The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Game of the Year Edition
by Bethesda
List Price:
Our Price: $17.49
You Save: $12.46 (42%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $11.95 (click here)
Category: Video Games
See more product details and other editions
Product Summary
Brand: BethesdaRelease Date: 2003-11-04
Platform: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP
Model: 093155118409
Publisher: Bethesda
Product features:
- Bundle of popular RPG and two expansion sets
- Adds 80 hours of gameplay and quests beyond Morrowind
- Explore the tundra of Solstheim and the cities of Mournhold and Sotha Sil
- Many new monsters
- For one player
Video Game Reviews of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Game of the Year Edition
Customer Review: Morrowind, an alternitive to MMORPG's...
Summary: 5 Stars
The first note I must make is that I have nothing against MMORPG's, the companies that produce and maintain them, or anyone who uses them. The reason I titled this review that way is that Morrowind for the PC and Xbox has a world with the size and complexity of an MMORPG, without any of the human interaction.
I will the pros and cons by catagory.
#1: Graphics
One of the first things on a players mind. Like the tipe face on a book is to a reader, the graphics in any given game are the first thing to be seen (other than the main menu) and, therefore, that must come first in any review of the game.
Morrowind was the first game in the Elder scrolls series to use rendering effects, and only in one place, the water. These effect do a lot to make the game beleveable to one's eye and to immerse you into the game. Now, even for the time, the graphics were a little below par, but taken with the enormous size of the game, this can be justified. The one thing that shines very brightly about this game's grafics are the skies. The sky in the day time cam be anywhere from majestic vista's of clouds that make you want to fly amongst them, to moody rainclouds. At night, the stars are vivid and clear in the sky. There are even constellations to be picked out (even a in-game book of the various constellations) Look straight above and you see two large planets, one red one silver. This gives you the distinct immpression that you are definately in another world. Other than that, there is little more to say about the game's graphics engine, other than to say that the textures are crisp and the game definately has its own visual stlye (Angular and crisp), and that the game is 3D 1rst person/3rd person style.
#2: Sound.
Starting at the music, the game's sound in definately top-notch.
Each individual track was composed and directed by Jeremy Seoule (Now famous for his work on the Harry Potter films). The theme is dazzleing and epic (The morrowind Title, along with 20 other pieces of video-game music are in the PLAY orchestra's play list, sheduled to tour the northern united states in 2006)
Every creature's call and pain+death sounds are unique (Loud squealing from Kwama foragers {Little worms} to the Silt striders, who's call sounds like whale song) and the voice acting is top-notch (Voice cast includes Linda Carter, former Wonder-Woman). Every race has its own vocal feel to it (From the nords, loud and verboise; To the Dunmer {Dark elves} Low and gutteral). Metal boots sound different than leather boots, and all of the weapons sound different. The only problem is that the noises of combat will start to get tiresome after a while.
#3: Performance
This is the only downfall of morrowind. In today's world of 3 GHZ prosessors and the Radion X1800, the system requirements are no longer a great difficulty. The game still has a myriad of difficulties from graphics glitches to complete game crashes mid-gameplay. The only solution to many of these problems is, unfortuatly, to save, save, save! With a good post-pentium II computer, ample RAM, patience, and a little luck Morrowind should run okeydokey.
#4: Gameplay.
From the start, the gameplay is what sets morrowind apart from most other RPG's. From the start, you to not choose what 'class' you are from a short list. You choose ten skills that you are very good at (Major skills), and ten that you are not so good at (Minor skills) The rest are put into 'micellanious' skills. This allows to to, essentially, create your own class. You can also pick your class from a list, or go through a set of questions that determines the best class for you, based on the answers to those questions. You can always make your own class, but sometimes it's fun just to go as "Battlemage". The use of the 'Skill' system over the 'class' system means that any charicter can get good at anything. A mage can learn to use a sword, a knight can cast bolts of lightning to fry his opponent. Also, skills are upgraded as they are used, which means the only way to get better at useing a short sword is to actually use a short sword. This system is Infiniely more versitle and beleveable than baldur's gate's "Pick your weapon skills, and no, no one can use magic but a mage and mages cannot be good at swordplay!" Gandalf cannot exist in the world of D&D, but in Morrowind, Gandalf not only flourshes, but kicks butt. As well as skills, you pick your face, whether you are male of female, your race (From human to Orc to Cat-man to Lizard-man!) and even your astriological system (Remeber those constilations up in the sky?). In the game world, combat feels good, and magic looks good.
In the game world, there are over 2,500 NPC's living in the world. This is a huge number, one that no other game can attest to (Baldur's gate, again for instance, has perhaps 300 through the course of the game, and many were simply 'Comminer' or 'child', each NPC in morrowind has his or her own name and skills). Where Morrowind is strong in numbers, however, it lacks in individuallity. The NPC's while they all look pretty much different from each other, have pretty much the same diolouge. Other than unique caricters, most NPC's will have the same list of toplics (some are slightly different due to race or profession of the NPC), and even though you can persuade any of them in a multitue of ways ("persuade" "Insult" "Threaten" and even "Bribe) there is, sady, no direct reward to that than an increase in your speachcraft skill and a little text. Otherwise, the game plays exellently, and with 400 dungeons and thousands of sub-quests off of the main quest, you will be entertained by Morrowind for months at a time.
