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. hoffstarr
    Dec 8, 2014
    7
    Without mods Skyrim is nothing but a mediocre hiking simulator...

    - clunky combat
    - laughably bad writing
    - mostly consists of garbage content ( fetch quests, c&p dungeons, kill x amount of y, etc. )
    - No matter how big a game is, that amount of bugs and glitches is simply not acceptable
    - really poor animations
    - the interface is basically unusable
    - etc.
  2. Shionsan
    Nov 26, 2011
    4
    An awesome game for the first few hours. World of Skyrim is big and nicely detailed. And pretty much everything is highly improved compared to previous series of Elder Scrolls. But after those few hours of gameplay you'll start to realise that all this awesomeness, all this freedom Skyrim gives you, is nothing but illusion. While game allows player to do what he want and when he want, anyAn awesome game for the first few hours. World of Skyrim is big and nicely detailed. And pretty much everything is highly improved compared to previous series of Elder Scrolls. But after those few hours of gameplay you'll start to realise that all this awesomeness, all this freedom Skyrim gives you, is nothing but illusion. While game allows player to do what he want and when he want, any "not-by-script" actions will break the game at some point, making it impossible to proceed with storyline without console shamanism. Quests have a lot of obviously stupid algorithmic errors, and do not take player's possible misbehaviour in account. It's like they were written by random people, who never seen each other, not to say talked about each others quests conflicting with each other. Bethesda absolutely should spend some of that money on hiring a beta-tester team.

    There's a lot of "generic" quests, that tells you to kill/steal/buttkick something and go back for crappy sum of 100-300 coins. Those "Infinite quests" is nothing more but a lame "MMORPG-style grinding". The story itself is straightforward, onesided and utterly stupid. For example, if there is a war between two groups, and you happen to join one of them, the other side will hate you, and try to kill you should opportunity arise. But they do not! You can easily come to enemy's headquarters, put buckets on everyone's heads, steal everything, shout on everyone, ask "How's the war, dude? Does my actions screw your life much, eh?", and easily waltz outside like nothing happened. The multiple choices player makes does affect almost nothing. And sometimes those illusional choices are not even given (I don't want to kill anyone for that stupid Boethiah, but there is no option to buttkick her back to oblivion).

    But the worst of them all is one strong feeling that gets stronger with each quest done: the land of Skyrim consists only of dumb and lazy people. Nothing, I mean absolutely nothing happens without players involvement. Everything that is done in Skyrim - is done by player. From the moment you are given controls at Helgen, till the moment quit the game - nothing is happening here. Well wolfs do run after deers in woods, kill them and leave all that meat to rot. Necromancers sometimes kick bandit's butts if they meet them around you. And number of thieves die by the hands of local guards every night at Riften. Dragons sometimes attack guards, while completely ignoring anyone else. But that's all. There's WAR going on, but noone does sh*t! Why? This game have a time. Why not use it?

    It's not a surprise the AI's dumb. They do fight all right (looks ugly still). But when in peace-mode... I wonder if all Skyrim NPC's are actually lonely, despite living in cities full of same stupid NPCs. I mean everyone do talk to you as you pass by. And even if you just stand there, not looking at them, they talk to your back. There is a quest turn-point and some smart explanations are done by "immortal" VIP-NPC, but some old beggar-dude cuts in and asks for a coin, while completly muffing out the quest-NPCs speech. Sometimes there are even like 5 NPC's talking together. So ronery... And I won't talk about the aspects of path-finding, "follow-me" states, quest-scenes and other script-based AI stuff that always have at least a 20% chance of failing, what almost always leads to a game-breaking end.

    There is also a lot of other minor bugs, like shifted object spawn locations, mannequin's infinitely spawning armor pieces, lot's of places where player can completly stuck without "tcl", screwed animations, out-of-place effects, like paralysis that happens on enemy's death, or sneak-perk's brief-invisibility that can screw the nightingale powers, NPC's that spawn being half underground and a pack of other dumb stuff I can't remember right now. Come on, guys! Just play your own game once. It's not so hard to spot at least a half of those bugs in just a few hours of gameplay.

    I hear Elder's Scrolls series always had a habit of being released half-cooked, so the real score should be given only after the grand-patch will come out. But this time the amount of bugs is so big, I'm afraid not even this patch will deal with them all. So here's 10 for making big beautiful and detailed world, -3 for a 20% chance of any quest failing and making the game unplayable anymore, -1 for the gameplay balance which is simply absent after you max out few skills, and -2 for somewhat lame storyline and a bunch of lonely, lazy and utterly dumb NPCs, that swarm the land of Skyrim. That makes 4, which is bad, 'cause making a nice console-textured world with good weather effects is not enough for a good game. Let's hope the incoming patch will actually make this game worth it's price.    … Expand
  3. Speed4Runs
    Jan 2, 2013
    3
    The game features nice graphics, good sound, bad gameplay and very good longevity. When you play this game, you will get bored very soon: the gameplay doesn't have a point, a competition. You just play it for relaxing. You go and get some special object, but the game isn't competitive. It doesn't have a point. Very extended world, good graphics, but poor performance, and the game is fullThe game features nice graphics, good sound, bad gameplay and very good longevity. When you play this game, you will get bored very soon: the gameplay doesn't have a point, a competition. You just play it for relaxing. You go and get some special object, but the game isn't competitive. It doesn't have a point. Very extended world, good graphics, but poor performance, and the game is full of bugs. Good plot. Gameplay 2/10 Graphics/Performance 2/10 Plot 5/10 Longevity 6.25/10 Average: 3.81 OVERALL SCORE: 3/10 (not an average)… Expand
  4. osoichan
    Nov 12, 2011
    6
    It feels like, sounds like and looks like little pimped oblivion mixed with morrowind. Graphics are not that good as i excepted. If i compare them to withcher 2 the result is miserable
  5. Scritty
    Nov 17, 2011
    6
    A decent enough game. Development of character is ok(ish) but graphics for a PC are woeful. It shows that this game has been written with the "ancient clockwork" hardware of the 360 and PS3 in mind. They are so bad it's shocking. Combat is rather weak (point and click...and keep clicking - changing weapon is about the only tactical thing you can do and most fights it's just a case ofA decent enough game. Development of character is ok(ish) but graphics for a PC are woeful. It shows that this game has been written with the "ancient clockwork" hardware of the 360 and PS3 in mind. They are so bad it's shocking. Combat is rather weak (point and click...and keep clicking - changing weapon is about the only tactical thing you can do and most fights it's just a case of swapping to a melee weapon when the mob gets too close etc). Story is good, voice acting is better than Oblivion (More variation) But I just can't get over the poor graphics. Sure - -buy it - it's not a bad game, but it's definately not a 2011/12 game - more like a 2005/6 one… Expand
  6. Elmiq
    Nov 13, 2011
    5
    After like 6 hours i have stopped playing as i was just bored. It is almost the same as Oblivion, but we have rocks and snow instead of grass. Stupid dialogs, stupid tutorial (there is a bear ahead, lets sneak or take this bow - then one shot and bear is dead. So simple, but still my companion had to cry). Graphics are average - nothing special about it. Is dragon from start trying to killAfter like 6 hours i have stopped playing as i was just bored. It is almost the same as Oblivion, but we have rocks and snow instead of grass. Stupid dialogs, stupid tutorial (there is a bear ahead, lets sneak or take this bow - then one shot and bear is dead. So simple, but still my companion had to cry). Graphics are average - nothing special about it. Is dragon from start trying to kill us ? Then he should wait one more second - dragon idiot, that's all. I would give it 5, as game is not that bad, it is just nothing more than average experience.… Expand
  7. zakarum
    Dec 20, 2011
    1
    Bethesda sells this game as a RPG, yet it's a adventure game. Three stats, blande forge system, buy 1000 daggers to do a greatsword? really? Lot's of fetch quests, dungeons look the same. Bad voice acting sounding the same over and over, uninteresting writing in the main quest.
    Basically, if you sell it like a RPG, it should be a RPG.
  8. HardCoreGamer15
    Nov 15, 2011
    8
    This game was entertaining for up to about a total of 5 to 6 hours but then after that it just didn't feel the same so I ended up getting bored of it and just started playing other games instead. If your gonna make a massive environment then make sure the Gameplay is really ADDICTING because if if gets boring then you've just gone an annoyed heaps of people who were expecting so much more
  9. BigJimmy1234
    Dec 28, 2011
    0
    So very poor for an Elder Scrolls Game.

    It has almost no progression in terms of the game world or gameplay. Besides dual spells and weapons, the game has not improved at all over 5 years. -The world is still filled with static carts and stupid AI bleating garbage at you. The game world is as immersive as a town of Lego sadly. -The graphics are damn right ugly and terrible for current    So very poor for an Elder Scrolls Game.

    It has almost no progression in terms of the game world or gameplay. Besides dual spells and weapons, the game has not improved at all over 5 years.
    -The world is still filled with static carts and stupid AI bleating garbage at you. The game world is as immersive as a town of Lego sadly.
    -The graphics are damn right ugly and terrible for current PC's.
    -PC support is beyond a joke and why I gave this such a low score - the fps is cpu capped! Yes, seriously! How stupid and absurd could things be for a game?! The game is clearly not built for computers and is another cheap console port.
    -The memory usage is also capped at 1GB so I hope you don't like mods otherwise the game will crash to desktop every few minutes    … Expand
  10. c0m4ndo45
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    I fail to understand the negative reviews here. There are flaws, yes. No game i played had no flaws - specially near release. A bug or two do not affect my rating however, and that is all the bad i've found so far. The graphics are good, for god's sake! why does it seem like every game must look like crysis or something to have good graphics! The sound is good, the atmosphere is perfect,I fail to understand the negative reviews here. There are flaws, yes. No game i played had no flaws - specially near release. A bug or two do not affect my rating however, and that is all the bad i've found so far. The graphics are good, for god's sake! why does it seem like every game must look like crysis or something to have good graphics! The sound is good, the atmosphere is perfect, the story is epic...

    I may be more favorable than i should because i share such nostalgia and love for oblivion and this game was just what i have been waiting for since i stopped with oblivion, but this game is for those who have loved oblivion and the series and like this kind of game for what it is overall, and i value the fact that bethesda did what their fans wanted. If you find this game boring, go play something else, it is not for you.

    If yet you come here to rate this game down, knowing that it is not really your kind of game or just blaming graphics or something like that, know that your name will be in my prayers for Sithis...    … Expand
  11. Greg_Heavy
    Jul 23, 2012
    7
    It's ok, until the next TES game comes out. Then it will be forgotten (I like to call it the "need for speed effect") by everyone. Shallow story and characters, nothing really interesting apart from the graphics.
  12. breezy808
    Jan 4, 2013
    4
    This is based on roughly 40 hours of experience, the price, and I am no long addicted to this game, I lost all interest in it. I will probably never play this game again. I bought this game because of all the hype, the story is cool the type of enemies are really cool, the story is fascinating, exploring is amazing!!! Why did I rate this game so low? Because of the weaponry, armor sets,This is based on roughly 40 hours of experience, the price, and I am no long addicted to this game, I lost all interest in it. I will probably never play this game again. I bought this game because of all the hype, the story is cool the type of enemies are really cool, the story is fascinating, exploring is amazing!!! Why did I rate this game so low? Because of the weaponry, armor sets, (melee) combat, bugs, and it's butchering of loot. I don't even know why people praised this game, the new RPG standard in games is A LOT OF LOOT!!! This game will NOT give you that, it's system is terrible, predictable and unlike other Bethesda games(fallout for example) You aren't rewarded for exploring much, if you do find an upgrade it's not an "AWESOME" Moment it's "DUH, I knew I'd get something like that". I play A LOT of RPG's, dead island, kingdoms or amalur, Fallout, the list goes on. They give you satisfaction when you loot, it's like you stare at it for a good 20+ seconds, it's fun! This game, nah. Basically :
    I Payed 30 dollars for skyrim(50% sale) Thank god I didn't pay the 60! This game is great, if you enjoy graphics(Character graphics/animations are kind of terrible) Reading books, not much more benefits I can say other than that. Comparing to other RPG's of the same company, or just in general. This game has more quantity, than quality when it comes to submersing you into it. I'd recommend fallout:new vegas over skyrim. 10,20$? For New vegas, New vegas has much more bugs, however telling you from 250 hours of experience(and still haven't beaten the game) Exploring is so much more enjoyable! I Spent most of the time and story line exploring instead of questing. Skyrim all you really buy this game for is to reading books, not really much more. This is my first taste of elder scrolls and I will never go back to it.    … Expand
  13. esplosion
    Nov 8, 2014
    0
    My problem with basically every game that tries to be real general and open, is that the impact of your choices decreases proportional to the amount of choices. Skyrim: millions of choices, no ability to fundamentally impact the world. It's a small step away from flying around a landscape in a 3D modelling program. Yes, I can increase my smithing to 100, but for what? So I can 'make' aMy problem with basically every game that tries to be real general and open, is that the impact of your choices decreases proportional to the amount of choices. Skyrim: millions of choices, no ability to fundamentally impact the world. It's a small step away from flying around a landscape in a 3D modelling program. Yes, I can increase my smithing to 100, but for what? So I can 'make' a 3D model that someone else made and have slightly better stats so I can delete some other 3D models from the map, and these 3D models don't even impact the virtual world, and I didn't even need the increased stats to kill them. There has to be either a decided goal for a game, or some fundamental human thing at its core, like love or friendship or dreams

    I don't need actual hard work in my fantasy. That's why fantasy exists, that's why I'm pretending and not actually doing it. I pretend so I can have all the good bits, and not have to deal with the bad bits. Skyrim seems to have the opposite philosophy. Work real hard, suffer all kinds of unpleasantness, for no reason whatsoever. All the bad bits and no good bits. We already have that, it's called Real Life.    … Expand
  14. FozzyTheForger
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    Yes, there are some serious issues with this game on PC. Quite obviously, the new take on controls was created with primarily (console) gamepads in mind, not the classic PC keyboard & mouse combo. In the first 40 hours of gameplay, the game crashed three times and glitched out on me two times - but, compared to, say, Fallout 3, that means there was obviously some sweat and tears andYes, there are some serious issues with this game on PC. Quite obviously, the new take on controls was created with primarily (console) gamepads in mind, not the classic PC keyboard & mouse combo. In the first 40 hours of gameplay, the game crashed three times and glitched out on me two times - but, compared to, say, Fallout 3, that means there was obviously some sweat and tears and brainmatter involved in updating the engine and bring it to modern times, I'd say they've done a great job. Seeing as graphics cards meanwhile feature five to ten times as much video memory on average and systems (not just dedicated gaming rigs) are generally much more capable than 2006, when the predecessor Oblivion was released, I have to say I am amazed at how well this game scales to different sets of hardware. Sure, the console roots show, and some bits of the controls just feel clunky, unwieldy and not too clever, but since this is the first real RPG offering in quite a while (Dragon Age 2 wasn't really a keeper, or even a proper RPG, mind you), I was eagerly looking forward to get my hands on this one. I personally think that the PC version looks and feels best, and the levelling system, which at first seemed to be pretty confusing, random and annoying started looking rather beautiful and well thought out at around level 30. While I intended to visit the world of Skyrim as a rogue, my player character has turned out to be a sneaking, lock-picking, dual-wielding master of destruction and conjuration, and while I never liked the ocd-grade professions in World of Warcraft, being able to create and improve equipment actually feels good in Skyrim. I still hope there will be a comeback, a modern incarnation of the "classic" fantasy role-playing game, but Skyrim is a neat and wonderful trip. At times, the limitations of the engine do show, but compared to the many, many hours of exploring, sneaking, battling, setting things and creatures on fire and trapping their souls for later use, I would say Skyrim is a remarkable title and a job well done. Yes, after having watched some amazingly perplexing online video footage of people playing the game, I can imagine that Skyrim is, to a significant extent a very individual if not downright unique journey, but for the veteran role-playing gamer who does not like World of Warcraft and despises Dragon Age 2 and given time and understanding spouses, this should be considered a must-buy, must-have, must-play.… Expand
  15. Bazah
    Nov 11, 2011
    9
    Although the graphical capabilities of the engine used in the game are quite lacklustre especially in in terms of certain textures, the feel and atmosphere of the game is spot on. So much detail has gone into the game, and the quests feel handcrafted to me for the majority. I can't think of any other games which have more handcrafted quests. Of course the randomly generated kill banditAlthough the graphical capabilities of the engine used in the game are quite lacklustre especially in in terms of certain textures, the feel and atmosphere of the game is spot on. So much detail has gone into the game, and the quests feel handcrafted to me for the majority. I can't think of any other games which have more handcrafted quests. Of course the randomly generated kill bandit leader ones are quite bland. The music is absolute top standard, and the game is very stable. Just about every single one of my steam friends is playing this game, and I'm hearing of a small number of crashes but that is it. I'm thinking some of the people facing graphical issues probably haven't updated their drivers. I'm happy to for people to have different opinions to me regarding this game but some of the people giving low ratings are absolute morons. The game does have a console feel to it at times, but one person complained that you can't assign numbers to items. This is absolute bullcrap as I have all my number key assigns to weapons and spells, and it's pretty sad that people are rating the game lower just because they are a bloody dumbarse that can't even work out the controls!… Expand
  16. Rime
    Nov 14, 2011
    9
    If you're whining about this game not running or working on your PC, your computer is garbage. Go out and buy a decent computer before you downgrade this game and criticize it. I play it on full ultra, at 1920x1080, and it runs smooth like butter. Perhaps if you can't play this game you should go buy a console, instead of downgrading the metascore? I know you are frustrated and sad, butIf you're whining about this game not running or working on your PC, your computer is garbage. Go out and buy a decent computer before you downgrade this game and criticize it. I play it on full ultra, at 1920x1080, and it runs smooth like butter. Perhaps if you can't play this game you should go buy a console, instead of downgrading the metascore? I know you are frustrated and sad, but please, leave the REAL gaming to us people who can afford to play a game meant to be played on a real rig, not your crappy $400 Best Buy PC.

    For real, guys, quit down-rating it because it has graphical glitches. If your computer could handle it, you'd not see them. It's your own fault for buying a junk computer.    … Expand
  17. Slightshadow
    Nov 11, 2011
    9
    0s, 1s and 2s, lol, you guys are high. 0! Wow, you must have some incredibly high expectations for a game experience. I've been playing since release and am loving every minute of it so far. The control scheme takes a bit to get use to, but what new game doesn't. The graphics aren't stellar high res, but fantastic eye candy nonetheless. The story is fantastic! The combat is decent0s, 1s and 2s, lol, you guys are high. 0! Wow, you must have some incredibly high expectations for a game experience. I've been playing since release and am loving every minute of it so far. The control scheme takes a bit to get use to, but what new game doesn't. The graphics aren't stellar high res, but fantastic eye candy nonetheless. The story is fantastic! The combat is decent and entertaining. The sheer amount of things to do is over the top. I've had 0 issues with the game, not one crash, flicker or freeze. If you dig a deep, well crafted RPG that will keep you busy for longer than you care to play, this one will definitely satisfy.… Expand
  18. Rupture
    Dec 12, 2011
    10
    Whilst it's true the game still has quite a few bugs, for me they are isolated to quest bugs only as I haven't encountered anything else in the way of bugs and I've now played 120+ hours. These bugs at times are infuriating but for Skyrim's sake they don't detract from the experience at all and I still feel this game is definitely a 9.5-10. The sheer size of playable area, coupled with theWhilst it's true the game still has quite a few bugs, for me they are isolated to quest bugs only as I haven't encountered anything else in the way of bugs and I've now played 120+ hours. These bugs at times are infuriating but for Skyrim's sake they don't detract from the experience at all and I still feel this game is definitely a 9.5-10. The sheer size of playable area, coupled with the amount of content to do is overwhelming at times but it's just so good! At any one time, your log is likely to have 20-30+ quests. Sheer quantity does not always translate to quality but Skyrim never transcends into the mundane thankfully. With a slew of quest bug fixes due sometime in the next month, this game is only going to get better with age, oh and as for the graphics...stunning, it's actually mindboggling how good everything can look whilst still rendering smoothly on such sheer scale. If you don't have this game and enjoy RPG's, you really shouldn't be on here, you should be playing the game!… Expand
  19. Lowzar
    Nov 11, 2011
    9
    The ingame menus stop me giving this a 10, they are just a lazy effort from the devs.
    Other than that, its an awesome addition to the Elders Scrolls saga.
  20. Jdankens
    Mar 30, 2012
    10
    This game has stood it's ground as time goes on. Notice how the majority of negative reviews are when the game was released. Granted, I was a bit disappointed at first too. The graphics were not what I was expecting and there were a few bugs and the UI kind of sucked. Most of the negatives are from people that cannot be satisfied.

    Bethesda has proven to be a worthy company though,    This game has stood it's ground as time goes on. Notice how the majority of negative reviews are when the game was released. Granted, I was a bit disappointed at first too. The graphics were not what I was expecting and there were a few bugs and the UI kind of sucked. Most of the negatives are from people that cannot be satisfied.

    Bethesda has proven to be a worthy company though, releasing updates, an Excellent Hi-Res pack, and providing continual support The millions of people who have put in many hours can attest to the overall quality of this game. After you put in 100+ hours, you realize how impressive this game really is. They put so much time into designing this, so many unique places and dungeons.

    Oh and did I mention the mods? You can get as ridiculous as you want with this game. I know 'hardcore' elitists will never let their nostalgia go, this is by far the highest overall quality RPG game ever made.    … Expand
  21. donkeygravy
    Nov 14, 2011
    10
    I am not an RPG player at all - but this game converted me. It is amazing just how huge the world is. I have been exploring now for 40+ hours and have not even touched the main story line. I just want to keep on poking around through dungeons and forests. The alchemy system is fantastic. All the issues I had with the game - the UI- were fixed the first day. I made a gamble and bought thisI am not an RPG player at all - but this game converted me. It is amazing just how huge the world is. I have been exploring now for 40+ hours and have not even touched the main story line. I just want to keep on poking around through dungeons and forests. The alchemy system is fantastic. All the issues I had with the game - the UI- were fixed the first day. I made a gamble and bought this over MW3 and I have never been more happy about a purchasing decision. Skyrim proves you can have a very long lived series that constantly ups the bar and exceeds expectations each time a new game gets made. Imagine if COD got 1/100th the effort Bethesda put into Skyrim.... You need this game in your life. It is amazing.… Expand
  22. BlutoothBaddy
    Nov 12, 2011
    9
    The game is perfect by no means, but most of these scores ranging below 6 are mainly picking out very minor things and turning each of these into a game breaker. First off the bugs are nowhere near as bad as people have made them out to be. I have played a total of fourteen hours and have crashed twice, both cases happened at a loading screen so my progress was auto saved before, only aThe game is perfect by no means, but most of these scores ranging below 6 are mainly picking out very minor things and turning each of these into a game breaker. First off the bugs are nowhere near as bad as people have made them out to be. I have played a total of fourteen hours and have crashed twice, both cases happened at a loading screen so my progress was auto saved before, only a minor set back. Aside from that the little quirks go unnoticed and I continue to go about doing as I wish. Also, the combat isn't mind-blowing but it has improved tremendously since Oblivion and does a fine job at it. The visuals aren't the best but they aren't merely a "heavily modded Oblivion." Each quest has been completely unique and the dungeon layouts are fantastic. Somewhat cheesy story line but well worth it. I foresee many more moons of playing Skyrim.… Expand
  23. countryfarmer
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    There is a good game and a very good game. This game is beyond both of these. This game is not just fantastic to play but it is also breathtaking with its enchanting scenery, enjoyable missions, fascinating puzzles and the unforgettably addictive gameplay. Once again Bethesda Softworks has made a game which I will never get bored with. Thanks, Worth every penny!
  24. MattC
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    Graphics: While some of the up close textures may be a tad blurry, and you might get some pop in; this game looks absolutely wonderful with a decent PC rig with all the settings on ultra. For a game with environments this vast you are going to see some hiccups, but overall the level of detail is remarkable.

    Sound: With some old ES favorites mixed into an original score, the music in    Graphics: While some of the up close textures may be a tad blurry, and you might get some pop in; this game looks absolutely wonderful with a decent PC rig with all the settings on ultra. For a game with environments this vast you are going to see some hiccups, but overall the level of detail is remarkable.

    Sound: With some old ES favorites mixed into an original score, the music in this game is top notch and comes to a crescendo during high action parts, yet drops off to a soothing melody as you walk around towns. The ambient sounds are also top notch and brings another level to this world when played through a surround sound system. Gameplay: In previous ES games I always found that the combat was rather lacking and got very stale after a while, especially melee characters. While Skyrim doesn't exactly implement a brand new combat system, they have however, refined their combat system into a much more enjoyable experience. It seems Bethesda has taken a page out of the Bioshock book, because in Skyrim your character now can dual wield weapons, magic, or in the case of my character one of each. Many magic spells can be combined to create a much more powerful version of which ever spell you are dual-wielding. Melee still feels a bit flat when compared to the dual casting magic system, but with the inclusion of gruesome finishing moves and the ability to wield two one-handed weapons, as well as a more effective sword and board style, melee combat feels much better than in previous iterations of the ES series.

    Leveling up in Skyrim has also been streamlined, (i know i know many construe streamlined as being "dumbed down", and I assure you it's not) which in my opinion was a very welcome addition. It still follows the "level up by doing" formula of previous games in the ES series. but instead of trying to divide 10 points into 50+ skills, you now choose to put points into Magic, Health, or Stamina every time you gain a level. In addition to choosing a base stat to boost, you also get a perk point every level, which you can than put into a specialty area, such as destruction/restoration/illusion if you use magic or one-hand/two-hand/shield for people who like to hit things. Menus/UI: While these are serviceable for PC users who use a mouse and keyboard, it is very evident that these were designed with controllers in mind. I also don't like that the ability to bind different keys is restricted. While I can still remap certain keys I can't assign my number keys to various potions, abilities, magic, etc. which is a bit of a let down. That being said, the menus themselves have a very slick look to them, especially the skills menu where you spend your points once you level.

    Playability/Re-playability: This area is where Skyrim really shines. The amount of quests in this game is absolutely staggering, and many are in places that you might not think to look. For example I was reading random books in a random dungeon, and one of the books gave me a quest to find an ancient sword. I'm not sure if that one book is the only way you can get the quest, but it goes to show that you should leave no stone unturned when it comes to exploring. Skyrim also continues the ES tradition that ensures that no player will experience Skyrim the exact same way as another. Now the main quests are the same, but the game leaves it up to you in how and in which order you want to tackle each one. Another interesting aspect of the Skyrim quest system is that it will continue to spawn random kill/search/rescue/deliver quests that will in theory keep you going forever.

    Bugs/Glitches: For any of you familiar with the ES or (new)Fallout series you know that these games can be full of bugs from something as simple as textures not loading to something as game-breaking as a corrupted save file. Skyrim seems for the most part to be game-breaking bug free, but still has a few annoyances such as NPCs caught in a loop, or wooly mammoths being launched hundreds of feet in the air. Luckily the auto save feature in Skyrim activates each time you enter or exit a new area, so if you are unfortunate enough to experience a major bug that requires a reset, hopefully it won't set you back to far. Another issue worth mentioning is that Skyrim can crash randomly, and while I haven't experienced it first hand, my roommate has had a few.

    Overall: Skyrim is the pinnacle of the ES series, it remedies many issues of the past games, and presents you with an open world experience unparallelled in the RPG realm. The quests are fun and engaging, the world feels alive as npc's walk around and do their day to day chores, the combat has been tightened up and feels much better, especially as a melee character. If you have never played an ES game before and are looking for an open world rpg than this game is for you, and if you are familiar with and enjoyed previous games in the ES series Skyrim will blow you away.    … Expand
  25. KurtW
    Nov 16, 2011
    8
    When Fallout 3 came out it was called by some 'the biggest mod for Oblivion'. It turns out the fifth Elder Scrolls release may as well be called 'the biggest mod for Fallout'. Bethesda have mixed what had proved so tremendously gripping in TES4 with some novelty concepts from their experiences with the Fallout franchise into... well, in my humble opinion NOT the game of the year. It cannotWhen Fallout 3 came out it was called by some 'the biggest mod for Oblivion'. It turns out the fifth Elder Scrolls release may as well be called 'the biggest mod for Fallout'. Bethesda have mixed what had proved so tremendously gripping in TES4 with some novelty concepts from their experiences with the Fallout franchise into... well, in my humble opinion NOT the game of the year. It cannot be denied that the freedom of choice and the sandbox-like, fully interactive environment are the best features the game has to offer.. The place for a third digit in the 'hours spent' count is there for a reason. The non-scripted dragon fights are also light years ahead of, for example, Bioware's DA series. The way one can interact with the humongous world is a treat in itself, what with all the crafting, alchemy, cooking, prospecting or even woodcutting. What I do not like about Skyrim, however, is that it's in no way as revolutionary as Oblivion was back in 2006. The solutions offered by the supposedly new Creation engine are one disappointing feature. Even with the settings maxed out (all the way, far beyond 'Ultra'), I keep asking myself why I bought a new rig earlier this year. If individual screenshots might capture some true eye-candies, the overall experience is that of... running around Capital Wasteland during wintertime. Working on the quality of TPP animations does not exactly mean improving the feel of combat, which apart from dual-wielding/casting does not appear in any way different than in Oblivion. It feels static, rolls or dodges are virtually not-existent. One change long awaited by the fans was going to involve the NPC faces. Those have improved since TESIV, however, regretful I am to say this, a DA2 character would run away in horror on seeing just any face from Skyrim (not to mention Triss Merigold who would probably kick the bucket on the spot). Before the release, Bethesda reps would also boast about how the voice acting had changed since Oblivion. This is only partially true. The lines used by merchants, trainers, or other characters you have to interact with at least every couple of hours, are surprisingly few, which makes the interaction repetitive and automatic. Since Skyrim is meant to be played for 100+ hours, it does not seem justified to place so much emphasis on the quality of spoken interactions in the main story line, while at the same time leaving the rest of the dialogues so much less appealing. Music is the feature which rarely can be find disappointing about Bethesda games and nothing seems to have changed in this aspect. All in all, the Skyrim development team seem to have decided on a safe approach. Almost nothing feels dumbed down, there are very few activities and quests in the whole game that do not feel entertaining. Still, the five-year gap between the two most recent ES games was apparently too short for Bethesda to make a leap into a new quality of gaming.… Expand
  26. utking
    Nov 26, 2011
    4
    Bad ui, bad bugs, not good enough graphics. Not showing any skills, too easy to play. Oblivion was 10x times better!!...........................................
  27. andrecastelo
    Dec 1, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Skyrim is a game supposed to take the immersion to the next level. The landscapes are amazing, the world building is excellent and being divided between two factions in the middle of a civil war, when neither of them is black and white is awesome. The shout idea is another good point and I particularly liked the other guilds and factions sidequests.

    The problems with Skyrim are several. For a game built to be in the top tier of the immersion factor, the AI is just too poorly written. Characters have few lines, you have little impact on their lives or their behavior towards you and the problems when everyone is against you (with vampirism for instance, if you are starved, doesn't matter if you are wearing a mask, everyone knows you're a vampire and will attack on sight, even the poor guy who has agreed to help you 10 minutes earlier) CERTAINLY break immersion.

    Whenever a dragon flies by in a city, EVERY ABLE BODIED men and women WILL drop anything and everything they are doing to kill it. It's complete **** everyone should be running away desperately. And the horses? Why are they so completely badass in this game? Every time I unmount near a bandit camp, my horse goes **** inside it to murder every single one of my enemies. Don't get me wrong, my horse is the DB one and it's cool that he behaves like that, but should EVERY horse in the realm do this? It certainly breaks the immersion when horses flee the stables to kick some dragon's ass.

    This game is hell of a lot fun, but its flaws are immersion breaking. It's a game that wants you to lose yourself inside its world, but instead manages to break in every NPC encounter you have.    … Expand
  28. breslin
    Dec 19, 2011
    5
    "Freedom without Purpose": I was seriously disappointed by Skyrim; I choked on insignificant options, undirected freedom followed by quick deaths, the confusing UI, the confusing map, and poor combat mechanics. But I have read that if you play it in a certain way it's more enjoyable:

    http://www.oxm.co.uk/36533/features/skyrim-nine-ways-to-make-it-the-worst-game-ever/ I suspect that this    "Freedom without Purpose": I was seriously disappointed by Skyrim; I choked on insignificant options, undirected freedom followed by quick deaths, the confusing UI, the confusing map, and poor combat mechanics. But I have read that if you play it in a certain way it's more enjoyable:

    http://www.oxm.co.uk/36533/features/skyrim-nine-ways-to-make-it-the-worst-game-ever/

    I suspect that this writer is correct, but it's a shame that you ruin the game unless you do X, Y, and Z, particularly if the game presents itself as a "free play"/sandbox game. Again, undirected freedom isn't a good thing in and of itself, particularly if it's achieved by simply removing the signposts.

    I think Skyrim's success has to do with all the fancy graphics and media hype.    … Expand
  29. Personal_Jambi
    Dec 24, 2011
    10
    I'd like to give this game an 8/10 but I can't help but see that an amazing number of users are giving this a 0/10 simply to offset the good scores. This game isn't perfect as the critics rave, but it is still amazing. I could go on and repeat everything that has already been said, but it would just feel too redundant. The Elder Scrolls franchise defines single-player RPG's, and Skyrim isI'd like to give this game an 8/10 but I can't help but see that an amazing number of users are giving this a 0/10 simply to offset the good scores. This game isn't perfect as the critics rave, but it is still amazing. I could go on and repeat everything that has already been said, but it would just feel too redundant. The Elder Scrolls franchise defines single-player RPG's, and Skyrim is no exception. Huge world, many play-styles, beautiful scenery, and entertaining quests are among a few of the high points for this game. Sure, there are bugs, but that is to be expected from a Bethesda game. Mods for PC users fix most problems and will improve the game. While this may be the closest thing to a console port in TES's history, it doesn't make this a bad game. Anyone with sense will know that while this game may have it's flaws, it is still a fantastic experience.… Expand
  30. Gnomercy4U
    Feb 14, 2012
    8
    If you loved Oblivion you will love this game. It is what I expected when I heard about it being developed. With the recent release of the creation kit it can only get better, as it did with Oblivion. This game offers many unique paths you can take and many different ways down those paths. As with Bethesda tradition there are a variety of game-breaking exploits via tradeskills and were aIf you loved Oblivion you will love this game. It is what I expected when I heard about it being developed. With the recent release of the creation kit it can only get better, as it did with Oblivion. This game offers many unique paths you can take and many different ways down those paths. As with Bethesda tradition there are a variety of game-breaking exploits via tradeskills and were a lot of bugs upon release. The console commands could help you bypass the bugs to continue on your way but should that really be the way around them? Exploring off the trail is very rewarding and very exciting, quests are actually meaningful and generally not the usual "collect 10 wolf flanks," "kill 5 mudcrabs," or "pick up my dry cleaning and get me some coffee" that RPG's seem to love these days. There are many ways to improve this game, and they gave us the tools to do it as well. Any open-world RPG fan would be nuts to pass this over.… Expand
  31. NL-Woody
    Mar 4, 2012
    0
    This game is so boring! nothing to do.. walking around doing random thinks...
    Go play runescape! its free and of the same quality of this ****
    so overrated just like mario, cod, zelda, halo and ****
  32. Bobwolf
    Mar 11, 2012
    7
    The reason why I can't give Skyrim a better score is simple : Skyrim has been made for console. I was expecting so much. But once you begin to truly explore, it feel very repetitive and the control on PC are very so so.

    It's still a good game, but I can't give more than 7.
  33. Lontra
    Jun 13, 2012
    0
    Obviously made for the XBox and ported to PS3 and PC the graphics on this game are sub par at best, PC controls are nearly unplayable, Filled with bugs, and offers virtually no challenge to a seasoned gamer. All Bethesda seems to do with these game is pile as many little side quests in it as possible so you can feel like you are getting a lot from your money. The truth is you're gettingObviously made for the XBox and ported to PS3 and PC the graphics on this game are sub par at best, PC controls are nearly unplayable, Filled with bugs, and offers virtually no challenge to a seasoned gamer. All Bethesda seems to do with these game is pile as many little side quests in it as possible so you can feel like you are getting a lot from your money. The truth is you're getting an over rated, under developed game instead.… Expand
  34. Vendaron
    Sep 28, 2012
    4
    I was initially very impressed by the game. However I became frustrated at a main quest with 'esbern' that was broken and unpatched almost a year after launch. As well the UI is abysmal for a PC game. It looks like the UI was designed for console and ported to PC which is just brutal. A separate UI for PC should have been done. A UI more like World of Warcraft would make this gameI was initially very impressed by the game. However I became frustrated at a main quest with 'esbern' that was broken and unpatched almost a year after launch. As well the UI is abysmal for a PC game. It looks like the UI was designed for console and ported to PC which is just brutal. A separate UI for PC should have been done. A UI more like World of Warcraft would make this game infinitely better. I'm not sure how reviewers can give this game a 10.… Expand
  35. wlyyy
    Jan 2, 2013
    4
    I really tried this game, a lot. But i simple can't play it, it's boring as hell. But the worst problem is the graphic engine, when u play at 3rd person you will see your character "floating" on the ground instead of walking. You really don't feel the movements, they are very awkward and this problem is reflected on the combat, which is bad, very bad. I think it's the worst combat system iI really tried this game, a lot. But i simple can't play it, it's boring as hell. But the worst problem is the graphic engine, when u play at 3rd person you will see your character "floating" on the ground instead of walking. You really don't feel the movements, they are very awkward and this problem is reflected on the combat, which is bad, very bad. I think it's the worst combat system i ever seen, i prefer the 16-bits turn based system s rather than this.… Expand
  36. Q8eZy
    Oct 17, 2012
    9
    Epic, beautiful, and a true single player game...absolutely wonderful. I also love the fact that there isn't really a main quest, there is nothing to 'finish'. It is like the real world insofar as even when you finish your quest line, the world keeps turning and nothing truly changes. I know there is the whole "Dragonborn" thing, but the game never forces you to finish that line, orEpic, beautiful, and a true single player game...absolutely wonderful. I also love the fact that there isn't really a main quest, there is nothing to 'finish'. It is like the real world insofar as even when you finish your quest line, the world keeps turning and nothing truly changes. I know there is the whole "Dragonborn" thing, but the game never forces you to finish that line, or even mention it if you don't kill that first dragon. So you are free to built your archer or wizard or assassin or thief or whatever it is you want to. It is also great that, with some mods, you can really push your hardware and have a truly beautiful world to explore. I ran 2 680 classifieds 4gb. I spent $1400 on videocards for this game and I have no regrets. And massive thanks to Beth for authoring official mod tools and opening up their game, which is a very rare thing today. My favorite game since Fallout: New Vegas.… Expand
  37. CyberAngel
    Aug 20, 2012
    9
    I became bored with Skyrim after about 140 hours. While some may object that it becomes boring after some time, I myself know plenty of games that started to bore me after a FEW hours at most! There is a ton of things to do in Skyrim and while it starts to look all the same after some time, you certainly can't deny that it takes you weeks of real time (140 hours = 35 days/4 hours a day)I became bored with Skyrim after about 140 hours. While some may object that it becomes boring after some time, I myself know plenty of games that started to bore me after a FEW hours at most! There is a ton of things to do in Skyrim and while it starts to look all the same after some time, you certainly can't deny that it takes you weeks of real time (140 hours = 35 days/4 hours a day) till it does.
    Great music, graphics and some storylines, exciting combat... what more could you wish for? Complex magic system in Morrowind style? Never really used it. More complex dialog options? It would help. PC friendly menus? Absolutely.
    Certainly almost everyone will think of something that would be great if added to this game, but come on! There is so much stuff in this game, let's keep it real and say that there is far more than in any other game for a "mere" 50    … Expand
  38. Beararam
    Jun 30, 2012
    10
    First off, I'm new to The Elder Scrolls. I bought Oblivion a while back off of Steam when it was on sale, and really didn't enjoy it, probably because it was quite a few years old and shared a lot of the same sounds and features of Fallout 3, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I had a lot of fun in Skyrim. It piqued my interest in the series quite a bit, and have since read (not played, I know)First off, I'm new to The Elder Scrolls. I bought Oblivion a while back off of Steam when it was on sale, and really didn't enjoy it, probably because it was quite a few years old and shared a lot of the same sounds and features of Fallout 3, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I had a lot of fun in Skyrim. It piqued my interest in the series quite a bit, and have since read (not played, I know) the synopsis of all the other Elder Scrolls games. It's not perfect, no game is, but just a lot of fun. I think it deserves a higher score than an 8.… Expand
  39. Petrovita
    May 10, 2012
    10
    This game is amazing. If you haven't heard of it, you've missed something. But don't worry! That's why you need to buy it and try it. You'll never regret it. The best RPG in a decade!
  40. Pampalini
    Dec 5, 2014
    9
    Really good game, there is a hundreds things to do and hundreds things to explore. It might get little bit repetitive at the end but anyway stil AAA RPG game.
  41. SuperJ
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    This is my first Elder Scrolls game that I've actually enjoyed. To be honest, its the first one I've truly played and not quit after the first hour. You won't like this game if you are looking for action only. This is not an FPS, this is not an RTS. This is a game where the interactions and story outweigh the weapons, armor, and fighting tactics. Making the choice that you think is rightThis is my first Elder Scrolls game that I've actually enjoyed. To be honest, its the first one I've truly played and not quit after the first hour. You won't like this game if you are looking for action only. This is not an FPS, this is not an RTS. This is a game where the interactions and story outweigh the weapons, armor, and fighting tactics. Making the choice that you think is right in a situation is more important than what weapon you choose to fight with. If you don't like that, don't come crying on here saying "its boring, nothing to do" "Where do I go? There's no direction!" The point of this game is to literally "become" your character, in a sense where your reactions to other people in the game mirror your own reactions to the same situations in real life. This is done superbly, flawlessly, and impressively.

    The graphics are impressive, and not *as* high quality as say, BF3, but given the size of the world, I think they are phenomenal. If you are really not having the same expereince, if your computer can handle it, turn on the Antisoptric Filtering and Anti-Aliasing. It will make the textures and world really pop and come to life. The weather effects and fog are so amazing, they really breathe life into this game. IMHO, its the shining achievement of this game. It brings to the table what most games lack and what makes them feel like you are staring at a screen holding your mouse instead of actually being in the game fully.

    The quests as always are great, and I love the system of genuinely discovering a new place without direction, where you can run into anything and anyone.

    The AI interactions without user interference are very immersive, you can literally stand around in a pub while AI have 5 minute long conversations about things, walking around drinking, eating, cooking etc. I could go on and on about the features and achievements that this game has accomplished, but what I really have to say is that it IS a complete experience. Take it as a "slice of life" from a distant land, where you are set in someone shoes and must decide what to do going forward from where you begin. Many of those saying its just like an offline MMORPG and that its bad for this or bad for that have lost focus of what this game is about. Its about making CONSTANT decisions, truly simulating being someone else in a different situation. All the NPCs are vastly different, all of them are truly unique. Its true, there will probably be a great amount of bad reviews from old and new players alike, either they got tired of the series and forgot the point of it or have grown out of it, or a newcomer doesn't really like the genre and wishes it was different.

    Point: Take your own opinion of it. Don't let others decide what you like and don't like. This game can be great or it can be terrible in your eyes, depending on what you think you should be getting out of the experience and if you are OK with that.    … Expand
  42. isthatabigknife
    Jun 1, 2012
    9
    i'm still playing this EPIC game since the date of release... and i got to say.... this game is simply EPIC. the history is great, graphics are very good, and you can do anything! Also, is way better than ps3 and xbox360 because of mods! actually there are a LOT of mods to install, items, missions, etc. for me, its a bit better than oblivion. First time, the game has a bunch of annoyingi'm still playing this EPIC game since the date of release... and i got to say.... this game is simply EPIC. the history is great, graphics are very good, and you can do anything! Also, is way better than ps3 and xbox360 because of mods! actually there are a LOT of mods to install, items, missions, etc. for me, its a bit better than oblivion. First time, the game has a bunch of annoying bugs that made the game very hard to play, but now the great BETHESDA are releasing patches, and now the game is almost perfect!!. Simply a masterpiece. waiting for dlc!… Expand
  43. KontraKommando
    Aug 29, 2012
    10
    Skyrim is very addictive, life-consuming, and overall amazing. It is pretty much the reason why I don't get enough sleep at night. You can spend several months developing a character, as you undertake a seemingly endless amount of missions. You can find yourself obsessed with leveling up your character, by unlocking perks to obtain new abilities. The story is pretty interesting as well,Skyrim is very addictive, life-consuming, and overall amazing. It is pretty much the reason why I don't get enough sleep at night. You can spend several months developing a character, as you undertake a seemingly endless amount of missions. You can find yourself obsessed with leveling up your character, by unlocking perks to obtain new abilities. The story is pretty interesting as well, however, the most enjoyment comes from choosing which paths your character will take, charting your own course. The world of Skyrim is majestic, hostile, and mystical. For people interested in high-adventure, ala Conan: The Barbarian; this is the game for you.

    However, there are some annoying issues with the game. The loading time in enter into each area can be very annoying. Moreover, the game is loaded with glitches, making some missions unplayable, or broken. However, there have been several patches to correct many of these issues.

    Overall, I still give Skyrim a 10. Despite some of the technical issues, this game is worth experiencing.    … Expand
  44. Rallinale
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This is the first game in the series that I have played, and I just have to say, this game is a masterpiece. Every aspect this game is simply fantastic. This is a must-have game for anyone who are looking forward to an awesome RPG experience.
  45. dreambob
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    Lots of fun and awe.
    A well crafted world, the environments are so believable, that (unlike your character) you can almost feel the cool Mountain air.
    On the down side, some of the voice acting are a bit to redundant.
  46. Sambora
    Apr 27, 2012
    9
    Great: the world design, the attention to details, the character models and animations, the creatures, the sense of adventure and exploration. Good: the quests, the dialogue, the Nords culture and politics, the professions and diversity of builds by perks. Bad: the guilds and their quest lines, the lack of attributes and birthsigns, the lack of racial distinction. Music is divine!
  47. 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
  48. Felicrux
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Well, there goes my life for the next few months. Skyrim has taken the good elements of the Elder Scrolls series and refined it, removing the bad or unnecessary parts. This game is the pinnacle of what a game can be, simply by working hard and releasing a good product. Menus are streamlined, with the extra, non-essential information being separated from the important elements.

    The world    Well, there goes my life for the next few months. Skyrim has taken the good elements of the Elder Scrolls series and refined it, removing the bad or unnecessary parts. This game is the pinnacle of what a game can be, simply by working hard and releasing a good product. Menus are streamlined, with the extra, non-essential information being separated from the important elements.

    The world is beautiful, and is an excellent merge of real world fauna and fictional creatures to make it quite immersive. It is quite easy to lose yourself in this game, regardless of previous RPG experience. It is also quite obvious that Bethesda learned from their experience with the Fallout franchise to add and change some things. No longer will over-encumbrance be as much a burden on the enterprising adventurer, as the Fallout system was implemented. Sprinting is also a welcome addition; a good tangent from walking to riding a horse.

    All in all, this is the best Bethesda game to date. I fear for the future of the company, because I highly doubt they'll be able to top this anytime soon. 10/10    … Expand
  49. loomer50
    Jan 15, 2012
    10
    This is one of the best games ever created, and has just raised the bar for openworld action-rpg's to a new impssible height. Dragon age does well, Fallout does well, and so do a lot of other open world games. We had a lot of those in 2011, but this one is the best. The graphics are the best you have seen in a while on PC, the gameplay is fantastic and the amount of content justThis is one of the best games ever created, and has just raised the bar for openworld action-rpg's to a new impssible height. Dragon age does well, Fallout does well, and so do a lot of other open world games. We had a lot of those in 2011, but this one is the best. The graphics are the best you have seen in a while on PC, the gameplay is fantastic and the amount of content just incredible. Take Morrowind and Oblivion times two, plus better graphics, longer and more rewarding gameplay and an amazing amount of detail, and you have Skyrim. And, finally, a game arrives that does dragons right. Each dragon fight, even if you already had a milliion, is epic. The detail in weapons and armor, buildings, enemies, characters and weather conditions was never seen before until Skyrim came along.… Expand
  50. BlAzin17
    Jan 6, 2012
    10
    its good lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
  51. Lost
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    I'm not going to lie, this game is amazing, brilliant, outstanding, and a masterpiece. I'm only filling the rest up because i need one hundred and fifty characters. lol this looks like a review a saw :O great minds think alike. but i have used more then hundred and fifty characters now. =[ o well lol
  52. eyEZix
    Oct 11, 2012
    10
    What Snowgirl said, and i will add crossbows rock. i started with bows and with the dlc was pleased to feel the release of the bolt and the cutscene to the kill. It almost echoes of V.A.T.S but with an ancient glow and shadow. The ten im giving this game is mainly for gameplay, as i really feel the developers could have spent a tad longer on the voice cast. That being said its about myWhat Snowgirl said, and i will add crossbows rock. i started with bows and with the dlc was pleased to feel the release of the bolt and the cutscene to the kill. It almost echoes of V.A.T.S but with an ancient glow and shadow. The ten im giving this game is mainly for gameplay, as i really feel the developers could have spent a tad longer on the voice cast. That being said its about my only complaint. Except there could have been a bit more choices but even with that said, it deserves nothing less than a ten This game is Awesome… Expand
  53. 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.
  54. mromih
    Mar 6, 2012
    10
    No wonder was chosen as Game of The Year. So many stuff to do, I think you can play this game for a year. Superb graphics (with a good video card). Plus the new Steam Workshop, when you can get community made free ad dons to enhance your experience. For me, its a 10.
  55. Joxeu
    Mar 22, 2012
    10
    Hands down, the best games I have played in its class to date. The game is well designed and although there are bugs, the game's overall quality is still unparalleled with an enormous quantity of quests and choices.
  56. 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
  57. Ericius
    Jun 1, 2012
    9
    Great game. I enjoyed the immense world, all the story lines and freedom that the elder scroll games offer. I liked Skyrim better then Oblivion. The dragons are just amazing to see and battle. Story lines are great and the vast world of things to discover is just overwhelming. Played it now un till level 48 and still haven't covered half of the places in Skyrim.
  58. Bradmasi
    Nov 15, 2011
    9
    The new addition to the The Elder Scrolls saga continues strong in Skyrim. Much of what makes the Elder Scrolls games what they are remains intact while enough innovation is included to assure you this is a growing series.

    The graphics for the first few areas may not seem like much of an improvement but the visually stunning vistas of the cloud-covered mountains and the snow billowing    The new addition to the The Elder Scrolls saga continues strong in Skyrim. Much of what makes the Elder Scrolls games what they are remains intact while enough innovation is included to assure you this is a growing series.

    The graphics for the first few areas may not seem like much of an improvement but the visually stunning vistas of the cloud-covered mountains and the snow billowing off the ice caps to the north truly waylays any ideas of out-dated graphics. While the voice acting does feel stilted and clunky at times the fact that NPC's do recognize more of your actions helps create a more believable world that in previous installments.

    The combat is more fleshed out this time around with the ability to actively block and shield bash if you're using heavy armor, or make the decision to wield multiple spell types at the same time as a caster via dual-casting abilities. While there are still balancing issues there are enough advancements here to keep you interested without much of the fatigue associated with repeated visits to dungeons in a single play session as found with Oblivion.

    This game is not without glaring flaws however. It seems the game was designed with a controller in mind. Keyboard and mouse is fine for combat and exploration but clicking items in your inventory or selecting dialogue options has often followed at best with a frustrated sigh and at worse with a cry of outrage as I accidentally select the wrong option and sent a companion back to town or angering a guard without meaning to.

    You have to be so precise with the mouse pointer that when at a vendor if you click slightly off the screen it closes the window and you have to reselect the vendor option. And while none of this is game-breaking I find myself avoiding interaction with other players due to the exasperation it can cause.

    All negativity aside though, this is a game that offers hundreds of hours of content with fresh vistas everywhere you go. The dungeons are more adequately designed and combat is a blast. If you like fantasy adventure and didn't get enough from Dark Souls this is one game to pick up.    … Expand
  59. Wassup
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    10 out of 10 awesome combat great graphics and fun storyline, i never had any problems with any of the graphics, glitches or anything really, also for those of you who got frustrated in the install don't write a review because you did not PLAY the game. There are many interesting things in this game and i especially enjoy reading the books which make the game feel fleshed out and fully10 out of 10 awesome combat great graphics and fun storyline, i never had any problems with any of the graphics, glitches or anything really, also for those of you who got frustrated in the install don't write a review because you did not PLAY the game. There are many interesting things in this game and i especially enjoy reading the books which make the game feel fleshed out and fully realized. Yes there are some minor bugs but given the size and the quality of the graphics they are to be expected.
    Suck it haters and get a computer from this generation    … Expand
  60. Abraxas000
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    I feel I must first make a statement about the negative reviews. It mostly looks like it comes from people with PC's that aren't at least as powerful as the consoles they try to compare to. How do you expect a game to perform to the same standards on lower-end hardware? If you have a PC that is at least as powerful or more powerful than the PS3 or 360 then you have nothing to worryI feel I must first make a statement about the negative reviews. It mostly looks like it comes from people with PC's that aren't at least as powerful as the consoles they try to compare to. How do you expect a game to perform to the same standards on lower-end hardware? If you have a PC that is at least as powerful or more powerful than the PS3 or 360 then you have nothing to worry about as far as graphical quality.

