The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12985 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10,547 out of 12985
  2. Mixed: 1,375 out of 12985
  3. Negative: 1,063 out of 12985
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  1. Leon_D
    Jul 21, 2020
    9
    Aside from a few bugs that are more like endearing memes than nuisances, everything else in this game is almost entirely perfect.
  2. ksejoshot
    Jul 16, 2020
    9
    Antes de que Bethesda sacara la mierda de Fallout 76 esta empresa hizo juegos como este, que para mi entra en mi top 7 de mejores juegos de la historia. Gran libertad, garndes escenarios, gran narrativa, grandes opciones y decisiones, pero cuando se lanzó abundaron bugs que ya no hay en esa cantidad claramente, pero no había bugs que no eran tan graciosos, había bugs que te jodían misionesAntes de que Bethesda sacara la mierda de Fallout 76 esta empresa hizo juegos como este, que para mi entra en mi top 7 de mejores juegos de la historia. Gran libertad, garndes escenarios, gran narrativa, grandes opciones y decisiones, pero cuando se lanzó abundaron bugs que ya no hay en esa cantidad claramente, pero no había bugs que no eran tan graciosos, había bugs que te jodían misiones y te impedían avnzar y mierdas de esas.… Expand
  3. Realnoobman
    Jul 19, 2020
    9
    Game with great longevity, you want to replay it several times even after having finished it to live the whole adventure with different styles and characters. One of the best games ever.
  4. Xonkire
    Jan 1, 2021
    9
    9/10 из-за Дельфины, вообще хотел поставить 6,5/10, но так нельзя.
  5. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    9
    Великая игра, великого времени, бесконечных переизданий, бесконечных модов.
  6. SDaV24
    Nov 9, 2021
    9
    Одна из лучших РПГ всех времен. Да многие скажут что прошлые части лучше , но по атмосфере, интересности прохождения скайриму нету равных. Это великая игра которая всегда будет одной из лучших РПГ. Она подходит для всех и для тех хто здесь собираэться заняться коллекионированием на низких уровнях сложности и для тех хто хочет использовать все аспекты игры проходя ее на легендарном уровнеОдна из лучших РПГ всех времен. Да многие скажут что прошлые части лучше , но по атмосфере, интересности прохождения скайриму нету равных. Это великая игра которая всегда будет одной из лучших РПГ. Она подходит для всех и для тех хто здесь собираэться заняться коллекионированием на низких уровнях сложности и для тех хто хочет использовать все аспекты игры проходя ее на легендарном уровне сложности. Минусами могу назвать плохую сюжетную компанию и не всем подходящую боевку.… Expand
  7. apokalipto
    Aug 8, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  8. matee75
    Jul 29, 2021
    9
    Marvelous open-world, rich with content for hundreds of hours to play . I am anxiously waiting for The Elder Scrolls VI. It is nearly a 10 year old game, but still one of the best RPGs.
  9. kimi1775
    Nov 9, 2020
    9
    ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎
  10. kasiakumka
    Nov 22, 2020
    9
    Few years ago it was this new awesome rpg with great graphics. Now when graphics isnt new and cool its still great game, a clasic and one of the best open world rpg ever.
  11. skdcraw
    Mar 5, 2022
    9
    Skyrim is truly one of the most important works in the history of the gaming. So why?

    First of all, what makes Skyrim stand out is its legendary gameplay. Skyrim has designed your character movement scheme and open world in a more sandbox-like way. The biggest example of this is the ability to move in the air, which has also become the subject of the game. If you spend enough time on    Skyrim is truly one of the most important works in the history of the gaming. So why?

    First of all, what makes Skyrim stand out is its legendary gameplay. Skyrim has designed your character movement scheme and open world in a more sandbox-like way. The biggest example of this is the ability to move in the air, which has also become the subject of the game. If you spend enough time on slopes that seem impossible to climb normally, you can climb them and this can bring you great advantages in the game. Although the movements of the characters are perceived as a deficiency due to the fact that they reduce the realism of the game, it should be said that it is one of the foundations of the current fun of the game. As for the fighting mechanics, I only played this game as a mage, so I will make my comment accordingly. Even if you do not play the game as a mage, it is possible to say that the game will become much more fun if you specialize in a certain field of magic. You can understand how much gameplay variety there is, even just from the absurd videos on youtube. And that's what makes Skyrim fun. Freedom. The fact that the game really puts you in an open world and asks you to fend for yourself. In most games (I'm not saying these games are boring, but) you wonder if I can jump from one place to another. But in Skyrim the answer is usually yes.

    Another feature that makes Skyrim Skyrim is its stories. Yes, the game does not have a story, it has stories. Of course, there is a main quest in the game, but you wouldn't even know if they didn't say it. The most important point that makes the game a very enjoyable open world game is that you are really in an open world in the game. The game doesn't push you to do any of the quests (but please don't start traveling until you do the dragon slaying in the main quest, there's no limit other than that) instead it really lets you go into an open world and do whatever you want. Hanging out with assassins trying to regain your old reputation? With thieves living underground? Going to witchcraft school and burning down the whole place? So which side are you on in the civil war? Or are you neutral? This story structure of the game makes you feel that you are not really playing the game, but that you are left to that universe. If you come to the main quest after touring and dusting Skyrim, I don't think you will like it very much. Yes, it's a good ending as a story, but it's a questline that you won't have any difficulty with in terms of gameplay.

    Skyrim is very successful in ambient music. The best way to find out is to turn off the music. You will realize that the game is very different. Night and day ambiance, tavern music is definitely very successful. The character voices are even annoying at certain points, and there is almost no face animation in the game. However, the game makes no such promises. Although the game does not look very beautiful or very realistic and the quality of the coating is very low, it never stands out in terms of atmosphere and even puts you in that world.

    Although it is one of my favorite games, it can only break 1 point from Skyrim due to the fact that the game is full of bugs and really old melee mechanics, I wish you a pleasant game.    … Expand
  12. FabuJono
    May 17, 2021
    9
    The Elder Scrolls formula has worked many times and it certainly did work the best in Skyrim. Skyrim brought that formula to the highest level but it is not as well-balanced as Morrowwind.
  13. Jorgenn
    Dec 6, 2020
    9
    Mod it on pc for better gfx and maibe some beaty addons and understand how amazing this game is , replaying this old game with new gfx and boosts is sure worth it . Played the old vers And not the special edition
  14. EmirhanSahin
    Dec 8, 2020
    9
    Not enough dialogue options. Quests not good as Oblivion's quests. But in the other sides of this game is to close to perfection. Especially great open world to explore.
  15. LesandroBonucci
    Mar 29, 2021
    9
    nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice nice
  16. Jackpotek
    Dec 14, 2020
    9
    several hundred hours spent in the world of this wonderful open game. I love this atmosphere. Mechanics. character development. everything about this game is interesting and addictive. one of the best productions I have ever played.
  17. JamesHarvey
    Sep 6, 2021
    9
    Now that I've cleared the main quest and done several other big quests, I think I have enough hours to give an assessment. The game is very good, honestly I found the opening scene very boring, let's say until I got to riverwood I found it boring, something that started to change in the first mission of jarl whiterun, this is my first TES game, and yes it is a game very good, the mainNow that I've cleared the main quest and done several other big quests, I think I have enough hours to give an assessment. The game is very good, honestly I found the opening scene very boring, let's say until I got to riverwood I found it boring, something that started to change in the first mission of jarl whiterun, this is my first TES game, and yes it is a game very good, the main story is not the strong point of the game, but its side quests... it's a sensational game, role-playing is very good, you can make lots and lots of choices… Expand
  18. MDXV
    Jan 27, 2023
    9
    Like
    LikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLikeLike
  19. elansadrake
    May 27, 2023
    9
    O jogo é praticamente um 10/10, o motivo do meu 9 é apenas um único, o combate, o combate do jogo não me agrada, joguei um pouco tarde e a jogabilidade para mim não envelheceu muito bem, MAS, deixando esse ponto de fora, o jogo é OBRIGATORIO, para todo fã de RPG, o jogo é simplesmente lendário e incrível e o primeiro RPG que joguei, não podia estar mais feliz e satisfeito, uma historiaO jogo é praticamente um 10/10, o motivo do meu 9 é apenas um único, o combate, o combate do jogo não me agrada, joguei um pouco tarde e a jogabilidade para mim não envelheceu muito bem, MAS, deixando esse ponto de fora, o jogo é OBRIGATORIO, para todo fã de RPG, o jogo é simplesmente lendário e incrível e o primeiro RPG que joguei, não podia estar mais feliz e satisfeito, uma historia clichê mas um clichê muito bem feito e ainda sim instigante, embora você saiba como a historia deve acabar as reviravoltas ao longo dela torna tudo único, a trilha sonora desse jogo ainda soa na minha cabeça de tão foda....… Expand
  20. tymqe
    Feb 26, 2021
    9
    The vanilla game despite some bugs is timeless classic, very great and iconic game. But you can make it even better by downloading some mods from thousands to choose.
  21. Zeyon88
    Mar 12, 2021
    9
    Story: 10/10
    The Way story is given: 19/20
    Gameplay: 24.5/30 Visual quality: 8/10 Feelings left after playing: 20/20 Playability: 8.5/10 AVARAGE: 90/100 Skyrim has a very large world to explore, every NPC can bring you new questlines and stories. Non of the side missions are boring and all of them have a lot of hard effort on them. Bugs could be a problem but they have been    Story: 10/10
    The Way story is given: 19/20
    Gameplay: 24.5/30
    Visual quality: 8/10
    Feelings left after playing: 20/20
    Playability: 8.5/10

