Ranking All Games Published By Bethesda Softworks From Worst To Best

Morrowind represents an interesting spot for the franchise: it was the last that Bethesda made without the spotlight on them, resulting in a vast, weird, and complex gaming experience that won't be forgotten any time soon.

The world itself is by far the most memorable of the series. Fascinating and bizarre, with drastically new locations awaiting on every inch of the map. The intricate species and clans are also endlessly fascinating, with flavourful sidequests intricately linked with their interactions.

In many ways, this title sets the precedent for what the modern open-world RPG would, in general, function as. That aside from some frustratingly obtuse interface and combat mechanics.

Combat is an odd stats-based slog that only slightly improves as you level up. The NPC dialogue options are provided in the long-form text, with navigating them about as fun as a trip to the dentist.

Thankfully, the lesser elements were streamlined from the series going forward, but at a cost: so was the endless freedom and 'anything goes' nature too.

Morrowind has dated flaws aplenty, but it also represents Bethesda at their most daring and wildly inventive... it's an unpredictable approach we're not likely to see happen again anytime soon.