Arcanum’s a delectable little RPG gem. It was developed by Troika Games before they made the awesome Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines and then had to drop dead because they didn’t get any funds.
It’s probably the last major D&D-style 2D RPG in the vein of Fallout, Planescape or Baldur’s Gate, and I personally think it plays out better than any of these (it could be the age, and besides, I’m playing a patched version, I hear the original is very buggy). The interface is slick, gameplay is stylish and while I’m no fan of combat of this very genre, Arcanum handles it suitably.
What I like best about the game is its Steampunk art style, despite being set in a fantasy world populated by elves, dwarves etc., we see the marvels of the Victorian age – blimps, lanterns, flintlock guns and dapper suits. The UI has a very Victorian aesthetic, wood and polished metal, the dialogue is lovely with its 19th Century trappings.
I think this is largely the handiwork of Leonard Boyarsky, who also worked on creating the story, setting, aesthetic and dialogue of Fallout (the story, setting, aesthetic and dialogue happen to be Fallout’s shining points, the rest of the game was fairly passable).
The character-creation is reminiscent of D&D, but fairly different. Using character points and such, I’ve created a spiffy Half-Orc, skilled in Charm and Stun and Spike Traps as well as some prowess in prowling and pickpocketing.
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