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Morrowind: They Got It Right

I’ve been lucky enough to get a quick look at a full copy of 3D single player RPG Morrowind and all I can say is “wow”. If you, like me, were concerned the title might have gone foul of the delicate balance between maintaining the good while avoiding the flaws of it’s predecessor DaggerFall, it seems you can rest easy. Get yourself some good coffee and several months of late nights, this is a title worth some serious time.

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Where DF was overwhelmingly large, immersive, with amazing depth and scope but fatally buggy, Morrowind looks smooth and polished. Actually, some of the visuals will have you gasping. The water alone is worth the price of a GeForce 3 (a GeForce 2 can’t produce the shimmering, bumpmapped and environment mapped water effect the game uses). The atmosphere created by the beautiful environments is inspiring. I’m sure there is a better looking game, but I don’t know what it is. I know it’s not a RPG.

The music as well is superlative. I’ve always turned game music off during install, but Morrowind’s orchestral score had me asking for it to be turned up. The majestic, Celtic influenced main theme gave me goosebumps, and rivals anything on the Braveheart soundtrack - truly. Composer Jeremy Soule, who has also done the music for Icewind Dale, Dungeon Siege, Giants, and upcoming titles Unreal 2 and Sigma, has outdone himself. The Collector’s Edition features a CD-Rom of the game music, and for the first time in my gaming history that is actually a tempting offer.

It’s impossible to comment on the gameplay - that would only be meaningful after several months of play on a title in The Elder Scrolls series - but if you liked DaggerFall in concept, my bet is you are going to love Morrowind. My initial impression is the world is as vast and unlinear as ever.

Morrowind is a genuine RPG title. If you prefer RPG-lites such as Diablo and Dungeon Siege it may be a bit much for you. If you have played any of the Ultima or Wizardry series - or better yet the Elder Scrolls 1 and 2 - you need to book your copy now. Australian distribution problems aside (you can order online from the US and maybe even pick up a Collector’s Edition which won’t be available in our country), it’s a must-have.

  posted by monty · at 2:31 pm · filed under First Impressions