    AVARAGE: 90/100

    Skyrim has a very large world to explore, every NPC can bring you new questlines and stories. Non of the side missions are boring and all of them have a lot of hard effort on them. Bugs could be a problem but they have been fixed later. This game must be played.    … Expand
  22. Lubo789
    Apr 11, 2021
    9
    The game has an awesome world, fun combat and loads of quests. The side quests are very awesome. I really enjoyed doing side quests for thieves guild and dark brotherhood, but the game has a lot of annoying bugs and it can feel like you are doing the same thing over and over at some points in the game. Go in that cave, defeat enemies and get out. But I still think it's one of the bestThe game has an awesome world, fun combat and loads of quests. The side quests are very awesome. I really enjoyed doing side quests for thieves guild and dark brotherhood, but the game has a lot of annoying bugs and it can feel like you are doing the same thing over and over at some points in the game. Go in that cave, defeat enemies and get out. But I still think it's one of the best games there are.… Expand
  23. elefsar
    Apr 20, 2021
    9
    One of the best rpg games. I definitely loved this game. It's lore is also pretty good.
  24. Cagan3003
    Apr 28, 2021
    9
    Everyone must play this game. It is a masterpiece but the bugs and gliches may demoralize you.
  25. FARHAM
    May 8, 2021
    9
    Still this masterpiece game. I suggest you go to it sooner if you haven't played it yet. The only problem is that the bugs are relatively high and the graphics are relatively low for 2011 and so on
  26. Yaav13
    Apr 7, 2022
    9
    My truthful honorable incorruptible conclusive rating of this considered game: 9.
  27. Flaks
    Apr 4, 2022
    9
    A wonderful game, the soundtrack of which you can listen to for hours (I myself listened to it for dozens of hours). The brilliant composer Jeremy Soule tried to create immersion in the game. The ability to create easy-to-implement mods has led fans around the world to create tens of thousands of mods. The game design is more or less good, as is the plot of the game.
  28. ShoxGamer
    Jul 7, 2022
    9
    Это игра на все времена! SKYRIM это одна из тех игр которые никогда не устареют. В ней очень интересные квесты, начиная со сюжетных , заканчивая дополнительными. Для меня минусами этой игры стали только автолевелинг и однообразные пещеры.Это игра на все времена! SKYRIM это одна из тех игр которые никогда не устареют. В ней очень интересные квесты, начиная со сюжетных , заканчивая дополнительными. Для меня минусами этой игры стали только автолевелинг и однообразные пещеры.
  29. Ripleyyy
    Sep 20, 2021
    9
    Skyrim is my favorite RPG of all time. you will never run out of things to do in this game. There are hundreds of meaningful and fulfilling side quests and great dialogue from most random characters in the game. The game is full of random events and twist and they try something new and succeed in most areas. The amount of effort the developers put into this game is honestly amazing and ISkyrim is my favorite RPG of all time. you will never run out of things to do in this game. There are hundreds of meaningful and fulfilling side quests and great dialogue from most random characters in the game. The game is full of random events and twist and they try something new and succeed in most areas. The amount of effort the developers put into this game is honestly amazing and I wish Bethesda would reach that level of legendary status it once had. Bethesda has now just turned into a money hungry and scummy corporation. They add meaningless DLC to all their games and they just release Skyrim on repeat on every console generation. it is honestly a disgrace to how amazing this game is and the impact it had on so many individuals. I think the game can make a legendary comeback if they just handed it over to the modders.… Expand
  30. briiiz
    Feb 11, 2023
    9
    名副其实，刚进入上古卷轴5的世界时可谓是相当惊艳，光是白漫城附近我就乐此不疲地花上了20多小时去探索，游戏带给玩家的不止是交互，还有无与伦比的真实感，也许剧情方面不是特别突出，但是角色的各种生活细节也可以做到让他们有血有肉，属实是对整个城都产生了感情，以至于后面本来想加入风暴斗篷的时候一听他们想打白漫马上急眼了跑帝国军去了。但是在后期玩的越久越容易产生乏味，地图十分庞大且有很多探索内容，但是总结下来基本全是地牢遗迹，在没有多余精力了解背景的情况下重复的地牢体验十分难受，导致越到后期越没有探索的欲望名副其实，刚进入上古卷轴5的世界时可谓是相当惊艳，光是白漫城附近我就乐此不疲地花上了20多小时去探索，游戏带给玩家的不止是交互，还有无与伦比的真实感，也许剧情方面不是特别突出，但是角色的各种生活细节也可以做到让他们有血有肉，属实是对整个城都产生了感情，以至于后面本来想加入风暴斗篷的时候一听他们想打白漫马上急眼了跑帝国军去了。但是在后期玩的越久越容易产生乏味，地图十分庞大且有很多探索内容，但是总结下来基本全是地牢遗迹，在没有多余精力了解背景的情况下重复的地牢体验十分难受，导致越到后期越没有探索的欲望
  31. GamerDadIsBad
    Mar 26, 2022
    9
    A game I keep going back to time and time again.

    Always near fall as well haha. Why is that?
  32. FreshMelons
    Mar 30, 2022
    9
    When this released it was one of its kind. Only an elder scrolls game could pull off such an immersive and well planned world to explore. The game is extremely unpolished though.
  33. Izoeros
    May 10, 2022
    9
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  34. AliceGross
    May 6, 2022
    9
    Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо Харашо
  35. Scarface24
    Jun 24, 2022
    9
    Side quests are better than main quests gameplay is so slow but I don’t care the combat system this game amazing at the rpg
  36. kyd16
    Jun 29, 2022
    9
    An epic fantasy game. Probably the best action-adventure role playing game of all time until Witcher 3. Admirable design and creativity by the developers. Remarkable game play and a fine story with reasonable graphics and good optimization.
  37. 3ls0ul
    Mar 7, 2023
    9
    Este juego aún no lo eh jugado o completado, así que pondré una reseña y nota diferentes cuando lo haga.
  38. Phytom
    Jan 22, 2023
    9
    Perfect game for everyone who likes exploring a big open world with little to no restrictions. After 400 hours of game time, I still haven't completed the main quest. Due to the mods, you can completely change your gaming experience and make Skyrim look like the newest game every year.
  39. mkhue108
    Feb 26, 2023
    9
    Base game is a solid 9/10. With mods 10/10. One of the best RPG of all time.
  40. Samwisethesmall
    Apr 15, 2023
    9
    Great game. If youre looking for a game you wont get bored with then look no further than skyrim.
  41. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    9
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  42. Colubrinus
    May 7, 2023
    9
    It has so many glaring issues but still captivates people enough that we've been craving and hoping somebody will make a game that can even partially capture the feeling you get while playing Skyrim.

    In short, and in my opinion, because you can interact with almost every item and npc in a meaningful way, Skyrim allows you to feel like you're a part of the world unlike most other games,    It has so many glaring issues but still captivates people enough that we've been craving and hoping somebody will make a game that can even partially capture the feeling you get while playing Skyrim.

    In short, and in my opinion, because you can interact with almost every item and npc in a meaningful way, Skyrim allows you to feel like you're a part of the world unlike most other games, especially in it's genre.

    The story, gameplay, and polish each on there own aren't anything spectacular(although the world is one of the best), it's the little details in-between all the main features, and the feeling that no part of the game was taken for granted during development.

    But sadly, I feel the graphics and combat are starting to feel more and more dated, and the more they do, the more I feel Skyrim, and the magic of it, slipping away.    … Expand
  43. Disvolti0d
    May 27, 2023
    9
    Modders really played something here, but the game itself it's the greatest masterpiece I've seen from Bethesda, it feels alive and, though AI is a bit dumb sometimes, realistic.
  44. Magikcarp
    Jul 19, 2023
    9
    Gameplay - 9
    Plot & Characters - 7
    Storytelling - 7
    Pacing - 6
    Music & Sound - 10
    Replayability - 10
    Performance - 8
  45. fnenamg
    Aug 13, 2023
    9
    Clumsy action, flawed systems, subpar graphics. Yet, this colossal game is enjoyable. This very enjoyment turns the aforementioned shortcomings into distinctive features. It is well worth being hailed as a masterpiece.
  46. saksukasermet
    Sep 7, 2023
    9
    It offers a sense of discovery, adventures, good optimization and graphics for its period, never-ending missions and immersion, as well as its epicness. My friend, Starfield can never be Skyrim. Skyrim was very different.
  47. PR9Gaming
    Aug 12, 2023
    9
    Absolutely amazing rpg with kind of a meh combat system, though of course you can mod it however you want with over a decade of people throwing changes/revamps at it. You actually get to see Nocturnal :O
  48. Keron_Heruman
    Aug 23, 2023
    9
    Extremely huge game, plenty of areas and characters with his own routines. The sensation of became part of the world is immense and immersive, and the freedom of action is very accomplished.
    The only flaws are the level scaling of objects and enemies (so the special ones tend to be mediocre if you find them soon) and the boring secondary missions, that affects the main history.
  49. endergunayu
    Aug 25, 2023
    9
    Some of the games u can come face to face with infinite open world but in this game it is INFINITE GAME CONTENTS AND STORY. I can play skyrim forever.
  50. Chaosolous
    Sep 1, 2023
    9
    I had so much fun with this game. I still remember the feeling I had the first time that dragon swooped down 13 years ago.
  51. Bimmy_Time
    Sep 8, 2023
    9
    This game is a 9/10 thanks to the modding community. They saved this game, was ok by itself but mods made it god-teir. Hopefully the modding community saves Starfield too.
  52. SamAxe00
    Sep 10, 2023
    9
    Let's be real, the mods make this game. Although vanilla is fun, the mods make it great.
  53. Sloul
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    Just another good action-rpg.
    The balance but no perfect, the dialogues are sometimes repetitive/incoherent/retarded.
    But overall its still a good game with a huge potential of playability thanks to the mod community (nexus).
  54. seandewar5
    Jan 14, 2012
    8
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, what an amazing game!

    Skyrim offers an amazingly large free-to-roam world in which many items, quests, monsters and dragons can be found. The game's impressive story-line, life-like characters and action-packed quests definitely make it one of the best games of 2011 - 2012. The only flaws I could see with the game is the fact that the dragon battles can get    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, what an amazing game!

    Skyrim offers an amazingly large free-to-roam world in which many items, quests, monsters and dragons can be found. The game's impressive story-line, life-like characters and action-packed quests definitely make it one of the best games of 2011 - 2012.

