[quote=@Hank]
[i]The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind[/i] and its expansions are underrated. Now you might say, "The fuck are you talking about, Hank? Morrowind is highly regarded, received massive critical acclaim upon release and is constantly brought up as people's favorite game!" Yeah, I know all that -- [b]but it's not enough.[/b]

Seriously, Morrowind was groundbreaking on [i]so[/i] many levels and most of those are acknowledged, but it doesn't receive nearly enough attention for the esoteric mysticism, mythology, Dunmeri culture, deliberately self-contradicting narrative and sheer originality and creativity that it contains. Vvardenfell is the most engrossing and interesting fantasy world ever put to screen in any medium in the history of mankind and the conflict between the Sharmat, the Tribunal, and the Hortator (past and present) is unparalleled in RPG storytelling to this day. Even Bethesda themselves never lived up to this masterpiece of writing and gravitas.

Credit for most of that goes to Michael Kirkbridge, by the way, a completely insane but utterly riveting and brilliant writer who contributed heavily to the Morrowind project but left Bethesda after that. 
[/quote]

I absolutely agree. To me Morrowind really capture an "Alien" concept, without being so alien, it alienated its audience. [i swear I didn't do that on purpose] I liked Morrowind because at the time it was unique from all the other fantasy worlds out there. 

I am also going to add and say I find Oblivion a little underrated as well. Now I know what some people are going to say. But I think Oblivion had some kind of finer balance of even making a generic fantasy setting feel unique and special and in its own universe that it felt different enough. The concepts were strange and I still regard Shivering Isles to be one of their best expansions besides the Morrowind ones. Shivering Isles to this day has a special place in my memory. I also found Oblivion had the perfect system to balance hard core players and the mainstream players.

But back to Morrowind. Morrowind is this wonderful magical place. That I crave. I wish more fantasy worlds would just me into an alien world and let me become immersed into its world. Without having to hand hold me into exposition. I want more fantasy that feels unique and individual. Like Morrowind did.

Like sure Shadows of Modor is an awesome bloody game, but its the same fantasy fair because Tolkein literally created the mainstream fantasy popularized today alongside DnD. And I like Dragon Age Inquisition, a lot. 

But to me Fantasy always embodied, Fantasy. A world created by imagination that is near limitless and is only limited by what you imagining it to be.

Morrowind was that unique special gem. That I wish more fantasy games would strive to live up to.