After a two-year romance with Neverwinter Nights and Morrowind, with all their expansions, modules, and plug-ins, I found myself craving a new game. I’d already saved Baldur’s Gate from Sarevok, grappled with my divine heritage, braved the frozen north of Icewind Dale, explored the ruins of Myth Drannor, and suffered the indignity of waking up on a morgue slab in another plane. The Temple of Elemental Evil was a mere appetizer for my adventurer’s hunger, and as quickly as it was discovered, it was conquered.

And there I was, once again, yearning for adventure. I searched through sites and forums, looking for something that peaked my interest. After a couple of weeks, I had found three (well, really four) games: Arcanum, Gothic I and II, and Sacred.