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. Delogic
    Nov 13, 2011
    4
    BLAND BLAND BLAND.

    How this can get 10's from 10's of critics is beyond me. Oh, I have a thing or two to say about that.. 1. Design is bland. Enviroments look just the same as Oblivion, with the same random-dungeon-generation as Oblivion, with the same lack of feeling, charisma, distinctiveness. It's like it couldn't be made better looking and equally uninteresting at the same time. None    BLAND BLAND BLAND.

    How this can get 10's from 10's of critics is beyond me. Oh, I have a thing or two to say about that..

    1. Design is bland. Enviroments look just the same as Oblivion, with the same random-dungeon-generation as Oblivion, with the same lack of feeling, charisma, distinctiveness. It's like it couldn't be made better looking and equally uninteresting at the same time. None of the enviroments are actually connected to any type of function - they're just made to look awesome. Large expances? Check. Walkways floating in the air? Check. Underground lighting and strange floating plants? Check. Oh, and I started as a feline with enhanced vision to see in the dark. Think I ever needed to use it? Nope! Chuck Testa.

    2. Game mechanics are bland. Wow, I got a sword that does 15 fire damage instead of 10. THAT's CONSIDERABLE. Oh, this sword does frost damage instead of fire, NEVERMIND, damagetype almost never matters ANYWAY. Perks? Yeah, 20% more damage, 40% more damage, can it get more flavorful? Oh, what's that I hear? You can get 25% chance to make monsters bleed from axes or something? ... Sorry, I think I fell asleep. Automatic difficulity adjustment is back, btw! Hell, you're wearing the best armor possible? Well, be prepared to be slaughtered by peasants and iron-armed cave-men. All for a decent challenge, you know!

    3. Spells are bland. Fear, Spark, Fireball, Tashas hideus laughter - sorry, made the last one up. That one would actually been interesting. Make X do Y for Z seconds. Step-n-repeat. All elemental spells have same structure: Low-level, medium-level, high-level, a bit more awesome level, I can guess what this is going to be level, and I couln't care less level.

    4. Dragons? Yeah, **** fly-like-on-rails one-trick-pony kill-them-the-same-way dragons. All look the same. Try killing them with a close-range weapon? HAH!!! Yeah right. Try instead getting them glich-stuck behind a tree and spend 20 minutes waiting for your mana to recharge or your petty spells to do your work. Dragon powers? You can become a ventriloquist! With great power comes great responsiblities!

    5. Inventory? HAH! Be ready to spend equal time in the horrible menu-system as watching the scenery go by, slowly on a horse with no name that can actually run - for 10 seconds - then plot along. Potions of healing and Potions of health and Potions of Regeneration and Potions of **** well, all these are going to be just a blast scrolling though. Some heal you. Some doesn't. You'll just have to find all of them again and again. Easy to recognize visual representations? Pff.. who needs'em. Up, down, left, right. Get ready to be confused. Select skills without jumping to another skill and trying again and again and again and again and almost destrying your keyboard? You wish!

