Arcanum: Main Theme

[@thebel89]

Ben Houge wanted soundtrack to fit to whole magic vs. technology thing, so he created style where medieval style meets Victorian era instruments. Also because its possible to play both good and evil, he didn't want make heroic theme, instead he used melancholic, almost tragic sound. That is why soundtrack is so unique.

[@MarkoLomovic]

Spot on. World of Arcanum is melancholic and beautiful. Tragedy is at every corner it start from very moment game begins. I don't think anyone can imagine this game with different music its one of its vital parts.

[@MoonsideResident]

thebel89 Brilliant assessment!

[@YaHozna1]

Llamanator Beautifully put.

[@hummingpylon]

Interesting

[@foxmulder8955]

"medieval style" this is like post romantic thingy "victorian era instruments" string quartet instruments are still the same today the style reminds me ravel, fauré, this kind of composers. It does fit the game very well

[@Thyralon]

I mean, YOU! And then the Zeppelin and- and the fire! And the altar says that- do you have any idea what all of this means?!

[@ColdSkinGamer]

I read this in Archer’s voice, even though I’ve played the game

[@horzagiar88]

"By the gods! I almoust died. Didn't you see the crash?"

[@valdemariv394]

Whut you say?

[@Riddlerisenigma]

Hello, Virgil.

[@greaseball9537]

By God man would you spit it out.

[@iantaran2843]

I STILL think about this game all the time. What a fucking experience man 😅

[@felathar1985]

Yep. Writing is 10/10. Held back by the technology of its time when it comes to combat.

[@iantaran2843]

@felathar1985 I would adore a TTRPG setting book.

[@detromaniac]

This game is still a top 10 RPG.

[@evenhalv]

No its top 1 game of all time.

[@speciallinktube]

258.000 backers are ready for Arcanum 2

[@theblackbaron4119]

Too bad Activision / Blizzard own the rights to it now. They would just turn it into a diablo clone mobile game Cashgrab

[@admiralamel9563]

@@theblackbaron4119 oh no...

[@theblackbaron4119]

@@admiralamel9563 yep. We are never going to see Arcanum 2 it was too niece not as widely known as fallout. So I doubt that Activision would ever take the risk to put out a sequel to a game most people these days never even heard of. Even though , at least in my opinion it was the best RPG that I've played. Also if Activision would make it, they would probably turn it into a shitty mass effect clone...

[@Donbd83]

@@theblackbaron4119 The good side of that is that the rights to the game could likely be bought for a bargain.

[@pawesomepal7827]

@@Donbd83 rights to intellectual property is rarely sold, especially for big companies.

[@Megaman_Zero]

"Hearing this song is like getting a hug from an old friend" you couldn't describe it any better.

[@daytonasixty-eight1354]

It's also the sound track I'd imagine a child factory worker in a Charles Dickens novel plays over and over in his head.

[@Marcusianery]

@@daytonasixty-eight1354 Ahhh! Seth!

[@skeletonking4119]

You say it better then I could’ve possibly thought of!!

[@ModernEphemera]

Call me sentimental, but this may be one of the most expressive instrumental pieces of music I've ever heard in a computer game. It flawlessly captures the themes of the game, simultaneously, both the proud triumph of strange new technological innovation, and the melancholic loss of a commonly held natural order. Well done.

[@lucafavero2192]

Amazing description. I totally agree with you.

[@cembaks2982]

Definitely!

[@stardust6004]

You're so right. What i love is the fact, that it is so peaceful and full of hope for the future but also kinda melancholic and sad. So much emotion in a single piece of music - hard to believe. And yes, i have some tears trying to come up when listening to this and thinking of the time i played this masterpiece of a game.

[@BIadelores]

I wouldn't say it's the most expressive music I've ever heard, but as far as video game soundtracks go, it's definitely up there. This seems very inspired by Romantic-era classical, so I'd recommend listening to some of Beethoven's late string compositions for something that's also every bit as powerful and beautiful.

[@NowKnownMAWO]

ur name is sentimental?

