Arx Fatalis

I'm Amo Xingar

Despite its design flaws (laborious menu switching, poor rune tracing, messy journal), Arx Fatalis nails a few key elements which make it good for several playthroughs. The atmosphere is top notch, with level and sound design which are sure to immerse you into the claustrophobic nature of the game world as well as convey a sense of isolation. What little crafting the game has is simple and satisfying. Environment reactivity is very good and character building is fairly straightforward. The story is a bit simple but I enjoyed it nonetheless due to the protagonist's unique nature.

Yeah, this is Ultima Underworld 3. Not the setting, of course, but they've got a nice world of their own here surrounded by mystery with an excellent atmosphere.

The biggest flaw is the low number of precast spells you can have. The sign-based system means that you then have to navigate the environment without the mouse since that is used to draw signs, so you end up with what is comparable to sorting the inventory in System Shock 2 while being chased down by zombies through the crew quarters. Somehow, that is still mostly a problem early on.

Arx is pretty slow and some people will have a better time with Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. Still as janky, but basically the action-version of this (and commonly known as THE kicking-people-off-ledges-simulator). That one might also interest Dishonored-fans, playing like some proto-Dishonored (medieval-edition).

But man, Arx - it's just cozy.

Very fun RPG. The story is fun, the exploration is fun, inventory is great.

While the magic system is interesting, it is an absolute pain in the a** to cast spells. You have to do so by drawing the runes with your mouse but 8/10 times the game doesn't want to recognise the rune you're drawing or just assumes you're drawing a different rune altogether which makes casting a single spell sometimes take a whole damn minute.

But that's really my only gripe with the game, with the exception of your first encounter with the Ylsides. These are powerful enemies with very tough armour and melee resistance. However, when your first encounter them you might as well just focus on stealth and skip their combat as much as you can. When I met one, I fired 3 fireballs at him, and he didn't die (despite many guides telling me that Ylsides die to 2-3 fireballs) and absolutely demolished me. I tried various spell combinations including incinerate, fire field, paralyse, and so forth and nothing would kill the damn guy so I resorted to stealth.

Would I recommend the game? Yes, absolutely. But get yourself a mod to make the spell casting to be workable most of the time rather than not. And brace yourself for the Ylsides because they're the game's biggest pain and the difficulty spike once you encounter them is immense.

This game is awesome. Combat is a little janky to but you quickly get used to it. Very cool premise, very cool creatures, and a unique setting. Highly recommend!

Great game that has some really bad bugs even with the basically required Arx Libertatis fan fix. The game has an active but small modding scene so I have around twice to three times the play-time since the mods are separate exes not registered by steam.

The breadth of small things you can do make the game for me, the alchemy system while basic is fun to use, the magic is neat but a little buggy and arduous sometimes, the melee is simple but fun, lore is fascinating and story is really cool, and voice acting is a combination of funny and professional. I honestly just wish the areas were a little bigger and more intricately designed. Almost the perfect immersive dungeon crawler.

Lots of content was cut or unused (a little of which is re-implemented using mods but nothing major), it's very much a repurposed Ultima Underworld script retooled in a really really cool way.

If you like dungeon crawlers or immersive sims, it's worth a look, one of my favourite games ever so I'm definitely bias.

the way the player can interact with the enviroment is so fun, especially when you cook da bread :))

Amazing game. Lots of jank, save often. Classic dungeon crawler with some cool mechanics. Movement is clunky but combat is moderately rich. Good mix of melee and magic throughout the game. Radiant world adds a lot, but quest progression may be difficult without a guide. Guides are available online. Old school cool dungeon crawler with proper integrated puzzles and traps. And rats.

Cool lore, style, puzzles, magic system, secrets, and more. Surprisingly fun.

There's so much to discuss about this game - good and bad. I'll start with what I liked.

The atmosphere of Arx Fatalis is palpable. Similar to its contemporary, Thief, there's layers of ambient sound, NPC chatter, primative 3D environments, and an air of mystery that makes the world unforgettable. The story is decent and the gameplay, while not groundbreaking, serves to carry the player through some cool dungeons and situations. The magic system, specifically, is very immersive. I found myself slowly memorizing spell sigils as I progressed, sticking to a few basics and at times fumbling over them in the heat of the moment. Excellent!