    Well, at least it doesn't have any bugs.. ..oh, wait.    … Expand
  2. tvangste
    Nov 13, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. combats ok better than oblivion but still ok...the skill set up wasnt as good it makes u to op. every single questline just ends nothing nice happens after u complete them like in oblivion when u finish the questline everyone loves u and u get the imperial dragon armor and its awesome cuase u feel great about it, this one u defeat a dragon in a different dimension get sent back to skyrim and u get no dialogue no more quests from the main storyline and u recieve nothing. all u get is a cutscene of dragons flying away...but even after u kill all the leader dragons there is still dragons around. all the guilds were only about 3 hours each lacked any really fun story in the guild and they ended the same way as the main story the thieves guild had a darker story than the dark brotherhood, good armor rarely dropped, all the dungeons had reused parts and 60% of the time u were fighting skeletons which got annoying since every single skeleton was a one hit kill after a while. It feels like u are in a small world the entire game, while the graphics are really good all the npcs look like poop. It feels like ur given no freedom, or too much freedom its hard to tell either one can be good or can be bad in this case it doesnt help the game out too much....thats why im giving this game a 8 out of 10.… Expand
  3. Isisius
    Nov 13, 2011
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a huge fan of the series I hate to do this, i really do, and if i was just playing an ordinary game by an ordinary developer this would be getting a 8 or a 9. If i was just taking the first 5 hours, this would be getting an 8 or a 9. This weekend i have put a solid 35 hours into this game, so i feel like my review comes after some experience.
    Firstly, the positives.
    The game is interesting, the lore is good, the dungeons are varied and have interesting puzzles.
    Combat is improved, if not brilliant and the perks are quite neat.
    These positives are definitely enough to make the game interesting and playable.
    Now the negatives.
    The menus, OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL. How difficult is it to make a frigging spreadsheet, listing the weight, value and name of the item, and let me sort it by those things. Not to mention its all designed for a console, so i waste so much time clicking the wrong thing because the cursor doesn't map properly to the options.
    Secondly, the bugs, man this is difficult to play when it crashes to the desktop ever hour or so with no warning or error message, its just gone. AI does some silly stuff sometimes but i can get over that, its just the crashing to desktop for no apparent reason that's killing me.
    Thirdly, and this is my biggest and most important one, and more general too.
    I don't know if anyone else senses this, but the whole game feels less heroic and epic than Morrowind or Oblivion. Sure you fight dragons, but the game feels kind of scripted.
    ----Minor Companion Guild Spoiler alert---- (I don't say what happens just it doesn't take long)
    So the companion guild is supposed to replace the fighters guild, and it was my first stop. I expected hours of missions and working my way through the ranks to finally become the leader, which would come with benefits such as getting my cut from the other members of the guild i now lead, or special missions, or special perks or SOMETHING. I would have expected extra reputation but that is no longer in this game for some reason. But what happens? I finish the couple of quests in little over an hour and am suddenly head of the guild and my benefits amount to a big fat nothing. Oh i get some stupid axe that i already had weapons as good as. And what is the special quests i get after being the mighty leader? "Hey man, this guy has a wolf (a single wolf) in his house on the other side of the map, can you go kill it?" Yeah send the freaking head of the guild to do that for like 100 gold.
    Same deal with the mages, no benefit at all.
    ----End Companion Spoiler----
    That's ok, ill go work for a Jarl, and get a house and become a thane, surely that will come with benefits and affect the story somehow.
    Wrong, after all the work and money it takes to get there, its just another thing you do that has no real benefit except you can get away with small crimes.
    This game is suffering from what i call Fable-itis, you can even get married ( to random NPCs or no noteworthiness for no benefit). There's so much to do, but why bother. All of my Armour and weapons were crafted by myself and are drastically better than anything i find, the only thing i use that i found was an amulet.
    Even taking part in the Civil War seems to have little affect that i can see so far other than a change in NPC's that run the cities and no benefit to yourself.
    The other Elder scroll games made your character so important, in Morrowind you could join a great house and rise through it eventually building your own castle. How awesome and epic.
    In Oblivion when you were the master of the guild you were the MASTER. You got a cut of everyone's earning and could direct the attention of the guild, and you were famous because of it.
    Where is that in this game? Where is the epic story where you grow in power and fame? Sure there are some epic battles, but the Elder scrolls were never about that, they were about the heroes story from rags to riches, from a dirty prisoner to lord of all you see.
    The problem with Elder scrolls is the expectations that go with it, this game looks great, and plays pretty well, as my 35 hours playtime will show, but it just doesn't feel like a good Elder Scrolls game, and most fans of the series will realize this as the game progresses and they seem to be having less and less effect on the world.    … Expand
  4. catraven70
    Nov 13, 2011
    8
    I waited a very long time for this game to be released. I was floored when I first popped Oblivion in my system. With regret, I didn't feel those same emotions at the beginning of Skyrim. As I continue playing, I am enjoying my experience but there is something missing. Where is all the pomp that Oblivion had ? Theme music anyone? Nope. I did truly expect more from Skyrim then what I'mI waited a very long time for this game to be released. I was floored when I first popped Oblivion in my system. With regret, I didn't feel those same emotions at the beginning of Skyrim. As I continue playing, I am enjoying my experience but there is something missing. Where is all the pomp that Oblivion had ? Theme music anyone? Nope. I did truly expect more from Skyrim then what I'm getting, but since it's Elder Scrolls...ah well ..sigh… Expand
  5. DeagleHS
    Nov 13, 2011
    8
    Amazing with a splash of disappointment. I've re-written this a few times and I'm just going to say the things that are annoying me - the disappointments. Although this is much to love. The graphics are MASSIVELY outdated. I brought Metro 2033 for $5 recently and it's graphics where better. I know graphics aren't what a game is all about but when I started the game (on ULTRA) I thoughtAmazing with a splash of disappointment. I've re-written this a few times and I'm just going to say the things that are annoying me - the disappointments. Although this is much to love. The graphics are MASSIVELY outdated. I brought Metro 2033 for $5 recently and it's graphics where better. I know graphics aren't what a game is all about but when I started the game (on ULTRA) I thought I'ld accidently set it on Medium or low. lol I swear I rechecked the video setting 5 times to make sure it wasn't a mistake. I'm gonna say it - it's the outdated console's (xbox and ps3) that are to blame. The console's manufacturers are milking their current box's for all there worth and the effect it has on PC games is developers working with making new gen games based on crappy crappy outdated hardware. As we all know the money is where the console noobs are at. So we will continue to get S word lol graphics until a new console gen emerges. From the youtube video's I was so excited to look at an artifact (sword, shield or food) and look at it in amazing detail but Nooooo. To support much of what i've been saying have a look at RAGE - similar situation. The detail level is horribly low and this was another disaapointment. Then there is the console port - ok it's a OK console port but there are obvious things like the GUI settings for the console pads LT and RT - WTF how could you overlook taking this out of the PC release.
    OK im off the whole consoles are to blame section
    Combat: Having so much fun with stealth and Archery - good job here. Melee combat has been slightly improved but still have a while to go to be interesting. Haven't touched magic - not playing that character yet.
    More voice actors and this has improved but still needs improvement. Characters are still rather stiff.
    Love how NPC's are more aware of your actions and comment as such. I was having fun using my shouts in town and a guard came along and told me to shut up lol. I love the random encounters.
    So why am I giving the game an 8/10 with all this complaining. Despite the short coming's and a few area's the game is still as immersive as ever and im enjoying it. The graphics were full DX11 and not DX9 overlook the rest of the issues. This is a open world game and realistic graphics really does help you be in this world.    … Expand
  6. Colrum
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    I sat down to play Skyrim after a long wait following Oblivion, I played, I played, I played. I explored, I did side quests, I did some of the main quest, got distracted by shiny things in the distance and went off to do other things. I was utterly entranced. My housemate knocked on my bedroom door and asked me "What skills you gone for?" he had just finished installing it after gettingI sat down to play Skyrim after a long wait following Oblivion, I played, I played, I played. I explored, I did side quests, I did some of the main quest, got distracted by shiny things in the distance and went off to do other things. I was utterly entranced. My housemate knocked on my bedroom door and asked me "What skills you gone for?" he had just finished installing it after getting home from work, I, had the day off. He came in and looked at me, exclaiming only "It's 10pm dude..." I had been played since 7am, and had absolutely, no, idea.… Expand
  7. tyler_james
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    An exceptional game. Period. The stand-out features of Skyrim are too many to name. What really hooked me, was the exceptional level of detail in the graphics, the excitingly tumultuous new-line adventure of terrorizing the populace as a werewolf, and the intense combos of a revamped melee system. As an avid Oblivion player, I really wanted something new to set Skyrim apart, and moreAn exceptional game. Period. The stand-out features of Skyrim are too many to name. What really hooked me, was the exceptional level of detail in the graphics, the excitingly tumultuous new-line adventure of terrorizing the populace as a werewolf, and the intense combos of a revamped melee system. As an avid Oblivion player, I really wanted something new to set Skyrim apart, and more importantly, to make the game worth the 60$ it cost me. Bethesda delivered. Unless you're running the game on a Pentium 3, the graphics are incredible with a refreshing style and user-friendly interface. Example: when your character looks at something really bright (like the sun) then looks into something darker (like a shadowed room) your screen actually mimics the experience of "your eyes becoming accustomed to the light/dark." NPC characters' eyes actually glitter in the dark sometimes. Incredible. As far as new content, how's being a werewolf? An exciting twist to the game, without the humdrum inconvenience of being a vampire in Oblivion, lycanthropy adds a ton of fun to the game without being overpowered and without causing the player undue tension with NPC's. And as far as combat goes, awesome. The end. Fallout style combat closers never get old. Critical strikes? I'm in. Dual wielding spells? as@hDb%as9dh!!! The only downside to Skyrim is the technical issues that need to be resolved (and I assume they will be in upcoming patches) that are mostly held to the player falling to death in silly, annoying ways, and the occasional quest bug. Also, the Dark Brotherhood isn't as cool in this one, but that's just my opinion. And, as usual with this style of game, I'm always conscious of the fact that I am completely and utterly alone. Some kind of multiplayer would make the engine truly groundbreaking. But apart from wishful thinking, and the occasional annoying bug, Skyrim is worth your money, and a whole lot more. 9/10… Expand
  8. Ghjkl242
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    I'm really not entirely sure why this game is getting negative reviews. Some of them are negative due to lack of observation (ie. you CAN change the controls :p), others don't make much sense (the menu system works great with a mouse. I think they were looking for something that would work well on both console and pc), but some of them do have validity. In response to the graphics: theyI'm really not entirely sure why this game is getting negative reviews. Some of them are negative due to lack of observation (ie. you CAN change the controls :p), others don't make much sense (the menu system works great with a mouse. I think they were looking for something that would work well on both console and pc), but some of them do have validity. In response to the graphics: they aren't bad at all. It's not goddamned Crysis, but it's a humongous improvement over Oblivion, and a hell of a lot faster. It actually runs faster than Oblivion on my machine. In fact, considering how much landscape ends up on the screen at once, it looks really good. Even the indoor areas look good. In regards to "The story is bad", it's not just about the story given to you (which is pretty good in the first place), but the story that you create for yourself, so if the story sucks, you probably aren't playing the game as it was intended to be played. In response to "There are more voice actors, but not enough", are you serious? I think I've heard the same voice twice one or two times, and I've played the game quite a lot. In contrast to Oblivion, which had roughly 10 voice actors (not including Patrick Stewart and Sean Bean who only played one character each), although, according to Wikipedia there were only 6 total, Skyrim has more like 70 voice actors. Not to mention the quality of acting is much better. And what is this about the combat being bad? It may not be perfect, but it's loads better than Oblivion, and definitely better than Morrowind. The only downfalls of Skyrim I can find are the occasional glitches (which I personally see as comic relief), and no short-cut keys, which hopefully will be fixed in the next patch. If not, some modder will make it anyways. If you want to know the numerous good things about this game, just look at other positive reviews. Right now, I'm gonna go play Skyrim.… Expand
  9. spoonfreak
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    What an achievement. A massive, stunning adventure in a rich, vast world filled with thousands of years of history. Gameplay is streamlined and varied at the same time. Exploration is endless, as are the quests and number of characters to meet and interact with. Visually, they've taken some slightly dated tech and cranked it up to 11, creating an atmosphere that draws you in and never letsWhat an achievement. A massive, stunning adventure in a rich, vast world filled with thousands of years of history. Gameplay is streamlined and varied at the same time. Exploration is endless, as are the quests and number of characters to meet and interact with. Visually, they've taken some slightly dated tech and cranked it up to 11, creating an atmosphere that draws you in and never lets you go. There's so much thought, care and artistry involved in every area of Skyrim, that you're more immersed than you are in the shiny Battlefields and Modern Warfares of the world. The Soundtrack is simply stunning, possibly the best game soundtrack I've ever come across. You have to admire the sheer audacity and ambition of a project like this and forgive the small glitches and problems that don't even come close to ruining the ultimate experience. A deserving 10.… Expand
  10. Oneheven
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    When I first started I wasn't sure about the changes it has compared to its predecessors. The changes to the menus, the way combat feels and the change in classes and skills.
    But after I have been playing non stop since I got my hands on it I love it. Everything works so well and it makes me feel like i'm in the game that i'm an high elf mage and that is what i love a game that can make me    When I first started I wasn't sure about the changes it has compared to its predecessors. The changes to the menus, the way combat feels and the change in classes and skills.
    But after I have been playing non stop since I got my hands on it I love it. Everything works so well and it makes me feel like i'm in the game that i'm an high elf mage and that is what i love a game that can make me feel like i'm part of it.
    If I could only have one game this year this would be my pick, you have to pick this up or you are missing on of the best games created so far.    … Expand
  11. ppd8472
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    As a new follower to the Elder Scrolls world - only played Oblivion, I can say, without a doubt, this is one of the better games I've EVER played. Period. The depth of the quests, the soothing sounds of the soundtrack, and the absolutely beautiful world created in Skyrim will resonate with me for a long time to come. I have sunk 30 hours in and I haven't even begun to scratch the surfaceAs a new follower to the Elder Scrolls world - only played Oblivion, I can say, without a doubt, this is one of the better games I've EVER played. Period. The depth of the quests, the soothing sounds of the soundtrack, and the absolutely beautiful world created in Skyrim will resonate with me for a long time to come. I have sunk 30 hours in and I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of how far the proverbial rabbit-hole goes. They took what was awesome from Oblivion, coupled it with the positive characteristics attached to the new Fallout series, and made one hell of a good game. True, they are some bugs, but nothing that detracts you from the games playability in the least. I even find some hilarious - like woolly mammoths that fly. So I never gave them two thoughts. I can't put this game down. If you love the Elder Scrolls series, the Fallout series, or any game in general, get this, you will not regret it.… Expand
  12. MasterXi
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    My thoughts more than a review. This game is all around awesome. I never expected to get this game and never played any of the older ones. After getting it, I'm glad I did. CoD MW3 and BF3 are put on hold for awhile.

