Arx Fatalis is ultimately a decent RPG that should satisfy anyone who's looking for one.
The game takes place in the world of Arx, which is a planet that has lost its sun. Your character (Named Am Shaegar, which in the game means "He who has no name") arrives in Arx under mysterious circumstances and is afflicted with amnesia (Ah, once again used for storytelling purposes!). After escaping from the Goblin prison you start the game in, you set about the entirely underground civilization on Arx in an attempt to find out who you are. No no, you don't find any long lost or evil relatives here, so don't worry about that... The story ultimately turns out to be rather simple, though there are a few well executed story-twists starting mid-way through the game.
Unlike Morrowind and Oblivion, both of which gave you massive tracks of land to explore, Arx Fatalis is set entirely underground and sets you mostly on rails. You can still explore of course and find secondary quests or more loot to gather, but Arx Fatalis keeps you heavily walled in so you are still working along the main storyline. If you were expecting to do a lot of exploring, your better off looking elsewhere, for Arx Fatalis isn't a true free-roaming RPG. Fortunately, there's still alot to do in Arx Fatalis, as the main storyline along with all of the secondary quests make for a fairly lengthy game.
Arx Fatalis does start to suffer when it comes to your inventory however. The inventory system is simple, but cumbersome. The way you put items in gets pretty annoying quickly, though fortunately there is an option to automatically re-arrange your inventory when its getting messy and doesn't have room for certain items, even though you've still got plenty of empty slots. This helps alot since inventory space is actually very limited in general until you find or buy some new bags for your inventory. The inventory is also way too slow to use when any kind of action is going on, so if you need a life potion while your busy fighting- yeah your outta luck- they're probably gonna finish you off first... It should be noted that unfortunately, if you ever are killed in Arx Fatalis, your sent straight back to the main menu. So unless you save often, this'll undoubtedly frusterate many players. It doesn't help that the game itself is already extremely difficult.
Graphically, Arx Fatalis is hurt by its own setting. The environments are bland, though they do fit in with Arx Fatalis' generally bland setting. At least the textures are well made however. Character models are also lackluster due to some mediocre animations. Sound wise however, Arx Fatalis excells. The sounds you hear from the environment, combat, and npcs are all well done. Even the voice acting is decent and very characterful (And can be funny at times).
Ultimately, Arx Fatalis shouldn't disappoint those who are just looking for an old-fashioned RPG. But if you've been exposed to anything like Oblivion or Morrowind, or want more freedom in your RPG, then you should probably pass on Arx Fatalis.
Pros: Lengthy storyline plus many secondary quests to undertake. Effective exploration and combat. Decent AI.
Cons: Bland setting and presentation. Unforgiving difficulty. Inventory is cumbersome and limited.
Recommendable for: If you like old-fashioned RPGs, Arx Fatalis shouldn't disappoint. But if you prefer RPGs like Oblivion, then you should definitely pass.