Now for the bad. This game is obtuse - not a sole sin of Arx but generally of games at this time. There is no hand holding, which is great, but several things get in the way. For one, you walk pretty slowly with no real option to run except a speed spell I never found. This was such a problem that I relied on a weird glitch where if you press F5 to quick save while moving forward, the player zooms across the map. Helpful, but very odd.

Ultimately, I needed a walkthrough for several areas. There were puzzles and areas I never would have figured out on my own. I'm not the best at puzzles to begin with, but still, it was rough.

Did I like this game. Honestly, I loved it. The old-school 3D environments, the excellent ambiance. the odd bits of humor, the constant surprises as I realize the developers add lots of things to find (including cutscenes and hidden instances most probably will never see)... this was such a fun game to play through.

If you like older RPGs or even games like Tomb Raider or Thief which have this totally unique style of the late 90s/00s, check out Arx Fatalis. It's blemishes are far outweighed by its charm.

Reviewing every game I've played in my Steam Library. Game 6.

A classic, great atmosphere and story, very interesting magic system, some builds are harder than others to get through the game.

Also features cooking and crafting.

You need some mods and stuff to make it more playable. (this is why my play time is low)

Haven't finished it.

This game is in need of a remake.

Unfortunately, the game just... isn't very good, like at all, despite the intriguing mystery premise to lure you in right at the start. The UI is clunky and unituitive for a first person immersive sim and your flow is constantly interrupted by having to stop and navigate through the menus; you have to waste time backtracking constantly for every little thing; and the magic system is too much of a hassle to be useful in combat. I actually couldn't even get it to work at all despite drawing out the patterns correctly. No, this thing just wasn't fun at all, and was basically a waste of my time. A shame too, because I would have liked to know more about the story, but even that couldn't keep me going to suffer through the mediocre gameplay. And if the game isn't fun, then why bother at all in this day and age?

Don't bother wasting your money on this. What you should do is go buy Dark Messiah of Might & Magic instead, which is also by Arkane, but this time they are far more experienced and made a game that actually has fast-paced and chaotic combat, thanks entirely to the marvelous source engine and the sheer God-like physics that allows developers to utilize and players to play around with. In fact, that game makes this game completely obsolete because it's basically what Arkane wanted to do in the first place but couldn't because the technology just wasn't entirely good enough yet. You'll have far more fun with that than you could ever hope to have with this. Let this game succumb to the dark recesses of the underground where it now belongs.

A very old and at times clunky game, but great nonetheless. I recommend installing the Arx Libertatis mod to minimize graphical glitches and add some QOL updates to the game.

Incredibly addictive and gripping old school RPG. If you like something like Morrowind this is a must play.

The game doesn't bother holding your hand and requires patience to get over the initial learning curve but is so satisfying to grind through once you get going.

This is easily in my top 5 games ever. The sun has gone dark and the world's population had to go underground to escape the cold. It's an amnesia memory recovery plot set in a particularly large cave network full of fantasy monsters. The gimmick is novel -- learn base rune words and use the mouse to draw them out in sequence to make spell words. It's the only game I can think of where if you, as a player not a character, are adept at the magic system (rune identification, not meta knowledge), your anticipation of the rune words can actually make a significant difference on the outcome of a fight. It's a lot of investigation, problem solving, puzzles, and RPG generally, and every few years when I get the urge to play it I'm left with feelings and a desperate wish that there was more. Be sure to download the Arx Libertatis mod which cleans up some of the rough edges and modernizes the system settings.

TL:DR; This game is great, totally worth the price, download Arx LIbertas (it isn't a virus), disable Alpha Cutout AA (It crashes the game)

Arx Fatalis is a game that does nearly everything right! While that may sound off-putting at first, I mean this in the best way possible. I enjoyed nearly every minute I had exploring the world of Arx and its 8 levels. The world was incredibly interesting, the gameplay is phenomenal, exploration is engaging, and the magic system has got to be one of the most ingenious implementations of magic I have ever seen in a game before. This game is certainly worth your time and pennies (I got this game for less than two dollars, lol).

