Rating: 
Summary: Bugs play minimal part in this excellent RPG Adventure
Review: If you were to take the best aspects of the Fallout series and throw in some elements from the Baldur's Gate series and then combine them to form this excellent RPG Adventure. From the get go every decision you make will alter the path of the game. From choosing a Male Elf or a Female Human your decisions effect the outcome of the game. The First overwhelming aspect of the game is the leveling system. Unlike games such as Diablo, Arcanum has a vast array of stats, skills, technology, and magick to distribute ability points to. Trying to stay balance among all of the available options will result in a very difficult game. However if you specialize in a certain skill, technology, or Magick you will have a stronger character. The combat engine is a very unique one that adjusts to your playing style. If you are used to hack and slash RPG's you might enjoy the Real-Time combat. However if your used to Fallout or Baldur's Gate turn based approach you can choose the turn based mode. There is even a cross between the two called Fast Turn based Mode which speeds up the turn based movement a bit. In any case there is a mode for everyone.
Another large part of this game is the development of your character. Through conversations and your actions you will develop a reputation. In addition if you focus your talents on Magick or Technology certain people will treat you differently. The entire land of Arcanum is divided between magick and technology. Choosing a focus is the most difficult task. Throughout the game you will have the ability to meet other characters that will join you on your quest if your leadership ability is high enough and you request their assistance. When you gain control of these NPC's they act as real people. Each one having its own personality and objective. They all can be upset by your actions and sometime might even decide to attack you and the rest of your party. Some NPC's are good some are evil. Based on your characters alignment you will get along better with some than others. However, this is half the fun.
On the negative side you will find several bugs, most of which should be fixed with the release of the new patch. On a unfortunate note the multiplayer was designed to be played on what used to be WON.net. Being won.net has officially closed shop and is currently being run by a minimal staff large lag times and several bugs a present here. Most people are hoping for an addition of TCP/IP to the network settings allowing players to play on GameSpy or Kali. On another note the biggest flaw in this games release was the Manual. It is completely unorganized and will provide little to any assistance. There is no Table of Contents or Glossary and to find the information you want you will have to a. read it from cover to cover. b. visit a Arcanum web site. or c. Buy the Strategy Guide. It is unfortunate that a game so fun and well thought out would place its manual on its lowest priority.
All in all this game is a very exciting and unique game that will be a sure fire nominee for game of the year. If you are a fan of Baldur's Gate and Fallout 1 & 2 this just may be the game for you. I do however suggest that when purchasing the game you also purchase the strategy guide. It is very well written and contains a complete guide to all of the characters and weapons you will run across.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Just a D2 clone, also a clone of......
Review: If a female friend was setting you up on a blind date with Arcanum, when asked what arcanum looks like your friend would respond, "oh she has a pretty face, really nice hair and a great personality!" It was definately wise of Sierra to put Arcanum out now, during the late summer gaming lull, instead of forcing it to go toe to toe with Warcraft 3 or Neverwinter Nights. In principle, Arcanum is a good game. It combines the battle system of fallout, the gameplay of Diablo, and the quest system of Bauldors Gate 2. The drawback is a pretty steep lack of originality, and graphics that were only average in 1999. All this combines to give a pretty decent RPG with little or no punch. The story is the only area that raises above mediocre. It basically takes your classic dungeons and dragons world, and combines it with the industrial revolution. The result is a society in conflict between magic and technology, a struggle that creates a motif of the late 1800's combined with old school nights and sorcery. As in Bauldors Gate you have a completely open ended story, where your actions will decide your fate. This fate is controlled much by the postitive or negitive interactions you have with the many NPC's throughout the game, giving those points you place in charasima some actual use. The sophisticated interactions in the story contribute to that wonderful feeling of controlling your own destiny that you recieved all throughout the fallout series. Although not as buggy as Black and White or Anarchy Online were when first released, Arcanum still suffers from periodic freeze up. Also I suggest you keep reading material handy because this game takes its time loading, even on fast computers. All around there's nothing that a small patch couldn't fix though, which is a pleasent change of pace for gamers such as myself, who have been driven cynical by unplayably buggy games at launch. All around Arcanum is a reasonibly fullfilling game, with enough surprises to make you want to play it again. I recommend it for RPG fans whose main intrest is item hunting and character building. If your not a fan of the genre though, this is definately not a piece that will change your mind.
Rating:
Summary: Love CRPG's? You will love Arcanum.
Review: I've been playing CRPG's since the days of Ultima and 8-bit Zelda. There typically isn't a year that goes by that I don't play most every CRPG released on the PC in addition to a handful of console RPG's. You've already read what this game is about so here's my 2 cents. Arcanum combines many of the best elements from some great CRPG's like Fallout, Diablo, and even Baldur's Gate. Many people are griping about the graphics. As I seen them, they are better than the Fallout games, about equal to Diablo 2, and nowhere near as good as Baldur's Gate 2. However, like I said, Arcanum has many elements of Fallout, Diablo, and Baldur's Gate. If that doesn't sound appealing to you as a CRPG fan......seek professional help.
Rating:
Summary: The Best RPG since Fallout
Review: This game has A HUGE about of depth and options. It has an incredible amount of re-playability and a giant world. (it would take 48 real-time hours to just cross the world... thank god for the map function :) ) It is NOT a Diablo clone! although I can see how one might think so... if you are accustomed to playing Diablo you will play a character that has emphasis on fighting skills, and not on such things as building items, gambling, thieving and diplomatic skills. That is the great beauty of this game. You can play it as a Half-Ogre brute, a wealthy Human upper-class gunslinger, a spell-casting gnome that builds grenades on the side, a halfling mage that ran away with the circus and wears gnomish chainmail... just about any character that you can think up you can play. Also Arcanum has GREAT re-playability. It is possible to kill every living creature in the game and win. It is also possible to kill nothing and win. The great amount of options will make you want to play again and again. For instance, each NPC has a unique personality and will respond differently to you based upon your race, magick/tech alignment, background, how beautiful or charismatic you are, and a host of other variables. People that snubbed you as a Dwarf will greet you with open arms when you play an Elf. All this makes sure that no two Arcanum games are EVER the same. All I can say is... If you like RPGs you will love Arcanum.
Rating:
Summary: Arcanum kicks...
Review: I personally think that the concept of the choice magick and technology is a very cool idea.I mean lets face it some of us like to torch things with a flame thrower rather than worrying about running out of stamina while trying to heal yourself because your mage-like character was to weak to defeat a mutant monkey or something.I have played the demo of arcanum and cant wait for the game to come out.From my experience i know that i suck with magick and can only rely on strength and technology thats why this game is so great.YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT.Plus theres also unlimited character creation so your character can be whatever you want it to be.Overall I think Arcanum:of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is going to kick....
Rating:
Summary: Fallout Remake
Review: If your a huge fallout fan you will like this game. I gave it a three because it does have a solid RPG element. However, with that said...graphics arent even as good as fallout tactics and with the game coming out after that title and not even matching its standard i find it dissappointing...BG/IWD series shames it in the graphic department. Nothing new really in the game...just fallout with a orc and elf theme. Guns versus magic is a decent touch however. This game will have a decent following as the hordes that loved fallout will need a fix...but they could have done the game better i believe...now this review is just based off the demo...but, I guess i will wait for NWN or Pool of Radiance for my next RPG game...again, if your a big fallout fan i think your right at home with this game
Rating: 
Summary: Successor to Fallout series ! unfortunately not a worthy one
Review: (If arcanum is anything like Fallout and Fallout 2 then it will be worth your time and money.) this was my initial review. After having played the demo, the game, and read many reviews I have downgraded the arcanum game to 2 stars. The reasons are as follows:
-Arcanum fails to live up to the world of fantasy that it resides in. The concept was wonderful but it was not develloped to its potential. -There are many small bugs in the game
-Monster generation is poorly handled. Wolves and spiders make up alomst 50% of all monsters encountered. The combat mode does not allow for the amount of sophisticated strategies that we are used to. If you are looking for an RPG then turn towards the Baldur's gate series, particularly BG II and the BG II expansion. they will give you a much better experience.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent game
Review: The graphics are a bit dated but thats not why you're going to buy this game it's the story. The story is EXCELLENT this is no hack and slash gain levels game. I would and have recommended getting this game to everyone I know who's into rpg's and yes it is out, after a fashion =>.
Rating:
Summary: Arcanum: Of Steamworks of Magick Obscura
Review: I personally am a RPG fan all around. I have never played Arcanum yet but I absolutly cannot wait till its release. I have seen the demo at www.Fileplanet.com. Also at Bestbuy.com it said that is will come out the 15 of June or something. But, also a month ago they said it would be released May 15, so Sierra might have to make it to September or something. I have seen all the scrren shots and i am so amazed by it. Good graphics and the armor and weapons are so sweet looking its amazing. The way the game goes is your start out in a certain age such as medieval or somthin and work your way up throug technology. So about swords to Nuclear Blasters. I cant wait till the release and i hope i was helpful!!! P.S.- Forget that 1 star review the kid is just mad about it being postponed!
Rating:
Summary: Might be delayed, but the release is closer...
Review: Some games are just really worth waiting for. Arcanum is one of them. There is no other game that quite matches the nearly limitless capabilities of this game. The replay value is great - there are so many options. You can be a diplomat (don't need to kill anyone), magick user, technologist, or magick+tech. The animations are smooth, and the combat can be really fast-paced in real time OR in turnbased. There are even different styles of combat - turn based, fast turn based, or real time, like the Baldur's Gate games. The game focuses on magick versus tech (if you've not read the Daily Radar review yet...). This is pretty different from many RPGs where you kill like crazy or you adhere to D&D rules. Arcanum uses a point system for character development - not unlike the Fallout games. This gives you much flexibility in developing your character. There is so much more in the game that if I tried to tell you right now, it could take years. And I've not even gotten the full game yet. So yeah, maybe Sierra DID delay the game. But that shouldn't deter RPG lovers - especially those who loved Fallout. Thankfully, Sierra moved up the release date...
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