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. 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
  2. axxiusdecius
    Mar 8, 2015
    7
    Morrowind has such a good atmosphere and story that I started it 3 times (the first 2 times I gave up because of the bad described below). That's the good part.
    The bad is its graphics which have aged terribly, its incredibly bad combat (I never feel there is a connection between my clicks and the ingame hits), the lack of voiced dialogs (which was the standard at that time) and the    Morrowind has such a good atmosphere and story that I started it 3 times (the first 2 times I gave up because of the bad described below). That's the good part.
    The bad is its graphics which have aged terribly, its incredibly bad combat (I never feel there is a connection between my clicks and the ingame hits), the lack of voiced dialogs (which was the standard at that time) and the really bad map (try finding somebody in Vivec, I dare you).
    The miracle that allowed me to start it the third time, enjoy it and not give up is Morroblivion, which finally made it playable.
    So about a 5/10 for the real Morrowind and then 2,5 extra for the Morroblivion mod (it's still not as good as Oblivion, my favourite ES) = 7,5/10.    … Expand
  3. SiggiJ.
    Feb 28, 2006
    7
    A decent RPG with an incredibly amount of content. Unfortunately, quests are linear and NPC interaction is primitive. There is alot of lore and background information for the enthusiast, but the storywriting lacks quality. In some situation, the game forces the player to make specific choices to proceed which may contradict the character's personality. Feedback to player decisisons A decent RPG with an incredibly amount of content. Unfortunately, quests are linear and NPC interaction is primitive. There is alot of lore and background information for the enthusiast, but the storywriting lacks quality. In some situation, the game forces the player to make specific choices to proceed which may contradict the character's personality. Feedback to player decisisons is lacking, the gameworld feels static and lifeless.… Expand
  4. djbarker
    Apr 16, 2014
    6
    I bought this game in 2014. It's clearly oooolllllldddd. But I've clocked about 20 hours or so and will keep going. Some of the mechanics are silly and archaic (e.g if your skill with a weapon is too low, you swing without connecting, time and time again). But even with annoyances such as this and the fact I can't enchant a poo to smell nice (10 soulgems down, not even a 1hp damageI bought this game in 2014. It's clearly oooolllllldddd. But I've clocked about 20 hours or so and will keep going. Some of the mechanics are silly and archaic (e.g if your skill with a weapon is too low, you swing without connecting, time and time again). But even with annoyances such as this and the fact I can't enchant a poo to smell nice (10 soulgems down, not even a 1hp damage enchantment success), it's a pretty charming game. The quest system is a pain in the ass and there's a lot of empty space to traipse through for the sake of making the game feel epic (Vivec is the most awful design ever), but if you've got a spare month or two, give it a shot.… Expand
  5. CoreOfDeath
    Mar 13, 2012
    6
    The game is just too big for itself.So many repetitive areas and identical npc's and very similar quests.It would have been better if the world was half its size and that half sized morrowind would be filled with many diffrent quests and areas but of course the game was made in 2002 so you cant blame them but as i said before,itÅ
  6. Foam
    Aug 8, 2013
    5
    After reading many accounts from diehard TES fans about the legendary status of Morrowind, I was finally convinced. They had convinced me Morrowind was the last best "hardcore" TES RPG. No quest marker, any npc killable at any time. Multiple factions all with their own unique story like the house of Telvanni dunmer mages, fighters guild, the two warring vampire houses and much much more. IAfter reading many accounts from diehard TES fans about the legendary status of Morrowind, I was finally convinced. They had convinced me Morrowind was the last best "hardcore" TES RPG. No quest marker, any npc killable at any time. Multiple factions all with their own unique story like the house of Telvanni dunmer mages, fighters guild, the two warring vampire houses and much much more. I was convinced this was more of a RPG than an action game, which is what Skyrim is. I was sold on Spellmaking, hidden treasures and more complex puzzles. Even with all this plus the Morrowind Graphics & Sound Overhaul mod installed I simply didn't last a few hours. All the rose tinted nostalgia spewing from the die hard Morrowind fans came crashing down as I realized Morrowind was severely lacking in many areas. Having played Oblivion and Skyrim before this, it felt like a severe downgrade.

    For what it's worth, there are many features in Morrowind not present in Skyrim that I'd love. Spellmaking among countless. However these positive features can not ever hope be greater than it's flaws. In 2013, Morrowinds animations are archaic, old & clunky. The graphics & sound overhaul mod helps tremendously, but it's not quite enough to cover the deep feeling that this game has passed its time.

