Description
A zeppelin is cruising over mountains. Out of nowhere, two planes appear. Who could have guessed the journey will end in such a horrible manner? Death, fire and destruction fill the sky. The zeppelin crashes, smashing everything on the ground, and even the attackers - two orcs - die in flames... Are you the only survivor? But wait, here is a gnome lying on the ground, dying, deperately trying to tell you something. "The boy... find the boy!" He gives you a ring. The mystery is now in your hands. Who was the mysterious gnome? Who is the owner of the ring? In this moment, seeing the flames violently destroy everything around, you can't even suspect you'll soon be the one who will change the destiny of the entire Arcanum...
This role-playing game is set in a unique world, where magic and technology co-exist, where dwarves carry guns, and where you take a train through a landscape full of ferocious monsters. Arcanum belongs to the end of 19th century - sciences prosper, and new industries develop quickly. But the old world of elves and dwarves won't give up, revealing the eternal conflict between nature and technology.
The gameplay of "Arcanum" is closely related to that of
Fallout. You can freely roam in the huge world, exploring it in a totally non-linear fashion, or simply following the main story. Like in Fallout, there are many skills you can upgrade, and unlimited possibilities for character customization. Depending on your charisma, you can recruit many characters to join you on your quest, and choose your own way and style of interacting with the world and its inhabitants.
Alternate Titles
- "奥秘:技术与魔法" -- Chinese Title (Simplified)
- "Arcanum: von Dampfmaschinen und Magie" -- German Title
- "Arcanum: Przypowieść o Maszynach & Magyi" -- Polish Title
- "Arcanum: Hechizos y Engranajes" -- Spanish Title
- "Arcanum: Feitiços e Engrenagens" -- Brazilian Title
- "Arcanum : Engrenages & Sortilèges" -- French Title
- "Aomi: Jishu yu Mofa" -- Chinese Title
Part of the Following Groups
User Reviews
The Press Says
| NZGamer |
Apr 02, 2004 |
8.6 out of 10 |
86 |
| Game Vortex |
Nov 24, 2002 |
8.5 out of 10 |
85 |
| PC Gameplay (Benelux) |
Oct, 2001 |
84 out of 100 |
84 |
| PC Action |
Aug 15, 2001 |
83 out of 100 |
83 |
| Peliplaneetta.net |
Sep 12, 2001 |
81 out of 100 |
81 |
| Quandary |
Sep, 2002 |
     |
80 |
| Withingames |
Oct 29, 2001 |
4 out of 5 |
80 |
| GameSpot |
Aug 21, 2001 |
7.3 out of 10 |
73 |
| Game Informer Magazine |
Oct, 2001 |
6.75 out of 10 |
68 |
| Armchair Empire, The |
2002 |
6.5 out of 10 |
65 |
Forums
There are currently no topics for this game.
Trivia
There's a graveyard in
Arcanum with lots of funny epitaphs written on the graves. However, many of them are taken directly from
Baldur's Gate!
This entry to the MobyGames database was contributed by
Unicorn B. Lynx
(63206) on Jul 12, 2001.