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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. hit925
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    A very impressive game indeed. Being my first Elder Scrolls game, I didn't know what to expect going into it. I certainly wasn't expecting anything as jaw dropping as this. I have to say, the game's characters look awkward in parts but that's outweighed by the sheer vastness and visual brilliance of the world. Get this game if have any interest in the RPG genre. Word of warning: when youA very impressive game indeed. Being my first Elder Scrolls game, I didn't know what to expect going into it. I certainly wasn't expecting anything as jaw dropping as this. I have to say, the game's characters look awkward in parts but that's outweighed by the sheer vastness and visual brilliance of the world. Get this game if have any interest in the RPG genre. Word of warning: when you start playing, you may start to wish dragons existed...… Expand
  2. LazyShadw
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    I have never been so addicted to a game since Fable or the first era of World of Warcraft back in 2004... For our times and our technology, Skyrim offers the best escape into a fictional digital world, where the limitations although present are shaded by the immense world that will consume countless hours from your life and embellish them with outstanding music and epic story. Even ifI have never been so addicted to a game since Fable or the first era of World of Warcraft back in 2004... For our times and our technology, Skyrim offers the best escape into a fictional digital world, where the limitations although present are shaded by the immense world that will consume countless hours from your life and embellish them with outstanding music and epic story. Even if you're not an RPG fan, I would strongly suggest and recommend you should try this game out, threw any means necessary, but in the end, even if you are the biggest video game pirate on the web, dig up your golden chest and pay your respects to Bethesda by buying this masterpiece.… Expand
  3. Hazard
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is an excellent game and probably one of the best of the year. It has fun and addictive game play beautiful scenery and graphics fun and rewarding quest lines and it has improved in leaps and bounds upon its already legendary predecessors. 

    Any game however is far from perfect and Skyrim has some major flaws to boast as well.  The first and most glaring flaw    Skyrim is an excellent game and probably one of the best of the year. It has fun and addictive game play beautiful scenery and graphics fun and rewarding quest lines and it has improved in leaps and bounds upon its already legendary predecessors. 

    Any game however is far from perfect and Skyrim has some major flaws to boast as well.  The first and most glaring flaw is the interface and menu system. On the PC it is very difficult to navigate and utilize quickly. You will find yourself selling and buying items you don't intend to and saying things in conversation that you don't mean to. 
    The save game sorting is also bad. Instead of sorting saves by character profile all games are lumped into one list that you gave to dig through to find your correct choice, also no quick save button is readily available that I have found which makes the games instability all the more frustrating. 
    As already mentioned the game is rather unstable and I have had to play through quite a bit of progression again due to crashes. 

    Some things are immersion breaking particularly the caves and barrows. I like that they used some different tile sets this time but all of the caves are lit up like you are in a jungle canopy rather than a cave and why do I figure out how to open a tomb that has been sealed for hundreds of years just to see a torch burning in a sconce on the other side?  

    Pathing is poor for NPCs and this can be exploited to kill monsters easily. It also makes having a companion a liability when it comes to traps they will get themselves killed constantly on easily avoidable traps and sometimes take you with them. There is also no way to discern their health easily to know if they need a heal. 

    Overall I recommend the purchase of the game. If you can wait try to get it on discount and if you have a decent PC get it on that platform.  TES series has a wonderful modding community and I hope many of the issues I have raised will eventually get fixed in patches or by the modders.     … Expand
  4. Rhiaven
    Nov 22, 2011
    6
    I have not played previous Elder Scrolls games (though I have played many other games, RPG and otherwise), so this review (for PC version) comes without any comparison to its prequels. I've played this game for about a week, and on the whole, it feels rather average to me, as though it has several pros, it also has many cons.

    Pros: - Very large world / map to explore, with locations that    I have not played previous Elder Scrolls games (though I have played many other games, RPG and otherwise), so this review (for PC version) comes without any comparison to its prequels. I've played this game for about a week, and on the whole, it feels rather average to me, as though it has several pros, it also has many cons.

