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. SharkyBytesz
    Apr 24, 2014
    10
    Wonderful game. Huge improvement to its predecessor. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim really gives you the feeling that you're a grand hero in an epic world. Not to mention its modding community with tons and tons of amazing and cool mods. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has every right to be my favorite video game!
  2. thehawk
    Dec 28, 2014
    10
    It's Christmas in Skyrim 2014. The game is over 3 years old and I am still playing it and having a great time. Why? Because of the mods and creation kit. Modded Skyrim is a completely different game - better graphics, more followers, bigger towns, enhanced player homes, more armour, more hairstyles and so many new high quality quests that the original plot sometimes seems tame inIt's Christmas in Skyrim 2014. The game is over 3 years old and I am still playing it and having a great time. Why? Because of the mods and creation kit. Modded Skyrim is a completely different game - better graphics, more followers, bigger towns, enhanced player homes, more armour, more hairstyles and so many new high quality quests that the original plot sometimes seems tame in comparison. So much innovation. So much extra gameplay. The ability to personalise the game world.
    The only depressing part is all the other rpgs that Bethesda could make with the game engine that won't get made,    … Expand
  3. BeanMachine36
    May 14, 2014
    10
    This game is incredible. It's so expansive and deep. I never get tired of playing. I can be just as immersed gathering ingredients for alchemy as fighting dragons.
  4. smeeeee
    May 23, 2015
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, or simply Skyrim, is simply too wonderfully amazing to be described in words. Bethesda went above and beyond what game developers nowadays (aka 2015) would promise. One thing I found interesting was how Bethesda gives you a large, open world to ride around in and discover (that feeling you get when you discovered some place no one knows about is simplyThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, or simply Skyrim, is simply too wonderfully amazing to be described in words. Bethesda went above and beyond what game developers nowadays (aka 2015) would promise. One thing I found interesting was how Bethesda gives you a large, open world to ride around in and discover (that feeling you get when you discovered some place no one knows about is simply awesome), where you never know what might happen next- a dragon could attack you, a pack of wolves could spring out and ambush you, a courier could run up to you with a message- anything could happen, at any time. Another thing that I loved was how the game made me feel. Their manipulation of your feelings, as a matter of fact, nearly made me fear the dark! The soundtrack is simply amazing- every time I throw myself into battle, I can literally feel my heart pounding and my palms sweating as I charge forward, hoping to halve my enemies with my big awesome battleaxe. And finally, you get to choose what you do, and how- you could be a sophisticated magician, a bloodthirsty warrior (like me), a mysterious necromancer, and so on. It's amazing.

    As I said before, Skyrim is too awesome to be described in words. If you want to know how utterly amazing the game is, buy a copy and play it. You won't regret it. Ever.

    FOOS ROH DAAA!    … Expand
  5. Charlemagne
    Jun 2, 2014
    10
    One of the best games ever. Somehow I missed out on previous Elder Scrolls games. But now I see what the fuss was about. The praise for the series is well deserved. It could be harder - the difficultly at the very beginning (under level 10) was good but the game became too easy after that. I'd prefer no levels and skill points either.
  6. Sivus
    Jun 5, 2014
    10
    I find myself going back to this game all the time with well into 400 hours of play time.
    Graphic tweaks and user made add-ons turn this game into a never-ending source of enjoyment for me and many other people.
  7. Jomanponer
    Jun 8, 2014
    10
    best free roaming game ever. good campaign if you choose to do it. good side quests. good everything. amazing and huge item list you can fricking pick up teacups if u want. great world with alot of space to roam and discover, sick and awesome animals and monsters that make it feel like a real world with an working food chain. i usaully only play games for about 3 months or so if they arebest free roaming game ever. good campaign if you choose to do it. good side quests. good everything. amazing and huge item list you can fricking pick up teacups if u want. great world with alot of space to roam and discover, sick and awesome animals and monsters that make it feel like a real world with an working food chain. i usaully only play games for about 3 months or so if they are good ive been playin skyrim for 3 years so good that unfortunetly alot of games that i would usaully think r good now seem **** a must play for everyone.… Expand
  8. BrettT
    Jun 8, 2014
    10
    Skyrim is not only my favorite Elder Scrolls since Morrowind, but also one of my favorite Role-Playing Games ever made. With a large, vast, and expansive world with detailed character creation and an interestingly large amount of content, Skyrim gets a 10/10 for said reasons. Not only that, but it succeeds at what it tries to do, provide a large and interesting world full of lore.
  9. thebiggerD
    Jul 13, 2014
    10
    I just have to say that this game is seriously amazing. For $20.00 you get to buy a game that is probably equivalent to three or four RPG games. This shows how VAST Skyrim is. In addition to this, Skyrim is an open world, which gives you enough freedom to do the main quest whenever you want to. However, the sad thing about this game are the NUMEROUS bugs. Thankfully, this can be easilyI just have to say that this game is seriously amazing. For $20.00 you get to buy a game that is probably equivalent to three or four RPG games. This shows how VAST Skyrim is. In addition to this, Skyrim is an open world, which gives you enough freedom to do the main quest whenever you want to. However, the sad thing about this game are the NUMEROUS bugs. Thankfully, this can be easily resolved by mods and console commands.

