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. aleyas
    May 25, 2012
    6
    Extremely inconvinient new interface, especially inventory, vast territories wih nice landscapes but nothing else (I've spent 20! real time minutes walking to a new destination with NOTHING in a way), poor story, dull quests and NPC's, lots of bugs, etc, etc.... - all in all its boring - the worst game in TES series, IMO. However there is not much choice what to play if you are doneExtremely inconvinient new interface, especially inventory, vast territories wih nice landscapes but nothing else (I've spent 20! real time minutes walking to a new destination with NOTHING in a way), poor story, dull quests and NPC's, lots of bugs, etc, etc.... - all in all its boring - the worst game in TES series, IMO. However there is not much choice what to play if you are done with The Witcher. So I would not advise against buying the game, just do not expect much and you will not be disappointed as I was:-)… Expand
  2. Adrianf84
    May 24, 2012
    10
    Most EPIC, GREATEST sand box game i ever played ! Despite its bugs, it is nearly a perfect game. The only things u would complain is definitely its bugs, but bugs can be fix in later patch. This game totally deserve to have 10 score.
  3. ukwn
    May 24, 2012
    9
    Althrough we have to deplore the lost of advanced statistics management and the recycled game engine, I must agree that the recipe of the success of The Elder Scrolls is still correctly used: here an immersive great world with own rules and story, where your decisions make it change. Concerning the soundtrack, the work is beautiful and ambiant noises suitable to the situation; the game isAlthrough we have to deplore the lost of advanced statistics management and the recycled game engine, I must agree that the recipe of the success of The Elder Scrolls is still correctly used: here an immersive great world with own rules and story, where your decisions make it change. Concerning the soundtrack, the work is beautiful and ambiant noises suitable to the situation; the game is all-round about the stuff and the additionnal objects you can interract with.
    According to most of players, I proconize that a legendary game following the steps of Morrowind and Oblivion despite the fact new kind of RPG user-friendly features was been inclued.    … Expand
  4. the-epikninja
    May 24, 2012
    10
    "Bethesda has done it again! another brilliant masterpiece made. Skyrim will be one of the best games of 2011. Endless hours of gameplay will still surprise you how much more quests are available! Hands down" -the-epikninja
  5. wrongpassword
    May 23, 2012
    7
    Skyrim's a good game but it isn't as good as its predecessors on the PC. The graphics are slightly improved but they are not the quantum leap that Oblivion was to Morrowind. The menu system is in a word crap. The dragons are more annoying than challenging. The loss of crafting spells also really hurt gameplay. Travelling around the mountainous terrain with no ability to fly or climbSkyrim's a good game but it isn't as good as its predecessors on the PC. The graphics are slightly improved but they are not the quantum leap that Oblivion was to Morrowind. The menu system is in a word crap. The dragons are more annoying than challenging. The loss of crafting spells also really hurt gameplay. Travelling around the mountainous terrain with no ability to fly or climb is a massive hassle making the open world environment feel a lot less open. The radient quest system is just a pretty way of saying randomized kill and/or fetch quests. Like all Beth releases, it is riddled with bugs which leads to a series of often questionable patches. Steam's habit of auto/stealth updating the game makes preventing bad patches a hassle and wreaks havok with modders.

    That isn't to say there aren't any positives. The random encounters are far more varied and interesting now. The two weapon combat system creates interesting if not fully realized possibilities. The new companion system also is a welcome addition. If you are a modder, which is almost mandatory, it is quickly developing one of the strongest libraries though I personally would avoid steamworkshop and its over simplified attempt at QC for mods. With the current generation of mods, I would rate this an eight and probably a nine sometime next year. That is the thing with Bethesda titles. They only get better as they age.    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. HumanMale
    May 21, 2012
    9
    A nicely balanced and well-crafted game. Many customization options and seemingly endless quests and locations to explore. In fact, it's only when you find the borders and small flaws (e.g. getting stuck in certain locations) that the charisma and immersion of the world that is Skyrim fades. Those minor errors and missing polish left behind, excellent RPG.
