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. hoffstarr
    Dec 8, 2014
    7
    Without mods Skyrim is nothing but a mediocre hiking simulator...

    - clunky combat
    - laughably bad writing
    - mostly consists of garbage content ( fetch quests, c&p dungeons, kill x amount of y, etc. )
    - No matter how big a game is, that amount of bugs and glitches is simply not acceptable
    - really poor animations
    - the interface is basically unusable
    - etc.
  2. Shionsan
    Nov 26, 2011
    4
    An awesome game for the first few hours. World of Skyrim is big and nicely detailed. And pretty much everything is highly improved compared to previous series of Elder Scrolls. But after those few hours of gameplay you'll start to realise that all this awesomeness, all this freedom Skyrim gives you, is nothing but illusion. While game allows player to do what he want and when he want, anyAn awesome game for the first few hours. World of Skyrim is big and nicely detailed. And pretty much everything is highly improved compared to previous series of Elder Scrolls. But after those few hours of gameplay you'll start to realise that all this awesomeness, all this freedom Skyrim gives you, is nothing but illusion. While game allows player to do what he want and when he want, any "not-by-script" actions will break the game at some point, making it impossible to proceed with storyline without console shamanism. Quests have a lot of obviously stupid algorithmic errors, and do not take player's possible misbehaviour in account. It's like they were written by random people, who never seen each other, not to say talked about each others quests conflicting with each other. Bethesda absolutely should spend some of that money on hiring a beta-tester team.

    There's a lot of "generic" quests, that tells you to kill/steal/buttkick something and go back for crappy sum of 100-300 coins. Those "Infinite quests" is nothing more but a lame "MMORPG-style grinding". The story itself is straightforward, onesided and utterly stupid. For example, if there is a war between two groups, and you happen to join one of them, the other side will hate you, and try to kill you should opportunity arise. But they do not! You can easily come to enemy's headquarters, put buckets on everyone's heads, steal everything, shout on everyone, ask "How's the war, dude? Does my actions screw your life much, eh?", and easily waltz outside like nothing happened. The multiple choices player makes does affect almost nothing. And sometimes those illusional choices are not even given (I don't want to kill anyone for that stupid Boethiah, but there is no option to buttkick her back to oblivion).

    But the worst of them all is one strong feeling that gets stronger with each quest done: the land of Skyrim consists only of dumb and lazy people. Nothing, I mean absolutely nothing happens without players involvement. Everything that is done in Skyrim - is done by player. From the moment you are given controls at Helgen, till the moment quit the game - nothing is happening here. Well wolfs do run after deers in woods, kill them and leave all that meat to rot. Necromancers sometimes kick bandit's butts if they meet them around you. And number of thieves die by the hands of local guards every night at Riften. Dragons sometimes attack guards, while completely ignoring anyone else. But that's all. There's WAR going on, but noone does sh*t! Why? This game have a time. Why not use it?

    It's not a surprise the AI's dumb. They do fight all right (looks ugly still). But when in peace-mode... I wonder if all Skyrim NPC's are actually lonely, despite living in cities full of same stupid NPCs. I mean everyone do talk to you as you pass by. And even if you just stand there, not looking at them, they talk to your back. There is a quest turn-point and some smart explanations are done by "immortal" VIP-NPC, but some old beggar-dude cuts in and asks for a coin, while completly muffing out the quest-NPCs speech. Sometimes there are even like 5 NPC's talking together. So ronery... And I won't talk about the aspects of path-finding, "follow-me" states, quest-scenes and other script-based AI stuff that always have at least a 20% chance of failing, what almost always leads to a game-breaking end.

    There is also a lot of other minor bugs, like shifted object spawn locations, mannequin's infinitely spawning armor pieces, lot's of places where player can completly stuck without "tcl", screwed animations, out-of-place effects, like paralysis that happens on enemy's death, or sneak-perk's brief-invisibility that can screw the nightingale powers, NPC's that spawn being half underground and a pack of other dumb stuff I can't remember right now. Come on, guys! Just play your own game once. It's not so hard to spot at least a half of those bugs in just a few hours of gameplay.

