The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

"The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind" is, in my mind, the best RPG that's been produced to date. It is the only completely open-ended RPG that I've seen. With virtually no limitations placed on where you can go or what you can do, it propels itself into a whole new level of RPG. In fact, this game allows almost too much freedom. At times it can be overwhelming and exhausting, but those things are also what make it refreshing. There are numerous factions and outfits that you can join completely at your own discretion. The game also has a unique system of remembering what you've done. Like I said, you're free to do whatever you want, whenever you want to do it. You can kill anyone, rob anyone, fight anyone, etc., and there are several ways that you can do each. There is a thin storyline that drives the game forward, which you are free to pursue or not at your leisure.

The guys at Bethesda have always had great story lines and Bloodmoon is no exception. Unlike Tribunal, Bloodmoon's plot does not involve game impairing ninja's around every turn. It adds another dimension to the game, werewolves. Werewolves have more too them than vampires did. They have their own movie when you transform, they can jump high, and attack well. Another bonus are the new movies. The original Morrowind had about 3 movies. Bloodmoon has a movie for about every quest. Bloodmoon opens up a whole new region with new opportunities. The only problem I noticed was how hard it was to get there. You can not take the standard silt strider and there is only 1 boat to get there. Along with the travel problems, with the exception of Raven Rock there is not Inter island transport, which means that you must walk every where. Then again, this give you more opportunities to explore the beautiful, fulfilling Bloodmoon experience.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is, quite simply, the best RPG ever! The story is so broad and the world is so open. My only gripe is that you can only wander throughout the island of Vvardenfell. I wish that Bethesda would release an expansion of the entire province of Morrowind, or even better, the entire continent of Tamriel. All that aside, this is still the best RPG ever! You start out on a ship. You have been a prisoner of the Imperials, but the Emperor has set you free, though you don't know why. After you give your race, sign, and class, there is absolutely nothing that you have to do. But, there is plenty that you can do. You can do whatever you want. There is a main quest, but there is no pressure to get started on it. You can join one or more of various factions and guilds. You can become a thief or an assassin. There is no end to what you can do. If you have the Bloodmoon and Tribunal expansion packs, there is even more for you to do. It is possible to play this game for weeks at a time and never run out of things to do. It's great fun. Everyone should own this on either the PC or the X-Box.

9.8/10

Bloodmoon has a completely different feel and tone than Morrowind (or for you folks who worry about these kinds of things, the island of Vvardenfell in the Morrowind Province), which is extremely refreshing after hours spent in the tribal wastelands and swampy coasts. After the fanciful culture and creatures in Vvardenfell, Solstheim's real animals and realistic area and buildings hit closer to home. Home being this world we live in. Taking you character from a make believe world into something so real (and I'm not talking graphics) makes what you do seem more important and the enemies more menacing and the people deeper, even though they really aren't.

I won't give any spoilers, but take my word that even the bosses are better because they are their own characters. They aren't just a stronger version of the same things all around them. They have motives for what they do that you learn through the quests and encounters with them, and are not just told that they are smugglers that need to be killed or an outlaw that has killed a friend of your employer or an evil deadra. Morrowind only has one of these kinds of bosses, whereas Bloodmoon has many.

The new weapons and armor are truly awesome. Powerful weapons and armor can be found there. Relatively great armor can be bought without questing, and the weapons you quest for are some of the best in the game.

Quests are difficult and they aren't all just going out and killing someone or retrieving an item or escorting an NPC.

My favorite part of what Bloodmoon and Tribunal both offer that I am willing to tell you so as not to spoil anything is that you are able to participate in a few battles. Not all one on one or one on multiple, you can fight alongside many friends against a great many foes that you would not defeat alone. This is a truly great expansion that is worth more than it costs.

It's hard to name any RPGs that have even come close to Morrowind's immersiveness and expansiveness, save Daggerfall, the previous game in the Elder Scrolls series. Tom Hall's Anachronox comes close, but that game is really a mix of genres and hard to directly compare to Morrowind.

Like Anachronox, it's clear that a lot of love went into Morrowind. You can truly become lost in this game for hours and hours and even forget to eat or sleep. Hopefully Morrowind will achieve the sales it deserves, and we will see further continuations of the series. Looking back on Daggerfall, it's really amazing how far the game industry has come in 5 years.