The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Reviews

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Written by WorstUsernameEver on November 12th, 2011

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Even the parts that shouldn't make sense in Skyrim aren't worth worrying about: those well-tended braziers in abandoned caves, for example. It's like watching Star Wars and genuinely thinking, '˜what about those poor Death Star construction workers?' You're missing the point: Skyrim is a huge and engaging world to explore and it treats you with great moments, from your first dragon encounter to finally being able to craft dwarven armour.

Skyrim lets these rough edges show, because the element of chaos lets players feel like the game is happening to them, and they are alive in it not just cogs in a pre-fab Game Experience. That's what sets Skyrim apart from some of its contemporaries. Where many games with lavish production values seek to direct players' imaginations, Skyrim seeks to ignite them.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is easily the best offering Bethesda Game Studios has put out to date. It takes everything that has made past Elder Scrolls and Fallout games the staple of the Western RPG, and expands on the trusted formula in a number of meaningful ways. The gorgeous setting, intriguing quests, versatile combat and thoughtful design choices all combine to give players a greater sense of freedom and flexibility than ever before. While far from a revolution, Skyrim nonetheless represents a well-crafted refinement of Bethesda's signature approach to the RPG.

Building upon everything that made Oblivion such a joy, Skyrim has easily secured the crown as the biggest game this gen and also as one of the best. Even if you don't ordinarily like ye olde fantasy RPGs, this is brilliant.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is less a product of creativity than an act of creation. The accomplishment on display is without equal, but it's the sublimation of those efforts into a deeply personal experience that is the lasting effect and elicits the compulsive desire to consume more and more of what it has to offer. Playing it, I could recall getting the first Nintendo system and sitting down with my brother to play Super Mario Brothers. Upon reaching the subterranean level 1-2, the dramatic aesthetic shift awakened us to the giddy thrill of realizing that we had no idea what the game had in store ahead, and our excitement became an uncontained rapturous exaltation. Eighty hours into Skyrim, I'm still feeling like that 11-year-old.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a beast of an RPG. It's the ultimate in freedom, exploration and immersion. It features a fantastic and diverse visual spectrum, excellent audio, solid control, limitless choice and almost no restriction, and above all else, a world that opens our imaginations and begs us to return. There are a few small drawbacks that can't be ignored and in truth, all those missions detract from the central narrative and almost make it disappear. But for the first time, I'll say I don't need it. This is about personal envelopment and progresson.

Even when you think you've spent hundreds of hours exploring, there's always one more fresh face to meet, or dragon to slay, or thrilling adventure waiting.

The Elder Scrolls isn't a series that will appeal to everyone but it certainly shouldn't be too daunting for newcomers joining at this fifth instalment. The complexities can be easily learnt or even mostly ignored and, although they are what powers the fantastically diverse gameplay paths, what makes the game special is the world it inhabits. Skyrim is a busy, active place that feels naturally alive. It might be somewhat overstocked with murderous wolves but the sheer volume of things to do, people to meet and enemies to kill is simply quite amazing. Simply put, Skyrim the game is a wonderful experience because Skyrim the land is a wonderful place. I heartily recommend a few days off work or school so you can visit.

Skyrim is completely and utterly addictive in every aspect and quite possibly, I'll say it, the greatest RPG of all time. It affords you the luxury of playing it your way and doesn't try to constrain you. It wants you to get lost in a winter wonderland and believe me, you will. Kiss the rest of your life goodbye.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a testament to the strength and importance of games that create living, breathing worlds, while affirming the value of long-term commitment over instant gratification. The absence of companion control, though a glaring flaw, ultimately does not spoil its purposeful, refined, and genre-defining design. Endlessly replayable and a phenomenal landmark in gaming, Skyrim deserves a place in every true gamer's collection.

I could write all day about all of the finer aspects about improved races, cultures, things you could do like cooking and other jobs, alchemy, and other fun things, but I'd rather keep playing! So go play it yourself to learn even more! If you are sitting on the fence about whether or not to get Skyrim, get it. It is worth it a million times over. The amount of time you could spend in this game is practically endless. The only potentially bad thing is that you could lose sleep because you won't want to stop playing.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a role-playing fans paradise. Filled with discovery, wonder and mystery you will travel through the rocky landscapes of Skyrim uncovering a Dragon sized plot. Powered by the 'Creation Engine' things look and run even better under the new software. The size and scope of Skyrim is unparalleled making it one of the most expansive worlds we have ever visited. Falling in line with our expectations, Skyrim delivers, but doesn't surpass. If you've played any of the previous 'Elder Scroll' adventures, Skyrim in its most basic form is simply more of the same. This is not bad point because its predecessors are some of the best role-playing games ever made, but it falls just shy of the wow factor that Bethesda created when Oblivion first launched on the (next-gen) consoles or as we left Vault 21 in Fallout 3. Still, Skyrim is an amazing game filled more than enough moments to fill your memories years to come.

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