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. bioforge
    Nov 18, 2011
    0
    Absolute garbage not worthy of the Elderscrolls name! What we're they thinking when they made this? I bought this game with very high expectations only to be very disappointed by the mediocre gameplay to the wonky interface and whats with those graphics?....cmon!! Such a shame to see that the Elderscrolls has been reduced to this shoddy and buggy mess!
  2. SketchyGalore
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    I've noticed that a lot of negative reviews about Skyrim have mentioned a lack of a good story. This gave me pause since, when I think about it, if someone wrote everything I was doing in Skyrim down in a novel, it would suck. And indeed, there have been moments in the game where I look at what's happening around me and doubt the feasibility of my epic tale ("You really want me to takeI've noticed that a lot of negative reviews about Skyrim have mentioned a lack of a good story. This gave me pause since, when I think about it, if someone wrote everything I was doing in Skyrim down in a novel, it would suck. And indeed, there have been moments in the game where I look at what's happening around me and doubt the feasibility of my epic tale ("You really want me to take your dead friend's ashes? Uh... I just got into town..."). But then, it struck me. Skyrim isn't a story. Skyrim is a world. And that is absolutely perfect for an Elder Scrolls game.

    What do I mean by that? I mean that this game was never meant to be enjoyed like a book. Skyrim is at its best when you let yourself simply drift off the path and do whatever seems interesting. The game begs you to just live in its world, explore areas, get involved in things, and generally make yourself at home in a beautiful world full of things that want to kill you. Ironically, the "main quest" can easily end up feeling like a side quest to the more important task of... whatever you think the most important task is. Skyrim is not a game of shocking twists and turns, in depth characters, or climactic endings like a more linear, adventure based RPG, such as the recent Bioware games. Thus, I can see a certain type of person frustrated by the lack of a single intriguing path to follow. For most of us, though, this serves as a perfect setting to get lost in for countless hours; a world to experience, not just a story to read or a game to beat.

    This review was mostly made to remark on the storyline, but I will say that the gameplay surrounding everything is remarkably solid. I've seen a lot of growth in Bethesda since Oblivion, including the advancements they've made in their Fallout games. Steadily, the company that once told me jumping and sleeping were the keys to character advancement is learning what makes a fun, balanced game. The systems that run the rules of the game (character advancement, equipment, etc) are masterfully crafted to support the aforementioned "life" style of gameplay, making sure that every one of your hundreds of thousands of choices is rewarded, one way or another. Combat, animations, sound effects, voice acting, and, of course, graphics all received the love and attention needed to make sure no one part of the game fell flat.

    Only a few things hold Skyrim back from perfection. Most of them are little issues, slightly unpolished moments, etc. The best way to sum it up is that Skyrim is a game that tries to do a LOT of stuff and, like most games of that nature, flaws and bugs big and small are going to creep up. It suffers from a bit of "console-ism" as well, where a game feels like it's made concessions in its development in order to make it function as a cross-console game compared to a game that was made strictly for PC. However, this is not nearly as bad as some.

    The future looks incredibly bright for Skyrim. In addition to the inevitable bug-squashing that comes with patches, a modding tool on par with what was available for Oblivion and the Fallout games is in the works. Assuming that people have as much control over things as they have in the past, it means great things are coming and, whatever problems aren't addressed by Bethesda themselves, the community will undoubtedly tackle.

