ELDER SCROLLS: ARENA / DAGGERFALL (1993, 1996)

Bethesda Softworks

One word: EPIC

When I found Arena taking up space at this local BBS called "The TAPP Room", I didn't expect much. Pictures of fighters clunking around like bulls in a pit to the tune of 16 colors came to mind. How wrong I was! These games absorbed you into an entire culture of a world. Libraries filled with books upon books for the history of a land that was non-existant before these games. Factions are there trying to solicit you to join their cause. All the while you are really on a quest to save the world (isn't it always?). But you will soon forget about that when you get caught up trying to slip poison into a slip so you can gain a reputation in the underworld. Or when you save a damsel in distress for a Knight's Brotherhood. Ready to buy a house? If you got the cash, go for it! Basicly you can do anything...

...until casting magic missile sends you to C:\> Arena had it's share of bugs. but so did Daggerfall. It always seems that these larger than life games come packed with bugs larger than your patience. The size and scope of these adventures is astounding. For those of you who have played the 3rd edition to the series, Morrowind, I would say that Morrowind is the shortest of them all! And the most stable (see last point about epic size games). Prepare to be sucked into the world of Tamariel

Did I finally finish Arena? Nope, too long. Did I finish Daggerfall? Not until about a year after I had bought it, and not without some hints. Finishing these games is more of a test of your will to stay focused and not get too absorbed into the side plots.