    Pros:
    - Very large world / map to explore, with locations that are not necessary to questing, heightening realism and enjoyable for those who like to explore
    - Fast travel is nice because it allows you to save time travelling to places you have already been to, saving on wasted travelling time without actually cutting out the need to explore first
    - Large amount of side quests which mostly do not have to be done in a linear manner; quests also have some variety in type as they aren't all 'just kill this monster' quests
    - NPCs sometimes follow you around the house when you venture into their private areas, especially if you are sneaking, in an attempt to steal items, a very nice touch which makes stealing more difficult
    - The ability to craft armor and weapons, make potions and cook food are a good addition, as it adds more sophistication to the game
    - Decent, though not fantastic graphics
    - The ability to own a home, decorate it, and store items you don't want to carry or sell adds a personal touch to the game
    - The ability to joins certain groups / factions adds an identifying factor to the character you play

    Cons:
    - Quests (in themselves) are very linear; most do not offer multiple options or diversions from the route to completion
    - Barely any attempt at a background or history for your character; race and gender have hardly any impact on the story in general, aside from some NPC comments here or there; your character has little to say at all times, and dialogue options are all straightforward and have no variety of choice based on character / attitude; character also has no movement or quirks that define personality
    - Character build (i.e. warrior, thief, mage) not distinct, and has no impact on quests or stories; NPCs will call you whatever they want - a mage calls you a mage, and an archer calls you an archer
    - The game is simply too easy - combat is extremely straight forward and the combat actions / graphics are highly limited; recovery is also pretty quick
    - Not many cinematic cutscenes to show off graphics or to expand on stories and make you identify with the game story / character(s)
    - NPCs are pretty dull - they lack character, either through back story or voice acting; you have little motivation to actually listen to them speak
    - Followers are even more dull - thorough lack of interest in followers as they seem to have little character, and few events to motivate you to want to have followers; you just have them for pack mules and additional fighting power; they act like robots (and my follower sounds downright rude in fact)
    - Characters can change armor in the middle of combat which removes realism from the game
    - Some glitches and problems with the game, such as weird graphics glitches, black screens upon alt-tabbing, occasional unfathomable crashes
    - NPCs and your followers do not move out of the way when you try to move past them - this can result in you getting stuck in a room when your follower is blocking the doorway (I ended up shoving them with my shield just to get them out of the doorway, thus hurting them in the process)
    - Inability to drop quests you don't want or don't like
    - Have to get around menus mostly using the keyboard; the mouse doesn't work on everything - console port?
    - No one-page-viewable character breakdown, showing how your character looks, his / her stats, EQ, possible states etc.
    - Inventory is clunky to use - you have to scroll down through each category to look for items, rather than having them all listed out clearly on a single viewable list; generally the UI is really inconvenient to use; time is wasted scrolling through stuff all the time

    All in all, Skyrim is a game that feels more like a simple intellectual exercise than one that engages your emotions. After many hours of playing this game, it has frankly gotten rather boring and tedious, and has become something to pass time on with routine button pressing, rather than something I can't wait to do.    … Expand
  5. goettel
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Looked at dispassionately, Skyrim offers a by-the-numbers fantasy experience: you're a questin' hero looking to pick fights with dragons, slaying bandits and randomly spawning beasts, casting spells, and wielding a range of medieval weapons, all while listening to reams of mildly interesting dialog. At first glance, it doesn't offer the highly imaginitive and truly otherworldly feelingLooked at dispassionately, Skyrim offers a by-the-numbers fantasy experience: you're a questin' hero looking to pick fights with dragons, slaying bandits and randomly spawning beasts, casting spells, and wielding a range of medieval weapons, all while listening to reams of mildly interesting dialog. At first glance, it doesn't offer the highly imaginitive and truly otherworldly feeling landscapes of Morrowind. Its console roots are evident. And, it being a Bethesda game, you were expecting some bugs. Right ?

    Even after the broad praise on release, I wasn't convinced Skyrim could topple Morrowind as my #1 RPG on the PC, and initially held off on buying it.

