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The Elder Scrolls: Arena

in library

3.9/5

( 93 Reviews )

3.9

93 Reviews

English
FREE
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The Elder Scrolls: Arena
Description
Turmoil has engulfed the land of Tamriel, for the emperor, Uriel Septim VII, has been banished into another dimension and usurped by his imperial battlemage, Jagar Tharn. Tharn has impersonated the emperor and killed all that stood in his way, except one. Waking up in the prison, you are informed of...
Genre:
Role-playing - Action - Open World
Tags:
Action, Role-playing, Classic, Open World, Free Game
User reviews

3.9/5

( 93 Reviews )

3.9

93 Reviews

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Product details
1994, Bethesda Softworks, ...
System requirements
Windows 7/8/10, 1.8 GHz Processor, 512MB RAM, 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7 (compatible...
Time to beat
26 hMain
45.5 h Main + Sides
62 h Completionist
35 h All Styles

Game length provided by HowLongToBeat

Description
Turmoil has engulfed the land of Tamriel, for the emperor, Uriel Septim VII, has been banished into another dimension and usurped by his imperial battlemage, Jagar Tharn. Tharn has impersonated the emperor and killed all that stood in his way, except one. Waking up in the prison, you are informed of these nefarious happenings by the spirit of Ria Silmane, Tharn’s murdered apprentice. With all other threats unaware or removed, you are the last hope for restoring Tamriel’s true emperor and are freed by Ria to begin your quest. With her assistance, you must collect the scattered pieces of the Staff of Chaos and use it to return Uriel Septim from his dimensional prison. Using your wits, might and magic, you must explore the vast world of Tamriel and recover these pieces while battling Tharn’s forces. Can you defeat this imposter and rescue Uriel Septim from his prison?

As the first in the Elder Scrolls’ series, Arena introduces players to the captivating world of Tamriel and its inhabitants. Told from a first-person perspective, this RPG gives players full customisation over race, class, stats and method of battle. With an expansive world, there are over 400 locations to explore with many treasures to be uncovered and quests to complete. Providing a deep-lore and immersive story, this classic was a strong first step for the series, as evidenced by its continued dominance in the RPG-genre. This is a must-play for any fans of the Elder Scrolls series and for any players looking for an authentic RPG adventure.
  • Explore the world of Tamriel, completing quests, fighting monsters and recovering the scattered pieces of the Staff of Chaos
  • Fully customise your character down to the finest details, including race, class and stats
  • Create your own spells and equip yourself with the finest armour you can loot
Goodies
manual playguide quick reference card Codex Scientia
System requirements
Minimum system requirements:
Recommended system requirements:
Recommended system requirements:
This game is powered by DOSBox.
Why buy on GOG.COM?
DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play.
Safety and satisfaction. Stellar support 24/7 and full refunds up to 30 days.
Time to beat
26 hMain
45.5 h Main + Sides
62 h Completionist
35 h All Styles

Game length provided by HowLongToBeat

Game details
Genre:
Role-playing - Action - Open World
Tags:
Action, Role-playing, Classic, Open World, Free Game
Works on:
Windows (7, 8, 10, 11)
Release date:
{{'1994-03-01T00:00:00+02:00' | date: 'longDate' : ' +0200 ' }}
Company:
Bethesda Softworks / Bethesda Softworks LLC
Size:
77 MB
Links:
Forum discussion
Game features
Cloud saves
Single-player
Languages
English
audio
text
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User reviews

Posted on: October 5, 2025

Moki00

Verified owner

Games: 53 Reviews: 4

Old - Classic

So this game is very old... expect difficult to use controls. Easy to die. I love watching the 58 minute version of a YTer playing it to the end.

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Posted on: October 10, 2025

jkanaan

Verified owner

Games: 247 Reviews: 12

Just not as good as Daggerfall.

Arena just lacks the quality that Daggerfall has. You will constantly run into oddities that are simply a result of Bethesda's lack of game development experience at this point in time. I won't say that there is no point in playing it for a little bit but, for most people, it's probably not going to be worth more than an hour or two.

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Posted on: October 16, 2025

BlackEchoX42

Verified owner

Games: 17 Reviews: 2

Good Game!

The game is old but entretaining, also have a couple of bugs ans crashes

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Posted on: November 25, 2025

thatjuantoo

Verified owner

Games: 183 Reviews: 1

Goblin Backshots/10

Woke up in the sewers, ran around & beat some goblins. They beat me in return. Find a niche to sleep in, got whacked by a goblin who snuck up behind me.

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Posted on: June 26, 2022

Amyrakunejo

Verified owner

Games: 185 Reviews: 4

A great, if slightly overambitious RPG

Yes, it is the only official TES game to include all of Tamriel in a single game pack, though not every part of each region is fully developed. It is exceptionally difficult and there's no indicators of what anything is, or how to go about v/x/z except vague dialogue here and there. About the only fully usable dialogue comes from the ill-fated sorcerel. It does well with what it does well and falters everywhere else, but hot damn, it's great for what it is. It is true that some character builds are going to suffer whilst others are more apt to thrive. If one wants to have a certain character build, their playstyle must adapt. There's no shifting that. The spell maker? It's broken if one can utilize it in such a way, yes. Overall, if one is wanting to have a true, classically brutal RPG experience, yes, this is exactly what one seeks. If one is wanting to get into TES, TES III Morrowind might be a better option.

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