I’ve always thought that Morrowind seems like an amazing game… but I’ve never truly played it. I’ve tried to get into the setting, themes, and gameplay, but it could never hook me. Am I too impatient? Does the game give the player too much freedom and not enough direction? It must be a “me” problem. The game is critically acclaimed but I can’t seem to enjoy it: more importantly, I want to enjoy it but haven’t been able to. If I had tried to play it when I was much younger, I’m sure it would’ve completely blown my mind.
What if I was stuck in a cabin in the woods for some number of months with only myself, nature, and an air-gapped computer with Morrowind installed (the essentials, right?). Would I finally be able to enjoy it? More so, could I completely immerse myself into the fantasy universe because, compared to the woods, it was an exciting adventure? Or would I still, in this environment that has so little going on and moves so slowly, find the game uninteresting and boring?
Perhaps this is a dopamine problem. I just finished reading Dopamine Nation so this concept is fresh in my mind. Are old, slow-burn games hard for me to get into because they aren’t as pretty / gripping / flashy as today’s games (looking at you, Pokemon TCG Pocket)? Could I enjoy this game at an isolated cabin because it would effectively be a forced dopamine reset? When living in the woods, Thoreau was able to find beauty in even the smallest of things.
I don’t know what the answer is, but I might have to start looking for a cabin.