Poll: Your favorite Bethesda Fallout/Elder Scroll

Tick all the games you like

  • Arena

    Votes: 1 2.2%
  • Daggerfall

    Votes: 4 8.7%
  • Morrowind

    Votes: 15 32.6%
  • Oblivion

    Votes: 15 32.6%
  • Skyrim

    Votes: 22 47.8%
  • Fallout 3

    Votes: 12 26.1%
  • Fallout New Vegas

    Votes: 21 45.7%
  • Fallout 4

    Votes: 10 21.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 1 2.2%

  • Total voters
    46

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
22,672
2,817
126
With the impending arrival of Skyrim Anniversary and the fact that I've been playing Morrowind and Skyrim (and making myself a Morrowind mod), I thought it'd be nice to have a new poll.

Should be interesting to see which game(s) win.
 

TheELF

Diamond Member
Dec 22, 2012
3,967
720
126
Fallout 4 was the best for me and I did play all of them from 1 over tactics to everything, that released on PC I did not play any console fallouts or 76.
Skyrim is also great.
I can't understand why people have such a hard on for new vegas, I have 160 hours on it on steam and have played it back in the days for many hours as well, it's very good game but that's it.
 

Justinus

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2005
3,166
1,508
136
I thought Skyrim was fun but I liked Oblivion better. Couldn't get into any of the fallout games I tried and I learned about all of them too late to play the older ones.
 

DeathReborn

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 2005
2,743
734
136
Morrowind came out when I just happened to have countless hours to throw at it so that is my favourite Elder Scrolls, New Vegas get it by a nose for me, the story is just better than 4 even though 4 plays better.
 

Zenoth

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2005
5,189
184
106
Going purely with gameplay-related elements (at least, in an 'overall' view of things) I have to go with:

Skyrim
Fallout 4

I do mean gameplay here. Not story (or the story's quality). The first time I played Morrowind (my first Elder Scrolls game) was back on my original XBOX, I really liked it, but never finished that version (I later finished it on the PC version with the Tribunal expansion I believe). I enjoyed Morrowind, I liked the game's atmosphere and setting, but I never really liked the gameplay; it was very 'clunky' even at the time.

I did buy the PC version of Oblivion (the same week it was released) and I was very impressed by it at first; it was a honeymoon "OMG this is the best open world video game I've ever played" period. It lasted maybe 2 or 3 weeks, then crashing issues started like mad, forcing me to reinstall multiple times, or in some specific cases lost my saved files (corruption after many saves over just a week). I eventually had to put it on the sidelines and actually "forgot" about it for months, then it went into a year or more. Eventually, the modding scene for the game grew bigger and better, with the Unofficial Patch and such, so I delved into that for the first time (overall Bethesda games modding in general) and got to play a much more stable game; but it was still quite buggy and messy. I never actually finished Oblivion per se; even though I did play a lot overall and completed many quests (probably something like 500+ hours total, maybe more), along with just lots of exploration and modding (modding alone was probably half the total time I ever put into the game). Trying to make the story short here but basically at some point I just lost interest entirely, years passed, and one day I went on YouTube and just watched a pretty straightforward playthrough of the main quests until the end to see it at least one time in my life, and that was it. I never re-played the game ever since. But I DID enjoy my time with it, overall (it was my starting point into Bethesda games modding so there's that).

Fallout 3 I really liked too, similar to Morrowind; I enjoyed the atmosphere and setting more than the gameplay. And just like with Oblivion, Fallout 3 was practically unplayable after a week, multiple crashing issues prevented me from simply playing for more than 15 mins at a time during the first few months after the game came out; until the modding community 'fixed' most of it with the Unofficial Patch (but it still took a long time to get there). I did actually finish Fallout 3, however; but I did also skip a number of side quests here and there. I just wanted to power through the game and see it done to move on to other things. I also modded the game a little bit, but not as much as I did in Oblivion.