    This is a game people will be playing until Elder Scrolls VI and beyond.    … Expand
  3. Kronox
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    First, I want to THANK Bethesda for being one of the few gaming companies out there that still gets it! While all the other single player games out there make me feel like im trapped in a box and have to do what it wants me to do, this game inspires creativity and imagination and THATS what gaming is all about. This game takes me away from the real world and thats why Bethesda got my 60First, I want to THANK Bethesda for being one of the few gaming companies out there that still gets it! While all the other single player games out there make me feel like im trapped in a box and have to do what it wants me to do, this game inspires creativity and imagination and THATS what gaming is all about. This game takes me away from the real world and thats why Bethesda got my 60 bux, I would pay a hundred if thats what it takes to keep them making titles like this. Now for the bad. No more life for me, I'm going to spend the next 4 weeks of my life locked in my bedroom living on cheetos and beer with the occasional shower. Not going to write much of a review except to say take the good reviews here on this game seriously and ignore the bad ones. The UI did irritate me a bit as I am strictly a hardcore PC gamer (down with consoles!) but by NO means does the less than ideal UI alone warrant a low review score on a game that has soooo many TONS of other plus's to counter it. And these people saying the graphics are sub-par LOL! I would like them to name another fantasy game out there that they consider the graphics to be PAR as in better than this. I run the game on a pentium core 2 duo quad core extreme at 3 ghx per core, 8 gigs of ram, and 2 gtx 470's in SLI and turn the settings down just a bit from max so i can get the magic 60 fps that I like (to me framerate trumps effects, real life is smoothe not choppy and thats how i like my games). The game looks wicked awesome. The art is fantastic. And anyone that knows anything at all about gaming knows that Bethesda makes some of the best looking fantasy games that have ever been seen. People that complain about the main story also do not know how to actually play a Bethesda title. The main story should not be rushed through, more like meandered through slowly while doing all of the other little and big things that can also be done in the game. I swear, some people try to play these titles like they are playing a first person shooter then complain about it. Peace.… Expand
  4. p2k10
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Skyrim Skyrim Skyrim, a really great game from Bethesda. I love the Nordic World and the Quest. The Witcher 2 an Skyrim are the best RPG of the Year. Thanks Bethesda.
  5. DOSfan
    Nov 18, 2011
    4
    it's a well done game in some ways, mainly if you're a console gamer.
    the menu designs are just horrible on pc, why can't i use my mouse???
    graphics are sub par, over hyped, and the character progression is painfully simple.
    i got bored and frustrated after only 6 hours in :/
  6. Morhange
    Nov 18, 2011
    3
    You can't make a good story focused on dragons, simple as that. Talking dragons is an absurd twist on the generic ones, which surely is original but it kind of made the game awkward. The main quest was boring, since there was no character progression. We already knew from the start that we were the Dragonborn, designated to end the dragons... etc... most of us probably figured out whatYou can't make a good story focused on dragons, simple as that. Talking dragons is an absurd twist on the generic ones, which surely is original but it kind of made the game awkward. The main quest was boring, since there was no character progression. We already knew from the start that we were the Dragonborn, designated to end the dragons... etc... most of us probably figured out what finale would be like as well. When there's no mystery in a game like this, it's not fun. You're not dragged into the story because it lacks immersion and the originality of daggerfall and morrowind. The quests in this game, be it main quest or not, are incredibly easy. It's like they were designed for you to not be able to fail. A prime example would be when you doing a College of Winterhold quest, you have to explore a ruin in order to find a staff. You stumble across a door that freezes when you walk by it, and thus it cant be opened... only to find that a few steps to the left there's a fire tome waiting for you. Dont present any obstacles to a player if theyre not there to actually hinder your progress...

    The game IS pretty fun though, but its nowhere as good as Daggerfall or Morrowind. It might be better than Oblivion, though. I would say its a good action/adventure game but an awful roleplaying game. If you don't have a brain and like killing things, well this is the game for you.    … Expand
  7. eulogy
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    Even plagued with crashes, glitches, poor AI, crap UI, and in some specific cases, sub-par graphics, this game is so immersive and compelling that it keeps me playing. It's not the best it could've been, but it's damned good. Some of the landscape is awe-inspiring and stunning. The different ways you can improve your character are really satisfying - instead of being exceptionallyEven plagued with crashes, glitches, poor AI, crap UI, and in some specific cases, sub-par graphics, this game is so immersive and compelling that it keeps me playing. It's not the best it could've been, but it's damned good. Some of the landscape is awe-inspiring and stunning. The different ways you can improve your character are really satisfying - instead of being exceptionally skilled at combat, you could instead have above-average gear from crafting to make up for it. Almost any mixture of skills you want to focus on can be made into a successful and strong character, even if you want to be a jack of all trades.

