Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
Game
Game2007
Arx Fatalis
Developer Arkane Studios
Arx Fatalis is a 2002 action role-playing game developed by Arkane Studios and released for Windows and Xbox. The game is played from a first-person perspective and is set on a world whose sun has failed, forcing the above-ground creatures to take refuge in caverns. The game's mechanics include the use of mouse gestures to cast spells. Arx Fatalis received mostly positive reviews from critics but was not… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
296 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Oct 31, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
84
LovedLoved
149 positive · 28 negative
95% range 78–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 149 | 28 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 33 | 3 | 52 |
| Lemmy * | 4 | 0 | 21 |
| Mastodon * | 1 | 1 | 4 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
1,185 of 1,384 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
86% recommend · 157 yes, 25 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 182 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (2,340 of 2,659 positive).
Players praise Arx Fatalis as a cult classic immersive RPG with a unique atmosphere and freedom. [1][2][3] Many recommend installing the Arx Libertatis mod to fix modern system issues. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize the game for outdated mechanics, slow pace, and janky controls. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
Unfortunately, it's just a dull game. Its core mechanics work decently enough: - Combat is simple but functional. - Casting spells by drawing runes with the mouse, the game's distinctive feature, is gimmicky but not annoying. - Visually it's still pleasant. - With Arx Libertatis, I encountered no bugs or weird behavior. The issues I have with the game have more to do with its content: - The pace is extremely slow. …
- [1]
When people say this game is underrated they mean it! Arkane was really ahead of their time back in the early days when they were still starting off and Arx really shows it, Arx is a first person dungeon crawler and immersive game with a heavy influence and inspiration from Ultima underworld. The plot is pretty simple and interesting enough to follow along with the lore building though the game feels short and by …
- [2]
A very underrated game. One of the most atmospheric rpg games in general and one of the best RPGs of the old era when video games were made by enthusiasts and not corporate bosses without any interesting ideas and skills, replacing it all with millions of dollars in financing. The global plot is rather banal, but its mysterious presentation makes it interesting. The additional quests are quite interesting too. The …
- [3]
Arx Fatalis is long, complex, and unapologetically difficult. It throws you into a harsh underground world where survival depends on your choices, your wits, and your willingness to experiment. The sheer amount of freedom on offer is impressive you can approach situations in multiple ways, interact with nearly every object in the environment, and uncover hidden passages and secrets that reward curiosity. The level …
- [4]
Not even 2 bucks! If you enjoy oldskool RPGs that can get confusing without a guide but make exploration and experimenting even more exciting I recommend this one. Slap on the Arx Libertatis mod (VERY IMPORTANT!!!) on it https://arx-libertatis.org/ and you're good to go. The game has a large fanbase, so you will find guides and info for everything.
Summarised from 34 of the 283 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 10, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Arx Fatalis sits at 84% positive across 177 opinionated reactions from 4 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
While the game was well received, it was considered a commercial failure. The PC version of Arx Fatalis received "generally favourable reviews", while the Xbox version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Arx Fatalis was released after the more successful fantasy role-playing games The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Neverwinter Nights, with reviewers stating that although it is not as open as Morrowind, it will appeal to fans that like dungeon-crawler RPGs, paying homage to games like Ultima: Underworld. GameSpot's Greg Kasavin was pleased with the experience that the PC version offered, stating that "Arx Fatalis is entertaining and great…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 296 · most liked firstTakeaways from Steam Next Fest : February '26 from a player perspective. ::: spoiler Inside this spoiler: boring yapping that gives more context ↓ I've been playing demos from the Steam Next Fest religiously since it started (back then it was just called Steam Games Festival I think, it was around 2021). (seen on the picture attached) I have one sheet of A5 paper per edition, around 60 to 90 demos played every time, and notes written on the back, I keep notes of the demos I play, and…
neutral · AI labelView post →It just works. I've been incredibly skeptical of Linux gaming for a long time now. But more than that I've been fed up with windows. I finally bit the bullet and bought some new ssd's. Burned a bazzite iso and booted from the thumb drive. Honestly? The setup was flawless. The _only_ thing I could see a non-technical person struggling with is burning images and booting from a drive. If a shop starts selling pre-builts with Linux configured for gaming then this might _actually_ be the year of the…
neutral · AI labelView post →There I was, surrounded by devs who had worked on Arx Fatalis, Dark Messiah, the first two Deus Ex games, Bioshock 2, Thief Deadly Shadows — heck, Serpent's Isle. I was the only junior in the office. It was my first AAA job. It was my first real game dev job, ever. 2/24