Then Skyrim, short story... lots of bugs, couldn't play for months. Then took a long break, came back to the game maybe 2 years after release with mods, became more stable and playable and started to enjoy it a lot. It ended up being my favorite Bethesda game overall. Although, when it comes to 'responsiveness' and overall gameplay I still prefer Fallout 4, simply because long-range attacks of any types in Fallout 4 are much better than anything you try to do from a distance in Skyrim (long range Mage powers or Archery / projectile physics / hitbox sizes and hit detection in Skyrim was atrocious; not to mention the terrible A.I. when using Archery and "stealth" made sneak attacks and overall long-range based characters and build almost impossible for me to ever enjoy). I just want to touch upon one thing I did prefer in Oblivion though (not related to gameplay anyway), and it was - quite ironically - the voice acting (and the few voices associated to some specific NPCs, making them memorable over the years for me). I say ironically because obviously we all know how 'cringe' it was in Oblivion, but it was on a "it's sort of so bad it's good" level (or rather, so bad it's actually genuinely funny and memorable). Those voices and some of the NPC faces are carved into my brain forever. And despite how I prefer Skyrim's gameplay over Oblivion's, Skyrim never truly had much in the form of memorable NPCs or voices save for maybe just a very few select (one of which is probably the Bard in most Inns chanting Ragnar the Red, which I cannot go without in the game if I enter an Inn, it has to happen, he must be heard).

And Fallout 4, specifically, despite what some have said about it in general, was my favorite of their 3D Fallouts. I played Fallout 2 a few years prior to playing Fallout 3 though, and it's still possibly my favorite overall Fallout game in the franchise. But when it comes to 3D Fallouts I'd have to go with Fallout 4 mostly due to the overall gameplay, better projectile physics, making the action parts of the game more enjoyable. However, I think I enjoyed Fallout 3's story and overall atmosphere better than 4. But in the end it was about the gameplay for me. Because really if I want a "good Fallout story" I'll stick with Fallout 2. Now when it comes to Fallout New Vegas I never played it, but I did watch parts of some playthroughs from various YouTubers over the years and it's fine, but nothing as mind blowing as many have made it sound like. The writing was good, but that's probably the only aspect of New Vegas that stood out to me in those videos. Then again, I never watched a full playthrough from start to end. But I don't feel like I'm missing much really.

So yeah, for me, Skyrim for the Elder Scrolls, and Fallout 4.
 

GodisanAtheist

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2006
6,716
7,006
136
Fallout 1/2/NV are basically the NCR trilogy: a story about how a post apocalyptic world is eventually recivilized by something rising out of the dead old world's ashes, and how it is something weird and different.

While the subplots and PCs are different in each one, the basic overarching theme is is a small community fighting off raiders, then growing into a regional power and beyond. As the NCR grows larger, so do the threats facing it.

The NCR Trilogy feels like a coherent growing, progressing, internally consistent universe with the lore being thought out and logical.

Fallout 3 was a lot of fun but felt more like a reboot of the series than a true sequel. All the players were the same, but they were in a different place doing different things for different reasons. Megaton was the Shady Sands of the new Fallout Universe.

I haven't played Fallout 4, although I own it, but the more I hear about the game the more it sounds like the Fallout 3 I was afraid Bethesda was going to make.

Fallout 2 was my favorite for Nostalgia. NV for properly wrapping up threads left after 2. And 1 of course for being the progenitor of the series.
 

CP5670

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2004
5,508
586
126
Fallout New Vegas for me. I liked 3 and 4 a lot too, but NV had the best sense of a living world with player choices impacting the world. It also had the best DLCs in the series, all of them are excellent and quite different from each other. 3 did have a more interesting map to explore, and 4 had the most open ended freedom like a sandbox game.

I never played 1 or 2 and started with 3. For me it was an immersive sim and a more sophisticated version of Deus Ex (gameplay wise, maybe not story wise), not really a sequel to the old games. I went through it again last year and some DLCs I missed the first time.
 
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Stg-Flame

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2007
3,494
470
126
I still only have about 20 hours in Skyrim and that was when it first launched and haven't touched it since. I think that will be the next game to tackle on my backlog, but I honestly can't understand why it became such a fan favorite. Sure it was available on every console but many aspects were dumbed down from previous TES games. Maybe it was the accessibility or maybe it was just the right place and right time. I want to get into it like I did with Morrowind and Oblivion (thousands of hours in both of those games), but every time I played it I felt like I was forcing myself to play it.

