The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1785 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,547 out of 1785
  2. Mixed: 151 out of 1785
  3. Negative: 87 out of 1785
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  1. JohnY
    Jan 24, 2010
    10
    This game is absolutely the best RPG I ever played. I played the console version 2 times through with different characters and the PC version once through. And STILL have NOT done every quest there is to do. It is a huge open world and the expansions add to it. There is countless replayability, and endless customization for making characters. And even still has a nice graphics engine for This game is absolutely the best RPG I ever played. I played the console version 2 times through with different characters and the PC version once through. And STILL have NOT done every quest there is to do. It is a huge open world and the expansions add to it. There is countless replayability, and endless customization for making characters. And even still has a nice graphics engine for it's time. It has a long and in depth story and really indulges you into the game world. I believe this is a must buy for any RPG fan and will not disappoint. Easily a 10 out of 10.… Expand
  2. QueijoM.
    Oct 22, 2003
    10
    Best RPG ever. Period.
  3. UlliL.
    Aug 20, 2007
    10
    In my opinion Morrowind is even better than the better-looking oblivion.
  4. Eddyward
    Mar 11, 2011
    10
    Fantastic. Best Action-RPG I've ever played. Story was intricate and there was seemingly no limit to where you could explore. The variety of weapons is nice. I played this game long before oblivion, and I'm disappointed to see that oblivion didn't have spears or throwing weapons.
  5. BlackAcidDragon
    Oct 8, 2010
    10
    this game was awesome. gameplay was exceptional and i couldnt stop playing it. still plenty of places to explore and ares and things i have not even yet touched on. replayable through the years and mods to keep going at for years still lol
  6. FranckD
    Jul 21, 2009
    10
    There s no game yet, that have come to the deepness and size of Morrowind. Especially for those that don tlike to be grabbed by the hand and understand the real meaning of an adventure and understand concept of P&P Role Playing Game... Oblivion compared to Morrowind is a failure. And still today 2009 due to the awesome quantity of mods, i still play Morrowind, while Oblivion has been sold There s no game yet, that have come to the deepness and size of Morrowind. Especially for those that don tlike to be grabbed by the hand and understand the real meaning of an adventure and understand concept of P&P Role Playing Game... Oblivion compared to Morrowind is a failure. And still today 2009 due to the awesome quantity of mods, i still play Morrowind, while Oblivion has been sold after 3 weeks of weak gameplay, options and tale. I hope, but surely ain t waiting, that Oblivion V will be as grand as Morrowind. IF the company can only backtrack to its RPG heart as were Daggerfall and its predecessor i´ll be happy.… Expand
  7. AdamH.
    Nov 18, 2004
    10
    This is and will remain the best game i have ever played in my entire life. If you dont like this game you can't handle a world of possibilities and freedom, therefore you are dumb.
  8. Serra
    May 15, 2002
    10
    Best RPG to date...cleans up a lot of junk floating around in Daggerfall to become a very tight (but open, especially with the Construction Set) game.
  9. DavidW.
    Nov 27, 2004
    10
    Morrowind is a fantastic RPG! I prefered it to every other game I have ever played (tomb raider, half life, doom, neverwinter, etc). The world is beautifully drawn, exciting quests, and just plain fun to wander. Be sure to check out the islands far out in the oceans!
  10. RyanS.
    Sep 25, 2006
    10
    Absolutely fantastic game, one of (if not THE) best game I have ever played. Open-ended and incredibly free, the sense of character development and exploration is incredible.
  11. AsbjørnS.
    May 22, 2007
    10
    There's not much to say. The most impressive and complex RPG that I've played, and I feel so lucky to have stumbled upon it back in 2002.
  12. SavvasV.
    Aug 13, 2007
    10
    Magical. I played this game so many times and I still find it magical. What I find annoying is the creatures reapearing soon after you kill them.
  13. PrimeXenon
    Jan 16, 2010
    10
    There's games that are criticised by intelligent people for genuine reasons, and then there's games like Morrowind that are criticised by frankly daft people with an IQ clearly lower than Ned Flanders garden hedge. The main criticism seems to be the combat - (and in-game NPC's even say this about a zillion times) to hit enemies you need a high lvl of fatigue. When you think There's games that are criticised by intelligent people for genuine reasons, and then there's games like Morrowind that are criticised by frankly daft people with an IQ clearly lower than Ned Flanders garden hedge. The main criticism seems to be the combat - (and in-game NPC's even say this about a zillion times) to hit enemies you need a high lvl of fatigue. When you think theres enemies about slow to a WALK. Is that really too taxing on your brain? Nearly every "review" I've read has criticised not being "able to hit things", I cant believe theres people still criticising the game for this a Decade after its release... It truly is pathetic. Perhaps they ought to think about bringing that Rover back?… Expand
  14. TynanL.
    Mar 14, 2003
    10
    This game is by far one of the best games i have ever seen the graphics are amazing, the game play is involved and it just keeps calling you back to play it over and over again.
  15. ChrisR
    Jul 6, 2009
    10
    Fantastic story, amazing graphics with an astonishing range of beautifully detailed environments. Literally hundreds of hours of interesting side-quests. You can master everything with one character so there's no need to play though several times. You can literally become an invincible godlike figure and still encounter various challenges. Dwarfs virtually every other RPG i've Fantastic story, amazing graphics with an astonishing range of beautifully detailed environments. Literally hundreds of hours of interesting side-quests. You can master everything with one character so there's no need to play though several times. You can literally become an invincible godlike figure and still encounter various challenges. Dwarfs virtually every other RPG i've ever played. A truely incredible feat of game engineering. My favourite game of all time.… Expand
  16. Reximal
    May 31, 2002
    10
    Outstanding...
  17. KevinM.
    Jun 10, 2002
    10
    Simply outstanding. Incredible breadth of character creation and gameplay options combine with hundreds of quests and a huge, hand-crafted gameworld to deliver a game that's a winner in every way. Run, do not walk, to buy this one now.
  18. SeanW.
    Feb 16, 2003
    10
    A wonderful game in scope and gameplay. Tech issue there are but maybe more people should take the time to read the system req. and not just the fluff about a game.
  19. DavidL.
    Mar 18, 2003
    10
    I spend all my time playing this game!!!
  20. TweetyT.
    Mar 22, 2006
    10
    The best RPG game I ever played, enough for months of playing. With plugins, such as Better Bodies it looks awesome.
  21. ChrisE.
    May 10, 2007
    10
    This game was not only good in warfare but the graphics where at its peak.
  22. TempletonT.
    Mar 11, 2006
    10
    I have played this game more than any other in the history of videogames.
  23. ArandomRPGlover
    Jun 18, 2006
    10
    This just has to the the best ever game in the world! Everything about it is just so brill, it is faultless in every way, a beautiful game, love it to bits! Played to death, I will soon have to buy a new copy! I can't wait to get Oblivion!
  24. Brandon
    Dec 16, 2008
    10
    This only game that I have replayed several times using other player classes and haven't even finished the main quest! This is because, with the numerous guilds, its ridiculous, if not impossible, to experience them properly the first time through. Bought it was it was released in 02', still playing it now in 08' with unfortunately(?) nothing to replace it. I've tried This only game that I have replayed several times using other player classes and haven't even finished the main quest! This is because, with the numerous guilds, its ridiculous, if not impossible, to experience them properly the first time through. Bought it was it was released in 02', still playing it now in 08' with unfortunately(?) nothing to replace it. I've tried the better bodies mods which actually look better than Oblivion bodies but with one caveat - you must have clothes meshes.… Expand
  25. crimsondoor
    Jul 31, 2016
    10
    There is only one Elder Scrolls worth playing and it's Morrowind. To be honest, I regret spending my time on Oblivion and Skyrim and wish I had only played Morrowind. Oblivion and Skyrim are the dumbed down versions of Morrowind and everything gets boring very fast. I'd get a HD mod of Morrowind and play it again!
  26. Gor1945
    Apr 8, 2017
    10
