Arx Fatalis - Blended RPG Eras @ RPS

Sin Vega published a new retrospective article for Arx Fatalis on Rock, Paper, Shotgun where he writes about how the game blended RPG Eras perfectly in 2002.

Confession time: I don’t like dungeon crawlers. The very name says it all. Why would anyone want to go to the non-sexy kind of dungeon? And crawling – the form of movement reserved for times of serious injury and distress – around a dungeon? It’s a recipe for a dreary, ugly casserole, served by a skeleton archer in a rusty slime-edged prison bucket with a bowl of kamikaze rats.

But then there’s Arx Fatalis, released in 2002 by Arkane Studios. I should hate it. It’s made of brown tunnels echoing with ambient dripping and distant wailing. It’s full of goblins and trolls and spiders and rats. You start in an Easily Escapable Prison, naked, with amnesia. It should bore me rigid, but through some arca… through some recondite formula it turns these uninspiring tropes into an imperfect, but unique and underappreciated brew.

More information.

One of the very few good Ultima Underworld clones!

Loved it… great atmosphere. Very underrated game imo.

Agreed. I can recommend it wholeheartedly. Atmosphere was top notch.

Fantastic game.

Kinda makes me want to reinstall. Kinda. The rune drawing thing and the leap you had to take with your attributes were too irritating IMO.

Loved making swirly rune patterns in the air, another blast from the past.

I loved it. It was the closest so far to an Ultima Underworld sequel, though I have high hopes for Underworld Ascendant which is supposed to have their kickstarter campaign launch next week.

I haven't played yet, but doesn't Grimrock scratch the Ultima Underworld itch pretty well?

Originally Posted by Ripper
I haven't played yet, but doesn't Grimrock scratch the Ultima Underworld itch pretty well?

Grimrock would more closely resemble Dungeon Master or Eye of the Beholder than UU or Arx.

I liked Arx Fatalis but the major issue for me is that the city of Arx is almost devoid of people. The rest of the game too but empty tunnels are not as surprising as an empty city and ultimately because of this human emptiness the experience lacked realism and drive. There are streets, buildings, guards, a royal court, etc, but almost nobody to live in there and interact with. I guess I don't have to develop too much why this is a misopportunity to make a way better game and avoid the situation where you'r on your own to save an empty world :::
Ultimately with a bit of extra dev effort on NPCs it could have been a much better game and avoid this unrealistic ridiculous setting.
Still a great atmosphere and feeling of exploration. Some parts like the crypt of Arx or the vilain's lair are cool. Pure dungeon crawl with little to expect from the story.

Originally Posted by Ripper
I haven't played yet, but doesn't Grimrock scratch the Ultima Underworld itch pretty well?

Very different game from Arx … loved that game, enough to troubleshoot that one stupid jump forever.

Originally Posted by Xian
Grimrock would more closely resemble Dungeon Master or Eye of the Beholder than UU or Arx.

Is the primary difference the free movement vs moving in a fixed grid?

Originally Posted by Ripper
Is the primary difference the free movement vs moving in a fixed grid?

The movement would be most noticeable primary difference, but there are several others.

While Arx had some puzzles, Grimrock had a substantial amount more as well as a lot more of the find-the-key situations

The magic system in Arx was based on drawing the runes in the air with the mouse, where in Grimrock it was just clicking on the runes or combination of runes.

Grimrock was a lot more linear, the main objective was to find the way to go down to the next dungeon level. Arx was a lot more open. I have only played a little of Grimrock 2, but it seems more open than the first.

Arx often had more than a single way to complete a task, you might be able to avoid combat by conversation for example.

Good info, thanks.

Originally Posted by Sacred_Path
Kinda makes me want to reinstall. Kinda. The rune drawing thing and the leap you had to take with your attributes were too irritating IMO.

Agree, the rune drawing put me off the game. IIRC I quite the game after I got stuck in an enclosed (mandatory) area where I needed magic to escape

arx fatalis is a great game, really enjoyed it back in the day!

if you love dungeons, you owe it to yourself to play it!

Those looking to play this there is an unofficial patch out there that ups the graphics…I remember using it.
http://arx-libertatis.org/

That game engine update was mandatory for me. It made impossible rune casting possible. Highly recommended.

Arx Fatalis will always hold a special place in my heart. Arx, Morrowind, and Kotor were the first RPGs I ever played and came out at relatively the same time. These 3 games were responsible for getting me interested in the genre.

I am greatly annoyed that this sub-genre of "first-person simulated worlds" has not been built on since the days of Deus Ex, Thief, System Shock, Ultima Underworld, and Arx Fatalis. I remember thinking after playing Arx for the first time about just how far the concept could be taken as technology improved. Instead, the few successors in this sub-genre have focused entirely on presentation rather than interaction. Those little touches in these games that made you feel like you were *there* have largely been abandoned.

On the bright side, at least Arkane is still around and healthy! I really enjoy Dishonored and look forward to the sequel immensely, but I also hope for a "spiritual successor" from Arkane themselves one day.