"A breath of fresh air, bringing in a bit of poison"

For tomorrow, you sail for the kingdom... of Daggerfall!
Daggerfall is second in the series of the Elder Scrolls. It's definitely a good game, different from a lot of RPGs. It's that breath of fresh air from all the done to death game styles. But with every breath you take, poison also enjoys running in with it. It's not the best, but it's a great game. Like most games, this isn't for everyone. For those of you who wish to craft items, sorry. That isn't exactly bad though, but you can role-play to the extent of being a blacksmith. I think this welcoming has gone on long enough though. It's time we turn our eyes to the review below.

Okay, so I have to save the world? What? I don't? You on something?
Plot line (8/10)
The plot line of Daggerfall is one of those breaths of fresh air. It's definitely a new one from a lot of the generic ones. It plays in the background in a sense, but it still makes its self obvious. You are sent to the kingdom of Daggerfall to find out about the shade of Daggerfall, King Lysandus who obviously doesn't want to leave his poor kingdom alone, and to locate a missing letter. Black mail AND ghost haunting a town. This game has its little side plots that weave a way in. There's the King of Worms, leader of the necromancer guild and overall very strange person. There's the kingdom of Waywest, which has itself entangled in this plot by its back stabbing ways. There's the beast king, another soul trapped for some reason. Like most it's not Shakespeare but it's very good still.

Sword... so... shiny...
Graphics (6/10)
The graphics are... well the graphics are there. They aren't exactly detailed too much... but it's enough to recognize a sword from a person. The buildings aren't perfect, but they aren't horrible. It's not one of the best mixes between sprites and 3D landscapes, but it fits well. There's not much to say but I think they're good.

Medieval guitars! Rock on!
Music/Sound (9/10)
Okay... so there are no guitars. That's a good thing. First let's start with the sound. The sound is done well. The sword swishing is pretty good, and the doors sound nice. You might get annoyed by one sound in the town of Daggerfall, but I'll leave that for you to find. I'm not sure if there's much else so I'm sticking with that. The music is well done and fitting to the era. You have the tavern music, a nicely done and slightly energetic theme. You have the town theme, which is fitting. You also have the night theme, which just has that hint of foreboding in it. I personally found the music well done, and haven't really found it repetitive.

So... I'm a High Elf knight that has ties with the underworld and can't regenerate my magic within darkness. Have I also told you about my past?
Character Creation (10/10)
In an RPG that's open like this you need to know how good the character creation is. I'm proud to say Daggerfall tops all others. You can choose or create your own class, choose disadvantages and advantages, choose how much HP you get per level up, and can even see how hard or easy it is for you to level up. You can decide your race and such to help your ties with other people. You can decide if you're in good favor with a thieves guild, even if some one like the nobles loathe you. You decide your own past also, and starting equipment. Very well done.

Yes, yes, but does it play well?
Gameplay(10/10)
Very fun indeed. To attack you move your mouse across the screen in the direction you want to attack rather than just clicking a lot. Yes, this does mean a knight of low level can attack quicker than a high leveled knight, but it's also realistic to a degree. There's so much to do. There are banks to get loans and deposit, guilds to join, reputation to increase, and many a dungeon to explore. I'll admit that the dungeons are twist and confusing, but they're satisfying at the same time. You can buy a house, a horse, or a ship if need be. You can enrage the assassins guild, The Dark Brotherhood, and they'll actually try and kill you at night. It's surprising to be on your way to a city using quick travel, arrive at night, stake out for a bit, and suddenly have an arrow hit you. The guild missions are also nice and random, but they repeat a lot. At least you can get the kind of job you want.

Did... did I just fall through the floor?
Bugs (1/10)
This is the poison. You can fall through the floor, see through or get stuck in walls, and even randomly crash. There are patches to help, but best advice is to keep a backup character file.

Buy?
Yes
I'd say Daggerfall is a worthy buy if you really like RPGs. Though be warned, the bugs are everywhere.

It's crashing! Not again!
That's my review. If you really want that breath of fresh air, breathe deep and empty your wallet a bit. Be wary though, the bugs are not friendly.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/13/03, Updated 01/13/03