    The only flaws I could see with the game is the fact that the dragon battles can get repetitive, as they tend to repeat the same actions over again and that a lot of glitches are present in this game, which may actually prevent the player from completing a quest, or may just be minor.

    Other than that, this game is amazing! 8!    … Expand
  55. Czar
    Nov 20, 2011
    8
    When I started with Skyrim I was prepared for the worst. The UI is bizarre and certainly doesn't feel right on my PC. Why use Tab to close menus, what is wrong with escape? Also I did not enjoy the introduction. Looks great etc but having to sit through it was a pain, It felt very constricted and scripted. However, then the game started proper and I am blown away by the depth of detail.When I started with Skyrim I was prepared for the worst. The UI is bizarre and certainly doesn't feel right on my PC. Why use Tab to close menus, what is wrong with escape? Also I did not enjoy the introduction. Looks great etc but having to sit through it was a pain, It felt very constricted and scripted. However, then the game started proper and I am blown away by the depth of detail. Discovering the world, dealing with people mountain passes, exploring cities. Wow magical. I have put only about 5-6 hours into it but I am addicted. Just a bit longer, just search this area go over that mountain. Amazing stuff. I would gige it more points but I believe the UI sucks balls.… Expand
  56. Scorn
    Nov 20, 2014
    8
    Played this game for days on end. Really enjoyed it and had a blast with all the mods that are out there for it. Still have yet to play the expansions, but I'll get those installed one day.
  57. Niroo
    Mar 15, 2012
    8
    After finishing most of the main story-lines, I quickly started to lose interest in the game as by that time there was no longer a goal to aspire to and the mechanics of Skyrim's open world were rather ill concealed. Feeling mildly disappointed, I then discovered that I had already played the game for a good 90 hours and quickly revised my opinion: it'd be rather odd to be disappointed byAfter finishing most of the main story-lines, I quickly started to lose interest in the game as by that time there was no longer a goal to aspire to and the mechanics of Skyrim's open world were rather ill concealed. Feeling mildly disappointed, I then discovered that I had already played the game for a good 90 hours and quickly revised my opinion: it'd be rather odd to be disappointed by 90 hours of fun for a â… Expand
  58. gas
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    I have to update me review, my first score after 25 hours of gameplay was a 6/10, as primary the terrible menu/inventory/crafting system and secondary the engine/textures hard porting created me some issues to be very satisfied.
    Now after 70 hours of gameplay i can tell that even with those mentioned issues the game is more then good, also its really massive, i mean, there is really a lot    I have to update me review, my first score after 25 hours of gameplay was a 6/10, as primary the terrible menu/inventory/crafting system and secondary the engine/textures hard porting created me some issues to be very satisfied.
    Now after 70 hours of gameplay i can tell that even with those mentioned issues the game is more then good, also its really massive, i mean, there is really a lot to see and explore.
    Dungeons are getting more interesting and complex, and also the combat system even if not much better then Oblivion its fun, at least playing primary as ranged.
    The game runs also quite stable and ive not seen many bugs so far.
    Sadly it could have been a true masterpiece but the issues mentioned above are quite annoying.    … Expand
  59. defive
    Nov 23, 2011
    8
    Good but not great. Bottom line is that this is still a TES game and has fundamentally all the same pluses and minuses of both Morrowind and Oblivion. On the upside the scale of it and the immersion in the world is amazing. On the downside however, the combat is still floaty and lacks any real sense of impact, the skill system is totally unbalanced and exploitable and some of the questGood but not great. Bottom line is that this is still a TES game and has fundamentally all the same pluses and minuses of both Morrowind and Oblivion. On the upside the scale of it and the immersion in the world is amazing. On the downside however, the combat is still floaty and lacks any real sense of impact, the skill system is totally unbalanced and exploitable and some of the quest lines (*cough* mages *cough*) are really very very bad. Again. Bottom line is that it's a slightly updated version of Oblivion. Oh - and the PC UI is an abomination, possible the worst UI I've seen with the exception of Final Fantasy XIV.… Expand
  60. Sh0dan
    Apr 27, 2015
    8
    Skyrim is now a decent game again now that modding will remain free for it. It might not be as engaging as its forebears Fallout 3 and Oblivion, but its still entertaining, especially if you know how to mod it with multiple mods.
  61. Arkveveen
    Jan 17, 2012
    8
    Skyrim is a good game, but something about it doesn't seem right to me. Maybe it's because I am extremely tired of fantasy adventure settings, wonder why open world games are so good, or maybe it's because Skyrim has the same exact gameplay as Oblivion or Morrowind. Just repackaged with better music, sounds, animations, and graphics. But, in all honesty, it is still an excellent game thatSkyrim is a good game, but something about it doesn't seem right to me. Maybe it's because I am extremely tired of fantasy adventure settings, wonder why open world games are so good, or maybe it's because Skyrim has the same exact gameplay as Oblivion or Morrowind. Just repackaged with better music, sounds, animations, and graphics. But, in all honesty, it is still an excellent game that DOES take awhile for me to enjoy it thoroughly. One of my favorite aspects is the perk system, which does not fail in allowing you to use WHATEVER you want. As a fan of warriors who uses two handed swords and matching armor, this game REALLY caters to me! Let's see World of Warcraft or ANY OTHER RPG do that, as they only encourage you to use "what's best". Anyway, Skyrim is stellar in every aspect, but tough for people like me to get into...… Expand
  62. Ansatsu83
    Nov 14, 2011
    8
    First and foremost I am giving this game a fair and opinionated accurate review. I am a Morrowind Fanatic, Oblivion was a let down to me in terms of everything but combat. Skyrim is acceptable, it is not as good in terms of world/storyline/etc as Morrowind. Keep in mind I have beaten the game and I will not provide spoilers but I will explain some things regarding the end of theFirst and foremost I am giving this game a fair and opinionated accurate review. I am a Morrowind Fanatic, Oblivion was a let down to me in terms of everything but combat. Skyrim is acceptable, it is not as good in terms of world/storyline/etc as Morrowind. Keep in mind I have beaten the game and I will not provide spoilers but I will explain some things regarding the end of the storyline.

    Skyrim has an amazing world, brilliantly created in many ways, a few anatomy related errors, mainly the horses and glitchy animations at times. The combat has been refined from oblivion quite a bit but the melee feels like a cross between oblivion and dark messiah. The bows are also a lot more balanced and spell casting is not bad at all.

    Here is the bad news (which is why it gets a lower than perfect rating). 1. lack of athletics and acrobatics skill, this is self explanatory and Bethesda should be ashamed of not adding it. 2. The storyline ends up feeling too much like Eragon the movie (not the books). 3. Anti-climatic end boss fights. 4. Main storyline quest is obviously someones bad acid trip (e.g. the dwarf underground area). 5. Melee combat still feels a little clunky. 6. There seems to be a lack of places to explore similar to oblivion or Morrowind, and even when you do find a ton of them they tend to be a lot smaller than the other two games. For an elder scrolls game, this is a problem. 7. About three epic moments earlier on in the game that make me feel pride or honor but after that, nothing at all. Game just becomes a bad mash-up of cliche and horribly predictable plot-lines. 8. End boss made me feel unfulfilled when I beat him, its common for games these days to make the second to last boss more difficult than the last one. I am not sure why, but as a fellow game developer this is offensive. 9. The sound volume is extremely low for any given game, I have to turn my speakers up to almost max to be able to hear anything, if I try to play music in the background all game sounds are canceled out and I just get a soundless game. 10. Console to pc port. This is a mistake that I simply cannot look past. Since the game uses steam for Authentication and its a console to pc port, I would be very surprised if they actually have a large mod community which any TES and Fallout series of game ends up relying on at some point, more so for the TES games, though.

    Now for the good:

    1. The enchanting system is well done, I personally like it better than oblivon and morrowind. 2. Crafting is a good thing, this was long overdue and its not done too poorly. 3. Dual wield 4. Better graphics (I do factor in graphics as part of a review, I use the system from the early 90s)

    Here is the end rating:

    Graphics 9 out of 10
    Sound 7 out of 10
    Gameplay: 8 out of 10
    Longevity: 9 out of 10 (compared to other games in todays market)
    Fun Factor: 8 out of 10

    What would I personally set a value for what the game is worth?: $40.00 (usd)

    This game gets an 8 out of 10, it has a lot of issues that can easily be worked out with patches, but there are just some things I cannot get past. Oddly while I prefer Morrowind more I end up giving it a lower rating based on the early 90s rating system due to the horrible graphics it had out of the box. BTW this rating is all out of the box and for the game before its patched, please keep this in mind.    … Expand
  63. UserExperienceS
    Nov 12, 2011
    8
    If you're having issues with the game crashing:

    1. Set your audio to 24 bit, 44.1Hz
    2. Be sure you have the latest graphics card drivers
    3. On the main menu, go to Data Files and turn on "Load Loose Files".
  64. sinproducer
    Nov 11, 2011
    8
    I can't defend this game from not getting some decent updates in a couple areas , mainly UI but most of the negative complaints are simply untrue. The graphics are in fact great and the game runs really smooth on Ultra, but I'm sure if you have an older system you won't see it that way. If you played the game for an hour, you didn't see enough of it to get past the part where it's NOT justI can't defend this game from not getting some decent updates in a couple areas , mainly UI but most of the negative complaints are simply untrue. The graphics are in fact great and the game runs really smooth on Ultra, but I'm sure if you have an older system you won't see it that way. If you played the game for an hour, you didn't see enough of it to get past the part where it's NOT just Oblivion reskinned. You can in fact hotkey things directly from favorites and even choose which hand they are assigned to. I NEVER have to go into the menus unless I level up or switch gear out for something better/preferred. Game is completely stable and outside of a few wonky textures and the same logic problems I find in every single game, I'm enjoying myself. More of the same? Please let me know when you are playing a truly original game in this generation of games. Oh.. and another thing. All the people crying about this game being too console like will change their song in a few months when mods start coming out. Give it a year or more and the praise will be universal that PC is the way to go.… Expand
  65. HenryBukowski
    Jul 18, 2012
    8
    For all the breathtaking aesthetic beauty of Bethesda games, I feel they could really take a lesson from Bioware in storytelling and making people come to life. I say this as a huge fan of Bethesda, with Fallout 3 and Morrowind being some of my favourite games of all time. But in games like Knights of the old republic, mass effect, neverwinter nights, Bioware do so much more to enthrallFor all the breathtaking aesthetic beauty of Bethesda games, I feel they could really take a lesson from Bioware in storytelling and making people come to life. I say this as a huge fan of Bethesda, with Fallout 3 and Morrowind being some of my favourite games of all time. But in games like Knights of the old republic, mass effect, neverwinter nights, Bioware do so much more to enthrall you with a storyline, to develop relationships and make you care. The main problem for me in Skyrim is this storyline. Dragons! 15 year old boys may find the idea of battling dragons awesome, but Bethesda can do so much more than this. There's a fine line between generic fantasy games and the more impressive and stylized ones, and I worry that by importing the fantastic trope that is dragons into your game you really only de-value your own concept. Hoist by one's own Petard, as they say. Couple of other things: dungeons. In Oblivion and Morrowind there was variety in what you could find within. In skyrim, you always know it's going to be a sh*t load of Draugr, and if you're bloody lucky, a couple of frostbite spiders. Where did that variety go!? Quests: There are some really fantastic ones, but at times I feel there's a lack of invention. The go get me this item approach to quests only carries you so far. Bethesda needs to innovate rather than play it safe. Combat: Mods are a must for this, but only available to pc users. I really can't see that the combat has improved since oblivion, just evolved in a parallel direction. Still no inbuilt parry system or anything, a shame. But I'm saying these things as someone who loves the elder scrolls, and believes in it. Beautiful game, with loving attention given to its 'Nordic' Lore. What I'm trying to say though is that Bethesda has set its sights on making the ultimate 'immersive' experience; a game where you can do anything, go anywhere, be anyone. But for that to have been truly realised, more attention would have been needed to the depth of the 'being', the 'doing' and so forth. Just because I can go anywhere and do anything, does not mean I will want to if there's inadequate depth to those in-game acts. For me, the answer is making us care more about characters, relationships, be more shocked and gripped by plot. Skyrim calls out for this if only to do justice to the huge effort put into crafting its glorious world.… Expand
  66. roboticsun
    Dec 18, 2011
    8
    After 50 hours log into to this game, I still found this game is an empty and hollow game. Skyrim has hardly any immersion. The story is bland. You can tell they created the bells and whistles THEN created the storyline around it. Which is sad. As an RPG, it should be more concerned with the story. Then the bells and whistles pull you in even further. Bethesda is losing track on what madeAfter 50 hours log into to this game, I still found this game is an empty and hollow game. Skyrim has hardly any immersion. The story is bland. You can tell they created the bells and whistles THEN created the storyline around it. Which is sad. As an RPG, it should be more concerned with the story. Then the bells and whistles pull you in even further. Bethesda is losing track on what made morrowind so enjoyable. To go from Morrowind to Oblivion then to Skyrim are huge steps backwards. This game was released with lots of bugs and even broken on PS3, Bethesda clearly choose quantity over quality. They do not even bother to polish the game. I'd say Don't buy it right now. Wait for the price to come down to $20.… Expand
  67. Hanseshadow
    Nov 15, 2011
    8
    -- Skyrim has a large world, tons of content, and excellent quests. A compelling story makes you want to not stop playing. The graphics are top notch, the audio is great, and most of the animations are good. If you want a game that will give you many hours (40 hours in and I'm still not done, but I like to see and do everything) and you like fantasy single-player role playing games,-- Skyrim has a large world, tons of content, and excellent quests. A compelling story makes you want to not stop playing. The graphics are top notch, the audio is great, and most of the animations are good. If you want a game that will give you many hours (40 hours in and I'm still not done, but I like to see and do everything) and you like fantasy single-player role playing games, this is a game for you.

    Now, the detractors:
    -- 1) The interface on the PC is poor. The interface for the PC looks like it was an afterthought from controller based consoles. The largest detractor is the reliance on a favorites menu to select items to equip. There isn't a favorite item equip hot-swap system, which causes you to scroll through menus repeatedly to switch between magic and weapons. Standard PC RPG elements are missing, such as a minimap, hotbar, backpack, etc. The biggest detractor is the hotbar and customizable keys for specific spells and equipment.

    -- Information on the interface is scarce. You cannot see most of the information you need at a glance, such as what all the map locations you've visited and cleared (you must highlight each one). I haven't seen a note interface for the map, either.

    -- 2) Movement system is extremely poor.

    -- You can jump, walk, and run with movement keys. You cannot tell if something is too steep to run up, aside from sliding back or stopping. There isn't a climbing system, contrary to statements of "you can climb everything" prior to the game's release. If you are slightly sliding, you cannot jump. This leads to getting stuck for a bit while you figure out how to get out of the predicament you got yourself into. You cannot vault over fences or rocks, if your jump is inadequate. You cannot pull yourself up onto a ledge, if it is 1 centimeter higher than your jump height.
    --
    -- 3) Graphical glitches such as frame rate drops and texture issues on models exist with my system (core i7-950 with nvidia 560). Crashes occur without details. Since launch just occurred, I'm hoping for patches that will eventually solve these problems. My solution is to save often and restart, when textures do not render and frame rates drop to 1 per second.

    -----

    -- With the size of the world, the huge amount of content, and the well done quests, dialog, books, combat, and many other interesting aspects to the game. I give this game a realistic 8. It would be a 9 with a better interface. It would be a 10 with a solid movement system and interface for PC.    … Expand
  68. czerro
    Nov 12, 2011
    8
    Game looks spectacular. It's not as rewarding as Oblivion or Morrowind. Every quest requires that you trek across the map to one point to progress...only to have to trek to the furthest point on the map from that position to get to the next quest point. This is annoying for two reasons: 1.) Blockades ala Fallout 3 prevent you from shortcutting. Mountains will block your progress atGame looks spectacular. It's not as rewarding as Oblivion or Morrowind. Every quest requires that you trek across the map to one point to progress...only to have to trek to the furthest point on the map from that position to get to the next quest point. This is annoying for two reasons: 1.) Blockades ala Fallout 3 prevent you from shortcutting. Mountains will block your progress at every turn. 2.) Anticipate a lot of boring walking and getting dead-ended by cliffs.

    Two other gripes. The writing is well below Morrowind and Oblivion. Oddly the books you will find are 10 times bigger...of 10x poorer writing. The voice acting is all over the place, and most of the characters talk in a very slow, ponderous style. It takes forever to get through these character's monologues....just to discover you have to trek all the way to the other side of skyrim to progress in the quest. The characters say almost nothing of interest. For instance asking the Greybeards about the dragonborn, results in an almost 3 minute monologue that ends with, "we don't really know why some are dragonborn, but they come in a time of need." Wow thanks! That was rewarding!

    The speech options are weird. Over half of them are sarcastic and off-putting. You can either ask questions, or give d-bag responses. Really messes with the atmosphere of the game.

    Game looks like a million bucks. Questing is harder than Oblivion and Morrowind, in that they are harder to stumble upon. NPC's will talk your ear off...with no pay off. While I like the fact the books have been expanded...the writing is very poor. Quests essentially work like this: Go to place that is furthest possible from quest giver. After completing some minor task, trek all the way to the furthest possible place from that point in the quest. Complete some minor task. It just seems like they are stretching the play hours.

    The game looks and runs great. It's not Oblivion or Morrowind. This may be good or bad depending on how you like these games. Expect to get your ear talked off about a lot of unimportant information. Expect to criss-cross the map for quests designed to lengthen the game experience. This game is probably much shorter than Oblivion or Morrowind. Also, as great as the game looks, Morrowind and Cyrodill had more interesting architecture and environments.    … Expand
  69. giskard
    Nov 17, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is a massive world, far bigger than we expected. Larger than Morrowind and Oblivion combined I would say. Too many locations to name, some very deep hand crafted dungeons, some simple buildings. I have spent 60 hours doing quests back to back and there is no sign of me running out of quests any time soon. The graphics for the pc version are below PC standards and the controls areSkyrim is a massive world, far bigger than we expected. Larger than Morrowind and Oblivion combined I would say. Too many locations to name, some very deep hand crafted dungeons, some simple buildings. I have spent 60 hours doing quests back to back and there is no sign of me running out of quests any time soon. The graphics for the pc version are below PC standards and the controls are right out of a console and very annoying, leading to wrong selections, the controls are the worst part of this game to be honest but you can live with them if you sware at bethesda for leaving them on the PC version a lot. The faction quests for the companions and others tend to be short, people are finding these to be a disappointment once they play the game for a while. The Civil war quests are also short but the main quest is long and lots of fun. There are 26 hours worth of quests in the main quest if you walk everywhere. This is the best Elder Scrolls game to date by a long shot, it delivers features previous games only got via mods, making many of the old favourite mods obselete because the game supports those things as standard now. It would be perfect if not for the UI and graphics but since I do not believe in perfect scores, I would give it a 9 but the UI it self is so annoying I am going to give it an 8 instead. Anybody buying this game is going to love it because all those who got it so far, already do. I am not joking.... this is going to be classic...… Expand
  70. Tyrant_T100
    Nov 14, 2011
    8
    I preordered Skyrim hoping it to be better than Oblivion that was a flawed but fun game from Bethesda, in its own right it was good but compared to Morrowind from 2003 it was poor.
    After playing over 20 hours of Skyrim since the 11/11/11 I can say they have done a great job and Skyrim surpasses Oblivion and sits shoulder to shoulder with Morrowind.
    Many of the complex themes in Morrowind    I preordered Skyrim hoping it to be better than Oblivion that was a flawed but fun game from Bethesda, in its own right it was good but compared to Morrowind from 2003 it was poor.
    After playing over 20 hours of Skyrim since the 11/11/11 I can say they have done a great job and Skyrim surpasses Oblivion and sits shoulder to shoulder with Morrowind.