    Although the voice acting is superb, it feels like there's only one or two voices per sex that most NPCs use. It's easily overlooked because at least it's there, right?    … Expand
  8. Mohobie
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Open world, free to be explored with many hidden "gems" to find. The story is both engaging and direct for those seeking a more linier path to "completing" this game. However for most of us the game will literally have no ending. It has the bonus of an unending(litteraly) supply of quests for those who want them. It's vast, and it's options are even more so. Anyone who gives this gameOpen world, free to be explored with many hidden "gems" to find. The story is both engaging and direct for those seeking a more linier path to "completing" this game. However for most of us the game will literally have no ending. It has the bonus of an unending(litteraly) supply of quests for those who want them. It's vast, and it's options are even more so. Anyone who gives this game a low rating would likely be doing so because the game is not an MMO. It is a single player game plain and simple. Impressive grafix and a mostly intuative control system allow users to jump right in and begin their journey. This game becomes what you want of it. Desire a life of bravery and justice for all... you can make it so... Want to pinch the pocket of every noble you can find...go ahead.
    There really is no wrong way to play skyrim other then to not play it at all ;) If you want todo it then you can. Ok spent to much time here... I'm going back to being the archmage! ;)    … Expand
  9. Strange_New_Day
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    More and more modern games sacrifice content for graphics, Betheseda's Skyrim is fortunately not one of them. Skyrim is a massive, multifaceted world that really pushes the strengths of previous Elder Scrolls games. The quests are a step above what we have seen before, the world aesthetics are beautiful though the graphics do bennifit from the latest mods that are available. TheMore and more modern games sacrifice content for graphics, Betheseda's Skyrim is fortunately not one of them. Skyrim is a massive, multifaceted world that really pushes the strengths of previous Elder Scrolls games. The quests are a step above what we have seen before, the world aesthetics are beautiful though the graphics do bennifit from the latest mods that are available. The ambient noises blend well with the over arching music themes and character noises. The lighting and sound mesh together in dungeons to really give the gamer a feeling of danger. Whilst Skyrim offers an unprecedented sandbox style fantasy world rpg, possibly unrivaled in the modern genre it isn't all a bed of rose petals. The interface for the PC is atrocious. Bugs abound all over the game. The game is pathetically easy and whilst the world is stunning and the cities gorgeous, the larger cities feel like they consist of a handful of houses consisting of barely a handful of people. The writing fails at times and could of used a bit more work. This is an excellent game but through silly mistakes, glitches and the heavy handed UI console port I cannot see how it could be rated above an 8 out of 10. Skyrim is desperately in need of the upcoming mods the PC community will put together.… Expand
  10. B0ZZH0GG
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Awsome game! It has a few minor issues, but it will blow you away in it's scope. What Bethesda has managed to do here is mindblowing. The amount of interaction you can have with the world they have reated is at times a bit overwhelming. IF you have A.D.D. don't buy it as you will never get anywhere as more and more interesting things to do and explore pop up all over the place. TheAwsome game! It has a few minor issues, but it will blow you away in it's scope. What Bethesda has managed to do here is mindblowing. The amount of interaction you can have with the world they have reated is at times a bit overwhelming. IF you have A.D.D. don't buy it as you will never get anywhere as more and more interesting things to do and explore pop up all over the place. The menu system is perhaps a bit counter intuitive at first, but once you get the hang on selecting with WASD then things smooth out and become natural. Best Game I have played this year, if GotY is not bestowed upon this masterpiece by a reviewer than the contest is rigged because in my mind there is no contest this is the best game in decades.… Expand
  11. Enshia
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    Seems that Bethesda has learned from the past especially with Oblivion and Morrowind. The game itself takes good points from both, removes the rather broken leveling system from Oblivion, and fixes the story. Adding the scale and scope from morrowind, and leaving you to do your own thing. Before I had started the main quest, I'd already picked up 10 other main quests and had nearly 30Seems that Bethesda has learned from the past especially with Oblivion and Morrowind. The game itself takes good points from both, removes the rather broken leveling system from Oblivion, and fixes the story. Adding the scale and scope from morrowind, and leaving you to do your own thing. Before I had started the main quest, I'd already picked up 10 other main quests and had nearly 30 misc quests in my log simply from meeting and exploring. Graphics on it's own, are breathtaking. The combat system has been changed, some may like it, others may hate it. That doesn't mean there aren't flaws. Some textures are low res, blood, overlays for snow, there's a few problems with FXAA, quest failures because it can't find voice files(rare), but can be fixed by extracting the BSA. The AI is smarter than in previous games, but will still do silly things. Like keep a ward up for a long period if you charge a spell. There are some curious bugs, like CTD's if you're using a higher sound output than 24bit@41k, and some people report TDR problems with nvidia cards. On ultra high, performance wise on a 965x4 w/evga 560, is very good. Lots of light sources can cause it to choke, so can shadows. Though the difference between high and ultra shadows is minimal. The UI is very consolish, hopefully some folks like DaRN will fix that soon. If I could give partial points I would. The game is more of an 8.2-8.75 than a 9.