    I hear Elder's Scrolls series always had a habit of being released half-cooked, so the real score should be given only after the grand-patch will come out. But this time the amount of bugs is so big, I'm afraid not even this patch will deal with them all. So here's 10 for making big beautiful and detailed world, -3 for a 20% chance of any quest failing and making the game unplayable anymore, -1 for the gameplay balance which is simply absent after you max out few skills, and -2 for somewhat lame storyline and a bunch of lonely, lazy and utterly dumb NPCs, that swarm the land of Skyrim. That makes 4, which is bad, 'cause making a nice console-textured world with good weather effects is not enough for a good game. Let's hope the incoming patch will actually make this game worth it's price.    … Expand
  3. Speed4Runs
    Jan 2, 2013
    3
    The game features nice graphics, good sound, bad gameplay and very good longevity. When you play this game, you will get bored very soon: the gameplay doesn't have a point, a competition. You just play it for relaxing. You go and get some special object, but the game isn't competitive. It doesn't have a point. Very extended world, good graphics, but poor performance, and the game is fullThe game features nice graphics, good sound, bad gameplay and very good longevity. When you play this game, you will get bored very soon: the gameplay doesn't have a point, a competition. You just play it for relaxing. You go and get some special object, but the game isn't competitive. It doesn't have a point. Very extended world, good graphics, but poor performance, and the game is full of bugs. Good plot. Gameplay 2/10 Graphics/Performance 2/10 Plot 5/10 Longevity 6.25/10 Average: 3.81 OVERALL SCORE: 3/10 (not an average)… Expand
  4. osoichan
    Nov 12, 2011
    6
    It feels like, sounds like and looks like little pimped oblivion mixed with morrowind. Graphics are not that good as i excepted. If i compare them to withcher 2 the result is miserable
  5. Scritty
    Nov 17, 2011
    6
    A decent enough game. Development of character is ok(ish) but graphics for a PC are woeful. It shows that this game has been written with the "ancient clockwork" hardware of the 360 and PS3 in mind. They are so bad it's shocking. Combat is rather weak (point and click...and keep clicking - changing weapon is about the only tactical thing you can do and most fights it's just a case ofA decent enough game. Development of character is ok(ish) but graphics for a PC are woeful. It shows that this game has been written with the "ancient clockwork" hardware of the 360 and PS3 in mind. They are so bad it's shocking. Combat is rather weak (point and click...and keep clicking - changing weapon is about the only tactical thing you can do and most fights it's just a case of swapping to a melee weapon when the mob gets too close etc). Story is good, voice acting is better than Oblivion (More variation) But I just can't get over the poor graphics. Sure - -buy it - it's not a bad game, but it's definately not a 2011/12 game - more like a 2005/6 one… Expand
  6. Elmiq
    Nov 13, 2011
    5
    After like 6 hours i have stopped playing as i was just bored. It is almost the same as Oblivion, but we have rocks and snow instead of grass. Stupid dialogs, stupid tutorial (there is a bear ahead, lets sneak or take this bow - then one shot and bear is dead. So simple, but still my companion had to cry). Graphics are average - nothing special about it. Is dragon from start trying to killAfter like 6 hours i have stopped playing as i was just bored. It is almost the same as Oblivion, but we have rocks and snow instead of grass. Stupid dialogs, stupid tutorial (there is a bear ahead, lets sneak or take this bow - then one shot and bear is dead. So simple, but still my companion had to cry). Graphics are average - nothing special about it. Is dragon from start trying to kill us ? Then he should wait one more second - dragon idiot, that's all. I would give it 5, as game is not that bad, it is just nothing more than average experience.… Expand
  7. zakarum
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    Bethesda sells this game as a RPG, yet it's a adventure game. Three stats, blande forge system, buy 1000 daggers to do a greatsword? really? Lot's of fetch quests, dungeons look the same. Bad voice acting sounding the same over and over, uninteresting writing in the main quest.
    Basically, if you sell it like a RPG, it should be a RPG.
  8. 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
  9. BigJimmy1234
    Dec 28, 2011
    0
    So very poor for an Elder Scrolls Game.

    It has almost no progression in terms of the game world or gameplay. Besides dual spells and weapons, the game has not improved at all over 5 years. -The world is still filled with static carts and stupid AI bleating garbage at you. The game world is as immersive as a town of Lego sadly. -The graphics are damn right ugly and terrible for current    So very poor for an Elder Scrolls Game.

