So I played this game seriously for the first time recently. Not in a "oh it's a cool retro game" or "I'll dick around a bit" way. I actually sat down and finally played this game that's been sitting in my steam library for several years now.

I already was a huge fan of Skyrim, especially the modding scene. Something about The Elder Scrolls as a series held a special place in my heart and the main theme always brought back memories of Skyrim.

When I finally understood the mechanics of Morrowind, though, and I finally made a build that I wanted to use, the game captivated me. Cue a 2-and-a-half-week, 60-hour-long binge exploring Vvardenfell. The atmosphere, the discovery, the art direction, the progression are all perfect. It's one of the few games that let you have the power of a god yet still makes you feel like you earned it. Exploits aplenty and questionable decisions regarding mechanics seem to only add to the charm of this game. No other Elder Scrolls game comes close to the level of worldbuilding and alien feeling that Morrowind does.
Now that I've finally played it, I recognize Morrowind as the definitive Elder Scrolls experience. Just something about the whole feel of the game is on another level. The devs seemed to focus less on the "game" side of Morrowind and more on the whole experience of it.

I don't think I've had this much fun in a game for a loooong while now. Easily in my top five, even for someone who had no nostalgia for it.