    Many of the complex themes in Morrowind such as the politics have returned and Skyrim is a better game because of it, the soundtrack is good but doesn't stand out as anything special. The game looks lovely graphically and the art direction is top-notch it avoids the ugly problems of Oblivion and Fallout 3.

    The game gets an 8 however due to occasional crashes that I'm sure will be patched as well as occasional memory leaks and fps drops. The game overall is excellent and feels like a true sequel to Morrowind.    … Expand
  71. TheMitherer
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    First 50 hours or so are very good but then this game flatlines very badly and becomes quite a deflating experience. Take the smithing skill for instance, great fun at first but then, along with enchanting and alchemy, it becomes part of a game-breaking triumvirate and after say level 30, the only way anyone should die is by falling off a cliff in a snowstorm.. Not long after this you'veFirst 50 hours or so are very good but then this game flatlines very badly and becomes quite a deflating experience. Take the smithing skill for instance, great fun at first but then, along with enchanting and alchemy, it becomes part of a game-breaking triumvirate and after say level 30, the only way anyone should die is by falling off a cliff in a snowstorm.. Not long after this you've probably had your fill of the 'radiant quests' (stupid name for a srupid concept) and you are almost certainly tearing your hair out after being told to clear out Fort Respawn for the 3rd time. Then comes the problem of where to put all those unused perks - hmmm do I really need a running power attack when a standing one takes care of most enemies? Do I really need prices to be lower when I've got 80,000 gold and no useful way of getting rid of it? Why the hell would I need poisons? Why should I put any perks in blocking at all? The basic shield bash seems overpowered as it is. Persuasion attempts are 30% easier? You mean you can fail them? I have several items that do what the perks do anyway. I finished the whole thieves guild line of quests without putting any perks in sneaking, lockpicking, pickpocket or speech and only lockpicking and speech got out of the 20s. I didn't even bother to try out half of the shouts some of which can only be described politely as stupidly redundant. I'll give it an 8 (barely) because it was quite engrossing for a decent amount of time. But in no way is this an overall improvement on Oblivion and I can't really see what they can do next with this series. I had much more fun playing The Dragon Knight Saga. People who give this 10 should really try to use different parts of their brain for once.… Expand
  72. TruthSeer
    Nov 11, 2011
    8
    Best Elder Scrolls out to date. Free world ROLEPLAYING and beautiful game world exploration at its finest. I give it an 8 due to -1 for it clearly being made for console and they could have taken the time and ported over to PC a little better. Not a major flaw but a flaw none the less. The next -1 is for video driver and pathing/camera issues. No ATI crossfire support and someBest Elder Scrolls out to date. Free world ROLEPLAYING and beautiful game world exploration at its finest. I give it an 8 due to -1 for it clearly being made for console and they could have taken the time and ported over to PC a little better. Not a major flaw but a flaw none the less. The next -1 is for video driver and pathing/camera issues. No ATI crossfire support and some intermittent NPC pathing issues (especially in large groups) are troublesome but not game breaking.

    Next, I would like to point out, please make sure your PC meets the recommend requirements before writing a review on performance. This game is hardware demanding, both on Processor and on VideoCard. Many are posting with PC specs half a decade or more older than what is recommended. Recommended = QuadCore Proc, 4GB+ RAM, Nvidia GTX260+ or ATI 4890HD+    … Expand
  73. virtualmatrix
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    One of the very best games I've ever played. A very refreshing step away from first person shooters. While I would not give this a 10 because I like to review my games later after the first patch, here goes. I gave Skyrim an 8, not because it has little issues here and there that can be overlooked, but because of the patch that just came out not 3 hours ago. Bethesda thought it would be aOne of the very best games I've ever played. A very refreshing step away from first person shooters. While I would not give this a 10 because I like to review my games later after the first patch, here goes. I gave Skyrim an 8, not because it has little issues here and there that can be overlooked, but because of the patch that just came out not 3 hours ago. Bethesda thought it would be a good idea to lock down certain parts of the coding and .ini files that make the game actually look and perform better. Why? No idea, probably just to stick it to the PC gamers that figured this out and are actually making the game better than what the people at Bethesda can do. Remember, there's more of us that there are of you. Mods are an essential part of the Elder Scrolls PC version, without those, Skyrim is all but dead.… Expand
  74. CoreDave
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is an excellent game there is no doubt about that, I am generally a little concerned about the direction of travel the series is going in. I think the streamlining has gone a little too far, I understand where some, indeed many, of the changes may have been for the better over the last couple of games but it feels like the series is losing something in the quest to appeal to theSkyrim is an excellent game there is no doubt about that, I am generally a little concerned about the direction of travel the series is going in. I think the streamlining has gone a little too far, I understand where some, indeed many, of the changes may have been for the better over the last couple of games but it feels like the series is losing something in the quest to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Mods will hopefully be Skyrims savior much as they where Oblivions. I just urge Beth to think a little longer and harder about what how to achieve fun accessible gameplay without throwing out more and more complexity.… Expand
  75. nopistons420
    Nov 12, 2011
    8
    like the game; a fresh direction for the elder scrolls series; there is some stuff i miss, allot is different but its a fresh change of pace, a fun single player experience and overall seems a good game;

    the engine is pretty impressive to me; and i enjoy the scenery and the role playing aspects of the game;
    in my mind its one of the best games to be released this year!
  76. PremierBromanov
    Nov 16, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is a very fun game. However, this doesnt mean that it is great. speaking from the perspective of someone who has never played more than an hour of any of TES games the world seems very open and your choices are just as open. See an area? go to it. The world (from a distance) seems very detailed and beautiful. However, the game fails to impress when you get close to anything. itSkyrim is a very fun game. However, this doesnt mean that it is great. speaking from the perspective of someone who has never played more than an hour of any of TES games the world seems very open and your choices are just as open. See an area? go to it. The world (from a distance) seems very detailed and beautiful. However, the game fails to impress when you get close to anything. it feels like a game developed for consoles and ported lazily over to PC. The textures for a game this size, however, are more detailed than you might expect, even if they arent HD. The UI is a disaster, following the trend of recent games for the PC where a UI is developed for a controller and ported over to use a mouse. When will developers realize that i can handle large menus easily without need to separate everything into smaller sub menus? The favorite tool is lacking. The idea is there, and the fact that you stop time when you do it is nice, but it is simply a list you choose from (and can add quick keys to, but the game doesnt show you these keys unless you're looking at the favorites list). The game also doesnt remember items you have in there if they are depleted or removed from your inventory, meaning if you use up your potions, you have to re-favorite them to find more. Also, the perk system is absolutely horrible. Sure, it looks nice; you click on a star and you get sort of a nice visual representation, but it isnt practical at all. It takes a long time to cycle through your perks and it's not always clear where you'll go if you click somewhere, on top of that, you cant just hover your mouse over a star and see what it is, you need to actually click on the skill, then progress (slowly by the way) your way through the stars to get to that perk. Whoever thought this was a good idea should be fired. Now the main event: the combat. So far, i havent dabbled into much aside from sneaky bows and daggers, but i can see the potential for endless mix-matching of styles, which is a huge plus. But, compared to better combat games like Dark Messiah or the trap laying bomb throwing Witcher 2, the combat falls flat sometimes. Often, the easiest way to deal with a tough opponent is to engage it a little bit, run away and heal, and then engage it some more and the whole experience takes too long and isnt intense enough. Give me more hazards like Dark messiah (i saw some hazards early on but they dissappeared), give me preparation like Witcher 2. All in all, the game is very large, very open, and has great potential, which is why i give it an 8 despite these complaints. This game will last any player for hours and hours, which is huge considering a more recently release boasts 5 hours for $60… Expand
  77. Endrevius
    Nov 23, 2011
    8
    Quite good game. Surely recommended, bears same addiction that rest of TES series had. Same funny bugs as well ;]. The main disadvantage is the graphics. Looks so outdated that heavily modded Oblivion looks a lot prettier. Cause of that, if You finished Oblivion, Skyrim gets boring after 50-100 hours of playing, its like a huge DLC, but nothing more. Pretty high time of playthrough as forQuite good game. Surely recommended, bears same addiction that rest of TES series had. Same funny bugs as well ;]. The main disadvantage is the graphics. Looks so outdated that heavily modded Oblivion looks a lot prettier. Cause of that, if You finished Oblivion, Skyrim gets boring after 50-100 hours of playing, its like a huge DLC, but nothing more. Pretty high time of playthrough as for modern cRPGs, but compared to The Wither 2 (Ultra++ settings), that after 4th finish (4x~30h) still gives me the same "Oo-ooh" graphic wise and still makes me want to play again with massive sightseeing and eye orgasms, still wont make me change wallpaper gallery made from thousand of screenshots, its not impressive anymore. Game surely worth finishing + exploring most of its content but thats it. Finish and forget. The Witcher 2 made a lot better impression on me TBH.… Expand
  78. prinnylaharl
    Nov 24, 2011
    8
    Either my eye sight is gone or people are talking out their ass when they say the graphics are bad. It's quite good for a game, certain people just have THE PERFECT GAME in their head and will down vote anything that does not match it. Yea the game isn't perfect, no game ever will be. Pros; Great open world, good graphics, good voice overs, good mod support. Overall it's a hugeEither my eye sight is gone or people are talking out their ass when they say the graphics are bad. It's quite good for a game, certain people just have THE PERFECT GAME in their head and will down vote anything that does not match it. Yea the game isn't perfect, no game ever will be. Pros; Great open world, good graphics, good voice overs, good mod support. Overall it's a huge improvement from previous elder scroll games. Cons; Dragons are too easy, Smithing/Enchanting are too powerful later on, ocassioal crash bugs, interface was designed for consoles and they had to actually patch in mouse support for PCs. Level Scaling; While it's true that enemies and items scale based off your level, it is not to the extent that it happened in Oblivion. Your stats scale faster than theirs and they do get progressively easier, even to the point of being able to instantly kill nearly anything. It's not like before where you were punished for leveling. Again, it's far from perfect and was obviously designed as a console port, but it still manages to pull passed that and comes into it's own as a great RPG.… Expand
  79. dubesor
    Mar 11, 2012
    8
    Skyrim is a great game, one of the best RPG games out there. Unfortunately it obviously has it flaws. If I wrote this review before 'finishing' (maybe ~50 hours in) I would have given it a 9 or a 10. But so many flaws come into mind. Many quests are bugged. You have to google the issue and find out something is bugged and correct it manually with console commands (if possible). Just one ofSkyrim is a great game, one of the best RPG games out there. Unfortunately it obviously has it flaws. If I wrote this review before 'finishing' (maybe ~50 hours in) I would have given it a 9 or a 10. But so many flaws come into mind. Many quests are bugged. You have to google the issue and find out something is bugged and correct it manually with console commands (if possible). Just one of dozens of examples is when the quest contains reading a certain journal/book but you found it much earlier it will bug out and make you unable to ever finish the questline unless you do your own research and try to manually fix it with console commands. This has happened WAY TOO OFTEN. The other MAJOR flaw are the boring quests. There are some really nice and interesting quests out there who tell a beatuiful story and it is really fun doing the quests, but far too many quests are simply like this: 'I lost my sword/flute/whatever, go to the dungeon, kill all enemies, at the end there is a chest with my lost item in it, return it to me'. Far too many of those. No story, nothing. Uber boring and so many of these quests. At the end of the game around level 50 I just quit because 99% of the quests seem to be these boring catch quests without story. Overall still a good game with awesome graphics, some great stories. The mainquest is a huge letdown also. The endboss is too easy and the "mainstory" ends abrupt with no rewards. I finished ~110 hours in. The first 50-80 hours were awesome. Then was the time when only boring quests were left. Still recommend buying, but don't expect a flawless game as it is certainly not. Also some other major bugs with followers and equipments or leveling ruined a lot for me if it wasn't for manually googling fixes and console commands. 8/10… Expand
  80. drachehexe
    Nov 27, 2011
    8
    Anybody who gives this game more than 7.5 isn't looking at Skyrim objectively or they know nothing about RPG's in general.