    Now, 30 hours play crammed into three days later, its obvious to me that Skyrim has raised the bar for PC RPG's well above the competition: this is a remarkable game. Not so much for its choices, but for how beautifully it implements those choices. The landscapes are truly remarkable, perhaps for the first time offering a world which feels real instead of like a semi-random patchwork of locations. This really is a small country in a box, and it is a remarkable achievement in itself. Idylic villages, huge and imposing castles, haunted burial mounds, standing stones and impromptu altars to various gods, dungeons big and small, dreary plains, towering mountains and narrow mountain passes: all of it great to look at, travel through and explore. The main quest so far has been solid and quite engaging, offering just the right mix of challenge and hero (you) worship. You feel important, but not overpowered.

    Character progression is great, focussing on (the use of) skills, not on simply leveling (even though you do level), and the number of available options is staggering, offering a talent tree on all the many skills and schools of magic which really gives you the option to craft a character to your tastes.

    Sound is top-notch, including the dynamic soundtrack.

    Sure, I have some criticisms: the GUI could stand a couple of major and minor improvements, although I don't find it quite as bad as others have made it out to be. The voice acting is mostly competent, even pretty good in places, but it's also tacky in others - and some NPC's I wouldn't mind murdering just to get rid of their repetitive and trite oneliners. There are some graphical glitches. I've had a couple of crashes to the desktop - nothing so bad as Fallout 3 / New Vegas, though - in fact, I find this to be the most stable Bethesda game to date. Also, character animation is far from perfect.

    So is Morrowing finally surpassed ? In a word: yes. Even though the world might appear less imaginative than Morrowind's, this one simply feels more real and offers a ton of rewards to the intrepid explorer. It's hard to get anything done, because it's so very easy to get distracted by any number of things found en route to a quest objective. Many of the quests have an adult theme, require an uncomfortable compromise, or simply offer irresistibly 'evil' choices with enjoyably disturbing consequences.

    Skyrim is Bethesda's best yet and easily takes a spot amongst the best RPG's ever.    … Expand
  6. 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
  7. PidoBear
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I represent 'www.BreakMyGame.com'. SKYRIM has been given our hands down! It's a new stepping stone for a new Creation game engine for new titles to come out! Graphics is not to high end and enough to wow players, the score they generated for the game is a step up to give an exact life to the world, an excellent successor and worthy hands-on for new and old players for the series. OverallI represent 'www.BreakMyGame.com'. SKYRIM has been given our hands down! It's a new stepping stone for a new Creation game engine for new titles to come out! Graphics is not to high end and enough to wow players, the score they generated for the game is a step up to give an exact life to the world, an excellent successor and worthy hands-on for new and old players for the series. Overall hour and hours of pure possibilities in how a High Exploring and Story Driven RPG game should be.… Expand
  8. Kadan123
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    what can i say. the only bad thing is this game is too good and way too addictive. it takes up too much of my time. that time has a new name and its called skyrimming. an absolute masterpiece. thank you bethesda and all involved.10 out of 10
  9. Picklez
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    This is comming from someone whos played like 3 hours of the game. Although I can safely say ill will be playing at least another 10 without getting bored. Graphics look well maybe not astonishing, its no crysis although the effects for weather are quite nice to look at. If im gonna be honest character creation is good enough for me at least some more body shape and hairstyle options couldThis is comming from someone whos played like 3 hours of the game. Although I can safely say ill will be playing at least another 10 without getting bored. Graphics look well maybe not astonishing, its no crysis although the effects for weather are quite nice to look at. If im gonna be honest character creation is good enough for me at least some more body shape and hairstyle options could be lovely although i cannot ask for allot more. The gameplay itself is good fun. Walking tends to get annoying but its not too extreme and wont really throw you off. I wish the choice of weoponry was a little bit more broad (im talking about the first couple of hours) Gave it an 8 instead of a nine as it reminded me too much of Fallout.… Expand
  10. Hawki_ice
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    We'll ill be damned they did it, they brought back all the things i loved from Morrowind and made what i would consider the best game in the series so far, Skyrim is like a brilliant mix of oblivion and Morrowind and a little of fallout thrown in. Gone are the class's and birth signs in favor of a much more open game play style that just hits all the right buttons, they borrowed the perkWe'll ill be damned they did it, they brought back all the things i loved from Morrowind and made what i would consider the best game in the series so far, Skyrim is like a brilliant mix of oblivion and Morrowind and a little of fallout thrown in. Gone are the class's and birth signs in favor of a much more open game play style that just hits all the right buttons, they borrowed the perk system idea from fallout, but its much more structured and beautifully presented, i have a few small issues with the game but its only things like wishing it was less console and more PC game.… Expand
  11. Renkoku
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    The latest installment of the The Elder Scrolls saga is amazing. I have already clocked in over 80 hours in the game, and I have enjoyed every second of it. Well, mostly.

