Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

An open-ended story on an impossibly grand scale, Morrowind has constantly impressed PC gamers since its release in May 2002.

It was only a matter of time until the game made it across to Microsoft's PC-in-a-box console.

The exact same game as the PC version, albeit with the solidity we can expect from a console, Morrowind delivers the third chapter in the on-going Elder Scrolls series, which last brought us Daggerfall, back in 1996.

Initially viewing from a first-person perspective, but with an option to switch to third-person, the player begins the story in the cargo hold of a slave ship, having been kidnapped.

With nothing but basic clothing, the player is then dropped off in the sleepy port of Seyda Neen, on the island of Vvardenfell and ordered to deliver a package to an imperial officer in a city called Balmora, several days' walk away.

The introductory sequence sees the player go through the process of character creation.

Various people along the way require the player to select a name, race, sex, birth-sign and skills configuration.

Characters can be designed either by answering a series of ten questions, choosing one of 21 pre-defined classes or completely creating their own from scratch.

From here the saga begins with the player left free to explore the sights of Vvardenfell, meet the inhabitants and carry out various quests and objectives.

This is made easier by the option of joining factions, which gains the player friends and opens up more doors.

The player is thus able to follow the main storyline, or set off to explore the huge province of Morrowind and its vast cities, remote villages and interactive characters.

The game features extremely detailed visuals complete with rich textures, high polygon counts, real-time shadows and skeletal-based animation systems.

Complemented by a complete functioning weather system, the vast landscapes create a truly immersive environment.

Be prepared to spend a great deal of time within it.