    Compared to Skyrim, Morrowind I would say is definitely a lot more challenging than skyrim. I just wish I could get over it's horrendous combat & animations to enjoy it. Right after my 3 hour play session I uninstalled Morrowind and bought Skyrim Legendary Edition on sale for $35. About 30 hours of playtime later I'm noticing some things I don't like about it but overall I'm enjoying it thoroughly.    … Expand
  7. RobertB
    Aug 21, 2008
    6
    The island of Morrowind is a large, well-realized world rich with lore and backstory which ties in well with the lengthy main quest and many optional side quests and guild affiliations. Unfortunately, the actual game-play is boring, one-dimensional, and extremely poorly balanced. Magic is either overpowered, with single spells making entire skills like Acrobatics or Lockpicking trivial, The island of Morrowind is a large, well-realized world rich with lore and backstory which ties in well with the lengthy main quest and many optional side quests and guild affiliations. Unfortunately, the actual game-play is boring, one-dimensional, and extremely poorly balanced. Magic is either overpowered, with single spells making entire skills like Acrobatics or Lockpicking trivial, or underpowered. In combat, magic is virtually useless unless you use really cheap tactics. Some things about the game sound good in theory, but in practice just don't work, such as skill advancement through skill use (in order to advance your magic skills to a usable level, you pretty much have to repeatedly cast spells out of combat). Fortunately, the PC version of this game has a host of mods available which patch up a lot of the game's flaws, but some of the underlying problems go unaddressed. The trick to enjoying Morrowind is not to think of it as a fun or exciting game, but more as an interactive storybook.… Expand
  8. CaptainCupboard
    Apr 8, 2013
    6
    Morrowind is truly an amazing game, really tremendous. But I just don't like it. I really just don't understand why people see the game as visually appealing really, it just feels empty...placid, lifeless. I don't know how many NPC's there are but for me it just felt too empty. The quest so far is just so depressing and errand-like. The places all around the world are just so similar andMorrowind is truly an amazing game, really tremendous. But I just don't like it. I really just don't understand why people see the game as visually appealing really, it just feels empty...placid, lifeless. I don't know how many NPC's there are but for me it just felt too empty. The quest so far is just so depressing and errand-like. The places all around the world are just so similar and boring, some things look nice but nothing really made me gawp at the screen in admiration. I tried my hardest to get into it but in the end I just got bored, it is very difficult and very tedious. Quests are maddeningly boring, go fetch this, go get that and you just don't feel very rewarded by it. The combat is awful and tiresome but I suppose that would've been acceptable back then. The way you communicate with people is confusing and the NPC's usually treat you like dirt for no reason. However it is still fantastic, their is much depth and mystery but for me it was all to overwhelming. Get the game if your very patient.… Expand
  9. okamimiyazaki
    Jun 26, 2011
    5
    Not for everyone. The world is vast and stunning and the plot and lore are well done. However, the gameplay can be very tedious and at times the world feels like it's dead. Many of the side quests simply send you on errands.
  10. Infinit
    Sep 18, 2011
    5
    Well, it's not a bad game as such but it certainly doesn't come anywhere near the hype. Sure, the story was great, and I liked the system of magic items slowly recharging, but I couldn't finish it because the combat was just so boring. Seriously, I just had to sit there and continually LMB until it died. Also, beast legs just completely ruined the immersion for me; seeing an argonianWell, it's not a bad game as such but it certainly doesn't come anywhere near the hype. Sure, the story was great, and I liked the system of magic items slowly recharging, but I couldn't finish it because the combat was just so boring. Seriously, I just had to sit there and continually LMB until it died. Also, beast legs just completely ruined the immersion for me; seeing an argonian walking like it has a mental disorder just makes me burst out laughing.… Expand
  11. iddqd4
    Jan 27, 2018
    6
    При всех достоинствах, никогда не нравилось как игра выглядит с точки зрения графики и дизайна.
  12. glorund
    Feb 27, 2019
    7
    Great Action RPG. Best in this genre.
    Modding abilities is a great (and may be main ) plus.
  13. nathaniel86
    Aug 14, 2018
    7
    I first started playing Morrowind soon after it came out, but I've never been able to finish it. This past year I finally commited and did it. Man, this game is huuuuuuge. Despite the fact thet I used mods to make it a little bit prettier, the game holds out suprisingly good for its years. The RPG elements are very solid, I mean it is a classic. The main questline was... well not veryI first started playing Morrowind soon after it came out, but I've never been able to finish it. This past year I finally commited and did it. Man, this game is huuuuuuge. Despite the fact thet I used mods to make it a little bit prettier, the game holds out suprisingly good for its years. The RPG elements are very solid, I mean it is a classic. The main questline was... well not very interesting for me at least. I was having a ton of fun joining the Thieves Guild and Morag Tong. I am scared though... now it is time for Oblivion. : o… Expand
  14. Tomle1202
    May 11, 2022
    7
    As much as I adore the time I spent in Morrowind, it is very difficult imagining myself playing through it one more time.
  15. Seafox89
    May 28, 2016
    5
    I definitely struggled to enjoy this RPG classic. Understandably, it's a defining release in open world RPG gaming with excellent music and great graphics for the time, but I found it difficult to get into this game without the nostalgic sentiment that probably drives many other players in the realm of Morrowind. My biggest critiques: 1) walking everywhere takes forever (this issue isI definitely struggled to enjoy this RPG classic. Understandably, it's a defining release in open world RPG gaming with excellent music and great graphics for the time, but I found it difficult to get into this game without the nostalgic sentiment that probably drives many other players in the realm of Morrowind. My biggest critiques: 1) walking everywhere takes forever (this issue is fixed wonderfully in the sequel, Oblivion, with fast travel, horses, and a more condensed map), 2) many of the quests are extremely repetitive and involve tortuously long walks to various locations. The map is epic and huge, which is awesome, unless it takes forever to walk everywhere, which is the case. You can ride to and from major cities via the silt strider network, but I found myself still having to walk for 5, 10, even 15 or more real-time minutes just to get to a location for a quest after riding to the nearest city via silt strider. Due to the repetitiveness of many of the quests, you'll have to walk the same long path several times before you complete the quest. I really felt like 60% of my play-through of the main quest and side quests was just walking slowly through the map. That being said, I appreciate Morrowind as a great foundation for it's sequels, Oblivion and Skyrim, some of the best games the RPG genre has ever seen.… Expand
  16. Sylictic
    Jul 8, 2023
    7
    The first elder scrolls game to start to nail down the formula that made oblivion and skyrim so successful.
  17. unchartedlord45
    Aug 14, 2022
    6
    Morrowind is a frustrating masterpiece. Both one of Bethesda's only good in house releases and also amongst the worst to play. I'm going to be real here, for the time, Morrowind was incredible. In 2002 and for years after that it was amongst the best RPG's out there. But in 2022, as more and more RPG's come out with better and better mechanics, Morrowind begins to show it's flaws.Morrowind is a frustrating masterpiece. Both one of Bethesda's only good in house releases and also amongst the worst to play. I'm going to be real here, for the time, Morrowind was incredible. In 2002 and for years after that it was amongst the best RPG's out there. But in 2022, as more and more RPG's come out with better and better mechanics, Morrowind begins to show it's flaws.