    ------My positive observations------

    Storyline: The depth that Bethesda has given to the lore in this game is astonishing; like nothing I've ever played. The NPC's speak to you differently depending on the actions you take with the main storyline and in the town, you can choose to join or destroy various factions, choose to reclaim Skyrim from the Empire or help the Empire complete it's route of the Stormcloaks, (avoiding spoilers is hard so I'll leave out a few more things I wanted to add). If you're planning on running through this game as fast as you can or aren't interested in exploring and listening to what the NPC's have to say, you WILL NOT enjoy this game to it's potential. Gameplay: I chose to specialize as a Mage for my first playthrough (I think I'm only about halfway through after 40-50 hours) and even within that focus there are specific schools of spells you can improve over others. The spellcasting feels very well balanced and effective without being too OP or too weak while giving you a feeling of progression when you acquire the more sophisticated spellcasting armor. The Interface is a little annoying on occasion when the mouse is too close to the options when you're navigating with w,a,s,d but it's effective while being minimal and non-intrusive; very well designed.

    Graphics: Even with my now-out-of-date nVidia GTX260 this world looks stunning with the high resolution textures and attention to detail in nearly every aspect. The aurora in the sky at night, the interaction between wildlife (I saved a fox from getting eaten by a couple of wolves), the realistic geometry of the natural stones and stonework, the level of detail in the flora... We're still a decade or so away from micro-realism, but this is the closest I've felt to being in a real world in any game.

    Failings: As previously mentioned, the minor annoyance of having the mouse highlight options causes the selection to be un-centered which can get annoying if you navigate with w,a,s,d. An option to turn off mouse navigation would be preferred. On occasion when you alt-tab out of Skyrim and then back to Skyrim, it may crash to the desktop; the only thing that makes this less annoying are the very frequent autosaves that minimize lost progress, but it still hinders the fluidity of the gameplay. The only other thing I've noticed is that NPC's will have situational issues that cause them to be facing the wrong way or stand in the wrong spot during a scene.    … Expand
  61. Nerogiant
    Nov 19, 2011
    9
    People writing, and giving, negative reviews /scores don't seems to understand that Skyrim is not another "Cowadooty" game. If you're not a fan of WRPG, then just don't play it and go trash another section.
    Too everyone who does admire and enjoy, especially TES fans, it's a must-have !!!
    Although it does have some minor flaws: the "inventory" thing doesn't quite give a good overview of    People writing, and giving, negative reviews /scores don't seems to understand that Skyrim is not another "Cowadooty" game. If you're not a fan of WRPG, then just don't play it and go trash another section.
    Too everyone who does admire and enjoy, especially TES fans, it's a must-have !!!
    Although it does have some minor flaws: the "inventory" thing doesn't quite give a good overview of your things (unlike in Oblivion), so I hope this will change with update or a mod. (but you know; nothing is perfect)
    40 hours through the game, and still not even close to mid.    … Expand
  62. RediCe
    Nov 19, 2011
    8
    This is my first "The Elder Scrolls" game and I only heard about it not long ago and decided I'd try it out. The graphics look pretty interesting and sort of "shiny" but right away I noticed that there's a lot of fog and you can't really see your enemy from far away,they just spawn close.The game is very good and interesting but I don't like that it promotes using your keys or a controllerThis is my first "The Elder Scrolls" game and I only heard about it not long ago and decided I'd try it out. The graphics look pretty interesting and sort of "shiny" but right away I noticed that there's a lot of fog and you can't really see your enemy from far away,they just spawn close.The game is very good and interesting but I don't like that it promotes using your keys or a controller over a mouse, it's supposed to be a PC game! I would give this game a 9 but I do think it is a little overrated , for the PC at least...… Expand
  63. hadephobiac
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a refreshing and welcome new title to the current rather bland western RPG genre.

    The combat system is extremely innovative and feels action packed without taking away too much of the strategic depth in classical RPGs with countless combinations one can use, made even more diverse by the ability to favourite certain weapons for easy access. The only    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a refreshing and welcome new title to the current rather bland western RPG genre.

    The combat system is extremely innovative and feels action packed without taking away too much of the strategic depth in classical RPGs with countless combinations one can use, made even more diverse by the ability to favourite certain weapons for easy access.

    The only criticism I have is the lack of hot keying items for the PC version which was featured in Fallout 3 and New Vegas to make weapon changing seamless. Pausing in the middle of an intense fight to heal, or change spells greatly reduced the immersiveness of the game.

    Quests are wonderful and help you to build a character the way you want to by finding incredible loot, reducing the amount of grinding your character needs to do to be a dragon slaying powerhouse.

    All in all, a great game and comes highly recommend. Best game of 2011 for me so far.    … Expand
  64. IKnoGoodGames
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Everyone knew Oblivion was the best RPG from 2006 - 2011, and then came skyrim. Skyrim has to be one of the best games ever, as It ticks all the different boxes e.g. Can you dual weild? Yes, Can you weild two spells at once and create a more powerful spell by combining them? Yes. Can you run? YES! (and when I say run I dont mean like oblivions version of running). If you thought oblivions graphics were pretty good skyrim is a whole new story! (unless your playing on xbox or ps3 then "from what ive heard" the graphics have been severely nerfed). there are many different things to do on skyrim which differ from oblivion e.g. You can now Mine, cut wood and cook food. you can also now enchant and disenchant items, smith new weapons and armour. For alchemy you dont need to carry around the novice alembic and pestle and morter to do alchemy, you only need to go to an alchemy table which can be found in quite a few places to create your potions and lotions. Skyrims campaign seemed fairly short compared to oblivions campaign. but I think that may just be because I either fast traveled or used my companions werewolf form to travel to places faster than just walking/running. The campaign may well be shorter but it is a hell of a lot more fun compared to walking through an oblivion gate to notice a few enemy's in which were fairly easy to kill. The Dark Brotherhood mission are abit lame to be honest but they are fun non the less. The theiving guilds missions are a bit more combat styled and not as much sneaking past everyone so you dont get seen. They are more like running in slashing up some enemys if needed then getting whatever you need to complete the quest. Being a dragonborn is quite handy as if you have mastered your unrelenting force shout you can basically blast back any opponent in front of you, which is quite amusing, handy and free to use!!! from what I have experienced skyrim doesnt seem to have loads of bugs and glitches its just small things which are hardly noticable so if your looking for a fun, exciting game, Skyrim is the game to have! I personally recommend it for PC not xbox and ps3 as the graphics are much better and will give you a more enjoyable expierence.… Expand
  65. Bixter
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    Gorgeous game with a great assortment of things to do. I have put some hours into this and keep going back to it. Some of the physics are weak. Horse back riding on bridges are very dangerous! A multitude of side quests makes this game interesting as you can spend your time on one without even working on the main one. Just a fun game.
  66. otorobot
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This is the best game that i have played. you feel like real. I really like saving game. you can save at everywhere, everytime.Map is so big and this is so great. There is so much playable races ( with vampires and werewolves). you can use magic and weapon same time and it makes playing easier.AI is not perfect, but good. Story is good, sometimes dialogs and travels can be boring but whenThis is the best game that i have played. you feel like real. I really like saving game. you can save at everywhere, everytime.Map is so big and this is so great. There is so much playable races ( with vampires and werewolves). you can use magic and weapon same time and it makes playing easier.AI is not perfect, but good. Story is good, sometimes dialogs and travels can be boring but when you travelling thugs and bandits attacks you and fighting them are stops your boring. Graphics are good but sometimes you see missing details. but, when you look all of the game, This Game Ä°s Almost Perfect!… Expand
  67. Fooleraid
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    When I heard about TESV: Skyrim, the sequel to one of my most beloved games of all time (Oblivion on the PC, with emphasis on the PC 'cause of mods), I was absolutely stoked, but after disappointing releases by numerous game companies, Bethesda included, I became skeptical of its overall quality and kept my expectation bar reasonably high. What I was expecting was a great game marred byWhen I heard about TESV: Skyrim, the sequel to one of my most beloved games of all time (Oblivion on the PC, with emphasis on the PC 'cause of mods), I was absolutely stoked, but after disappointing releases by numerous game companies, Bethesda included, I became skeptical of its overall quality and kept my expectation bar reasonably high. What I was expecting was a great game marred by day one issues, broken ___, and other issues that were fixable by the community in due time. Basically, I was expecting a good game, not a great one, that would be made excellent by the community over a long period of time.

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

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

    There's a lot of improvement from the previous installments. Well, at least I consider them improvements. The addition of things like cooking, mining, smithing, and dual-wielding as well as beefing up magic to not only make it worth using, but very fun to use too, have all been great additions that add a lot of fun to the game. Dungeons have seen a massive upgrade, boasting a surprisingly high amount of variation and uniqueness, which makes dungeon-clearing much more interesting. Some things have been axed like weapon degradation and some skills (some of which were kind of useless like athletics), but overall, itâ    … Expand
  68. Helixeagle
    Nov 24, 2011
    8
    After reading some of the more 'harsh' reviews I have come to one conclusion, they are not playing the same game as me. While Skyrim doesn't deserve top marks (and I will explain why) it certainly doesn't disappoint.

    Starting Skyrim up for the first time is like visiting an old friend who you haven't seen in a while, it's heading into the unknown and yet that familiar excitement starts to    After reading some of the more 'harsh' reviews I have come to one conclusion, they are not playing the same game as me. While Skyrim doesn't deserve top marks (and I will explain why) it certainly doesn't disappoint.

    Starting Skyrim up for the first time is like visiting an old friend who you haven't seen in a while, it's heading into the unknown and yet that familiar excitement starts to flow back, finally you are given the chance to customize your looks and this is where the fun begins.

    First, the graphics. I'm really not sure why people say they are dated, and even comparing them to oblivion, they are more advance, I would say looking back that Oblivion was too bright and colourful which made it much more cartoony, but I can accept that, Cyrodiil was a completely different region to Skyrim. Skyrim is just grittier and darker due to a change of climate and a more realistic colour tone.

    The game has kept me interested for 30+ hours over the week, and I'm still going, I haven't even touched the main quest out of interest on exploring and side questing, each character you talk to has his own personality, and sometimes I find myself going out of my way to teach people a lesson for insulting me because I have felt a connection to my character, the game is rather addictive once you've settled in the world, and there is plenty to do (plenty is an understatement)

    One particularly cool feature is that sometimes a dragon will descend upon you, and the music kicks in and you are soon fighting this thing with just a sword and a bow, it all becomes rather epic as you weave and slash away at this beast that has come from nowhere, the music only entices the adrenaline as you feel like a true warrior. Great job on the music, it really draws you in and makes the game feel more complete.

