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Arcania - RPG Codex Hates Arcania

by Gorath, 2010-10-25 14:50:00

RPG Codex found out how enjoyable Arcania is for the classic RPGer.

While playing Arcania, I was wondering if I could find a single word that would describe this game fully, and with which I could open this very review. In the end, I was stuck between three words and couldn't pick the one that would feel the most spot on.
 
These words were 'obnoxious', 'shameless' and 'insulting'.

... and more ...

                  The great brain robbery.

Even barely after launching the game and accessing the options menu, we suddenly realise that something seems very, very wrong. Thanks to the 'interface elements', you can make this game 100% idiot-friendly. [...]

... and more ...

That's right. The whole game is, basically, a linear progression through a handful of extremely small and hideously closed areas. Each time you want to advance from one section to another, you have to do all main quest-related tasks to remove the obstacles that block your path. These obstacles often feel half-arsed and could have been easily omitted, but alas. [...]

... and more ...

Let's just skip the introductions and say the important thing right away: the combat sucks. It sucks a lot. It's a travesty that someone gave the green light to something this horrible. Everything about the combat just boils down to clicking the enemy to death. No precise timing needed, nothing. Just click the left mouse button to win. [...]

... and finally, much later ...

               I just couldn't make this stuff up.

This game is just insanely bad. Really. I know it often seems far-fetched to call something 'worse than Oblivion', but I think this game has done it. It managed to set a new low. There is nothing good about it. Absolutely nothing.  Non-existent exploration, mindless combat and dumb story and quests are nothing that anyone in his right mind would ever consider 'good'. At least Oblivion had some pretty sightseeing, some sort of non-combat gameplay and character customization and you couldn't just steal everything in sight without repercussions. And this? This game wouldn't be worth your money even if it shipped with booze and hookers. Yes, it's that bad.

Worse than Oblivion? Okay, maybe. But the last part sounds slightly exaggerated.

Information about

Arcania

SP/MP: Single-player
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: Action-RPG
Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release: Released


Details