So for me, That list is going to be Morrowind, Oblivion (heavily modded), New Vegas (not a Bethesda game), and Fallout 4 (slightly modded).
 

GodisanAtheist

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2006
6,716
7,006
136
I still only have about 20 hours in Skyrim and that was when it first launched and haven't touched it since. I think that will be the next game to tackle on my backlog, but I honestly can't understand why it became such a fan favorite. Sure it was available on every console but many aspects were dumbed down from previous TES games. Maybe it was the accessibility or maybe it was just the right place and right time. I want to get into it like I did with Morrowind and Oblivion (thousands of hours in both of those games), but every time I played it I felt like I was forcing myself to play it.

So for me, That list is going to be Morrowind, Oblivion (heavily modded), New Vegas (not a Bethesda game), and Fallout 4 (slightly modded).

- You hit the nail on the head. It might be dumbed down compared to older crpgs and even other Elder Scrolls games, but if you approach it in another direction its a really smarted up assassin's creed or other open world franchise. It also has a very accessible and very generic European aesthetic, so its not going to drive away audiences that might normally be turned off by weird eastern or standard high fantasy looks.
 

Rhezuss

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2006
4,120
34
91
Skyrim all the way! I tried to get into Fallout 4 but I just can't. I don't know why, I always get bored after around 10 hours in.

The game looks good and all, but the settlement building (even though it's optional) just turn me off.
 

Starbuck1975

Lifer
Jan 6, 2005
14,698
1,909
126
Fallout New Vegas is the best of the Bethesda Fallout games.

I liked the more fantastical design of Morrowind, but hated having to walk everywhere. Spent most of the game fighting those flying mosquito things.

Hated the main campaign of Oblivion but loved the vampire side quest. Became a vampire and decided to play the rest of the game as a vampire, completely abandoned the main quest.
 

Rhezuss

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2006
4,120
34
91
Skyrim AE just dropped. Everyone on SE gets an engine patch to 1.6.

Bought the AE upgrade last friday and started a new game. The PS5 patch is really nice, game runs smooth and graphics appear a bit more sharp. Love it so far, same old game but cleaner!

Only thing though, looks like I lost all my trophies cause PS4 trophies don't carry over to PS5...which is weird.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,443
2,084
126
i liked Enderal best which is a skyrim TCM.
Oblivion was the one i prefer of the official games, FNV was okaish, the rest were disappointing.

.. i mean ... Oblivion has problems too, but it looks gorgeous. And you can make your own spells, come on.
 

Stg-Flame

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2007
3,494
470
126
New Vegas is not a Bethesda game.
Considering it's one of the better Fallout games out there, I think it's fine to include it here. Similar to how Borderlands TPS wasn't made by Gearbox, but it needs to be in every 'Favorite Gearbox/Borderlands Game' list just so we know where the bottom of the barrel is located.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,443
2,084
126
tbh i no longer think of Skyrim as dumbed-down, but holy bejeezus, it is SO. UNBALANCED. And, you dont need to do anything, no need for exploits, just level your enchanting, alchemy and smithing. None of that "take off & wear again +Restoration gear", just work within the limits of the game and you quickly become unstoppable.
Not a lot of excitement when your only consideration is having to pick back up your 800+ damage arrows from the corpses.
 
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shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
tbh i no longer think of Skyrim as dumbed-down, but holy bejeezus, it is SO. UNBALANCED. And, you dont need to do anything, no need for exploits, just level your enchanting, alchemy and smithing. None of that "take off & wear again +Restoration gear", just work within the limits of the game and you quickly become unstoppable.
Not a lot of excitement when your only consideration is having to pick back up your 800+ damage arrows from the corpses.

Morrowind is still the best overall game.

We need them to remake or remaster or reboot or whatever, so people can enjoy it all over again.
 

