Choicest VGM - VGM #450 - Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura - Arcanum

Screenshot from Arcanum



Track composed by Ben Houge

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura is an RPG with an interesting premise: set in a world where magic and technology seem to co-exist, yet not, at the same time (i.e. anything magical that is placed near technology tends to muddle around with the laws of physics which technology relies upon). Humans, Dwarves and Orcs are keen to embrace the new Steampunk world yet the Elves aren't. The game was quite different to anything I've played before (and also very frustrating at parts) but one of the most memorable parts of the game has to be its soundtrack, which was also quite different to anything I've heard before, at least in a PC game.

Houge decided to employ a string quartet to play the music for Arcanum which was an inspired choice, as the industrial revolution the world of Arcanum is experiencing parallels that of our own: string quartets came into being around the 1750s during the Classical era of music which is around the same time as the Industrial Revolution.

This particular piece is the main theme to Arcanum and it has a grand, epic, majestic feel to it, as you'd expect from a main theme to a computer game.

To learn more about Ben Houge's work on the Arcanum soundtrack, be sure to check out his webpage.


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