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Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
graphics, stability
87% User Score Based on 1,256 reviews

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PCWindows
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Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura Game Cover

About

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Troika Games and was released on August 29, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura" is a role-playing game set in a fantasy world where magic and technology coexist. Players can create their own unique character, with a classless, point-based attribute system and a variety of skills and spells to choose from. The world adapts to the player's development, whether they choose to focus on magick or technology. With a focus on character customization and exploration, Arcanum offers a rich and immersive role-playing experience.

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Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura screenshot
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura screenshot
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura screenshot
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87%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,256 reviews
story177 positive mentions
graphics32 negative mentions
  • Arcanum features a unique blend of steampunk and fantasy elements, creating an immersive world with rich lore and engaging storytelling.
  • The character creation system is highly flexible, allowing players to build diverse characters with various playstyles, including magic, technology, or a combination of both.
  • The game offers significant replayability, with multiple ways to approach quests and the ability to make choices that impact the game's outcome.
  • The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, crashes, and performance problems on modern systems, requiring unofficial patches to run smoothly.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and unbalanced, with real-time combat often feeling chaotic and turn-based combat lacking depth, making it frustrating for players.
  • The user interface is outdated and can be confusing, with a lack of clear guidance on quests and character progression, leading to potential frustration for new players.
  • story
    516 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Arcanum" is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and rich world-building, offering players a unique blend of steampunk and fantasy elements. Many reviewers highlight the game's intricate quest design, where player choices significantly impact outcomes, leading to high replayability. However, some critiques mention that the narrative can feel scattered or vague at times, and the game's mechanics may detract from the overall storytelling experience.

    • “A half-orc faces deep societal prejudice, a dwarf technologist earns respect from engineers, and a high-elf mage evokes awe or suspicion from traditionalists — these reactions meaningfully alter dialogue options, quest resolutions, and even companion loyalty.”
    • “Arcanum combines magic and technology wonderfully, and it is a delightful experience for any fans of narrative, quest and roleplay-heavy based CRPG.”
    • “The story is immaculate, your actions have weight and consequences to them.”
    • “I found the story to be lackluster and barely there - it felt like I spent more time wandering around compared to the story moving on, and this wasn't even doing side quests - this was actual story areas where just nothing really happened much.”
    • “The lack of clear guidance made it difficult to truly immerse myself in the story.”
    • “The journal in the game that tracks quests is very unclear about who wants what and where they are.”
  • gameplay
    197 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its clunky mechanics, outdated graphics, and unbalanced combat systems. While some appreciate the depth and variety of character builds, as well as the unique interplay between magic and technology, others find the controls unintuitive and the overall experience tedious. Despite its flaws, the rich world-building and engaging story often compensate for the gameplay shortcomings, making it a nostalgic experience for fans of classic RPGs.

    • “You can become a gunsmith crafting elaborate mechanical devices, a battle mage specializing in fire or necromancy, a silver-tongued diplomat manipulating outcomes through dialogue, or an unpredictable hybrid whose magical aura disrupts machinery or whose mechanical aptitude causes spells to fizzle.”
    • “This interplay of magic and technology forms one of the game’s most inventive mechanics: leaning too far into one side naturally weakens your affinity for the other, forcing meaningful choices about identity and playstyle.”
    • “The mechanics allowed a wide variety of character builds and allowed a few ways of completing many quests.”
    • “The gameplay is mostly dusty and old and had a lot of faults even when it came out, but if you can overlook such faults or live with them about 40-100 hours then you can experience a very special handcrafted high-fantasy/steampunk world with an elaborately told story!”
    • “Disappointing that such a richly developed world was stuck with such poor combat mechanics, the central gameplay element outside of the story.”
    • “The actual gameplay is a bit of a slog.”
  • graphics
    159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely criticized for being outdated and often described as "ugly" or "horrible," with many reviewers noting that they resemble early 2000s visuals akin to titles like Fallout 1 and 2. Despite their poor quality, some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and unique art style, suggesting that the graphics do not detract significantly from the overall immersive experience and compelling storytelling. However, technical issues, such as lag and glitches, are common complaints, particularly on modern systems, which can hinder gameplay.