    But with good points, there are also bad, and this game seems to bring a slight disappointment to the PC gamer in me, since this appears to be a console port, the game plays well minus a few bugs, however it is the menus and interface that it falls rather flat on. Text that you have your mouse over isn't necessarily the text highlighted and can create some rather annoying â    … Expand
  69. faudau
    Dec 16, 2011
    9
    I signed up with Metacritic just to praise this game. It is perhaps the best game I have ever played (up for debate) but its that good. Sure it had some bugs out of the gate and really I gave it a 9 because the devs could have put forth a little more effort on the PC version (controls, textures and the interface all suffer from consolitis) but other than that it is a downright blast toI signed up with Metacritic just to praise this game. It is perhaps the best game I have ever played (up for debate) but its that good. Sure it had some bugs out of the gate and really I gave it a 9 because the devs could have put forth a little more effort on the PC version (controls, textures and the interface all suffer from consolitis) but other than that it is a downright blast to play and you'll log 40 hours before scratching the surface.… Expand
  70. AlGore
    Dec 18, 2011
    10
    The environment in this game is beautiful. You can tell that it hasn't been tarnished by years of pollution and abuse by its inhabitants. The water is crystal clear and the mountain air so fresh, so much unlike our own. There are no factories to speak of. Nothing to pollute the surroundings and no detectable ozone pollution. Dragons, animals now extinct in our own world due pollution andThe environment in this game is beautiful. You can tell that it hasn't been tarnished by years of pollution and abuse by its inhabitants. The water is crystal clear and the mountain air so fresh, so much unlike our own. There are no factories to speak of. Nothing to pollute the surroundings and no detectable ozone pollution. Dragons, animals now extinct in our own world due pollution and habitat loss, roam the lands of Skyrim freely, a beautiful sight. All in all I must say this game is a masterpiece that depicts what our world could have been without the pollution so ever-present in our environment. First Prize!… Expand
  71. locustgrove
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    Better then oblivion if you ask me,only reason its not a ten for me is i just dont like how they did magic in this one other then that everything else is nearly flawless great game.
  72. Zudeare
    Nov 23, 2012
    6
    I really really really really REALLY want to like this game, but i can't for some reason, I'm serious, the graphics are decent, the music is epic and the world looks very open and fun, but for some reason, i get bored with it, Maybe it's because of the quests, but i'm not sure, I love Bethesda in general, Fallout 3 happens to be one of my favorite game, but skyrim, not really, still, i'veI really really really really REALLY want to like this game, but i can't for some reason, I'm serious, the graphics are decent, the music is epic and the world looks very open and fun, but for some reason, i get bored with it, Maybe it's because of the quests, but i'm not sure, I love Bethesda in general, Fallout 3 happens to be one of my favorite game, but skyrim, not really, still, i've spent a good 30 hours in it and i've had a few moments where i had an absolute blast playing it.… Expand
  73. Hackuity
    Jan 4, 2012
    10
    It is widely accepted between role-playing gamers that the difference between a good and a bad game experience is the amount of freedom the developer decides the player will enjoy: the good guys at Bethesda know it very well, and Skyrim makes no exception in the long tradition of deep and immersive games this software house has developed.

    The one of Skyrim is a huge and impressively    It is widely accepted between role-playing gamers that the difference between a good and a bad game experience is the amount of freedom the developer decides the player will enjoy: the good guys at Bethesda know it very well, and Skyrim makes no exception in the long tradition of deep and immersive games this software house has developed.

    The one of Skyrim is a huge and impressively variegated world, where every detail is there on purpose and every story makes sense, at the end of the journey. Just don't believe the haters: they can't stand the fact that this game represents the natural evolution of the happy marriage between role-playing and adventure, and at the same time the starting point of a long, epic and sometimes pleasantly frustrating adventure. Until you get an arrow in the knee, you know.    … Expand
  74. stephen0983
    Oct 28, 2012
    5
    A solid RPG with some of the best graphics to date. However, too easy, even on the hardest difficulty. And that's not even using the shouts, which seemed kind of stupid (and overpowered). Why so many of them?
    Had to use a 360 controller due to keyboard and mouse issues with the game, which is totally absurd. I have a logitech g500 mouse and a corsair k90 keyboard and couldn't even use    A solid RPG with some of the best graphics to date. However, too easy, even on the hardest difficulty. And that's not even using the shouts, which seemed kind of stupid (and overpowered). Why so many of them?
    Had to use a 360 controller due to keyboard and mouse issues with the game, which is totally absurd. I have a logitech g500 mouse and a corsair k90 keyboard and couldn't even use them, had to go with a gamepad! Unbelievable. The game also crashed regularly, probably once or twice a play session. Quest content, sheer size of the map and options, makes this a worthwhile game, especially if you liked Oblivion. Character levelling was streamlined a bit (dumbed-down), probably to attract a broader audience.
    Overall it has it's ups and downs, it does not live up to the hype due to technical problems, otherwise it could very well be worthy of the critics score here on this site (were it more challenging)    … Expand
  75. Tarc
    Jan 18, 2012
    10
    Best PC RPG game ever. Ignore the bug-gripers; they have dirty systems. And Skyrim will only get better as the mods roll in and the expansion packs arrive. Seriously, coolest game ever.
  76. Ananisapta
    Jan 18, 2012
    9
    I've played through Oblivion and the two recent Fallouts plus a lot of other solo and multi-player games. So far, Skyrim is the best!

    You can wander the beautiful, dramatic hills and valleys, visit the quaint towns and meet the quaint people, follow all or none of the quest lines. You can make a career and a marriage, play any of the numerous races and both genders. You can specialize in    I've played through Oblivion and the two recent Fallouts plus a lot of other solo and multi-player games. So far, Skyrim is the best!

    You can wander the beautiful, dramatic hills and valleys, visit the quaint towns and meet the quaint people, follow all or none of the quest lines. You can make a career and a marriage, play any of the numerous races and both genders. You can specialize in melee or ranged or casting, or you can build a character who does it all. You can adopt a companion to watch your back and carry your loot. This is an extremely immersive game that I would highly recommend to those new to the genre. Replay value is high.

    You do need to make sure you have the hardware recommended for this game. Don't even think of getting by with the minimum! The graphics are much too good to waste and they'll kill a mediocre system.

    Small bugs still exist but you can learn to use the developers console to repair a quest or skip the boring parts. If you get stuck, there are plenty of helpful references free on the Net. My only dissatisfaction was that I didn't feel emotionally connected to any of the NPCs. I think this is because Bethesda didn't use cutscenes to bring me close to a character's face. Witcher II and even the old Half-Life series nailed my feelings better.    … Expand
  77. sincity9669
    Jan 19, 2012
    10
    LOLS all i see here is people putting 0 because there computers are **** and people putting 10 because there computers are. This game is unbelievable and was not a let down(unless you were expecting the most amazing pile of awesomeness). This game is what it was meant to be. CHOICE!
  78. Bjcal26
    Jan 24, 2012
    8
    Overall, it's your typical RPG. At first it's fun and exciting, but if you're not one to intently follow a story line, and just like to run around killing stuff and trying to level as fast as you can, than it's pointless to play this game really. The storyline, however, is fantastic, and the gameplay itself is really great.
  79. thefollower457
    Mar 21, 2012
    10
    Most games canâ
  80. Shechu
    Jun 1, 2012
    9
    After having finished the game I can say that this is one of the best game ever. Excellent graphics, compelling story, unlimited freedom and the best, really amazing landscapes. It's a unique game, you could played over and over and it will surprise you like the first time. All in all amazing and REALISTIC.
  81. Discord
    May 19, 2012
    9
    Skyrim is a wonderful RPG, but many many glitches still permeate the game. While not gamebreaking, these glitches do subtract from the enjoyability of the game. Still, the game does have an exciting storyline and a fun and extremely large amount of sidequests.
  82. Tick
    May 29, 2012
    10
    I have to break this review into two parts. #1 Pre-modding, and #2 Post Modding. (be sure to read the post-modding part!!)

    Pre-modding: 6/10 Cons: 1) The interface was crap for the PC. 2) The item naming was poorly done 3) There were MANY poorly done textures, models of both the 2-D and 3-D. 4) Many models which were supposed to be 3-D were made 2-D etc. etc. 5) DRAGONS... My biggest    I have to break this review into two parts. #1 Pre-modding, and #2 Post Modding. (be sure to read the post-modding part!!)

    Pre-modding: 6/10
    Cons:
    1) The interface was crap for the PC. 2) The item naming was poorly done 3) There were MANY poorly done textures, models of both the 2-D and 3-D. 4) Many models which were supposed to be 3-D were made 2-D etc. etc. 5) DRAGONS... My biggest PEVE!!! They were weak flying lizards that I once beat to death with my bare fists!!!! This was almost a deal-breaker for me! 6) MANY errors in skills, items, game-play etc. 7) many details you wish were in the game but knew they'd just be wishes weren't in the game. 7) decent, but not over-the-top voice acting. They could have used a few more actors in this department.. especially in the common interactions.

    Pros: 1) Great music 2) Great Story 3) Awesome Lore depth 4) Respect for the consumer 5) timely updates 6) High level of pre-mod character customization 7) Plenty to explore and open-ended... and the ultimate thing 8) the ability to make your own changes or to use other people's changes MODDING!!!!

    Modding leads me into the next part: POST-MODDING

    POST MODDING - 10/10!!! every negative in the previous section has been fixed by the players!

    Pros: OMG! with everyone out there solving every bug, glitch, error, fixing every plot hole, graphical error, improving textures, models... Making dragons powerful... I cannot say with enough emphasis that the modidng has made this game beyond EPIC. The pure level of customization you can choose is amazing!! New User-interface, new item naming, people add houses, dungeons, animals, fish, fishing, horses, seals on ingots, new hair, better animations, more or less blood, improve all graphics from apples to trees, to the whole world itself, change the lighting to make it more real, new weapons, more food, new spells, better bookshelves.... If you found something/anything irritating, or had a wish for something someone else has had it and made the mod for it, or you can request it. Or by browsing the mods you will find stuff and think... OMG That's an AWESOME IDEA!!! download it and using Nexus it's in the game! Nexus Mod Manager is to this game what Chocolate is to Peanut Butter. I will be playing this game for ages. I put this game as a VERY CLOSE SECOND when compared to my all-time favorite game Ultima 7 parts 1 and 2. You simply cannot go wrong with this game. Modders are already making Castle-Defense, tower Defense mini-games inside the actual game! This game has re-defined the RPG genre    … Expand
  83. DrugInduced
    Jun 1, 2012
    9
    Awesome game, my favorite of all time. Graphics are stunning and game play is top notch. I love the fact that you can control almost every aspect of the game. The game still has a few bugs even 7 months after release, but they are minor in my opinion.
  84. hwanin
    Jun 4, 2012
    10
    This is my very first Elder Scrolls game. Though I like RPG games, I simply have not enough time to play most of them, so I don't even try them. I received this game as Xmas gift, but installed it in middle April, this year.
    The current version is about 1.5.29 or something like that, so there were HUGE changes, since the street date.
    The current version has only very small bugs and/or    This is my very first Elder Scrolls game. Though I like RPG games, I simply have not enough time to play most of them, so I don't even try them. I received this game as Xmas gift, but installed it in middle April, this year.
    The current version is about 1.5.29 or something like that, so there were HUGE changes, since the street date.