  8. UberGoat
    May 21, 2012
    10
    The most amazing game I have played in years. It is so immersive with so much to do. I am not the kind of person who enjoys playing single player games, but this game and Elder Scrolls in general is always an exception to that.
  9. Qwerto227
    May 21, 2012
    10
    I enjoyed this game hugely, is that not all you need from a game, I loved the characters, the atmosphere, the combat, the sneaking however what really makes it for me is the huge variety of awesome mods
  10. Dusty_Hayes
    May 20, 2012
    10
    A perfect sandbox RPG, with awesome graphics which make Skyrim look beautiful, there's lots to do in Skyrim and plays like Lionel Messi, if you love fantasy RPG games then this is a must in your collection.
  11. vildemare
    May 19, 2012
    10
    Excellent game! Worth every cent! Maybe a bit repetitive from time to times, but who cares when it feels so good! The inventory and skill access maybe quite crude anc could be more innovatie, but you'll live and get used to it. Awesome game.
  12. Discord
    May 19, 2012
    9
    Skyrim is a wonderful RPG, but many many glitches still permeate the game. While not gamebreaking, these glitches do subtract from the enjoyability of the game. Still, the game does have an exciting storyline and a fun and extremely large amount of sidequests.
  13. WaterWoman
    May 18, 2012
    9
    This game is definitely either an 8 or 9. It's just weirdly addicting, and it looks pretty amazing. Sure, Witcher 2 looks great also, but that game, for me, got old and I never finished it. Skyrim, well, I had to keep playing (only level 40 I think). None of the bugs bothered me, and the mods were great.
  14. Seorl
    May 17, 2012
    9
    Skyrim is an amazing game that is true to its roots in the elder scrolls series. The game opens much like previous games with you being a prisoner and up for execution. From there the story opens up and you can literally do anything you want from then on out. The story is your very own. The graphics are amazing, the dragon fights are fun, the controls are exactly the same as before. ThereSkyrim is an amazing game that is true to its roots in the elder scrolls series. The game opens much like previous games with you being a prisoner and up for execution. From there the story opens up and you can literally do anything you want from then on out. The story is your very own. The graphics are amazing, the dragon fights are fun, the controls are exactly the same as before. There is a great diversity of skills, items, and locations to explore. You will get lost in this world.… Expand
  15. Rodnix
    May 17, 2012
    9
    Its a mixed feeling really, the game graphics and physics, terrain access, the lighting and shadows!! It truly remarkable... You can see the amount of work put into making this game. But, somehow when you start the game, you feel let down, by the console like transfers/selection, you wanted a prehistoric book like feel and it wasn't there... and as you level up you somehow feel that youIts a mixed feeling really, the game graphics and physics, terrain access, the lighting and shadows!! It truly remarkable... You can see the amount of work put into making this game. But, somehow when you start the game, you feel let down, by the console like transfers/selection, you wanted a prehistoric book like feel and it wasn't there... and as you level up you somehow feel that you can't make that tiny variation in your skills, without the attributes that you normally have in all Elder Scroll Games prior to Skyrim... And the popular saying is, "its been dumbed down".