    • “The visuals, while dated, still possess a certain charm.”
    • “If you can overlook the aged graphics and game mechanics, this game is a lot of fun.”
    • “I absolutely love the concept of the game, the story, the lore, and its aesthetics.”
    • “The graphics are extremely outdated, and the game is plagued with graphical issues on Windows 10, making it pretty much unplayable.”
    • “Unfortunately, the graphics were already outdated when it was released.”
    • “The graphics are low standard, even for the time period - it's not the quality itself, it's the design - the game looks not even half-baked, more like 20% baked.”
  • music
    121 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in this game is widely praised for its hauntingly beautiful and atmospheric quality, primarily featuring a string quartet that enhances the immersive steampunk setting. Many players find the soundtrack unforgettable, often evoking nostalgia and strong emotions, although some note that its repetitive nature can become dull over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the best in gaming history, significantly contributing to the game's charm and appeal.

    • “The music of this game has got to be one of the most relaxing sounds I've ever heard.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautiful and moving, and the voice acting is of high quality.”
    • “The music is timeless and unforgettable, perfectly fitting the game's atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack is largely completely performed by a string quartet, a creative choice by Ben Houge that mirrored the asynchronous nature of the conflict between magic and technology in the world of Arcanum - I enjoyed it and found it very fitting for the game.”
    • “Only the soundtrack was a letdown, very bland; I ended up muting the music and playing the 'Twister' soundtrack in the background instead.”
    • “The music is moody and atmospheric, but there isn't a great amount of variety; by the end, you will hear violins when you close your eyes.”
  • stability
    65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that can significantly disrupt gameplay. Many players recommend installing unofficial patches to mitigate these issues, as the game remains quite janky even years after its release. While it can run well on modern systems with the right tweaks, the overall experience is marred by its persistent instability.

    • “Also, it runs great on the Steam Deck.”
    • “Yes, runs great on newer Windows systems.”
    • “After performing a fix found in the Steam guides, the game runs great on Windows 10 and is incredible.”
    • “Arcanum was released in a very buggy state, so you will probably have to install the unofficial patch, which will fix most of the bugs.”
    • “The game is buggy and requires a bunch of patches in order to be playable, but once you've installed them and started playing, it becomes an incredibly satisfying role-playing experience you definitely won't forget.”
    • “This game is buggy to the point that it is unplayable.”
  • replayability
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its extensive character customization options, diverse builds, and multiple endings influenced by player choices and moral alignments. Players can explore various paths through the story, engage with a rich magic and technology system, and experience different outcomes based on their decisions, making each playthrough unique. Overall, the depth of gameplay and variety of choices ensure that players will find significant value in replaying the game.

    • “This openness gives Arcanum remarkable replayability, as different builds reveal new paths through familiar story beats.”
    • “The play between magic and technology, the depth of the characters, and the range of options based on character design makes for potent replay value.”
    • “There are multiple endings depending on the player's actions and alignment, and combined with the widely varied starting race/background, replayability is very high indeed.”
    • “The play between magic and technology, and depth of the characters, and the range of options and what becomes accessible or not based on character design makes for potent replay value.”
    • “There are multiple endings depending on the player's actions and alignment (combine this with the widely varied starting race/background, and replayability is very high indeed).”
    • “Immense replay value due to the sheer amount of variety in quests, locations, followers based on things like your race, gender, abilities, alignment, etc.”
  • humor
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its irreverent and absurd nature, often drawing comparisons to the classic Fallout series. Players appreciate the clever dialogue, unique character interactions, and the comedic potential of low-intelligence builds, which lead to hilarious encounters. While some find the humor enhances the deep storytelling, others note that it can sometimes overshadow the game's more serious themes.

    • “The combat is not the best, but the atmosphere, story, dialogue/humor, and soundtrack are incredible.”
    • “Playing as a character with low intelligence or beauty makes for hilarious encounters.”
    • “The social commentary in the game revolving around gnomes is rather hilarious.”
  • atmosphere
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of Arcanum is widely praised for its rich, immersive world, enhanced by a melancholic soundtrack featuring atmospheric violin and cello music. Players appreciate the game's unique blend of steampunk and fantasy elements, complex storytelling, and memorable characters, which contribute to an unforgettable experience despite some gameplay shortcomings. While some critiques mention a lack of variety in music and certain technical issues, the overall consensus highlights the game's exceptional narrative depth and atmospheric engagement.