    It has almost no progression in terms of the game world or gameplay. Besides dual spells and weapons, the game has not improved at all over 5 years.
    -The world is still filled with static carts and stupid AI bleating garbage at you. The game world is as immersive as a town of Lego sadly.
    -The graphics are damn right ugly and terrible for current PC's.
    -PC support is beyond a joke and why I gave this such a low score - the fps is cpu capped! Yes, seriously! How stupid and absurd could things be for a game?! The game is clearly not built for computers and is another cheap console port.
    -The memory usage is also capped at 1GB so I hope you don't like mods otherwise the game will crash to desktop every few minutes    … Expand
  10. c0m4ndo45
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    I fail to understand the negative reviews here. There are flaws, yes. No game i played had no flaws - specially near release. A bug or two do not affect my rating however, and that is all the bad i've found so far. The graphics are good, for god's sake! why does it seem like every game must look like crysis or something to have good graphics! The sound is good, the atmosphere is perfect,I fail to understand the negative reviews here. There are flaws, yes. No game i played had no flaws - specially near release. A bug or two do not affect my rating however, and that is all the bad i've found so far. The graphics are good, for god's sake! why does it seem like every game must look like crysis or something to have good graphics! The sound is good, the atmosphere is perfect, the story is epic...

    I may be more favorable than i should because i share such nostalgia and love for oblivion and this game was just what i have been waiting for since i stopped with oblivion, but this game is for those who have loved oblivion and the series and like this kind of game for what it is overall, and i value the fact that bethesda did what their fans wanted. If you find this game boring, go play something else, it is not for you.

    If yet you come here to rate this game down, knowing that it is not really your kind of game or just blaming graphics or something like that, know that your name will be in my prayers for Sithis...    … Expand
  11. Greg_Heavy
    Jul 23, 2012
    7
    It's ok, until the next TES game comes out. Then it will be forgotten (I like to call it the "need for speed effect") by everyone. Shallow story and characters, nothing really interesting apart from the graphics.
  12. breezy808
    Jan 4, 2013
    4
    This is based on roughly 40 hours of experience, the price, and I am no long addicted to this game, I lost all interest in it. I will probably never play this game again. I bought this game because of all the hype, the story is cool the type of enemies are really cool, the story is fascinating, exploring is amazing!!! Why did I rate this game so low? Because of the weaponry, armor sets,This is based on roughly 40 hours of experience, the price, and I am no long addicted to this game, I lost all interest in it. I will probably never play this game again. I bought this game because of all the hype, the story is cool the type of enemies are really cool, the story is fascinating, exploring is amazing!!! Why did I rate this game so low? Because of the weaponry, armor sets, (melee) combat, bugs, and it's butchering of loot. I don't even know why people praised this game, the new RPG standard in games is A LOT OF LOOT!!! This game will NOT give you that, it's system is terrible, predictable and unlike other Bethesda games(fallout for example) You aren't rewarded for exploring much, if you do find an upgrade it's not an "AWESOME" Moment it's "DUH, I knew I'd get something like that". I play A LOT of RPG's, dead island, kingdoms or amalur, Fallout, the list goes on. They give you satisfaction when you loot, it's like you stare at it for a good 20+ seconds, it's fun! This game, nah. Basically :
    I Payed 30 dollars for skyrim(50% sale) Thank god I didn't pay the 60! This game is great, if you enjoy graphics(Character graphics/animations are kind of terrible) Reading books, not much more benefits I can say other than that. Comparing to other RPG's of the same company, or just in general. This game has more quantity, than quality when it comes to submersing you into it. I'd recommend fallout:new vegas over skyrim. 10,20$? For New vegas, New vegas has much more bugs, however telling you from 250 hours of experience(and still haven't beaten the game) Exploring is so much more enjoyable! I Spent most of the time and story line exploring instead of questing. Skyrim all you really buy this game for is to reading books, not really much more. This is my first taste of elder scrolls and I will never go back to it.    … Expand
  13. esplosion
    Nov 8, 2014
    0
    My problem with basically every game that tries to be real general and open, is that the impact of your choices decreases proportional to the amount of choices. Skyrim: millions of choices, no ability to fundamentally impact the world. It's a small step away from flying around a landscape in a 3D modelling program. Yes, I can increase my smithing to 100, but for what? So I can 'make' aMy problem with basically every game that tries to be real general and open, is that the impact of your choices decreases proportional to the amount of choices. Skyrim: millions of choices, no ability to fundamentally impact the world. It's a small step away from flying around a landscape in a 3D modelling program. Yes, I can increase my smithing to 100, but for what? So I can 'make' a 3D model that someone else made and have slightly better stats so I can delete some other 3D models from the map, and these 3D models don't even impact the virtual world, and I didn't even need the increased stats to kill them. There has to be either a decided goal for a game, or some fundamental human thing at its core, like love or friendship or dreams