However, I said it does NEARLY everything right. What it gets wrong, it gets quite wrong. My complaint mostly boils down to the fact that its super easy to play this game out of order, which can render the game nearly impossible without a guide. For me, I accidentally killed the snake ladies who tell you about how to enchant the greatest weapon, which could have bricked my game if I didn't resort to the internet. There's a lot of these moments, such as not being told you have to go to the crypt, or not being told about the key ring (which is VITAL for maintaining sanity). Also, the final boss SUCKS and is perhaps the worst final boss I've ever fought (probably an exaggeration). While this is annoying, it is par for the course for older games, so just don't be afraid to crack out a guide once you get lost on the eighth level before you're even sent there.

I would note that, to have the best experience, you must download the free program Arx Libertas, which dramatically enhances the game (the machine says its a virus, but it isn't). Also, disable Alpha Cutout AA. That was crashing my game on load.

Shows its age but a very good game and it's easy to see why Arkane has gotten as much renown as it has.

Weird game that I played in my early teenage years. Pretty cool how you can interact with the world. The magic system is neat also

Incredible game. Has been my favorite for 15 years. Incredibly thoughtful gameplay and story line, with surprising complications. Get past the graphics, and you are in for one of the best play throughs ever.

This was a surprisingly fun game for being lumped into a bundle for practically free. id highly recommend giving it a try to anyone who loves the classics!

With the Arx Libertatis Mod, this game feels amazing to play, despite being an early 2000 game!
The dark fantasy atmosphere is perfect, the inventory management is also great and the spellcasting is very unique, as you have to 'write' runes in the air.
I wish there were more games like this or Dark Messiah nowadays.

I like old games. While this one isn't that, it has not aged well at all, unfortunately.

So far the game has held up really well. I haven't had to look anything up really, which is unusual for old games (unusual in a good way). I've been playing with the Arx Liberatus mod which fixes spell casting.

Peak.

Classic

ok so apparently this game falls into 2 categories:

really enjoyable with slight problems.

or

nearly unplayable buggy mess.

for me, it was the first one for the first 2 thirds, and the last one for the last third. you could do worse for 5 bucks for sure but i have to say that its infuriating beyond believe not to be able to finish the game. add that to the fact that some enemys just...wont die, or 1tap you if they feel like it, i was this close to give a thumbs down. its low price is the only reason it gets my upvote because as mentioned above...you could do alot worse for 5 bucks.

Play it with Arx Libertatis and if you liked the Thief games, you will love this one!

Really good, old school game for rpg lovers, which you can completly fuck up by loosing one of the items or killing wrong npc's. Play with Arx Libertatis mod, in case of loosing or selling key items, you can at least cheat them into existance without replaying 5 hours of the games.

Rating(s):

Game:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (5/5) stars

Technical/port:
★★☆☆☆ (2/5) stars

Review:
Arx Fatalis goes down as my favorite IP from Arkane. It is better than dishonored, prey, you name it. This was my favorite Arkane experience for a few reasons:
The world of Arx Fatalis is unmatched, in the time this was made the atmosphere and immersive world built is just impressive. The story stands the test, never feeling like it is dragging on and always keeping the puzzles interesting. The characters are genuine and the story really captivates. Combat, more specifically spell casting will go down as my favorite spell cast system in gaming. It is unique, unmatched and highly enjoyable.
The game just feels great and it is great, but its age shows and the technical port is very bad.
I enjoyed the game so much I felt I had to separate the game from the port. The game needs a mod called "Arx Libertatis" likely before you even play it for functionality, even then a tremendous amount of frustrating bugs are present. Most cinematic cutscenes leave you stuck and clipping into the terrain upon exit. Loot items can disappear and clip through the map. Many graphical and hitzone areas are inconsistent. npc AI can sometimes corner you and force a save roll, etc. The technical and port problems of this game are extensive, but it is worth the ache for this game. you will love it.

unplayable mess, shame

Unique magic system, crazy depth in level design, and extremely immersive with all the different things you can do. Fishing, alchemy, feeding rats cheese, cooking meat at a campfire, mining, digging, and much more. The game is filled with interesting content to do and I enjoyed the unique floor design and hidden locations scattered throughout the map.

