The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

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The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is a single player open world role playing game with fantasy and historical themes. It was developed by Bethesda Softworks and was released on April 26, 2022. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall" is an open-world fantasy RPG set in the city of Daggerfall and its surrounding areas. You are tasked by the emperor to investigate the king's death, but the story is open-ended and allows for many choices in character classes and regions to explore. The game features a shipwreck opening sequence and numerous options for problem-solving and multiple endings.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall screenshot

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,094 reviews

story73 positive mentions

stability62 negative mentions

Daggerfall offers an unparalleled level of freedom and immersion, with a massive world that includes over 15,000 locations and countless quests.
The character customization is deep and allows for diverse playstyles, making each character feel unique.
The game has a rich lore and story, with multiple endings and engaging side quests that enhance the overall experience.

The controls are clunky and outdated, making combat and navigation frustrating for new players.
Many quests are poorly explained or time-limited, leading to confusion and potential soft-locks in the main storyline.
The procedural generation of dungeons and quests can result in repetitive and tedious gameplay, with little incentive to explore the vast world.

story
561 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
83%
4%
The story in "Daggerfall" is a mixed bag, featuring a complex main quest filled with political intrigue and multiple endings, but often hampered by procedural generation that leads to repetitive and generic side quests. While some players appreciate the depth of lore and the freedom to create their own narratives, many find the quest structure tedious and the main storyline difficult to follow due to its non-linear nature and time constraints. Overall, the game offers an expansive world with rich storytelling potential, but its execution can frustrate players, especially those unfamiliar with its mechanics.
- “The main quest is a captivating story of magic and political intrigue with a wide array of characters, but is also a slow burn.”
- “The story and world-building are intricate and engaging, giving players a glimpse into the deep lore that would become a hallmark of the series.”
- “Daggerfall gives you truly an immersive experience for any playstyle, combining both total freedom in terms of mechanics with the most developed class and skill system of any Elder Scrolls game, 8 different main quest endings, with dozens of joinable factions such as temples, knight orders, the black brotherhood, thieves and fighters guilds.”
- “The story is bland and asinine politics; the controls are somehow even more dated, you get stuck inside of everything and have to reload all the time, the game glitches and crashes often.. just play Arena instead.”
- “The main quest is irritating and I didn't really enjoy going through it; waiting for letters is an interesting choice to progress it, but when you've missed something and nothing arrives for ages, then you're going to be hitting the UESP pretty quick.”
- “The main quest isn't urgent. In fact, it often pauses itself sometimes for in-game weeks until the next letter arrives which continues the main story... if you want to.”
gameplay
207 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The gameplay of "Daggerfall" is characterized by its vast open world and complex mechanics, which can be both rewarding and frustrating for players. While the game offers a rich RPG experience with extensive character customization and procedural quest generation, many find its controls and combat mechanics outdated and clunky. New players may struggle with the steep learning curve, but those willing to invest time can enjoy a unique and immersive experience, especially when utilizing modern enhancements like Daggerfall Unity.
- “An enjoyable experience vanilla if you can handle the older mechanics; if you can't, Daggerfall Unity plus a few mods makes this game an even more wonderful experience.”
- “The gameplay loop is incredibly simple, and as well-honed as its age will allow it to be, the sum of the experience found in delving into some hole or another, and emerging richer for it - and it accomplishes all this excellently even before you look at the Nexus page for mods still being released.”
- “Daggerfall gives you truly an immersive experience for any playstyle, combining both total freedom in terms of mechanics with the most developed class and skill system of any Elder Scrolls game.”
- “Gameplay-wise it's decent... but very outdated.”
- “Every single mechanic in this game is poorly designed, poorly explained, and absolutely frustrating to manage.”
- “The gameplay is clunky and slow.”
graphics
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
73%
11%
The graphics of Daggerfall are widely regarded as outdated and crude, reflecting its 1996 origins, with many users noting the pixelated visuals and clunky interface. However, some players appreciate the retro aesthetic and atmospheric charm, suggesting that the game's graphics can be enhanced through mods, particularly the Daggerfall Unity version, which offers significant improvements. Overall, while the visuals may not appeal to everyone, they contribute to a nostalgic experience for fans of classic RPGs.
- “The retro visuals add so much to the atmosphere; those chunky textures, the eerie lighting, and the classic sprite art all come together to create a mood that’s strangely immersive and beautiful in its simplicity.”
- “Despite its age, Daggerfall's graphics still possess a certain charm. Sure, they may not compare to the latest graphical powerhouses, but the game's detailed sprites and atmospheric lighting still manage to create an immersive atmosphere.”
