Summary
- Elder Scrolls games evolved from procedurally generated to hand-crafted maps for a more detailed and atmospheric experience.
- Daggerfall offers a massive open world with over 15,000 points of interest to explore, setting groundbreaking standards.
- Morrowind introduces hand-crafted world-building, shaping future Elder Scrolls games with unique detail and immersive storytelling.
The Elder Scrolls is one of the most beloved role-playing game franchises. With the first game in the series being released in 1994, it has been over 3 decades since players were first introduced to the land of Tamriel.
Most of the games in The Elder Scrolls series have featured an open-world map design. Initially, these were huge maps that were procedurally generated, with thousands of points of interest to explore. However, the switch was made to building the game map by hand in The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, and subsequent titles have featured a smaller map, but one with much more detail and atmosphere.
5 The Elder Scrolls: Arena
Procedurally Generated Open World
The Elder Scrolls: Arena
The imperial battlemage Jagar Tharn betrays the Emperor Uriel Septim by imprisoning him in an alternate dimension, then assuming the Emperor’s identity and place on the throne. A lone prisoner must travel to Tamriel’s most famous and dangerous sites to collect the shattered Staff of Chaos, save the Emperor and free the Empire.
- Released
- March 25, 1994
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
- Platform(s)
- PC
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
The Elder Scrolls: Arena was an ambitious game for its time. The large open-world map was procedurally generated, including all of the cities and dungeons that were spread across the nine provinces of Tamriel. The player explores this large game map whilst trying to rescue Emperor Uriel Septim VII Jagar Tharn, the evil sorcerer. As an older game in the Elder Scrolls franchise, T he Elder Scrolls: Arena lacked some of the main tropes and features that players have come to expect in more recent titles. However, it is an interesting historical journey of players that want to give it a try.
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This was the first game in the Elder Scrolls franchise to feature open-world gameplay. At the time of its release, The Elder Scrolls: Arena was at the forefront of open-world technology, offering players a game world far larger than any other. The game is a little long in the tooth now, but deserves its place on this list for being so groundbreaking.
4 The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall
Enormous Open World Playing Map
The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
The ancient golem Numidium, a powerful weapon once used by the great Tiber Septim to unify Tamriel, has been found in Iliac Bay. In the power struggle that follows, the King of Daggerfall is murdered and his spirit haunts the kingdom. The Emperor Uriel Septim VII sends his champion to the province of High Rock to put the king’s spirit to rest and ensure that the golem does not fall into the wrong hands.
The developers describe the content like this: Animated Violence, Mature Sexual Themes
Few games have offered players such a massive open world to explore as The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall. How massive? There are over 15,000 dungeons, towns, and cities for players to discover and explore. All of these are procedurally generated, with the method for doing this having been improved over that used in The Elder Scrolls: Arena. With such a large playing map, it can take months to explore in The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall, with many players only ever visiting a fraction of the points of interest.
The player is sent on a quest by Emperor Uriel Septim VII, to look into the goings on that involve King Lysandus’s shade. The story arc covers political and supernatural plots, in a far-reaching main campaign. The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall gets a place on this list simply because the game world was so immense.
3 The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind
Renowned For Its Immersive Atmosphere
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
- Released
- May 1, 2002
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox (Original)
- Genre(s)
- RPG
The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind marks a watershed in the Elder Scrolls world-building ethos. The concept of procedurally generating a huge playing map was replaced by hand-crafting a smaller, but much more unique and detailed open-world. From the volcanic ashlands to the enchanting mushroom forest, the attention to detail is evident everywhere in The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind. This is the game that gave players a glimpse at how the Elder Scrolls franchise would evolve in the future.
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The main plot sends the player across the entirety of the island of Vvardenfell, offering an almost curated journey of discovery as it unwinds. Morrowind gets a place on this list because it is unlike any other open world in the Elder Scrolls franchise.
2 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
Balances Wilderness With Urban Areas
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion takes place in the Cyrodiil province. This is a verdant, green region, replete with thick forestation, open planes, and gentle hills. Dotted around this aesthetically pleasing landscape are various dungeons, towns, and other points of interest. The dynamic weather system often adds to the drama of the scenery as well. But the main new feature of the open-world map, is the Oblivion Gates. These are portals to the Daedric realm of Oblivion.
The player is tasked with stopping the invasion of Tamriel by Mehruns Dagon, the Daedric Prince. During the main plot, the player will need to traverse the Oblivion Gates, to bring order back to the land of Tamriel. The game gets a place on this list for the clever way that the Oblivion Gates are used, and for the dynamism of the environment.
1 The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim
A Rich Backdrop For Adventure
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a game that really needs no introduction, it is one of the most influential fantasy role-playing games of all time, and is seen by many players as the pinnacle of the Elder Scrolls franchise. With its incredibly detailed open-world game map, realistic day-night cycle, and fully dynamic weather system, it is the most realistically rendered of all the Elder Scrolls games to date.
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The player takes on the mantle of a Dragonborn, and sets forth on a quest to defeat the dragon Alduin, the World-Eater. As the plot unfolds, the player will learn new abilities, and uncover game lore, and impact the ongoing civil war between the Stormcloaks and the Imperial Legion. The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim takes top place on this list for being such a huge game, with so many places to explore, and side quests to discover.
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