    I don't need actual hard work in my fantasy. That's why fantasy exists, that's why I'm pretending and not actually doing it. I pretend so I can have all the good bits, and not have to deal with the bad bits. Skyrim seems to have the opposite philosophy. Work real hard, suffer all kinds of unpleasantness, for no reason whatsoever. All the bad bits and no good bits. We already have that, it's called Real Life.    … Expand
  14. FozzyTheForger
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    Yes, there are some serious issues with this game on PC. Quite obviously, the new take on controls was created with primarily (console) gamepads in mind, not the classic PC keyboard & mouse combo. In the first 40 hours of gameplay, the game crashed three times and glitched out on me two times - but, compared to, say, Fallout 3, that means there was obviously some sweat and tears andYes, there are some serious issues with this game on PC. Quite obviously, the new take on controls was created with primarily (console) gamepads in mind, not the classic PC keyboard & mouse combo. In the first 40 hours of gameplay, the game crashed three times and glitched out on me two times - but, compared to, say, Fallout 3, that means there was obviously some sweat and tears and brainmatter involved in updating the engine and bring it to modern times, I'd say they've done a great job. Seeing as graphics cards meanwhile feature five to ten times as much video memory on average and systems (not just dedicated gaming rigs) are generally much more capable than 2006, when the predecessor Oblivion was released, I have to say I am amazed at how well this game scales to different sets of hardware. Sure, the console roots show, and some bits of the controls just feel clunky, unwieldy and not too clever, but since this is the first real RPG offering in quite a while (Dragon Age 2 wasn't really a keeper, or even a proper RPG, mind you), I was eagerly looking forward to get my hands on this one. I personally think that the PC version looks and feels best, and the levelling system, which at first seemed to be pretty confusing, random and annoying started looking rather beautiful and well thought out at around level 30. While I intended to visit the world of Skyrim as a rogue, my player character has turned out to be a sneaking, lock-picking, dual-wielding master of destruction and conjuration, and while I never liked the ocd-grade professions in World of Warcraft, being able to create and improve equipment actually feels good in Skyrim. I still hope there will be a comeback, a modern incarnation of the "classic" fantasy role-playing game, but Skyrim is a neat and wonderful trip. At times, the limitations of the engine do show, but compared to the many, many hours of exploring, sneaking, battling, setting things and creatures on fire and trapping their souls for later use, I would say Skyrim is a remarkable title and a job well done. Yes, after having watched some amazingly perplexing online video footage of people playing the game, I can imagine that Skyrim is, to a significant extent a very individual if not downright unique journey, but for the veteran role-playing gamer who does not like World of Warcraft and despises Dragon Age 2 and given time and understanding spouses, this should be considered a must-buy, must-have, must-play.… Expand
  15. Bazah
    Nov 11, 2011
    9
    Although the graphical capabilities of the engine used in the game are quite lacklustre especially in in terms of certain textures, the feel and atmosphere of the game is spot on. So much detail has gone into the game, and the quests feel handcrafted to me for the majority. I can't think of any other games which have more handcrafted quests. Of course the randomly generated kill banditAlthough the graphical capabilities of the engine used in the game are quite lacklustre especially in in terms of certain textures, the feel and atmosphere of the game is spot on. So much detail has gone into the game, and the quests feel handcrafted to me for the majority. I can't think of any other games which have more handcrafted quests. Of course the randomly generated kill bandit leader ones are quite bland. The music is absolute top standard, and the game is very stable. Just about every single one of my steam friends is playing this game, and I'm hearing of a small number of crashes but that is it. I'm thinking some of the people facing graphical issues probably haven't updated their drivers. I'm happy to for people to have different opinions to me regarding this game but some of the people giving low ratings are absolute morons. The game does have a console feel to it at times, but one person complained that you can't assign numbers to items. This is absolute bullcrap as I have all my number key assigns to weapons and spells, and it's pretty sad that people are rating the game lower just because they are a bloody dumbarse that can't even work out the controls!… Expand
  16. Rime
    Nov 14, 2011
    9
    If you're whining about this game not running or working on your PC, your computer is garbage. Go out and buy a decent computer before you downgrade this game and criticize it. I play it on full ultra, at 1920x1080, and it runs smooth like butter. Perhaps if you can't play this game you should go buy a console, instead of downgrading the metascore? I know you are frustrated and sad, butIf you're whining about this game not running or working on your PC, your computer is garbage. Go out and buy a decent computer before you downgrade this game and criticize it. I play it on full ultra, at 1920x1080, and it runs smooth like butter. Perhaps if you can't play this game you should go buy a console, instead of downgrading the metascore? I know you are frustrated and sad, but please, leave the REAL gaming to us people who can afford to play a game meant to be played on a real rig, not your crappy $400 Best Buy PC.

