The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind was released 15 years ago today on 6th June 2002.
Many will be familiar with The Elder Scrolls franchise. Churning out some of the biggest fantasy names on the market, Bethesda is responsible for amazing RPGs such as the critically acclaimed Oblivion, and the most recent Skyrim. Both have won game of the year, RPG of the year, and places on the top games of all time. But before that – there came The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
Critically acclaimed across a number of publications and earning its rightful title as game of the year, Morrowind turns 15 years old today.
Succeeding Arena and Daggerfall, it was released on Microsoft Windows and Xbox in 2002. The story takes place on the island of Vvardenfell in the Dunmer province of Morrowind: the area explores a less civlised off-shoot of the empire of Tamriel – the main stage for all Elder Scrolls games in the series. As with all those included in the saga, the game is steeped in lore and imaginings of fantasy races, impossible landscapes, and immersive storylines. The Elder Scrolls has always been a free environment to build your own adventure, and Morrowind is exemplary of this.
Whilst players can pick any plots and side quests to dabble in throughout the narrative, the central story that underpins the gameplay is revolved around The Tribunal. This is a triumvirate of god-like beings ruling over Morrowind, that are set against the deity Dagoth Ur and his cult following. Dagoth has taken control of the Heart of Lorkhan to make himself immortal, and powers a mechanical golem with it in the process. The player must defeat the evil Dagoth and bring balance back to the island. Whilst this sounds like a load of scrabble letters put together to make up some wacky words – it all makes sense once you put the disc in.
Earning countless accolades for intuitive gameplay and still rated as a solid 10/10 by steam, 8.7 by Gamespot, and 89% by Metacritic, Morrowind is a favourite even 15 years after its initial release. Spanning across the main game and two expansions in a Game of the Year edition in 2003, it has recently been brought back to life within The Elder Scrolls online – recreating the visuals in sparkling high definition and bringing a new generation of gamers to its stormy shores. Available from 6th June onwards, this reimagining of a cult favourite will be an exciting resurrection for the franchise, especially so close to the anniversary of its initial release.
Check out the trailer for Morrowind below:
