I can’t even remember the last time I played a game at 1280x960. The game lacks widescreen monitor support, for one. It’s been quite a while since I last ventured onto the island of Vvardenfell, so my first reaction to loading up the game was to reflect on just how much has changed in fantasy RPGs in the years since Morrowind released in 2002. As a longtime fan of the studio's output, I was giddy with excitement over the wealth of games that had suddenly dropped into my lap. It was only natural that I downloaded Morrowind first. Morrowind recently showed up on my radar again when Xbox Game Pass added a treasure trove of Bethesda games to its catalog. I played each in turn obsessively, and I eagerly await the promised sixth addition to the series. The only games to truly break the spell of Morrowind for me were its ambitious sequels. Coming out onto the deck under the blinding light of day, I was transfixed by the fully realized fantasy world, the looming silt strider hovering over the river, and the unique characters that not only populated the small coastal town but inhabited it. I’ll never forget those first moments when my character was released from bondage in the hold of a ship. For me, there’ll never be another game quite like The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.
