The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- June 15, 2009
- Bethesda Game Studios
- 70h median play time
"The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" is an immersive single-player Fantasy Open World RPG, with a rich plot, good gameplay, and a dense atmosphere. The game offers a high level of character customization, interactivity, and replayability, with the potential for endless exploration. The Tribunal expansion takes you to the capital city of Mournhold, featuring epic-sized dungeons and the strange Clockwork City of Sotha Sil. Despite some bugs, the game's intricate details, delightful music, and plenty of humor make for an unforgetally emotional experience.
PC
Windows
Xbox
Reviews
- story3,888 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of *Morrowind* is widely praised for its depth, complexity, and rich lore, often regarded as the best in the Elder Scrolls series. Players embark on a journey as the prophesied Nerevarine, navigating a world filled with political intrigue, ancient prophecies, and a variety of factions, each with their own quests and narratives. While the game lacks modern conveniences like quest markers and fast travel, this design choice enhances immersion and encourages exploration, making the storytelling experience feel more organic and rewarding.
“The game's story is a deep and complex tale of politics, intrigue, and ancient prophecies.”
“The main quest takes you on a journey through the land of Morrowind as you uncover the machinations of the dark god Dagoth Ur and his followers.”
“The story is also tied to the sense of progression and leveling up; you start as a prisoner who is sent to work as a spy by the emperor, and there is a mystery you have to unveil.”
“A lot of them are boring fetch quests that offer no narrative substance, but the amount of backtracking all these questlines want you to do is just absurd; it's boring.”
“The quests are horrendously uninspired and cookie-cutter, save for a few more creative ones later on in the game.”
“The main quest is a masterclass in storytelling, but the abundance of side quests and diversions are the real meat of the game.”
- graphics2,328 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Morrowind" are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 2002 release, with many players noting that they have not aged well compared to modern standards. However, the game's unique art style and immersive world-building still resonate with fans, and numerous mods, such as the Morrowind Graphics Extender and various overhaul packs, can significantly enhance the visual experience. While some players find the graphics a barrier to entry, others appreciate the nostalgia and depth of gameplay that the title offers, often recommending modding to improve the overall experience.
“The Morrowind aesthetic is so unique and interesting that it makes exploring the map of Vvardenfell feel like a real adventure!”
“The graphics may not be modern, but they handily accomplish what they set out to, and though the engine is older, it's rather adaptable.”
“The graphics are dated, but the world is so detailed that I don't even mind the low-res textures.”
“I get that these graphics were groundbreaking in like, 1980 or whenever this game came out, but playing it is like rubbing your eyes with steel wool.”
“Sure the combat system is archaic, the graphics are almost entirely broken, and compared to titles released afterwards it lacks immersive aspects; it still has panache that modern games lack and more time consuming content than just about any other game ever made.”
“The graphics are dated, and the gameplay can be a little awkward, but if you give it a chance you will see that it has incredible depth.”
- gameplay1,647 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Morrowind" is a polarizing aspect, with many players noting its dated mechanics, particularly the dice-roll combat system that can feel clunky and frustrating, especially for newcomers. However, those who invest time in understanding the mechanics often find a richly immersive experience with deep lore, extensive character customization, and a vast open world to explore. While the graphics and some gameplay elements have not aged well, the game remains a beloved classic for its depth and the freedom it offers players, often enhanced through community mods.
“Just play the game, experiment with the mechanics, break the game, discover Morrowind for yourself and you'll be treated to one of the most rewarding immersive experiences ever crafted.”
“Every frustrating mechanic (most of which are common sense) has an equally exploitable counterpart that makes those willing to think creatively thrive on Vvardenfell.”
“The gameplay is fantastic too, there are just so many things you can use to achieve your goal; sure, the RNG combat is weird at first, but the more you level up, the more satisfying it becomes to hit more frequently.”
“The gameplay is very unforgiving towards newcomers, but once you level up it feels a lot more balanced.”
“The game has many flaws; early game combat mechanics have not aged well.”
“The gameplay is not fun to me, and the graphics are not good either (the textures in particular are abysmal).”
- music594 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Morrowind" is widely praised as one of the game's standout features, with many reviewers highlighting its orchestral score composed by Jeremy Soule as both beautiful and immersive. While some players note the soundtrack's limited number of tracks can lead to repetition, the overall emotional impact and nostalgic value of the music are frequently described as unforgettable, enhancing the game's atmosphere and exploration experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a masterpiece, contributing significantly to the game's legacy within the RPG genre.
