The setup for the world surrounding Arx is quite original, dealing with a planetary system where its major star has burned out and all the planets denizens have gone underground to escape a cold and unpleasant demise. With this premise, Arx Fatalis establishes a feeling of dread and hopelessness that you can feel in the air-but also explains the nature of their civilization. All the races had to work together to seek shelter underground. After some time however, these pacts began to fall apart, and now some races have a growing hatred for others. It is in this world of turmoil and doubt that you are introduced. The interaction between the different characters and races makes the world seem alive, and the story is fairly original, though some of the plot twists you can spot coming for some time with any RPG experience. Overall, the general concept of the game is a notch above the norm for this genre, and helps the feel of the game as it progresses.​