    Skyrim is a beautiful, full world. There are plenty of quests to do, people to meet, and dragons to kill. However, none of it is really innovative. Other than dragons Skyrim doesn't really add anything new to the Oblivion formula. Just about everything that made    Anybody who gives this game more than 7.5 isn't looking at Skyrim objectively or they know nothing about RPG's in general.

    Skyrim is a beautiful, full world. There are plenty of quests to do, people to meet, and dragons to kill. However, none of it is really innovative. Other than dragons Skyrim doesn't really add anything new to the Oblivion formula. Just about everything that made Oblivion good is there, and not much else.

    The graphics are beautiful, the game-play is smooth for the most part, the dialogue and voice acting are top notch (even if voice actors are reused ad naseum). Sadly the game has a serious number of little flaws that, when added together, really make Skyrim and overall disappointment.

    Starting with the interface. Definitely developed with consoles in mind. For PC users it's slow, clunky, and just plain bad. Even using my 360 controller with the PC version of the game it's just not right. This is probably why I don't own a console, this minimalistic design scheme is weak and uninspired.

    The interface is most troubling because it gets in the way of the meat of of any RPG; combat. You'll often find find yourself accessing the inventory several times through combat to change spells, or drink potions, or switch from dual wield to weapon and shield. Even with the "favorites" button which can cut time navigating the menus it still becomes an annoyance breaking up the flow of a particular battle and ruining the overall experience.

    Moving on to keyboard controls they are just plain screwed it up. Even after the patch I cannot make my own custom keyboard setup as the game fails to save any of the changes I make. And the default controls are a mess. They could have taken some hints from some of the modern day standards instead of screwing it up just to be different. Different isn't always better.

    The level and skill advancement hasn't changed much from Oblivion, except now you can choose various perks from high skill levels that used to be automatically assigned as you progressed in Oblivion. The spells and skill selection hasn't changed much (if at all) which is also disappointing.

    Combat is action oriented hack and slash where your skill with the keyboard (or controller) is more important than your character stats. As everything you face will be tailored to your level you will, for the most part, never find anything too hard or too easy if you approach the encounter right.. Honestly, I think my characters skill with a bow should be more important than my skill of aiming the bow for him. While it's a standard for action RPG's it lessens character development.

    You will find tho that making a character to your play style will be pretty easy. The balance and difference between various play styles is well done and feel quite different for the most part, requiring different strategies for encounters. Mages, warriors, rogues, and rogue-mages, and warrior mages all feel independent of each other. This is perhaps the highlight of the game mechanics.

    The biggest disappointment of this game is Bethesda's promise of certain things that they failed to achieve. One was the "alieness" you felt in Morrowind. They promised players would feel like a stranger in a strange land with Skyrim, much like the unique presentation of Morrowind which was lost with the generic setting of Oblivion. Skyrim has no such sense of being unique in any way. It's more or less like one would expect an RPG set in snowy mountain regions with nordic influence.

    Skyrim is a fine game. It's fun to play and it's vast. There is lots to look at and do. But it's not perfect. It's certainly better than most other open world RPG's (Gothic 3 & 4, Risen) but then so are Morrowind and Oblivion to this day. Sadly, Skyrim fails to take what Morrowind and Oblivion games us to the next level. It just gives us more of the same but with a worse interface.    … Expand
  81. davenbettridge
    Dec 8, 2011
    8
    It's great that an RPG to take itself as seriously as Skyrim has been so successful as it will ensure that we continue to receive more epic RPG in the future. Skyrim's Nordic setting is good, the vast scope and the depth of the quests and skills are also compelling. The character skills, progression and the amount of things to do in the game are fun and rewarding which does make SkyrimIt's great that an RPG to take itself as seriously as Skyrim has been so successful as it will ensure that we continue to receive more epic RPG in the future. Skyrim's Nordic setting is good, the vast scope and the depth of the quests and skills are also compelling. The character skills, progression and the amount of things to do in the game are fun and rewarding which does make Skyrim value for money and worth peoples time. Unfortunately I found the main story fairly lame and I felt disinterested in most of Skyrim's characters and skipped over most of the dialog which should not be the case in an RPG. I found myself only completing quests for rewards rather than any story purpose which is a missed opportunity. I also did not like most of the character models in Skyrim, the humanoid faces were awkward to look at. As I played Skyrim on PC I was disappointed that the UI was very console friendly at the expense of much keyboard/mouse support, which is something that is inexcusable for a game originating on the PC. Overall Skyrim is an epic game and one that has a lot of depth, its a pity that the characters and overall story of the game are not better but it is what it is. Recommended.… Expand
  82. Sussex_Man
    Dec 28, 2011
    8
    My ignorance might have won the day. I could have given this a 9 or even a 10 but I can't. Why? Because I've played the Witcher games and have discovered just how great an RPG really can be. Yes, Skyrim looks beautiful in those huge outdoor vistas. Just don't get too close to anything, though. Close-up details are not particularly good, even on the highest graphics settings.
    As for the    My ignorance might have won the day. I could have given this a 9 or even a 10 but I can't. Why? Because I've played the Witcher games and have discovered just how great an RPG really can be. Yes, Skyrim looks beautiful in those huge outdoor vistas. Just don't get too close to anything, though. Close-up details are not particularly good, even on the highest graphics settings.
    As for the main quest, I've been playing the game for about 10 hours and I'm really not getting engaged with the main plot at all. On the plus side it's because there are just so many side quests to do - this game is HUGE. On the minus side, the main quest is just not very interesting. Apparently the world might end. Really? In Oblivion it really felt that way. The hordes of the underworld had bled through and the ominous red glow in the sky was chilling and added a genuine feeling of peril. In this game I don't feel it at all. The world is full of dragons. They're pretty easy to kill, much easier than most dungeon bosses.
    Many of the side missions are retrieval quests - "I've lost X, go to Y and bring it back" - but they're fun for the most part, if not particularly challenging.
    The controls and combat are Ok but could be much better. A very obvious console port and not intuitive for mouse and keyboard but everything does run smoothly.
    Unfortunately there are tons of bugs - not too surprising for such a huge game and no real game-breakers. Just silly, laughable quirks like my horse becoming invisible at certain angles so it looks like I'm floating astride nothing. Sometimes dropped items don't land on the ground but sit three feet above my head, just floating there in space.
    I'm still enjoying it, hence the decent score, but it's just not engaging enough to give it full marks.    … Expand
  83. Azill
    Nov 12, 2011
    8
    Improved everything that was bad from Oblivion. Except for the interface. My god, it's terrible. I was hoping they would put together a menu for the PC version but that is not the case. Fix that and the game gets a 10/10 from me.
  84. Piapia
    May 22, 2012
    8
    It's easy to see why the boys at EA decided to hold back the release of ME3 so as to not have to compete with this game; it's everything good about the previous Elder Scrolls emphasized, with just a touch of what they learned from doing the Fallout franchise. if you liked either games by Bethesda, you'll like this. The sad part is, it doesn't really bring much NEW to the series if you'veIt's easy to see why the boys at EA decided to hold back the release of ME3 so as to not have to compete with this game; it's everything good about the previous Elder Scrolls emphasized, with just a touch of what they learned from doing the Fallout franchise. if you liked either games by Bethesda, you'll like this. The sad part is, it doesn't really bring much NEW to the series if you've played them before... but still has just enough freshness that while you may not jump up and down with joy, you'll get satisfaction. You don't fix what isn't broke, after all (or bugs, when you're Bethesda, and the game has ALL the usual bugs in that regard- if you've been a fan of the series you know what they are and you expect them anyway). As usual, it also comes with a MASSIVE modding community, made so easy and simple by Steam integration that anyone can do it; so if there's something more you want, you have a lot to fall back on. It'd be a ten, but the game is NOT without its problems (as said, the usual Bethesda bugs, the fact that it CAN feel rehashed and old at times, and can definitely have a 'grinding' feel to it). The difficulty is alright- especially for someone new to the series, though not so much for one used to the old quirks- and it excels on a technical level. Outstanding graphics, beautiful music (the soundtrack is the best in a long time), smooth gameplay and an easy to understand while still fairly vast system of upgrades. Not a perfect game, but one of the best to come out in a long time and thus far better then anything other companies have put out this year (2012) or even the last.… Expand
  85. MintyChris
    Aug 5, 2012
    8
    Very good game. Massive in size and content. Visually amazing in parts.