    The current version has only very small bugs and/or design mistakes: a) The opponents, loots and most of the items re-spawn after a certain time and I hate this gamedesign element. b) The graphics are incredibly beautiful for an RPG game (just climb a hill and look around and you will get my point), but graphics bugs is all around, where the developers didn't think you would go in the game!! Let me explain: hills cannot be climbed in many times, but with a small trick (continuously jump during steering and walking forward in the same time xD ), you can climb almost everywhere, where is the rampage has about less than 50-55% angle. I have seen beyond walls with this trick, I have seen floating trees... etc. I do exploring, because it's an RPG and you can take advantage from looking around from the tops of the Skyrim world frequently. c) There are small quest-bugs that the patches didn't solve yet :/ Thank God, these bugs have no affect on the gameplay. d) You cannot mark more than 1 location at the map. Why...? e) Sometimes (in daytime) the sellers/merchants act like you would "visit" them at night and they call for guards... f) The dialogs cannot be subtitled :( ------- Summary: I think everything else is fine. Graphics is stunning, very entertaining details (you can chop woods, mine ore, go and catch fishes, steal, ride horses, kill-get-caught-and-go-to-jail, try to escape from prison, kill all witnesses and get away from being caught). Some enemies and friendly NPCs appear randomly, which makes the game incalculable/unpredictible. Though I just received this game as a gift, I honestly say: it is a game that worths every penny! And responding to a rreview writer who told, there is no story.... dumb person, who cannot read. You can find books in the game. If you read just 1/3 of them, you will know almost everything about the world of this game. 9.5/10    … Expand
  85. Sythian
    Jul 7, 2012
    10
    Excellent game, beautiful graphics, epic game play, well put storyline, and immersive world. The skill base system allows one to completely tailor a character to the players style. Lots of items to loot, find, purchase or craft. Player Housing and storage. Companions, Mercs and the like to aid you on your quests. And the best of all for me, is the ability to mod the game adding to itExcellent game, beautiful graphics, epic game play, well put storyline, and immersive world. The skill base system allows one to completely tailor a character to the players style. Lots of items to loot, find, purchase or craft. Player Housing and storage. Companions, Mercs and the like to aid you on your quests. And the best of all for me, is the ability to mod the game adding to it exactly what I would like to see in the game or remove that of which I do not. Try it for yourself, I bet you will be hook instantly.… Expand
  86. Bloodthirsty
    Jul 15, 2012
    9
    awsum game,the graphics of this game is outstanding,thestory has a good begining along with a good ending,the gameplay modes are nice,good options are there
  87. Necromus
    Aug 31, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've been a fan of the Elder Scrolls series since I purchased Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall back in 1996. Daggerfall was my favourite RPG game until last year when I purchased Elderscrolls V: Skyrim which has now become my favourite. The only other Elder Scrolls game I have played is Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind which I found to be tuned to be too easy and I found the dungeons to be too small. For me, Skyrim finally gets things right. The dungeons are not too small (like in Morrowind) or too big (like in Daggerfall) they are just right. So far the dungeons I have cleared have looked different from each other. The quests in this game are a refreshing change from the lame quests I've been doing in MMOs for the past few years. In Skyrim quests are epic, some are like clearing an dungeon to get an item, breaking into someone's well-guarded house to steel a deed for someone, etc. If you let NPCs get you drunk or talk to insane hobos you can end up in crazy places not knowing where you are. There are many plot twists in the quest-lines which keep things interesting. Sure there is the occasional quest where you can collect a pile of 10 bear pelts for someone, but to do that you need to go out in the wilderness and find 10 bears which are not that common so it will take a while and you can choose to ignore it or just collect them as you do other quests and exploration in the wilderness. The world of Skyrim rewards you for exploring the world, you will come across dungeons, witches covens, houses, temples, etc. that are not on your map and meet interesting people along the way. You can talk to most of the people you meet traveling the roads between the cities and some of them will give you quests. And there are no yellow exclamation marks over there heads lol, you just talk to random people and see what they say. It feels like you are playing a character in a real world with real other people. The characters you talk to are all voice acted well, albeit some of the minor characters like guards can be a bit repetitive (hence the "arrow in the knee" meme). This game gives new meaning to open questing. There are questlines you can follow in the game that tell a story and they are epic, the mages guild and thieves guild have their own quest-lines that lets you feel like you are hanging out with magey or theify types playing a character yourself. If you get this game you should get it on PC since this will allow you to download mods for it and use the console to enter cheat codes if you want. The default UI is lousy for a PC but you can download mods to fix it or alternatively you can buy a console-like controller for your PC. I don't use console cheats very often, just for annoying things where you have 50 lock picks and break them all while trying to unlock a master lock, etc. in which case I might give myself more lock picks or just use the cheat code to open the lock. Occasionally, I will save and use the console to enter god mode and just mess around for fun but I always go back and do it properly. After all as my old gym teacher used to say when you did your pushups wrong, "You're only cheating yourself!" if you cheat on a solo game ha ha. But Skyrim has been the best game I've played in a while and it gave me a nice break from my WoW addiction when I quit WoW. If you like rpgs and/or are sick of MMOs then I highly recommend this game. I give it a 10/10.… Expand
  88. Ravul
    Aug 13, 2012
    10
    This game is really amazing - this opened, big world, soundtrack, fighting and spells system, beautiful landscapes and locations, great quests... something wonderful! Maybe there are too many facilitates and interface for PC version is uncomfortable players (however there are still mods), but it doesn't change fact that this game is almost perfect and deserves high score ;)
  89. Thiefy
    Aug 15, 2012
    9
    This game is more than worth the money. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a game with a lot of possibilities in character-personalization (looks and skill-setup) and what to do in-game. Also Skyrim is beautiful. It has very convincing ambiance in all its areas, be it 'mountainscapes', dungeons or whatever.

    I also specifically want to highlight the thief/assassin game-play. It is    This game is more than worth the money. I would recommend it to anyone who likes a game with a lot of possibilities in character-personalization (looks and skill-setup) and what to do in-game. Also Skyrim is beautiful. It has very convincing ambiance in all its areas, be it 'mountainscapes', dungeons or whatever.

    I also specifically want to highlight the thief/assassin game-play. It is truly amazing and unique.    … Expand
  90. PsY1_OcB001
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    Je joue sur pc depuis ses tout début et Skyrim est tout simplement le MEILLEUR jeu dans ce registre. Liberté totale, choix multiples, quêtes variées et intérêt du leveling. Sa grande durée de vie vaut très largement l'investissement. TOP TOP TOP
  91. marcel083
    Aug 25, 2012
    9
    Great story, great story telling, epic world design and lots of quests. Never seen a "bigger" game. Problem: Some quests/areas/characters are buggy and there are a few annoyances such as unrealistic physics etc.
  92. Kingmannie
    Oct 2, 2012
    9
    Skryim is a game that's come from a company that truly loves RPG games. This game visits skyrim and is part of a series that's already visited 2 territories. The first critical thing I have to say about this game is the buggyness of it.! There is a lot of bugs in this game and I believe it semi-relies on its modding community. That being said the modding community are a positive but theSkryim is a game that's come from a company that truly loves RPG games. This game visits skyrim and is part of a series that's already visited 2 territories. The first critical thing I have to say about this game is the buggyness of it.! There is a lot of bugs in this game and I believe it semi-relies on its modding community. That being said the modding community are a positive but the bugs are still a negative. I rate Skyrim 10 for everything except the technical aspects of the game. The story was very interesting but could of been longer, the gameplay mechanics were improved from Oblivion and I really applaud the immersive feeling you get from feeling like you are shooting an arrow or using magic for real. The environment is where Skyrim truly shines. Beautiful night sky's, lovely particle effects and amazing sound all come together to make you feel like you are truly in a cold icy desolate climate. For modders or even people interested in modding Skyrim is an instant 11. However if you are a general gamer with a wide taste Skyrim comes in at an 8. Final score 9.… Expand
  93. Expospeed
    Dec 6, 2014
    8
    Skyrim is a fantastic game, filled with exploration and adventure. The world is vast, and there is plenty to do. Absolutely recommended for all RPG lovers. My breakdown is as follows:

    1. Graphics: 9/10 - excellent, looks amazing on high-end rig
    2. Gameplay: 8/10 - satisfying combat, non-linear, do what you want when you want
    3. Story: 8/10 - totally immersive

    A must-have.
  94. xdarksoulx
    Oct 1, 2012
    10
    a beautiful, creative, and unique game designed by the best. i have no bad things to say. ive had no bugs or anything and if there is i don't care. i got past it and so should anyone else. its not fixed bugs that make a game. its the whole that counts. the forest and mountains are breath-taking and the lakes and oceans are my favourite. every little detail in the game makes it so good anda beautiful, creative, and unique game designed by the best. i have no bad things to say. ive had no bugs or anything and if there is i don't care. i got past it and so should anyone else. its not fixed bugs that make a game. its the whole that counts. the forest and mountains are breath-taking and the lakes and oceans are my favourite. every little detail in the game makes it so good and i love the battles. they make soul sing.… Expand
  95. lyaa888999
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    It is the greatest and best game in my all,from the time it was unleashed untill now.The too many illustrious elements give me a perfect performance under the awesome worldview.What a good game!
  96. voiders
    Apr 26, 2013
    9
    Good game, nice graphics. I like the authentic skill system, is fair.
    The world is amazing to explore, but this game have so much bug.

    I stoped play without finish it, but i belive i will return to play.
  97. Teroz
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    Best game ever.
  98. Garfoodle
    Apr 23, 2014
    5
    While it is a good time killer, its really not much more than that. The gameplay is flat-out dull, unless your using a bow, which is impractical 99% of the time. The voice acting, along with the story, isn't very good. The factions are here, and are rather good, but they have only 5-10 missions per, which is really a disappointment. The UI is pretty bad on PC, and the graphics are good.While it is a good time killer, its really not much more than that. The gameplay is flat-out dull, unless your using a bow, which is impractical 99% of the time. The voice acting, along with the story, isn't very good. The factions are here, and are rather good, but they have only 5-10 missions per, which is really a disappointment. The UI is pretty bad on PC, and the graphics are good. There is plenty of mods keep in mind, but you shouldn't have to mod a game for it to be fun.

    5/10. Decent. A good time killer, not much more    … Expand
  99. Bumble
    Oct 21, 2014
    10
    Like fam you can do well lots wiv dis game its well swell and fun fam a lam. The guards who steal your tasty sweet rolls are bad yeah like the man called alduin who does real bad things like yeah lick sweet rolls and powder in the soul cairn on dawnguard
  100. Arm4g3d0nX
    Oct 26, 2014
    10
    1.You must mod it. (especially graphics)
    2.You must buy all DLCs.
    With that Skyrim is perfect. I recently bought all DLCs, I modded that game and I played 20 hours in one week without even noticing it. If you don't have it, buy it right now! Seriously you should enjoy it!
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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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