Rating: 
Summary: RPG of the year
Review: I've noticed that there hasn't been many decent rpg's released lately. And apart from Baldur's Gate 2, they hasn't been a decent top down rpg in a damn long time. And there hasn't been an original and engaging and funny rpg since Fallout and Fallout 2. So that is why any person who loves rpg's should go out and but this game immediently. And I mean immediently. Arcanum is set in the 1800's when the world was on the verge of a technical revolution. A world were Elven mages and gun-toting orcs live side by side. Thats right. A person might as easily don plate armour and a sword as they might brandish a rirfle and top hat. In this rich setting, your character comes in. You were flying high in an airship when it crashed. Among the wreckage you find a dying gnome who gives you a ring, and asks you to find its owner. So begins your travel across the land of arcanum. Character development is one of the most immersive and open ended since Fallout, which is no surprise since Tim Cain, who worked on Fallout, is the lead developer. You can take your character in any direction you please. The graphics are a little dated, but do the job nicely. Although fans of Fallout's graphic death animations will be a little disapointed.(As I was :)). The story is great also, and you become immersed easily. In all, arcanum is a must for any RPG fan, although fans of other genres might be dissapointed.
Rating: 
Summary: So cool!!!!!!!
Review: After playing this game i came to one conclusion,
This is the best role playing game ever.
I had played "Diablo II" and "Dungeon Siege" but I must say that this game is much more entertaining. It is alotlopnger than any other role playing game and has the element of having to think.
I would reccomend this game to anyone who enjoyed "diablo" and Dungeon Siege"
Rating: 
Summary: Windows XP Users Beware!
Review: I picked up a copy of Arcanum back when I was still using Windows ME for my system (hey, somebody had to buy it!). I played it seemingly nonstop for a few weeks. The game is great, from the storyline to the graphics and gameplay. Then disaster hit. I thought I'd upgrade my computer to XP. Let's just say that Arcanum will not seamlessly transfer over to the new operating system. I contacted Sierra support and was told (many days later), "Arcanum was not designed for Windows XP and at this time there are not immediate plans to release a patch." Translation: we feel you pain, but we could care less. Kind of a strange point of view about an operating system that more and more people are upgrading to. So, in short, loved the game until the upgrade.
Rating:
Summary: Could do worse, a lot worse
Review: Yes, yes, yes, the graphics aren't the greatest and the load times are long, and there are bugs even with the patch(I was credited with completing certain quests without even hearing of them), but this game tells a fine tale, showcases a rich world, and provides a rich system of gaming to delve into.
In case you didn't know, this is a world where an old school fantasy world is coming into the Industrial Age. This is a world of mystic plate armor and revolvers, dwarves with shotguns, and elven mages summoning demons next to a train. The various quests available illuminate the problems that arise when new ways clash with old. The things you do in the game can range from questing for a magic sword that is the only weapon capable of killing a demon to arguing for the unionization of orc factory workers.
Problems? Interface is awkward. There's no keyboard button to initiate combat. Instead, you've got to click on a button on screen. Usually by the time you do that, that angry half-ogre with the mystic great sword has already closed the distance. This makes ranged weapons less than desirable, since hand to hand weapons are far more potent and it's easy to get into melee range in just one turn (two, if you're really far out).
Also, despite the openness of character development, there are some odd omissions. For example, while you have the option to create a variety of technological items, you don't seem to be able to create magical items. Those have to be found or bought. Plus, I don't see why certain races don't allow you to play as female characters. The manual tries to give explanations for why female dwarves and half-ogres aren't around, but I think that's just a cop-out.
As for an earlier review that talks about not being able to do something about the abuse of women, I think I know one of the scenarios that's being talked about, but I don't know what the complaint is. This is a game where you're pretty much allowed to slay everything that walks, so you are able to cathartically pulverize those awful pixelated characters.
Rating: 
Summary: It's easy to quit playing...
Review: It has that bulder's gate blahh feel to it. Very slow moving. I have an extremely high-end system and it moves very slowly, just as bulder's gate does. What is the fascination with that style of game??? Sure it uses ad&d rules but it does it so gruelingly slowly!... Anyway, I played Arcanum for a day and the novelty of the ability to fire a gun in an RPG wore off due to the terrible interface. Top that off with the ... quality of the Sierra name (it's become apparent they rush developers into releasing buggy low-quality software with cool packaging - cheers to their marketing company!) and you're looking at one crummy game. Don't waste your time or money on this one.
Rating:
Summary: Great for anyone surious about role playing games.
Review: It is a great game with nearly endless game play, there is so much to do. You will spend a lot of time on it.
Rating:
Summary: Nice Long Single player RPG
Review: The game had many entertaining and long quests. The story is well scripted. The game is almost an open RPG, where the main storyline doesnt matter. Unlike Diablo 2, towns are entirely resting spots between dungeons, cities in arcanum is a well balanced resting spot, quest starters, and within town quests.
Ignoring the cons below, it is one of the best rpg I've seen. Cons:
Load time is slow. A computer better than the "reccomended system" is required.
Virtually no multiplayer support
Rating: 
Summary: Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magic Obscura, or Archaic & Obscure
Review: I'm a long time fan of the similar title Fallout, and, expecting another gritty, quirky, and entertaining romp through an alternate universe as promised by the magazine ads and relation to the Fallout series of games I was disappointed. I found many flaws that where rather unexpected to say the least. The interface was not intuitive, with many of the controls simple in theory but difficult in practice. The character creation was difficult and with many options that are vague as to their actual in game consequence. The graphics are disgraceful, a simple look to the 6 month old Fallout Tactics shows far superior character models and terrain. _However_ there is a good RPG to be had here for those who are able, by boredom or determination, to get past these initial difficulties with the game. There are many interesting and entertaining possibilities, with multaple solutions and the ability, should you decide to do just about anything to just about anyone. From mosying into town and laying waste to all you see to happily interacting with NPCs and helping them with whatever quests they offer you. The magic and old-fashioned mechanics are also two interesting systems, though both are rather obscure.
Rating:
Summary: Arcanum
Review: This game was different, with it's victorian touch with a Baldur's Gate feel, yet at the same time a mixure between
technology and magic. I liked this game alot at first, but it lost my interest as the game carried on... But who can compare to
Baldur's Gate, or Icewind Dale? All together, it's a fun game...
I would suggest this to us who're fantasy fans that ran out of black isle games and wouldn't mind a hint of different..
Rating:
Summary: victorian england never had it so good
Review: Pros?
The world of arcanum is excellet. Vicorian costumes, language, and sensibilities.
Make the character you want. Tired of 3 to 6 differnt classes that dont fit your style of game play? Arcanum allows you to alot skill points into literally anything you want to.
Numerous quests
Cons?
Load times that can really start to suck.
And, to be quite frank, you dont get enough skill points by far. To build a good party you need a 20 charisma which eats up 12 count them 12 skill points (you only get one skill point a level except every 5 levels where you get 2) then you need good dodge weapoon (melee bow fire arm) plus if you are a spell caster your spells or your technical shcmeatic etc. (f they had doubled the amount of skill points it would have been a much more satisfying experience. Bottom Line? Good game that is well worth plonking your money down for.
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