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. Tyrannis1964
    May 8, 2012
    6
    the game was fun for the first 30 hours or so but unfortunately after you began to become aware of how the game feels a bit uninspired and lackluster
  2. psychoyote
    Apr 27, 2015
    0
    The game is alright even. Dungeons and quests are rather repetitive and the UI is rather horrible. You can fix these issues by installing mods. But be warned - in this game certain mods will be monetized.
  3. kirov13
    Jul 18, 2012
    5
    With all the hype and the great experience with Fallout 3, I was expecting a lot more from this title. It is not a bad game, but rather has many flaws that keep it from being a great game. As mentioned by others, the menu system was obviously designed for console games, making it tedious to navigate with a mouse. Also, even when your mouse is over the menu item you want, it oftenWith all the hype and the great experience with Fallout 3, I was expecting a lot more from this title. It is not a bad game, but rather has many flaws that keep it from being a great game. As mentioned by others, the menu system was obviously designed for console games, making it tedious to navigate with a mouse. Also, even when your mouse is over the menu item you want, it often selects the one above or below it, or even the last item selected. So be prepared to hear the same dialogue again from an NPC after the game misinterprets your mouse click (you can skip, but still annoying).

    There are some common bugs, such hearing NPCs talk who have since left the room...seeing a mamoth flying 200 feet up into the sky...some animals falling through the map.

    I also do not feel the leveling up really makes your character any stronger...there are many skills to spend your level up points in, but I feel there are too many and you can never really develop many of them... Magic feels week no matter how high you level up and where are the shortcut keys to switch weapons and spells? Very tiring to go back to the menu each time you want to change weapons or spells.

    That being said, it is a wide open world with decent graphics and interesting life. Wait for it to drop to $20 or below.

    While the crafting of items in fallout 3 was largely ancillary to the overall game play (as you can get through the game without too much difficulty without making much), I feel it is more of a requirement in Skyrim. This is a pain the the rear, as I feel the need to constantly be looking for crap in the world for crafting, rather than

