OBLIVION V.S. MORROWIND

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Hey, I enjoy the heated debates of versus threads as much as the next guy, and the Elder Scrolls is such a great series, it needs one.

So which game is superior - the classic third entry in the series, Morrowind, or the more recent hit, Oblivion? This is a tough question for me, since I love both games for very different reasons. That's why I added an option to the poll for those who can't decide.

Don't just vote though - I want good arguments as to why you chose what you chose.

[Madame Adequate]

I personally feel Morrowind is better. Whilst Oblivion makes some great strides in some ways (Graphics and physics being the most obvious ones), Morrowind was far more immersive and more importantly, far more interesting. Oblivion is pretty standard fantasy schtick. Nothing dire but nothing new. Morrowind was set in a genuinely original, interesting location which it felt alien to be within. There was still regular fantasy stuff there, but it was used so well that when you wandered through Pelagiad you felt it a place of familiarity among an entirely foreign culture, for instance.*

I loved exploring in Morrowind. Exploring the outdoors, exploring dungeons, exploring settlements, exploring the history and story - it was fantastic. I've not cared at all to explore in Oblivion. At best, I wind up with a nice new item. I don't end up with any personal experiences, for the most part. I remember when I was new to Morrowind, I made an Argonian who wanted to join the Legion. But he didn't just get the Silt Strider up there, oh no - he walked the entire length of the coast from Seyda Neen to Gnisis to prove that he was ready for it. That's the kind of experience that made the game so great to me, and Oblivion just doesn't feel like it provides that oppurtunity. (Although things like MMM and OOO do improve the situation slightly by at least adding an element of danger. And to be fair, I did always play Morrowind with things like GIANTS once I had it on the PC.)

* And the remoteness of places like Tel Fyr or the entire Sheogorad region just absolutely outclasses Oblivion, even if you mod the fast travel out of the latter.

[James Leopold]

I can't choose between the two.

While Oblivion is more fun to play and graphically superior, Morrowind was far more atmospheric and had a better storyline.

There was something about Morrowind that grabbed my attention and even now, years after its release, I can pick it up and get lost in the game.
With Oblivion however, I got bored of it after a month and only now, over a year since I completed it, am I getting back into it again.

Morrowind had a sense of realism about it that is greater than that of Oblivions. Climbing the Red Mountain, or exploring a dungeon always made my heart pound. I really didn't have that feeling with Oblivion. But where I found tense atmosphere in Morrowind, I felt epicness wth Oblivion. Fighting in the planes of Oblivion was incredible, nowhere near as tense as Morrowind, but far more exciting!

Oblivion had a better inventory system then Morrowind, and the magic system was incredibly superior to Morrowinds. Also the quests were far easier to managed and better organised. In Morrowind, the quest journal was an absolute mess.

About free-roaming, I'd love to just wonder around in Morrowind o explore, but I would get bored doing it in Oblivion. I suppose it's because the whole area has the same sort of layout (other han the snow to the north, which in my opinion is the best part of the world.)
Morrowind offered variety in the landscape and it was fun to explore.

About the fighting systems...lets just say that Morrowinds was laughable. Oblivion's was diverse, fun to use and it would take a long time for it to become repetitive.

So overall...I really can't choose between the two.

[Laddy]

Morrowind's world is less cliche and more immersive.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

I personally feel Morrowind is better. Whilst Oblivion makes some great strides in some ways (Graphics and physics being the most obvious ones), Morrowind was far more immersive and more importantly, far more interesting. Oblivion is pretty standard fantasy schtick. Nothing dire but nothing new. Morrowind was set in a genuinely original, interesting location which it felt alien to be within. There was still regular fantasy stuff there, but it was used so well that when you wandered through Pelagiad you felt it a place of familiarity among an entirely foreign culture, for instance.*

I loved exploring in Morrowind. Exploring the outdoors, exploring dungeons, exploring settlements, exploring the history and story - it was fantastic. I've not cared at all to explore in Oblivion. At best, I wind up with a nice new item. I don't end up with any personal experiences, for the most part. I remember when I was new to Morrowind, I made an Argonian who wanted to join the Legion. But he didn't just get the Silt Strider up there, oh no - he walked the entire length of the coast from Seyda Neen to Gnisis to prove that he was ready for it. That's the kind of experience that made the game so great to me, and Oblivion just doesn't feel like it provides that oppurtunity. (Although things like MMM and OOO do improve the situation slightly by at least adding an element of danger. And to be fair, I did always play Morrowind with things like GIANTS once I had it on the PC.)

* And the remoteness of places like Tel Fyr or the entire Sheogorad region just absolutely outclasses Oblivion, even if you mod the fast travel out of the latter.

Even though I couldn't really decide, I completely agree with your points here. Those are definitely HUGE points of strength that Morrowind has over Oblivion, no doubt about it.

The freshness of exploring in particular also kept me interested in Morrowind longer than Oblivion. Oblivion's repetitiveness has caused me to become bored of it now at about 80-90 hours whereas in Morrowind, up until I stopped playing, I wasn't bored of it (don't know how long I'd played, but I'm sure it was longer than Oblivion). I'd just stopped because at the time, I thought Oblivion was better - but I'm really starting to question that.

Besides, I got the PC version of Morrowind instead of my Xbox version, and I'm astonished at how much better the graphics are on the PC. I don't know if you've tried the Xbox version, but let's just say the difference between them is staggering. So I'm going to play it again, and maybe after that I can say which is really better.

