It is, quite simply, the best game I have ever played. I rate it over Deus Ex, I rate it over GTA3/VC, over everything. It's f00kin amazing.
People rattle on about about GTA3 being the ultimate in 'sandbox' gameplay, but it's nothing on Morrowind.
I'd been playing it in dribs and drabs over the last six months, making lots of new characters and just playing around, but the last week or so I've been playing it loads. Before I was just wandering around the place doing odd bits and pieces and exploring. Yesterday I thought I'd go back to my first objective from when I started the game. I started following that particular story thread for a while, and omg, it's class
It actually has a genuinely compelling storyline. I've found myself playing now, not just for the usual RPG reasons of advancing your char, but because I really want to find out what happens in the rest of the story. And you know what the real beauty of this game is?
I played the game for at least 40 hours before I even touched on the main storyline. I'd followed several other plotlines in the game (I'm master of the Fighter's Guild for instance), and I was perfectly happy doing so. It's the only true example of 'sandbox' gameplay. You can play the game however you want, whenever you want.
My first major characters was a thief. I used daggers and illusion and lockpicking to make myself filthy rich and then started advancing through the Morag Tong (assasin's guild), then I lost my savegame *sniff*. My current character is just a big strong mofo with a fuck-off big Daedric Claymore, and I get what I want by butchering anyone who gets in my way. I could go for the sociable route and focus on speechcraft and mercantile skills, and get what I want by being nice to people. I could spent my whole time in the game wandering the lands, picking flowers and mixing up potions for sale. I could go around running errands for the mining company, or the thieves guild, or try and advance through one of the great houses. I could make all my money diving for pearls off the coast.
Oh, and the two add-ons, Tribunal and Bloodmoon are class. You should be able to get them all in a GOTY package for PC or X Box by now.
This is a 98% game, the slightly ropey combat system ceases to matter after you've been playing for a few hours. G'wan, give it a try. If you want value for money...you can't go wrong. I've played for countless hours..and still only explored 20% of the landscape availbale, not counting the two add-ons. A breath of fresh air in these times where you pay £40 for a game that you complete in 6 hours.
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/me goes back to infiltrating the Neverarine Cult...
Most of the people are so friggin rude in the game too, and then the asassins and whatnot...feckers