    Lacks depth. Lack of connection to enviroment and its people. Completing tasks has no real impact on the lanscape and its contents.

    Close but falls short of being a great game.
  86. thefinn
    Dec 22, 2011
    8
    Let me start out by saying - this game is easily the best of its' genre.

    However, it does have some problems that many people will probably overlook. The re-playability of the game is really good, but the re-telling of the story isn't so great. The story in itself is ok, but totally takes away from your immersion in the world. There are some spurious reasons behind making your character    Let me start out by saying - this game is easily the best of its' genre.

    However, it does have some problems that many people will probably overlook. The re-playability of the game is really good, but the re-telling of the story isn't so great.

    The story in itself is ok, but totally takes away from your immersion in the world. There are some spurious reasons behind making your character the protagonist in many occasions. After a while you get used to being the man who becomes king because everyone else around just says "Hey yeah, totally good idea, because like... you're THAT good".

    I'm really mostly looking forward to the creation kit and seeing what people come up with on their own. Bethesda have done an awe inspiring job of graphics and game-engine building, but a god awful job of creating an immersive storyline and some of the voice acting is sub-par at best - others are great, like Esbern.

    The follower they give you at the start has a lot of AI issues and really annoying habits, I'm not totally sure why they did this, however the AI programming and follower control needs some overhaul in my opinion.    … Expand
  87. TheBank
    Dec 27, 2011
    8
    This game has so much inside of it. You get your money's worth. My only grief is that out of (apparently) no where the game will lag to an unplayable level. This can be fixed the first time by fast travelling to another location (or going to a load screen). After the first time it becomes more frequent until you have to restart the game. Apparently this issue has been recognized byThis game has so much inside of it. You get your money's worth. My only grief is that out of (apparently) no where the game will lag to an unplayable level. This can be fixed the first time by fast travelling to another location (or going to a load screen). After the first time it becomes more frequent until you have to restart the game. Apparently this issue has been recognized by bethesda and they are working on it. Setting my graphics lower increases the amount of time it takes for this glitch to appear again. I would recommend waiting to buy this game until it's on sale (I got it on a steam holiday sale). When everything is smooth I will enjoy this game all the more. I am very pleased with this game, I would recommend getting the nexus mod manager and getting some of the top mods for this notably "acceleration layer." Check out skyrim nexus for more details.… Expand
  88. MrSniker
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    If it wasn't for The Witcher 2, this would definitely be Game of the Year but it has several shortcomings. The UI is definitely a console port mess, switching weapons, spells and shields during battles is often times a nightmare. You'll often get things mixed up, spells on the wrong hand, or weapon it's really a nightmare. Yes there are hotkeys but generally they don't help much whenIf it wasn't for The Witcher 2, this would definitely be Game of the Year but it has several shortcomings. The UI is definitely a console port mess, switching weapons, spells and shields during battles is often times a nightmare. You'll often get things mixed up, spells on the wrong hand, or weapon it's really a nightmare. Yes there are hotkeys but generally they don't help much when you're switching from spells to sword and boarding. Another problem is crafting is a pain, especially enchanting with the UI in place. Leveling up enchanting on weapons you've found is a pain. The level scaling system is back and it creates some odd problems. If you spent your first levels leveling up crafting trees before combat you'll often times face opponents far stronger than you because of your lack of combat skills. It's really annoying and I noticed this from the jump to 20-->30 because I spent around 5 levels crafting. It's annoying and they should really just ditch the idea, it doesn't promote exploration. It's annoying when you open a master safe and only get 12 gold. Really 12 gold for a master safe? The pros are well the skill system has been simplified now to perks on a little tree. It's simple and easier to understand than past Elder Scrolls. Dungeons have been vastly improved from Oblivion and are fun to just go exploring in for fun. Combat is a huge jump and the story is your typical DnD experience, it's predictable but your so lost in exploring you don't really care. Overall the game is great, it takes all the problems of Oblivion and fixes most, save for the annoying console UI, and I stress ANNOYING.… Expand
  89. AlienSpaceBats
    Aug 14, 2014
    8
    A buggy, incomplete mess that suffers from attempts to maintain console parity. Thank Christ for the legion of modders working to make this game a decent experience on PC. Vanilla Skyrim is janky, at best. Quests are broken, game CTDs regularly, a disastrous console port that deserves better for its PC release. Elder Scrolls games have been going downhill since Oblivion, streamlines here,A buggy, incomplete mess that suffers from attempts to maintain console parity. Thank Christ for the legion of modders working to make this game a decent experience on PC. Vanilla Skyrim is janky, at best. Quests are broken, game CTDs regularly, a disastrous console port that deserves better for its PC release. Elder Scrolls games have been going downhill since Oblivion, streamlines here, removal of features there, there's reasons why people think Morrowind is perfection. I loved the game, but modders take half the credit.… Expand
  90. gvazdas
    May 6, 2012
    8
    A game that I really love even now.
    The graphics are great, there are more voice actors now and the animations are finally livelier and better.
    Some areas in the game fall flat for FPS drops and the AI can be extremely stupid sometimes. But it falls flat to the amazing customization and exploration in this game. Buy it and play it. You won't regret it (unless your PC is made out of plasteline).
  91. GolovA
    Dec 27, 2013
    8
    I love Open World games. And i loved Fallout 3. Skyrim seemed to me quite boring by comparison. (At this point i will point out that i enjoy Sci-Fi and Firearms in games much more than Medieval themes and melee weaponry). However, i remember playing and replaying Morrowind dozens of times! Why? Because replaying made sense in Morrowind. It made sense in Fallout 3. And wasI love Open World games. And i loved Fallout 3. Skyrim seemed to me quite boring by comparison. (At this point i will point out that i enjoy Sci-Fi and Firearms in games much more than Medieval themes and melee weaponry). However, i remember playing and replaying Morrowind dozens of times! Why? Because replaying made sense in Morrowind. It made sense in Fallout 3. And was thoroughly joyful. Not in Skyrim. I played Skyrim for about 60 hours, as one character: i enjoyed it, but i did not love it, and don't want to replay this game at all, because it makes no sense of playing as a different character to me in Skyrim. But if you enjoy swords and axes, spiders and elfs, mead and ales Skyrim is an excellent game to sink 50 hours into: it has good story, good quests (repetitive, and somewhat boring caves), and the best part is IT CAN BE MODDED! Thanks Bethesda! … Expand
  92. NoVertigo
    Dec 4, 2011
    8
    As a true elder scroll fan, I can promise to any reader reading this review will not see a biased/unrelated/ranting review here. I was long looking forward to skyrim, after experiencing Oblivion I honestly thought Bethesda could not surpass this. After playing many hours of Skyrim I feel I can speak true to other fans, or any other gamer who seek an excellent FPRPG experience. Lets startAs a true elder scroll fan, I can promise to any reader reading this review will not see a biased/unrelated/ranting review here. I was long looking forward to skyrim, after experiencing Oblivion I honestly thought Bethesda could not surpass this. After playing many hours of Skyrim I feel I can speak true to other fans, or any other gamer who seek an excellent FPRPG experience. Lets start out visually; Skyrim I must say is stunning (if you have the power for it), even on a medium setting. What really strikes out is the atmosphere. You will see snow dust blowing, trees waving, beautiful water detail falling from cliffs and all sorts of wildlife running from and after you.. Skyrim honestly made me feel as if I was actually in the wild. The characters were mediocre, slightly better then those from oblivion with some flaws on texturing when they speak. Character creation, although very similar to oblivion, is very detailed as well, customizing everything from your nose, to the amount of dirt thats exposed on your skin. Now to gameplay; Skyrim has many different aspects to its gameplay that many gamers such as myself can pick out for a thorough review. First combat. I can definitely say that bethesda perfected combat in skyrim. No longer is it running around hacking and slashing. There are more fluid techniques one can use and it actually feels that you need to study your opponents moves. From using your shield to push them back to parrying them. Spells are excellent in which you now hold down to attack and dual wield. All in all the combat in skyrim is flawless. A huge draw back in this game is the character leveling. There are many perks one could use in this game but I feel there is alot left out. No matter if its a sword or mace, the mechanics only care if its one handed or two handed. Character strength and athletics no longer matter and any race can be a good spell caster if you devote your points to it. It feels that you can be anyone and excell in anything, which is fine, but it takes the fun out of being a character specific class. One thing I felt fell short was the GUI. The interface can be quite aggravating compared to oblivion which was much more organized. Some highlighted conversation selections will not work, the map controls are bit tedious to work with, and the inventory screen is quite bland. On to the story/quest/replay values. So far (I will not spoil anything) the story line is excellent. All the characters have a different personality, the voice acting is excellent, there are literally hundreds of quests and you will never become bored. AI town civilization is also greatly improved. Characters have better dialogue with each other and it feels like an actual simulation. To sum it all up, If you are an elder scrolls fan, Skyrim should not be an option just get it you will be satisfied. If you enjoy in depth RPG's that take on a more action style gameplay, Skyrim will satisfy you. If high replay value is what you are looking for, look no more. Skyrim, I can easily say, definitely meets expectations to a brand new Elder Scrolls title… Expand
  93. TheFPSage
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    I thoroughly enjoyed the game, despite any flaws it has. The biggest problems were the lack of diversity when playing as different races (ie, Altmer not treated any differently than an Orc, other than being called "Orc" rather than "Elf" by NPCs). Another problem was the repetition in the questions, which seemed to be mostly made up of Got to X Cave, retrieve/slay Y. Additionally, the mainI thoroughly enjoyed the game, despite any flaws it has. The biggest problems were the lack of diversity when playing as different races (ie, Altmer not treated any differently than an Orc, other than being called "Orc" rather than "Elf" by NPCs). Another problem was the repetition in the questions, which seemed to be mostly made up of Got to X Cave, retrieve/slay Y. Additionally, the main quest seems to be halfarsed towards the end and you will be disappointed by the ending. By this point in the series, I expect this sort of stuff, though it would have been nice if they had gone a bit beyond.… Expand
  94. HardCoreGamer15
    Nov 15, 2011
    8
    This game was entertaining for up to about a total of 5 to 6 hours but then after that it just didn't feel the same so I ended up getting bored of it and just started playing other games instead. If your gonna make a massive environment then make sure the Gameplay is really ADDICTING because if if gets boring then you've just gone an annoyed heaps of people who were expecting so much more
  95. gmodman2888
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    My first Elder Scrolls, this game may have some bugs, but the world is vast, of course there's gonna be bugs. This game has many things you can do kill dragons,rob houses and other things you wouldn't do IRL. My main problem is the UI, if there making a new Elder Scrolls which is very likely they should change the ui
  96. DrLlama
    Nov 12, 2011
    8
    As usual, there're many polarised reviews here. This game deserves neither a 10 nor a 0. The game is definitely an improvement on Oblivion ("game of the year" nonsense notwithstanding, many people found it dull or unplayable), and things such as dual weilding and lack of classes are very welcome. The environments and music are wonderful and models are fantastic, too. The major thing for meAs usual, there're many polarised reviews here. This game deserves neither a 10 nor a 0. The game is definitely an improvement on Oblivion ("game of the year" nonsense notwithstanding, many people found it dull or unplayable), and things such as dual weilding and lack of classes are very welcome. The environments and music are wonderful and models are fantastic, too. The major thing for me is that combat feels much better, and that makes a huge difference!

