TES Anthology Logo

Multi-award winning sword-swinger Skyrim may be the biggest name in role-playing games right now, but is it the best entry in its own celebrated series? Fans have been eagerly attempting to answer that question ever since the game debuted in the Winter of 2011. Now, with the release of The Elder Scrolls Anthology on PC, gamers can decide for themselves whether Bethesda's latest effort marks a summit, or indeed a plummet, in this truly epic series.

Set for retail release on September 10th, the collection charts the series humble beginnings in 1994's Arena, all the way to its modern day triumph in TES V:Skyrim. Packaged in a premium edition collector's case (pictured below) the boxing opens out to reveal a unique booklet-style carry case housing all 9 of the series' content-rich discs. Each entry comes complete with a different landmass-specific map, highlighting different regions of the fantasyland of 'Nirn.' They are - Tamriel, Iliac Bay, Morrorwind, Cyrodiil & Skyrim.

Aside from the franchise's 5 major installments, The Elder Scrolls Anthology will also include all 7 of the series official add-ons. The total list of titles is available below.

  • The Elder Scrolls Arena
  • The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
  • The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind + Tribunal & Bloodmoon Expansions
  • The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion + Knights of the Nine & Shivering Isles Expansions (as the Game of the Year Edition)
  • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim + Dawnguard, Hearthfire & Dragonborn Expansions (as the Legendary Edition)

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No recommended specs have been released for the compilation as a whole, though the game's individual requirements are unlikely to have been altered by Bethesda. Arena & Daggerfall, as the two oldest games in the set, appear here by virtue of a packaged DOS emulator running both original titles in their entirety.

Whether you take the plunge as an avid collector or a Tamriel first-timer, the anthology does appear to present excellent value for money. Bought separately, TES's mammoth library should set gamers back by as much as $85, and that's before weighing in the added cost of the increasingly pricey Arena & Daggerfall DOSs.

So, what do you make of this collector's set? Should Bethesda reissue the pack with next year's The Elder Scrolls Online? Just which is the best Elder Scrolls game anyway? Have your say in the comments below.

The Elder Scrolls Anthology will recount the history of the realm when it releases on September 10th 2013 (USA) & September 13th (Worldwide). The set is only available on PC and will be priced at $79.99 (USA), £49.99 (UK), €59.99 (Europe) & 89.99 (Australia).

You can follow Sam on Twitter @GamingGoo

Source: Bethesda