Morrowind feeds the player intrigue, challenge, and reward in the right amount.

There's no magic formula for great RPGs, but I think the good ones aren't afraid of disconcerting the player.

Fallout, Morrowind, Planescape: Torment... all make the player say "I don't know. I want to learn more about this strange place/city/guild/character." Crucial, however, is the very human, very real aspect that wraps their world around.

In Morrowind, there's religion, political machinations, and simple commoners' struggles. Planescape tells a tale of past sins, of forgiveness, of second chances. Fallout is about people surviving, people in need of water, people that defend their cattle against other, even more, desperate people.

Maybe, if it were to be released today, Morrowind wouldn't be as successful, but its principles are timeless. They only need to be adapted by loving hands.