    Combat: Unintuitive at first. And that's what gets me the most. Elder scrolls games are full of combat. Your attacks are based on movement, which sounds good, right? If only. Granted, given enough time you will get used to it, and when you do, it's good! But you will fight the mechanics as much as you fight your foes. You will die. A lot. Time and time again as you grow more and more used to how this horribly jank combat system works. Your sword will pass right through foes, as the dice roll the game uses to calculate attacks hitting does not count if the weapon you use actually touches the thing you're fighting. Fans of the game pride Morrowind for being brutal and not holding your hand, but difficulty alone does not make a good game. Morrowind misses that memo, time and time again.

    Movement: No. Please. You move at a snail's pace, and your sprint is not much quicker. This forces you to slow down, look around, take the world in. This wouldn't be a problem if the world were anything worth looking at.

    Graphics: For a game from 2002, it could be worse, but this needs to be said. Morrowind is a mess of jagged polygons and low resolution textures, made all the more frustrating by the simply incredible aesthetic design. The world is both grating and wondrous to look at, befitting the game itself. It simultaneously makes you want to vomit and gives you headaches, as much as it makes you marvel at how they accomplished this in 2002 and makes you yearn for a perspective not already seeded with modern day graphics.

    Story: Blows the story of both Oblivion and Skyrim out of the water. I have nothing wrong to say about the base lore of Morrowind itself, though it irks me that a studio capable of making such a great storyline managed to also release the storyline in Skyrim, an incompetent mess.

    Replayability: Tons. If only I wanted to actually play this game ever again. There's so much to do, so much to see. If only they pulled some effort away from the quest design to tune up the combat and base mechanics, for if the team that worked on the quests worked on that, chances are I wouldn't be here, frustrated with how people find this game so good.    … Expand
  18. PenetratorGod
    Aug 20, 2023
    5
    I'm sorry to say this, but it's too old a game for me. The gameplay is too dated to play today. If this game is remade, it could be one of my favorite games, but as it is, it's unfortunately unplayable now.
  19. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    6
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  20. zcat5
    Jun 26, 2023
    6
    A true role playing game, but with clunky mechanics. This game has intense depth and immense replayability. It is hurt by its age, with graphics really not holding up to modern standards, even with mods. Of course I have to mention "Miss, miss, miss!" - however, this aside, Morrowind was best RPG of its time period and laid the groundwork for a new era of RPGs. On launch, this was a 10/10 game.

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

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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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