    Unlike most of the users here, I, as of the moment, only have a hundred and fifty hours of gameplay here. But judging from my main quest completion, I can probably say that I am only 5% done with the entire game.

    Actually, you cannot measure your progress here since I think Skyrim was made so that it can be played indefinitely.

    MOST PEOPLE MIGHT NOT READ THIS SO LET ME JUST PUT THIS IMPORTANT SENTENCE IN ALL CAPS: WORTH YOUR MONEY SINCE IT WILL ENETERTAIN YOU FOR HUNDREDS OF HOURS. 10/10    … Expand
  10. Larry223
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    Este juego en mi opinión es el mejor juego del 2011 y, tal ves si no es que ya, el mejor de la antigua generación de consolas. (PS3 y Xbox 360) Este juego tiene tanto... Su atmosfera, su manera de meterte en el mundo, su enorme historia, sus multiples lineas argumentales, cientos de misiones secundarias. Lo único malo del titulo serian bugs, pero de resto es una obra maestra. En mi opiniónEste juego en mi opinión es el mejor juego del 2011 y, tal ves si no es que ya, el mejor de la antigua generación de consolas. (PS3 y Xbox 360) Este juego tiene tanto... Su atmosfera, su manera de meterte en el mundo, su enorme historia, sus multiples lineas argumentales, cientos de misiones secundarias. Lo único malo del titulo serian bugs, pero de resto es una obra maestra. En mi opinión es como vivir otra vida, en un mundo mitológico, mágico, horrible, crudo, hermoso, y hasta casi... realista. Todo es muy bueno, sus gráficos, su gameplay, sus detalles, sus misiones, su música... Esta ahora en steam a 40 dolares con todos sus DLC y a ese precio nadie se lo debería perder. Es hasta casi injusto que lo hayan bajado tanto. Este juego es un 10/10, es como GTA San Andreas, una leyenda de los juegos que se seguirá jugando muchos años después de su creación.… Expand
  11. PCuser111
    Jun 14, 2014
    10
    Skyrim is just a masterpiece, i mean, it has a deep and well structured universe, it erases the annoying invisible barriers that some games have, it has a beautiful and epic soundtrack, and nice leveling up mechanics, its simply a must-have, GOTY if you will
  12. MelanieRose2012
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    This game...oh my, this game...I can't get enough of it. With thousands of side quests and main missions, you're sure to never get bored of it. I love the open world, yet story line feel, where you can go anywhere you desire yet there's still order to it and a main quest line that you follow. The DLCs are amazing too, and I personally love the adoption of kids. It's one of the best gamesThis game...oh my, this game...I can't get enough of it. With thousands of side quests and main missions, you're sure to never get bored of it. I love the open world, yet story line feel, where you can go anywhere you desire yet there's still order to it and a main quest line that you follow. The DLCs are amazing too, and I personally love the adoption of kids. It's one of the best games I've ever had the pleasure of playing, and I highly recommend it to anyone.… Expand
  13. umbrastalker
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    Like RPG games buy this game its one of the greatest RPG games ever made. Hundreds of hours of content GOTY 2011 still holds up today bethesda is one of the best developers in the industry .
  14. Whackadoo
    Jun 24, 2014
    10
    Great game, I've always liked sci-fi a lot more than fantasy and fallout 3 is still my very favorite game, but Skyrim made me love using magic for the first time ever. Also, it's absolutely huge. I'm at 56 hrs game play and haven't finished the main quest. I seriously recommend running some of the better rated mods available on Nexus if you haven't. Especially the high res textures,Great game, I've always liked sci-fi a lot more than fantasy and fallout 3 is still my very favorite game, but Skyrim made me love using magic for the first time ever. Also, it's absolutely huge. I'm at 56 hrs game play and haven't finished the main quest. I seriously recommend running some of the better rated mods available on Nexus if you haven't. Especially the high res textures, immersive armors, Vilja companion, companion overhaul and immersive weapons and the better sorting mod for the menu system.… Expand