    For real, guys, quit down-rating it because it has graphical glitches. If your computer could handle it, you'd not see them. It's your own fault for buying a junk computer.    … Expand
  17. Slightshadow
    Nov 11, 2011
    9
    0s, 1s and 2s, lol, you guys are high. 0! Wow, you must have some incredibly high expectations for a game experience. I've been playing since release and am loving every minute of it so far. The control scheme takes a bit to get use to, but what new game doesn't. The graphics aren't stellar high res, but fantastic eye candy nonetheless. The story is fantastic! The combat is decent0s, 1s and 2s, lol, you guys are high. 0! Wow, you must have some incredibly high expectations for a game experience. I've been playing since release and am loving every minute of it so far. The control scheme takes a bit to get use to, but what new game doesn't. The graphics aren't stellar high res, but fantastic eye candy nonetheless. The story is fantastic! The combat is decent and entertaining. The sheer amount of things to do is over the top. I've had 0 issues with the game, not one crash, flicker or freeze. If you dig a deep, well crafted RPG that will keep you busy for longer than you care to play, this one will definitely satisfy.… Expand
  18. Rupture
    Dec 12, 2011
    10
    Whilst it's true the game still has quite a few bugs, for me they are isolated to quest bugs only as I haven't encountered anything else in the way of bugs and I've now played 120+ hours. These bugs at times are infuriating but for Skyrim's sake they don't detract from the experience at all and I still feel this game is definitely a 9.5-10. The sheer size of playable area, coupled with theWhilst it's true the game still has quite a few bugs, for me they are isolated to quest bugs only as I haven't encountered anything else in the way of bugs and I've now played 120+ hours. These bugs at times are infuriating but for Skyrim's sake they don't detract from the experience at all and I still feel this game is definitely a 9.5-10. The sheer size of playable area, coupled with the amount of content to do is overwhelming at times but it's just so good! At any one time, your log is likely to have 20-30+ quests. Sheer quantity does not always translate to quality but Skyrim never transcends into the mundane thankfully. With a slew of quest bug fixes due sometime in the next month, this game is only going to get better with age, oh and as for the graphics...stunning, it's actually mindboggling how good everything can look whilst still rendering smoothly on such sheer scale. If you don't have this game and enjoy RPG's, you really shouldn't be on here, you should be playing the game!… Expand
  19. Lowzar
    Nov 11, 2011
    9
    The ingame menus stop me giving this a 10, they are just a lazy effort from the devs.
    Other than that, its an awesome addition to the Elders Scrolls saga.
  20. Jdankens
    Mar 30, 2012
    10
    This game has stood it's ground as time goes on. Notice how the majority of negative reviews are when the game was released. Granted, I was a bit disappointed at first too. The graphics were not what I was expecting and there were a few bugs and the UI kind of sucked. Most of the negatives are from people that cannot be satisfied.

    Bethesda has proven to be a worthy company though,    This game has stood it's ground as time goes on. Notice how the majority of negative reviews are when the game was released. Granted, I was a bit disappointed at first too. The graphics were not what I was expecting and there were a few bugs and the UI kind of sucked. Most of the negatives are from people that cannot be satisfied.

    Bethesda has proven to be a worthy company though, releasing updates, an Excellent Hi-Res pack, and providing continual support The millions of people who have put in many hours can attest to the overall quality of this game. After you put in 100+ hours, you realize how impressive this game really is. They put so much time into designing this, so many unique places and dungeons.

