Bethesda Softworks
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

One of the most beloved sagas by gamers at its peak. The release of "The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind" was hailed as a major event in the PC entertainment market, followed by awards and recognitions such as "BEST RPG OF 2002," "GAME OF THE YEAR," and various compliments, to the delight of the developers of this colossal toy.

If Arena, its predecessor, impressed with the vastness of its settings and Oblivion, the fourth installment, was a feast for the eyes, this "Morrowind" remains the (almost) perfect blend of playability, elegance, and longevity of the adventure.

The adventure begins with the landing, kindly escorted by imperial guards, in a forgotten village in the South of the continent of Vvanderfell, an immense island with a heterogeneous morphology.

After taking care of the formalities of every fantasy RPG (character's gender, race, class), you step out to face the virtual world. The main plot already has its first chapter, but the player has the option to completely ignore it and wander through fields, crypts, palaces, and steal, kill at will or on commission, gather alchemical ingredients, go on a pilgrimage, or affiliate with more or less shady guilds.

This prolonged wandering (it is possible to play for a hundred hours and still find some unexplored nook or a passerby in need of help) is supported by a technical sector that no longer surprises (due to some coarse textures and the static nature of the landscape) but can still be appreciated for its vast scenarios, the night landscapes under the starry sky, and the sandstorms of the desertified valleys. The audio is unobtrusive and functional in maintaining the overall atmosphere.

Not everything is so successful, however: while the tasks and environments are numerous (also considering the two support expansions for the game), there are some downtime moments when the adventurer, wandering aimlessly among villages, will wonder what to do. An important sore point is the combat: if it weren't for the wide use of spells available, the fight would boil down to repetitively clicking the mouse, standing like mannequins in front of each other; moreover, the "intelligent" creatures encountered throughout the story will lack personality, or at least sufficiently curated characterization: for example, the Nordic warrior met at the inn will often repeat the same four phrases as the Elven seamstress.

Despite this, the developers at Bethesda Softworks deserve rightful credit: recreating with attention to detail desert cities, fishing villages, and bays inhabited by strange creatures, while leaving the player the choice to face the adventure in any order and way, and allowing even novices to quickly learn the game basics, remains a widely won bet.

The subsequent "Oblivion" will streamline certain aspects and refine the technique used in the work, remaining a good reheated dish. The true masterpiece on the same foundations will be with "Fallout 3," which will depart from the worn-out fantasy/fairy-tale atmospheres.