IT WORTH TO TRY.
Running at a native resolution of 640x480 the Xbox Morrowind is low-res compared to what the PC version can push, but on a NTSC television you will not notice the drop in resolution. In fact, when compared side by side with a computer monitor, the Xbox version of Morrowind compares quite favorably.
About the only visual problems with Morrowind are the text display and the lack of sync between the character voices and the faces. At times the game text can be difficult to read. This is no doubt caused by the fact that the game was designed for a higher resolution monitor display.
Advertisement Occasionally Morrowind will suffer from a bit of framerate stuttering when moving from one area to another. While an annoying occurrence, it never had a detrimental effect on gameplay, which makes it easy to overlook.
Loading screens tend to happen fairly often during the game. Thankfully the individual loads are kept short and the Xbox hard-drive is put to good use caching recent areas. This is seen when moving from a town area into a building. Before entering the building you will experience a slight loading pause, but when leaving to go back outside there is no loading delay. This Isn't Your Typical CRPG
This guy needs to eat his Wheaties. The game itself is identical to the PC version, right down to the individual quests. You start the game off as a released prisoner with no money and no direction. After being delivered to Morrowind you introduce yourself (i.e. pick your race and class) to the census taker, are given your first task and then released into the world. Unlike other console role-playing games Morrowind does not force you down any given path. You are free to explore the world at large however you see fit. There is a main quest to pursue, but there are also a good deal of side quests for you to pick and choose at your leisure. These quests can net you anything from some spare gold to a really awesome item. Sometimes the reward is not worth the effort, but that is just part of the gamble.
Adding to the level of freedom in Morrowind is the ability to barter with merchants. If you feel the cost for an item is too much, talk them down. You also have the freedom to attack anyone you choose. Is a merchant charging too much? Kill them and take their stuff. Of course there can be penalties for this (don't get caught), but the simple ability to do as you choose is a freedom that console role-players have never experienced. Depending on how crazy you get -- players who decide to become vampires have a tendency to kill lots of people -- it is possible to kill someone who is important to the completion of Morrowind's main quest. If this happens you will not be able to complete the game in the "normal" manner. It is still possible to win, the road is just that much more complicated. Moral of the story -- don't kill unless you have a good reason to do so. No Expansion Options
Insects used as living ships? Did I wander into an episode of Lexx? The PC version of Morrowind shipped with a construction set that allowed players to create their own scenarios and then trade them with each other over the Internet. Sadly nothing of the sort is available for the Xbox version of the game, not even a stripped down version. Given the Xbox's hard-drive, a construction set would have been a nice bonus. That said, the lack of a construction set is not a reason to overlook the game. As it is, there are dozens of hours of gameplay here. You will not be beating this in a weekend. Despite a few minor issues, Morrowind manages to shine on the Xbox. It is the first game to truly bring a wide-open role-playing experience to the console. Gamers who have grown up on the Final Fantasy and Dragon Warrior games will be amazed at the sheer level of freedom and the size of the living world available for exploration in Morrowind.
The Xbox version looks just as good as the PC. If you are lucky enough to have a tricked out gaming computer that can handle the PC version, then by all means go out and get that version of the game. On the other hand, if you live on a budget and aren't the sort to pick up a GeForce 4 Ti 4600 and an Athlon XP just to play a single game, then the Xbox version of Morrowind is the one to get. It has nearly everything that can be found in the PC version with none of the hassles. •