    Oh and did I mention the mods? You can get as ridiculous as you want with this game. I know 'hardcore' elitists will never let their nostalgia go, this is by far the highest overall quality RPG game ever made.    … Expand
  21. donkeygravy
    Nov 14, 2011
    10
    I am not an RPG player at all - but this game converted me. It is amazing just how huge the world is. I have been exploring now for 40+ hours and have not even touched the main story line. I just want to keep on poking around through dungeons and forests. The alchemy system is fantastic. All the issues I had with the game - the UI- were fixed the first day. I made a gamble and bought thisI am not an RPG player at all - but this game converted me. It is amazing just how huge the world is. I have been exploring now for 40+ hours and have not even touched the main story line. I just want to keep on poking around through dungeons and forests. The alchemy system is fantastic. All the issues I had with the game - the UI- were fixed the first day. I made a gamble and bought this over MW3 and I have never been more happy about a purchasing decision. Skyrim proves you can have a very long lived series that constantly ups the bar and exceeds expectations each time a new game gets made. Imagine if COD got 1/100th the effort Bethesda put into Skyrim.... You need this game in your life. It is amazing.… Expand
  22. BlutoothBaddy
    Nov 12, 2011
    9
    The game is perfect by no means, but most of these scores ranging below 6 are mainly picking out very minor things and turning each of these into a game breaker. First off the bugs are nowhere near as bad as people have made them out to be. I have played a total of fourteen hours and have crashed twice, both cases happened at a loading screen so my progress was auto saved before, only aThe game is perfect by no means, but most of these scores ranging below 6 are mainly picking out very minor things and turning each of these into a game breaker. First off the bugs are nowhere near as bad as people have made them out to be. I have played a total of fourteen hours and have crashed twice, both cases happened at a loading screen so my progress was auto saved before, only a minor set back. Aside from that the little quirks go unnoticed and I continue to go about doing as I wish. Also, the combat isn't mind-blowing but it has improved tremendously since Oblivion and does a fine job at it. The visuals aren't the best but they aren't merely a "heavily modded Oblivion." Each quest has been completely unique and the dungeon layouts are fantastic. Somewhat cheesy story line but well worth it. I foresee many more moons of playing Skyrim.… Expand
  23. countryfarmer
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    There is a good game and a very good game. This game is beyond both of these. This game is not just fantastic to play but it is also breathtaking with its enchanting scenery, enjoyable missions, fascinating puzzles and the unforgettably addictive gameplay. Once again Bethesda Softworks has made a game which I will never get bored with. Thanks, Worth every penny!
  24. MattC
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    Graphics: While some of the up close textures may be a tad blurry, and you might get some pop in; this game looks absolutely wonderful with a decent PC rig with all the settings on ultra. For a game with environments this vast you are going to see some hiccups, but overall the level of detail is remarkable.

    Sound: With some old ES favorites mixed into an original score, the music in    Graphics: While some of the up close textures may be a tad blurry, and you might get some pop in; this game looks absolutely wonderful with a decent PC rig with all the settings on ultra. For a game with environments this vast you are going to see some hiccups, but overall the level of detail is remarkable.

    Sound: With some old ES favorites mixed into an original score, the music in this game is top notch and comes to a crescendo during high action parts, yet drops off to a soothing melody as you walk around towns. The ambient sounds are also top notch and brings another level to this world when played through a surround sound system. Gameplay: In previous ES games I always found that the combat was rather lacking and got very stale after a while, especially melee characters. While Skyrim doesn't exactly implement a brand new combat system, they have however, refined their combat system into a much more enjoyable experience. It seems Bethesda has taken a page out of the Bioshock book, because in Skyrim your character now can dual wield weapons, magic, or in the case of my character one of each. Many magic spells can be combined to create a much more powerful version of which ever spell you are dual-wielding. Melee still feels a bit flat when compared to the dual casting magic system, but with the inclusion of gruesome finishing moves and the ability to wield two one-handed weapons, as well as a more effective sword and board style, melee combat feels much better than in previous iterations of the ES series.

    Leveling up in Skyrim has also been streamlined, (i know i know many construe streamlined as being "dumbed down", and I assure you it's not) which in my opinion was a very welcome addition. It still follows the "level up by doing" formula of previous games in the ES series. but instead of trying to divide 10 points into 50+ skills, you now choose to put points into Magic, Health, or Stamina every time you gain a level. In addition to choosing a base stat to boost, you also get a perk point every level, which you can than put into a specialty area, such as destruction/restoration/illusion if you use magic or one-hand/two-hand/shield for people who like to hit things. Menus/UI: While these are serviceable for PC users who use a mouse and keyboard, it is very evident that these were designed with controllers in mind. I also don't like that the ability to bind different keys is restricted. While I can still remap certain keys I can't assign my number keys to various potions, abilities, magic, etc. which is a bit of a let down. That being said, the menus themselves have a very slick look to them, especially the skills menu where you spend your points once you level.

    Playability/Re-playability: This area is where Skyrim really shines. The amount of quests in this game is absolutely staggering, and many are in places that you might not think to look. For example I was reading random books in a random dungeon, and one of the books gave me a quest to find an ancient sword. I'm not sure if that one book is the only way you can get the quest, but it goes to show that you should leave no stone unturned when it comes to exploring. Skyrim also continues the ES tradition that ensures that no player will experience Skyrim the exact same way as another. Now the main quests are the same, but the game leaves it up to you in how and in which order you want to tackle each one. Another interesting aspect of the Skyrim quest system is that it will continue to spawn random kill/search/rescue/deliver quests that will in theory keep you going forever.