I can't choose between the two.

While Oblivion is more fun to play and graphically superior, Morrowind was far more atmospheric and had a better storyline.

There was something about Morrowind that grabbed my attention and even now, years after its release, I can pick it up and get lost in the game.
With Oblivion however, I got bored of it after a month and only now, over a year since I completed it, am I getting back into it again.

Morrowind had a sense of realism about it that is greater than that of Oblivions. Climbing the Red Mountain, or exploring a dungeon always made my heart pound. I really didn't have that feeling with Oblivion. But where I found tense atmosphere in Morrowind, I felt epicness wth Oblivion. Fighting in the planes of Oblivion was incredible, nowhere near as tense as Morrowind, but far more exciting!

Oblivion had a better inventory system then Morrowind, and the magic system was incredibly superior to Morrowinds. Also the quests were far easier to managed and better organised. In Morrowind, the quest journal was an absolute mess.

About free-roaming, I'd love to just wonder around in Morrowind o explore, but I would get bored doing it in Oblivion. I suppose it's because the whole area has the same sort of layout (other han the snow to the north, which in my opinion is the best part of the world.)
Morrowind offered variety in the landscape and it was fun to explore.

About the fighting systems...lets just say that Morrowinds was laughable. Oblivion's was diverse, fun to use and it would take a long time for it to become repetitive.

So overall...I really can't choose between the two.

I agree with those points as well. Morrowind's journal system in particular irked me. I had to keep notes as to what I'd completed and what I hadn't, which got really annoying. I wonder if there's a mod somewhere that improves the journal system - if so I'm downloading it pronto.

[Ryth]

I personally feel Morrowind is better. Whilst Oblivion makes some great strides in some ways (Graphics and physics being the most obvious ones), Morrowind was far more immersive and more importantly, far more interesting. Oblivion is pretty standard fantasy schtick. Nothing dire but nothing new. Morrowind was set in a genuinely original, interesting location which it felt alien to be within. There was still regular fantasy stuff there, but it was used so well that when you wandered through Pelagiad you felt it a place of familiarity among an entirely foreign culture, for instance.*

I loved exploring in Morrowind. Exploring the outdoors, exploring dungeons, exploring settlements, exploring the history and story - it was fantastic. I've not cared at all to explore in Oblivion. At best, I wind up with a nice new item. I don't end up with any personal experiences, for the most part. I remember when I was new to Morrowind, I made an Argonian who wanted to join the Legion. But he didn't just get the Silt Strider up there, oh no - he walked the entire length of the coast from Seyda Neen to Gnisis to prove that he was ready for it. That's the kind of experience that made the game so great to me, and Oblivion just doesn't feel like it provides that oppurtunity. (Although things like MMM and OOO do improve the situation slightly by at least adding an element of danger. And to be fair, I did always play Morrowind with things like GIANTS once I had it on the PC.)

* And the remoteness of places like Tel Fyr or the entire Sheogorad region just absolutely outclasses Oblivion, even if you mod the fast travel out of the latter.

Nothing needs to be added here.

[Nominus Experse]

I forgot to eat, see my girlfriend, and bathe whilst playing Morrowind.

I cannot say the same about Oblivion.

[Ryth]

Nothing needs to be added here.

I forgot to eat, see my girlfriend, and bathe whilst playing Morrowind.

I cannot say the same about Oblivion.

Except this.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

Yes, I think Oblivion just isn't quite as immersive as Morrowind is, agreed.

[Genome]

I honestly haven't played Oblivion yet, but I have the feeling that I'd like Morrowind more. Even by looking at screenshots, I feel that Morrowind has a far larger value of atmosphere and feeling to it. Like the guy a few posts above me stated, exploring the world of Morrowind was thrilling and exciting. I remember my friend got the game, and I said "Oh sweet" and he copied it for me, I popped it in my computer, and I was hooked there all night. I felt as if the candle-light like lighting on the game was taking place in the room I was in. And the light violin music was very atmospheric. I remember exploring around at night, finding a small tribe of outlaws, and beating the pulp out of every single one of them, and then taking all their stuff. And then there was the noobish times, where I saw a guard in that Bonemold armour (I can't remember what exactly it was called), and I attacked one because I wanted his armour, and got the crap beaten out of me.

There's a lot to say about Morrowind. I'll always remember that game, though.

[Araciel]

I like them both equally for totally different reasons. As milf first said, morrowind is so cool to play in, but oblivion is so much more polished and pretty.

they're both 10/10 to me.

[Fatal Impurity]

I find Oblivion much better than Morrowind for a multitude of reasons...unfortunately my PC is being evil so I dont have time to share the reasons why...

[Nominus Experse]

You can make Morrowind almost as graphically beautiful as Oblivion through the use of mods anyway.

[Vincent, Thunder God]

You can make Morrowind almost as graphically beautiful as Oblivion through the use of mods anyway.

Agreed. Better Bodies, Better Clothes and Better Bodies are all musts for the Morrowind fan.

[Discord]

Oblivion, simply because of the better casting system, better trading system, a way better melee system, sneaking is actually fun and the recorded dialogues. I didn't like the fact that you could auto-travel though. The 2nd Morrowind expansion was great though.

EDIT:

You can make Morrowind almost as graphically beautiful as Oblivion through the use of mods anyway.

Can you get HDR lightning? If yes, I'm reinstalling the game.