  15. phwaap
    Feb 28, 2016
    10
    I got this bundled with Bioshock Infinite a few years ago and didn't think much of it after a few minutes. A few months later I tried it out again and vanished for no less than 9 months, a denizen of Skyrim. Easily the best game I have ever played, particularly with mods. Characters, landscapes, story, immersion, and exploration are second to none. I can't say any more than what'sI got this bundled with Bioshock Infinite a few years ago and didn't think much of it after a few minutes. A few months later I tried it out again and vanished for no less than 9 months, a denizen of Skyrim. Easily the best game I have ever played, particularly with mods. Characters, landscapes, story, immersion, and exploration are second to none. I can't say any more than what's already been said.… Expand
  16. zippythezip
    Oct 29, 2016
    10
    After playing the special edition, I realized I had rated this low for paid mods.
    This game is fantastic, even if you don't follow the main quest its a major time sink.
    Ignore special edition for the present (0ct 2016) and enjoy this game.
  17. PhilB
    Jul 21, 2014
    10
    Highest replay value for any single player game that I've ever played. I've put an embarrassingly large amount of time into this game and I don't even care to see the endgame. It's just that rich with possibilities. Try an unarmed-only Khajiit build on Legendary if you want a challenge.
  18. SkyrimGuy935
    Dec 7, 2014
    10
    As you can tell by my username, I freaking love this game. It's arguably my favorite game ever. I'm not even in to RPGs that much, but this game is just incredible. To explain why would take WAY more than what a metacritic review allows, but I'll try to get a few reasons. The hack-and-slash gameplay is downright fun and definitely addicting, and character leveling works perfectly, andAs you can tell by my username, I freaking love this game. It's arguably my favorite game ever. I'm not even in to RPGs that much, but this game is just incredible. To explain why would take WAY more than what a metacritic review allows, but I'll try to get a few reasons. The hack-and-slash gameplay is downright fun and definitely addicting, and character leveling works perfectly, and the story, while it may seem somewhat unoriginal, is still intriguing. However, you may not even get to playing the main story considering there are HUNDREDS of well thought-out side quests. Just be sure to get the definitive version on PC, where with the help of mods, this game becomes a truly timeless classic.… Expand
  19. pc0pl
    Aug 21, 2014
    10
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt inLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.… Expand
  20. gregorik
    Jan 24, 2016
    10
    This is it. Bethesda had finally done their homework by listening to their fans, researching into what worked and not thus far in this most complicated genre of all, what made Morrowind so much deeper and more memorable than Oblivion -- and they released what is probably their best and most consistent game yet. All things considered, it is also among the best role-playing games ever made.This is it. Bethesda had finally done their homework by listening to their fans, researching into what worked and not thus far in this most complicated genre of all, what made Morrowind so much deeper and more memorable than Oblivion -- and they released what is probably their best and most consistent game yet. All things considered, it is also among the best role-playing games ever made. But Bethesda needed all their blood, sweat and tears, all the hard experience from Arena to Fallout 3 to pull this feat.

