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The Elder Scrolls: Arena

in library

3.9/5

( 92 Reviews )

3.9

92 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...
Genre:
Role-playing - Action - Open World
Tags:
Action, Role-playing, Classic, Open World, Free Game
User reviews

3.9/5

( 92 Reviews )

3.9

92 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: February 28, 2025

CandyShmandy

Verified owner

Games: 4 Reviews: 2

Much better than it's given credit for

Definitely worth playing because of excellent music, overpowered magic and creepy dungeons

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Posted on: March 5, 2025

Exiedion

Verified owner

Games: 112 Reviews: 1

Great Game

Very fun if you're not a souless 21st century graphics snob

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Posted on: March 7, 2025

cazicss

Verified owner

Games: 1 Reviews: 1

Fun old RPG

Game is fun and simple but i strongly recommend using the unofficial elder scrolls arena web pages on class, weapons, spells, diseases, etc etc to better understand and avoid confusing pitfalls that can lead to death or stagnation.

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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: March 18, 2025

rexCaesar

Verified owner

Games: 102 Reviews: 5

Interesting Old Game

I've played this game on and off GOG, a very interesting game for the time it came out. Giving a rating to this game is akward because most gamers would have no interest in this title. I plan on finishing this game and then playing its sequel to completion.

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