Another struggle with starting and setting up the game reminded me that the old days weren't better. It's not Arx Fatalis' fault, of course.
Older games always remind me that you used to have to think a little harder. What does the game want me to do, and how can I achieve it? The best way is, of course, to try. To be surprised by success or failure, learn and try again. Where else but in the virtual world of games? There, it costs us nothing except time.
When I bought Arx Fatalis, I didn't know it was Arkane Studios' first game. The creators of Dishonored, 2017's Prey, and Deathloop have become one of my favourite development teams. I was really looking forward to trying out their first game. And I got a good few slaps on the face. It took me a while to understand the controls. I only managed to summon the fire spell twice during an hour of play and died a few times. Just a joy. I don't think Arx Fatalis is extremely difficult. It's just that I forgot how the older games had it with communication. They only tell you the essentials, so you must focus and expect to fail. I think Arx Fatalis is still playable after all these years. RPG fans can definitely get into it. Sure. Modern games overshadow it in representation and player interaction, but sometimes, some discomfort can give us memorable experiences.