    As it stands now I have nearly 60 hours in gameplay, and am still enjoying it.    … Expand
  12. Ormik
    Nov 18, 2011
    8
    I have one piece of advice for those considering this game on the PC. Find a decent UI mod, or get an xbox 360 controller hooked upto your PC and play it that way.

    Almost all of the menu screens DO NOT use a mouse interface, and simply have you arrow left or right to select items. This is insane. Anyone who has played these games knows that you don't have a hand anywhere near your arrow    I have one piece of advice for those considering this game on the PC. Find a decent UI mod, or get an xbox 360 controller hooked upto your PC and play it that way.

    Almost all of the menu screens DO NOT use a mouse interface, and simply have you arrow left or right to select items. This is insane. Anyone who has played these games knows that you don't have a hand anywhere near your arrow keys, do you? No. Mouse and WASD.

    That said, I was planning to play with a 360 controller anyway, and only fired up the game originally (sans controller) so see how it looked. I was happy to see that after plugging in the controller it instantly recognized it and mapped all of the buttons to the exact same layout as playing it on the xbox. This made life easier, but the default PC UI is still quite a disappointment.

    Other than that, it is an addictive game with a beautifully crafted world that sparks far more intrigue in me than the general plains/hills of TES: Oblivion.    … Expand
  13. MaDaStar
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    While no game really deserves a perfect score, I can't give Skyrim a mere 9 out of 10. There are a couple of minor issues with the PC version, but the only one that even bothers me at all, is the interface. It could be much better. There are some minor graphical glitches here and there, but looking at the game in the big picture, the 5th chapter in The Elder Scrolls series is worthy of aWhile no game really deserves a perfect score, I can't give Skyrim a mere 9 out of 10. There are a couple of minor issues with the PC version, but the only one that even bothers me at all, is the interface. It could be much better. There are some minor graphical glitches here and there, but looking at the game in the big picture, the 5th chapter in The Elder Scrolls series is worthy of a score in the high 90 percentile. There is so much to see and do. So many ways to develop your character, weapons, spells etc. that it boggles the mind. At first I was like a kid in a candy store. I didn't know where to start. Should I get a good start on the main quest or do just a little and then seek out the guilds and join one. Should I limit my exploring to one small area of the map, or check out a few far sections and see what was out there. Am I a hero with unwavering scruples, or will I do anything for more gold? Once I settled in, I got lost in Skyrim. Not in the "What the hell am I doing?" type of lost, but the "I should really go to bed / feed the dog / get to work" kind of lost. My video recorder is rapidly filling with TV shows that I've been ignoring, and the only time my wife has seen me during the past week is when we have dinner and do the dishes. Yes, this game is that good. There are plenty of places to find details on the game and the type of quests you will face, but I encourage anyone looking to pick up Skyrim, to play it without spoilers and discover a world where you can be the hero, thief, murderer, and dragon-slayer. Be one, or be them all. If you hate that the price of PC games are now averaging $60 for AAA titles, fret not with Skyrim, as you get your money's worth and more.… Expand
  14. wardialer
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    only about halfway done (i'm guessing) but so far the game is awesome. metacritic user scores are usually more indicative of the quality of a game, and this time (i believe) both critics and users have reached a consensus. the open world is gorgeous... especially the northern lights, characters look good enough (much better than long-faced ugs in previous elder scrolls), movement andonly about halfway done (i'm guessing) but so far the game is awesome. metacritic user scores are usually more indicative of the quality of a game, and this time (i believe) both critics and users have reached a consensus. the open world is gorgeous... especially the northern lights, characters look good enough (much better than long-faced ugs in previous elder scrolls), movement and physics are good, attention to detail is huge. the game's just really engrossing and sucks you in every time. load times are almost non-existent and the interface seems really polished and well thought out. bethesda got it right. you really get a sense that everyone on their team was at their best and cared about the final product.
    truly epic.
    i almost forgot... epic soundtrack as well.    … Expand
  15. camb198
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    In the week I have had this game I have played over 30 hours! I still haven't completed the main quest and I am loving it. The new leveling system is really nice and all the perks seem to "perk" my interest. Even the skills I wasn't going to level up, I want to level up due to the cool perks! I know the graphics are not ultra crazy but I am happy with the gameplay and to me that's whatIn the week I have had this game I have played over 30 hours! I still haven't completed the main quest and I am loving it. The new leveling system is really nice and all the perks seem to "perk" my interest. Even the skills I wasn't going to level up, I want to level up due to the cool perks! I know the graphics are not ultra crazy but I am happy with the gameplay and to me that's what count's. Especially when modders can "upgrade" the graphics with the addition of the Creation Kit. This will consume most of my free time for a long long long time! I can't wait for MERP! Middle Earth Roleplay Project! Everyone check out this mod they are porting to Skyrim! 10/10! Long live Skyrim ;-)… Expand
  16. zon21
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    This game three times and expands the content of Oblivion or fallout. Immense and sublime ambience, I think is the best buy of the year. I give a 10 :)
  17. JaTochNietDan
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    It's impossible to not give this game a 10, it does everything right and nothing wrong. I cannot complain about anything in this game, the performance is excellent, the graphics are stunning and not to mention they are not bland by any means, instead they are wonderfully bright and vibrant. The animations have been vastly improved and playing in third person is very natural now, there is aIt's impossible to not give this game a 10, it does everything right and nothing wrong. I cannot complain about anything in this game, the performance is excellent, the graphics are stunning and not to mention they are not bland by any means, instead they are wonderfully bright and vibrant. The animations have been vastly improved and playing in third person is very natural now, there is a ton more content, of which is far more interesting and well-written than most previous entries in the series.