    Run ultra graphics with a GTX 580. Load times are 2-3 seconds average with some loads going up to 5 seconds. Play with XBox controller. Amazing on 5.1 surround sound    My thoughts more than a review. This game is all around awesome. I never expected to get this game and never played any of the older ones. After getting it, I'm glad I did. CoD MW3 and BF3 are put on hold for awhile.

    Run ultra graphics with a GTX 580. Load times are 2-3 seconds average with some loads going up to 5 seconds. Play with XBox controller. Amazing on 5.1 surround sound and 59" TV. Glad I got it for the PC.    … Expand
  13. changchang
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Skyrim traditionally isn't a game with a strong main-quest, but with an unbelievable freedom. There are quests everywhere and a giant world to discover. Though the controls are not optimized for PC, its a jewel and a masterpiece. For me personally, it's the RPG-Highlight of the past 5 years.
  14. beforsirius
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    I really do not know where to begin. I am not putting a fan-boy '10' up, nor am I giving Skyrim a 10 over sensationalism. This game really has earned it.

    Gameplay: The gameplay is more addictive than ever, and while it borrows from past Besthesda games, it still retains its own ingenuity. The combat is very violently refreshing, with very realistic 'pick-your-shot' fighting being    I really do not know where to begin. I am not putting a fan-boy '10' up, nor am I giving Skyrim a 10 over sensationalism. This game really has earned it.

    Gameplay: The gameplay is more addictive than ever, and while it borrows from past Besthesda games, it still retains its own ingenuity. The combat is very violently refreshing, with very realistic 'pick-your-shot' fighting being logically most effective. You can rush in and swing your sword relentlessly and get the same, or you can gauge your opponents strikes and counter. There is more support now for a stealth themed character, and archery is actually an effective combat style now (as opposed to oblivion). Though at first being unable to block with two swords was very fickle, the point made of "you can't block with one arm supporting the hilt; the sword will fly right out of your hand" was quite valid. Skyrim has given me an actual adrenaline rush when fighting a bear. In my opinion, everything seems to just make sense now.

    Animation: The combat stances I have seen so far are VERY practical (i.e. they borrow from actual martial arts). The hand-to-hand stance is very tight, and well guarded (hands up, stomach tucked, chin tucked). Punches are thrown just as they are in boxing; loose and relaxed, thrown with the hip and not flailing. Running looks like running, and not like you have spaghetti noodles for arms and legs (like a troll). Ditto for walking. The finishing sequences are quite brutal, and brutally well made. While still somewhat showy, they aren't overly flamboyant with spin-flip stabby things. Jumping looks like jumping. While it seems like it shouldn't be such a big deal to make a point of 'jumping looks like jumping', so many games in the past have failed where Skyrim is finally getting a grasp of what gravity might ACTUALLY do to a jump! The animations in Skyrim are a new rung in a chain of animation technology.

    Graphics: Current generation graphics for sure. I am running on all ultra settings on a PC, and everything (especially the lighting) is visually impressive. If you are playing Skyrim on a 360 or PS3, you are naturally going to miss out on the best graphics Skyrim has to offer; a 256MB GPU just won't cut it. The aurora borealis in the game had me running around for 5 minutes or so just looking at the sky. THE FACES ARE AMAZING. 'Nuff said, haters gonna hate.

    Sound: Some of the best quality voice acting you will find around. I feel like I'm playing the main role in an action film. There are some nuances here and there, and some of the voices sound irrelevant to the setting, but I guess it supports an immigration clause. That's all I need until sound technologically transcends into perfection.