neutral · AI labelView post →What are your favourite offline, low power-usage games?. I'll be travelling soon and was wondering what are good games for low power-usage and offline? Previously I enjoyed: - Into The Breach - Baba Is You - Vampire Survivors - Super Mario All-Stars (SNES) At the moment I'm planning to set up: - Lufia 2 (SNES) - Shadowrun (SNES + Genesis versions) - Golden Sun (GBA) - A Link To The Past (SNES) - Minish Cap (GBA) - A Link Between Worlds (NDS) - never played it, hopefully the controls map well!…
neutral · AI labelView post →Recommendations of really moody games for crummy days. Edit 2: got a notification about Cronos: The New Dawn as I was launching Steam and decided to go for it. So far... holy hell, yep! Soo much yep! Just, uuh... turn off ray-tracing... Edit: thanks so much to everyone who chimed in, there are some awesome recs in this thread! Also, really sorry to hear so many of you can relate to such games, good thing we have'em! I apologise if I missed anyone's comment. OP: So, going through It™ again…
neutral · AI labelView post →Not even 2 bucks! If you enjoy oldskool RPGs that can get confusing without a guide but make exploration and experimenting even more exciting I recommend this one. Slap on the Arx Libertatis mod (VERY IMPORTANT!!!) on it https://arx-libertatis.org/ and you're good to go. The game has a large fanbase, so you will find guides and info for everything.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →When people say this game is underrated they mean it! Arkane was really ahead of their time back in the early days when they were still starting off and Arx really shows it, Arx is a first person dungeon crawler and immersive game with a heavy influence and inspiration from Ultima underworld. The plot is pretty simple and interesting enough to follow along with the lore building though the game feels short and by the end I am left wanting for more of this world so its a shame that we won't be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You will like our game Caput Mortum if you enjoyed: - King's Field 4 - Amnesia: The Dark Descent - Shadow Tower - Arx Fatalis
neutral · AI labelView post →You will like my indie game if you played: - Shin Megami Tensei (1992) - Arx Fatalis (2002) - Off (2008) - Middens (2012) - The Lesser Key Of Solomon (18XX?)
neutral · AI labelView post →Prey 2017. Created by Arkane Studios, who had made their name with games inspired by immersive sim classics. Arx Fatalis was their Ultima Underworld, Dishonored was their Thief, and this was their System Shock. For my money it's also the best game they've made.
neutral · AI labelView post →Unfortunately, it's just a dull game. Its core mechanics work decently enough: - Combat is simple but functional. - Casting spells by drawing runes with the mouse, the game's distinctive feature, is gimmicky but not annoying. - Visually it's still pleasant. - With Arx Libertatis, I encountered no bugs or weird behavior. The issues I have with the game have more to do with its content: - The pace is extremely slow. The protagonist moves painfully slow, yet you have to walk around a lot. It's…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Plus: Arx Fatalis is a cult classic requiring no introduction. A must-play purely underground 1st person RPG, with also some adventure-style puzzles. Minus: On modern systems there are UX issues: tiny inventory icons, hard to cast spells etc. Consider installing Arx Libertatis instead of the vanilla steam/gog version.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →You combine water with flour to make dough, use the rolling pin on the dough to make raw pie, manually place the pie near a fire to watch it cook. Dragging items in and out of your inventory and into the game world in such a physical manner feels so good. The consistency of placing an item on a shelf and never having to worry about it falling off the world, disappearing from janky physics or despawning after some time. The way most fights can end in 4-5 offensive moves for either you or your…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very underrated game. One of the most atmospheric rpg games in general and one of the best RPGs of the old era when video games were made by enthusiasts and not corporate bosses without any interesting ideas and skills, replacing it all with millions of dollars in financing. The global plot is rather banal, but its mysterious presentation makes it interesting. The additional quests are quite interesting too. The atmosphere in the game is unmatched. The sounds are better than in the 2026…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First, Arx Fatalis: store.steampowered.com/app/1700/Arx... It's almost free, still one of the best immersive sims ever and my favorite Arkane Studios game. The only thing you need for it in 2026 is the Arx Libertalis mod: arx-libertatis.org
positive · AI labelView post →Special Hero starting (better stats, starting with all spells and runes) do this at the character creation screen Press 10 times Quick generate. Press 8 times Appearance. Press Done, the button changes color. Press Appearance. Press Done.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Contender for my favorite game of all time tied with BG3 and Kotor 1 i bought it for my little brother and he beat the game (he's 11) crazy that he was able to appreciate such a Classic gem
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent !! Well, usual if done by Arkane. Install Arx Fatalis. Then install Arx Libertatis mod, better engine, fixes, and life quality upgrades. https github com/arx/ArxLibertatis/releases arx-libertatis-1.2.1-windows exe And Steam, Discussions for the game has a fantastic wealth of info and guides.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →ALSO since I am already on the soapbox: Arx Fatalis is deeply underrated and while it DID give us kick game, I long for a world where it got a proper sequel with some more role playing. It’s like morrowind if it was an immsim and it has some of the best goblins.
