Arcanum - worth a punt?

[Tigranes]

Would be 10/10 Goty if only Raven and Zan were romanceable... Or Thorin bromanceable cause his dialogues about Dwarven philosophy are one of the best in the all RPGs. Its shame that the tech tree is such tedium to complete though with rare components like steam engines forcing you to save scum cause nothing beats the Power Armored clad Dwarf inventor with pyro-axe and Maxim invented Machine-gun leading the cohort of battle automatas. Sad thing it was not the beginning of but swan song though and cause Oblivion came and tainted the genre.

No save scum needed unless you demand that a specific piece appear at a specific time at a specific place. Most components have patterns (rags in rubbish bins and whatnot), and then relatively rare ones like steam engines still pop up every now and then - and there are a couple hand-placed ones.

 

[Old One]

It's the game's flaw that you have to be a diehard storyfag (look how Neanderthal neatly writes little stories about his experience) who wants to dig into the stories of this game.

I think this is a misconception, although I suppose it depends on how you define storyfag. Arcanum certainly is not story-driven or story-centric in the same way as Torment. It's more accurate to say it's setting-driven in a way that exploits the expansiveness of its world. Take Mazzerin's Riddle or the Iron Clan as examples: they start with a rumor about a mystery that has nothing to do with the main quest you're on. You're free to ignore these rumors if you like, but since you've heard them, and assuming you were paying attention, you're always on the lookout for clues, everywhere you go. You never know when you'll find one, because no one tells you what to do or where to search. It's this constant awareness of the side quests and their mysteries that make exploring the Arcanum world so intriguing. There isn't any other game I've seen that uses this design strategy as effectively. None even come close.

The best part is that solving these mysteries always has a great payoff, either materially or emotionally.

 

[Leitz]

You're free to ignore these rumors if you like, but since you've heard them, and assuming you were paying attention, you're always on the lookout for clues, everywhere you go. You never know when you'll find one, because no one tells you what to do or where to search. It's this constant awareness of the side quests and their mysteries that make exploring the Arcanum world so intriguing.

My point is, what if I don't care? Then I'm not allowed to have fun in this world, because everything else is boring. That's at least how I experienced it. I understand that commitment is the big necessity for playing every good RPG though.

Somebody should've told me in advance that this steampunk open world RPG with guns by the guys who made Fallout 1, is only enjoyable if you're able to commit to the mysterys and stories that evolve through exploring the world, or something. I get that now.

 

[Neanderthal]

Speaking of mysteries i've unlocked so fucking many, Saint Mannox was a hard arse soldier for the church centuries ago, spreading the faith, smiting hip and thigh Jon Shannow style and generally being a dude. Anyway he's Alexander's ancestor and was apparently taken up to heaven by Nasrudin, looms pretty large in the faith. IT'S ALL BOLLOCKS! He was fucking entombed alive under the Panarri temple by the Dark Elves who've infiltrated this religion, he found out what they were doing, tried to stop em and failed. The fuckers made this a religion out of a society made to maintain the wards on the Ring of Brodgar, keeping the Void closed and Arronax sealed away. Kan Hua his killer is now the High Priest.

Get this though he left a clue scratched into his sarcophogus that leads me back to the Ring of Brodgar, and the directions on the stone by the Roseborough Inn except reversed, dude was fucking dead ard. Followed these clues and got all the story as well as his family sword, now I could reveal this to Alexander and give him his ancestors sword and journal, but this casts doubt on my divinity as Nasrudin reborn so i'm not sure what to do. Then again if I play it right this revelation and the earlier reveal that Mannox was murdered and Nasrudin did not rest under the temple could be wangled into proof of my divinity, righting wrongs, revealing truths and all that crap. In two minds on this.

Shit thing is though his sarcophogus was supposed to be Nasrudins, but there was nobody else in it, turns out the translator Gunther had news on that: Nasrudin crossed the water and came to rest at the southernmost tip of the land, not in Caladon but on the Island of Thanatos, which I think means death, sounds fucking peachy. Time to find old Blackbeard Teach and book passage.

So refreshing to face a clever enemy, who's taken steps before me and tried to turn the situation to his benefit, this Kan Hua's a devious bastard. Still he's got to die if I want to take my place as the Living One.

 

[Tigranes]

My point is, what if I don't care? Then I'm not allowed to have fun in this world, because everything else is boring. That's at least how I experienced it. I understand that commitment is the big necessity for playing every good RPG though.

Somebody should've told me in advance that this steampunk open world RPG with guns by the guys who made Fallout 1, is only enjoyable if you're able to commit to the mysterys and stories that evolve through exploring the world, or something. I get that now.

That's right. If you don't care, then you aren't going to enjoy the game. Problem?

 

[Tigranes]

Neanderthal its possible to find out who the poor guy entombed was. I've done it so many times so I can't actually remember how the clues are given out, though, so I suppose I shouldn't spoil it. Basically the answer lies in a yet different tomb of sorts...