- “It's a sprawling fantasy sandbox dungeon crawler, and I, maybe controversially, think the early 3D/sprite-based graphics have aged like fine wine.”
- “The graphics are ancient.”
- “It's either old-school graphics or anime tits.”
- “The graphics are just as crunchy; though if you can get past that, it's a great experience.”
stability
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
97%
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly in the original DOS version and the unpatched Steam release. While some improvements have been noted in the Unity port, it still retains a number of issues, making it advisable for players to save often and consider using fan patches for a more stable experience. Overall, the game is described as a classic but plagued by technical flaws that can significantly hinder gameplay.
- “I really appreciate that it fixes the myriad bugs from the DOS version and also runs great at 4K.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a stable experience throughout my playtime.”
- “I've encountered very few issues, and the overall performance is impressive, making for a stable gaming experience.”
- “The Steam version is very buggy and not designed for modern OS.”
- “Buggy and unpolished: the game was known for its bugs upon release, and while fan patches have improved stability, Daggerfall can still be prone to glitches and crashes.”
- “Game-breaking glitches that impede progress constantly and totally screw your game.”
music
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
50%
6%
The music in the game is widely praised for its charm and ability to enhance the immersive experience, with many reviewers highlighting its dynamic nature and fitting medieval fantasy themes. While some find the soundtrack repetitive and occasionally overshadowed by sound effects, the overall consensus is that it remains a memorable and integral part of the game's atmosphere. Many players appreciate the nostalgic quality of the music, which evokes a sense of adventure and exploration, despite the game's age and technical limitations.
- “There’s this pure, freeing feeling when you’re galloping across the wilderness, mountains fading into the distance, music quietly echoing in the background.”
- “The soundtrack is simply amazing; I spent a lot of my time searching for some of the tracks because some are incredible.”
- “The music and sound effects are memorable and classic, albeit a tad annoying sometimes... (distant tavern music).”
- “Sound effects and music are outdated.”
- “Not bad of a game; the Steam version's sound and music bugs out and gets stuck on one note.”
- “My only gripes are the music, graphics, and combat.”
grinding
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to progress through the storyline and level up. Many reviews highlight the slow leveling system, repetitive quests, and cumbersome navigation as major drawbacks, leading to a frustrating experience that can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. While some appreciate the depth and immersion of the grinding mechanics, the consensus leans towards it being a burdensome requirement that may only appeal to hardcore fans.
- “I greatly hate how the main storyline is locked behind level caps and leveling is so extremely slow, even when grinding.”
- “The dungeons are also way too large, just making the already boring and tedious quests even more boring.”
- “There is absolutely no incentive to explore the world, but rather to tediously navigate yourself through absurdly large cities to hopefully find a quest which is actually able to be completed, as there are numerous occasions where quest markers are bugged out of the worldspace.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
69%
12%
The game offers significant replayability, particularly enhanced by the Daggerfall Unity mod, which improves playability and adds diverse character builds and quests. Players appreciate the procedural generation of towns and dungeons, ensuring a unique experience with each playthrough, although some note that the lengthy content may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the combination of depth, complexity, and mod support makes it one of the most replayable RPGs available.
- “There's plenty of replay value, with a whole map of places I have not yet visited, factions that I never interacted with, and of course many more character races and classes to choose from.”
- “This is the largest, deepest, and most 'replayable' RPG ever made.”
- “It leaves a lot of replayability (that's if you ever finish this game) because the towns, dungeons, and quests will be different every time you play.”
- “I don’t understand how people spend so much time in Skyrim when there isn't much replay value outside of mods.”
- “- [b]replayability:[/b] the replayability of the game is also very low.”
- “This game has a lot of replayability if you're the kind of person who doesn't mind repeating content and long grinds in older titles.”
atmosphere
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
16%
12%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, combining retro visuals, eerie lighting, and a rich soundscape that enhances the player's experience. Many reviewers highlight the tension and satisfaction found in exploration, with dungeons and environments that evoke a sense of wonder despite some criticisms of length and emptiness. Overall, the game is considered to have one of the best atmospheres in its genre, drawing players into its expansive world and engaging storytelling.
- “The atmosphere is tense, enemies hide behind every corner and produce terrifying sounds. The satisfaction of finally finding your quest item in a labyrinthine dungeon is great, and the relief when finishing your quest and entering a cozy tavern is satisfying.”
- “Nearly every facet of this game has a very thick atmosphere, making it easy to get so immersed that you lose track of time and play for hours.”
