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Another very positive review (4/5) of Arcanum - Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura can be found at MPOG.com today. This is about how the game plays:
Once you have your character ready you can set forth on your adventure. The game plays much like any other isometric RPG game, although the interface is rather primitive almost to the point of becoming detrimental to the gameplay. The first big annoyance is that the game plays at a fixed resolution, so no matter how good a video card or what size monitor you have, you are stuck. The standard view is locked at a fixed zoom and with the menus and other information taking up over 30% of the screen you are often too close to see enough of your surroundings. Your first instinct will be to move the camera around to check out the off-screen areas, but the range of your camera is linked to your character's current position forcing you to wait for your character to walk to a new location before you can pan the view a few pixels.
One great thing about Arcanum is the dynamic story that changes based on the character you are playing and your actions within the game. You have an alignment meter that continually adjusts itself based on your deeds whether they be good or evil. NPC's and any of the other 300+ inhabitants you can interact with will all act and react differently based on your race, reputation, and of course, Charisma. You are guaranteed a completely different and unique gaming experience each time you play this game, giving it one of the highest replay factors in recent gaming history.
Combat is a key part of Arcanum and the options let you choose the mode best suited to your style of play. Pick from real-time, turn-based, or fast turn-based. I found that "real-time" is too fast and you are unable to effectively participate in the combat, whereas "turn-based" is too slow and can drag the game out much longer than necessary. But "fast turn-based" seemed just right giving you enough time to make control and combat decisions for you and your NPC's while maintaining a nice pace.
The mix of magic and technology is implemented quite well with neither side having any clear advantage in power. However, magical spells significantly outnumber tech skills, so spellcasters will ultimately have a more diverse selection of abilities. Magic users generally must find many of their artifacts whereas "techies" can build most of the items that are specific to their skills. |
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Arcanum Review
