Arena Overall Rating: 10/20
![Picture](/uploads/4/9/3/6/49361479/5072208.png?534)
Arena is the first installment in the popular The Elder Scrolls series created by Bethesda. Released in 1994, this role playing game (RPG) set up the framework for the immersive world that The Elder Scrolls is famous for. With diverse races, each hailing from their own province, and a multitude of classes, Arena was a revelation. Though the game failed to create any significant ripples when it was first released, it grew into the franchise we know and love.
Visual Design Rating: 1/5
The game designers had a thing for orange text. This wasn’t usually a problem – besides being a questionable theme choice – because most of the time the text was offered up on a text box with a darker background. However, it sometimes became hard to discern when the text appeared alone on the screen because at times it blended into lighter colored backgrounds.
The text was also delivered in bulk. Players were expected to read paragraphs of information concerning the storyline, controls, and character creation before being allowed to attempt anything. The sheer amount of information delivered made retaining the instructions difficult. For the storyline, the presentation was understandable – stories require a large amounts of detail and any attempt at concision can prove damaging to the story’s richness. However, when one must wade through line after line of instructions (which build on each other, I might add) and then execute the commands in order from memory, confusion and frustration ensue. Be that as it may, the saving grace of the instructional design was that the instructions popped up every time you crossed a certain threshold. So if you forgot A draws your weapon, good luck trying to take out those rabid rats in the Imperial Dungeons and finding the Shift Gate.
Visual Design Rating: 1/5
The game designers had a thing for orange text. This wasn’t usually a problem – besides being a questionable theme choice – because most of the time the text was offered up on a text box with a darker background. However, it sometimes became hard to discern when the text appeared alone on the screen because at times it blended into lighter colored backgrounds.
The text was also delivered in bulk. Players were expected to read paragraphs of information concerning the storyline, controls, and character creation before being allowed to attempt anything. The sheer amount of information delivered made retaining the instructions difficult. For the storyline, the presentation was understandable – stories require a large amounts of detail and any attempt at concision can prove damaging to the story’s richness. However, when one must wade through line after line of instructions (which build on each other, I might add) and then execute the commands in order from memory, confusion and frustration ensue. Be that as it may, the saving grace of the instructional design was that the instructions popped up every time you crossed a certain threshold. So if you forgot A draws your weapon, good luck trying to take out those rabid rats in the Imperial Dungeons and finding the Shift Gate.
![Picture](/uploads/4/9/3/6/49361479/5104006.png?540)
Instructional Clarity Rating: 2/5
The delivery definitely detracted from the clarity of the instructions. Having to remember the order of instructions is a hard task when all the instructions are thrown at you at once. The instructions themselves were kind of ambiguous. How to save is not addressed in the beginning (there is no auto-save feature) and, after dumping the instructions on you, you are thrown into a dungeon where you must battle a variety of monsters. And if you haven’t saved, dying means going back to the beginning.
ALL the way back.
You will be forced to recreate your character, pick your class, redistribute your skill points, etc. And these dungeon monsters spawn at random, so you never know what you’re going to get or how strong they will be. Without a proper understanding of the controls, getting out of the first dungeon is nearly impossible. Even with the controls mastered, the dungeon is challenging. The monster’s varying strengths can spell doom for even a veteran Arena player since the character is fresh off the creation table. This aspect of the game is very poorly set up and is very aggravating for new and returning players alike.
The delivery definitely detracted from the clarity of the instructions. Having to remember the order of instructions is a hard task when all the instructions are thrown at you at once. The instructions themselves were kind of ambiguous. How to save is not addressed in the beginning (there is no auto-save feature) and, after dumping the instructions on you, you are thrown into a dungeon where you must battle a variety of monsters. And if you haven’t saved, dying means going back to the beginning.
ALL the way back.
You will be forced to recreate your character, pick your class, redistribute your skill points, etc. And these dungeon monsters spawn at random, so you never know what you’re going to get or how strong they will be. Without a proper understanding of the controls, getting out of the first dungeon is nearly impossible. Even with the controls mastered, the dungeon is challenging. The monster’s varying strengths can spell doom for even a veteran Arena player since the character is fresh off the creation table. This aspect of the game is very poorly set up and is very aggravating for new and returning players alike.
![Picture](/uploads/4/9/3/6/49361479/3167714.png?602)
Appeal Rating: 3/5
The appeal of the introduction storyline should not be discounted, however. Though the frustration may prove too much once you are in-game, the storyline is pretty compelling. You are the emperor’s last hope and the only one left to upset the plans of the nefarious battlemage who has taken over the kingdom. Nothing like a bit of good, old-fashioned “only hope” mentality to get that gamer blood stirring.
Length Rating: 4/5
The length suited the purpose. It took you through the dungeon and attempted to teach you what you needed to know along the way. The problem was in the directions and their layout. Everything else was overshadowed.
Conclusion
So Arena gets points for being the first of the hit gaming series, not to mention having an intriguing storyline. However, faults can be found in the execution of the game, ranging from hazy directions to unbeatable monsters to the elusive save feature. The series goes on to slowly weed out these troublesome quirks, but they do present a problem for anyone who wants to play Arena without the instruction manual attached to his or her hip.
The appeal of the introduction storyline should not be discounted, however. Though the frustration may prove too much once you are in-game, the storyline is pretty compelling. You are the emperor’s last hope and the only one left to upset the plans of the nefarious battlemage who has taken over the kingdom. Nothing like a bit of good, old-fashioned “only hope” mentality to get that gamer blood stirring.
Length Rating: 4/5
The length suited the purpose. It took you through the dungeon and attempted to teach you what you needed to know along the way. The problem was in the directions and their layout. Everything else was overshadowed.
Conclusion
So Arena gets points for being the first of the hit gaming series, not to mention having an intriguing storyline. However, faults can be found in the execution of the game, ranging from hazy directions to unbeatable monsters to the elusive save feature. The series goes on to slowly weed out these troublesome quirks, but they do present a problem for anyone who wants to play Arena without the instruction manual attached to his or her hip.
Note: Due to the formatting of the game, the pictures were unable to be enlarged in the slideshow without altering the quality noticeably.
Images belong to Bethesda Softworks, LLC