 

[Beastro]

But Raven is romanceable, sort of

Was pretty fucking funny working through her dialogue trees to finish them off near the end, having her go from newly recruited companion to talking romantically about the future once our grand quest was over as if we'd been on a years long journey all in the span of a 5 minutes. Was a huge immersion break and left me wishing they'd had more time to pace the game and have those bits of chat be fixed so it actually felt the way it was trying to be presented.

 

[JarlFrank]

My point is, what if I don't care? Then I'm not allowed to have fun in this world, because everything else is boring. That's at least how I experienced it. I understand that commitment is the big necessity for playing every good RPG though.

Somebody should've told me in advance that this steampunk open world RPG with guns by the guys who made Fallout 1, is only enjoyable if you're able to commit to the mysterys and stories that evolve through exploring the world, or something. I get that now.

Well, the only games that could be fun without caring about anything are straight dungeon crawlers like ToEE, KotC and a lot of blobbers.

 

[Neanderthal]

Tigranes: Fairly sure it's Mannox in the sarcophogus, missing his right finger and his scrawled message leads to his hidey hole. Am I being fooled?

Nobody'll go to Thanatos, except Edward Teach who's lost his ship in a gambling debt, so I either had to pay 50k for a ship (which i've actually got,) win back the ship in a game of chance which I can't do as i'm not a gambler, or search down a legendary undead pirate called Stringy Pete. Finally managed to track him down, and the poor bastard wants release from his undeath, so i've got a few acts of repentance to carry out. Dead simple at first, drop off some loot with a poor family who Pete fucked with, but strange thing happened on the way to their gaff:

Came across the ruined city of Kree, destroyed by the barbarian the Bane of Kree who was also banished to the Void by Nasrudin and the Elven Council. Still filled with barbarians and containing an altar to an Orc god, one more altar discovered for the Ancient Gods quest. More interesting was Torian Kel's reaction, he lived here before it was destroyed and we even found his old home and he mourned that his hidden family sword was gone. Just how fucking old is Torian and when did he live, before the Elven Council or during their rule? Game keeps giving, wasn't expecting this.

Anyway second quest revealed the Temple of Halcyon which means I can fairly much complete the Ancient Gods quest now, see what's what and get some fat bonuses. Restored its altar with the help of an Ogre and went on to the third quest. Here's the meat of Stringy Pete's damnation, an evil blade called the Bangellian Scourge drove him to slay his brethren and he cast it away in the Bangellian Deeps, because that was too much even for him. Now i've found the blade and it's pretty bloody good, and i'm wondering whether to complete this last quest for Pete or take the sword. My arrogant Elven bastard is quietly masturbating in the corner to dreams of being Elric and this could be his very own Stormbringer.

Think Stringy Pete is gonna stay damned and a bit more dead.

 

[Lios]

Somebody should've told me in advance that this steampunk open world RPG with guns by the guys who made Fallout 1, is only enjoyable if you're able to commit to the mysterys and stories that evolve through exploring the world, or something. I get that now.

Oh my god you have to commit to the mysterys and stories that evolve through exploring the world to enjoy this role playing game, what a burden to bear.

Neanderthal keep delivering.

 

[Tigranes]

Yes its him. But theres one more thing you can find from the past...

 

[Dreaad]

All this makes me want to replay Arcanum..... Damn it, where's that CD.

 

[Leitz]

Well, the only games that could be fun without caring about anything are straight dungeon crawlers like ToEE, KotC and a lot of blobbers.

No, Arcanum and Planescape Torment seem to be the only games that are perceived 100% for their story-telling. I'm not trolling.

 

[Snufkin]

Stingy Pete is hardest fight in game. You actualy need strategy to beat him. Final boss is like rat compared to him that you can just whack. Also St. Mannox cave was my big discovery after few games i was thinking that i explored everything but bam!

 

[JarlFrank]

That one quest you get from the gnome in Stillwater is easy. The one where he sends you to fetch some diamond, and says only an expert sneak can survive it because if your steps aren't soft enough horrible creatures will come out of the earth and kill you.

When you're an overleveled lvl 50 character these things are a pushover.

Heck, it's been over a decade since I last played Arcanum and I still know my way around it.

 

[Neanderthal]

Yeah did that gem quest a while ago, didn't sneak just walked in used Jolt that aoe spell that shocks everything around me, and bam all the demons dead. Now Stringy Pete was a bloody nightmare in comparison, gave Torian my Arcane Greatsword to handle his crew and me and Dog whaled on Pete with the Bangellian Scourge, kept everyone else back, a few summons up and Zan and Geoffrey doing some spells/summons with Virgil healing. Finally managed to put him down, you're right Snufkin that was hardest fight in game so far. Still the Scourge is worth it.

That said i've now run into a little problem in my quest to enslave Arcanum as the Living One, namely the fact that NASRUDIN'S STILL FUCKING ALIVE! I couldn't believe it, the old...well ancient bastard was just chilling in a fucking hut at the southern tip of Thanatos. Mannox did see him after all, I thought he was just a religious nutjob but now it all makes sense. How the fuck do I take over the Panarri with Nasrudin alive and Virgil as a bloody witness, Zan, Geoffrey and Torian I think would keep stum but Virgil, that fucker's not gonna keep his mouth shut. I sense a horrible terminal fate looming in his future.

