Arx Fatalis [Original Xbox]

A complete and literal Dark Age has fallen upon the inhabitants of planet Earth: abandoned, the nurturing warmth from the star that birthed these helpless creatures now ceases to exist. The majesty of blue skies have faded and the once prismatic green fields have frozen, making the caves beneath the surface a home of last resorts.

Moreover, as if to deliver a final punishment, an incredible evil has traversed the cosmos and has cast its ravenous eye upon the weak. Akbaa, the timeless seeker of all knowledge across the universe, is hungry for humans. Only Am Shaegar, or "He Who Has No Name," can save what remains of the living….

The Challenge? Complete Normal Difficulty on Arx Fatalis.

Is this a worthy Challenge? Let's find out.

Gameplay

Before the advent of video games, roleplaying adventures occurred on tabletops. Technology soon advanced and digital developers were challenged to utilize those same RPG mechanics through a handheld controller medium. From combat hit ratios to enemy spawn rates, the well honed formulas of yore entered the cathode-ray tube televisions.

Arx Fatalis has a genuinely unique user interface that supports both equipment navigation and spell casting during active gameplay. Unlike most games of the genre, this style may be the only worthwhile alternative to pausing entirely; albeit Arx Fatalis is uniquely cumbersome in this manner as well, especially while in combat.

Indeed, in life, there are no pause buttons and it is nevertheless immersive to be wary of ones surroundings when organizing inventories… these decrepit tunnels are treacherous and care not for one's productivity.

Within the context of this active menu system, the standard method of casting magic is both rewarding and tiresome.

Spell commands must be memorized much like special combat moves in the fighting game Mortal Kombat I. Unfortunately, in both examples, this format suffers from an inherent flaw: memorization.

Players must play Arx Fatilis frequently, or else spell button combinations are soon forgotten. And then, a likely death. To further the cross-genre comparison, attempting Very Hard Mode on Mortal Kombat demands such practice. Alternatively, the more worthwhile fighting game Primal Rage may be conquered on Level 10 Difficulty without committing keypad directions to memory. Sadly, Arx Fatalis follows the path of the former rather than the later in this respect.

This active gameplay casting is called Arcade Magic and can technically be disabled. Although perhaps a minor nuisance at times, Arcade Magic is a fundamental aspect of Arx Fatalis that should nevertheless be experienced. It is important to note that turning off Arcade Magic merely makes the game simpler, not necessarily easier. With or without that setting, tough battles remain tough.

Leveling in Arx Fatalis is straight-forward and, according to the manual, players "receive experience points as a reward for actions, combats and achievements."

With only a mere 10 Levels to gain, improving character attributes are infrequent and subsequently unreliable. For example, investing only in strength isn't sufficient when distributing attribute points, especially on Normal Difficulty. Before realizing that magic is a necessity, the unsuspecting player may very well be too high of a level already to redirect the course of character development. In RPGDot's brief review of Arx Fatalis, this innocence may be represented by the below statement:

There's also the spell-slinging mechanics, which don't go well with warriors. You'd have to mix and match rune types that you find in-game. These would give you certain spells to work with. It's all fine until the time comes to unleash your spell. You see, you'd have to draw the runes in the air in order to get it off. This done at the heat of combat will reduce you to a nervous wreck. Good thing I'm a warrior.

Perhaps the author discovered an effective warrior strategy and Lord Rigor has not. Or, perhaps this statement is from an easy mode perspective. Regardless, this predicament demands Arx Fatalis to have a well-balanced combat system. And then the Difficulty must be evaluated accordingly.

Normal Difficulty

At its core, role-playing games should allow players to choose their own role without barriers. Following a unique and custom path to success is a rewarding cornerstone to the genre. For Him, Lord Rigor shall always be drawn to the reputation earned from fierce hand-to-hand combat. Magic is often secondary and supports the noble warrior's quest for ultimate physical power.

Strength-focused players in Arx Fatalis are inevitably forced to scramble around enemies. Achieved through the active combat menu, using potions and scrolls slightly offsets any magical limitations. Meaningful menu organization of these items is critical prior to Challenging the Hardest enemies. Despite not exhibiting a formally defined Hard Mode, Arx Fatalis on Normal Difficulty is nevertheless a Difficult Crusade.

