Daggerfall Unity

Daggerfall Unity is an open-source remake of the 1996 action RPG The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, originally developed by Bethesda Softworks. Built with the Unity engine, this project was started by developer Gavin "Interkarma" Clayton, and after nearly nine years of development, it reached its 1.0 release on December 30, 2023.

Set in the expansive world of Tamriel, Daggerfall allows players to explore the provinces of High Rock and Hammerfell. Like other entries in The Elder Scrolls series, the game offers a high degree of freedom, letting players choose how to approach the world without being confined to specific quests or character roles.

The game takes place in the Iliac Bay, a region similar to the Mediterranean coast. The protagonist is called to the area by the Emperor, who tasks them with two objectives: First, they must release the spirit of King Lysandus from his restless existence. Second, they must uncover the mystery behind a letter sent from the Emperor to the former queen of Daggerfall. This letter hints that Lysandus's mother, Nulfaga, knows the whereabouts of the Mantella, an artifact that holds the power to revive the first Numidium—an enormous, ancient brass golem created by the dwarves. The Numidium was once acquired by Tiber Septim, the founder of the Empire, from the dark elves of Morrowind, using it to thwart the expansion of a militant elvish faction in the past.

Daggerfall Unity brings a host of modern enhancements to the original game, including cross-platform support, improved graphics, bug fixes, quality-of-life upgrades, and robust modding capabilities. While preserving the original game’s vast, procedurally generated world, it updates the game’s technical structure to run smoothly on modern systems. The project has gained a loyal modding community that has contributed a wide range of modifications, from visual improvements to complete gameplay reworks, helping extend the life of this classic title and showcasing the power of community-driven game preservation.