    UI: Anyone who doesn't understand the UI and argues 'it's made for retards' obviously has a mental deficit themselves. Think; if you are equipping a sword, you will naturally equip a sword to be used in the right hand on the left side. The sheath will be on the left so that you can reach across and unsheath the sword without having the struggle you would if it were on your right. Skyrim was made with logic in mind, so use it!

    Cons: So far, I've seen a few bugs such as bodies floating and a random mammoth falling from the sky to its death (perhaps it was made to be?). Such is to be expected in a games release. What matters is that most of the general population can play it and there are no bugs which detract from the gameplay itself.    … Expand
  15. Aidoneus1
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Hands down the best game in years. There are just a handful of game companies that consistently go WAY beyond what is expected when creating games, and Bethesda is one of them.

    As is typical of massive games like this upon release, ES V has crashed on me twice in a couple of days, but I'm sure patches will remedy this. It feels far more stable than Oblivion or FO3 upon release. The    Hands down the best game in years. There are just a handful of game companies that consistently go WAY beyond what is expected when creating games, and Bethesda is one of them.

    As is typical of massive games like this upon release, ES V has crashed on me twice in a couple of days, but I'm sure patches will remedy this. It feels far more stable than Oblivion or FO3 upon release.

    The leveling system is much improved from Oblivion in my opinion. Why they didn't go completely FO3 with the leveling in Skyrim, they did correct the fundamental issues with Oblivion's system. And they are perks galore! And you get to choose one each level.

    I haven't advanced far in the main quest yet (I tend to get easily distracted by side quests, of which there seem to be no end!), but the story already has the makings of another Bethesda epic.    … Expand
  16. Elderstealth
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Skyrim
    After 40 hours of gameplay I still love this game. I give it 9 out of 10 due to the menu system been console based. I have selected 10 out of 10 to try an balance unfairly bad ratings that I feel are unfounded. The graphics in this game are incredible. The leveling system is awesome leveling up what you actually do i.e my first character is a mage but often i run out of magic so I    Skyrim
    After 40 hours of gameplay I still love this game. I give it 9 out of 10 due to the menu system been console based. I have selected 10 out of 10 to try an balance unfairly bad ratings that I feel are unfounded. The graphics in this game are incredible. The leveling system is awesome leveling up what you actually do i.e my first character is a mage but often i run out of magic so I hit enemies with a one handed "Axe of fear" this increases One handed weapon skill while my mage cast in creasing conjuration, destruction and restoration (the only schools of what I cast). Getting of track to whats important. This is a fantastic game upgrade to large screens fast video cards and buy the game :)    … Expand
  17. Alpha_fish
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am truly astonished by the number of negative user review for this game. Worse yet, the majority of these negative reviews are written by people who claim to have played no more than 5 hours of a game that has been designed to last around 300 hours if if the player opts to complete every quest and dungeon in the game. That's a lot of content these reviewers are missing out on. I have also seen many complaints regarding the PC controls for the game. I actually can't speak of how the keyboard and mouse feel as I have been using my wired xbox controller the entire time I have been playing, and I have to say that the game handles very well with the controller and does seem to be tailored for the use of controllers (much like the Witcher 2). Still, it seems foolish to rate a masterpiece like Skyrim so low for something so trivial, as others still have done for the "terrible" graphics in the game. The game is gorgeous. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either lying or wasn't playing the game on its highest settings. Certainly the game isn't quite as glorious to behold as say Battlefield 3, but it is far beyond the deary, ugly landscapes and denizens of Fallout 3's Wasteland. Plus, the game world is massive. While the surface world of the game is comparable to Oblivion, there are numerous dungeons: each with their own unique look and personal history for the player to discover. While the hundreds of locations to find and explore suits me and my play style, no doubt others will be more interested in the main story and Guild quests. Simply put, they are amazingly fun. There are no more tedious tasks like getting recommendations from every Mage's Guild, instead you are dropped right into the Guild's quests; all of which have interesting stories and valuable rewards (such as the ability to transform into a werewolf). I still haven't touched on the much improved combat yet, so I'll dive into that now. The ability to dual wield everything from axes to spells has tremendously improved the game play. Using nothing but magic is a truly viable option, whereas in Oblivion you often had to rely on melee weapons for close combat, now you can have a magical shield up while simultaneously shooting fireballs. Companions are also a much greater help in the combat arena than they were in the past, owing to the ability to give them enhanced weapons and armor as well as the option to tell them to attack particular targets. Still, the game is not without its blemishes, notably I am disappointed by the lack of attributes in the game (Strength, Endurance, Speed, etc.). While the perks when leveling up do give you a great deal of control in regard to how you would like to play the game, I can't help but feel combining all of the attributes into the categories of Health, Magicka, and Stamina oversimplified the leveling system too much. Still, all in all the game is absolutely amazing, and there is no way I could fully explain everything it does right in this review, so I will simply end it here with a hearty recommendation that anyone reading this review go out and buy this game.… Expand
  18. Renu
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    This is easily one of the best games I have ever played and trust me, I have played a lot. Sure there are some bugs and glitches, but I haven't encountered any game breaking ones yet. Everything has been greatly improved from Oblivion, well except the UI part.

    UI is very stripped down. Where is sort function? Better highlights would have been great too, I have used potions by accident too    This is easily one of the best games I have ever played and trust me, I have played a lot. Sure there are some bugs and glitches, but I haven't encountered any game breaking ones yet. Everything has been greatly improved from Oblivion, well except the UI part.

