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The Elder Scrolls: Arena

in library

3.9/5

( 93 Reviews )

3.9

93 Reviews

English
FREE
Why buy on GOG.COM?
DRM FREE. No activation or online connection required to play.
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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...
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
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:
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 details
Works on:
Windows (7, 8, 10, 11)
Release date:
{{'1994-03-01T00:00:00+02:00' | date: 'longDate' : ' +0200 ' }}
Size:
77 MB

Game features

Languages
English
audio
text
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User reviews

Posted on: December 7, 2024

fica018

Verified owner

Games: 61 Reviews: 2

A classic every TES lover should play

For its time, this was one of the most advanced games you could play. I remember watching my mom and dad play this and eventually I did too. Dungeons are creepy and dark, just how you'd imagine them! If you play this, keep in mind its age and you'll have a good time!


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Posted on: December 11, 2024

jverhagen

Verified owner

Games: 9 Reviews: 1

Arena

Best game ever when it was released .


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Edited on: October 5, 2025

Posted on: October 5, 2025

lingus_archivist

Verified owner

Games: 252 Reviews: 3

Controls, General info, Tips

Open arena.conf, set "cycles" to 50000 for decent gameplay responsiveness Melee combat: swing using a top-right through bottom-left motion for best damage Controls: Move with Arrow keys Strafe with Ctrl + Arrow key Jump with Shift+J (will not work if cursor is on HUD) Shift + C to re-cast spells before firing C - spell menu A - sheathe/unsheathe F4 - disable that annonying pixelation effect in menus P - pilfer/steal/sneak into building R - Rest U - enchanted item menu Gameplay: Enemy ai cannot strafe, players can. (enemy ai have a habit of attacking faster while the player stands still) Wiggle/strafe quickly during melee combat 3-4 feet to to the left/right. Save every 5-15 mins. Character creation: uesp.net/wiki/Arena:Classes #Class_Tables Tips: While in town/dungeon maps, scroll map by clicking on the compass (N/E/S/W) Click any area on the map (and hit enter once finished) to enter notes. useful for dungeon-crawling. Ask NPCs about rumors until they mention The Oghma Infinium. this artifact grants permanent stat increase. repeatable.


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Posted on: April 8, 2025

wendigolyn

Verified owner

Games: 34 Reviews: 1

True Horror

This game gave me an irrational fear of Minotaurs hunting me down, mooing in my ear as they hack away my limbs. 11/10 - It just works


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Posted on: September 23, 2022

LATESTACORONATA

Verified owner

Games: 743 Reviews: 232

(Raise Tharn's betrayal to the maximum)

Welp, boiz and girlz, it's the original! sooooo there isn't really a need to explain more than that. Sure, in contrast with Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim, this game is completely different in gameplay (and map size, albeit being way emptier than the newer ones) and, together with Daggerfall, signifies another era of videogaming: an era more open in choices of characters and paths, perfect for roleplaying but at the same time the game might result a little repetitive in some department. Anyway, the actual grade for many of you that should try out this old masterpiece could be 3 stars rather than 5 (it didn't age too well) but for the hardcore gamers, the one that truly appreciate freedom, it is STILL an easy 5. So, even if you like the new direction of the series, it is not bad to actually play that started it all. A game that still manages to give that sense of adventure and wonder, typical of all games of this astonishing saga.


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