One of the greatest RPG:s ever!
It is truly a shame Arcanum never got the attention and appretiation it deserved. Falling in the shadow of more superficial and popular games, it wasn't a cash cow - but MAN, it was good! I count Arcanum and Baldur's Gate 2 as the two sole masterpieces in PC role playing games ever. This game had such a great story and the feeling, dialogues and plot twists - it was all the work of some strange genius. The thought to mix technology and magic is very interesting, but what makes it really interesting is the way the balance is portayed, and all the made-up history leading to the situation of the game. Most RPG:s are attached to some kind of larger world (like Forgotten Realms), where politics, economy and geography is existant - but only in the background. Sometimes you find books in libraries, telling stories of the outside world, but these games always brushes ONLY things relevant to the story. That gives an isolated impression; you don't feel part of a larger whole.
In Arcanum, the world comes alive. It is truly one of the LEAST linear games ever made. You can do tons of stuff, and you can choose not to do even more stuff. There are many different game endings and different ways to get there. The quests is DYNAMIC - you can choose several ways to accomplish what you want. Many RPG:s have two or three ways to accomplish a quest, and maybe two ways the quest can end. In arcanum, the possibilies are more plentiful and the quests affect each other more realistically. Power-gaming becomes pointless and rooe playing can blossom! And the story... my god, the story... oh nevermind. It's a great game!
Oh, and sorry for my poor english. 'Tis not my native language.