Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura PC

Arcanum for PC features an unprecedented world where magic intertwines with technology and a traveler may hold a pistol in one hand and a flaming sword in the other. The game was created by a team of people who worked on the unforgettable Fallout cRPG series.

Story

Arcanum, released for PC, can be regarded as one of the largest virtual worlds created so far, featuring its own history, mythology and culture. This is a place where big industrial cities are decorated with castles and factories, inhabited by dwarves, humans, orcs and elves. The place where ancient runes and steam, spells and machines, wizardry and science all come together.

Gameplay

Just as in Fallout, player can select a predefined characters or create one of his own. In the game we get countless ways of exploring the world and nearly unlimited possibilities of character development. The main game's main theme is the competition between magic and technology – two "opposing sides of the same coin" and we must decide in which way our hero will evolve. In addition to basic statistics and skills that each character can develop at his own discretion, other powers depend on the chosen direction of development. Magic-wielding character learns new spells of several branches of arcane knowledge and relies mainly on magical items. On the other hand, the technologist develops his skills in fields of science and technology, which allows him to construct increasingly complex machines, rendering magical items virtually useless.

Developers decided to implement some proven ideas from other role-playing games, like the three stages of NPCs skill training, from adept through expert to master, present e.g. in the Might & Magic series. While almost anyone can train us to adept, it is a lot harder to find a master trainer. Another borrowed thing is a deity system, which features major and minor gods who can accept our offering and give us their blessing, boosting various statistics or characteristics of our hero.

Very helpful during the game is the journal where all received quests, including those already completed, are automatically recorded. In addition, we collect gossips and local news allowing us to learn about interesting places and events on a regular basis, which can be useful in completing quests not directly related to the main plot of the game.

Features

• No classes – game employs a system based solely on points, for which the player can buy attributes.
• Complex stat system including 8 basic stats (like Strength and Charisma) and more than a dozen derived stats (like Poison Resistance and Character Speed).
• 16 primary skills (Gambling, Healing, Lock picking).
• 80 spells within 16 colleges.
• 56 technological degrees within 8 disciplines.
• Each main task can be solved in many ways, providing a unique experience every time.
• Hundreds of side quests that will force you to leave the beaten roads of Arcanum.
• Dynamic lighting – precise day and night cycle, shadows cast by trees and other objects, changing color throughout the day.
• Influence of external factors on skills, particularly in combat weapons or when thieving.
• Ability to play in turns or in real-time.
• Multiplayer mode – we can join a team of up to a dozen other players to simultaneously complete numerous, smaller tasks.

Last updated on 10 December 2007