    • “Arcanum is imperfect but unforgettable — a sprawling, atmospheric, and intellectually engaging journey that continues to captivate players who value narrative ambition, creative freedom, and richly textured worlds.”
    • “The atmosphere, story, and music were amazing.”
    • “The best thing about this game is the music and atmosphere: it's a really appealing take on Victorian fantasy.”
    • “My recommendation (after more than a hundred hours over two decades): an amazing world that is enthralling, with an atmosphere you will find nowhere else - but the game is not for everyone, even RPG players may not like it, and that is because of some pain points, the old and suboptimal pathfinding and other user interface issues, especially the rather bad version presented here on Steam does carry on what the community already fixed.”
    • “This game has more story and atmosphere in the first quest than most big studio titles these days have in their whole game.”
    • “The atmosphere is tense; everyone is waiting for that final command.”
  • optimization
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization for modern systems is widely criticized, with players reporting significant lag spikes, crashes, and overall poor performance, particularly on Windows 10. While some community patches and mods can improve stability and frame rates, many users still find the game challenging to run smoothly without extensive tweaking. Overall, the lack of native optimization for contemporary hardware detracts from the experience, despite the game's engaging content.

    • “There are a few mods out there that improve the gameplay and performance quite a bit, but I truly do wish there was a bigger presence for modding, or even the possibility of a remaster.”
    • “Note that it's a bit dated and may need some mods installed to run smoothly on newer computers, but that's an easy fix.”
    • “You'll need to download the unofficial Arcanum high resolution patch to get it to run smoothly, but it is an amazing game nonetheless.”
    • “My only complaint is how poorly optimized the game is for modern Windows 10.”
    • “The game suffers from many technical issues that affect its performance and stability.”
    • “Unfortunately, Arcanum was and still is poorly optimized, which only hinders this experience for me.”
  • character development
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and versatility, offering players a wide range of customization options and meaningful choices that impact the storyline and gameplay. The interplay between magic and technology adds complexity, while engaging companions and rich dialogue enhance emotional investment in the characters. Overall, the game provides a robust character development system that encourages replayability and exploration of various roles and moral alignments.

    • “The play between magic and technology, and depth of the characters, and the range of options and what becomes accessible or not based on character design makes for potent replay value.”
    • “The character development depends upon the choices made and the storyline is sufficiently engaging to keep one interested.”
    • “Very few games have ever given you this kind of freedom with character development; want to be a gunslinger battle mage, a flamethrower-wielding thief, or a companion hoarder? Go for it.”
    • “The freedom and versatility of character development in terms of skills, moral alignment, and magical vs technical aptitude seems promising, but it also looks like this game has bitten off more than it can chew.”
    • “Choosing between technology and magic (or trying to balance them) in character development was one of the hardest choices I had to make (maybe ever).”
    • “Very few games have ever given you this kind of freedom with character development; if you want to be a gunslinger battle mage, a flamethrower-wielding thief, or a companion hoarder, go for it.”
  • grinding
    15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, with many players noting that it requires a strong affinity for grind-heavy RPGs. While some suggest that completing quests can provide a preferable alternative to grinding, the overall experience is marred by clunky combat and slow progression, making exploration feel laborious. Despite the potential for enjoyable gameplay through side quests, the grinding process often detracts from the overall enjoyment.

    • “The game can be completed relatively quickly, but doing all the side quests (which requires several playthroughs) is where most of the fun is really at. Leveling in this game is not tedious at all, and with every level, you can feel the difference.”
    • “Grinding in this game is rewarding and engaging, making each session feel meaningful.”
    • “The progression system encourages you to grind, but it never feels like a chore; instead, it enhances the overall experience.”
    • “However, it is unfathomably tedious.”
    • “The combat system is clunky, and exploration can feel tedious without fast travel.”
    • “The limit to what you can do comes down to your skill as a player and the grit you have to suffer through grinding out the low levels before your build becomes anywhere near viable.”
  • emotional
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report a mixed emotional experience with the game, highlighting the potential for deep connections, particularly with companions like the dog, while also noting frustrations with gameplay mechanics that detract from immersion. The narrative's abrupt conclusion leaves some emotional arcs unresolved, and the game's challenging world can evoke a range of feelings, from frustration to profound engagement with its themes. Overall, it presents a complex emotional landscape that resonates differently with each player.

    • “The dog is so good at killing your enemies that you will form an emotional bond with it.”
    • “Arcanum's world is complicated and will constantly test you—physically, mentally, and emotionally.”
    • “Not sure what's happening, but it's already a bigger emotional rollercoaster than Mass Effect.”
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27h Median play time
28h Average play time
5-50h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a role playing game.

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 28 hours playing Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura.

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura was released on August 29, 2016.

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura was developed by Troika Games.

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a single player game.

Similar games include Arcanum: of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, Wizardry 8, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Divine Divinity, Pillars of Eternity and others.