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Which Elder Scrolls game had your favorite setting?
- Thread starter SolVanderlyn
- Start date
Ooph. It's a hard choice between Skyrim and Vvardenfell for me. The former is majestic and nostalgic and reminds me of growing up out in Idaho, but with Pleisteocene fauna (and everyone who says it has no diversity is wrong, I've COUNTED the biomes and there's just as many in Morrowind), and the latter is a unique magical place with just enough of a Myst/Riven flare to make me feel right at home. Both also have a ton of lore and subcultures and factions and history running about. They both feel like real worlds.
Cyrodiil however, with its eight different kinds of Midwestern backyards can sit back down.
Cyrodiil however, with its eight different kinds of Midwestern backyards can sit back down.
Morrowind is easily my favourite fantasy setting of all time. It is unique in its portrayal of politics (basically an theocratic-aristocratic republic), culture, and of course the alien biomes. No other RPG has come close to convey the same feeling Morrowind has. Thus the longing for a return to the land of the Dunmer, especially in the context of all the internal changes after Oblivion, shall remain unfulfilled...
Oblivion had this nice thing going on with each city having its distinct architectural feature but the biomes weren't that interesting in the end. Skyrim on the other was very diverse but all minor hold capitals lacked their own identity. And I could swear that 'cities' in general were smaller than compared to Oblivion.
Oblivion had this nice thing going on with each city having its distinct architectural feature but the biomes weren't that interesting in the end. Skyrim on the other was very diverse but all minor hold capitals lacked their own identity. And I could swear that 'cities' in general were smaller than compared to Oblivion.
I should hope I remember them well, I'm playing through both Oblivion and Skyrim again on PC currently, and I feel the exact same about them now as I did back when they came out. Oblivion's world is diverse and fun to explore, Skyrim is a brownfest where exploring only leads to Draugr filled caves. Whiterun has to be the least visually appealing town in any Elder Scrolls game, and it's the big main one for Skyrim.
Do you get to the Cloud District very often? Oh what am I saying, of course you don't. ;)
Fun fact: Nazeem and his wife don't even own their own house in Whiterun.
Calling it "the cloud district" always bugged me since it's making the area out to be way larger than it actually is. In reality the cloud district is just like 2 fairly small buildings, Jorrvaskr and Dragonsreach, barely even a district at all.
Maybe I'd visit it more if only I could find Wintersand Manor, must be a pretty important place for multiple people to have keys to it!
Morrowind, although I think Skyrim was realized better just from a tech point of view.
There should be.
There should be.
I enjoyed Oblivions Cyrodil setting the most, each town actually had a unique flavor, and it was plain fun to explore a 'familiar' LOTR type setting but with Elder Scroll monsters and mixed with dungeons straight into hell.
Skyrims I actually enjoyed the main setting the least altho I think it's the best overall ES game so far, and I spent the most time with it. But I didn't enjoy the frozen wasteland type setting, I wanted more variety.
Skyrims I actually enjoyed the main setting the least altho I think it's the best overall ES game so far, and I spent the most time with it. But I didn't enjoy the frozen wasteland type setting, I wanted more variety.
Nothing comes close to the atmosphere of Vvardenfell yet. It felt like exploring a dreamworld, like Neverland. It also helps that it was Soule's best score, even if it was inferior to the others technically speaking.
OP
OP
My vote went to Skyrim, even though I love Cyrodiil as well. Morrowind was always a bit too weird for me to enjoy as much as the others, although I see why people like it.
I love the snow. The sound of a cold wind blowing. Pine trees and frost. Grey clouds and frozen lakes. I also love Norse things, and dragons. So of course I love Skyrim. I had been wanting to go there ever since I learned of it. Bruma in Oblivion was my favorite town simply because it was close to Skyrim.
However, I also adore High Rock, especially how it's depicted in ESO. Rainy skies and rolling plains and knights and castles. It's high fantasy at its highest. I really hope ESVI brings us there over Hammerfell.
I love the snow. The sound of a cold wind blowing. Pine trees and frost. Grey clouds and frozen lakes. I also love Norse things, and dragons. So of course I love Skyrim. I had been wanting to go there ever since I learned of it. Bruma in Oblivion was my favorite town simply because it was close to Skyrim.
However, I also adore High Rock, especially how it's depicted in ESO. Rainy skies and rolling plains and knights and castles. It's high fantasy at its highest. I really hope ESVI brings us there over Hammerfell.
Cyrodiil was very pleasant and it seemed like it covered most environments. Vvardenfell was unique and I can't wait to play Skywind.
Skyrim was my least favorite by far. Fuck the snowy ass cold grey shit.
Skyrim was my least favorite by far. Fuck the snowy ass cold grey shit.
Cyrodiil was wasted on a weak console at launch. Imagine on PS5 it would look unreal. I would put that province up there as one of the best, it has a range of landscapes and lots of potential (Oblivion gates aside).
Summerset Isles would be epic too but I haven't seen much from it to say for sure.
Summerset Isles would be epic too but I haven't seen much from it to say for sure.
Cyrodiil for its diversity and normality. It can feel like a normal medieval setting game then a minotaur comes barreling at you from the brush.
Morrowind is so damn good! The world was the most unique and fleshed out. Also, I love how a bunch of the dungeons were designed with verticality in mind; exploring with levitation was a blast (not to mention flying into/above some of those awesome alienesque cities!)
If they could re-release the game, give it a fresh coat of paint and modernise the combat, i'd immediately jump back in for sure - there are just no games like it anymore.
If they could re-release the game, give it a fresh coat of paint and modernise the combat, i'd immediately jump back in for sure - there are just no games like it anymore.
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Morrowind refreshed in a modern engine would elevate it to top 3 RPGs all time. That old engine and combat just kills it for me (that and the lack of voice acting).
Morrowind, hands down. It just had so MANY interesting concepts, from the Stilt Striders to the giant crab skeletons that were used as buildings. Oblivion and Skyrim were both great, but the felt too similar to "standard" fantasy for me. Morrowind was bizarre, but all of the weirdness made sense from the in-universe logic. It's just such a memorable world, it still feels strange and exciting almost 20 years later.
Skyrim. I know it seems a bit passe now, but at the time Nordic fantasy type settings were a bit under-utilized compared to the more traditional medieval fantasy settings. Morrowind would be a close second, with Cyrodiil-as-Oblivion definitely coming in a distant last.
TES VI is obviously Hammerfell from the trailer but I'm really hoping it's the entirety of the Illiac Bay.
Vvardenfell > Skyrim > Cyrodiil.
For ESO : Clockwork City, Coldharbour and Rivenspire are the highlight.
For ESO : Clockwork City, Coldharbour and Rivenspire are the highlight.