Games That Matter ~ PC and XBox ~ The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

The summer between my freshman and sophomore year was spent doing one thing, and one alone. Well i suppose two, but the other doesnt really count. Regardless, I spent my summer playing Morrowind, and Morrowind alone. It was my little summer lovin' fling, it was my refuge from.... reality? Yes, yes I'd say reality, and where was this refuge you ask? Well this refuge was in the perfectly almost-flawless that the unknown Bethesda created for this very reason.

For your ease this review will be divided into the following sections: Gameplay, Story, Graphics, and Sound.

Gameplay: 6.5

I love this game, it was my soul, my being, my reason to live, my surrogate grandma.... but sadly the gameplay was merely an excuse to explore this enormous world. I'll break it down for you:

The Rogue: I like to press control, jump at a guy and click on him really fast. If he doesnt die I run, rinse and repeat.
The Mage: Bah, I jump on a hill click on the guy and motor away so I dont die.
The Fighter: I hit... stuff.

Now obviously thats an exaggeration, the hard-core fans would shout, but what of the lock picking and the acrobatics sir? I'd say that thats all fluff, when you get down to the actual combat system the fact of the matter is it works well, but thats about it. Theres a grievious lack of variety in approaches to combat. You find your rut and go with it.

For example: I would hit with my paralyzation arrows, switch to fire arrows, run up hit with my paralyzation dagger, and the guy goes down. Your saying, well thats cool, but I'm saying, yeah, for the first two-hundred times. It works well, but its lacking the main component - fun.

Storyline: 9

By all rights the storyline should get an eight, bascially being the whole "Youre a God.... yeah.... ummmmmmmmmmm.... (thats all i got) (oh ok just stall them) (ok) Hey, anyone want a banana???" Morrowind's strength does not rely on its main plotline however, in fact exactly the opposite. Morrowinds greatest strength is in your ability to not follow any story line whatsoever.

The game starts out with you having been brought on a ship to some backwater town, the local official tells you to go see some dude in the slightly less backwater town to the east. So you do, you meet the guy and basically makes you prove yourself as the N-whatsawhosit and then you kill some big boss. Dull, extremely dull.

But while your at it there are three houses to join, three guilds to join, the cammona tong - you get paid to assassinate people - and there are hundreds of places to explore. My personal favorites were the daedric temples - huge twisted monoliths rising into the sky hiding the entrance to an underground sanctuary - always complete with the completely climbable idol. Anywho, let me repeat the fact that you can do whatever you want. The only restriction is your characters personal attributes and her potential death.

However, if your looking for a rich engrossing storyline - well than go buy a book because you sure as hell ain't gonna find it here.

This is the classic example of the non-linear storyline, practically redefining what is going to be expected of the RPG in years to come. I predict that the XBox's Fable will end what Morrowind has set into motion.

Graphics: 7.5

The graphics are stunning, and details such as the plants or the beautiful way the sunset reflects on a city was just another huge aspect of attraction for the game. I would spend days just taking screen shots, and they turned out so beautifully that you wouldn't believe. Theres no questioning this area.

But alas, the graphics have one enormous flaw. When I say enormous try to imagine mind bogglin proportions. Try to imagine someone going, oh well the number system works except for infinity, zero, and one. Well heres the thing, there were three graphical themes in this game: swamp, dusty, and dustier. Sandstorms happened every fifteen seconds, it was constantly dark or brown with little or no contrast.

In short it was depressing. Its depressingthat they decided not to make a huge forest, or plains, or a jungle or something. Hell, they could have even made a desert, just throw in an oasis somewhere for heavens sake!!!! That's why graphics gets a 7.5, for lack of variety.

Sound: 10

The music is wonderful, the sound effects blend nicely, and the voice acting is laudible. Theres nothing more to say, the opening music speaks for itself.

Overall score: 8

This game is great, but its simply got too many fundamental flaws to be a nine or ten. I know I'm a tough grader, but the lack of graphic variety is crippling, as is the lack of variety in gameplay. If they were to have attacked those with the same fervor which they did the scope of the world... ten all the way. Unfortunately they didnt. But good job Bethesda, and just keep that in mind for next time.