    Вершина Бесезды - на которую она больше не забиралась, масштабная, потрясающе красивая, с еще не скатившимся в банальности сюжетом (чего стоит только выяснять кто убил Неревара на самом деле), удивительный, невиданный ранее мир, масштабнейший лор - одна из лучших РПГ в истории жанра.Вершина Бесезды - на которую она больше не забиралась, масштабная, потрясающе красивая, с еще не скатившимся в банальности сюжетом (чего стоит только выяснять кто убил Неревара на самом деле), удивительный, невиданный ранее мир, масштабнейший лор - одна из лучших РПГ в истории жанра.
  27. Nerevarinho
    Jan 11, 2020
    10
    In 2002. You can steal everything, break in everywhere, kill everyone (if you want), loot armor that you really see weared on your enemies. What an amount of freedom. You can even kill main quest NPCs with a following message that you interrupted the line of the Story and its your decision if you want to proceed. Those were choices with real consequences. And packed in so an atmosphericIn 2002. You can steal everything, break in everywhere, kill everyone (if you want), loot armor that you really see weared on your enemies. What an amount of freedom. You can even kill main quest NPCs with a following message that you interrupted the line of the Story and its your decision if you want to proceed. Those were choices with real consequences. And packed in so an atmospheric world. I still have unforgotten moments. This game remains in my heart forever.… Expand
  28. Solaris123
    Dec 26, 2019
    10
    Real real RPG, no compromises, no thoughtless facilitators, only you and the adventure, the question of whether you get caught up in it, one of the best rpg that eats the overrated The Witcher 3 for breakfast
  29. RobertT
    Jan 3, 2010
    10
    An amazing game; full of an awesome storyline that takes you through an enticing magical world... the person who reviewed before me has no idea of how great this game is...
  30. Caticus
    Jun 5, 2004
    9
    Brilliant... A few bugs prevent it getting a 10, but still the best!
  31. MickJ
    Jan 4, 2010
    9
    How is it possible I've to read certain things... Morrowind is a RPG, unlike Oblivion. In a RPG you have to train your skills to ACTUALLY "hit the things". If anyone wants to always hit then go playing OB or any other hack'n'slash. Pros: an incredibly well-constructed story, with a very detailed politic background, a stunning enviroment diversity, a very good, quite How is it possible I've to read certain things... Morrowind is a RPG, unlike Oblivion. In a RPG you have to train your skills to ACTUALLY "hit the things". If anyone wants to always hit then go playing OB or any other hack'n'slash. Pros: an incredibly well-constructed story, with a very detailed politic background, a stunning enviroment diversity, a very good, quite balanced skill system, same for the magic system, satisfying side-quests, a great soundtrack. Cons: too many bugs (without (un)official patches), combat system sometimes a bit "scabby" switching between phis. and mag. attacks, and I preferred more RPG style weapon attacks with random damage. Conclusion:there would be many other things to say, but the fact is that THIS is a masterpiece, to enjoy little by little, without being in a hurry.… Expand
  32. [Anonymous]
    Dec 22, 2007
    10
    This is the best game in the world. Way better than oblivion, but thats my opinion.
  33. Dremord
    Aug 16, 2012
    8
    It's really hard NOT to love this game. Good graphics, even with the advancements we have today. Great environment. Bethesda actually developed a new world and culture in this game - something they had a hard time doing with Oblivion or Skyrim. The creative monsters and terrain made Morrowind Morrowind. The only thing missing is starting game combat (80% chance to miss), but that can beIt's really hard NOT to love this game. Good graphics, even with the advancements we have today. Great environment. Bethesda actually developed a new world and culture in this game - something they had a hard time doing with Oblivion or Skyrim. The creative monsters and terrain made Morrowind Morrowind. The only thing missing is starting game combat (80% chance to miss), but that can be looked over easily.… Expand
  34. J
    May 9, 2005
    10
    This is probbaly the greatest crafted RPG you could hope for, too bad it was single player only, but Elder scrolls players are not open minded and turn down the idea. The storyline took me 3 months to figure out, and a lot of moving. It also presents you with interesting challenges like not being bale to instantly travel to every city. Items were not overpowered, and many looked awesome This is probbaly the greatest crafted RPG you could hope for, too bad it was single player only, but Elder scrolls players are not open minded and turn down the idea. The storyline took me 3 months to figure out, and a lot of moving. It also presents you with interesting challenges like not being bale to instantly travel to every city. Items were not overpowered, and many looked awesome for tis time. Morrowind is definently the rpg for the average gamer.… Expand
  35. GrantH.
    Apr 18, 2005
    10
    This game kicks as much butt as Jet Li.
  36. Ryanb
    Jun 16, 2009
    9
    This is one of the best games ever, i compare so many games to this, and they almost never come close to being so engaging. The joy of exploring this dense and diverse world, will leave you coming back for more, and more. While today its hard to find the graphics amazing, now that the game has been out for 7 years, they are still well done, and the concepts solid. The main weakness is the This is one of the best games ever, i compare so many games to this, and they almost never come close to being so engaging. The joy of exploring this dense and diverse world, will leave you coming back for more, and more. While today its hard to find the graphics amazing, now that the game has been out for 7 years, they are still well done, and the concepts solid. The main weakness is the combat system, which in the early levels of your character will be incredibly frustrating, but as you progress this becomes less and less of an issue. You basically miss a lot until you get some decent skills. The sheer number of items, weapons and armors has yet to be matched in a game. This game is far better then its successor oblivion. If you are into a good story, and a world filled with intriguing lore then this is the game for you. This is perhaps the only game where you pickup a book and you can actually read it, and not only can you but you want to because it further immerses you in the world. Add the huge user content community and you have hands down the best RPG to ever grace the pc.… Expand
  37. DeusXCom
    Aug 2, 2014
    10
    A Masterpiece! By far the best chapter in The Elder Scrolls series as well as one of the best RPG's of all time. Bethesda created a beautiful, huge and unique world of Morrowind that catches you, immerses you and won't let you out so easily and when it does, you will be blessed with a fantasy experience to remember. The world and the creatures inhabiting it were all so unique, atmosphereA Masterpiece! By far the best chapter in The Elder Scrolls series as well as one of the best RPG's of all time. Bethesda created a beautiful, huge and unique world of Morrowind that catches you, immerses you and won't let you out so easily and when it does, you will be blessed with a fantasy experience to remember. The world and the creatures inhabiting it were all so unique, atmosphere so mysterious, politics between the houses intriguing, main Nerevarine story very epic, game mechanics amazingly complex with so much freedom, creating your own spells, mixing potions, joining countless factions and doing quests, building your own stronghold and living there including taking care of your own staff, flying all over the world, just doing what the hell you want to do. Morrowind was also the first time The Elder Scrolls introduced talented Jeremy Soule, his spectacular soundtrack and theme that continued to be amazing and one of the trademarks of the entire series, but it was exceptionally good here. I love Morrowind and it's definitely not just nostalgia, recently I played through this again after playing through all the other TES chapters and it only proved my opinion that Morrowind is without a doubt the best of them all. 10/10… Expand
  38. Massander
    Nov 3, 2014
    9
    It's a great game, one of the best RPGs I've played. It's nostalgic, great soundtrack and very very challenging.
    When i first played this game i hated it, it was just too hard, the combat is very hard to get used to, and i didn't even know how to level up my character, i used to die to worms. After some time i decided to give this game another chance, and i just loved it, when i learned    It's a great game, one of the best RPGs I've played. It's nostalgic, great soundtrack and very very challenging.
    When i first played this game i hated it, it was just too hard, the combat is very hard to get used to, and i didn't even know how to level up my character, i used to die to worms. After some time i decided to give this game another chance, and i just loved it, when i learned how to play it, it was still hard, very hard, you have to explore a lot to find where you have to go.
    The only bad thing i think is because there are no fast travels, you can only teleport from guilds or if you are good with magics, but otherwise you'll have to walk all the way.    … Expand
  39. Smilingcookie
    Mar 31, 2015
    10
    My real score would be a 9.6/10. Very good story, setting, art design and atmosphere. The environment just demands exploration and there's a very intriguing effect with the fog. Music is beautiful.

    Quests are always interesting, most of the time not straight forward. You actually have to think about things and make connections between different parts of information. No GPS here, you    My real score would be a 9.6/10. Very good story, setting, art design and atmosphere. The environment just demands exploration and there's a very intriguing effect with the fog. Music is beautiful.

    Quests are always interesting, most of the time not straight forward. You actually have to think about things and make connections between different parts of information. No GPS here, you have to use the map (a paper one can come in handy)! There are many alternative ways of dealing with situations and several outcomes. Sometimes you can skip an entire quest just by bribing someone if you would wish to. You can also trick people or double cross them. It is also possible to kill any NPC in the game (if you accept the consequences that accompany such wanton slaughter)

    Unlike in Skyrim, some guild memberships are mutually exclusive, which is positive roleplaying wise.

    The only negative is character animations were not so good. You can either play 1st person or download an animation mod (morrowind overhaul contains one).

    This is in my top 5 PC games.    … Expand
  40. Archontos
    May 20, 2011
    10
    Probably the best, or one of the best games I played in my life. I was lost to the world for 2 or 3 weeks when playing Morrowind. Ooops, sorry - not playing. I was LIVING in there for these 2 weeks... Huge area to visit (I totally LOVE to tour nice game worlds), filled with creatures living their own lives and stories, filled with both farms, houses, regular villages, as well as mysteriousProbably the best, or one of the best games I played in my life. I was lost to the world for 2 or 3 weeks when playing Morrowind. Ooops, sorry - not playing. I was LIVING in there for these 2 weeks... Huge area to visit (I totally LOVE to tour nice game worlds), filled with creatures living their own lives and stories, filled with both farms, houses, regular villages, as well as mysterious ruins, caves, crazy buildings. I also live the background of this world - history, races, religion, etc. Every cRPG fan (and I think also every RPG fan ;) ) that has 2 or 3 weeks of free time should play this game.… Expand
  41. Doeren_Ithron
    Jul 15, 2012
    10
    A masterpiece, truly. I played many games and many RPG. But it is really hard to find a game, in which you actually want to return to. Now, even RPG started to be simple. Just another game to entertain you for a dozen of hours. Meh. Morrowind offer you a world so deep, that you can drown in it. There was a lot of games after Morrowind. It all better looking (Morrowind was released in 2001,A masterpiece, truly. I played many games and many RPG. But it is really hard to find a game, in which you actually want to return to. Now, even RPG started to be simple. Just another game to entertain you for a dozen of hours. Meh. Morrowind offer you a world so deep, that you can drown in it. There was a lot of games after Morrowind. It all better looking (Morrowind was released in 2001, many people forgetting it). Some of them quite interesting. But here I am again, making my way through Ashlands, keeping my eye on this cliff racers or trying to sell a stolen silver vase to a Breton trader in Peligiad... Its a nostalgia, that making players to start this game over and over again. To dive in a world of fading beauty, immerse landscapes, loneliness and adventures, waiting for you to make few steps toward it.
    Is it boring? Well, yes. If you used to hack and slash games, that pretending to be RPG, and waiting for game to spit a world right into your face, this one is not for you.
    Try to understand, that Morrowind truly offer you a different world. Explore it. Live in it. And you will be rewarded with one of the best RPG of generation.
    P.S. Than, if you want to try something new - try Tamriel Rebuilt (or other mods). Or create your own mod for Morrowind with TES Construction Set)    … Expand
  42. TheCommander
    Jun 28, 2012
    10
    Even years after it's release and many hours of gameplay later, I still find myself going back to this game. I think this game gave me more enjoyment then any other RPG I've ever played. Truthfully I think the only improvements Bethesda made in Oblivion or Skyrim were the graphics and combat system. Otherwise I would say that Morrowind is far better then the later sequels. The storyline,Even years after it's release and many hours of gameplay later, I still find myself going back to this game. I think this game gave me more enjoyment then any other RPG I've ever played. Truthfully I think the only improvements Bethesda made in Oblivion or Skyrim were the graphics and combat system. Otherwise I would say that Morrowind is far better then the later sequels. The storyline, quests, and factions are very deep and I loved being a wizard with a levitate spell flying all across the land. Each town has its own distinct feel and the towns don't feel copy pasted like they do in Oblivion. Perhaps the greatest thing about this game is it gave you the feeling of a treasure hunter as you could find any item at any level unlike Skyrim and Oblivion where both monsters and items level up with you. This game is a game I will always remember as a true RPG. It wasn't just a game it was an experience.… Expand
  43. BrendanT.
    Jul 2, 2003
    10
    Im nowhere near done the game but from what I have played, It kills all other Pc Games(that I have)
  44. AlistairD.
    Jun 9, 2005
    10
    best game EVER. Only problem is my computer isn't quite up to full specs needed. Will have to buy new computer before oblivion comes out.
  45. Kai82
    Sep 16, 2014
    10
    One of the best action rpgs of all times. The game world is huge (bigger than Skyrim) and there are tons of things you can do. The main story is intoxicating and the side / guild quests are also well written. For me it doesn't matter but the graphics look really dated today (It was good at its release time). The soundtrack still holds up today. The battle system is fine. I had neverOne of the best action rpgs of all times. The game world is huge (bigger than Skyrim) and there are tons of things you can do. The main story is intoxicating and the side / guild quests are also well written. For me it doesn't matter but the graphics look really dated today (It was good at its release time). The soundtrack still holds up today. The battle system is fine. I had never problems while fighting enemies. The level up system is also really good (It is different from Skyrim. Skyrim got rid of stats like strength, dexterity etc). It has also a job system (You chose a job at the beginning of the game and get higher stats in some skills). Overall this is a timeless classic and a good choice for rpg lovers. For me it is better than Skyrim in many parts (Could not decide which is the better Elder Scrolls game).… Expand
  46. aradapilot
    Aug 16, 2014
    10
    The best game I've ever played. Endless replay value - you could play through the already extensive main quest without even seeing a tenth of the beautiful content - go explore. Great character development mechanics, endless customization of skills and items. Libraries of in-game books you can read for hours. This game has soul.
  47. JasonCDaniels
    Nov 16, 2015
    8
    I've replayed Morrowind recently, and even more recently joined metacritic. So I figured I'd toss my hat in here.

    Executive Summary (TL;DR) 8/10 for its time: This is largely due to tons of exploits and bugs that never should have been day 1 bugs, muchless persistent. (I just love exploiting games, but it is an indication of poor quality control.) The general fun I have playing, the    I've replayed Morrowind recently, and even more recently joined metacritic. So I figured I'd toss my hat in here.

    Executive Summary (TL;DR)

    8/10 for its time: This is largely due to tons of exploits and bugs that never should have been day 1 bugs, muchless persistent. (I just love exploiting games, but it is an indication of poor quality control.) The general fun I have playing, the compelling story, and overall replayability make the flaws it has easy for me to overlook. This is a GREAT addition to the Elder Scrolls franchise as well as to the corpus of RPG games.

    -----------

    Detailed review:
    The Bad:
    1. Attributes and other boosts aren't checked/capped. There is no upper limit one can boost these to with potions. The number will also suddenly flip to a largely negative value. This is near inexplicable behavior if you don't know the innards of a computer (I do). If you love exploiting things look at the next item for why this is bad even if you don't cross that magical negative flipping boundary.

    2. Some temporary boost potions can kill you when they wear off, if you have boosted yourself more than 2x your HP, and have taken more than 1x your HP in damage that's unhealed. I experienced this with 30seconds of a quick save and 6 hours of the prior regular save. I eventually survived...

    3. Buggy on release. Many of these bugs persist, long after the game is no longer being maintained. Too many mods are needed to fix all of the bugs, bogging down the machine running it, doubly true for the hardware of 2002.

    The Mediocre (Not bad, not great):
    1. Melee combat. It's serviceable, but rough.

    2. Spell crafting. I like crafting spells, but the UI is merely serviceable, even by 2002 standards.

    3. Side quests are a mixed bag for writing and presentation.

    4. In game books -- like real life books the quality of the writing in these is all over the place. The reasons to read them are three fold: a) skill increases (very rare), b) increase player knowledge of the game realm that is Elder Scrolls, c) you actually like the book(s). (some people do!) The reason to carry them in inventory is for gold. Skill books command a good price.

    5. You can talk to almost everyone! But not everyone has something valuable or interesting to say. Those with little value to say pretty much share the same dialogue tree.

    6. The DLC was a mixed bag in my view. For me, the stories for those felt forced at times, with the exception of Bloodmoon.

    7. The graphics were mediocre for 2002. They've not aged as well as one might have hoped. But I still enjoy the game a lot, despite this.

    The great:
    1. Well thought out main story with great writing. I felt motivated to figure out if my character was actually the Nerevarine. This was a very enjoyable experience for me.

    2. The RPG mechanical elements, such as skills, attributes and the like are well thought out, tho not perfectly balanced. These allow for a lot of replayability while having to master new gameplay mechanics each time.

    3. In game tutorial woven through as part of the game at the start. This is a huge bonus as it ensures you know the basics of how to play and manage your character.

    4. Magic is well done in this game and the variety of schools to master is a detail I find highly enjoyable. While spell crafting can be tough for the faint of heart, you have no absolute need for it. You can buy good spells in every Mages Guild.

    5. Factions/Guilds have separate agenda's and their own involved quest lines that can rarely come into conflict with each other. While not as thoroughly polished as the main quest, these are still intriguing and fun to play, especially when you must choose to never complete a quest or to get ejected from a guild. If you don't like such tough choices, don't join any guilds.

    6. The volume of side quests, while fulfilling the main archetypes for quests, is just astounding. You have to play for a very very long time to find, and complete them all.

    7. The world map is HUGE. It's open, more open than even its descendants, and is very detailed for its time. The types of landscapes you'll encounter are varied, and with no loading screen for moving from the swampy areas to the desert and then to the ash-blown wastes that is the volcanic center of the island-nation of Morrowind. But be warned if you try that, you will be doing a lot of walking. Mage Guild Teleportation, or Silt Striders are your best fast travel options.

    8. You can keep playing after the main quest is done! Yay!

    In conclusion 8/10: This is a GREAT addition to the Elder Scrolls franchise as well as to the corpus of RPG games. I find this an immensely replayable, fun, well written game with a larger than desirable share of non-game-breaking bugs. If it had better QC it would have gotten a 9 or 10 from me. But as a professional software engineer of over 20 years, and having played video games since Pong in the 1970s (I was a wee tot then), I have high expectations of software, especially games.    … Expand
  48. masterbezruk
    Jun 2, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I just do not understand those people who do not like the Elder Scrolls series and the third part of this magnificent epic Morrowind in particular.Ð… Expand
  49. KrisM.
    Feb 24, 2007
    8
    Morrowind is an amazing game that you can play for 10 minutes or for 10 hours. The only problem I felt was the fighting. The swordplay was a bit boring. Another is the sense of overwhelming you get when playing this. For someone indecisive like me, it's very hard to choose what to do. But overall, it's an amazing game.
  50. drschuster555
    Jul 15, 2014
    10
    The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind is the best RPG ive ever played. I'm a very young, have played Skyrim at the first time and I thought, that it was the best time-consuming game i've ever pushed into the drive. But no. Oblivion wasn't my game, because the world was too "plastic". But Morrowind was a masterpiece. You can explore the world more than 100 hours. Yes, i know, the story was not theThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind is the best RPG ive ever played. I'm a very young, have played Skyrim at the first time and I thought, that it was the best time-consuming game i've ever pushed into the drive. But no. Oblivion wasn't my game, because the world was too "plastic". But Morrowind was a masterpiece. You can explore the world more than 100 hours. Yes, i know, the story was not the best and you can play it through in 1 hour, but the RPG gameplay was revolutionary in this age of time and for me. The graphics are today irrelevant, when you are a real RPG-player.