    Bugs/Glitches: For any of you familiar with the ES or (new)Fallout series you know that these games can be full of bugs from something as simple as textures not loading to something as game-breaking as a corrupted save file. Skyrim seems for the most part to be game-breaking bug free, but still has a few annoyances such as NPCs caught in a loop, or wooly mammoths being launched hundreds of feet in the air. Luckily the auto save feature in Skyrim activates each time you enter or exit a new area, so if you are unfortunate enough to experience a major bug that requires a reset, hopefully it won't set you back to far. Another issue worth mentioning is that Skyrim can crash randomly, and while I haven't experienced it first hand, my roommate has had a few.

    Overall: Skyrim is the pinnacle of the ES series, it remedies many issues of the past games, and presents you with an open world experience unparallelled in the RPG realm. The quests are fun and engaging, the world feels alive as npc's walk around and do their day to day chores, the combat has been tightened up and feels much better, especially as a melee character. If you have never played an ES game before and are looking for an open world rpg than this game is for you, and if you are familiar with and enjoyed previous games in the ES series Skyrim will blow you away.    … Expand
  25. KurtW
    Nov 16, 2011
    8
    When Fallout 3 came out it was called by some 'the biggest mod for Oblivion'. It turns out the fifth Elder Scrolls release may as well be called 'the biggest mod for Fallout'. Bethesda have mixed what had proved so tremendously gripping in TES4 with some novelty concepts from their experiences with the Fallout franchise into... well, in my humble opinion NOT the game of the year. It cannotWhen Fallout 3 came out it was called by some 'the biggest mod for Oblivion'. It turns out the fifth Elder Scrolls release may as well be called 'the biggest mod for Fallout'. Bethesda have mixed what had proved so tremendously gripping in TES4 with some novelty concepts from their experiences with the Fallout franchise into... well, in my humble opinion NOT the game of the year. It cannot be denied that the freedom of choice and the sandbox-like, fully interactive environment are the best features the game has to offer.. The place for a third digit in the 'hours spent' count is there for a reason. The non-scripted dragon fights are also light years ahead of, for example, Bioware's DA series. The way one can interact with the humongous world is a treat in itself, what with all the crafting, alchemy, cooking, prospecting or even woodcutting. What I do not like about Skyrim, however, is that it's in no way as revolutionary as Oblivion was back in 2006. The solutions offered by the supposedly new Creation engine are one disappointing feature. Even with the settings maxed out (all the way, far beyond 'Ultra'), I keep asking myself why I bought a new rig earlier this year. If individual screenshots might capture some true eye-candies, the overall experience is that of... running around Capital Wasteland during wintertime. Working on the quality of TPP animations does not exactly mean improving the feel of combat, which apart from dual-wielding/casting does not appear in any way different than in Oblivion. It feels static, rolls or dodges are virtually not-existent. One change long awaited by the fans was going to involve the NPC faces. Those have improved since TESIV, however, regretful I am to say this, a DA2 character would run away in horror on seeing just any face from Skyrim (not to mention Triss Merigold who would probably kick the bucket on the spot). Before the release, Bethesda reps would also boast about how the voice acting had changed since Oblivion. This is only partially true. The lines used by merchants, trainers, or other characters you have to interact with at least every couple of hours, are surprisingly few, which makes the interaction repetitive and automatic. Since Skyrim is meant to be played for 100+ hours, it does not seem justified to place so much emphasis on the quality of spoken interactions in the main story line, while at the same time leaving the rest of the dialogues so much less appealing. Music is the feature which rarely can be find disappointing about Bethesda games and nothing seems to have changed in this aspect. All in all, the Skyrim development team seem to have decided on a safe approach. Almost nothing feels dumbed down, there are very few activities and quests in the whole game that do not feel entertaining. Still, the five-year gap between the two most recent ES games was apparently too short for Bethesda to make a leap into a new quality of gaming.… Expand
  26. utking
    Nov 26, 2011
    4
    Bad ui, bad bugs, not good enough graphics. Not showing any skills, too easy to play. Oblivion was 10x times better!!...........................................
  27. andrecastelo
    Dec 1, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Skyrim is a game supposed to take the immersion to the next level. The landscapes are amazing, the world building is excellent and being divided between two factions in the middle of a civil war, when neither of them is black and white is awesome. The shout idea is another good point and I particularly liked the other guilds and factions sidequests.