    However: this is still elder scrolls, and let's be honest here, these games are all more or less the same. There is just more emphasis on breadth than depth, and so the game won't be for everybody. Flaws? The interface leaves a *lot* to be desired, voice acting is a mixed bag as usual, graphics technology is dated (despite being pulled off well anyway), AI is awful. Ultimately, a well-refined albeit unoriginal game with a lot to enjoy, as well as some flaws. It's certainly worth a try, I think most people will genuinely enjoy this - if you don't, that's OK too, just don't give it so much hate which it doesn't deserve.    … Expand
  97. AfroThunda
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    I feel split in two over Skyrim. On one hand, its a beautifully crafted game, with hours of content that dwarf even what was on the earlier Elder Scrolls games. Combat feels smooth, the graphics are top of the line. Out with the glitches and clunky character models that were Bethesda's unofficial trademarks. And honestly, no company makes open world RPG fantasy games like Bethesda. Fans ofI feel split in two over Skyrim. On one hand, its a beautifully crafted game, with hours of content that dwarf even what was on the earlier Elder Scrolls games. Combat feels smooth, the graphics are top of the line. Out with the glitches and clunky character models that were Bethesda's unofficial trademarks. And honestly, no company makes open world RPG fantasy games like Bethesda. Fans of the earlier games don't need convincing, the games are huge time sinks. But on the other hand...

    Its almost a disservice to call the game streamlined, but just almost. First leveling. The leveling system from Oblivion has been cut in half; no more Strength, Endurance, Agility, and Willpower character stats. Only skills stats like Blocking, Destruction, and Sneak got to stay in. This has its plus and minuses. On the up side leveling is less of a hassle of trying to increase minor skills to up stats and all that hooplah. On the negative side, it strips away a huge part of character diversity, especially during early/mid game. To me the bigger offense is that all the races have essentially the same skills. No more jack of all trades Dark Elf, spell casting Breton, and warrior Orc. Of course, any race could be built anyway you wanted, but now race has been boiled down to an aesthetics choice. To gamers new to the series this is fine. To an Elder Scrolls veteran it means that this + no more stats simplifies the leveling system. Big time.

    Of course simplified doesn't mean simple. The game is complex enough to entertain me and mods alleviate most of the problems. Mods also solve my biggest irk, which is how ridiculously easy the game is (even the hyped up dragons), but I shouldn't have had to use a mod. Well, this comment makes the game seem like a let down but its not. I'm giving it an 8 because it has highlights that overshadow its negatives. And honestly, I feel like a new gamers coming in to the series would see most of these negatives as a relief from how inaccessible previous titles were.    … Expand
  98. Kelemvor
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is a good game, but by no means the game it could have been.
    The graphics are improved, the music is fantastic, and the nordic atmosphere is captured quite well.
    The problems however make the game less fun on the long run, compared to the older installments. Attributes have been removed completely, the magic system has been gutted, to a mere handful of effects left, the spellmaker    Skyrim is a good game, but by no means the game it could have been.
    The graphics are improved, the music is fantastic, and the nordic atmosphere is captured quite well.

    The problems however make the game less fun on the long run, compared to the older installments.
    Attributes have been removed completely, the magic system has been gutted, to a mere handful of effects left, the spellmaker is gone, there are very few good quests, most of them are kill&Collect quests, the guild quest series are mostly very short and unimaginative, and the main story, while better as in Oblivion is also average at best.
    But there are a number of improvements too. The graphics have been updated, you can cook and smith now, buy multiple houses, and marry someone. The perk system which is introduced works quite well, but can in no way compensate for the loss of attributes, spellmaker and magic effects.
    There is more wildlife now, and the cities are denser populated, making the world more "alive". The dungeons are handmade now, and have a shortcut at the end, so one does not have to run through the entire dungeon to get to the exit. Unfortunately the variety of the enemies is extremely limited. There are bandits, trolls, Rogue magic users/vampires and Draugrs(Most of the time), that's it, that's all you will ever encounter in dungeons. All in all a good game, which lacks the complexity and replay-value of its predecessors, and gets boring more quickly. While i played more than 500h in Oblivion(with the extraordinary OOO-Mod), Skyrim gets tedious after less than half of that time.

    Despite that, i see a concerning development on the horizon. The dumbing down of games has reached TES. No spellmaker, no attributes, less skills, gutted magic system, imaginative quest replaced by boring grind quests. If this continues, Skyrim is the last TES-installment i will buy. I played all of the TES games, and never was this trend so obvious as in Skyrim.    … Expand
  99. barbie
    Mar 12, 2012
    8
    love the new interface, love the streamlined perks system, love the graphics, even love the combat mechanics, what i hate though is the plot, it doesnt feel focused enough, and all the sidequests are rather boring. also i wish you could form deep relationships in the game like in Dragon age origins, make u sorta feel more attached to the wonderfully huge and impressive world. overalllove the new interface, love the streamlined perks system, love the graphics, even love the combat mechanics, what i hate though is the plot, it doesnt feel focused enough, and all the sidequests are rather boring. also i wish you could form deep relationships in the game like in Dragon age origins, make u sorta feel more attached to the wonderfully huge and impressive world. overall though i loved it, got a good solid 30 hours out of it before boredom kicked in.… Expand
  100. 3quilibrium
    Nov 12, 2011
    8
    With a game this big it's impossible to keep everyone happy. There are the people who want freedom in an open world setting who then moan because they don't know what to do or feel that "there isn't a story" amongst all the lore that has been shoe-horned in to the game. Perhaps they need the main story in capital letters to make it more obvious...
    Others complain and give it zero out of    With a game this big it's impossible to keep everyone happy. There are the people who want freedom in an open world setting who then moan because they don't know what to do or feel that "there isn't a story" amongst all the lore that has been shoe-horned in to the game. Perhaps they need the main story in capital letters to make it more obvious...
    Others complain and give it zero out of ten because they think that it looks crap since there are a few blurry textures or nothing happens at times or even that the odd bug pops up. Guess what people - it's a massive open world game. The sheer amount of detail more than makes up for a slightly blurry patch of rock or grass and the size of the map dictates that you need to travel large distances so at times the action takes a back seat to exploring or talking to the many locals. Anyone who thinks that a game as complex as this can be without bugs (many of which I admit were in the last couple of Bethesda games) is deluding themselves.
    If you get bored easily because you might have to read a book to get information on a quest or thought that you were getting a dragon-fest hack and slash game then more fool you. Go play Call Of Duty and let the big boys have a game that has depth and value for money.
    I feel I've only just scratched the surface of this game and yet it surpasses Oblivion in every way so far. It looks great, sounds great and plays like a dream with better combat and more options on how to approach quests than before. Especially in the dungeons.
    My only real issue with the game is a fairly big one though. The menu system has yet again been designed for console and has not been sufficiently changed to fit in with PC gaming. The favourites idea for the quick changes of many weapons is a good idea but in practice has been implemented atrociously, as have some of the menus. Being forced to press enter at times, even though you clicked on something similar just before with your mouse is sloppy and stops the menu system ever feeling fluid.
    Bethesda have taken a lot of notice of their fans from Oblivion and implemented some neat touches and of course, as I said, are never going to keep everybody happy, but I must give it points off for the terrible menus. Even so, it's a great game so far with plenty of hours of gameplay and well worth anyone's cash.
    On a final note - people are even comparing this game to The Witcher 2 and saying the graphics of Skyrim are terrible compared to it. The Witcher 2 (a game that I love incidentally) is broken into small areas that have to be loaded into memory each time you move from one place to another so of course they can get more graphical fidelity in those areas. You would need a super computer to run Skyrim at the same graphical quality given the size of the lands and the draw distance involved.
    So there you go...not quite in a nut-shell but if I have offended you with my opinions you should see the ones I keep to myself. :)    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2011
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
2
#2 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 29, 2012
    90
    Unfortunately, Skyrim trips and falls on its own (most probably, to make the cool-sounding deadline of 11-11-11) and just before it reaches perfection as the ultimate specimen of its genre, it self-destructs in a crucial aspect of game design: the interface and the peripheral components (inventory, journal, map, etc)... but that is not to say that Skyrim is anything but a truly majestic, epic RPG that will suck you right in its cosmos.
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  2. Armchair Empire
    Feb 14, 2012
    100
    Skyrim is definitely one of the best games of 2011, but if the DLC holds out, it might just be one of the best games of 2012 as well.
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 19, 2012
    90
    Skyrim is the best open world RPG you can get. A true evolution of genre is not flawless but still it is the game you love to live in. [Christmas 2011]
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