    The Elder Scrolls have changed my life.

    Sorry for translation errors    … Expand
  51. mcfry
    Oct 17, 2015
    9
    I've re-written my review to honor this game better.
    Morrowind was my first true open-world RPG experience. It was massive. Unbelievable, how big this world was, and how realistic it feet. It was true immersion of the kind that I had been looking for in a game for so long - Morrowind made it come true. The key to that experience was that the game world didn't make me feel too welcome. I    I've re-written my review to honor this game better.
    Morrowind was my first true open-world RPG experience. It was massive. Unbelievable, how big this world was, and how realistic it feet. It was true immersion of the kind that I had been looking for in a game for so long - Morrowind made it come true. The key to that experience was that the game world didn't make me feel too welcome. I had to find my place there myself. Following the plot, I could become a great hero - or focus on advancing in the ranks of a guild that I sympathize with - or I could avoid the sociability and just explore ash deserts, climb mountains ... follow a river, hoping to hit a village soon, not knowing if a would find allies there ... or enter dungeons, not knowing if I can make it out, or if I will find the treasure. Morrowind is rough, it let me die under lots of different circumstances. Stealing, fighting, or just talking - none of it is easy from the start, but depending on my own focus, I can make it work. Well, in fact, a little more common sense could have prevented me from dying most of the time ... Still, it was worth it - dying out of stupidity made the world consistent! Reality doesn't do that anymore.

    Trivia:
    Vivec, the capital, is the most annoying virtual city I have ever been forced to visit. I would *not* live there.
    I love the magic skills in this game: you can play completely different types of magicians - or, as before: ignore it and whack the wildlife with club, sword or bow instead. Why fly, when you can jump? (But flying is cooler.) You can do both.
    Once I got myself trapped on a roof and didn't want to reload, so I started jumping in place until my Acrobatics were advanced enough to let me survive the fall. Needless to say, skilling took more time than replaying the lost part would have - but it felt like an achievement. Stupid old days.

    Reasons to stay in Morrowind:
    What happens when the nostalgia fades? Well, even then Morrowind should still be worth a (longer) look, and that is because of its freedom, and because of its world. Some may call it barren, lacking vegetation, or miss people riding about. Yet this is not a big deal, I think. The different regions have a lot of character, despite the raw textures. Not to forget that essentially you are an explorer in a rough world, and people would be strange to have around in a desert. People stay in their towns, that is what towns are for. The only thing I missed, are more trees and animals. The latter can be modded into the game.

    Bugs:
    Some are bound to happen. Quests might fail because of dysfunctional pathfinding or unforeseen events. Saving and loading skills required. Be careful: As realistic as it is to be able to kill anybody - without some characters, certain quests (even the main quest) will be impossible to complete, and some doors will stay closed.

    Tech:
    While the sound is great, the graphics are not. I would not call them ugly, because I do value a fitting texture, and I really like the water, even when I've seen better. This game does not need hi-def graphics, but if you do, then it's simply not a match :)
    My opinion regarding the basic technology, the interface, and the modding capabilities are basically the same as those in my review for Oblivion, Morrowind's successor. It was mostly negative criticism, though. As a result, after hundreds of hours of installing and running modifications, I've decided to stop doing that entirely, for as long as the foundation of the Elder Scrolls games is so not fit for modding. Here my review ends on a bitter note (because I love the things you can do with mods).

    I rate Morrowind one point over Oblivion, rewarding its deeper roughness, its greater cultural richness, and higher exploratory qualities. Ash deserts, you are my true home!    … Expand
  52. ireviewthings1
    May 19, 2015
    9
    It feels clumsy, slow, disorientating. You need to read huge amounts of text because there is near to no voice acting. You wan't to wipe your butt with the quest journal because it's that useless. You miss 80 % of your attacks and there is no quick travel per se.

    What a masterpiece of gaming. The best Elder Scrolls game. This should be descreption enough. Morrowind the game makes you    It feels clumsy, slow, disorientating. You need to read huge amounts of text because there is near to no voice acting. You wan't to wipe your butt with the quest journal because it's that useless. You miss 80 % of your attacks and there is no quick travel per se.

    What a masterpiece of gaming. The best Elder Scrolls game. This should be descreption enough. Morrowind the game makes you wan't to live in Morrowind the world. And would you just listen to the theme?!

    You can mod it extensively as well, progressing it's graphics by about 6 years. Just head over to Nexus or ModDB.

    All time classic, Hall of Famer.    … Expand
  53. Slay
    Feb 24, 2011
    9
    (9)
    Great game. I have played Morrowind hundreds of hours and I haven't bored yet.. Vast world is very captivating but I have to give Morrowind 9/10 because of the numerous glitches and several crashes.
  54. MindaugasT.
    Jul 8, 2004
    10
    BEST GAME!!!
  55. PithHelmet
    Oct 10, 2010
    10
    Morrowind is for passionate gamers who like the idea of deep role play. If you were to feel proud when you have served a faction or ordinary citizen, confronted and destroyed evil deities, uncovered conspiracies in religions, like the idea of fantasy politics, and more, get this game if you are a storyline centered person. If your first experience was with Oblivion and now you feel as ifMorrowind is for passionate gamers who like the idea of deep role play. If you were to feel proud when you have served a faction or ordinary citizen, confronted and destroyed evil deities, uncovered conspiracies in religions, like the idea of fantasy politics, and more, get this game if you are a storyline centered person. If your first experience was with Oblivion and now you feel as if you have run out of things to do, get Morrowind.… Expand
  56. dule711
    Sep 11, 2012
    10
    Morrowind is one of the best RPG games on PC. Ever. The game is incredibly immersive. Without fast travel the game forces you to explore, in a good way. Combat is hard and challenging, perfect for old-school players. The lands of Morrowind are huge and art design does not fail, but provides beautiful scenery. Graphics are outdated but when the game was new it had one of the best engines onMorrowind is one of the best RPG games on PC. Ever. The game is incredibly immersive. Without fast travel the game forces you to explore, in a good way. Combat is hard and challenging, perfect for old-school players. The lands of Morrowind are huge and art design does not fail, but provides beautiful scenery. Graphics are outdated but when the game was new it had one of the best engines on the market. Must buy for hardcore RPG players.… Expand
  57. hfffoman
    Nov 10, 2011
    10
    Morrowind has a couple of features that make it stand out above any other RPG I have played. First the story is intertwined with history as set out in books and quests and is just like reading human history. There are different accounts, different opinions, ambiguous reports. The picture you build up is incomplete and often makes you revise your judgements about which historical charactersMorrowind has a couple of features that make it stand out above any other RPG I have played. First the story is intertwined with history as set out in books and quests and is just like reading human history. There are different accounts, different opinions, ambiguous reports. The picture you build up is incomplete and often makes you revise your judgements about which historical characters are good and which are evil. Eventually you realize that just as in real life, there is often no clear boundary. Second, the game world is so convincing and lifelike, it draws you in until you feel like you have actually been there and witnessed the events. All RPGs try to do this but Morrowind (and Oblivion) do it better because the physics is better. Most games impose limits on what a character can do e.g. there is an object, therefore you cannot go there. In Morrowind, you can move anything if it is light enough and not fastened, jump on anything if your jumping skill is good enough, climb any terrain if your you have the capability. You have to try this. It is very realistic, and fun.… Expand
  58. bonniewithbeer
    Jan 8, 2012
    10
    My favourite game of all time. It took me a while to get into it, because it is so confusing at first, but well worth it. I enjoyed being part of the guilds much more than in Oblivion and Skyrim because: foremost that you had to be a certain skill level to rise the ranks, secondly that it had ranks at all (Skyrim), and thirdly because of the long time you spent with the guild made you moreMy favourite game of all time. It took me a while to get into it, because it is so confusing at first, but well worth it. I enjoyed being part of the guilds much more than in Oblivion and Skyrim because: foremost that you had to be a certain skill level to rise the ranks, secondly that it had ranks at all (Skyrim), and thirdly because of the long time you spent with the guild made you more loyal to them, and your guildmates.… Expand
  59. STMary
    May 15, 2012
    10
    My first 10, really one of the best games Ive played. Was disappointed with Oblivion and Skyrim, but they had tough shoes to fill...
    My only complaint is the **** cliff racers!
  60. Wmc1206
    Sep 22, 2012
    10
    AMAZING GAME! Great story, Bloodmoon and Tribunal were excellent expansions. A huge open world, many unique factions to join. Still, was a little bugged that I couldn't join House Dagoth and rule as a God-King without a mod.
  61. MarbearEstelle
    Jun 11, 2012
    10
    The most in-depth customary system I've ever seen. Not only do you get to choose exactly what kind of character you want to be, you can also customize what you wear and what your weapon does. The best Elder Scrolls game of all time, and also my very favorite game. No matter how much I play it, I always find new things to do. There are hilarious, dramatic, and OMGWHUTDOIDO moments thatThe most in-depth customary system I've ever seen. Not only do you get to choose exactly what kind of character you want to be, you can also customize what you wear and what your weapon does. The best Elder Scrolls game of all time, and also my very favorite game. No matter how much I play it, I always find new things to do. There are hilarious, dramatic, and OMGWHUTDOIDO moments that always shake it up, no matter what kind of character you are.… Expand
  62. Duderoth
    Sep 20, 2011
    9
    Morrowind is such a strange, backwards experience. Most games start out flashy, and then after a while you realize how boring it really is. Morrowind is sort of the opposite. You start in the ugliest, dingiest town in the game, and it builds its way up from there. You don't really know what you're supposed to be doing when you start out--the main quest isn't even really revealed tilMorrowind is such a strange, backwards experience. Most games start out flashy, and then after a while you realize how boring it really is. Morrowind is sort of the opposite. You start in the ugliest, dingiest town in the game, and it builds its way up from there. You don't really know what you're supposed to be doing when you start out--the main quest isn't even really revealed til later--so the game motivates you to try different things and go exploring. But boy when that main quest line starts revealing itself, it is one epic tale, and it would have made as great a novel as it does a game. The sheer attention to detail in this is mind-blowing. Every area of the game feels hand-crafted, with hidden areas to explore; items, weapons and armor to collect; all sorts of enemies to test your power against; a story full of religion, politics, and conflict; and an extremely complex and rich society. It doesn't hurt that you can explore every region of the map at any point (you just might not live through the encounters you face) and uncover some very strange and exotic locales. And on that note, it's hard to have strong diversity in a game and still keep it feeling like a uniform and unique region all on its own. Once again this game succeeds, with desolation, swamp, coastline, open pastures and the like. The only criticism I have for this game is the combat. I personally do not mind the by-the-numbers real-time combat, where a low skill means you might miss, but I think transitions between melee/ranged and magic could have been better. I also would have appreciated a reason not to simply click the "best attack" button on options, and in this respect I think Daggerfall had better combat. Overall however, Morrowind is classic. Anybody who has the patience for reading a great novel would love this game, as it winds up being a game of epic proportions.… Expand
  63. Tubie
    Oct 2, 2010
    10
    This game is one of the best games of all time in my personal list. I still play it every now and then out of pure nostalgia. I can't even begin to imagine how many hours I've poured into this!
  64. Dethstar
    May 17, 2011
    10
    A true classic of legendary proportions. Brilliant game made even better by tons of modding community support.

