Arx Fatalis

Combining old-school RPG elements with a more familiar and accessible 3D first-person interface, Arx Fatalis plunges the player into a complex and involving fantasy world.

Magic and real-time combat is the order of the day, as an intriguing medieval storyline unfolds, set in the third century.

Our protagonist awakes in a prison cell at the beginning, half-naked, and with no recollection of any events prior to this.

After escaping, he soon learns that the land is in danger and that he must embark on a quest in order to save it.

The job at hand is to destroy the secret cult of Akbaa, the god of devastation and chaos who is threatening to make a return to Arx. Failure to do so means only one thing: that the demon is bound to impose his reign of terror upon the land.

Assuming the role of the potential hero, you must fight inside an underground fortress using wooden clubs, swords and magical items to defend yourself against creatures such as goblins, trolls, rat-men, and a whole host of other vicious opponents.

Brute force is not always the best way to succeed, however, for you have at your disposal a rather innovative magic system to assist you along the way.

Using the mouse, burning runes can be drawn in mid-air.

A series of these gestures combine to create powerful magic spells that will protect and empower you to defeat your enemies and pursue your quest.

As well as battling opponents and casting spells, there's also a great deal of character and object interaction, as the nameless hero attempts to rediscover his memory, solve puzzles and fulfil quests.

Collecting experience points enables you to appropriately craft your hero's skills and abilities and to develop his overall persona.

Over 60 hours of gameplay ensure that this title will have you engrossed.

It might be a good idea to save it for the holidays.