    UI is very stripped down. Where is sort function? Better highlights would have been great too, I have used potions by accident too many times already. I can't see how much air I have left when I'm swimming underwater. I hope they release a patch to fix the UI or do I need to wait for a mod to do that?

    UI aside, the game is absolutely fantastic. Visuals are very beautiful, music is amazing, voice-acting is very well done. Story quests are much more interesting than in Oblivion. A pure masterpiece.    … Expand
  19. fenthal
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Wonderful graphic, great soundtrack, amazing gameplay. Plus, the story is an epic Viking-style saga. If you have played and loved Oblibion in the past, this game is a must. It has few flaws, and maybe 10 it's not an accurate score, but I saw too many haters with theirs 0, and I feel the duty to counterbalance them.
  20. kylerbizzle
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    It is a rare day when I give a game a perfect rating. However, Skyrim is incredible. The combat and dialogue may be spotty, but for such a wide world, most of it is seamless. I love it, it's so good. It's the best. I could give so many reasons why, but there is way too many. The randomness of everything is incredible. I've started a character twice and each play through is completelyIt is a rare day when I give a game a perfect rating. However, Skyrim is incredible. The combat and dialogue may be spotty, but for such a wide world, most of it is seamless. I love it, it's so good. It's the best. I could give so many reasons why, but there is way too many. The randomness of everything is incredible. I've started a character twice and each play through is completely different. I'm in love.… Expand
  21. glest
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    While I admit, the menus are a sorry console port, the game itself is breathtaking and amazing. Shame on the trolls who rated the game a zero. The graphics are amazing, the engine is far stabler (heck, the "~" console in oblivion didn't even work for me), and the gameplay is smoother. Some people complain that the game has been "dumbed down", but I must disagree. Fast travel is a majorWhile I admit, the menus are a sorry console port, the game itself is breathtaking and amazing. Shame on the trolls who rated the game a zero. The graphics are amazing, the engine is far stabler (heck, the "~" console in oblivion didn't even work for me), and the gameplay is smoother. Some people complain that the game has been "dumbed down", but I must disagree. Fast travel is a major boon, not a curse, especially with the massive size of the game world (I won't kid you, I haven't experienced 1/10 of it yet, it's so large). I, for one, would not want to spend half an hour getting from city to city just for "shop hopping", for example. As well, the "finishing blows" concept was a pleasant surprise to me. Does it make battles easier? Oh sure, but they're random with powerful strikes, and I've still managed to die a few times (half being falls from tall places - go figure), so I'd hardly say battles are suddenly too easy. I'm sure as soon as I have a run-in with a dragon, I'll invent some new curse words.

    I wish there was a way to assign hotkeys to equipment instead of just using the favorite list (as in oblivion), but do like how versatile the favorite list is, as well as how spells and weapons can be given a hand.

    The game plays amazingly smooth on my computer. Where Dragon Age II had some points where it stuttered, I've yet to encounter any lag even on the "high" settings that the game defaulted for me.

    Is the game an improvement? Most definitely. Ignore the trolls who are rating 0s just because they're unhappy with a single change. The game is most definitely worth it, and then some.    … Expand
  22. Mistwaver
    Nov 13, 2011
    1
    Simply terrible. This is the worst Elder Scrolls game I've ever played, and I've been playing them for many, many years. I don't know what Bethesda was thinking, but they simply failed miserably on this one, and never again will I give Bethesda MY heard earned money for any game with Bethesda anywhere near it.

    First and foremost, the game is unfinished. It should have stayed in    Simply terrible. This is the worst Elder Scrolls game I've ever played, and I've been playing them for many, many years. I don't know what Bethesda was thinking, but they simply failed miserably on this one, and never again will I give Bethesda MY heard earned money for any game with Bethesda anywhere near it.


    First and foremost, the game is unfinished. It should have stayed in development for another 3-6 months. The UI horrible. The worst ever in a Elder Scrolls game. It's a main in the @** to navigate because it was designed for consoles, and Bethesda was too lazy to fine the UI for the PC version. If my $60 is going to support a company who is too lazy to spend a couple more days to refine the UI for the PC version, then I'll send that $60 elsewhere next time.


    Secondly, the combat. They went backwards instead of forwards with the combat. The screen pitches and rolls far too much. It makes me nausea and dizzy, so I started playing from third person view, which is undoubtedly, not properly implemented. It has input lag where the first person view does not, and the animations are laughable. Not to mention, avoid those trolls because they'll send you flying 200 ft in the air with one swing. Good job Bethesda! Don't take that in a positive way, because it's not -- it's meant to be a smart-@** remark telling you good job on screwing this one up after years of anticipation. Not to mention, the map system simply is terrible. Additionally, they should have just left the map out if they weren't going to do any better than this. It's so terrible it's not even usable. It doesn't help with navigation at all, unlike in Oblivion. Then within 30 minutes it the game they make you spend 30-45 minutes trying to find your way through this mountain to get to your next objective. What in the hell was Bethesda thinking if anything? I can see this after playing the game for 4-6 hours, but not as a second step in the main quest within 30-45 minutes of starting the game. Shameful Bethesda, you are now simply terrible.


    The ONLY reason I even gave this game a 1 is because of the soundtrack, or it would have simply just gotten a 0. Bethesda, patch this pile of junk you released, redo the UI so it's mouse friendly, fix the lag in the third person view, fix the trolls, revamp the map, because it simply sucks, add more presentation to the game, because as it is it's just a simple mindless quest grind with voice over until you reach the end of the story. There is simply nothing in the game that drives the story forward Go visit BioWare and take some lessons from them -- you can learn a lot from them. Trust me, because you flopped on this game.