Stg-Flame

Diamond Member
Mar 10, 2007
3,494
470
126
tbh i no longer think of Skyrim as dumbed-down, but holy bejeezus, it is SO. UNBALANCED. And, you dont need to do anything, no need for exploits, just level your enchanting, alchemy and smithing. None of that "take off & wear again +Restoration gear", just work within the limits of the game and you quickly become unstoppable.
Not a lot of excitement when your only consideration is having to pick back up your 800+ damage arrows from the corpses.
I mean, isn't this just TES games in general though? Even in vanilla Oblivion with the scaling enemies, it's not difficult to become a ridiculous powerhouse who can just walk around bitch-slapping Daedra into Oblivion (see what I did there?) without much issue. It's even more broken after you fix the level scaling nonsense, but it feels better after it's been fixed.

I do recall in the short time I played Skyrim that I just followed my old Oblivion rule of thumb for Alchemy and I was creating massively unbalanced potions near the start of the game. Not only was I able to create completely broken potions, but if you know how Bethesda's merchant system works, it's also incredibly easy to completely break the entire economy. I think my favorite exploit that was left in from Oblivion was to pickpocket all of the arrows out of an archer's pockets, then place whatever arrow you wanted and then go level your Sneak skill in a corner while the archer pumps the target full of high-end arrows that you can break away and collect for free.

We need them to remake or remaster or reboot or whatever, so people can enjoy it all over again.
I'm kinda on the fence about this one in that I love Morrowind, but I'm far too pessimistic to believe they would do it justice. I have a feeling that they would end up removing 90% of the lore and content in favor of "accessibility". Don't get me wrong, I'd absolutely love a remastered Morrowind, but only if it's done right and by right, I mean they leave everything alone, fix the issues that are still present, and just update the graphics.
 

DigDog

Lifer
Jun 3, 2011
13,443
2,084
126
well, i did do the arrow exploit, but just for a laugh, so yes it still works.
but on this run i did no exploits at all, it actually too quite a while to level the skills to 100, but once you do, there is a huge step up in power.

.. ive explained in detail previously why i didnt like any of these games, not sure i want to do it again.
oblivion is just .. nicer, than the other games.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,511
29,096
146
tbh i no longer think of Skyrim as dumbed-down, but holy bejeezus, it is SO. UNBALANCED. And, you dont need to do anything, no need for exploits, just level your enchanting, alchemy and smithing. None of that "take off & wear again +Restoration gear", just work within the limits of the game and you quickly become unstoppable.
Not a lot of excitement when your only consideration is having to pick back up your 800+ damage arrows from the corpses.

yeah, I don't think it's dumbed down...just "Streamlined." I look at is a lot of the tediousness of alchemy object collecting and steps (ditto crafting of whatever) as with Morrowind, was just removed. Skyrim is a bit more actiony and yes, less magic and more fighty, but that's what Skyrim is about. It makes sense.

I liked Morrowind but I just couldn't finish it. It was my first ES game and I just got bogged down with too much questing and not knowing where to go and trying to do everything and after 30 or so hours, anxiety got the better of me and I never played it again. Skyrim was the first one I really liked and still prefer, because I felt it pushed you more towards getting things done, and I just liked the world the most.

But yes--it is horribly unbalanced, for the reasons you stated. I do always find myself going the same route--sword/board-to-sneaky stabby...perhaps because I like that anyway, but also because it just makes sense in that world. All attempts to be completely different with a playthrough always see me ending up a stabby thief or getting the point where I can just shield bash dragons to death. ...shield bashing dragons by level 30 or so. That's broken.

New Vegas is easily my favorite of the modern Fallouts, even though it isn't Bethesda. also, I didn't finish that one, haha. I just felt it captured its world and the Fallout aesthetic better than the rest.
 

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
110,511
29,096
146
Morrowind is still the best overall game.

We need them to remake or remaster or reboot or whatever, so people can enjoy it all over again.

Is that Skywind project still a thing or what? :D

But you know, instead of spending all their time redoing Skyrim, Bethesda could have pumped out their own version of an updated Morrowind and been way better off for it. A lot of the Skyrim-only type players would love it.

It boggles my mind that they never did that. Just letting some fans do it.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
Is that Skywind project still a thing or what? :D

But you know, instead of spending all their time redoing Skyrim, Bethesda could have pumped out their own version of an updated Morrowind and been way better off for it. A lot of the Skyrim-only type players would love it.

It boggles my mind that they never did that. Just letting some fans do it.

Yeah its taking forever. They got like 2 people working on it part time. The other games had teams of a hundred.