Arcanum is a HUGE world. Imagine a H.G. Well–ian universe, with zeppelins and flying craft, as well as a generous helping of magic. Although there were many portions of the game that need additional game play balancing, there is no question that the game’s vastness could leave many to wonder why such extensive travel is required in order to complete various questions and missions. The team at Troika have done gamers a great service by including a waypoint method of movement — simply open the map, select the location where you wish your character to travel, and then activate the waypoint button. Then off you go, merrily on your way, with the only intrusion being the necessity to "hand–move" over some form of geographic impediment. What a marvelous time–saver!

So Arcanum goes, as with any good RPG, the reward comes with the ability, over time, to forge a character who is successful. With Arcanum, you may select your character from many who are pre–conceived, or you may create your own persona. Preferring the latter, there are a number of stats you may acquire, but all must be purchased through the use of "character points".

You must first determine which race your character will be — ranging from the middle–of–the–road human, to elf or dwarf, or others. You then select a character portrait and your character’s name before entering your persona’s basic ability sets. All acquisitions at this juncture are through the careful use of character points, which are rather hard to come by. So don’t anticipate an abundance of starting points that will create a character who can overcome various obstacles and win easily. This simply doesn’t occur. And, an intelligent addition to this title is your ability to determine your character’s history. Perhaps your background includes the fact that, although you are human, one set of your parents were goblins. Or maybe your father owned a store, or you were hurt in an accident in a laboratory. Although not working in this demo version, such backgrounders will also modify your character.

When you begin the game and name and identify the character you wish to create, you have three extra character points available for increasing some aspect of your persona’s abilities. Highly recommended is consideration for strength and dexterity, as there are a number of hostile encounters when you begin the game. Therefore, it’s most important that you strive to fight and survive. There are a number of areas where you may spend your three points, after the broader character attributes are determined. Other than strength and dexterity, you should consider constitution, beauty, intelligence, perception, willpower and charisma. You should also consider intelligence, for this characteristic plays an important role in spells and technological skills. However, as you only have three points to spend, and since you have now used two on strength and dexterity, I recommend that you save your remaining point for when you enter the skills arena. Additionally, let us not forget that the race you select will determine your base points for your attributes — a human does not possess as many technological skills as a dwarf, or magic skills as an elf, however the dwarves and elves suffer in other areas such as dexterity.

There are all manner of skills to choose, but as I am a true fan of ranged combat, the bow skills were most important to me, which is another reason for adding to your initial dexterity assignment when you create your character. Throughout the game, as you complete missions of daring–do, and annihilate those who would prefer to see you prostrate and not breathing, you gain more points that can be added to various skills. In fact, you’ll meet some folk to whom you can serve as an apprentice and, for a sum of money, you can increase a certain skill point (such as guards, to whom you can apprentice for melee training). I believe another enormously important skill is Heal, which requires intelligence. After a few hours in this game, I learned that Heal could quite easily become your most important skill — the enemy is not kind to "newbies".

Other skills include Dodge, Throwing, Concealment, Gambling, Haggle, Repair, Persuasion, Spot Trap, Arm Trap, Pick Lock and more. No matter what skill you select, you’ll begin in the Untrained rank of that skill. You can them move forward to Apprentice, Expert and Master, although the latter usually requires you travel to some destination or other to find someone who can offer you training. When you reach level or rank five in your skill, you are then qualified to seek out Master training. Until then, you’ll just have to suffer through the training and do the best you can.

There is an abundance of non player character (NPC) bartering possible, the ability to take on quests, and you’ll also garner followers. Some will genuinely wish to be with you, others may have to join you because you completed a specific quest successfully — or perhaps you even used a summoning spell!

To converse with major and minor NPCs you first encounter the other party and then select them with your mouse. You are then offered a number of opening statements, to which the NPC replies, all of which is done with the dialogue text on the screen. You then select one of several responses to the NPC’s statement such as asking questions, demanding things, making statements and so on. In this way you glean information about your world, quests, other NPCS, and make headway as you unravel Arcanum’s mysteries. There are thousands of these encounters, and your response affects the way the game unravels. An in–game journal is offered and careful notetaking should be a consideration. This is because you may forget a conversation you had earlier in the game with helpful information that you may need later in the game.

The element that seems to have Arcanum headed on the path to great gaming is the fact that the storyline is unique. Here you have a combination of technology and magic, and you may straddle both paths as you rumble through the various lands. The distrust that Mages have for technology creates a volatile world with you caught somewhere between, within, above or below the areas of your character’s suite. Additionally, when combat arrives, you may select to participate in either real–time or in turn–based mode. The former is fine for folk whose manual dexterity can blind onlookers, but for those of us somewhat slower with the I/O devices and occassionally more thought–filled, the latter is a true convenience.

There was, in my opinion, far too much "conversation" early in the game between my character and the first, true NPC that I encountered. This slows game play, especially with hungry wolves running amok, and the information that is (or really isn’t) delivered could be revealed in a far faster and more interesting manner. Also, I highly recommend that gamers avoid the wolf’s lair that is northeast of the crash site! You need better stats than those for you to start the game with in order to win through all of those hungry beasts, that is for certain! The game is also rather dark. Lighting is a problem, especially at night, and even with a lantern in hand, it’s often impossible to traverse village streets due to visibility problems. A good dose of Gamma adjustment will help here!

Although I know it is too early to rate Arcanum as an O.K., good, or great game, the experiences that I had would certainly cause me to lean toward the latter. The title has a true RPG feel with elements of fantasy and surprisingly interesting NPCs and quests. We will be sure to provide more information and considerations as this game progresses toward completion. To learn of the game’s progress and other new information as such is released, I recommend you visit the game’s website.