by John Stoffel

Created on: January 08, 2007   Last Updated: April 24, 2012

The other day I booted up my computer and loaded up my copy of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, for the first time. I went through the character creation process, deciding on a Dark Elf male. The first thing I noticed about the game was that it wasn't pretty. Not that it was graphically inferior, but it wasn't your traditional adventure genre fare of lush green forests and pristine blue lakes. Instead, the trees were bare and gray and the water was muddy and filled with a whole assortment of deadly creatures. As soon as I entered the main game world I got the feeling that I wasn't welcome, and I was right. NPC's didn't want to talk to me and I had to bribe several just for anything more than a curt brush-off. The resident Dark Elf population disliked me even more for being an "outlander". You see, the main characters background is that of having spent life in prison, then sent to "Morrowind", a land controlled by the Dark Elves. Unfortunately for the Elves, other races have begun to colonize and invade their land, in a way deeply reminiscent of the European occupation of China.

So I walked around, doing various things and raising my stats, and I eventually came to joining the Thieves Guild. In a routine assignment I was sent to a remote coast town and tasked with stealing back a collection of stolen contraband. I completed the task quickly and decided to explore the town. I found myself in a secret area where a man offered to pay me quite a bit of money to deliver a slave for him. I accepted the offer, and on my way to the slaves destination, I struck up a conversation with her. I learned that once I delivered her, she would be killed to recover a stash of illegal drugs in her stomach. She informed me that I could bring her to another town and turn her over to a mission that would set her free.

Money vs. Morals.

Damnit.

This was the first time a game made me seriously question my values, about a non-existent character no less!

As I've played this game, I've encountered several similar situations, and many more that challenged me to question my other values. That, coupled with the absolutely HUGE world and realistic ambiance and vibe, created an incredibly immersive experience that I am totally impressed with.

If you're into immersive games and have a lot of time on your hands (this game will really suck you in), I totally suggest that you pick up this game, or better yet, the Game of the Year Edition, which includes the two expansion packs Bloodmoon and Tribunal. Both editions are equally cheap at 20 dollars in most places, and are definitely worth the price.

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