2002.0106
Published by: JoWood Productions 
Developed by: Arkane Studios
Be prepared to penetrate a world where the sun has slowly retreated and completely vanished. A world taken over by an unfriendly and threatening atmosphere, imposing the exodus of Arx inhabitants to the obscure meanders of a dwarf mine in order to survive. There, they had to become acquainted with an unusual neighbourhood, among goblins, trolls, and ratmen...
But the danger does not lie there. It lurks. It breathes above each and every innocent soul of the underground city of Arx. It is not a monster. It is not human. It is pure sin...
The resurrection of codes and rules as once established years ago on teh surface has given rebirth to racial conflict. There is no escape since the forbidding cold on the other side of the double fortress gate of Arx is enough to dissuade the bravest of souls.
While you become familiar with this nowhere land, evil is casting its shadow upon Arx: Akbaa, the almighty god of Chaos, is determined to live on Arx. To nourish his goal, he is plotting with a priest, Iserbius, a dedicated believer whose secret cult provides the vital energy through human sacrifices and incantations essential to his coalescence with Akbaa on Arx.
Fortunately, the kingdom's astronomer discovered key elements of this secret cult and managed to alert the regency of Gods before being mysteriously slaughtered. Persecuted, you wake up in a Goblin jail in which the walls covered with dried blood are an obvious sign of little hospitality to which you don't subscribe.
You have just escaped this tormented hell when the king invites you to go and meet with the Guardian sent by the regency of Gods...
Arx Fatalis is a first-person RPG, which plunges the player into an amazingly complex fantasy world. Arx Fatalis combines intelligent storyline with impressive medieval surroundings. The user-friendly interface allows the highest interactivity possible. Arx Fatalis creates a state of intense immersion that allows the player to feel that all his actions have a direct consequence in the Arx game world.
The goal of the game is to destroy the secret cult of Akbaa: the god of devastation and chaos, and thereby prevent his return to the physical world. Should the player fail, the demon is bound to impose his reign of terror upon Arx. The player, assuming the role of the potential hero, fights inside an underground fortress using wooden clubs, swords and magical items to defend himself against creatures including goblins, trolls, ratmen and other vicious opponents. But, brute force is not always the best way to succeed and the player has at his disposal the innovative new "onscreen gesture based magic system" to assist him in his progress through the game. 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 the player or empower him to defeat his enemies and pursue his quest.
In addition to the struggles against demons and monsters there are numerous opportunities for interaction with the creatures and objects inside the fortress helping the player to rediscover his memory, solve puzzles and fulfill quests. Collecting experience points enables the player to appropriately craft his hero's skills and abilities and to develop his overall persona. Dare to enter the world of Arx Fatalis. Explore underground cities, secret temples, lost civilizations, dwarf mines and discover the magic of Arx Fatalis...