Game News GameSpy: Go play Arcanum

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura; Troika Games

<a href=http://www.gamespy.com>GameSpy</a> has taken a look at <a href=http://www.gamespy.com/articles/525/525439p1.html?fromint=1>drastically overlooked</a> games that you should play this summer while you are waiting for some drastically overhyped games. The current picks are Wheel of Time and everybody's favourite classic: <a href=http://www.troikagames.com/arcanum.htm>Arcanum</a>.
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<blockquote><b>What It's About</b>: What would Victorian-era England be like if magic existed in the world, and didn't get along real well with technology? Arcanum uses this premise to build one of the most interesting settings in recent RPG history.
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<b>What They Did Right</b>: Arcanum features arguably the best (and certainly most in-depth) character-creation system ever. This combines with an original setting and a ridiculous amount of quests, from small "Fedex" item-retrieval quests, to a huge and all-encompassing story. The wide variety of character skills means that you can approach these quests in vastly different ways. The game also allows you to pick between nearly a dozen potential party members as you work your way through it.
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<b>What They Screwed Up</b>: Arcanum suffers from "Quake Syndrome"... which is to say that while it's not really accurate, the overwhelming impression people have of the game is that it's grey and brown. The settings, while complex and well-designed, don't have the distinctive look of Fallout or the colors of Baldur's Gate. The all-violin soundtrack, while musically impressive, grates on the nerves after a relatively short period of time.
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<b>Why You Should Grab It</b>: This game will give you hours and hours of entertainment (just turn off the music). If you're into character creation and picking different sets of skills in order to alter your gameplay, it's hard to do better than Arcanum. The game is prettier than people remember it being, and there's nothing cooler than crafting a badass battle-axe that lights things on fire when you hit them with it. </blockquote>Go play it already.
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[Diogo Ribeiro]

The game is prettier than people remember it being, and there's nothing cooler than crafting a badass battle-axe that lights things on fire when you hit them with it.

Actually, i'd wager Automatons are cooler. They'd be cooler if Troika managed to create the Automaton Gunner, tho'.

 

[Anonymous]

Just turn off the music? Bah, GameSpy has horrible taste. Probably a bunch of techno listening jackfaces.

 

[Volourn]

No. I don't take orders. kthnxbye.

 

[Transcendent One]

Arcanum's music fits with the setting. But I often found the music combined with monotonous colouring scheme and business suits everywhere was a fairly decent substitute for valium.

 

[Sol Invictus]

The music was too loud, too 'in your face'. It should have been more ambient, subdued. As for the combat, BLEAHFGHH

 

[EvoG]

Hey I worked on Wheel of Time...go play it damnit!

Gamespy said so.


Cheers

 

[EEVIAC]

The all-violin soundtrack [...]

Elwro would have a fit if he read that. Four violins in not the same as two violins, a viola, and a cello - at all.

 

[jvn3t]

Hey I worked on Wheel of Time...go play it damnit!

Gamespy said so.


Cheers

I dont know if the music guys and the design/programming guys usually talk much in the development process, but did you know Andy Frazier? I interned in an office back in '02 just putzing around, helping with updating computers and running cable with him as my supervisor, and he had mentioned to me that he had done the music in a few old games from the early ninties, as well as the tunes in the Wheel of Time game.

 

[undead dolphin hacker]

Arcanum and Wheel of Time? They must be getting close to the bottom of the barrel of "overlooked games" (perhaps that's what the "drastically" means?) if they chose those two. Especially Wheel of Time. That game was rank.

 

[voodoo1man]

Another cool thing about Arcanum is that it's the only game I've seen where your stats actually influence the dialogue tree more than just removing options. Try playing a half-ogre with 3 intelligence. It's freaking hilarious!

 

[Greenskin13]

Fallout and Temple of Elemental Evil also has 'stupid person' dialogue.