[@thedarkspy2]

Rest in RIP in piece, Troika.

[@VoytekPavlik]

;(

[@Amonny]

@@VoytekPavlik Their games live on. Arcanum, Vampire, ToEE... And so do their previous games. Fallout 1 & 2, Icewind Dale, Planescape, and Baldur's Gate 2. Those were the times.

[@xi8975]

rest in rest in peace in peace?

[@ThunderLord1]

@@xi8975 There's an echo.

[@danis8455]

May they one day make a vampire resurection :P

[@nyxn8107]

This game was my childhood. My mom got it for me at a thrift store when I was around 12. I remember I looked at it and thought the game looked stupid and why would she ever buy it for me. I downloaded it a few days later, and have been loving this game ever since. It is such an underrated and kind of unknown game. I thank my mom for introducing this game into my life. It will always hold a permanent and personal place in my heart.

[@ronaldjohndalmacio8117]

Same story bruh, my mom brought it at a thrift store when i was 16

[@WurliMonkhaven]

Dude what the fuck, same story as you and ArchiEduc PH. I had the flu when I was like 12 and my mum bought me this at the corner shop to help me pass the time. I was pretty bad at games at the time, pretty much just massacred Shrouded Hills over and over again, lol. As I've grown (21 now) I've come to see it as a genuine masterpiece and appreciate it as such.

[@metato3079]

English...... Please.

[@ttvv88]

Mother knows best

[@rob22r]

@Nyxn Try Trone of Darkness. Another gem in the dark, few knew about. Like both of those more than Diablo.

[@mommozz123]

The soundtrack deserves a Grammy

[@whatchachattin]

read that as granny, but yeah it deserves a grammy too

[@grocam_]

Troika were gaming maestros : Fallout 1, Arcanum, Vampire bloodlines they litteraly breathe pen and paper RPG culture along the years, they understood and made three unmatched masterpieces, they had this soundtrack in mind, so unique, so subtle. fuck.

[@n33to]

“The mental soundtrack of a child factory worker”

[@Saviliana]

Or every sweatshop worker working on streamline production.

[@redcrown5070]

Sseth fan here?

[@samblaze3223]

hey hey people

[@vadafan3423]

Even after all these years, Arcanum still holds a special place in my heart.

[@gregorythomson7759]

It's strange yet comforting reading all these comments. The experience of this game and the soundtrack feels like such an oddly personal and introspective life event. When I read how it resonates in a way with others which I can relate to, it's almost like sharing in the memory of some personal grief. Perhaps in some way this game, with it's brutality and sensitivity, had some mysterious way of connecting with the melancholic and now we are unified here by it's influence. And now here I am musing in a way I never intended to. Well there you go. That's Arcanum in all it's mysterious glory. Very strange... and wonderful.

[@clmdeprav]

That's actually true fort art in general, but the strong "shared feelings" sensation with such games as Arcanum probably comes from the fact it gives the players some kind of "communal experience", like we lived through the same story at some point of our life or something.

[@zlodrim9284]

Well put.

[@Rezzekful]

One does not simply play this theme once.

[@alex_pearl]

One enjoys it for a lifetime.

[@BKSD26]

Games like this are rare masterpieces.

[@iamlucaschilds]

god that game oozed melancholy.

[@saxmusicmail]

Talking with Ben some years back, he told me he had composed over 50 minutes of music for this game, which is more than is in many full length movies. He sggested 5 selections which I transcribed/arranged for saxophone quartet. It turned well, and for a while Sierra Games had links to the the sax quartet music on their website. It all came about with me hearing one of my sons playing the game... I just couldn't believe that was a game soundtrack and commented to him how excellent it was. He said, "You can download the string quartet music from the website." That led to me contacting Ben, and resulted in the sax quartet. I really enjoyed the collaboration.

[@thiagocancian2336]

That's awesome! Got links for the sax quartet performance?

[@saxmusicmail]

@@thiagocancian2336 kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3SUqHmGgJmabLs

[@SidNightWalker]

It's still easily the greatest soundtrack I've ever heard.

[@Grigeral]

It is, but it's closely matched by Torment. That said, Torment does outperform it in every other section. Even combat and that is actually impressive on Arcanum's side lol... I can't think of any other game with worse combat!

[@SidNightWalker]

Oh blah, all it takes is a little effort to get some points in a few key stats and you can kick ass in Arcanum just fine. Of course, the combat in Arcanum is supposed to be a challenge, either way. When it comes to the writing, characters and storyline, they're both exceedingly excellent, right at the top of the RPG genre, really.

[@Grigeral]

***** It's not that it's hard. It's actually fairly easy. It's more that it's just done badly and feels more like it's tacked on as an afterthought.

[@SidNightWalker]

If it's so easy then why complain? The combat in many, many great CRPGs is far from perfect. Which is fine since that is, in no way, their main draw. It sure as hell isn't in Planescape Torment, that's for damn sure.

[@Grigeral]

***** You misunderstand, I wasn't complaining :). The combat in it just doesn't live up to the rest of the game. Granted, you are correct that few RPG's combat does and the story being told is easily the most important part.

[@Kumimono]

They should go with the Arcanum way more often. One doesn't need an orchestra for suitably epic, or sad, music.

[@michael_sharples]

I only played this game for a few hundred hours as a teenager about 20 years ago but the music always stuck with me. One day I plan on playing it again and actually finishing it

[@beatricebeathyraneniute2298]

This music theme is so beautiful and emotional. I could feel it in my heart.

[@Avrelivs_Gold]

I like how when you travel and days and nights go by with this music playing...

[@iamlucaschilds]

N1GHT5 god what an insight, I never thought of that

[@kevinvaillancourt5737]

True story: When this game was released, my eldest son was just shy of two years old. One weekend day I was playing Arcanum at my home office desk with my headphones on. The title music started and I felt my son tugging at my pants. I looked down at him and saw that he wanted to put the headphones on and hear what Daddy was listening to. So, I put the headphones on him just a few seconds after this very main theme had begun and.......he closed his eyes and began dancing. Just spontaneously. A slow stepping sort of improv toddler ballet. It was fascinating and wonderful.

[@zanethezaniest274]

In the future, scientist will recommend babies listen to the Arcanum OST instead of Beethoven. One day brothers…

[@belkabella]

that true...

[@DippKlippGuy]

The children yearn for the factory floors...

[@NahasapeemapetilonX]

They don't make such games anymore. :(

[@laamis]

amen, i wish they did though

[@Noki_Kelevra]

Check out Pillars of Eternity, Torment: Tides of Numenera and Wasteland 2. They are all being done by inXile and/or Obsidian, which are both successor studios to Black Isle (and by extension to Troika as well).

[@NahasapeemapetilonX]

Noki Kelevra Yeah, I've been thinking about getting PoE. The question is if the game mechanics will translate well.

[@Noki_Kelevra]

Twerko Saurus Well, so far it's looking awesome. Knowing Obsidian, there will be a few bugs but since they don't have any publishers breathing down their necks this time they might just take the time to polish it.

[@NahasapeemapetilonX]

Noki Kelevra Oh, I don't doubt that this game has a chance to be great. A good Steampunk RPG would be nice, though.

[@FolkloreYT]

I always get goosebumps from listening this.

[@r3v4n21]

I remember looking at how much time had passed ingame at one point and I saw that 6 or 7 years had gone by since the Blimp was shot down. The main theme playing in the background made this moment so perfect.

[@khristinajuarez8673]

Seeing these comments makes me happy there are still so many Arcanum fans.

[@darkmammoth2232]

And new ones who are just finding out about it!

[@АлександрКобяков-м3щ]

@@darkmammoth2232 True.

[@180digi]

Stunningly bleak, darkly intimate, and most of all human.

[@kseo88]

This music is incredible. It still holds up to this game. Fantastic, timeless game as well.

[@Wiktorino1984]

This game was peace of art. Ofcorse got some problems with ballance and bugs but i Love intelectual part of game.

[@AvatarOfgrief]

Waited an entire summer to play this game, even having the cd, then played it for nearly 17 years. One dosen't simply stop to play arcanum.

[@kickassandchewbubblegum639]

song captures the sadness of nature fleeting but the excitement of technological advancements....we see the end of trees and birds singing but embrace immortality and artificial intelligence

[@ramazantekin4144]

how can one soundtrack be so beautiful?

[@KillFaceProductions]

One of my favorite RPG's ever made. Played it since I was 5

[@fa.2064]

This game has his soul.

[@Azazelishdish]

One of the most amazing soundtracks. It brings me back to my early 20's.

[@ermenengardo]

Best videogame ost ever.... No doubt...

[@Galvorn11]

This is an anthem for people who knows about games,this is steampunk in all senses pure steampunk.

[@Dyablo5382]

Childhood memories my good old days

[@cybronichuman]

This soundtrack is unbelievably beautiful. I remember how back in 2001 my elder cousin brought me this game on 2 CDs and said that it was the best game he had ever played and it is so versatile and complex that it will blow my mind. Many years since then I still think it was one of the best games if not the best that I have ever played in my entire life with great thanks to its soundtrack. The best way I can describe the feeling when I listen to it is "bittersweet" and my eyes involuntarily fill with tears.

[@acezar2644]

Played when I was 11. Now I play again at 25. A truly masterpiece

[@JohnnyCasey]

*" You're ugly. There's just no other word for it, unless you consider hideous a better word. "*

[@MajiinFreddy]

This song and Original Sin 1's main theme is perfection.

[@OpenBiolabsGuy]

This game needs a sequel or remake or remaster or something. It was a masterpiece of original thinking and art. I feel like with the advances that have been made in gaming technology since then a new Arcanum could rival Baldur’s Gate 3.

[@daytonasixty-eight1354]

Boy does this hit hard sitting in quarantine in 2020 watching everything around you burn.

[@Adrian.E.M]

Hey hey, people! The members of the Merchant's Guild is pleased to have experienced this fine tune during Sseth's review.

[@Jsitun]

Man, that part at 1:56 ... Hard not to tear up.

[@NMJuan]

Being a violin player that misses the old days...this almost made me cry

[@FrostyChilli]

This game is epic. When i usually say, you can't compare games of different genre, then right now i can say arcanum beats every game. RPG,racing,action, it doesn't matter. Arcanum Is and will be masterpiece and it is the best game in gaming history. I'd not wait for a sequel, because nothing can beat This. Nowadays games are "nothing" compared to this. In this world of fantasy there is so much reality and so much to learn about life. Music of Arcanum fits perfectly. Well done Troika...well done.

[@ГлебКараман]

О, эта ностальгия!

[@Rezzekful]

I can never get tired of this music. Every time I listen to it, I feel so sophisticated. I love having it playing in the background when I'm just sitting around.

[@hommrod]

love this game forever !

[@alhazred3718]

Beautiful instrumentals and soundtrack, background and ambiance, voice-acting and characters, and a plot that lures you in... This is one of the best RPGs I've ever played as a gamer.

[@pyrocrafter7944]

Try Torment:planescape, my play through change my view on rpg games, poetry filozofical considerations, musical, artistic design, and the STORY is out of this world, never felt emotions like this with any other game 🙏

[@AngelPrimsepski]

Wish theyd make a second arcanum ;(

[@chazzwozzio]

they were. buuuuuut troika went bankrupt before they could finish it :(((

[@AngelPrimsepski]

Ugh that is so beyond the worst thing thats ever happend Dx If they do ever finish it for whatever reason, i pray that they dont make it super modern and flashy and just keep it how this one was

[@chazzwozzio]

i here ya just update the graphics and animations work out the kinks add more tech and magic and a new story

[@AngelPrimsepski]

Chad Busch They dont even need to update anything, i love old games and everything about this one was perfect! Granted alot of people are too dumb and closed minded these days and would prefer amazing graphics over game content so it would probably never be like that. That was the downfall of the elder scrolls for me, i used to love morrowind, and skyrim was pretty good too but the lack of creativity skyrim had versus the immense creativity of morrowind left me a little disappointed and quickly bored with the game. They are trying too hard to be mainstream and i kinda wanna check out the elder scrolls online cause i dont wanna miss out on the new continents but i just hate online games! I wish things could just stay the way they were D;

[@r3v4n21]

Arcanum 2 or "Journey to the Center of Arcanum " (Yes it was suppost to be like the Jules Verne story) was dropped in favor of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines" If they would remake this game they should just drop the Real Time Combat, refine the Turn Based Combat and improve the AI. And make the game more stable. I can't finish it because right at the end all my saves were corrupted.

[@desu38]

Dead serious, if I die, play this at my funeral.

[@PashaDefragzor]

Work of art

[@gregtronica3569]

around gnomes, watch yourself

[@8KingFisher]

This song hits hard, the nostalgia is so difficult to bare and yet feels so good. The soundtrack of a simpler time

[@justiziabelle]

My All-Time-Favourite soundtrack in a game. ♫♪♪♫♪♥

[@ИванШестов-ц6л]

Best game I have ever seen. my without exaggeration favorite game . It's been over 5 years and I played it and I still remember most of the quests. each quest as a book like story...and music . oh god,this music ...

[@Wiktorino1984]

I love this game. I know this game is far from perceft, glichy system of progresion, many usless skills but I love it and nothing can't change that.

[@zack1378]

Don’t mind me, still coming back to this vid.

[@NeiltheNotSoBrave]

One of my favourite computer game musical scores. I've searched for this everywhere. Thank you. Arcanum was a very special game.

[@Andarthiel]

This and the Tarant theme gives me shivers up my spine and makes me tear up. So beautiful and graceful.

[@АлександрКобяков-м3щ]

Every time I hear it, I get goosebumps.A great game with a great soundtrack,and one of the most underrated RPGs in history,the fame of which came much later than the release.20 years will soon pass, and there are people who still play it, such things.

[@Grigeral]

Great game, phenomenal music, but the reason it was underrated was because, like all Troika games, it was a completely broken mess.

[@Karakta]

To think that I bought this game for 5€ in a bargain bin back in the days. Best 5€ spent in my life !

[@Andaril2]

it was 0.99€ on yesterday steam sale XD

[@kadirkaya96]

It still gives me chills, Arcanum is an amazing game just like this soundtrack

[@Ravnurin]

Arcanum indeed is an absolutely outstanding RPG game. This game was fun, challenging and great in every aspect of the game. This is a game that I really miss playing, that is for sure :( The music is so appropriate for the game, and adds a special 'touch' to it as well.

[@knavenformed9436]

There's a handful of developers who could snatch up this IP and create something great, from Obsidian to Larian. Thing is the climate today just wouldn't allow the game to have its soul anymore, this might be one of the heaviest and darkest games, while still staying fundamentally neutral, hell you can't even say some of the many words out loud anymore that Arcanum puts into a heavy spotlight. How this old game managed to become even more contextually relevant in the modern world is just astonishing.

[@Stoudtski]

This game brought my dad and me together when i was 8 years old. He'd play it and I'd watch laughing at him after he made a mistake. Troika

[@AngelPrimsepski]

I wish I could meet someone who played this game :/ So many in the comments but no one on real life. I try to show the game to people and their small minds are bored just because of the graphics, smh..

[@АнтонНекрасов-т9н]

for classical rpg graphics are good enough.

[@benji3216]

I think the same thought often. About other thing aswell. Like music. One feels lonely..

[@gidofter_lukge]

All of these classic RPGs need a rework. They would be insane and amazing.

[@-CrimsoN-]

Same here m8. People have no idea what they are missing if all they can do is judge a game by its graphics, but we live in the age of “instant gratification” so people want to be amazed almost instantaneously, instead of unraveling a complicated story and world filled with amazing lore and discovery on the scale of an epic.... nope people just want sparkly graphics and overused lens flare :(

[@АлександрКобяков-м3щ]

Show them the Mutiverse Edition)

[@cRoxy86]

That feeling when youre traveling on the world map while hearing this song...