positive · AI labelView post →come on Nightdive studios remake :)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This might be one of the coolest RPGs (maybe even games in general) I've ever played. There are so many unqiue systems here and they all work really well together. You cast spells by drawing them, you use your inventory by opening an interface and physically dragging stuff from the game world into it, you can use physics-based objects (so basically anything) as distractions, you can combine items to make new ones and so on. The game is also not purely just combat and quests, but it's also a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like older RPGs and Arkane Studio games (Dishonored, Prey), you'll love this game. Try playing it without searching for solutions to puzzles or quests online. You'll probably give up by the end, but that's okay. The key is to experience the feeling of not being held by the developers and being completely free. I recommend playing the updated community edition: Arx Libertatis. It's an improved, open-source, cross-platform engine for Arx Fatalis. 9/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I discovered, by playing Dishonored, that Arkane Studios made some nice games. I bought Dark Messiah and Arx Fatalis and have been enjoying them. I'd recommend Dishonored, it's quite fun. You can go with the stealth route or the maximum carnage option, you choose.
positive · AI labelView post →Arx Fatalis is long, complex, and unapologetically difficult. It throws you into a harsh underground world where survival depends on your choices, your wits, and your willingness to experiment. The sheer amount of freedom on offer is impressive you can approach situations in multiple ways, interact with nearly every object in the environment, and uncover hidden passages and secrets that reward curiosity. The level design constantly encourages exploration, and the interconnected areas feel like…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Arkane rarely misses and even their first game, Arx Fatalis turned out to be a pleasant surprise despite its rough edges. The gesture-based magic system is genuinely unique and fun once you get the hang of it (use the Arx Libertatis mod to make it more bearable on modern computers), making spellcasting feel more involved than your typical RPG. What really stands out is the atmosphere, spending the entire game in a labyrinthic world. The level design is solid, with each area feeling…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →one of the best first person dungeon crawler rpg's ever made, its no elder scrolls or wizardry i know, but man it just adds so much to the atmosphere, the music, the world, and the variety of what you are able to do, and it has this sort of feel to it thats like morrowind if it were underground and a dungeon crawler almost, its fun and has a great world. also make sure to download arx liberatis it fixes alot of problems and adds alot of features too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Hey @balconyteam.bsky.social Great to see ya as a host! Love the esthetics of Deepest Chamber! Reminds me an oldish game Arx Fatalis, which is one of my favorite games ever We work on Hidden Pass - a Tactical Roguelite Turn-Based RPG with arena-like combat👇 store.steampowered.com/app/2430170/...
positive · AI labelView post →Captures the wonder of exploration and the feeling that there might be danger around every corner in a way modern RPGs I've played don't quite manage. I was born is 2002 so this game holds no sort of nostalgia for me, and whilst the controls don't handle exactly like we might expect nowadays, it's really not anywhere so janky as others seem to make it sound. I loved the sound design, the unusual soundtrack, the immersive magic mechanics, and the charming characters of this world. Not at all…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →CRPG list I stole and condensed from Reddit. cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/57203969 > Credit where credit is due: [MEGA CRPG RECOMMENDATION LIST](https://old.reddit.com/r/CRPG/comments/136zqua/mega_crpg_recommendation_list_work_in_progress/). Tasty comments full of people disagreeing on the OP's categorization. Seems to have deleted their account, so no u/ I can direct you to. I left all the recommendations and categorization alone, but took out some of the color commentary (which…
neutral · AI labelView post →Arx Fatalis is a first person RPG with a pretty much linear story and action. You play your character to discover some plot going on, collect items, craft items, make apple pie to eat something once in a while and cast spells with runes while drawing symbols with your mouse! It's released in 2002 so you should or must install ARX Libertatis from official site (arx-libertatis.org) and the browser warning is false , be at ease. I also installed a nexus high texture mod on top of it and it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was kinda enjoying this game despite some of the inconvenient mechanics due to its age, but then I reached a point where -- despite allowing the player to lean their character build in any direction -- it becomes impossible to continue if you haven't invested points in magical skills. Shocking to see such poor play testing.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Takeaways from Steam Next Fest : February '26 from a player perspective. cross-posted from: https://jlai.lu/post/33835364 > ::: spoiler Inside this spoiler: boring yapping that gives more context ↓ > > I've been playing demos from the Steam Next Fest religiously since it started (back then it was just called Steam Games Festival I think, it was around 2021). > > (seen on the picture attached) I have one sheet of A5 paper per edition, around 60 to 90 demos played every time, and notes…
neutral · AI labelView post →Well unlike those stupid morons, my totally possible dream game is literally just an Arx Fatalis remake.
positive · AI labelView post →Finally managed to free an afternoon to play through Caput Mortum. Been looking forward to this one since next fest. Really liked it! It has that cramped, paranoid vibe that I haven't really experienced since Arx Fatalis and the alchemical backdrop to the story is very intriguing. Good game!
positive · AI labelView post →Gmeownin ny'all~! Its time for some Arx Fatalis! This game casts Am Shaegar, a man with 20 charisma, to be the guy who gives such little shits about everything that everyone assumes he's going to help... So he does cuz, I mean, might as well? www.twitch.tv/cerezafaewit...
neutral · AI labelView post →These are the best I've found that also have no trackers in them (most are in f-droid, a couple from aurora/playstore): * shattered pixel dungeon (roguelike) * breakout 71 * endless sky (space trader) * pewpew live (stick shooter) * vroomies (odd swipe racer) * Datawing (super fun racer/timetrial drifting game, best out of all of them IMO. Not on f-droid) * the frostrune (point and click adventure) * ScummVM (emulator for classic point and click games, many of which are free) * Arx Libertatis…
neutral · AI labelView post →Arx Fatalis is a fantastic game. Go get it fir a buck.
positive · AI labelView post →Arkane studios make the best fucking games and they keep getting shafted and its not fair. At least they got their time in the sun with Dishonoured. I came into this thread to mention Arx Fatalis but Prey is an even better game.
positive · AI labelView post →Really enjoyed the Pragmata demo. When I saw footage of the real-time hacking, it seemed a bit awkward? Now that I've tried it, was surprised how well it blends with the action. It's like Diana's casting cyber spells. But instead of hand gestures a la Arx Fatalis, it's a hacking mini-game.
neutral · AI labelView post →It was great back in the day. It’s still great now.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Because uhhhh Arx Fatalis...is...an actual...fucking game that is fun to play...out of...the box!
positive · AI labelView post →Don't let silly animations and asinine writing fool you into a mistake of rushing this unofficial Ultima Underworld 3 like I did. This game is magical, you just need to let its cave mold seep in through the screen, hear the wind groan in the megavents and feel the weight of rock over your head. Also, it has a priest going by the name of Fallan Orbiplanax, which would assuredly be my nom de guerre had I aspired to brave the Parnassus of the Czech movie…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best RPGs I ever played, with great object interactability, puzzles and secrets that are difficult, but you can solve them by thinking about it and looking carefully at every detail. The unique magic system can seem difficult ,but you can memorize spells pretty well once you realize that each rune stands for an actual word and each spell is a loose description of what it does. I recommend installing the "arx libertatis" mod which is a single click installer with no additional…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Takeaways from Steam Next Fest : February '26 from a player perspective. > ::: spoiler Inside this spoiler: boring yapping that gives more context ↓ > > I've been playing demos from the Steam Next Fest religiously since it started (back then it was just called Steam Games Festival I think, it was around 2021). > > (seen on the picture attached) I have one sheet of A5 paper per edition, around 60 to 90 demos played every time, and notes written on the back, I keep notes of the demos I play,…
neutral · AI labelView post →CRPG list I stole and condensed from Reddit. Credit where credit is due: [MEGA CRPG RECOMMENDATION LIST](https://old.reddit.com/r/CRPG/comments/136zqua/mega_crpg_recommendation_list_work_in_progress/). Tasty comments full of people disagreeing on the OP's categorization. Seems to have deleted their account, so no u/ I can direct you to. I left all the recommendations and categorization alone, but took out some of the color commentary (which to some might just be blandifying it, lol). # "Where…
neutral · AI labelView post →Piggybacking onto this (all of these are FOSS): Endless Sky is a 2D sandbox space sim. It's a spiritual sequel to the old Escape Velocity: Nova, and has very active development. Feudal Tactics is an extremely simple strategy game that can nonetheless be quite hard. Battle For Wesnoth is a whole-ass fantasy campaign turn-based strategy game that has been ported to mobile. Think Warcraft but turn-based. Arx Libertatis is a port of Arx Fatalis, a first-person RPG. This one is still on my list…
neutral · AI labelView post →GMeownin ny'all! Its time for some ARX FATALIS This game is actually a Looney Tune's nightmare mess of a game where you wait around a corner and bonk someone's head so hard they do a flip and their head goes sailing off. I love it. Come hang out ny'all! www.twitch.tv/cerezafaewit...
positive · AI labelView post →Gmeownin ny'all! Its time for a fox schedule! This week we got Arx Fatalis and Morrowind! And on friday, we have Everhood 2 with Kyllier! I'm very excited to see where the game goes after the ending of the first one, it was very final. And on saturday, we have more Elden Ring with Nightshade!
neutral · AI labelView post →There are old game and there are outdated games. Deus Ex, FF7, MGS 1, Fallout 1 and 2, these are old, but they still work, they feel intuitive and they can still feel fresh even in modern times (if you ignore the polygon count). This game on the other hand, ♥♥♥♥ is outdated as ♥♥♥♥. Magick system is pure ass, casting it in combat is impossible, spells also like to drain your mana AFTER the initial cast, so like wall of flame needs x amount to cast and eats up rest of your mana to keep going.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If Steam had ratings, I would give this game something like 5 out of 10. In the end, I decided for "not recommended" because, althought the game tries to do many things, and they aren't terrrible, nothing ends up being "good". The ones most interested by it today are probably the (small) Immersive Sim crowd. However, although being released later, this game in many ways is a step back from the defining classics such as Deus Ex and System Shock 2. The freedom and emergent gameplay are much more…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Of all the old-timey RPGs, Arx Fatalis is easily one my favorites. Though gameplay mechanics didn't quite age well: it's a tad janky, and with spells, outright clunky. All the same, Arx Fatalis delivers a fantastic story, beautiful atmosphere, and is as immersive as it gets. Now if only someone could do a decent remake... but that seems unlikely to ever happen. Side note: Arx Libertatis strongly recommended. The original engine is well, old, and doesn't work quite right on modern hardware and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the classics, truly a favorite. Big cult following. Absolutely worth the money - but be prepared for a little bit of tinkering. The magic system will feel impossible to get right at first without mods - this is not due to a learning curve or intended difficulty but rather is a side-effect of the age of the game. Basically what happens is you cast spells by actually drawing the symbols using your mouse (which I think is extremely cool) and this worked perfectly on older hardware but on…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game saved me from a fentanyl overdose
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Strongly recommend! Ive been playing Arx for almost 20 years and it never disappoints to amaze me. I know every corner of the game and yet I feel like every gameplay is new game... For those who know Gothic - its very similar.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm almost done with my first playthrough right now and this is one of the best games I have ever played in my life. I would die to find more games similar to this, system shock, and kings field IV Edit: Black Beast hard locked me into failing the game and now I can't finish it after 30 hours. I can't seem to find any way to cheat or use command console reliably to just simply make myself invincible until I can get the mithril ore. Legitimately the worst experience I have ever had with a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Seems like a great game, but unfortunately some elements like the levitate scroll will not work on my computer, even with arx liberatis mod. Id love to play it, but i just wont get the full experience. This game is screaming for a remaster.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →10 video games to get to know me! 🎮 1. Morrowind 2. Undertale 3. Dread Delusion 4. Mata Nui Online Game 5. Arx Fatalis 6. Sims 3+4 7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PC version) 8. Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines 9. Sanguine Sanctum 10. King's Quest 3+6
neutral · AI labelView post →Endless Sky is a solid space trader and combat game, free on f-droid Frozen Bubble is a pretty fun ~~bubble bobble~~ Puzzle Bobble clone, also on f-droid Arx Libertatis allows you to play the full version of Arx Fatalis, a super in depth underground RPG inspired by Ultima Underworld. You need the PC game files to transfer to your phone though.
neutral · AI labelView post →There's also [Arx Libertatis](https://arx-libertatis.org/) for Arx Fatalis. Arkane (yes, that Arkane) released the source code for the game. This is a new engine and patch that is basically required. Even if you *could* play the game on a modern computer (you can't really) you wouldn't want to play without this patch. It does things like making drawing the runes for casting spells more reliable. (For those not aware, you drew runes on your screen and combined them to create spells. You didn't…
neutral · AI labelView post →I love the setting of Arx so much and wished more games were like it. It definitely shows its age in places but there really isn't anything else like it and it's such a shame.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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