    $60 I wish I had kept.    … Expand
  23. Darkstar01
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Cons: Initially the game had driver issues, but then Nvidia released new drivers and problems were solved.
    Cons: The only other problem which I see will be solved by mods at a later date is the fact that you cannot hot button anything.. While this may seem to make the game play slow, and at times it does, the fact that you can pause the game to switch to other spells does make it    Cons: Initially the game had driver issues, but then Nvidia released new drivers and problems were solved.
    Cons: The only other problem which I see will be solved by mods at a later date is the fact that you cannot hot button anything.. While this may seem to make the game play slow, and at times it does, the fact that you can pause the game to switch to other spells does make it easier.

    PROS: The most amazing graphics ever seen on a console or PC system. If you have a GTX 580 or higher you will be enjoying impressive micro details as well as impressive macro details of the game. Example Micro detail would be the veins on a leaf. Impressive Macro details would be snow generated according to the wind and piled up realistically. It actually makes you FEEL cold.. I turned on the heater..=D
    PROS: The physics in this game is so dead-on accurate that its scary... you drop a body into the water and watch it swirl down a river and eventually sink under the waves... You jump in the water yourself and you are pulled down stream by the rapids, I actually spent time just floating with the river and catching fish with my bare Argonian hands... :) Thank Talos for water breathing.
    PROS: So much good stuff I cannot write about it all    … Expand
  24. CupMcCakers
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Skyrim whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I have given the game a review score of 10 for this and one other reason, the other reason being that I do not believe 8.5 (average user score at time of posting) to be an accurate representation of the quality present and the enjoyment that can be taken from game. As usual it seems there are people that insist on bombing a gamesSkyrim whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I have given the game a review score of 10 for this and one other reason, the other reason being that I do not believe 8.5 (average user score at time of posting) to be an accurate representation of the quality present and the enjoyment that can be taken from game. As usual it seems there are people that insist on bombing a games metacritic score with 1â… Expand
  25. Leonarius
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    I simply wanted to address and issue on some of the bad reviews I've seen before I go back to play Skyrim, so here goes...

    If played on the Console or anything Lower than Ultra Detail I think it's unfair to judge Skyrim on graphics. The graphics are amazing, I mean a-m-a-z-i-n-g. It's something you can only experience if you have the hardware to run it and the screen in front of you. When    I simply wanted to address and issue on some of the bad reviews I've seen before I go back to play Skyrim, so here goes...

    If played on the Console or anything Lower than Ultra Detail I think it's unfair to judge Skyrim on graphics. The graphics are amazing, I mean a-m-a-z-i-n-g. It's something you can only experience if you have the hardware to run it and the screen in front of you. When bits a pieces are taken away from the layers of details that Bethesda has created, the graphics will decline rapidly. I also don't think Hardware cost should be included in the rating for a 60 dollar game to be run on max details. It's a next generation game, that uses next generation equipment with the option to dock down the layers of detail to be playable on older hardware. It simply looks better on Ultra at 35FPS+ with everything cranked up, it drives me nuts to see some of these reviews saying the graphics are horrid. You can't judge a book by it's cover while looking through broken glasses underwater. The recommended graphics for the game are for Normal to High - not Ultra with x8 Antialiasing, Anisotropic x16 and FXAA. Hit the Ultra Button, go to the second page and hit FXAA then run the game. If it runs at 5-15 FPS or less then your hardware is not up to par for a final review of Skyrims Graphics. I just wanted to address this issue that keeps showing up in some of the low reviews so don't let those complaints turn you away from the game. Skyrim turned into my new favorite game of all time and I'll admit a full review would end up being overly bias - so I'm happy I could at least address this issue which is indeed a proven fact. Computer Graphics>Current Console Graphics and Ultra >High>Medium>Low. I also gave it a 9 and not a 10 simply because there are a few small bugs in the game - nothing big but it would be unfair to give a 10 which is a perfect score. A few dead bodies are left standing up here and there and an a mammoth once jumped 100 feet in the air when it phased in. Either way, like many of you I probably just gave up a year of my life for this game...enjoy.    … Expand
  26. Bitercup
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Every game gets me bored after 2-3 days but not Skyrim, and with all that mods i will play it forever.
    And for those who care only about graphic, play some other game, in Skyrim graphic is not that important.
    This game must be GOTY (Game Of The Year).
  27. Asmodias
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Many here will compain about features that don't even seem to be negative, the combat functions brilliantly, the visuals aren't incredible, but they are still attractive. Compared to most Bethesda games I found relatively few bugs. This game is borderline perfection, it's not without it's flaws and inbalances; but it's a sandbox game, and it's recently released, it'll get better.
  28. fearless
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Competing with nostalgia-rich classics of the genre, critically acclaimed "hardcore" offerings, deep PnP style multiplayer RPGs as well as Oblivion and the (superior) Morrowind before it, Skyrim still comes out on top to become the best game I've ever played.

    It combines the vast explorability and intoxicating atmosphere of Morrowind with the eminent playability of Oblivion, and turns    Competing with nostalgia-rich classics of the genre, critically acclaimed "hardcore" offerings, deep PnP style multiplayer RPGs as well as Oblivion and the (superior) Morrowind before it, Skyrim still comes out on top to become the best game I've ever played.