    The game starts off very strong, and yet slow. I did not like being unable to control anything with my character for a while. But after you get control, the game really picks up. The game definitely shows a    The latest installment of the The Elder Scrolls saga is amazing. I have already clocked in over 80 hours in the game, and I have enjoyed every second of it. Well, mostly.

    The game starts off very strong, and yet slow. I did not like being unable to control anything with my character for a while. But after you get control, the game really picks up. The game definitely shows a collaboration of everything Bethesda has implemented into their other releases over the years. Some of these things improve the game, yet some hinder it. The shear amount of player choice is amazing. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface of the game, even after completing several guilds and most of the main story.

    However, I feel like the guild quest chains are too short. While most of the quests were fun, I didn't feel as accomplished with the guild's completion as I had in Oblivion. And the minor objectives given at the end of a guild feel repetitive.

    The game looks great. The more neutral color tones work well with the rest of the game. Though, there have been several times where my frame rate suddenly drops and lags, or various textures don't render correctly and I'm left looking at a shiny variation or a pure white base model. Not to mention the countless times that the game shuts itself off on me. I am hoping that those issues are fixed in the upcoming patch.

    I have fun with this game. It is a good way to waste away hours in a blink of an eye. Although I love the game to death right now, I don't feel like it's worth a 10 rating. It's great, but not the overall best. Hopefully once more of the bugs have been fixed or the expansions and modding community add more to the game, it will become a game that deserves a perfect score.    … Expand
  12. TazmanNZL
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is simply awesome and here is why.. I have to say that when I first saw the screenshots for this game I thought to myself "It doesn't look that flash, just another Morrowind". I then watched a video review of it over at gamespot. After seeing the video I simply had to have it!! The graphics are not pixel perfect but the world does look amazing. The UI is catered for console butSkyrim is simply awesome and here is why.. I have to say that when I first saw the screenshots for this game I thought to myself "It doesn't look that flash, just another Morrowind". I then watched a video review of it over at gamespot. After seeing the video I simply had to have it!! The graphics are not pixel perfect but the world does look amazing. The UI is catered for console but who cares, there is already a mod out there that makes it more PC friendly but I don't have any trouble with it myself. I've been playing it for over 20 hours and am loving every minute. Two things stand out in this game for me, the first being the Dragons. Best I have seen in any game. They are loud, fierce and are stunning to look at. Not only this but you will come across more than one! The second thing is the abillity to do anything you want in the game. I purchased a horse for 1000g only to lose it in a fight with a Giant. No matter though I found another horse standing next to the road so I just stole it :) I couldn't believe how easy it was to take. Only problem is that whenever you dismount the horse it keeps wanting to return to the spot you took it. You don't have to be a thief to be able to lock pick. There is so much to find and do in this game it will keep you entertained for hours :) The game has yet to crash on me. Of course there are some glitches in the game but they are not game breakers. The shadow glitch which happens in daylight (shadows flicker every 30sec or so) I managed to fix with changing the ini file. I found a fix for this searching in google. I thought my video card was on the blink, phew! Overall I was expecting a lot less from this game and was surprisingly impressed with it. Now I am having trouble keeping away from it :) If you love Dragons you simply must have this game. If you are on the fence check out the video review and also youtube for first impressions of the game. I'm sold on it! Simply amazing!!… Expand
  13. Urza
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is easily the best game of 2011. A compelling story, slick combat, easy figure out skill system it's everything you'd want from a fantasy rpg. Don't want to do the story? Ok, pick a direction on the map and get lost in a fully realized world. If you're an Oblivion or Fallout 3 fan, you're going to love this game. The soundtrack is amazing and I can't wait to get it on itunes.
  14. RecoJohnson
    Nov 21, 2011
    2
    Starting off the game with a poorly scripted introduction, into a world of non-existent auto-save and useless magic. The graphics are meh, and the creators constantly blame the poor quality of the game on the fact that the game covers so many aspects. Well I have an idea for you developers, make a game that covers less aspects that isn't **** Getting killed and having to redo entire bossStarting off the game with a poorly scripted introduction, into a world of non-existent auto-save and useless magic. The graphics are meh, and the creators constantly blame the poor quality of the game on the fact that the game covers so many aspects. Well I have an idea for you developers, make a game that covers less aspects that isn't **** Getting killed and having to redo entire boss fights, and navigating through a console ripped inventory system that won't let you equip weapons properly. Not to mention the half mouse based and half keyboard based game menu and lack of in-game graphic settings sets the fate of a 50 dollar Farcry 2, and Fall Out 3: New Vegas texture bundle.
    I do not suggest buying this game unless your a fan boy peasant who likes whatever mainstream **** comes out because your friends think its cool.    … Expand
  15. btotheizzle
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After sinking 42 hours in to the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim it's a proper time to finally time to give it the review it does. I will be the first to say that I love Bethesda Softworks games, the big worlds the stories, and I hold Fallout 3 being one of the best RPG of this era. That probably has to do with some things I am about to say.