    But then you play for 5 hours... And you get used to it! Slowly you start liking the sheer amount of content! And with the creation kit launched... The variations with the number of people willing to put in dedicated amount of work hours to take the game to a whole new level! I guess its something like reading LOTR, you start with the dreary old patterns, where all the descriptions really gets to you. until it sticks to you! And then you will be in the virtual world for a lot more time that you actually thought you would spend. And you will end up like me, when i was adamant that i would not rate it more than 7... i've already marked it to 9. The more you play the more you want to play. three cheers to the Modders though! 9 on 10    … Expand
  16. madrigal
    May 16, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. You get out of it what you put into it. If you're going to cry about the obvious stuff, then go play Sims. Go make real choices. Go get 1000 different voice-over people and re-write the dialogue. I'm about 20 hours into it. I've read some of the other user reviews and there is some valid stuff to be said about Skyrim. I've rarely played this D&D type genre before. Last D&D style game I played was on the 3DO. Just not my gig. I have no idea about the Elder Scrolls before this so I can't speak to it. But I know that in this genre, there are spells and dungeons and caves and kill the yellow dragon, kill the red dragon, use the blue key for the blue dungeon...etc. etc. etc. There is a proven formula for this genre and their own family of games and Bethesda is just sticking to it. I have no problem with it. The truth is, this game is absolutely enrapturing in it's beauty and form (if you have the right PC and mods to run it) and fun as heck to play...if you are playing on Master difficulty. Therein lies the problem for many of these critics. They play an easy game and expect genius. When it takes you an hour to kill a dragon because you are out of arrows and running for your life, then a game gets fun. If you want more out of Skyrim, kick it up a notch. And a last word on "making choices" in a story-driven game. If you haven't already learned from Mass Effect....there are no REAL CHOICES. No matter what the game devs say, there is NO WAY to make a story-driven game with real choices. So get over it.… Expand
  17. Draig
    May 16, 2012
    9
    By far the best of the series. I've had absolutely zero issues running the game on my PC, it never crashes or hangs as it has in previous Elder Scrolls. Absolutely stunning visuals/atmosphere, the same open sandbox feel as the previous iterations of the series. A perk system which is probably one of my only complaints as they've left out some things I expect in my Elder Scrolls games, butBy far the best of the series. I've had absolutely zero issues running the game on my PC, it never crashes or hangs as it has in previous Elder Scrolls. Absolutely stunning visuals/atmosphere, the same open sandbox feel as the previous iterations of the series. A perk system which is probably one of my only complaints as they've left out some things I expect in my Elder Scrolls games, but is, nonetheless, a minor complaint. The only other thing that irks me and keeps me from giving this a perfect 10 is the companion system. Most of them are nothing more than pack mules to carry the inordinate amounts of weight I drag away from dungeons. Aside from that, I love every aspect of the play. Throw in player created content in the form of mods, some of which I can't imagine playing the game without- and you've got the best Elder Scrolls to date. If you've been playing since Daggerfall, like I have, you won't be disappointed. A must have in your Elder Scrolls library.… Expand
  18. FranCP
    May 16, 2012
    10
    The first time that I play a RPG..... and all that I want to say is: THIS GAME IS AWESOME, the graphics are so good, the gameplay is amazing, its a fantastic and addictive game.
  19. madhad234
    May 15, 2012
    9
    Excellent game, 2x better than oblivion. Only downside is that there are no custom builds. Every skill is given to you with no enhancements to leveling it, every character becomes a stealth/warrior/mage. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have put in at least 50 hours. Get the mods from steam workshop or nexus, totally makes the game a truly great experience.
  20. STMary
    May 15, 2012
    7
    This game is well done. I enjoyed it more than Oblivion myself, but not nearly as much as Morrowind.
    Had to knock the score down a notch because of the horrible UI. I haven't played since the Steam Workshop has come out, but I imagine there are quite a few fixes for this since it seems to be a common complaint. Its a shame Bethesda neglected the PC version, I would say that's where most of    This game is well done. I enjoyed it more than Oblivion myself, but not nearly as much as Morrowind.
    Had to knock the score down a notch because of the horrible UI. I haven't played since the Steam Workshop has come out, but I imagine there are quite a few fixes for this since it seems to be a common complaint. Its a shame Bethesda neglected the PC version, I would say that's where most of their fan base lies. Still pretty fun, was able to squeeze 40-50 hrs out of it before the game got too tedious for me. Will try to pick it back up again in the future, but right now I need a break.    … Expand
  21. jakz4497
    May 15, 2012
    5
    Overall, Bethesda did a good job by crafting Skyrim's world and art style. However, the gameplay and story line is a let down. The gameplay has been dumbed down from both Morrowind and Oblivion and the graphics are barely an upgrade over Bethesda's previous titles.
