The Ultimate Countdown: The Toughest Elder Scrolls Games, Ranked!

The history of the Elder Scrolls franchise is truly peculiar. Despite being active for three decades, there are surprisingly few games in the main franchise. However, one thing the franchise consistently offers is the potential for challenging adventures as players explore various parts of the vast continent of Tamriel.

From the forgotten early days of games like Arena and Daggerfall to the remarkable success of Morrowind, Oblivion, and the mega-hit Skyrim, the Elder Scrolls franchise has encountered a multitude of difficulties throughout its existence. Nevertheless, there are certain games within the franchise that have particularly raised the bar, serving as inspiration for numerous other games in the genre.

6 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Skyrim became a major success due to its high level of accessibility. While there are options to make the game more challenging, it is generally considered less difficult compared to other games in the Elder Scrolls series. The game starts off with a reasonable tutorial section that provides some difficulty, but there are numerous activities available in the early stages that allow players to level up before facing larger battles.

In the Skyrim community, players are known for frequently modifying the game to increase its difficulty in various ways. Bethesda also introduced new modes like Survival in later versions of the game, hoping to offer new ways to play. Despite its lack of difficulty, Skyrim continues to attract players who return to the game multiple times. However, there is a consensus that it is generally the easiest game in the series.

5 The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

One game that easily stands out is the infamous Oblivion. What made it so beloved and successful for the Elder Scrolls franchise was not just its combat, but its impressive world-building and storytelling. While Oblivion is generally considered more challenging than Skyrim, it is still regarded as easier compared to its predecessors.

Oblivion was able to maintain a consistent level of difficulty throughout the game, which greatly contributed to players' ongoing interest and excitement in their adventure. While many fans consider Oblivion to be an incredible and favored installment in the franchise, it didn't quite match the level of difficulty found in the earlier RPG-style entries.

4 An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire

In 1997, Battlespire was released as a less popular addition to the franchise following the success of Arena & Daggerfall. The game was set in a training facility for battle mages, which had just been destroyed by the army of Mehrunes Dagon. The player character, a mage preparing for their final tests, had to confront this Daedric force, who had arrived and massacred most of the population.

Battlespire, though not lengthy, offered a challenging experience. Unlike the previous main entries in the franchise, the game did not involve collecting gold or interacting with merchants. The enemies on the map were randomized and formidable, providing a suitable level of difficulty without being overwhelmingly difficult.

3 The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall

The action RPG style in the 1996 release of Daggerfall posed a significantly more difficult challenge for gamers compared to the newer editions of Tamriel. The game's dungeons varied in difficulty, with some, such as the first dungeon, being immense and complex.

Older games like Daggerfall required players to engage in more grinding to level up enough to face tougher challenges, unlike newer games. This lack of progression can frustrate gamers and discourage them from continuing their gameplay, unlike the more recent Elder Scrolls games.

2 The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Many fans of the Elder Scrolls franchise may not have explored the earlier games, but it is widely agreed upon that Morrowind is the most challenging. The combat in this game is notably tough, with enemies providing a consistent difficulty level throughout. However, the expansive open-world of Morrowind allows players to level up faster than in previous games, granting them an advantage in bigger battles. Nonetheless, Morrowind boasts one of the most captivating storylines in the entire Elder Scrolls series.

1 The Elder Scrolls: Arena

The original Elder Scrolls franchise remains the most challenging, interestingly enough. Arena, being unpolished and an original concept from a company primarily focused on sports games, presented numerous obstacles. The game's movement and combat controls were not up to par, resulting in a significant challenge for players, especially when revisiting it today.

Even with a well-developed character, players can struggle to progress past the initial areas, and the difficulty persists as they level up. Despite mastering the controls, players are vulnerable to surprise attacks from cunning enemies due to the slow turning speed. Arena was deemed tough upon its release and is even more arduous in comparison to modern games.