    The Good:

    Fist off I am running the game on near max settings, and the game looks fabulous when compared to the Fallout series, it's lovely to see Bethesda step up the look of the game. It gives me faith that they will continue on that path. Rocks look like rocks, trees look like trees, the castle stone looks fantastic. The character modeling and weather effects are also excellent. After spending a few days playing BF3 maxed out I still felt like Skyrim was up to par graphically.

    They did some really good things when it comes to dialog to make it feel more natural, often times NPCs will speak without you actually having to talk to them. It's a little thing but it really worked.

    The voice acting is pretty good, I never felt like the lines where too cheesy or poorly done. You often run in to multiple characters having a conversation with each other which is nice to see.

    At least early in the game it feels like a thriller being attacked by a giant dragon and running for your life. The trill of learning the game was fun while it lasted.

    Many unique looking locations, from small towns to sprawling castle complexes. Architecture can differ so it doesn't feel like it's more of the same.

    You can learn some of the more advanced things in the games from NPCs, like for example smithing a weapon.

    A vast array of categories or attributes to build your character around. You can take basically any character and fit them to exactly how you want to play, which feels a lot more dynamic than Fallout.

    The Bad:

    If you never played a Bethesda RPG type game I'd expect you to be lost when you first start playing, I know I was a little at first. The menu system is a little clunky IMHO but I did get past that fairly quickly.

    Companions are utterly ridiculous. They will often times lag behind, get lost, block doorways, fall down holes, and yes die. There is no decent way to control them, even basically like in Fallout where you could tell them to use close range weapons or long range weapons, or to stay close or back off, or tell them to passive or aggressive. So as soon as an enemy appears your companions / conjured creatures will attack them even if you keep moving and try to run away from them. And if you keep running? Yep the just seem to get lost half the time. If I wasn't playing a conjuring type character I would have killed my companion and went on my way.

    There is no way, at least not from what I have found, to change weapon sets. It would have been a nice feature to be able to configure different sets to adjust to different enemies.

    Dungeons or caves, they are basically one in the same, and get extremely repetitive quickly. That's not to say they are all carbon copies of each of there, because they aren't, however they all follow the same basic principals. Generally small zig zagging corridors, leading to larger areas where combat takes place, and finishing in a final main chamber where you typically fight some sort of boss character and collect some nice loot. These make up the bulk of the quests in the game, or so it feels.