  22. sh1488
    May 14, 2012
    10
    if you buy one game this year make it skyrim the amount of content is worth the price. unlike most games nowadays .ive spent hours in this game already and ive barely touched the main story the side quests and random things you fine are so good you have gamer ADD on what to do next its awesome.
  23. Havocs
    May 13, 2012
    5
    I do not understand why Skyrim receives so much praise. As any other Bethesda game, it's full of bugs and glitches. In fact, the game was unplayable due to bugs and crashes the first couple of months. Still not good. The game play was rather disappointing. The interface is complete rubbish, unless you're on a console. The main quest was bland and short. The world feels short and it lacksI do not understand why Skyrim receives so much praise. As any other Bethesda game, it's full of bugs and glitches. In fact, the game was unplayable due to bugs and crashes the first couple of months. Still not good. The game play was rather disappointing. The interface is complete rubbish, unless you're on a console. The main quest was bland and short. The world feels short and it lacks variety, especially in enemies. The crafting system is ridiculous, lore breaking and game breaking. Want a five thousand damage iron dagger? Craft it! Long story short, Skyrim is what Oblivion should have been. Every TES game after Morrowind finds itself in the very uncomfortable situation to be compared to Morrowind. I'm trying not to compare Skyrim with Morrowind in this short review. So 5/10 because Skyrim can still be saved by Expansions and DLC.… Expand
  24. goodjon
    May 11, 2012
    10
    I have been playing this game since I received it as a present at Christmas. I do not play daily but when I do sit down to play, I play for a few hours at a time. This game remains challenging and engaging even after 4 months. I find myself doing side quests and exploring because I really don't want the game to end. I played Oblivion as well and enjoy this game even more. I am hopingI have been playing this game since I received it as a present at Christmas. I do not play daily but when I do sit down to play, I play for a few hours at a time. This game remains challenging and engaging even after 4 months. I find myself doing side quests and exploring because I really don't want the game to end. I played Oblivion as well and enjoy this game even more. I am hoping the soon to be released expansion is just as good as the original and that the next game is not far from release. I even like the music in the game so much so I went and bought the soundtrack. if you have not purchased the game, do so NOW!… Expand
  25. Petrovita
    May 10, 2012
    10
    This game is amazing. If you haven't heard of it, you've missed something. But don't worry! That's why you need to buy it and try it. You'll never regret it. The best RPG in a decade!
  26. masterbezruk
    May 10, 2012
    10
    Beautiful graphics and gaming world. No RPG game genre can not be compared with it. After not the best Oblivion, I began to think that the show went downhill. Skyrim pleasantly surprised. Very interesting to read the book coming across. And the music is also commendable. While in any TES is good.