The boneshaker was not as I expected though, there was no pride and no boasting, he seemed only sorrowful: Mainly due to the fact that Arronax is his bloody son! It was this little prick that ended the Age of Legends and the Elven Council, he destroyed the region of Vendigroth and a city that was undergoing a technological revolution and threatened the Elven Councils power. He was sentenced to the Void for his crimes but wouldn't go quietly, and this was what split the Elves into light and dark clans, followers of the father and son. Nasrudin seemed riddled with doubt and guilt, especially for his use of the Void, an eternal prison that he knew fuck all about, i've got to agree with him there.

Anyway after sending me on a quest to kill some puny monkey, the old duffer wanted me to go and find an artifact from Vendigroth: When one of the ancient mages is damaged he can retreat to a regenerative sphere that is invulnerable, and he emerges stronger than ever, this device can disrupt the sphere and kill the occupant of it. However this requires that I go into the Void to face Arronax, and Nasrudin has said that he can banish me when I return with the device to the Ring of Brodgar. He mentioned the Black Spire again, still haven't found that place. He's got no idea where Vendigroth is though, no that'd be too easy.

I asked the old fart why he couldn't do all this, said he was too weak to face Arronax, and needed his power to banish me. Now i'm of a mind to shank the old bastard, because I can't be Nasrudin reborn if he's not dead yet, but hearing about that regenerative shell I though twice. When i've got the device I can act, after i'm banished which I need him for, I can return with the help of the Black Mountain Clan and fuck up Nasrudin while he's weak. I'll be a god yet.

 

[JarlFrank]

Bangellian Scourge lol, on my first playthrough I found it, loved the way it looked, probably something powerful, equipped without identifying, then suddenly all my companions started to leave because I'm evil. Lol alignment -100 what happen, go identify sword OH GOD WHY

 

[JarlFrank]

Also, I think if you try to shank Nasrudin you get teleportet to the Void. Game's way of trolling you. At least that's how I remember it from when I last played it.

 

[Neanderthal]

I've bought so many bloody identify scrolls that it's not even funny, mages are making a killing.

So the bastard would have banished me? That's fucking classic, games got balls.

 

[Shadenuat]

Stringy Pete was a bloody nightmare in comparison

Unless you use 1st level Disarm spell on him.

 

[Tigranes]

I've bought so many bloody identify scrolls that it's not even funny, mages are making a killing.

So the bastard would have banished me? That's fucking classic, games got balls.

There's a number of contingency points for reaching you to the endgame one way or the other depending on when and how you upset the storyline. So there's other ways to get yourself Voided.

 

[Ladonna]

Reading Neanderthals posts have been great. I will have to play Arcanum again soon, but nothing beats that first, true playthrough with this game.

 

[Neanderthal]

In the Vendigroth wastes following a larcenous Halflings advice I came across a great walled encampment, a township called Tulla, where the mages retreated to at some point. I was welcomed in and stumbled into quite a little hive of activity with students and mages all around, the library there had a book within it that spoke of magics diminishment, and how there were once far more than five levels of spells in each school. This along with other reading makes me think that the supernatural selection that has affected Arcanum is the product of another plane impinging upon this reality from time to time, is that plane the Void?

I gained mastery of the school of Force, raw power seems fitting for my character, and solved a few puzzles that I was tasked with by an idle student and by the Archmage of Tulla Simeon Tor. Apparently him and Geoffrey don't get on well at all, then again does anybody get on well with him? I also completed a quest that was a nice little nod to Fallout, poor old Vault Dweller, still one of the most memorable endings there has ever been. Anyway I finally summoned up a wraith haunting the fountain at the heart of Tulla, a long dead seer called Pelojian who founded Tulla apparently, he showed me the way to the city buried under Vendigroth.

The music was beautiful in Tulla, a melancholy dirge that drenched the sun dappled city in sadness, I think this is meant to hint at the fact that the mages are dwindling away out here on their own. Removed from the world and quickly being forgotten, a bit like the fate of the city i'm searching for it seems. The city reminded me of Roke from Earthsea, but it's amazing that this is all optional content that I could have missed if i'd been Voided, what other developer has the balls and commitment to do this?

 

[Rostere]

Ah, this game is so fucking good. Rivaling the feeling of playing the original Fallout, before the brand was raped by Bethesda, of course. How come it is so hard to create games like these?

 

[Ladonna]

There is an interview, somewhere, somehow, where one (or more) of the three main Troika devs stated that the work involved in creating that much content, that fits together and is recognised throughout the game, and the bug hunting needed due to this, all on a shoestring budget, was a terribly draining experience. One which they would not want to go through again. This was some time after the game was released I believe, so the fairly average way the game was treated by the Gaming Press may have had a bit of a downer on their attitude too.

I bought the game on release day, and still have the full package, including the free Arcanum T-Shirt that was part of the package.

So enjoy this singular masterpiece. And remember it as it was before Bethesda buys the rights and brings out a ThreeDee shooter.