As to main quest, you are the person who could. perhaps, fulfill an ancient prophicy and slay an ancient evil. Cookie-cutter stuf on the outside, but when you head down the path, you discover that Morrowind's main quest is very well written and very well inplimented. There in virtually no obligation to start the main quest, persue the main quest, of finish the main quest. This is a completely open ended RPG, you can do what you want and when you want. And with a multitude of guilds and side quest, Morrowind insures that you can do just that.
#5: Overwview.
Overall, this game is one for the ages, and with the subsiquent expantion packs that rocket the number of hours you could spend playing the game from 180 to about 280 (I have, personally, been playing Morrowind off and on for the past two years), This game is one to set in gold and mount over the fireplace.
A look back:
Graphics:
Pros:
Good water
Perfect dynamic skies and weather
Everything looks crisp
Cons:
Pretty dated by now
Some Problems for some cards
Sound:
Pros:
Complete original soundtrack
Great Voiceovers
Multitude of original creature sounds
Cons:
Battle sounds get a little tired
Preformance:
Pros:
if you are up to date, the system requirements are not harsh, and everything looks good.
Cons:
Even if you are up to date, expect frequent crashes which, while well worth it, can get extremely tiresome.
Overall:
I recomend this game, all of my friends would recomend this game. The only problem is that your boss might not reccomend this game because it will get you into work late every day becuase you will not have slept as a fault of this game keeping you up all night. And with the price so low, it might actually COST YOU MONEY in purchase prices invested in substandard games.
So on the behalf of the US economy, buy this game!
If you do not buy this game, the terrorists will have already won.
I give it a Five out of Five
Description of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, Game of the Year Edition
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is the most detailed game world ever created, where you create and play any kind of character you can imagine. Morrowind sets a new standard in gaming with its incredible graphics, in-depth gameplay, and innovative character development. Experience the definitive version of this award-winning role-playing game. The definitive collection of the best RPG of 2002, including the original Morrowind plus both the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions and The Elder Scrolls Construction Set.Role-Playing Games
- Video Games > Categories > PC > Role-Playing
Computer and Video Games
Bestsellers in Role-Playing Games
Kicking Horse Pass: Ms Train Sim Add-On -MAPTri Synergy; Release date: 2004-08-02; Windows NT; Video Games
Price in other shops:
Warlords Battlecry IIUbisoft; Ubisoft; Release date: 2004-06-07; Windows NT; Video Games
Price in other shops:
Neverwinter Nights: Shadow of Undrentide Expansion PackAtari; Atari; Release date: 2003-06-18; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $5.98
Price in other shops:
EverQuest GoldSony; Sony Online Entertainment; Release date: 2002-11-04; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $45.00
Price in other shops:
Cold ZeroJoWood; JoWood Productions; Release date: 2002-08-07; Windows NT; Video Games
Price in other shops:
Anarchy Online Special EditionFuncom; Funcom; Release date: 2002-05-21; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $2.99
Price in other shops:
Icewind Dale 2Vivendi Universal; Vivendi Universal; Release date: 2002-08-27; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $6.26
Price in other shops:
DigglesStrategy First; Strategy First; Release date: 2002-03-22; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $21.99
Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of AmnUbisoft; Ubisoft; Windows; Video Games
Best price: $5.99
Price in other shops:
Blood Omen: Legacy of KainActivision; Activision; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $57.00
Similar Video and PC Games
Dragon Age Origins: Ultimate EditionElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2010-10-25; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $12.79
Price in other shops:
Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate EditionBethesda; Bethesda Softworks; Release date: 2012-02-07; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $29.99
Dungeons and Dragons Neverwinter Nights The Complete CollectionAtari; Atari; Release date: 2011-11-15; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $29.96
Price in other shops:
Fallout 3: Game of The Year Edition (PC)Bethesda; Bethesda; Release date: 2009-10-13; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $18.23
Price in other shops:
Oblivion 5th Anniversary EditionBethesda; Bethesda Softworks (PC Games); Release date: 2011-07-12; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $19.55
Price in other shops:
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition2K Games; Take 2; Release date: 2007-09-10; Windows XP; Video Games
Best price: $21.95
The Morrowind Prophecies: Game of the Year Edition Official Strategy Guideby Peter Olafson
Bethesda; Published: 2000; Paperback; Book
Best price: $202.93
Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimBethesda; Bethesda; Release date: 2011-11-11; Windows XP; Video Games
Best price: $42.00
Price in other shops:
Dungeons and Dragons Classic AnthologyAtari; Atari; Release date: 2011-11-15; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $20.90
Oblivion Game of the Year EditionBethesda; Bethesda Softworks; Release date: 2011-09-27; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $18.99
Price in other shops: