The Elder Scrolls: Arena review

Our VerdictThe first fantasy RPG since Ultima Underworld 2 that’s really worth playing.

Our Verdict

The first fantasy RPG since Ultima Underworld 2 that’s really worth playing.

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Elder Scrolls, we’re publishing our original reviews of each main game in the series from our archives. This review first ran in PC Gamer UK issue 6, back in April 1994.

Reading the review now, it’s clear just how many of the core pillars of The Elder Scrolls series first appeared in Arena. That you can essentially ignore the main quest in favour of your own fun is still one of the primary joys of the series. Here it even elicits a word of caution for certain types of players—“because you’re given so much freedom, you may find it all a bit pointless,” Andy warns. “Arena is a game that lets you decide what to do—it never forces you down any path.”

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Jagar Tharn and his glowing red eyes.

Need to knowDeveloperBethesda SoftworksMinimum system25 Mhz, 386, VGA & 4Mb RAMRecommended486DX, 8Mb RAMSound supportAll major cardsRelease dateMarch 25, 1994Check Amazon

Need to know

DeveloperBethesda SoftworksMinimum system25 Mhz, 386, VGA & 4Mb RAMRecommended486DX, 8Mb RAMSound supportAll major cardsRelease dateMarch 25, 1994Check Amazon

DeveloperBethesda SoftworksMinimum system25 Mhz, 386, VGA & 4Mb RAMRecommended486DX, 8Mb RAMSound supportAll major cardsRelease dateMarch 25, 1994

Check Amazon

The game starts in traditional style, with a character generation section. There are 18 classes in all to select from, divided into thieves, warriors, mages and suchlike. In addition, there are eight races, each with their own particular strengths and weaknesses. Once you’ve created your characters, the game begins in the dungeons under the Imperial Palace, where you have been imprisoned after Tharn’s coup. With the help of the spirit of your dead teacher, Ria Silmane, you escape, and from here you’re pretty much on your own.

Arena is a first-person perspective game, along the lines of the Ultima Underworld series, and uses a similarly intuitive mouse-based interface. You gain experience from killing monsters, exploring and so on. Going up an experience level increases your characters' attributes, as well as hit points, various special abilities that depend on your class/rate and combat skills.

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Villagers, walking.

Our Elder Scroll reviewsThe Elder Scrolls: ArenaThe Elder Scrolls II: DaggerfallThe Elder Scrolls III: MorrowindThe Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Our Elder Scroll reviews

The Elder Scrolls: ArenaThe Elder Scrolls II: DaggerfallThe Elder Scrolls III: MorrowindThe Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The combat system, while simple to use, is better than most—and provides four different modes of attack

With such a list of top features, Arena is a fine game indeed, but it does have some down points. The graphics, while excellent in some parts, are not of the highest resolution. In addition, there are some weird oversights, especially the way the 3D engine seems to cut off the top of single-storey buildings (ie, they have no roof). Likewise, the sound is variable, with some excellent spot effects and atmospheric monster sounds, but some horrible ‘medieval’ music and repetitive effects that soon begin to grate.

(Image credit: Bethesda)

Arena’s map of Tamriel

The biggest problems, though, lie in the gameplay itself. First, probably due to the size of the gameworld, character interaction is minimal. Second, because the game is so open and because you’re given so much freedom, you may find it all a bit pointless. Similar in some ways to the Sim games from Maxis or David Braben’s Frontier, Arena is a game that lets you decide what to do—it never forces you down any path.

Finally, a word of warning. Although the minimum system claimed for Arena is a 386, it really isn’t worth playing unless you have a 486 or better – the graphics are just too slow to be playable on anything less. However, for all its faults this is still one of the best first-person perspective RPGs around. If Bethesda speed up the graphics and increase the character interaction, the next Elder Scrolls could be a classic.

The Elder Scrolls: Arena: Price Comparison

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The Verdict87Read our review policyThe Elder Scrolls: ArenaThe first fantasy RPG since Ultima Underworld 2 that’s really worth playing.

The Verdict

87Read our review policyThe Elder Scrolls: ArenaThe first fantasy RPG since Ultima Underworld 2 that’s really worth playing.

87Read our review policy

The Elder Scrolls: ArenaThe first fantasy RPG since Ultima Underworld 2 that’s really worth playing.

The Elder Scrolls: Arena

The first fantasy RPG since Ultima Underworld 2 that’s really worth playing.

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Our Verdict#

Our Verdict