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Review:

27th November 2002:
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
The wait is finally over - Europe now has access to the fantastic world of Morrowind.
Posted by John Grothier - Xbox - UK and Europe

When I think back to all of the great computer games I have played over the years; Elite, Mario 64, Zelda, Final Fantasy VII and Grand Theft Auto III - I can't help but noticing a link between these classic titles. The connection that they all have, it seems to me, is that they all create a believable world, and importantly allow for a great amount of freedom within it. Last week The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind arrived for our Xbox, and even though I have spent the week solidly traversing the huge continent of Morrowind, I have probably seen just a small percentage of one of the greatest games I have ever played.

After a huge European delay The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is finally here for the Xbox, and it's not only the best role-playing game I have ever had the pleasure of playing, but also, it really deserves a place with all those classic games from my past. The adventure starts with your yet to be moulded character being released from a prison ship, which is docking at a small port of the vast province of Morrowind. As you make your way off the vessel you are questioned by the guard and have to give your name - this is where the genius starts. As you give the guard information you are actually creating your chosen character. Choose from a staggering twenty-one different classes, with many different magic, stealth or fighting attributes, and then select your characters race. These skills not only define your character, but also will change the way the inhabitants of Morrowind will interact with you. As well as choosing your sex, you can even construct many different hair and facial selections, and you can even pick which star sign your character was born under, which is more relevant to the world of Morrowind than our own. After you have finished with the Census and Excise Office in the port of Seyda Neen, your newly created hero emerges into the world and begins a quest of truly epic proportions.

In Morrowind you have the option of working your way through the intriguing main storyline, or set off to explore the huge province of Morrowind and the many interesting people and exotic locations it contains. Vast cities and remote villages dot the landscape, and hundreds of quests and adventures await you. Your first task is to deliver a coded package in the town of Balmora to a gentleman named Caius, who inducts you into the Blades - a secret imperial faction. After completing this small task it really dawns on you, that you can now do whatever you want - Morrowind awaits your move. You may join the Mages Guild and study and learn magic, or join one of the many Thieves Guilds and work you way up to be a master thief. Missions are also available from the Fighters Guilds, or even from the Forts and Temples that litter the land. You can even plunder the many dungeons and ancient ruins around Morrowind, and sell off your treasures to buy weapons, armour and spells. You can steal and pillage from the many inhabitants, or help them with personal quests. Depending on which of the many paths you take, the people of Morrowind will be affected by your decisions, and will react to your character when you try to converse with them. Your reputation will precede you, so who will you be?

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind plays in first person perspective, with the option to trigger a third person view of the world, which is handy later in the game when you start using some useful spells like Levitate. The levitation spell really shows off the engine that drives Morrowind, you can soar over mountain ranges or gently fly up to hard to reach areas in the many different 'dungeons' in the game. In fact, on one of the very early missions in the ancient Dwemer ruins of Arkngthand, there is a hidden chest that contains a very powerful sword, which is an incredibly useful find early on in the game. Spells can be 'bought' at the many different Mages Guilds around Morrowind, or you can purchase scrolls and potions from the merchants in the towns and settlements. The magic system is incredibly complex, once you learn the basics at the Guilds, you can mix your own potions, create your own spells and enchant your own items. As well as learning a few useful spells, a good sword, bow, axe, spear - whatever weapon you wish - can be bought or 'found' in Morrowind. Armour too is important, so depending on your character's class you may wish to 'suit up' in light, medium or heavy armour, or even splash out on some enchanted protection.

Travelling around Morrowind is a skill in itself - it would take hours on foot to get from one side of the vast continent to the other. Thankfully there is a form of public transport with something called the Silt Striders; these are giant insects that have been specially hollowed out in places so they can carry passengers and cargo. They travel between most of the major towns and villages, and they are much more effective than British Rail. Other forms of transport include ships and boats to get to some of the isolated islands, and you can also pay for a mage to transport you, at the many different Mages Guilds in the game.

As in all role-playing games your character will progress as you gain experience, but the level of detail that has gone into your characters creation continues when learning new skills, and improving on the ones that you have. If you favour a long sword in combat then that skill will increase in time, along with your amour skill when hit, and magic when you cast spells. All these are broken down into individual abilities that you can improve with use, or by training at Guilds, by reading certain books, or talking to the right people. For instance, you will get more information and a better deal at shops if your speechcraft and mercantile skills are high. When your character has enough experience, rest, and then you can improve your characters basic attributes like strength, intelligence, willpower, endurance, agility, personality and luck.

The graphics in the world of Morrowind are incredibly impressive, the many different styles that exist in the game world is quite staggering. Some towns have a medieval look and feel to them, while some of the settlements look almost middle-eastern. The sun sets, stars come out, and the pale moons shine in the night's sky. So depending on what time of the day and the weather conditions, Morrowind can look absolutely stunning. Like planet Earth, if you are standing on a hill in the middle of the night with rain hammering down, and mist descending, it's not such a pretty sight. But if it's a bright clear sunny day, then the scene is much nicer on the eye - a truly fantastic achievement. The whole game runs at a high framerate, but occasionally you will encounter a little slowdown when outside, especially in combat, and this really is the only gripe I could find with the entire game. The music in Morrowind fits the mood and style of the game perfectly with a very epic sounding score, which changes to a more menacing tone for combat. If you have your Xbox connected up to Dolby 5.1 then you are in for a real treat, weapon and spell effects are spot on, and character speak and greet you in a manner depicting your current reputation. But wait till your out and about in the middle of a thunderstorm - it sounds just like the real thing!

Overall The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is one of the best games I have ever played, it a fantastic achievement on so many levels, and you will quickly find that the more you put in to the game, the more you will get out of it. With over four hundred different quests, and a whole continent to explore - like me, you could be playing this one for a long time to come.

John Grothier

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Review Summary:

Explore the vast continent of Morrowind in the biggest and best role playing game for any console. With over four hundred different quests, hundreds of people to interact with, thousands of items, weapons, and spells to play with - this is a game that will keep you entertained for months.

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