    A much loved classic which always brings back good memories of actually having something fun to do on Sundays. *and just about every other chance I got.
  65. Ansatsu83
    May 29, 2012
    9
    I can, honestly, say there is only one bad thing about this game, and at this point it is easily overlooked due to a couple mods that can fix this. In all reality it is my second favorite game of all time.

    If you like oldschool rpgs, a very large world, tons of things to do, all quest lines give you only moderate direction of where to go forcing you to have to hunt, and an overall    I can, honestly, say there is only one bad thing about this game, and at this point it is easily overlooked due to a couple mods that can fix this. In all reality it is my second favorite game of all time.

    If you like oldschool rpgs, a very large world, tons of things to do, all quest lines give you only moderate direction of where to go forcing you to have to hunt, and an overall challenge, then pick this up.

    While it is true the hit and miss system is a pain there are so many easy ways around this if you know how, if not look it up. Here is a hint, "master trainers."

    The only thing I can say about this game, and its the reason I must give it a 9 out of 10 instead of a perfect score, is that on release the graphics were not even close to dos related 3d graphics. The whole character models look terrible even by standards set 6 to 10 years before the game came out. This alone is the reason it got knocked down one point.

    Again the only issue can be resolved by mods at this point in time, the better bodies mod, better heads (discontinued but still able to be found) and morrowind enhanced (type mods) actually can make this game look graphically appealing and honestly, lets just say this, I have wasted so much time on this game and I still have not completed everything there is to do, I always find something new and I have played for ages.

    The modding community is, quite possibly, larger than oblivion and skyrim combined but this is to be expected. It is now 20 dollars on steam but I can say it is worth a lot more.

    Just be careful, if you like to be hand fed everything, please go play a bad game now and don't waste your time trying to rate this poorly or play this game, you wont look intelligent.

    Overall playtime for real gamers is expected to be around 1260 hours, give or take.    … Expand
  66. perroel
    Jun 10, 2011
    10
    this is the best game I've ever played. I guess modern gamers don't like it because the combat system is bad, also they want lots of action and don't want to wait very long in order to get a character that cannot miss enemies. for me the story is interesting and rich. the feeling and the adventure are best parts of this game.

    you should find help in the unofficial elder scrolls pages    this is the best game I've ever played. I guess modern gamers don't like it because the combat system is bad, also they want lots of action and don't want to wait very long in order to get a character that cannot miss enemies. for me the story is interesting and rich. the feeling and the adventure are best parts of this game.

    you should find help in the unofficial elder scrolls pages website if you need help with this game    … Expand
  67. Urshilikai
    Oct 26, 2011
    10
    Absolutely amazing game after all these years. The depth of the game and lore are astounding. The open world holds hundreds of hours worth of entertainment and even more can be added with the mods from the still-active community. This is the sandbox game that all other open world rpgs should aspire to be.
  68. SolidusRaptors
    Jun 27, 2002
    9
    Fantastic game but, for me, just after baldur's gate II.
  69. ZéLuís
    Jul 6, 2002
    8
    An excellent not linear RPG. This is the best game of The Elder Srolls serie. Very, very good.
  70. Enthasius
    Mar 1, 2003
    8
    The RPG which tries to not only break the mould, but destroy it as well. It succeeds, but unfortunatly, is victim to all of the bugs of a game where it has been made unique. It also suffer's from repetition, heavy slow down on a moderate computer, and a overly simple combat system which lets it all down. The difficulty is also a problem, as it gets too easy, too fast as soon as you The RPG which tries to not only break the mould, but destroy it as well. It succeeds, but unfortunatly, is victim to all of the bugs of a game where it has been made unique. It also suffer's from repetition, heavy slow down on a moderate computer, and a overly simple combat system which lets it all down. The difficulty is also a problem, as it gets too easy, too fast as soon as you figure out how things work. Thankfully, there are so many mods to improve on this game's short-comings, and if your good enough you can make your own modification, be it a book, all the way to a whole new story. Try it, but only if you have the time and patience to immerse yourself into the world.… Expand
  71. Al
    Oct 31, 2004
    9
    It is my favrite RPG ever, giving you a true feel that you are in control. A few bugs but not enough to keep me from playing.
  72. JB
    Aug 11, 2006
    8
    A good, solid RPG with some interesting lore to uncover and a centuries' old mystery to solve. Everything about this game is good except for its balance: the only way to excel at playing this game is as a 'tank mage', and there is only one race that really does well at that, in essence only creating the illusion of choice in racial selection. (I.E. play Breton). The replay A good, solid RPG with some interesting lore to uncover and a centuries' old mystery to solve. Everything about this game is good except for its balance: the only way to excel at playing this game is as a 'tank mage', and there is only one race that really does well at that, in essence only creating the illusion of choice in racial selection. (I.E. play Breton). The replay value of this game becomes considerably less once you realize this. Still worth getting.… Expand
  73. smejki
    Nov 1, 2008
    8
    Since Fallout2 and Baldurs gate2 I haven't played so huge and complex game. Just great atypical story for fantasy RPG(more political than fantasy). Original skilling. Beautiful design.
    But I found that this game is completely unreplayable after you once finish it. I tried very very hard but really I just knew to much of the wolrd.
  74. ImranA
    Oct 26, 2009
    9
    The best of the ES series (Better than Oblivion too, you console kids). Epic scale and wide variety of adventures to be had. It starts a little rough for people unfamiliar with open world games and the combat is less than spectacular, but these somewhat major complaints barely scratch the gem that this game is.
  75. MarkS.
    Jul 31, 2002
    9
    Bugthesda has done it again. Great game, one of the top 5 rpg's so far, but kilotons of technical issues and picograms of support. I must say though that they had the first patch up before the shring wrap cooled, but don't try asking anyone a question.
  76. KyleR
    Jun 27, 2009
    9
    This game is almost perfect. I can spend countless hours playing it, learning new things about the backstory, finishing quest, or just exploring. The thing I love most, is how endless it really is. There are just so many atrifacts, little side quest, big side quests, factions, silly characters and easter eggs. The list just goes on, and on, and on. If I were someone planning on buying This game is almost perfect. I can spend countless hours playing it, learning new things about the backstory, finishing quest, or just exploring. The thing I love most, is how endless it really is. There are just so many atrifacts, little side quest, big side quests, factions, silly characters and easter eggs. The list just goes on, and on, and on. If I were someone planning on buying this game, which I am, because I sold my Xbox, I would buy the Game Of The Year Edition, and get Tribunal and Bloodmoon.… Expand
  77. Schantzee
    May 2, 2013
    9
    This game may be old but it can still entertain anyone who loves The Elder Scrolls series and has the patience to deal with a less user-friendly game. In my opinion, this makes it a BETTER game than Oblivion (haven't played Skyrim yet) because more is expected of you. OMG no fast travel OMG not much voice acting OMG it's so complicated...that's how it's supposed to be. Morrowind offersThis game may be old but it can still entertain anyone who loves The Elder Scrolls series and has the patience to deal with a less user-friendly game. In my opinion, this makes it a BETTER game than Oblivion (haven't played Skyrim yet) because more is expected of you. OMG no fast travel OMG not much voice acting OMG it's so complicated...that's how it's supposed to be. Morrowind offers you a chance to dive into a world that is complex and dangerous WITHOUT HOLDING YOUR LITTLE BABY HANDS along the way. You have to learn to be resourceful, find ways to avoid death and disease, figure out where to go WITHOUT A STUPID ARROW ON THE MAP. Morrowind is the raw version of Elder Scrolls, not tailored to gamers that can't think for themselves. Yes the combat is dated, graphics dated, less cool features, etc. but if you want to play an Elder Scrolls games that features (1) a unique world with unfamiliar creatures (2) no mercy or hand holding and (3) hours freedom to play as you please, then get this game! I think that it has many advantages over Oblivion and possibly Skyrim and is worth giving a try. DON'T BUY THIS GAME IF YOU SUCK AT FIGURING THINGS OUT! If you're not sure about it, wait for a steam sale!… Expand
  78. Neddy
    Jan 31, 2014
    6
    6/10 for a specific reason. It has brilliant moments and you think - great. Then it brings you right back down to disappointment again. That is the way the whole thing works anon anon. Speaking from about 100 hours play.