    Skyrim is best described as a distinctive, homogeneous experience in a dynamic open world. I think it is best played in huge chunks, in a wide-eyed, semi-meditative state, which is a prerogative of open-world RPG's, this pinnacle genre in video gaming. I'll try to break down the best components of this experience:

    - As much as the vast open-world formula permits it, Bethesda creates free-roaming NPC's with true characters -- even if only some of them really stick out and even fewer are memorable. As expected, characters who are relevant to the main plot are fleshed out the most: Ulfric Stormcloak, his second-in-command Galmar, Esbern, and our clandestine associate Delphine, perhaps most of all. What is great though is that some of the less important characters end up being quite memorable too: Ancano, the mysterious Thalmor emissary in the College. Madanach, the disgruntled leader of the Forsworn. Kodlak Whitemane, the Companions' elderly foreman who even writes a lengthy diary that we can discover. And when I finally lost my loyal sidekick Lydia in some dungeon after days of doing quests together, I felt a genuine sense of emotional loss (even if she wasn't one of the more memorable NPC's), a very rare feeling in computer games.

    - Politics are realistic, complex, convoluted, frustrating, as they should be. The internal and external struggles of the various factions are not sugarcoated for the player, it's all laid out as it is, and we need to figure our own way around the relations. The Empire, the Thalmor, the Stormcloaks, the Forsworn, the Blades, the Greybeards -- all their destinies are intertwined in a realistic way, all have their respective agendas that the player needs to figure out with minimal to no hand-holding. The fact that Skyrim's political landscape is not simplified for easier digestion is one of my favorite aspects of the game. It's a subtle, mature feature not advertised with hype, yet it helps the immersion tremendously.

    - Many of the conversations are deep and involving -- for a Bethesda game. They are excellently written and are often quite long, which is taken for granted from some other developers like Obsidian, but it's a very pleasant surprise coming from this developer who were once notorious for their drone-like NPC's and deadpan dialogues. The crucial negotiation scene in High Hrothgar reminded me of the Castle Never trial scene in NWN2, as it achieved the same kind of tension, gravity and drama, which is awesome for a mostly non-scripted open-world role-playing game. Skyrim is probably the very first open-world RPG that lives up to the challenge posed by Obsidian's offerings in terms of dramatization and tension.

    - Many of the quests are creative, exhilarating and unorthodox. The main plot line is haunted by a sense of wonder and is graced by many (scripted) scenes that are bound to be remembered as some of the most memorable scenes in gaming: the first dragon hunt at the Whiterun guard tower; the reading of the Elder Scroll on the mountaintop; the dragon trapping in Dragonreach; the greeting and cheering of a dozen flying dragons after the final battle. And Blackreach, a vast, eerie, otherworldly cavern with abandoned structures is one of the top five ingame locations I have encountered in a game EVER. Outside of actual real-life adventure travel, it is probably only open-world RPG's that are capable of achieving this sense of wonder, since it presupposes the element of boundless exploration in an intriguing region. It also presupposes a capability of sensing wonders in the players themselves, something that many jaded gamers of today seem incapable of -- in real life or virtual.

    - Some towns are architecturally awesome and feel alive with daily bustle. Markarth and Whiterun, especially. I liked the vibe of Solitude and Riften as well. Again, this would not be such a feat in a "hands-off", closed-world RPG, but the fact that even towns are awesome and realistic in Skyrim makes the end product all the more irresistible.