    The problems with Skyrim are several. For a game built to be in the top tier of the immersion factor, the AI is just too poorly written. Characters have few lines, you have little impact on their lives or their behavior towards you and the problems when everyone is against you (with vampirism for instance, if you are starved, doesn't matter if you are wearing a mask, everyone knows you're a vampire and will attack on sight, even the poor guy who has agreed to help you 10 minutes earlier) CERTAINLY break immersion.

    Whenever a dragon flies by in a city, EVERY ABLE BODIED men and women WILL drop anything and everything they are doing to kill it. It's complete **** everyone should be running away desperately. And the horses? Why are they so completely badass in this game? Every time I unmount near a bandit camp, my horse goes **** inside it to murder every single one of my enemies. Don't get me wrong, my horse is the DB one and it's cool that he behaves like that, but should EVERY horse in the realm do this? It certainly breaks the immersion when horses flee the stables to kick some dragon's ass.

    This game is hell of a lot fun, but its flaws are immersion breaking. It's a game that wants you to lose yourself inside its world, but instead manages to break in every NPC encounter you have.    … Expand
  28. breslin
    Dec 19, 2011
    5
    "Freedom without Purpose": I was seriously disappointed by Skyrim; I choked on insignificant options, undirected freedom followed by quick deaths, the confusing UI, the confusing map, and poor combat mechanics. But I have read that if you play it in a certain way it's more enjoyable:

    http://www.oxm.co.uk/36533/features/skyrim-nine-ways-to-make-it-the-worst-game-ever/ I suspect that this    "Freedom without Purpose": I was seriously disappointed by Skyrim; I choked on insignificant options, undirected freedom followed by quick deaths, the confusing UI, the confusing map, and poor combat mechanics. But I have read that if you play it in a certain way it's more enjoyable:

    http://www.oxm.co.uk/36533/features/skyrim-nine-ways-to-make-it-the-worst-game-ever/

    I suspect that this writer is correct, but it's a shame that you ruin the game unless you do X, Y, and Z, particularly if the game presents itself as a "free play"/sandbox game. Again, undirected freedom isn't a good thing in and of itself, particularly if it's achieved by simply removing the signposts.

    I think Skyrim's success has to do with all the fancy graphics and media hype.    … Expand
  29. Personal_Jambi
    Dec 24, 2011
    10
    I'd like to give this game an 8/10 but I can't help but see that an amazing number of users are giving this a 0/10 simply to offset the good scores. This game isn't perfect as the critics rave, but it is still amazing. I could go on and repeat everything that has already been said, but it would just feel too redundant. The Elder Scrolls franchise defines single-player RPG's, and Skyrim isI'd like to give this game an 8/10 but I can't help but see that an amazing number of users are giving this a 0/10 simply to offset the good scores. This game isn't perfect as the critics rave, but it is still amazing. I could go on and repeat everything that has already been said, but it would just feel too redundant. The Elder Scrolls franchise defines single-player RPG's, and Skyrim is no exception. Huge world, many play-styles, beautiful scenery, and entertaining quests are among a few of the high points for this game. Sure, there are bugs, but that is to be expected from a Bethesda game. Mods for PC users fix most problems and will improve the game. While this may be the closest thing to a console port in TES's history, it doesn't make this a bad game. Anyone with sense will know that while this game may have it's flaws, it is still a fantastic experience.… Expand
  30. Gnomercy4U
    Feb 14, 2012
    8
    If you loved Oblivion you will love this game. It is what I expected when I heard about it being developed. With the recent release of the creation kit it can only get better, as it did with Oblivion. This game offers many unique paths you can take and many different ways down those paths. As with Bethesda tradition there are a variety of game-breaking exploits via tradeskills and were aIf you loved Oblivion you will love this game. It is what I expected when I heard about it being developed. With the recent release of the creation kit it can only get better, as it did with Oblivion. This game offers many unique paths you can take and many different ways down those paths. As with Bethesda tradition there are a variety of game-breaking exploits via tradeskills and were a lot of bugs upon release. The console commands could help you bypass the bugs to continue on your way but should that really be the way around them? Exploring off the trail is very rewarding and very exciting, quests are actually meaningful and generally not the usual "collect 10 wolf flanks," "kill 5 mudcrabs," or "pick up my dry cleaning and get me some coffee" that RPG's seem to love these days. There are many ways to improve this game, and they gave us the tools to do it as well. Any open-world RPG fan would be nuts to pass this over.… 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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