Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5339 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Empire
• Released on: 2003-11-21
• Platforms: Windows NT, Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP

Manufacturer's Description
Arcanum is a hard-core role-playing game that takes elements from other popular titles - such as the action-oriented multiplayer capability of Diablo - to create a fresh gaming experience. Set in a world where technology and magic coexist in an uneasy balance, Arcanum is designed to turn the traditional fantasy RPG experience on its head, while still providing the gameplay that this core audience craves. Gameplay takes place in a 2D isometric view, while the graphics engine delivers a much sharper experience than the competition. The key features that differentiate the game from its competitors are the unique universe, massive scope of the world, the customisation of the gameplay, and the flexible multiplayer support.

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Mind-Blowing
This revolutionary as we see new and better MMORPGs spawning every now and then (notably Star Wars Galaxies). The sheer flexibility and options of this game make this game massively addictive. You often find yourself weighing up options of whether to do a life-risking mission for someone or just chopping their arms off.

Like most RPGs you level up your character through experience points which are achieved through completing jobs / missions for people, killing things or achieving other goals (e.g. uncovering secrets). You can choose whether to be an elf, human, orc, half-elf, half-orc, male, female, evil, good, whether to study magic, technology or a mix of both. There are a large numbers of weapons, armour and other items all of which have unique values and many have special bonuses to your characteristic points.

You can develop special skills such as lockpicking, persuasion, pickpocketing, prowling, meleeing, backstabbing, gambling, healing and more as well as become apprentices, experts and masters in your chosen areas.

Killing not your thing? How about trafficking stolen items between large towns over a vast landscape. Meet new people through highly populated areas and build intricate storylines and friendships, some even ask to tag along with you on your quests. Perhaps you just want to become an entertainer?
Well if your female you can become a 'special' entertainer for 'special' customers.

During combat, choose whether to fight in real-time, turn based or fast turn based. Choose what armour and weapons your companions carry and what items you can offload onto them to carry.

Ultimately, this game will leave you addicted, drooling and resenting those who call you crazy for locking yourself up for hours without sunlight. This game is an absolute must for the hardcore gamer and is as cheap as chips for a fiver. Buy it now!

Single player - great! Multiplayer is a bit iffy
I heard of Arcanum from a mate. And it did seem fun. I played single player for a bit, and thought the level of freedom of character creation and in the game itself was amazing. You can literally do whatever you want. Perhaps somewhat innocently, i though the same would be true for multiplayer. I thought i'd be able to join up with a few mates and run around the arcanum world doing whatever we felt like doing. Unfortunatly, is isn't like that.

You have to go and do different maps, with there own quests and such in. I havn't worked out how to keep my characters items, as each time i start a new game - it is all lost. Looking on the bright side, at least he keeps his stats and attributes! So - multiplayer was a huge disappointment for me. I can't help but feel robbed of what could have been endless fun.

Anyway, the game itself is a little dated, of course. the graphics are still respectable, but that isn't the main point of the game. its the large amount of items you can get hold of or use. For example, if your're character has the right skill, they can take seemingly useless parts such as a pipe and spring and make a gun out of them! Players can collect herbs and flowers and make potions to heal themselves and other things too.

There is magic, as well. Though magic and technology doesn't get on. Which is fair enough - but the annoying thing is that a magic character can't heal a technoligical charcter, and vice versa. Because magic makes technology mess up or something stupid.

This game would have gotten 5 stars if only you could play the single player map in multiplayer! Despite its age, it is still a gripping game that will keep you occupied for along time.

I hope that anyone intending to play this multiplayer knows what will be available! Singleplayer by itself is fine - i have no problems with it! Makes me wonder if they've made, or will make, an Arcanum two or something.

Arcanum, an interesting mix:
This game is attempting to combine the oh too well known fantasy world of elves, orcs and ogres, with the technological revolutions of the 18th century. It does pull it off quite well, with a kind of sliding scale between technological ability and magical ability. The combat is suited to most people, since you can either play realtime, or go into turnbased mode. Although the real-time option does make it quite hard, it does add something for the more hardcore gamers amongst you.
The plot is fairly good, but essentially, the thing that will make you play this game is the fact that it allows you reasonable freedom in how you develop your character. You can specialise, but you dont have to. There are several different areas of expertise in tech and magic sides, but who needs to know how to make a gun from a matchbox if you can cut a heavily armoured knight in two with your large axe.
Although there may not be all that much replayability once you have completed the game, there are many sidequests and options open to those who specialise in different areas, so you can probably play through 3 or 4 times without getting particularly bored.