    Then we have the awesome new enemies that can provide a challenge as you level up and progress into harder dungeons and areas. There's a ton of skills and the all new perk system which is an excellent and well-needed addition to the series, not to mention the all new and vastly improved magic system and dual wielding system which is what fans have been asking for all of this time.

    Then we have the incredible voice acting done by over 70 actors, not a single flaw found so far in the voice acting. The storyline is incredible and all of the side quests are detailed and interesting. There are additional features, more crafting to be done and a massive world to explore that is packed with more content than ever before, instead of having vast open areas with nothing in those areas like in Oblivion, there is something to explore constantly as you move around the world.

    The cities and towns are more interesting, with improved AI as they actually go around doing their jobs and living their lives. You can get married and your spouse will provide you with some perks. Then we have the improved combat system which provides a much more satisfying experience for those who like to "get up close and personal", if you know what I mean.

    I could go on and on all day about this beautiful, astonishing and astounding game. There is truly no other game in the world like it, the only tiny little complaint I can make about this game is that on the PC, the User Interface was not designed for a mouse and keyboard, which could have easily had a re-design to enhance the experience for us PC users, that would have been appreciated but again, it's not a big deal and the User Interface works surprisingly well.

    I look forward to spending insane amounts of time in this vast game, as I'm sure many of you are too, I give this game the ultimate 10/10, because no other game can match the superiority of this amazing creative construction.    … Expand
  18. sabbede
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Hands down the greatest cRPG I have played since... Well, to be honest, the last Bethesda game. Unlike every other game they have put out, this game is STABLE! The most stable and (major) bug free game they have ever released. It is:
    Deep
    Immersive Fun Addictive Beautiful Is it perfect? No. For example, I would have preferred full DX11 support. But it is so good, I can easily    Hands down the greatest cRPG I have played since... Well, to be honest, the last Bethesda game. Unlike every other game they have put out, this game is STABLE! The most stable and (major) bug free game they have ever released. It is:
    Deep
    Immersive
    Fun
    Addictive
    Beautiful

    Is it perfect? No. For example, I would have preferred full DX11 support. But it is so good, I can easily forgive the minor flaws. Buy this game.
    Love it.
    Live it.    … Expand
  19. NickaPleeze
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Sweet Jesus what an amazing game. This is the first Elder Scrolls game I've played, but I'm already a fan for life. My only complaint is that there's no option to turn off the GODDAMN TIME MACHINE this game comes with. I swear I played for about a half hour the other day and six hours passed. Also, I'm a battle-mage werewolf that devours dragon's souls. Nbd. Incredible game, mind-blowingSweet Jesus what an amazing game. This is the first Elder Scrolls game I've played, but I'm already a fan for life. My only complaint is that there's no option to turn off the GODDAMN TIME MACHINE this game comes with. I swear I played for about a half hour the other day and six hours passed. Also, I'm a battle-mage werewolf that devours dragon's souls. Nbd. Incredible game, mind-blowing scope, and very deep character customization/crafting schemes. This is the first Bethesda game I've enjoyed and the first game I've ever given a perfect review. PS: I have not experienced the technical problems other reviewers have. I play on PC with a 360 controller and the UI/mechanics all work great. I have over 28 hours logged and I haven't experienced any noteworthy bugs either. The only problem I've had is rather minor--after many hours of continuous play (4+), some of the textures sometimes don't load properly, so sometimes I'll see a character running around with a bright purple breastplate or something. This only happens very rarely (twice so far), doesn't affect gameplay, and has been fixed every time I've encountered it by simply re-loading the game (which I should probably be doing more than once every 4 hours anyways lol). Get this game!… Expand
  20. bheaze
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    Ok so ive played about 40hrs now so i feel i am able to write a proper review on the game so far. the people that give the game less than 5 out of 10 have clearly not played more than 10hrs max in the game and that is no where near enough to even get a glimpse of the game. for the first few hours i was enjoying it but not that much, only when i dove deeper into the quests did i begin toOk so ive played about 40hrs now so i feel i am able to write a proper review on the game so far. the people that give the game less than 5 out of 10 have clearly not played more than 10hrs max in the game and that is no where near enough to even get a glimpse of the game. for the first few hours i was enjoying it but not that much, only when i dove deeper into the quests did i begin to really see how amazing this game really is. there are bugs of course but a game this size it was inevitable but the bugs dont affect with the gameplay that much. the UI is pretty **** on pc but its playable so everyone should stop exaggerating how **** it is and just focusing on that rather than the actual game. yes it crashes every now and again its done it to me twice but that doesnt take away from the actual cunning and innovative gameplay. the graphics arnt really good either even on ultra but definitely playable and as u go deeper into the province of skyrim ur eyes are enveloped by the stunning landscapes, hidden beauties, divine gradens and the amazing running water! u can really tell how much effort Bethesda has put into the game, its clearly evident. i have barely touched the main story, so far completed the dark brotherhood and companions as well as a number of very intriguing side quests. the dark brotherhood and companions factions story line was quite short but the story was well put together with a number of twists and turns that had me excited to see what happens and shocked in the end. even after finishing these factions there are an infinite number of other quests to be completed in the guilds that unfortuantly dont affect the story line of the guild but are still interesting. i would have liked the guilds to be longer!!!! but the side quests, well where do i begin, not to mention that it seems like everyone that u talk to has a quest u can do for them and i have had some very interesting quests. one involving a drinking game in which i blacked out and woke up in a trashed temple, i had to recap my night and found out some very interesting things had been done. the story writing is fantastic! there is no way u can write a review after just a few hrs gameplay, so those people that give negative reviews are missing out on the game of the year! keep playing and i guarantee u will love the game.… Expand
  21. Sunder_Prime
    Nov 18, 2011
    4
    I had a lot of hope for this game & having played the previous two (Oblivion until there was literally nothing left to do) Skyrim seemed like a no-brainer to me. Unfortunately, the game does not rise to meet expectations at all. Let me honestly say that I actually went about for the first while delibrately ignoring faults in this game - the dragon flicking to & from wire-frame repeatedlyI had a lot of hope for this game & having played the previous two (Oblivion until there was literally nothing left to do) Skyrim seemed like a no-brainer to me. Unfortunately, the game does not rise to meet expectations at all. Let me honestly say that I actually went about for the first while delibrately ignoring faults in this game - the dragon flicking to & from wire-frame repeatedly at the beginning, non-player-characters' movements being very stiff & odd looking, constant clipping with everything from seats half-sticking into walls to axes worn on NPC belts sticking through their coats & at times THEMSELVES, a woodcutter whose logs would stick to his axe as if magnetized! I really wanted to ignore this stuff (which you really shouldn't do - or HAVE to do) and enjoy the game and I did so semi-effectively for a few days of (not-solid) gameplay. But at every turn I found myself being pulled out of what was suposed to be an immersive game. Problems show up constantly like the fact that despite what level you are or how well armed or menacing you look your horse is apparently always going to look like the bigger threat to your enemies & so you often find yourself trying to get between your enemies and your horse to kept it from dying. And if you leave it at the bottom of a hill and go to fight a mob, be fully prepared for your horse to charge off past you and engage them, forcing you to use up stamina (which you need to do any decent weapon attack) so you can sprint forward & save your horse. This would be less annoying if it didn't happen all the time & didn't take the fun out of in-game fighting. You could argue that a horse would attack an aggressor or charge off against a perceived threat in real life, but to this I'd have to say: "if we're going to play at realism, then why can't a tether the bugger?!" But despite every bug that they didn't to fix from the last game (and there's a lot), & every new one that makes the game less & less fun, the worst is still the game's RECOGNITION. At one point, I was a Thane in a major city (a position of some serious importance). I asked my new housecarl (the follower given to a Thane) what it meant & she told me I was important to the community and had been recognised as such, for eg, "guards would know me & look the other way if I told them who I was". Well, this ability doesn't actually exist &, even tho I'm not stealing anything, when I use my SHOUT power guards regularly walk up & command me to stop - to which I can either wimpishly comply or dickishly stick my tongue out at them (verbally speaking). No option exists for them to know I'm a Thane & when I travel, having become Thane of a major city, the Fabled Dragonborn everyone is talking about, and the leader of the land's ancient & most famous mercenary group, to go & enlist under the rebel king - THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHO I AM! I'm treated like a nobody who has to prove himself all over again and is often referred to as "Unblooded" by name. By this point, many enemies go down with just one hit - so how am I unblooded exactly? But the worst thing of all, is that when I take news from the rebel king to the Jarl (earl) of the town I've set up in (the one where my Thane-ship and Mercenary status exist) he responds to me like he doesn't know me. And finally, when it comes down to the rebels versus my town, and I march on the town with my Housecarl (who owes allegiance to the Jarl) nothing is said, not a word of complaint, no segment where she protests at least a little about having to attack her own town, nothing (for a character who Bethesda said would feel like a "real, fleshed out person, not just a follower"). No one even comments on the idea of me attacking the place where I have set up so many roots, not even the Jarl when I face him down. In fact, the town isn't even damaged for a place we where just launching boulders at only moments before. Then the NEW Jarl says that to thank me he can give me a title - in fact, he can make me a Thane (hair-pulling out time!) and give me a housecarl (she's standing right behind you, numb-nuts!). This sucked out all realism for me & any feeling of accomplishment. Bethesda also said that as a guild leader you would always have something to do - this just turns out to be pest ctrl missions with the mission giver repeating the same phrase each time: "I've never seen a dragon before, are they real?" ("Yes, you just killed one a moment ago with me for the last mission!!"). The graphics constantly suffer faults even with everything at full on a high-end PC (don't get me started on that), the controls are extremely sub-par - the tip of the cursor & where the mouse will actually click are quite a surprising distance apart. All in all (& this is really just the tip of the iceberg) not enough testing was done, not enough effort was put in, it feels like half a game & plays like one too. Get it if it's £10 or $15. Otherwise, you WILL feel cheated.… Expand
  22. EDHAWK777
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    Amazing Game...A rich world full of things to do, Best RPG i've ever played :) A masterpiece for those who consider pc gamers...Like Like Like.................
  23. daarthreview1
    Nov 18, 2011
    0
    I remembered playing oblivion after 150 or so hours of playing i wanted more this game not only kept the things i loved about its predecessor but added new things that expands the enjoyment of the game for me.
    Bethseda deserves a medal the graphics are not that much better than oblivion but makes up for it in other areas most of the glitches that annoyed me in oblivion are gone
    a down side    I remembered playing oblivion after 150 or so hours of playing i wanted more this game not only kept the things i loved about its predecessor but added new things that expands the enjoyment of the game for me.
    Bethseda deserves a medal the graphics are not that much better than oblivion but makes up for it in other areas most of the glitches that annoyed me in oblivion are gone
    a down side is the attack sometimes it feels as if you are striking into thin air also in oblivion but that doesn't bother me that much i love this game and i have to go i must play some more skyrim :).    … Expand
  24. Mal81
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    This is the first Elder Scroll game I have played, and I regret that I haven't dipped in before. I have been in love with this game since the moment i walked into it's beautiful world. I have no past bias, no delusions that this game doesn't have rough edges. There are bugs, some funny, some ugly, but the sheer wonder and joy inherent in the game are excellent. After years of playingThis is the first Elder Scroll game I have played, and I regret that I haven't dipped in before. I have been in love with this game since the moment i walked into it's beautiful world. I have no past bias, no delusions that this game doesn't have rough edges. There are bugs, some funny, some ugly, but the sheer wonder and joy inherent in the game are excellent. After years of playing MMOs and Linear storyline type games, this open ended rpg has won a special place in my heart.… Expand
  25. Dolar
    Nov 18, 2011
    2
    I really want to like this game I really do. But the UI on the PC is just horrendous. No modern PC game should ship with a 100% console UI and awful support for keyboard and mouse. All kinds of performance issues, I had a game stopping issue that took 4 days and a user fix to make the game playable.