“Best video game soundtrack of all time.”
“The soundtrack is absolutely magical, and I feel like this is the core component that helps you travel to Vvardenfell and feel as though you're part of something, despite the not-so-immersive graphics.”
“The music is incredible, the landscapes are interesting, and I'm enjoying the experience immensely.”
“The music will get repetitive very quickly.”
“With how repetitive it got, I ended up playing my own music for large portions of the game.”
“The soundtrack is tiny, the graphics primitive for its 2002 release date, its underlying mechanics convoluted and archaic.”
- atmosphere287 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Morrowind is widely praised for its unique, immersive, and alien qualities, creating a captivating experience that draws players into its richly detailed world. Reviewers highlight the game's exceptional world-building, lore, and soundtrack, which contribute to a sense of wonder and exploration, despite its dated graphics and mechanics. Many consider it the pinnacle of atmospheric design in the Elder Scrolls series, offering a depth and complexity that remains unmatched by later titles.
“Morrowind has this enchanting atmosphere to it.”
“The atmosphere, the world-building, the depth of the lore, everything is so well thought-out.”
“The atmosphere is very barren, and it really makes you feel like an outcast in an unknown land, as you have to explore around to discover the map.”
“The final nail in the coffin of its presentation is the music, which in itself is great but unfortunately drones on and on in an endless inappropriate loop that sometimes kills the whole atmosphere with unfitting musical background.”
“The atmosphere just doesn't resonate anymore.”
- stability179 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that can significantly disrupt gameplay. While some find the bugs add a unique charm to the experience, others deem them frustrating and game-breaking, particularly for new players. Overall, it is recommended to use mods and patches to mitigate these issues for a more enjoyable experience.
“One of the greatest of all time... played it as a launch title on the Xbox and have been playing ever since... they don't make them like this anymore, runs great on Steam.”
“Also, the game runs great on modern hardware, but there are a few minor technical problems (crashes when closing the game sometimes, freezing, etc.) that are annoying, but are overall just minor problems.”
“☐ insignificant or contains humorous glitches”
“The game is buggy, dated, clunky, and doesn't explain anything.”
“There are numerous glitches in this game, and I don't mean the fun exploitable kind.”
“The graphics are terrible and the game is buggy.”
- grinding155 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and time-consuming, particularly in the early stages where players struggle with low skill levels and slow progression. Many reviewers note that while the game offers a rich and immersive experience, the necessity of grinding can feel like a chore, especially with repetitive quests and clunky mechanics. However, some players appreciate the challenge and find satisfaction in overcoming the grind to become powerful within the game world.
“It feels like a realistic world wherein many of the quests are mundane, but not grindy.”
“Morrowind is a game to remember, not because it was good or not tedious and not rage inducing, yet because there hasn't been a game since like it.”
“The start is painfully slow and tedious, due to the fact that your skills get stronger 'exponentially'.”
“Pretty much everything feels tedious and unrewarding.”
“Morrowind is deep, but very flawed: it is massive in scale, but technically limited to be visually and perceptually believable; its game systems are ambitiously designed, but its gameplay is not implemented well, which makes playing the game for dozens of hours tedious, repetitive and unrewarding.”
- replayability115 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Morrowind is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its open-world sandbox design, diverse character creation options, and rich lore. Players appreciate the ability to explore multiple factions and questlines, which encourages varied playstyles across different playthroughs. The active modding community further enhances the game's longevity, making it a timeless classic with near-infinite replay value.
“Morrowind has high replay value due to its open-world sandbox gameplay and the ability to create multiple characters with different races and classes.”
“The replayability and customization is unparalleled for its generation, and still holds up today.”
“Combined with the RPG mechanics, this greatly increases replayability as you will be experiencing radically different playstyles and quest lines on each playthrough.”
“Once you know how the game mechanics work, there really isn't any replayability since you can power level through the game.”
“I don't recommend this game for people just exploring out of boredom, even if they liked the other Elder Scrolls games, as it's just a chore to try and pick up nowadays--compared to a good game like Vampire: The Masquerade, which felt similar, but was infinitely more playable and unique.”
“Its replayability is enough to leave me returning to it and slogging through its dreadfully slow combat even after sinking several thousands of hours into more satisfying combat experiences like Skyrim.”
- humor95 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, characterized by a mix of intentional and unintentional comedic elements, including funny NPC dialogue, quirky character animations, and amusing glitches. Players appreciate the game's rich lore and memorable quests that often incorporate humor, making for a lighthearted experience despite some gameplay frustrations. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the game, enhancing its immersive world and character interactions.