The puzzles can be a bit jarring and the game doesn't always do a very good job of explaining things which is often where most people might struggle. There is a lot of guides and a manual in steam I'd suggest looking through them if you are stuck or not sure what to do. The game is finicky it can break easily. Always have a Arx Libertatis installed and Save often these two things will dramatically improve your experience.

The magic is the biggest draw of the game. It is very difficult to get used to the controls and the magic system in general. However, once you do it feels immensely satisfying. Learning how to store pre-casted spells and memorizing the runes to cast spells mid combat. There was even hidden spells I accidentally discovered when messing around with magic early on that don't appear in your spellbook.

It's a 9/10 game to me and I personally think it's the best game Arkane studios has ever created. If you are looking for an amazing immersive sim I'd recommend Arx Fatalis/Arx Libertatis strongly.

Honestly not a bad rpg and for someone whose has mild arachnophobia the spiders are creepy and not too terrifying to look at. I'd say the only "real" trying thing in the game from my perspective is casting magic either that or i just suck. You might like this if you've played Dark Messiah of Might and Magic but at the same time i literally have nothin else to compare this game too. also funny thing they have a charge attack attion to hit harder and it reminded me back in my days of playing java minecraft

O Arcane Studios em 2002 fazia mais do que a Ubisoft faz hoje em dia

Pra falar bem a verdade, fazia mais do que a Bethesda Game Studios faz hoje em dia

Crazy this game came out in 2002

This game is pretty sick, very cool atmosphere and theme. The magic system is fun drawing rune signs and storing up to 3 premade spells for quick casting. Your stats are based on essentially DnD systems. Armor Class, damage rolls etc.

---Download the Arx Libertatis mod--- it updates the game engine

lowkey peak

Game Of The Year

This game crashed 16 times within the first 5 minutes.

This game doesnt like the resolution 1920x1080 (it OVER-stretched the screen so i couldnt reached the "okay" button to change it back).

This game's current state is to unstable and 99% of the times hates its player trying to cast a spell.


Good news about it is:
It was 1,64€ and its fixable,

https://arx-libertatis.org/download

Now it works.

Game is wildly good for 22 year old game, definetly a hidden gem!

This game feels like being immersed in an 80's adventure/fantasy movie. It is a journey and the story is so fun.

I played this game on my father's laptop 20 years ago... I was 11.
Magic system is really good, so is the story and the atmosphere.

Runs perfectly on linux mint 22 with proton.

homeless cave peasant: I CAST CHAOS!! (Braapps out a supernova, taking out the entire human kingdom)

20 year old game has the best RPG magic system of all time

A game older than me is better than most games I've played in my lifetime

Warning: The Steam build of the game is unstable, crashing every 20 minutes—this desperately needs a patch.

This Arkane Studios’ 2002 RPG, draws heavy inspiration from Ultima Underworld, immersing players in a dark, underground world where civilization has retreated from a frozen surface. Its standout feature remains the spellcasting system, where players trace runes in the air to cast magic, adding a tactile, immersive touch.

The game’s freedom in exploration and problem-solving, from baking bread to picking locks, foreshadows Arkane’s later hits like Dishonored and Prey. Yet, for all its brilliance, Arx Fatalis is far from perfect. The combat can feel clunky, and the difficulty spikes erratically. Its narrative, while intriguing, sometimes gets bogged down in pacing issues. The game may not have reached the heights of mainstream RPGs like The Elder Scrolls, but for those who crave a deep dive into the arcane, it offers a uniquely immersive experience.

Two decades later, it still casts a long, mysterious shadow, stands as a visionary gem, worth revisiting for fans of immersive, atmospheric RPGs.

super cool and immersive

An absolute must-play if you like dungeon crawlers or immersive sims. Make sure to get the Libertatis mod, because otherwise spellcasting just don't work.

A rare gem. I wish there were more like it.
My play time looks low...because I've finished it a couple times before everything was on steam.

In Arx Fatalis you play as wiznerd named Arm Shagger or something like that. Fun game, shame you have to get a mod that makes the spellcasting feel less like playing Operation with parkinsons.

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Decent

Summary