Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is a 2001 role-playing game developed by Troika Games, founded by former designers of Fallout, and set in an inventive world where Victorian-era industrial technology and traditional fantasy magic coexist in deliberate, uneasy tension.
Players create a character of various races who can specialize anywhere along a spectrum from arcane spellcasting to mechanical tinkering and gunsmithing, two forces that actively interfere with one another so that a powerful mage disrupts nearby machines and vice versa, and then explore a richly detailed steampunk continent full of branching quests and multiple solutions to nearly every problem. Its deep, flexible character system, reactive storytelling that accounts for traits like intelligence and reputation, and unusual genre-mixing setting gave it a distinctive identity.
Rough around the edges and buggy at release, it nonetheless earned lasting admiration for its ambition, writing, and remarkable freedom of choice, becoming a cult favorite among RPG enthusiasts. It remains available on digital storefronts, keeping this imaginative classic accessible to curious players today.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disco Elysium Indie | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac |
| Pathfinder: Kingmaker | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, Mac, Linux |
| Wasteland 3 | € 39,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, Mac |
Disco Elysium Indie
€ 39,99An indie RPG of unmatched writing and character-driven investigation.
Disco Elysium runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker
€ 39,99A sprawling isometric RPG with meaningful builds and choices.
Pathfinder: Kingmaker runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Wasteland 3
€ 39,99A tactical party RPG with heavy reactivity and dark humor.
Wasteland 3 runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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