    So the game is not only huge and open-ended, but it includes characters, quests, books and towns with the high quality of smaller scale closed-world games: it's a culmination of the best of both worlds, not unified successfully until now.    … Expand
  21. GYARA
    Jan 30, 2015
    10
    I'll admit it, I didn't give the game a fair chance in 2011, and I guess I did the right thing. Why? Because now it is consuming 35% of my free time. The quests might be a little dull, but hey, who said you have to do them? You can just roam Skyrim, which is, by the way, beautiful, and not care for the main quest. Also, the great thing about "forgetting it for the past 4 years" is the factI'll admit it, I didn't give the game a fair chance in 2011, and I guess I did the right thing. Why? Because now it is consuming 35% of my free time. The quests might be a little dull, but hey, who said you have to do them? You can just roam Skyrim, which is, by the way, beautiful, and not care for the main quest. Also, the great thing about "forgetting it for the past 4 years" is the fact that in that time a ton of mods were created, enhancing the gameplay which was great even without mods. It is basically "Oblivion v2" with those features we lacked in TES IV:
    -Dual wield
    -Better graphics
    -Better UI
    -Being the Dragonborn
    -Dragons
    -Spawning memes
    and more...
    If you liked Oblivion (or Morrowind for older players), you'll love Skyrim.    … Expand
  22. drumguru
    Aug 27, 2014
    10
    This game is one of favorites and it's unlike every other game I own this game is one game that I never finish everything 100%, people you gave bad reviews keep mentioning bugs yeah where are they?
  23. phoenix_grey
    Aug 30, 2014
    10
    A few graphical flaws but it is the most complete open world game till date. I have played many open world games released after Skyrim but apart from better graphics I just don't find them engaging at all.
    The story and environment are just perfect !!!!!
    Nothing beats this one
  24. aliadnan12
    Sep 1, 2014
    10
    skyrim!!! is the best game i ever played.i agree skyrim is not flawless.but also you will not found any better RPG game then skyrim...I'm not gunna lie, this game is a masterpiece.
  25. Thecoldblade
    Sep 14, 2014
    10
    The best medieval RPG game available for PC. I have played every single player RPG available and I must say I have never enjoyed anything as much as I enjoyed skyrim. You have to play this to experience its unique and amazing world and words aren't enough to describe how good this game is.
  26. PSYCHOLOGICAL
    Sep 16, 2014
    10
    Where should I start... Skyrim has already achieved it's title in being one of the best games that had ever existed. I used to be horrible at open world but I have not lost the slightest of interest in playing this game. It's scenery, environment and gameplay is amazing. Graphics could even be adjusted to low quality and still looks astonishing. The story's progression is basically writtenWhere should I start... Skyrim has already achieved it's title in being one of the best games that had ever existed. I used to be horrible at open world but I have not lost the slightest of interest in playing this game. It's scenery, environment and gameplay is amazing. Graphics could even be adjusted to low quality and still looks astonishing. The story's progression is basically written by the player, For those who haven't bought the game, I seriously recommend that you should try it out.… Expand
  27. DrugsMeazureTim
    Feb 6, 2015
    10
    hate that when people says that a good game is overrated.
    a great game it is !
    an amazing adventure it is.
    a pain in the ass it is :D
    challenging indeed
    and overall. it just **** awesome !
  28. NINliar12
    Sep 18, 2014
    10
    Skyrim has consumed my gaming life. I started on XBox 360 in 2011, and pute over 600 hours on that copy, and moved to the PC version a year and a half ago, and fell back in love with it due to the wonderful modding community. If you're a fan of open-world RPG's this game will keep you entertained for days.
  29. azeitona
    May 26, 2015
    10
    Certainly one of the best games I've played, ever. It comes with its problems, of course, like a ton of bugs, some of which have never been fixed by Bethesda, and the user interface is really ugly and not that intuitive. But the game sucks you in like... well, I don't even have the words. There has not been a game ever since Skyrim that took so many hours of my life. And I don't even likeCertainly one of the best games I've played, ever. It comes with its problems, of course, like a ton of bugs, some of which have never been fixed by Bethesda, and the user interface is really ugly and not that intuitive. But the game sucks you in like... well, I don't even have the words. There has not been a game ever since Skyrim that took so many hours of my life. And I don't even like RPGs! But the best thing about the game, aside from its atmosphere, story and soundtrack, is that it let's you play as you want. And if you don't like RPGs, you can kind of play like it's not one. This game is a must buy, and everyone should try it at least once.… Expand
  30. Costs1129
    Nov 3, 2014
    10
    I just finished replaying it this month, 3 years after its release! Even to this day, it remains the standard for the entire video game industry. I cannot praise Bethesda enough for their work, and this game will always remain one of our family classics.
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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]
See all critic reviews »