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Game Type: RPG
System Requirements: Windows 9x; Pentium? II 300 MHz; 64 MB RAM; 1.2 GB free hard drive space; 4x CD-ROM; DirectX?-compatible 8 MB video card; Windows?-compatible sound card.
Game Homepage: Troika Games
Official Homepage: Sierra Studios
Order Now: Arcanum (PC)
Downloads: Demo
GAMEPLAY:
From the team that created the Fallout RPG series now comes Arcanum. The game is set in the dawn of the industrial revolution - for example, the steam engine has just been invented by G. Bates - and it feels just like the normal world, with one notable exception - there still is magic. However, technology and magic don't go together - one uses the laws of nature to produce its effects, while magic bends them. Thus a wizard trying to fire a gun has a big chance of the gun blowing up in his face, while a healing spell probably won't function on a techy.
This setting of technology and magic creates a unique atmosphere - your character will probably specialize in one or the other, but it's still possible to walk the fine line between them and get a little of both worlds. This brings us to the character development, which is quite similar to that of Fallout: Arcanum features a classless system, that is, instead of choosing at the beginning of the game what profession your character has like in AD&D, your character will develop himself during the game - if you want a spellcaster, you'll need to boost intelligence and learn spells, but if you want a fighter, you'll need strength and dexterity and combat skills. This makes for a far more flexible system, since any combination you want to play is actually possible.
Add to this a great story, which develops at your own pace (you want to forget about the story for a while? No problem - just go explore some dungeons you came across, do some side quests, solve crimes, etc.) and you realize this is a great RPG.
Gameplay gets 5 out of 5 stars.
SOUND:
The sound in the game really sets the right atmosphere - there is nice music at the right moments. However, one can get quite annoyed with your followers saying the same things over and over again, and most people in the game don't have a voice unfortunately. On the other hand, this is quite understandable, as there are hundreds of individual people walking the world of Arcanum.
Sound gets 4 out of 5 stars.
GRAHPICS:
The graphics of the game are isometrical 2D. While the detail and resolution is good compared to other games using that technique, and to most RPG's in general, it doesn't look as sexy as say Max payne or other 3D FPS games. Then again, this also means that the game doesn't require a GeForce 4000 card and a 5 GhZ processor - the minimum specs are quite low.
OVERALL:
Actually, the only bad thing (if you can even call it that) about the game are its graphics. However, I'll always choose brains over beauty in a computer game - I'd rather have an intriguing and good story and gameplay than just really good graphics. And the gameplay is truly great - the main story is very good, and there are really a lot of sidequests you can do, and most of those have a great moral twist so you wouldn't do all of them if you stayed in character. Add to that a good character system (there are about 25 different backgrounds your character can have, from ran arsonist to afraid of the dark) in which you really have the feeling of controlling the future of your character. This game will have you hooked till you finish it (twice?)!
Overall Game gets 4.5 out of 5 stars.
SCREENSHOTS:
(CLICK TO ENLARGE SCREENSHOTS)
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