“The atmosphere of Morrowind is fantastic, with funny and strange characters, like the man who is in a river with no pants, the Nord whose clothes were stolen by a witch, and the Hlaalu councilor who wants you to take off your clothes, no matter your race or gender.”
“The quests of Morrowind are often fun and humorous, with the personalities of the characters you encounter being an added bonus.”
“It's got hilarious bugs and great NPC dialogue.”
“The humor in the game feels insignificant or is often just a collection of humorous glitches.”
“Character creation is a downside as there aren't many looks to choose from, but the limited options can lead to some funny-looking characters.”
- emotional48 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to Morrowind, often citing nostalgia and personal growth tied to their experiences in the game. The game's unique atmosphere, memorable soundtrack, and complex storytelling evoke strong feelings, making it a heartfelt journey that resonates with many, particularly those who played it during formative years. Despite its flaws, Morrowind is celebrated for its ability to create a profound sense of immersion and emotional fulfillment.
“I haven't played Morrowind in 4 years and I've returned to this game and started a new game, and I cried when I went to the city of Balmora because of how nostalgic it looked. I started playing this since I was 16 and had no friends; back then, I dedicated a good portion of that year to this game since I didn't have anything worthwhile in my life. This game is something else; it's very calming.”
“The theme is legendary; no theme is better than this. When you walk in the Morrowind world and the theme hits, you feel emotional, you feel stronger, you feel like you can succeed in your goal.”
“This game was an eye-opener to me; I learned that video games can be more than just games; they can be heartfelt experiences, a part of your life.”
- optimization34 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, Morrowind's optimization is a mixed bag; while the game can run smoothly on low-end computers, many players recommend using the OpenMW engine for improved performance and stability. The original game struggles with modern systems, often requiring mods to address performance issues and bugs. Despite its dated graphics and engine limitations, players appreciate the depth and immersion of the game, especially when optimized correctly.
“I recommend that if it's your first time playing Morrowind, you play as close to vanilla as possible, use OpenMW to get better performance and stability. I've played for 5-6 hours straight without a crash, and I'm sure I could play for way longer without one.”
“OpenMW is a fan-made engine that has better performance and graphics and is more reliable than the original.”
“The graphics show their age, and the community has developed many mods for performance fixes in the form of patches that I'd really recommend downloading.”
“Most importantly, use OpenMW; this game engine is a little screwed up, and even modern computers may suffer performance issues without it, not to mention some major bugs that it patches, along with having a sister project that allows you to play multiplayer.”
“The game engine still has a few major disadvantages (prone to crashes), but much is fixed, improved, optimized, and made better with the right mods.”
“Morrowind is, by no means, optimized for the modern computer.”
- character development33 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and engagement, offering players significant freedom and meaningful choices that enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the intricate leveling system and the ability to customize characters extensively, often comparing it favorably to other titles in the genre. Despite some criticism of the game's mechanics, the character development remains a standout feature, contributing to a rich narrative and immersive world-building.
“The pacing of the story is fairly slow, but I found the world-building and character development to be well-done and engaging.”
“Morrowind features depth in character development, lore, dialog, and faction stories that is unparalleled, even by modern standards.”
“One of the things that makes Morrowind shine is the character development.”
“Character development and meaningful choices are phrases that have become a common throwaway for the RPG genre.”
“Even your beginning healing spell and basic fireball spell both only have between 10-20 for characters not built for it from the start, or up to 50-60 for a character designed to use them, which also suffers from non-regenerating magicka, making magic very annoying to try to build.”
“As far as character development, it's extraordinary, and a bit overwhelming at the same time.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Reviewers express frustration with Bethesda's monetization strategies, particularly criticizing the perceived focus on cash grabs in titles like Fallout 76 and TES: Blades. They argue that true expansions, such as Tribunal and Bloodmoon, enhance the game experience rather than exploit players financially, contrasting this with the trend of using real money for in-game purchases seen in other titles. Overall, there is a call for more integrity in game development and monetization practices.
“Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?”
“See Gaben, you don't need the cash grab; you can win by getting good press, which in the long run would do better for you to show you are not like EA and others.”
“If Bethesda weren't focusing on dumbing content down for modern-day RPG fans and god-awful cash grabs like Fallout 76 and TES Blades, they would make a game of this caliber but with next-gen graphics and controls.”