Consider the Demon stalking within the dreaded Temple of Akbaa... this ferocious creature will wholly decimate an unprepared Am Shaegar. Confidence in fulfilling the prophecy becomes questionable.

Spelunking the Hard decaying world of Arx Fatalis is immersive, especially as Akbaa's infinite wisdom becomes more understood. Why save the dying kingdom of Arx when in the presence of such wicked majesty?

According to texts found in the deepest dungeons, it is a worthwhile proposition. Many already worship Akbaa, aside from decapitated lute players:

From the manual, "in easy mode, your opponents will be weaker, and thus easier to defeat." In turn, opponents in Normal Difficulty are stronger, and Harder to defeat. Again, for those following the warrior's path, the Challenge is incredibly Difficult; but, for painfully unbalanced reasons related to magic.

This is exemplified through the Ylside juggernaut, an absolute abomination of an enemy that hosts incredible speed and physical defense. Towards the end of the story line, Arx Fatalis reaches the pinnacle of debilitation: facing two Ylsides...

With enough health potions, dueling a single Ylside is feasible on Normal Difficulty. Additional scrolls such as Paralyze and Slow provides the much needed breathing room from these swift demigods of destruction. Indeed, Akbaa and his disciples will consume the unwary warrior who has not preserved enough items for these deadly encounters.

Am Shaegar, "He Who Has No Name," has prepared as much as possible for this final moment. His journey through the limitless caverns below Earth has led Him to the large wooden double-doors of His enemy's underground fortress.

Equipment, readily accessible.

Few spells, memorized by heart.

It is time to Challenge the gods themselves.

Standing in front of the foreboding entryway into the main keep, hesitation. Am Shaegar realizes that He used His only Immobilize scroll in His last Ylside encounter. He begins adjusting His spells again, but the door is thrust open!

He instinctively raises His tall shield to protect Himself from the onslaught. Health suffers immediately as His defenses falter under the profound dexterity of the two Ylside war lords. His own jumping agility provides an important spare moment to cast Harm. Enemy momentum rages against this harmful barrier while He rapidly casts another spell to weaken one's heavy armor.

With these necessary magics slung, clarity overcomes Am Shaegar and His bejeweled long-sword clashes in defiance! His perspective opens and, with the entire might of His very being, inflicts double damage on His main target to bring its health to half. The pair does not falter and a different understanding overwhelms Him: He is going to die. Under this truly dire circumstance, He continues trying to focus on the less armored Ylside whilst simultaneously attempting to shield the other's war axe. In his death throes, He performs a desperate healing spell but only manages to cast a single rune before the end.

Am Shaegar, the only hope for saving planet Earth from an infinite darkness, fails. His unrecognizable corpse is cast aside and left to rot unceremoniously in Akbaa's catacombs. The Ysildes lick their minor wounds and return to guarding these unholy halls. Time to move on from these desolate grounds.

Lord Rigor, the Hard Mode Crusader from Kingdom Under Fire and esteemed 100 Difficulty wanderer of Morrowind, suffers defeat on Normal Difficulty in Arx Fatalis. A compilation of those deaths may be witnessed below:

Conclusion

Is this a worthy Challenge? No.

Due to the linear nature of the Arx Fatalis storyline, there isn't a straightforward method to train for the Hardest battles in the game on Normal Difficulty. Few enemies respawn across layered dungeons of mud, and side quests are rare. It is too tiresome to wander and re-wander through the darkness in vain attempt to increase one's level. Grinding for experience is a delicate subject in any video game and is simply not realistic in this setting.

As such, the original inhabitants of planet Earth ultimately failed to adapt in multiple ways. Unwilling to admit defeat, their retreat underground merely prolonged their suffering. When the sun was lost, they fled. When evil arrived, their hero died a predictable death. The great and glorious Akbaa, victorious yet again, now moves on to the next planet. For He, the source of knowledge across the universe and all known dimensions, shall consume all.