The Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire
Encyclopedia
An Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire is a 1997 first-person action
computer role-playing game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks
, set in the world of The Elder Scrolls
.
In Battlespire (named so after the training facility for battlemages), the player takes the role of an apprentice who, on the day of his final test, discovers that an army of Daedra led by Mehrunes Dagon has invaded and killed nearly everyone. On top of that, his partner is being held captive by Mehrunes Dagon himself. Over the course of seven levels, the player must travel through various realms of Oblivion to reach Mehrunes Dagon, defeat him and escape back to Tamriel.
Bethesda introduced a multiplayer feature that included a cooperative mode to follow the single player storyline online as well as a team-based versus mode to fight using all the same strategies from the single player. This was done through the multiplayer network which is now GameSpy
. Though no longer supported by Mplayer
/GameSpy Arcade
, one can still play through the Kali
multiplayer network client, which supports and works with all the features in the game.
Reviewers seemed unimpressed as a whole with Desslock of GameSpot noting that, compared against Daggerfall, "Battlespire's less expansive scope, hack-and-slash gameplay, and technical problems ultimately provide a role-playing experience that is only occasionally satisfying." Game Revolution's Tom Garcia decided that, "Battlespire had very little to offer the gamer other than more action than a regular RPG. However, even the action was completely negated with a horrible semi-3D engine plagued by bugs, glitches and lots and lots of clipping errors." PC Zone UK was, on the other hand, relatively upbeat assigning a score of 75%.
Averaged across the four reviews available from Game Rankings, Battlespire achieves a score of 63%.
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
computer role-playing game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks, LLC, is an American video game company. A subsidiary of ZeniMax Media, the company was originally based in Bethesda, Maryland and eventually moved to their current location in Rockville, Maryland...
, set in the world of The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls is a role-playing video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.-History:...
.
In Battlespire (named so after the training facility for battlemages), the player takes the role of an apprentice who, on the day of his final test, discovers that an army of Daedra led by Mehrunes Dagon has invaded and killed nearly everyone. On top of that, his partner is being held captive by Mehrunes Dagon himself. Over the course of seven levels, the player must travel through various realms of Oblivion to reach Mehrunes Dagon, defeat him and escape back to Tamriel.
Bethesda introduced a multiplayer feature that included a cooperative mode to follow the single player storyline online as well as a team-based versus mode to fight using all the same strategies from the single player. This was done through the multiplayer network which is now GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
. Though no longer supported by Mplayer
MPlayer.com
Mplayer, referred to as Mplayer.com by 1998, was a free online PC gaming service and community that operated from late 1996 until early 2001. The service at its peak was host to a community of more than 20 million visitors each month and offered more than 100 games...
/GameSpy Arcade
GameSpy Arcade
GameSpy Arcade is a shareware multiplayer game server browsing utility. GameSpy Arcade allows players to view and connect to available multiplayer games, and chat with other users of the service. It was initially released by GameSpy Industries, a division of IGN Entertainment, in early 2000, to...
, one can still play through the Kali
Kali (game browser)
Kali is an IPX network emulator for DOS and Windows, enabling legacy multiplayer games to work over a modern TCP/IP network such as the Internet. Later versions of the software also functioned as a server browser for games that natively supported TCP/IP. Versions were also created for OS2 and Mac,...
multiplayer network client, which supports and works with all the features in the game.
Reception
| Reviews | |
|---|---|
| GameSpot GameSpot GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which... |
6.7/10 http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/battlespire/review.html |
| Game Revolution Game Revolution Game Revolution or GR is a gaming website created in 1996. Based in Berkeley, California, the site includes reviews, previews, a gaming download area, cheats, and a merchandise store, as well as webcomics, screenshots, and videos... |
D http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/pc/battlespire |
| PC Zone UK | 75/100 http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/196728-an-elder-scrolls-legend-battlespire/articles.html |
Reviewers seemed unimpressed as a whole with Desslock of GameSpot noting that, compared against Daggerfall, "Battlespire's less expansive scope, hack-and-slash gameplay, and technical problems ultimately provide a role-playing experience that is only occasionally satisfying." Game Revolution's Tom Garcia decided that, "Battlespire had very little to offer the gamer other than more action than a regular RPG. However, even the action was completely negated with a horrible semi-3D engine plagued by bugs, glitches and lots and lots of clipping errors." PC Zone UK was, on the other hand, relatively upbeat assigning a score of 75%.
Averaged across the four reviews available from Game Rankings, Battlespire achieves a score of 63%.
See also
- The Elder Scrolls Adventures: RedguardThe Elder Scrolls Adventures: RedguardThe Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard is an action-adventure game developed and published by Bethesda Softworks with a third person style, set in the world of The Elder Scrolls. The game takes place in Tamriel in the year 864 of the Second Era, some 400 years prior to the events of Arena and the...
- The Elder ScrollsThe Elder ScrollsThe Elder Scrolls is a role-playing video game series developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks.-History:...