    With the Overhaul pack 3 it looks spectacular, and as beautifully detailed as any modern game. I particularly love stone buildings. Literally from the moment you arrive    6/10 for a specific reason. It has brilliant moments and you think - great. Then it brings you right back down to disappointment again. That is the way the whole thing works anon anon. Speaking from about 100 hours play.

    With the Overhaul pack 3 it looks spectacular, and as beautifully detailed as any modern game. I particularly love stone buildings. Literally from the moment you arrive in Seyda Neen, you think 'wow look at the graphics'. (I played quite a bit of Morrowind originally in 2002.) With Morrowind Overhaul 3.0 they have really created a gritty, earthy, mystical place to be.

    It is immersive, and the main quest is good. It's main complaint about combat, really I have had little trouble with. If found by dodging and striking, my strikes mostly connect.

    My criticism is about other aspects. It's unbelievable hard work. The effort you have to apply is monumental.

    Why couldn't they put some more map markers with quests. Sometimes you get markers of a town to go to. Say you get there and do a task. The effort you have to go through to return to who gave you the task is unbelievable sometimes. Open the journal, try to determine the town, get to the town, search all the buildings. Why not just select quest, mark the givers house. This for me is just one aspect that requires so much work.

    Some quests deliver punishing enemies. Yes I know the plan is return later when levelled up. I have one quest in mind that I have recently partially completed. I left it ages until I almost completed the main quest. The enemies were rock hard. I had to return sell off loot, grab more magika, more health, and go back. Guess what all the bad guys I killed on my first foray, had been replace with new enemies. Over and over, I had to return, each time getting a bit farther along. That has to be one of my main problems. Enemies replacing themselves. Sometimes you only have to pass from one area to another and return back to find enemies repopulated. **It's hard work people** Even from the start, beasties in the wild repopulate everytime you return to an area, even in the same day (meaning sunrise to sunset) in the game. You can't travel anywhere without being endlessy harassed by cliff racers.

    Another of my main issues with it, is that is so maze like. Almost everywhere you go, you get lost. Dungeons have too many paths leading off. Each door you pass though means you map explore/reveal is in a new area. A little simplification is this would have made a striking difference.

    There is more that disappoints, however this review would become too long. These reasons and more are why people say Oblivion is easier and less confusing: it's because Morrowind is hard.

    It does however have great aspects, and you find yourself thinking, 'what a game'. That's what keeps you playing, and I still am.    … Expand
  79. Zanatek
    Jan 25, 2014
    9
    When Skyrim was released, I played the life out of it. After I was getting sick of playing it, I decided to look at the game that introduced me to the series: Morrowind. Just like it's grandchild Skyrim, I loved this game when it came out. Now that I look at it, can I say it's as good as Oblivion or Skyrim? Yes. Where do I begin with this game? It has a huge, and I mean huge open world toWhen Skyrim was released, I played the life out of it. After I was getting sick of playing it, I decided to look at the game that introduced me to the series: Morrowind. Just like it's grandchild Skyrim, I loved this game when it came out. Now that I look at it, can I say it's as good as Oblivion or Skyrim? Yes. Where do I begin with this game? It has a huge, and I mean huge open world to explore. It takes hours just to get from one side of the map to the other. Now, this game was released in 2002. The graphics haven't aged too well, but they can be very good in particular places. But on to the actual gameplay. The combat mechanics for most of the classes are kinda sucky, most can agree with that. However, the rest of the game totally makes up for that. With one character you can spend hundreds of hours doing side quests and then tackling the main story next, while still not seeing everything. And even if you do see everything in this world, you could always start over but chose a different class and have a totally different experience. This is simply one of the deepest RPGs ever, and if you ever have the time you should play this game.… Expand
  80. GregRog
    Aug 8, 2014
    9
    The vast, seemingly neverending map with no invisible walls and a dark, at times spooky plot made the game engrossing. The journal was a huge drawback though, because it was impossible to find older missions.
  81. Heisenberg93
    Apr 20, 2015
    9
    Morrowind was the last chapter of The Elder Scrolls, that I played quite recently. I liked this for sure, as well as other chapters, however it is good to analyze the strengths and weaknesses in detail.

    The plot of Morrowind guarantees the quality typical of The Elder Scrolls. The story is exceptional, cured in every detail, and nothing is left to chance. Characters, settings and events    Morrowind was the last chapter of The Elder Scrolls, that I played quite recently. I liked this for sure, as well as other chapters, however it is good to analyze the strengths and weaknesses in detail.

    The plot of Morrowind guarantees the quality typical of The Elder Scrolls. The story is exceptional, cured in every detail, and nothing is left to chance. Characters, settings and events are mixed to create something fantastic. Also the island of Vvardenfell has a charm all its own, and the prophecy of Nerevarine is a narrative device that captures immediately. Everything works and is simply excellent.

    The gameplay of Morrowind was certainly innovative for the time, there is no doubt about this. True free exploration, organized inventory, editor of the character quite nice, day-night cycle in real time, excellent management of dialogue, freedom in clothing rather extensive, many selectable abilities and their progress is quite realistic: the more you use it, the more you become good at it. Obviously, the game also has its flaws. Maybe I'm being too fond of the gameplay in Oblivion, that I played first, but I can not tolerate faults in Morrowind: the absence of teleportation in places already visited (the map is tiring to walk), the absence of the indicator of the missions' objectives that I found personally unthinkable; and especially the fighting. The fights are too complexed. The feedback of the combat system is strange: you do not know if you really hit the target or not, or even if it is a malfunction of the game. Really, simply absurd. However the gameplay of Morrowind, as criticable, is also incredibly advanced for its time. Morrowind is simply immature, being the first real change in the saga, and its gameplay would be developed over time.

    The graphics are beautiful, even after more than a decade, remarkable work especially in the environments. The soundtrack is fantastic, composed by Jeremy Soule.

    The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is really a fantastic game, a turning point in the genre of rpg-games, and an important starting point for the subsequent chapters of the saga, that despite an immature gameplay, is able to maintain an exceptional quality.    … Expand
  82. Geraintosaurus
    Apr 12, 2015
    10
    Morrowind may be the greatest RPG ever created; it is not without its flaws, and requires dedication and patience to play, but it rewards that dedication like no other game.

    Morrowind is a game for explorers: set mostly on the island of Vvardenfell, it immerses you in perhaps the richest game world created to date, with kilometres of geography to explore from the claustrophobic swamps    Morrowind may be the greatest RPG ever created; it is not without its flaws, and requires dedication and patience to play, but it rewards that dedication like no other game.

    Morrowind is a game for explorers: set mostly on the island of Vvardenfell, it immerses you in perhaps the richest game world created to date, with kilometres of geography to explore from the claustrophobic swamps of the Bitter Coast, to the sparkling beauty of the Ascadian Isles, to the harsh wastes of the Ashlands and much, much more. The lore of the world is equally rich, with a complex historical, political and cultural background that will take you hours and hours to fully understand, if you ever do. The best part is that this lore isn't just there for interest - it's directly relevant to both the main and the myriad 'side' quests, which are often just as immersive as the main quest, and constitute a full game in their own right.

    Vvardenfell is a harsh, unforgiving place. The native dark elves, or Dunmer, are a gravelly-voiced, proud and reserved people who by-and-large regard outlanders, such as yourself, with little more than disdain. That is, until you prove yourself to them. This is perhaps a reflection of the land they inhabit, a volcanic island infested with all sorts of nasty predator, and plagued by constant infighting between the great houses of the Dunmer, as well as countless other factions such as the Temple, the Empire, the Cammona Tong etc., most of which you can join. The history of the world is incredibly rich and original, and is tangled in the conflicting lies of those who wrote it - whose side you believe is up to your own interpretation. There are hundreds of books scattered throughout the game world to help you with this, but most of it is picked up in a sort of osmosis as you wander through the island, which is so alive with its own history, perhaps due to the rather backward-looking inhabitants.

    The gameplay is equally harsh and unforgiving. You are thrust into the world with vague directions to see a guy in Balmora, and no equipment but what you can beg, steal and eventually earn. You are not handheld, there is no levelling system, and stumbling into fights you can't win is a common feature of your early days. This imparts a sense of vulnerability that's lacking in later titles, and a sense that the world wasn't just created for you to beat - it's been there long before you arrived and will still be there long after you're gone. It feels like a real place. There's no fast travel and no quest markers - finding things in the world means listening carefully to instructions you're given by NPCs, and this makes questing feel like real exploration - frustrating and long-winded but full of surprises due to the rich game world. This is not a game you can sleepwalk through; for even the basic quests you need to be switched on.