 

[EvoG]

I dont know if the music guys and the design/programming guys usually talk much in the development process, but did you know Andy Frazier? I interned in an office back in '02 just putzing around, helping with updating computers and running cable with him as my supervisor, and he had mentioned to me that he had done the music in a few old games from the early ninties, as well as the tunes in the Wheel of Time game.

Can't say that I know him...I did all the character animation and that was offsite(Legend was in Virginia and me in Illinois), and I was friends with the lead level designer Scott and designer Glen. Otherwise I was on autopilot and had no real reason to talk to anyone else aside from managment.

Anyway, for those that are interested, the game was beautiful to explore and the multiplayer, despite being a tad heavy control-wise, was pretty compelling. Lots of spells which added up to a decent amount of strategy rather than run n'gun(with Fireball).

Cheers

 

[Sol Invictus]

Glen rocks. He made that kickass game Death Gate which I loved a lot. The setting was awesome. Unreal 2 sucked though.

 

[plin]

I liked the music alot. Though it seemed like it got repetative like there should have been more. But I thought it was very good.

 

[DrattedTin]

Glen rocks. He made that kickass game Death Gate which I loved a lot. The setting was awesome.

Have you read the books? They rock too.

 

[DemonKing]

<b>What They Screwed Up</b>: Arcanum suffers from "Quake Syndrome"... which is to say that while it's not really accurate, the overwhelming impression people have of the game is that it's grey and brown. The settings, while complex and well-designed, don't have the distinctive look of Fallout or the colors of Baldur's Gate. The all-violin soundtrack, while musically impressive, grates on the nerves after a relatively short period of time.

What about the god-awful combat, the inbalance between tech and magic, and the fact that every, single NPC I met treated my half-orc with complete xenophobia until the minute I said "Aren't you being a little unreasonable" at which point they immediately apologised and treated me just like anyone else. Every time!

And he's wrong about the graphics - the limited colour palate was not the problem - the horrible blocky design and animation was. Hard to believe he same team produced TOEE (although of course that had a whole new bunch of other problems).

 

[DarkUnderlord]

What about the god-awful combat, the inbalance between tech and magic, and the fact that every, single NPC I met treated my half-orc with complete xenophobia until the minute I said "Aren't you being a little unreasonable" at which point they immediately apologised and treated me just like anyone else. Every time!

Heh. I thought of the exact same thing.

 

[Country_Gravy]

What book is "Death Gate" based on. Is it an RPG? I read some books a while back called "The Death Gate Cycle" that was pretty good. If it is based on those, I want to give it a shot.

I have only played the demo for Wheel of Time. I love the books. Well, the first 4 or five were good and then they turned to crap. I wish they would make a REAL RPG with that setting, instead of the FPS/RPG hybrid crap.

EvoG, you did the character animations. I remember the graphics being pretty good for their time. Nice work. What are you working on now?

Arcanum. Sweet idea. Decent implementation. Could have been better, but still one of the most fun I have had with a RPG over the last 5 years.

 

[Ortchel]

Yes, the animations/models were nice, I second that question.

But, I also second the sentiment that the (rest of the) game was rank.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Arcanum is probably one of my favorite RPG's of all time. I think that the combat was so-so, and not really that bad, but not that good either. The game did have alot of saving graces though.

 

[EvoG]

If you guys can stand MMORPG's, Ultima X Online should be out, what?, Christmas I believe? I did 80% of the character/creature anims on that. Other than that and a plethora of other games (Matrix, LotR, DnD, etc.), I'm working on my own shiz that will have a proper 'announcment' relatively soon, unlike how my other project was revealed last year(thanks Killzig :shock: )

Cheers

 

[HIK248]

Country_Gravy
Death Gate was an adventure game,i think you can find it on the underdogs site

 

[DrattedTin]

What book is "Death Gate" based on. Is it an RPG? I read some books a while back called "The Death Gate Cycle" that was pretty good. If it is based on those, I want to give it a shot.

That's correct, it's based off the Death Gate Cycle.

 

[voodoo1man]

Fallout and Temple of Elemental Evil also has 'stupid person' dialogue.

The reasons for replaying Fallout just keep piling up!