The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind Game of the Year Edition

Walking across Vvardenfell sounds like a pretty good way to keep a workout moving, because Morrowind gives you a huge place to explore and usually lets you take your time. I wouldn’t start it while trying to run hard, though, because reading directions and keeping track of what you’re meant to do are part of the job.

Gameplay

The open ended structure is the reason I’d play this, and also why I wouldn’t expect it to keep my attention every minute. You can build the kind of character you want and wander off from the task you were given, which feels freeing when you’re in the mood to poke around and a little aimless when you’re not. It’s not going to hurry you along.

I think the directions and journal suit the game better than a constant stream of quest markers would, but they take attention. Someone tells you where to go, you try to remember the name of a place, and then you’re looking at the map and wondering if that hill is the one they meant. That can be a nice bit of exploring, or it can feel like trying to find a grocery store from a description your uncle gave you over the phone.

Combat is where I’d have the least patience at the start. Your skill and stamina matter, and attacks can miss even when it looks like you hit something, which is a pretty odd feeling if you’re expecting every swing to work like a modern action game. I think I’d give the game time to explain itself and build a character around the things I actually want to do, rather than trying to be good at everything immediately.

There’s a lot of reading and menu time, especially when you’re sorting out where a quest fits into your bigger plan, and that makes it harder to treat this as a simple run and play game. The original game plus the Tribunal and Bloodmoon expansions gives you even more to get into, which is exciting if you want a long role playing game and not especially helpful if you only have a short workout window. I’d play this when I had time to get settled.

Category Score: 2 out of 3

Treadmill and Bike Compatibility

The slow pace gives you room to move, but the keyboard and mouse controls are a real obstacle if your hands are busy holding a treadmill or bike controller. This PC release doesn’t have native controller support, so I wouldn’t count on picking up a gamepad and having everything work. You may be able to set up controller mapping separately, but I’d test it sitting down first, because fighting menus while walking is not the kind of extra challenge I need.

If you do get a workable control setup, I’d keep the workout easy and use the quieter travel and exploration stretches for steady movement. Conversations and inventory screens give you natural moments to slow down or stop, and the game is single player, so there’s no teammate waiting for you to make a decision before the next enemy arrives. That makes it less stressful than a fast action game, even if the reading still asks you to pay attention.

I’d avoid trying to sprint through unfamiliar areas or get into a fight while running hard, because looking around, choosing attacks and managing your character all take a bit of care. And when your attack misses, you may need to adjust what you’re doing instead of just mashing the button, which is a lot of tiny decisions for someone whose body is also moving up and down. I’d save the serious exploring for an easy pace.

On a bike, the controls may be easier to manage if you have a stable way to use them, but I’d still want the same slow pace and a control setup I trust. I don’t know that the game’s deliberate rhythm makes it effortless to play while exercising, but it does give you more chances to pause than a game that’s constantly throwing urgent action at you. That helps.

Category Score: 1 out of 3

Computer Requirements

The listed minimum requirements are very old, so this shouldn’t need a recent gaming computer to run. I’d check that the graphics hardware can handle Direct3D and that the game runs properly on your version of Windows, since the store lists operating systems from the Windows 98 and XP era.

Category Score: 3 out of 3

Conclusion and Score

Morrowind is a good choice for a patient player who wants to get lost in a big role playing game, but I wouldn’t buy it specifically for treadmill play unless I’d sorted out the controls first. With a comfortable setup and an easy workout, it could be a nice long wander. Without that setup, I’d play it sitting down.

Overall Score: 2 out of 3