    For players of Skyrim I'd liken TES:V to a trip to the zoo and Morrowind to a safari. Sure, it's more effort, and it's dangerous, and the lions aren't marked out with a big sign, but that's sort of the point.

    This all makes it so much more rewarding when you reach your full potential - a god-like mortal wielding artefacts of legendary power, many of which you may have created yourself. The lack of levelling is not a missing feature - it's there to keep you on edge when you enter a fight, not knowing for sure if you can win, and make you feel like a badass when you're a high level, because you've earned it. That's not to say you won't be surprised now and again - there's always a bigger fish if you go looking for it.

    The quests are generally interesting, designed not just as excuses to send you down a dungeon to kill more undead, but as chances to expose you to the varied environments and lore of the world (all of which is detailed wonderfully in your journal for reference). This is fortunate, because the gameplay is easily the most lacking part of the game. Combat can be a chore, as it is essentially a click-fest. Whether you damage the enemy is decided by your skill levels, and this can mean repeatedly swinging your sword or spear or whatever only to see it harmlessly pass through your target. This is probably the game's greatest flaw, and one that I would unreservedly change to the updated system of Skyrim, or perhaps something like Dark Messiah.

    The graphics are a little dated, though still beautiful in their own way, and this can be fixed with mods. Animation and AI have aged badly too, and seeing NPCs standing facing a wall for, well sometimes forever, day and night, is also a little immersion breaking at times.

    But look beyond past these flaws, and you will be rewarded with the most immersive, rewarding and fascinating experience. An adventure like no other where you earn your place in a harsh world that at first seems totally alien, but gradually starts to feel like home as you grow to know and understand its people, its history, its gods and its soul. Oh, and do try the mods.    … Expand
  83. TheMitherer
    Aug 29, 2011
    9
    A fabulous, unique, imaginative and very immersive world to explore which will intrigue you all the way. Concern yourself with the politics of the gods or find a peasant's lost trinket, or maybe just do a million things in between, the scope of this game is staggering. The architecture, the landscape, the inhabitants, it's all believable. So believable that armour made out of glass seemsA fabulous, unique, imaginative and very immersive world to explore which will intrigue you all the way. Concern yourself with the politics of the gods or find a peasant's lost trinket, or maybe just do a million things in between, the scope of this game is staggering. The architecture, the landscape, the inhabitants, it's all believable. So believable that armour made out of glass seems completely natural as does travelling about on the back of a giant flea type creature. Far far better than Oblivion and the only thing preventing a '10' is the end game which I felt was hugely anticlimactic ,and a final boss whose appearance reminded me of a humorous children's tv character from long ago. Also, high level characters tend to turn out very similar to each other no matter how you started them. But enough criticism - A groundbreaking game in many ways and still worthy of anyone's time even now. Surely you've tried this game at least once already?… Expand
  84. refdxf
    Jul 6, 2012
    10
    This is one of my top 10 games that I have played. It is one of those games that defines what you look for in other games and often makes you feel something is lacking until you go back to it.
  85. DrCola
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    This is still the best elder scrolls game, even after skyrim, how can I word this any other way? I cant put this game into words, thats how cool it is. PS : This game does not have COD AIDS (cod aids is an infection in the video game industry that makes the entire game about shooting anything that moves and ducking behind explosive barrels to magically heal, IN OTHER WORDS, ITS NOT AThis is still the best elder scrolls game, even after skyrim, how can I word this any other way? I cant put this game into words, thats how cool it is. PS : This game does not have COD AIDS (cod aids is an infection in the video game industry that makes the entire game about shooting anything that moves and ducking behind explosive barrels to magically heal, IN OTHER WORDS, ITS NOT A MAINSTREAM FPS, ALL THE PEOPLE VOTING THIS DOWN WANT A MAINSTREAM FPS)… Expand
  86. FFStudios
    Aug 17, 2012
    9
    What makes Morrowind so brilliant? It's very hard to define what makes this game stand out for many people; often it's something which needs to be experienced rather than explained. The actual mechanics of this game are actually quite bad; the combat is so abysmal that you'll be tempted to cheat just to avoid slogging though it and the controls feel clunky and difficult. So if you wantWhat makes Morrowind so brilliant? It's very hard to define what makes this game stand out for many people; often it's something which needs to be experienced rather than explained. The actual mechanics of this game are actually quite bad; the combat is so abysmal that you'll be tempted to cheat just to avoid slogging though it and the controls feel clunky and difficult. So if you want good combat and tight mechanics then Morrowind isn't for you. But let's actually move onto positive thoughts. You start the game as an unknown prisoner being transported to the mysterious island of Vvardenfell: upon your arrival you are slowly introduced to the different mechanics and pick each aspect of your character (name, race, class) before you're given the simple task of delivering a letter to a certain individual a few miles down the road. That's it. That's the entire opening sequence that introduces you to this strange world. The main quest, like may parts of the game, is like a jigsaw puzzle; at first obscure, all the different pieces come together to reveal the bigger picture. Even the simplest of quests have a hand-crafted feel to them, making each and every one special in their own way. The design of the world is fantastical; one moment you might be wandering through a washed-up village and then find yourself in a forest of giant mushrooms with surreal 'cattle' roaming the fields. It's hard to describe here why all this is significant; the subtleties are what made Morrowind so special. Neither the technology nor the graphics are what define this game; it's that sense of being a small part of a big world, being in a land like no other, doing more than just grinding a set of numbers and stats. Everything feels unique and that feeling of awe as you wonder what lies beyond this village is what draws you in. This is something the later games (particularly Oblivion) didn't quite get; setting defines the story. It's not about how advanced the graphics are whether there are spears or stats in the game; it's about the world. How does it look? How does it feel? What part are we to play in it? This Bethesda, is why we play these games: we want to enter this alien, conflicting land and more importantly, become a part of it.… Expand
  87. Orctownorc
    Oct 5, 2012
    10
    It takes an effort of patience to re-adjust to the 2002 production values of the game. And then it takes some play time to actually begin uncovering the plots and the possibilities. I hope many of you can find the patience to endure the reprogramming. The game that lies behind the years is truly worth the effort required to find it. Morrowind is so much better than Skyrim it's positivelyIt takes an effort of patience to re-adjust to the 2002 production values of the game. And then it takes some play time to actually begin uncovering the plots and the possibilities. I hope many of you can find the patience to endure the reprogramming. The game that lies behind the years is truly worth the effort required to find it. Morrowind is so much better than Skyrim it's positively surprising. This begins with character development that is INFINITELY more enjoyable. Then it goes on with the lore, the plots and the details of NPC writing which are far superior. One can only conclude after delving deeply into this game that superior graphics and bloom effects have made game designers lazy. Because 3Dmodels, textures and animations can make everything look so great, far far less effort and time is being spent writing and thinking about all the elements that need to flow through a game world to engage the players. The craziest thing to my eyes is that Bethesda made this game and they own it, but they seem to have forgotten the very things that made Morrowind great. How can designers be happy with character progression system of Skyrim when their own previous efforts were SO MUCH more fun? How can they have inflicted the horrible UI of Skyrim on us, when they had a near perfect and much better UI with Oblivion? Its past the time for design studios to protect their integrity and stop sucking up to the shareholders of their parent companies, with eyes only for bigger demographics, and the endless degradation of games to something ever simpler, ever less intriguing and ever easier for little kids and bored housewifes to play. The studio heads need to grow some testicles and demand the right to make the best games they can, not these gutted, superficial carcasses of games that 'anyone' can play. My case is not helped by the flippant ease with which most gamers throw a game like Skyrim a 10/10 because of the pretty clouds and butterflies, then come here and throw this game 3/10 after 20 minutes because they are spoiled by high end graphics and don't even read any of the text or care about the stories. The financial and critical success of Skyrim is worrying since it confirms a bias and invites replication. The narrative and creative achievments of Morrowind, are easily ignored and forgotten. A tragic amnesia. One answer which would satisfy ALL PLAYERS would be a powerful GAME OPTION function that actually CUSTOMISED the level of player control over character progression. Thus a game could be played with the cretin-version of levelling Skyrim was infected with (red, green blue for the win), but also to allow totally open level progress, as we had in Morrowind, as a HARDCORE option. Since gaming graphics will not go back, and are stiill headed for perfection, such a design feature would ensure that games better than Morrowind could be made, and those without a deeper interest in the mechanics of character progress could still have a fun, in a more superficial manner. Since more choice in games is always good, a profoundly different level of choice in how the game is played will always be a good thing and will ALWAYS lead to more sales, since all levels of interest and all styles of gamers are catered for. Thus the financial incentive should be a great way to twist the arms of the accountants into finding the extra budget needed. The depth of character development lost from Morrowind is the prime thing that has been lost from this era. It should be restored. I'm writing this directly to Tod Howard of course, who is probably the only person in Bethesda that Zenimax will listen to. Please Tod. Heed the grot. Orctowngrot. Tim Rawlins. timtimjp@yahoo.com… Expand
  88. BasK.
    May 8, 2003
    10
    Now this is more like it!
  89. D.1
    Oct 8, 2005
    10
    The best.
  90. KaiEkkrin
    Jun 24, 2011
    8
    Open-world exploration on an island of giant mushrooms and Dark Elves. Huge amounts to do in a fabulously realised, alien world. Intriguing main quest, so long as you can imagine the characters' voices for yourself -- because there's precious little of that. The combat system is utterly knackered, but luckily almost everything is easy to kill once you've got past about level 5. ItOpen-world exploration on an island of giant mushrooms and Dark Elves. Huge amounts to do in a fabulously realised, alien world. Intriguing main quest, so long as you can imagine the characters' voices for yourself -- because there's precious little of that. The combat system is utterly knackered, but luckily almost everything is easy to kill once you've got past about level 5. It really doesn't seem to matter.… Expand
  91. tommygunz
    Aug 8, 2011
    10
    I loved Oblivion until I played Morrowind. Now I can't help but think what Oblivion could have been. Absolute masterpiece.
  92. OneVoice
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Damn this game!! This was my original video game heroin. Before I played this game I only played video games very rarely, like during a long vacation. But this game gave me a glimpse of what a video game can be when it's at it's best. Ever since I seem to always be on a search to find games that allow me to sink into the world within the game so deeply. There's only be a few games since IDamn this game!! This was my original video game heroin. Before I played this game I only played video games very rarely, like during a long vacation. But this game gave me a glimpse of what a video game can be when it's at it's best. Ever since I seem to always be on a search to find games that allow me to sink into the world within the game so deeply. There's only be a few games since I played this one a few years back that have captured me so fully. Deus Ex, Gothic 1&2, Mass Effect 1&2 are probably the only other games I've played that would be anywhere near as good as this one. And yes, I like Morrowind a lot more than Oblivion. Oblivion was good, maybe even deserving of a 10 rating also, but the story in this one is much more interesting, and my desire to explore the nooks and crannies of the universe were much greater in this game. I don't know how many hours I spent on this game, but I do remember taking a day or two off from work just so that I could play this game. There's never been another game that has made me quite so lazy. Damn this game!… Expand
  93. stoutcarrot
    Dec 27, 2011
    9
    Morrowind is probably the best RPG I've ever played. It's truly free-roaming with almost no bounds. The game play is addicting. The drawback is the ridiculous amount of walking around, trying to reach places without fast-travel. Plus many of the towns and regions are pointless or repetitive, limiting the seemingly free-roam feel.
  94. NerV-0-sol
    Oct 6, 2012
    10
    It's my favorite game of all time, despite its drawbacks. Open, diverse and climatic world, full of mysterious places wants to be discovered. Also the music is awesome.
  95. nosef
    Jul 17, 2012
    8
    I cannot stress one thing when playing Morrowind. READ READ READ READ READ!!!!

