake 2 (with some modifications) is an interesting mechanic, and for the most part works well enough. The game has a well-developed story and a believable world that's easy to become immersed in. When the game works as it should, it's quite an exceptional experience. The mix of serious topics with humor and satire is well-balanced. Despite using an engine designed for skill-based action combat, this game uses a turn-based system -- a turn-based system that often interrupts the flow of the story and pulls the player out of the immersive experience. It just feels out-of-place. Movement is occasionally a bit awkward, albeit it's tolerable with some practice. I highly recommend this game for anyone who enjoys unique stories, well-crafted worlds, and RPGs in general. It's just a bit too clunky on the gameplay side to give it the 5th star.
This is Gauntlet in a modern (at the time of release) engine and Internet multiplayer. The game itself isn't bad, but the single player experience becomes rather repetitive after playing for awhile. Controls are responsive but are a bit wonky compared to old school Gauntlet's simple controls. Many levels are only challenging because of the amount of enemies, not because of well-constructed puzzles or designs. This game does have a fun multiplayer experience, and the experience is significantly more enjoyable if you bring a group a friends along for the experience. As a solo experience, the $20 price tag at the time of writing is a bit too steep. It's an average game in a market full of average games.
This is your standard early 90s point-and-click adventure fare, with a fairly well-crafted Lovecraftian story for you to become immersed in. It's definitely a bit of a niche game, and modern gamers without the background in early adventure games will likely be confused and/or frustrated. The gameplay itself is rather mediocre. You have puzzles to solve in a specific order. You must answer certain dialog trees in a certain way or else you will be in an unwinnable state. It's definitely a save often type of game, with lots of trial-and-error. If you enjoy Lovecraft and point-and-click adventures, this game is worth the price of admission: $5.99. The story is its strength, yet the obtuse puzzles often interfere with - not add to - the experience.
I love a variety of games and will even forgive mediocre gameplay if the lore, story, and world are well-crafted. After viewing demos of the world of Firewatch, the stylized graphics and the unique focus on interpersonal relationships seemed to be winning combination for a rather easy, yet enjoyable, adventure game for me to get immersed in. Instead, I found myself disgusted with the character I was forced to be and hoped he would not be rescued during the fire at the end. This game focuses on a protagonist who refused to move for his wife despite her getting her dream job at Yale University. When she developed early onset dementia, he decided heavy drinking was the way to go. After getting a DUI, his wife's parents took her to Australia and now he's too far away to visit her and isn't even sure if he wants to. Perhaps I'm abnormal, but I'm unable to relate to any part of that story, and besides being someone who can't handle pressure or change, what do we actually learn about the protagonist's history? He was a college student, I guess. A little more backstory would have helped me develop empathy for the protagonist. Instead, I just felt sorry for the wife with dementia. You complete basic tasks, trigger an event to advance the story, do more basic tasks, etc. This is completely okay, but the story must be sufficient to overcome the basic gameplay loop. For the most part, I found the story lackluster, with a few good points (i.e. the inclusion of the guy who had a mental breakdown after the kid he was watching died). With a bit more editing and inclusion of backstory, this could have a been a hidden gem in the adventure game category. I also fell through the entire map on three separate occasions in the first 2 days. Perhaps it was my fault for trying to explore too far off of the given path. Who knows. Watch the intro before buying. If you can connect with the story and protagonist, and enjoy adventure games, you'll probably like this one.
NPCs that go to sleep at night then wake up and go to work in the morning. Shops close as they should. If you kill an NPC, that NPC is actually dead. Your decisions have consequences. You can craft your character as you wish. Arcanum has one of the best character creation and skill attribution systems available from any RPG. Eight available base attributes and a variety of skills ranging from technology, magic, to standard melee / rouge abilities. When you level up, you gain point(s) that you can apply to any attribute or skill. It's one of the few games where a pure charisma or pacifist build is viable for end game. You can talk your way out of a variety of situations or rely on brute force, technological devices, or utilization of magic. You can convince orcs to form a union, become a prostitute, be a degenerate gambler, and drink yourself stupid. Even for the most skilled gamer, there are dozens of hours of content in this game. Getting it to run properly is a bit of a chore, but with a fairly active community there are a variety of patches and addons to improve the experience. It's one of the best worlds ever created for an RPG with gameplay (when working properly) that is sufficient for immersion into the world. The soundtrack is fitting for the scene and the cut scenes (for the most part) are well-done. Arcanum is a game in need of a proper remake and a bit of editing to fix a few oddball issues (i.e. "Talk to Schuyler" is communicated by his 2 associates even after killing him. In my collection of over 1,200 games across over a dozen platforms, it is in the top 10 of my favorite and most-played games. Save often, apply the unofficial patch, add the better maps, and fix the old directdraw/dx7 files, and it will be a very enjoyable experience.