    I had no idea when I completed the main story line. You defeat the bad guy, and you get to go on your way. I like the fact that you can continue to play the game, but I kept playing aggressively because it didn't feel very anti-climatic and there where still dragons everywhere so I figured there was something else that needed to be done. It was just recently I ran out of mostly interesting quests and looked online for the main quest order to my dismay.

    Speaking of dismay, bugs. I found the game crashed on PC quite often and forced me to save early and save often otherwise I'd easily wipe out 20 min worth of work at a crack. The "Battle For Windhelm" quest was particularly painful. Also the quest "The Foresworn Conspiracy" also bugged out leading me to not be able to finish the quest. It should almost be expected these days that when games come out they are not truly done, but it's a very poor way to do business IMHO.

    Dragons, honestly just become a huge nuisance after a while, and I often times do not have the choice to fight them. They will block your fast travel from a wide area.

    In Closing:

    Bethesda has set the bar high in the recent years. Unfortunately Skyrim has a fairly boring story, poor game mechanics, and glitches that really kill the feel of an otherwise good game that looks fantastic. One day I hope to come back and re-evaluate it. I'm sure there will be DLC.    … Expand
  16. SacredCASHcow
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I'm not finished with the game, but I can already see how its all going to end. This game deserves a 7/10. As others have said, reviewing websites and companies are no longer to be trusted. This game does not deserve a 9.5. As far as I am concerned, this game is Oblivion with better graphics, worse combat, and a worse storyline. Fallout 3 is the epitome of Bethesda's success. That gameI'm not finished with the game, but I can already see how its all going to end. This game deserves a 7/10. As others have said, reviewing websites and companies are no longer to be trusted. This game does not deserve a 9.5. As far as I am concerned, this game is Oblivion with better graphics, worse combat, and a worse storyline. Fallout 3 is the epitome of Bethesda's success. That game made every inch of the map interesting to explore and characters had life and were interesting.… Expand
  17. Strewthard
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Gameplay: 9 - Amazing. The Spell system and ability to quickly change weapons through the press of a single button allow the combat of Skyrim to be extremely satisfying. Enemies are tough, taking a great deal of hits before going down, making the moment when you kill that troll or dragon all the better. The conversation system is also engrossing. Being able to influence characters'Gameplay: 9 - Amazing. The Spell system and ability to quickly change weapons through the press of a single button allow the combat of Skyrim to be extremely satisfying. Enemies are tough, taking a great deal of hits before going down, making the moment when you kill that troll or dragon all the better. The conversation system is also engrossing. Being able to influence characters' opinions of you through dialogue makes the world of Skyrim feel more real.
    Story: 8 - Great. Skyrim's story is interesting, yet fairly simple. Dragons are back, you need to stop them. Only you can stop them, because you are the Dragonborn. You kill a lot of monsters and people to save the world. Even so, you care about certain characters, and many points in the story are interesting and entertaining.
    Graphics: 10 - Perfect. Skyrim looks amazing. The world looks real, and even the mystical becomes possible. The level of detail available in the Character Creation is impressive (you have more options than the Sims), allowing you to choose the level of dirt on your character's face, along with the expected nose options. Since this system is also used on the NPCs, no two characters looks alike, and every character looks alive.
    Sound: 9 - Amazing. The theme is stirring, it prepares you for battle. Every level is accompanied by warrior chants. The background music is rare, but this serves only to allow deeper immersion.
    Overall: 9 - Amazing. With great combat and intriguing dialogue, this is a contender for Game of the Year, but is held back by its many bugs.    … Expand
  18. Randizzledante
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Games like this are the reason I became a gamer. This is video game perfection in every sense of the word. Props to Bethesda for not selling out and adding a garbage multiplayer mode. It's simply not needed. You pay $60, and get a game with literally 1000+ hours of content. Sorry all you little losers who need to rank up every 30 seconds to find joy in a game - this isn't for you.Games like this are the reason I became a gamer. This is video game perfection in every sense of the word. Props to Bethesda for not selling out and adding a garbage multiplayer mode. It's simply not needed. You pay $60, and get a game with literally 1000+ hours of content. Sorry all you little losers who need to rank up every 30 seconds to find joy in a game - this isn't for you. But any true gamer will appreciate this masterpiece.… Expand
  19. MattRT
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is far from perfect, at the point of writing. It has several bugs and glitches, but the key thing is, I don't care. This is still the best game I have ever played and the detail and depth of the world amazes me. This is the best way I have ever used £30 in my life.
  20. Crimson
    Nov 21, 2011
    4
    I'll keep this quick, despite the pretty graphics (if u have the machine to max them out they aren't bad) and decent voice acting, I was quickly disappointed. The combat is terrible, quests are both sparse and boring, and very little to do that actually has any impact on anything of importance, I found this to be a quick waste of 60$. I can't for the life of me understand what all theI'll keep this quick, despite the pretty graphics (if u have the machine to max them out they aren't bad) and decent voice acting, I was quickly disappointed. The combat is terrible, quests are both sparse and boring, and very little to do that actually has any impact on anything of importance, I found this to be a quick waste of 60$. I can't for the life of me understand what all the hype was about.… Expand
  21. Webwolf
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This game is one of the best! its so much fun! i have played only 21 hours, and there is so much to do! there so much to explore, fight, lvl, and so much more. only one word to say MASTERPIECE!
  22. Fooleraid
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    When I heard about TESV: Skyrim, the sequel to one of my most beloved games of all time (Oblivion on the PC, with emphasis on the PC 'cause of mods), I was absolutely stoked, but after disappointing releases by numerous game companies, Bethesda included, I became skeptical of its overall quality and kept my expectation bar reasonably high. What I was expecting was a great game marred byWhen I heard about TESV: Skyrim, the sequel to one of my most beloved games of all time (Oblivion on the PC, with emphasis on the PC 'cause of mods), I was absolutely stoked, but after disappointing releases by numerous game companies, Bethesda included, I became skeptical of its overall quality and kept my expectation bar reasonably high. What I was expecting was a great game marred by day one issues, broken ___, and other issues that were fixable by the community in due time. Basically, I was expecting a good game, not a great one, that would be made excellent by the community over a long period of time.

    Then it came out. Now, before I write this review, I noticed a trend among those who rated this game low. "Graphics don't look like real life...0/10...it's not like (insert favorite old-school RPG)...0/10...small bugs that will be patched...0/10..." Give me a break...This is a unique game (not a classic RPG! If you want that, then good luck finding one; they are getting pretty darn rare) that is very new (at least at the time I wrote this review) and doesn't have the mod tools out yet. Not a single 0/10 review has made a decent point as to why there is nothing redeeming about this game. Now for my review.

    Let me tell you, this game took my expectations and mercilessly shattered them. 40+ hours in, the most amount of time I can remember spending on a game >4 weeks after its release, and I have still yet to get bored with this game.

    There's a lot of improvement from the previous installments. Well, at least I consider them improvements. The addition of things like cooking, mining, smithing, and dual-wielding as well as beefing up magic to not only make it worth using, but very fun to use too, have all been great additions that add a lot of fun to the game. Dungeons have seen a massive upgrade, boasting a surprisingly high amount of variation and uniqueness, which makes dungeon-clearing much more interesting. Some things have been axed like weapon degradation and some skills (some of which were kind of useless like athletics), but overall, itâ    … Expand
  23. Slaters
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    One of the best games than i played! The Graphic is Awsome, the gameplay is very good and you have some random quests that make the game impossible to stop playing
  24. otorobot
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This is the best game that i have played. you feel like real. I really like saving game. you can save at everywhere, everytime.Map is so big and this is so great. There is so much playable races ( with vampires and werewolves). you can use magic and weapon same time and it makes playing easier.AI is not perfect, but good. Story is good, sometimes dialogs and travels can be boring but whenThis is the best game that i have played. you feel like real. I really like saving game. you can save at everywhere, everytime.Map is so big and this is so great. There is so much playable races ( with vampires and werewolves). you can use magic and weapon same time and it makes playing easier.AI is not perfect, but good. Story is good, sometimes dialogs and travels can be boring but when you travelling thugs and bandits attacks you and fighting them are stops your boring. Graphics are good but sometimes you see missing details. but, when you look all of the game, This Game Ä°s Almost Perfect!… Expand
  25. JoelBitar1986
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Really awesome game. I've been lurking around dungeons popping guys off with 3.0x sneak damage with my bow. This is what games should be: open and lots of choices. Games like MW3 that are linear and constricted are what games should NOT be.
  26. Bingo74
    Nov 21, 2011
    5
    Sadly... i'm not trolling and the 5 i give this game is pretty lenient. I was super pumped up for this game one of their die hard fans but i'm sad to say that the quests in this game feels pretty weak. Finishing the Main, College of Winterhold, and Dark Brotherhood quests i feel that the quests in Skyrim doesn't have the same spark they did in Oblivion. Which really depresses meSadly... i'm not trolling and the 5 i give this game is pretty lenient. I was super pumped up for this game one of their die hard fans but i'm sad to say that the quests in this game feels pretty weak. Finishing the Main, College of Winterhold, and Dark Brotherhood quests i feel that the quests in Skyrim doesn't have the same spark they did in Oblivion. Which really depresses me considering i had such high expectations for this game but truly the quests in this game did not entertain me at all. While i do have to say Dark Brotherhood while not having that much of an entertaining questline they did have quite a great story. The main quest and College of Winterhold quests however feel very bland and after considering how much time was put into the game i would have thought that they would "wow" me sadly after i finished them i didn't feel any sense of accomplishment and while their is more to do in this game just by doing the College of Winterhold quests and Main quests has just brought down my expectations for the rest of the game. Sorry if this sounds like trolling but it is my honest opinion i hope this helps people that are about to buy Skyrim.… Expand
  27. Eebahgum
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Well what can I say? I am absolutely enjoying this game. The graphics are fantastic. I'm finding it much easier to play with a joypad instead of keyboard and mouse at the moment. Loving the unintentional humour bits from the glitches. I'm having no trouble with loading times either, get yourself a faster computer if this is the case. The only bug bear I have about these sort of games areWell what can I say? I am absolutely enjoying this game. The graphics are fantastic. I'm finding it much easier to play with a joypad instead of keyboard and mouse at the moment. Loving the unintentional humour bits from the glitches. I'm having no trouble with loading times either, get yourself a faster computer if this is the case. The only bug bear I have about these sort of games are the many books. I don't read most of them and feel I'm missing out on the lore. Can't the developers just keep them to a page long?… Expand
  28. Rallinale
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This is the first game in the series that I have played, and I just have to say, this game is a masterpiece. Every aspect this game is simply fantastic. This is a must-have game for anyone who are looking forward to an awesome RPG experience.
  29. Lowpayne911
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Amazing game, A+++. Could say a million words but I'll keep it short, just wana give the game another 10/10. (Unfortunately I have to use 150 characters, this should be enough.)
  30. dakydaky
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    What to say? I am in shock. In awe. This has to be one of the biggest, most complete games ever. The game world is amazing, rich with details and interactions, probably even better than one in famous "GTA" series. Graphics are astonishing. I think I could literally look at the screen for hours on one of its beautiful places. Gameplay itself is slick, amazing combat which, combined withWhat to say? I am in shock. In awe. This has to be one of the biggest, most complete games ever. The game world is amazing, rich with details and interactions, probably even better than one in famous "GTA" series. Graphics are astonishing. I think I could literally look at the screen for hours on one of its beautiful places. Gameplay itself is slick, amazing combat which, combined with perfect storyline creates an amazing atmosphere. ONLY thing that messes the game up are very bad shadow, and for the sake of it, turn them off. Believe me, they are not needed! Masterpiece? Yes! Game of the year? Hell YES!… Expand
Page:

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

All reviews »
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]
See all critic reviews »