Overview
For those that enjoyed my nostalgia filled love-letter to Daggerfall last year here is the lowdown on the sequel. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
The third installment in The Elder Scrolls saga takes place far to the east in the hostile land of the Dunmer (or dark elves as we ignorant outlanders call them). Having been left unsatisfied with the largely random worlds presented in Arena and Daggerfall the developers at Bethesda decided to focus their efforts a much smaller landscape where everything was planned from settlements to wandering bandits.
Plot Summary
The third era of Tamriel is drawing to a close. After the events of Daggerfall the Emperor Uriel Septim focuses his attention on the dunmer and once again sends a lone champion to act out his will. This time however his chosen hero is but a lowly prisoner whom is taken by sea to the east. To Morrowind.
In this land of political and religious strife, ancient grudges and racial prejudice our hero must rise above the odds to end a menace that began centuries ago. The hero will encounter conspiracies, traitors, zealots, daedric lords and even living gods during their quest to save Morrowind and ultimately the whole of Tamriel.
Gameplay
Morrowind was the first game in the Elder Scroll series to use a full 3D graphics engine (the gamebyro engine). The game is played very much like it's predecessor except that the skills have been both cut down and organised (into the combat/magic/stealth categories we know in Oblivion and Skyrim).
Morrowind is the first game in the Elder Scrolls series to use the WASD type controls and also introduced new windowed menus and a new magic system. It was also the first (and so far the only) main Elder Scrolls title to remove the fast travel option from the game, leaving the player to either hike across the land or pay for transportation.
As with Daggerfall your skills and attacks are checked using a die roll type system unlike Oblivion or Skyrim where you automatically succeed at everything and your skill just makes you succeed "better" than you would without it.
Morrowind often comes under fire for it's combat system. I can understand why players of the later titles may find it frustrating but as a long term RPG fan (tabletop and computer) this is perfectly natural to me. Due to limitations in game animations a "miss" is not executed ideally. In reality that would represent your opponent dodging, rolling with the blow or deflecting your weapon using armour.
What I will say is this. In later titles a low weapon skill equals low damage. You can hack at an enemy 50 times with a blade, spray blood everywhere and they are not even phased. I find this just as unrealistic as the idea that you may have misjudged a blow or simply got unlucky and scored nothing but a flesh wound.
Built into the random roll when you swing your weapon are many factors that you don't see. What is your opponents agility and what defensive skills to they possess? How good is their armour and do they have any defensive buffs? All this is done while you press and hold your attack button. To be abrupt I'd say this level of RPG mechanic doesn't interest the casual gamer. Morrowind is a genuine role-playing game from a time when RPG in the description actually meant something.
Combat aside, one of Morrowind's greatest replay assets it the comprehensive and potentially game breaking magic available to the player. As with anything in this game you have to work at it. There are magic items in the game that can give you a massive edge. Even better you can quest out and make your own. This becomes an adventure that you the player have set upon yourself. That is the mark of a truly non-linear RPG.
Graphics and SFX
An aspect that seems to come up now is how dated and old Morrowind is. Being a fan of Daggerfall this is no problem for me. I can understand how the angular and low res imagery may be a little off putting but I'd hardly call it a deterrent. A few gamers out there need to toughen up!
If you really can't dig 2002 3D graphics then another strength of Morrowind comes into play which is the vast cult following that it continues to hold. These are all very clued up gamers and modders that have worked on this game for years. There are HD texture replacers, graphics overhauls, updated sounds and all sorts out there to make the game look a little less dated.
The town of Balmora with overhauled graphics
Conclusion
I won't say Morrowind is perfect. There are many flaws in the game that you will discover as you play. There are also many strengths. A truly fleshed out world of strife and hypocrisy was given to us in Morrowind. An alien and hostile land of swamps, ash wastes, mushroom towers and bizarre creatures awaits you in this game. For all it's HD prowess I've always found Skyrim to look rather dull and bleak in comparison.
Anyway borrow your friend's nostalgia goggles or install some texture mods and give Morrowind a go. Don't be discouraged if you fail at first. This was the last Bethesda game that actually made you work for your victory.
I give Morrowind a solid 8/10 for the story immersion and creativity if nothing else.
