The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

"The Hardcore Gamer's RPG"

intro:
This game is branded with the genre of RPG (Role Playing Game). When you hear the characters RPG, you probably think Final Fantasy. The linear gameplay, the single story line, the character development. Morrowind is NOT Final Fantasy! It is unlike any other game made. If you have to have a comparison, compare it to the N64 Zeldas, which is only alike to this because of the camera angle and weapon usage. People that haven't played the game may ask, What Do you do in it? The morrowind team answers: ''What do you want to do?''. Do you want to be loved, hated, or feared? Would you rather kill someone, save someone, or pick pocket them? Play with swords, axes, or go hands free and burn your foes into ashes with spells? This freedom is the true beauty of Morrowind

Gameplay: 9/10
I've heard people complain that their is no interface, and the battle system is the WORST SYSTEM EVER! Exact opposite. These people say this because they go, pick up an axe, and think that they can use it perfectly. I ask them to go to an armarment or a place that sells axes, and TRY TO PICK ONE UP let alone hit someone with it. Gameplay is good from, but can be confusing in 3rd person view. To say the least, once you have experience, you can consider first person view as Halo with medieval weapons. There's a great selection of swords, axes and other weapons for you to use. Some complain that the gameplay is just-poke-poke with a sword. Not true at all, you can snipe, burn smash, or just have someone else do the work for you if you decide to put skills into conjuring. One of the best additions to the gameplay of this game is the enchantment process that will allow you to get yourself really powerful weapons, that you customize yourself. Let's say you want a weapon that paralyzes someone for 10 seconds, and poisons them while they cant move. That can be easily accommodated by someone at your local mage guild. Quite possibly the best asset of this game and it's gameplay is the diversity in the ways you can play. Doing the same quests using different tactics (such as stealth vs. going in swinging) is definitely rewarding and fun. Although you probably won't be doing the same quests every time you play through because you'll find another one of the over 300 possible quests in the game. This is just the frosting of the gameplay mechanics of the Morrowind cake. Aside from all of this, you can join guilds to gain friends and if you don't feel like exploring you can make this game extremely linear by just doing the main quest, but to tell you the truth, i don't see why you would want to.

Controls: 8/10
This is where the game falters, it takes between an hour and three hours to get used to the controls, although it is pretty basic. A examines, B opens menus, X switches/activates weapons, Y does the same as X with spells L jumps, R uses weapons or spells, the left control stick moves and the right aims. Sound's simple right? It get's worse, well if worse means more complication. Hit R and up at the same time you'll thrust, R and left or right, you'll slash, just hit R alone you'll chop. This can be extremely frustrating at some points because most weapons deal a lot more damage/a lot less damage in certain categories. For example, thrusting with an Axe will do you a lot less damage than chopping them to the ground. Other than these qwerks control is a breeze, switching between first and third person view is just a click of the right stick, and a double click of the left stick sets you in sneak mode (great for theft).

Graphics: 10/10
Although graphics shouldn't matter in a game, Morrowind's are simply breathtaking. Check out screenshots at IGN or in a gaming magazine. Just take a peak at the water effects. 'nuff said

Sound: 9/10
Sound really can't be described, but let's just say, YOU KNOW when someone likes you, hates you, is going to kill you and exactly what kind of monster is coming at you (once you've heard them once or twice). You'll run at the sound of an angry Ordinator, and be jovial to here the sound of the easy to kill scrib (an insect). Morrowind's only flaw in this category is the repetitive background music, but you usually aren't paying attention to it.

Overall: 9/10 ( I wish i could give it a 9.5)
Morrowind overall is a solid RPG, but isn't for all. Those that are looking for an actiony RPG, or those that are looking for a final fantasy need not apply. This game will really only be appreciated by those that have time to try out everything and have the patience to get into the battle system. For those still skeptical, this game is NOT a game that should be ignored, because once you play you'll want to pick it up again and again. I suggest you try it out at a friends house or rent it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/31/02, Updated 08/13/02