[@Mindless_Lunatic]

This warms my heart and reminds me of the old carefree days, when right after school I would turn on my computer and fall into this magical world of steampunk.

[@cirnofumo7352]

Beautiful to say the least.

[@damianleb1]

i played this game for years. i couldnt stop playing. the music is the most beautiful i have ever heard in my short life.

[@BonesAO]

Troika: probably one of the best and at the same time, most underrated video-game company of all time!

[@TheOneMillionthRoger]

The first time I booted up the game I just sat and listened to this for like 10 minutes. Fantastic.

[@zealousidealdog]

Still waiting for a remake.

[@Ugh000]

Music is one of the most powerful ways to tell stories. This song captures perfectly the perils of the Victorian age

[@kardrasa]

The tragedy and triumph of life

[@marian_tsx]

I love Arcanum, it was a nice part of my life. And i played it a few years ago again, can't stop playing it or listen to its beautiful and relaxing old fashion music. I so much expected a sequel of this game :( graphics doesn't matter, the story was AWESOME, the voices, the speeches, everything was so perfect. :'((((((((

[@CabooseCatapult]

This is the first game I played, That I kinda have feelings for... sounds kinda stupid, but I've been playing this game for the last 8 years. I am in love with the soundtrack, not like I listen to it everyday, but hearing it brings the same feeling to me as the one I got the time I saw my first love. Hearing this song is like getting a hug from an old friend. Lovley.

[@ZeldaOotSoundTrack]

My sister would never play ANY video games, until I showed her this master-piece.

[@hauntedasylum8194]

I love violins. The sadness and beauty combined coming out of it... so beautiful.

[@thorinoakenshield396]

This game level up to my art culture. Thank you Troika ! Thanks your genius developers !

[@Daladun]

The music kind of fits with the feeling of nostalgia and how much more fun it was to be young playing these games.

[@Regularguy220]

This has been drilled into my mind because of the amount of time ive spent on character creation. I really need to finish this game

[@wwklnd]

Man, I love this song. And the game. And pretty much everything made by Troika. Just the other day, I got Tim Cain to send me the Troika logo as an EPS file so I can get it tattooed on my arm. I'm studying computer graphics, hoping to work with video games, and I thought I would commemmorate the company that motivated me to get into the gaming industry.

[@MajingoPower]

I so agree. The gameplay was awesome, the characters so well made and the story just blows your mind away. And all the secrets and the world are just incredible.

[@TheDeejay01]

This game may seriously be the best RPG that has ever been made. It is incredible how it goes under the radar and is unheard of by most.

[@kpjlflsknflksnflknsa]

1:25 left an indelible impression in my memory as a child

[@Докторпарадокс]

Arcanum whole soundtrack and especially this and villages have melancholic tone like there was something that is now forever gone and may never return but we must push forward

[@jbshiva865]

I loved this game as a teenager, I still do. I doubt there will be a sequel but maybe someone will buy the rights and do a reboot and get people interested in it again.

[@marxengels16]

Oh man, just got the sax quartet arrangement for this theme - gonna get our group to play it. Can't wait to start rehearsal, this is such a beautiful piece of music!

[@Anarkose]

This game is just another reminder of what really makes a good game.

[@tvojemama0123456789]

i was addicted for this when played it for the 1st time :)

[@stephencady6600]

Masterpiece of a game, epic music

[@gogocro1]

I have the best idea ever. Make a remake of arcanum with dragon age origins engine and combat and graphics and arcanum's story skills and character development. Impossible but a great idea in my mind...

[@ractorc91]

One of the most amazing games I have ever played in my life. Everything about it fits together so well, the story is incredibly in-depth and the characters are so well voiced. The music won an award, and rightly so as it is the best game music I have heard yet. Nothing I have played manages to draw all the strings of good game-play together so well. The fact that it is an old game just proves that graphics are the least important part of a game. Good story is all!

[@BnWProjectCreator]

Эх, столько эмоций... Столько воспоминаний...