    Once I was able to play the game, with an xbox controller mind you, It was a lot of fun.    I really want to like this game I really do. But the UI on the PC is just horrendous. No modern PC game should ship with a 100% console UI and awful support for keyboard and mouse. All kinds of performance issues, I had a game stopping issue that took 4 days and a user fix to make the game playable.

    Once I was able to play the game, with an xbox controller mind you, It was a lot of fun. It is a very atmospheric game and is a whole lot of fun when you can play it. Getting to play it is the obstacle on the PC however.

    Here is to hoping the patch will fix these issues, if so I would have no issues giving this game a 8. But the UI has to be fixed.    … Expand
  26. janbirsa
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    This has been the BEST RPG experience of my life... Skyrim > Oblivion. Skyrim is second best game I played this year among with Portal, every other game was just a waste of money and time. Caution: Skyrim may make you forget you have a real life and that humans sleep at night :P
  27. OHMYFACE
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    I'm not gunna lie, this game is amazing, brilliant, outstanding, a masterpiece. I'm only filling the rest up because i need one hundred and fifty characters. < This lol
  28. NoBodysGamer
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    I'm not gunna lie, this game is amazing, brilliant, outstanding, a masterpiece. I'm only filling the rest up because i need one hundred and fifty characters.
  29. m3gat0n
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    the only game you MUST HAVE in this year, the graphics, the enviroment, the story plot.. absolutly beautiful its a Masterpiece!
    Hurry go buy it for pc, set the graphics at max and enjoy the game of the year.
  30. casshern09
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    I hate to admit it. But this is the best game I have ever played in almost 30 years of gaming. I personally hated, and I do mean HATED Fallout 3 and Oblivion. I thought they were two of the most overrated games ever made. But this, oh man what an amazing game. It does have some flaws. Bad UI, a fair few bugs and some poor graphics. Fortunately those things can be fixed with mods. I amI hate to admit it. But this is the best game I have ever played in almost 30 years of gaming. I personally hated, and I do mean HATED Fallout 3 and Oblivion. I thought they were two of the most overrated games ever made. But this, oh man what an amazing game. It does have some flaws. Bad UI, a fair few bugs and some poor graphics. Fortunately those things can be fixed with mods. I am currently using about 8 or 9 and it makes the game beautiful as only a PC can. Wonderful game, any RPG nut needs to try it.… 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

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.
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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.
    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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