  27. ZetignaGaming
    May 9, 2012
    7
    This is one beautiful game. Its hard to argue that the graphics are dull or uninspiring, because you would be lying. However, even though The Elder Scrolls series are hard to beat and even harder to come by on epicness, I will say that this one disappointed. Clearly, they spent a lot of time trying to make a beautiful game, but its depth is about a deep as a puddle of water. If I am thisThis is one beautiful game. Its hard to argue that the graphics are dull or uninspiring, because you would be lying. However, even though The Elder Scrolls series are hard to beat and even harder to come by on epicness, I will say that this one disappointed. Clearly, they spent a lot of time trying to make a beautiful game, but its depth is about a deep as a puddle of water. If I am this all powerful, god like warrior, I should be treated like one. You will find that you will complete missions, save an entire town or city from complete doom and your reward is that you get to buy a house in the town. Hell if I didn't save it you wouldn't have one. I should be KING! The scale in which your importance in this world feels just wrong. You spend most of the time taking on much of the world by yourself and doing what most armies can't. The rewards for being so amazing are something that should have more meaning. Being a puppet when I could clearly kill the quest giver is none to pleasing. Best example I can give is also a spoiler. If you help the stormcloaks win the war and take over Skyrim all you get is a cheap sword that does Nothing! Nuff said....… Expand
  28. Philip0544
    May 8, 2012
    4
    Skyrim, for me at least, is not worthy of the praise it gets showered. Yes, you get a huge overworld with a character that you customize your way, and do whatever you want, whenever you want. yes, there is a ton of sidequests. However, there are a few glaring problems that i have with this game that i just could not ignore, and that prevented me from getting any real enjoyment out of it.Skyrim, for me at least, is not worthy of the praise it gets showered. Yes, you get a huge overworld with a character that you customize your way, and do whatever you want, whenever you want. yes, there is a ton of sidequests. However, there are a few glaring problems that i have with this game that i just could not ignore, and that prevented me from getting any real enjoyment out of it. First and foremost, the game's central story and characters are severely lacking. this means that no matter how hard i tried, i just could not care about any of the characters, because they're not developed in the story, and most characters only serve to be either a quest giver or a punching bag. This made the whole game just kind of bland and uninteresting for me. Next, the combat is not all that great. lets be honest here. the combat system alone is not gonna win any awards here. Lastly, yes the world is huge and there is a lot to do, but it gets very repetitive, very quickly. quests essentially consist of going into a dungeon, finding a certain thing, killing a certain monster, or other such things. In other words, the game creates the illusion of being expansive, when in actuality is very shallow.So, what does this all amount to? it amounts to the game being boring. very, very boring. and i dont play games to be bored. Probably the best analogy I've ever heard for skyrim, and indeed, most of the elder scrolls series, is that when you first start playing, its like coming out into a huge, shimmering, beautiful lake. Enticed, you wade out into the lake. You think, gee, this is great! i cant wait until i get to the deeper part of the lake! This is going to be great! however, to your surprise, the depth goes up very little, if at all. confused, you wade on, hoping for it to get deeper, so you can immerse yourself in it. however, it never comes. Disappointed, you leave. You may go back a few times because of how pretty it is, but always end up disappointed you can not immerse yourself in the waters of the game.… Expand
  29. Ghostrider
    May 8, 2012
    5
    Some of the game is excellent, some is ok, some is quite bad.

    The good: World design. The world is huge, detailed (it even has ants) and beautiful. It is well worth the effort to walk the world of Skyrim from end to end in every direction. This is where the game really shines. Lots of places to exlore. There are hundreds of locations in the game. Most with their own small story.    Some of the game is excellent, some is ok, some is quite bad.

    The good: World design. The world is huge, detailed (it even has ants) and beautiful. It is well worth the effort to walk the world of Skyrim from end to end in every direction. This is where the game really shines. Lots of places to exlore. There are hundreds of locations in the game. Most with their own small story.

    Sadly this is where the good ends...
    The OK:
    While the story is not too horrible, it is not great either. It didn't engage me. It doesn't stand any comparison with Witcher series. But overall main, side quests make sense.

    The bad:
    Skill system. Bad, bad, bad. The idea behind Elder Scrolls series is an original one compared to your average RPG (quests->XP->level up->skills). In Skyrim you level up by using your skills. Completing quests doesn't earn any XP. Skills level very slowly. After 80 hours of playing I only have one of the skills maxed out to 100. Overall leveling a skill is long, boring and tedious work that involves a lot of grinding and/or using exploits (that are abundant in the game). Good news is that you donâ    … Expand
  30. Tyrannis1964
    May 8, 2012
    6
    the game was fun for the first 30 hours or so but unfortunately after you began to become aware of how the game feels a bit uninspired and lackluster
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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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  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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