Two Elder Scrolls games are now playable with the Xbox Insider program, although the two games included probably aren’t what you expect. Most people are familiar with Skyrim, and Elder Scrolls fans should know Oblivion, Morrowind, Daggerfall, and Arena. But only the most dedicated fans will be familiar with the two games on offer here.
The first game is Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire. It is an action RPG that was released in 1997 on MS-DOS. In many ways, it plays a lot like Elder Scrolls games of the time, but there are a few key differences. Unlike Arena and Daggerfall, enemies never reset and they aren’t randomized. Also, there is no rest mechanic, merchants to buy items from, or even gold. It began life as an expansion for Daggerfall but later on became its own thing. Despite being similar to the mainline games at the time, Battlespire is still considered a spin-off.
The other game on offer on the Xbox Insider program is also an Elder Scrolls spin-off. The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard is an action-adventure game like most other Elder Scrolls titles but without some key RPG elements. Most notably, it has a set protagonist rather than a customizable playable character. Its story is set on the island of Stros M’Kai just off the coast of Hammerfell. The events of Redguard take place between Elder Scrolls Online and Arena and are considered canon to the series.
How to participate
If you’re interested in trying out these classic Elder Scrolls games, you’ll need to become an Xbox Insider. Just launch and sign into the Xbox Insider Hub on Windows to register. This can be downloaded and installed through the Windows Store. Once loaded, navigate to Previews and then select either Elder Scrolls Legend: Battlespire or Adventures: Redguard. Finally, press join and install the games. With both games being well over 20 years old, they shouldn’t take long to install.
The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard has a set protagonist and is only playable in third-person.