- “Controls spoil the atmosphere and fluency of the game.”
- “The retro visuals add so much to the atmosphere; those chunky textures, the eerie lighting, and the classic sprite art all come together to create a mood that’s strangely immersive and beautiful in its simplicity.”
- “Even the music changed with weather and atmosphere.”
humor
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
6%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky NPC dialogues, amusing bugs, and the absurdity of character classes, which lead to comical failures in gameplay. Players find the interactions and glitches entertaining, often leading to laughter despite the game's age and some frustrating mechanics. Overall, the humor adds a nostalgic charm that enhances the gaming experience.
- “Speaking of NPCs, the dialogue may be advanced for its time but still has some humorous bugs and quirks.”
- “I hate the first dungeon; it made me rage quit multiple times, but it was really funny either way, and the hamster wheel in my head started turning.”
- “However, none of them are game-breaking, and many of them are actually very funny.”
- “And not funny, just cool glitches.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Optimization in the game is heavily reliant on initial character creation choices, particularly for spell usage, and players are encouraged to use "Daggerfall Unity" for a significantly improved performance experience. This fan-made port enhances graphics, reduces bugs, and incorporates various patches, making it the preferred version for modern players seeking better optimization and overall gameplay quality. Additionally, running the game with specific settings, such as DOSBox at 5,000 cycles, is necessary for smooth cutscenes.
- “It is a fan-made 'port' of sorts that makes the game run in Unity, which allows for greatly expanded features, graphical optimizations, bug fixes, mods, and more.”
- “Spells become very difficult, if not effectively impossible, to use if you did not do some optimization during initial character creation.”
- “Definitely play with Daggerfall Unity for a better experience on the performance end and with some other tweaks to improve things.”
- “Most people playing Daggerfall nowadays use a fan version for Unity, which has many adjustments and modifications made to improve performance and fix some of the game's flaws.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to Daggerfall, feeling immersed in its world and gameplay mechanics that allow for diverse character experiences, from stealthy assassins to brute fighters. However, the game also evokes frustration due to its bugs and challenging mechanics, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and nausea. Overall, Daggerfall elicits a complex mix of empowerment and irritation, highlighting the highs and lows of its emotional impact on players.
- “Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim have never made me feel like an actual person who could exist in the Elder Scrolls world, without breaking many worldbuilding/lore rules.”
- “Actually, the only game that has made me feel nauseated, even with Daggerfall Unity and hundreds of mods.”
- “You could be a teleporting wizard, moving past enemies without them ever noticing you as you move from one point in space to the next without ever touching the in-between; you could be an assassin with a longbow and a dagger, climbing up and down walls of dungeons and houses alike to get good vantage points for your next shot; you could be a crazy guy who's dumb as a rock who does nothing but punch things in the face until they die.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is viewed positively, as it is not perceived as a cash grab despite being a free-to-play title. Players appreciate its legacy as a high-quality product from the peak of CRPG development, especially in light of new modding opportunities offered by platforms like Open Morrowind.
- “It is not a cash grab free-to-play game; this used to be a top-shelf product back in the days when the glorious CRPG peaked in production.”
- “However, it was only after seeing YouTube videos advertising Open Morrowind, a fancy new source port with infinite modding compatibility, that I decided to give that old game a go.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its organic progression system, where players enhance their skills through actions rather than traditional experience points or level thresholds, allowing for a more immersive and personalized growth experience.
- “Your actions increase your proficiency, and the system allows for organic character development rather than relying entirely on experience points or level-based thresholds.”

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89%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall review
This is real life. (If you're a sword-wielding dwarf hailing from the northern reaches of Skyrim, that is.)
Pcgamer.com
89%

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8h Median play time

49h Average play time

31h Main story

292h Completionist

6-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is a open world role playing game with fantasy and historical themes.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is available on PC, Windows and Ms Dos.

The main story can be completed in around 31 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 292 hours to finish. On average players spend around 49 hours playing The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall was released on April 26, 2022.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall was developed by Bethesda Softworks.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall is a single player game.

Similar games include The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Gothic 3, Gothic, Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game and others.

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