    It combines the vast explorability and intoxicating atmosphere of Morrowind with the eminent playability of Oblivion, and turns the art style, world design, voice acting, story and most everything else up to 11 to create an almost perfect high fantasy/sword & sorcery RPG experience.

    Visuals: 9.5/10
    Audio: 10/10
    Gameplay: 10/10
    Story/Quest Gameplay: 10/10
    RPG Mechanics/Design: 9/10
    Content/Scope: 10/10

    Overall: 10/10    … Expand
  29. DonTrixster
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Amazing game, Has surely surpassed previous Bethesda masterpieces such as Fallout or Oblivion. The storyline is AMAZING, the graphics is AMAZING, the game-play and whole leveling up and combat speciality system is AMAZING. Just playing the game on my pc with Maxed-out graphics is an honour alone.
    Besides the main storyline missions, which has at least 10hours playing on it at least,    Amazing game, Has surely surpassed previous Bethesda masterpieces such as Fallout or Oblivion. The storyline is AMAZING, the graphics is AMAZING, the game-play and whole leveling up and combat speciality system is AMAZING. Just playing the game on my pc with Maxed-out graphics is an honour alone.
    Besides the main storyline missions, which has at least 10hours playing on it at least, there's loads of side quests which are actually fun and interesting, which altogether makes up for the lack of a multi-player feature

    Highly recommended, game of the year material here!    … Expand
  30. Zombiechow
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a triumph. Bethesda's magnum opus and the new benchmark for action RPG's in terms of size, scope, scale, and story. There's a lot to love here. Bethesda managed to take its signature, addicting, open world style of game play and refine it to near perfection. There is a massive amount content here. So much so, it's staggering. I find myself talking toThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a triumph. Bethesda's magnum opus and the new benchmark for action RPG's in terms of size, scope, scale, and story. There's a lot to love here. Bethesda managed to take its signature, addicting, open world style of game play and refine it to near perfection. There is a massive amount content here. So much so, it's staggering. I find myself talking to everybody I meet to obtain new things to do, and even if they have nothing for me, a lot of the time they will add their own unique insight into the events and happenings in the world. This makes the world feel alive and lived in. Quests for the most part, are fun, interesting, and will easily distract you from the main story line in a numerous amount of wonderful ways. I won't list any spoilers here, but it's advisable to partake in these, even if the task seems trivial. The game starts off interestingly enough and it's immediately more engaging than the previous title. While I loved Oblivion, I found the first hour or two of the game to be relatively boring and painful. In fact, i had to pick it up and start over several times over a period of months before I finally got into the game. Again, I won't provide any spoilers, but it's much more engaging and vastly more interesting. I'm about 50 hours into the experience and I've not wanted to put down my controller.

    Controller? PC? Rly? Why you ask? Well, it's simple. The game was designed for consoles. It's a simple fact, though this isn't a bad thing. I'll touch more on this later, but the new UI is beautiful, responsive and easy to access with a controller. Important information, for the most part, is easy to access and your treated to absolutely stunning 3D models of available armor, weapons, items, etc. Everything can be examined in real time front to back and there are tons of beautiful details to gorge yourself on. The gameplay is heavily revamped in this time around and there are a few new ways to enjoy combat here. The most notable being the ability to dual wield weapons. Yes, dual wield. This can be a combination of weapon and magic, or weapon weapon. I won't go into a lot of detail on this as it pretty much speaks for itself, but imagine being able to stream a wall of fire at your target, then close in to finish him off with an axe to the head. It's a load of fun. Each weapon can be triggered independently or together to have a cumulative effect which is substantially more powerful. Swordplay this time around feels much more engaging and is vastly more brutal. The finishing moves are also a nice touch, but seem to happen only at random. In other words, you will WANT to get up close in personal with your targets.

    Now lets talk about the visuals. Bethesda revamped the entire visual style of the series the results are absolutely stunning. The attention to detail within the world of Skyrim is absolutely insane, setting a new benchmark for the genre visually. From the clouds swirling the mountain tops, the wind blowing freshly falling snow from the ground, and the amazing texture work, there is a lot to take in visually here and I found myself examining everything. In fact, the world looks so good that it's almost distracting. Those who have already made the 7,000 step hike to the top of The Throat of the World will agree with me here. The world of Skyrim is cold, jagged, and harsh....yet Bethesda managed to make such an unsettling place a thing of beauty. Even this said, there is plenty of variety in the environments to keep things from becoming stale.

    Character models have been vastly improved and look amazing. Gone are the days of strange looking faces and awkwardly designed characters. Character animations could still use a bit of work, but for the most part they're superior to that of what was seen in Oblivion. The flow of time is greatly improved as well. NPC interact with themselves fluidly without many awkward pauses in their speech. Additionally, the world does not come to a halt when you talk to an NPC. This was a huge annoyance to me in Oblivion and took away from the overall immersion in the world.

    The game is not without its flaws though and I wish I had more space to get into these, but there's nothing game breaking here. The UI is awkward if you use a keyboard and there are various bugs in the world such as wobbling plates plates on tables that should be stationary, slow transitions after brawls with NPC, and a few other things, but nothing severe. I also wish that weapons didn't seem to "bounce" off of a target when you swing.

    Skyrim is a masterpiece. It's not a game, It's an experience. One that will easily take several hundred hours of your life. There's a lot I've not touched here such as customization of your character, but trust me...there's a lot to love here. Bethesda has not only set a new benchmark for itself, but for all open world games as a medium.    … 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.
    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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