    Seriously you need to read, you actually have to read the chat. I quit many times (about 4 times?) trying to play the game over and over, to see why people think this game is so fun. It took me a long time, but on the 5th time when I actually payed attention to the text of the NPC's and everything, the game    I cannot stress one thing when playing Morrowind. READ READ READ READ READ!!!!

    Seriously you need to read, you actually have to read the chat. I quit many times (about 4 times?) trying to play the game over and over, to see why people think this game is so fun. It took me a long time, but on the 5th time when I actually payed attention to the text of the NPC's and everything, the game isn't that bad. The Combat system isn't HORRIBLE either if you play carefully. For example if you start in the beginning with maxing two handed sword, then use a fkin two handed sword, don't use a one-handed and the missing problem will pretty much be solved.

    I haven't beat the game yet, but I well put over 15 hours now, and I'm probably only 1/10th of the way finished with everything, the game is long as crap, and it plays smoothly as well. Be patient, it really is a great game I assure you.

    By the way, READ READ READ and check your journal, make sure you actually follow the directions. That is pretty much it for me though, it is a wonderful game, but it tries your patience!    … Expand
  96. AlitaA.
    Jun 17, 2002
    10
    Wooo Hooo!!!!!!!!! (I think that says it all)
  97. Brumbek
    Jul 2, 2011
    10
    I can't say enough good things about this classic First Person RPG. This game is beyond epic. Any serious RPG fan must play this. Oblivion may have better graphics but Morrowind has true heart and soul. It's just a must-play! So buy this, download mods, then play for 100+ hours. This game deserves a Metacritic score of around 95; it's that good.
  98. Cygnus6300
    Apr 25, 2012
    10
    I loved this game. As older game in modern gaming society, it seems really tedious and boring. But as a more classic RPG, this game is the best. What I like most about it is not so much the combat, but the imagination, history, and freedom put into it. Plus when you've played it a million-something times (like i have) you can just download a mod/ quest pack, and the game becomes new again!I loved this game. As older game in modern gaming society, it seems really tedious and boring. But as a more classic RPG, this game is the best. What I like most about it is not so much the combat, but the imagination, history, and freedom put into it. Plus when you've played it a million-something times (like i have) you can just download a mod/ quest pack, and the game becomes new again! Personally, i rate all other RPG's against this game.… Expand
  99. DarkOne
    May 4, 2012
    10
    I signed up just to post a review after seeing the complaints of some people, Morrowind's charm is not the same charm oblivion, or skyrim has exactly, the combat is indeed flawed, though normal for the time, people are comparing a 2001 game with 2011 Skyrim. But the real strength of Morrowind is the world, I truly believe the devs went balance be damned, lets make a world.

    From the very    I signed up just to post a review after seeing the complaints of some people, Morrowind's charm is not the same charm oblivion, or skyrim has exactly, the combat is indeed flawed, though normal for the time, people are comparing a 2001 game with 2011 Skyrim. But the real strength of Morrowind is the world, I truly believe the devs went balance be damned, lets make a world.

    From the very start you can find very powerful items just by chance, or you can go though the entire town and rob everything in sight, turn around and buy gear. In Oblivion rare items were tied to your level so not to be unbalancing, and everything had a "Reasonable price" but in morrowind if you are smart enough, and quick enough, while exploring a random cave, find a very powerful artifact, worth more then every merchant in the game owns. Balanced? Probably not, but that sort of incentive to explore every cave, collect every artifact, makes this game truly a gem. In the two following games, the reason to explore is just simply gone, As artifacts are really not worth the effort made to obtain them, Nor are they hidden away.    … Expand
  100. tangency
    Jun 11, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. My actual rating is probably 8.5, so I am going to give it a more positive review than a negative one. The game is extremely old for the technology world and it does have its flaws. The game itself is not buggy or full of glitches unless you actually go around the world trying to find them (For example, you can enter the world before completing the Census Office if you jump into the corner between the wall and the building with Sellus Gravius, but you constantly have to jump into it to get through it). The game has a lot of information to take in (and I mean a s*** ton of information) which can generally be found by reading books and adventuring as well as through the questing system. The questing does take FOREVER to complete and it is relatively linear in the sense that most quests are similar (but, hey, what do you expect it is an RPG) in some way like go kill this monster, report to this bro, etc. For anyone who says it is an MMO without the second M or O, you are an idiot (I didn't really want to go to insulting, but it is true) because the game is a SINGLE PLAYER game, not a MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER ONLINE game. The story is intricate, and though the questing objectives are similar, the lore behind them is not. I was actually disappointed in Oblivion after playing Morrowind because of how cartoony everything became and the quests were probably just as linear (again, quests in RPG's are usually relatively linear or at least similar... Even in Skyrim). For the year this game was made it has some of the most amazing graphical detail I have seen in a game from that time period, and if you have it on the computer, you can go beyond Skyrim HD graphics. The World: The world is monstrous in Morrowind and your only form of fast travel are Silt Striders and Mages Guild teleportation (which sucks because not every place has one of these). I think it was built this way on purpose, however. It seems that Bethesda wanted people to get out and explore for things instead of stay in their comfort zones going from city to city, and only going to places quests required them to. The spell creation in Morrowind is so unlimited, that it is literally broken. You can create spells that can one shot any damned thing in the game, but you have to have a godaweful amount of money and mana to do so. Magic can also do everything for you, and is an easier way to do things then train your Lockpicking skill or whatever else (but you are supposed to try everything... Again RPG). NPC's are relatively generic because they are all based on the presets, and there are only about two voices per gender, but there are also hundreds of NPC's. I would like to see someone try to give every one of a thousand people a different voice using a thousand different voice actors. If that happened, I would commend the idiot that went out of their way to do so.
    If you want to play an RPG, then play Morrowind. Besides, it brings concepts to the other games. If you want to play a game like CoD, then play CoD. That game right there is linear. All you do is the same thing, but I don't hear complaining about that.
    All in all, if you want to play a well-made RPG, then try it out. Sure it may piss you off because you may die, and it is annoying to hit things at lower skill levels, but it has a rich culture in and of itself. Playing an RPG is all about the story and how you get to the end of it, not about how easy it is to use magic.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

11
#11 Best PC Game of 2002
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2002
2
#2 Most Shared PC Game of 2002

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Pregaming
    90
    One of those games that just visually takes your breath away. It has some of the most detailed, and well realistically rendered environments and characters ever seen in a computer game.
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  2. Game Revolution
    83
    The Elder Scrolls tech support forum is overflowing with user complaints about compatibility issues. At any rate, this is still the biggest, deepest, most detailed RPG to hit the PC since Daggerfall, and for that, earns high marks.
    Read full review
  3. PC Gameworld
    91
    This is a game that can stay on your hard drive for six months, still offering new experiences.
    Read full review
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