    The number of items for use in crafting, especially for potions is numerous, nearing obsuridty    … Expand
  4. Chrono
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    A true masterpiece, it's hard to say what RPG game will surpass it in 2012. The start is absolutely epic the build up is phenomonal once you have the world to your self, the world is alive and that's a good thing and even after you leave it, it will still feel alive that is a key point to a non-linear game and Bestheda have nailed it, The story and immersion are the things that are neededA true masterpiece, it's hard to say what RPG game will surpass it in 2012. The start is absolutely epic the build up is phenomonal once you have the world to your self, the world is alive and that's a good thing and even after you leave it, it will still feel alive that is a key point to a non-linear game and Bestheda have nailed it, The story and immersion are the things that are needed most in an RPG game and this game exceeds it, however there are a few glitches and bugs but they will eventually get fixed. DRAGONS FTW… Expand
  5. Haon
    Nov 30, 2011
    9
    I was sitting around last night and I finally realized why I like Skyrim so much. It reminds me of backpacking. You don't go backpacking to win the war or save the damsel; you go to wander the countryside and see the sites and pick up cool sticks. Skyrim realizes this goal better than any other game, period. There are three reasons why: quests, dungeons, and the visuals. The questI was sitting around last night and I finally realized why I like Skyrim so much. It reminds me of backpacking. You don't go backpacking to win the war or save the damsel; you go to wander the countryside and see the sites and pick up cool sticks. Skyrim realizes this goal better than any other game, period. There are three reasons why: quests, dungeons, and the visuals. The quest structure is loose enough to give you freedom but well written enough to inspire you to continue. I love getting the push out the door to go to place X, but not being punished if I get sidetracked to place Y. The dungeon structure is incredible. There is a slight amount of similarity simply to retain realism, but each dungeon I've been in is dramatically different than others. Long gone are the cookie cutter aelid(?) ruins and gateworlds of Oblivion. The variety is simply stunning. Finally, the visuals are great. Not just good, and not super-fantastic, but well done indeed. More than the simple graphical rendering is the way Bethesda realized the world and the ecosystems. All you need to do is watch Planet Earth to grasp that "tundra" does not equal "barren wasteland," and the designers have created a vibrant land that does Northern Europe proud. Along the same lines is the cultural ambience of Skyrim. There is racism and tension over who should rule the land, and both come off as very real. Some of the comments by the peasantry is a little goofy, but do yourself a favor and listen to the jarls talking with their minions. Absolutely stunning dialouge. Now, to the more generic topics... Combat is well done. It seems to me that combat in Skyrim is as interesting as you want to make it. Want to be a guy w/ heavy armor and no mobility that can take it and blast it? Go ahead. Want to be the guy (me) who dances around in combat? Want to snipe? Want to... You get the idea. My advice is to pick the play style you like, though. Skyrim will let you do whatever you want, but if that bores you, it doesn't care... The sound also deserves mention. A pro reviewer (sorry for the lack of the cite!) said something along the lines of "when a dragon lands on you and the soundtrack starts playing, you WILL pee your pants." Man were they right. Mute the sound, meh, another fight. Have the music and flame effects blaring and your begin to appreciate why games are called multimedia... (Side note: I've got the song running through my head as I write this. Nice...) Finally on my list of total awesomeness is the load times. I'm playing on a laptop w/ decent specs, and this game runs on High visuals and almost NO load times. I'm talking 5 seconds tops. For such a huge world that looks great, this is flat out unbeliveable. In fact, it essentially nullifies my biggest gripe, which is......... CRASHES! Yep, they're there, but because I can reboot the game and get back to playing in 30 seconds flat, it much easier to treat them as a reminder to move around in real life than as game breaking issues. My second biggest gripe is the lack of, hmmm, how about epicness with regards to the supposedly high-level characters in the game. If you're one of the top dogs in the Companions, why are you dressed in steel armor and not Ebony? Why aren't the jarls weilding souped up versions of weapons? "So you can't get their stuff early" just doesn't seem good enough. Bethesda, try a little harder next time, please. To be fair, though, the rest of the world levels MUCH better and more realistically than in Oblivion/Fallout 3. Lastly, this game really shouldn't win any awards for storylines. This isn't really a slam, because they are nice enough, but a Witcher 2/Mass Effect/Dragon Age this is not. If you're SOLELY in a game for the storyline, you might wait a bit for this one. Or not, and read the tons of books lying around in the game... Lastly, I'd like to make a comment about the PC interface: I can't comment. I went into the game knowing I'd be playing with a controller, and it's quite well done (plus you can still quicksave on the keyboard! Yay!) If you're dead set on using a mouse/keyboard, just remember to check the modding community; they've got some nice fixes. All in all, this game is the best exploration/open world game to date. It is freedom, exploration, and fun bundled up and delivered to your computer. Enjoy the hike!… Expand
  6. CoreDave
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is an excellent game there is no doubt about that, I am generally a little concerned about the direction of travel the series is going in. I think the streamlining has gone a little too far, I understand where some, indeed many, of the changes may have been for the better over the last couple of games but it feels like the series is losing something in the quest to appeal to theSkyrim is an excellent game there is no doubt about that, I am generally a little concerned about the direction of travel the series is going in. I think the streamlining has gone a little too far, I understand where some, indeed many, of the changes may have been for the better over the last couple of games but it feels like the series is losing something in the quest to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Mods will hopefully be Skyrims savior much as they where Oblivions. I just urge Beth to think a little longer and harder about what how to achieve fun accessible gameplay without throwing out more and more complexity.… Expand
  7. LaMuffin
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    elder scrolls. It returns with a big bang! its a massive world with amazing graphics and stunning storyline and side quest content. The fighting in this feels less clunky then oblivion did. And unlike morrowind and oblivion the world feels more alive. It feels like your not in a small world with tons of robots to talk to. The conversations flow more fluienty and the physics is improvedelder scrolls. It returns with a big bang! its a massive world with amazing graphics and stunning storyline and side quest content. The fighting in this feels less clunky then oblivion did. And unlike morrowind and oblivion the world feels more alive. It feels like your not in a small world with tons of robots to talk to. The conversations flow more fluienty and the physics is improved immensly. You might be thinking about the crafting system and think 'I DONT WANT TO MESS AROUND DOING CRAFTS I WANT TO FIGHT!!! ARTS AND CRAFTS ARE FOR GIRLS' well thats true to an extent. but the crafting system is very entertaining and can be exiting... for example you may have just found a deadra heart to make your first deadric weapon or armor peice. And another great part of the game are the perks. when you level up it is such a great feeling that you get to pick a perk. just like fallout. You can also get MARRIED!!!! getting married is suprisingly intense. more so than fighting a dragon. BUT the most important thing about the game for me is this: After you finish the main quest. You will feel like you beat the game. And that even though you still have like 1000000000000000 quests you feel like they are just errand boi quests.... well... The truth is that the main quest is one of the SMALLEST parts of the game! EVEN after you finish the FACTION QUESTS (Dark brotherhood theives guild ect.) There are MASSIVE side quests. You can go out and explore a abandoned house to find it has a deadric gods spirit that will offer you a powerful mace if you go to the mounatins and find a mage trapped by a large group of bandits and after 10 failed attempts to defeat the bandits you use Call Dragon dragon shout and KILL THEM ALL!!!! AND THERE ARE LIKE a BAZZILIONNN more quests like that!!! ITS THE FREAKIN GREATEST GAME EVER!!!… Expand
  8. kranky
    May 6, 2012
    9
    Well, this game made with old buggy phisics engine, with old AI, have terrible gamepad-oriented interface and lots of buggy quests and scripts... But after installing plugin that adds huge boobs to every female NPC, Skyrim becomes on of the best RPGs ever! (after Morrowind ofcourse).
  9. MrSniker
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    If it wasn't for The Witcher 2, this would definitely be Game of the Year but it has several shortcomings. The UI is definitely a console port mess, switching weapons, spells and shields during battles is often times a nightmare. You'll often get things mixed up, spells on the wrong hand, or weapon it's really a nightmare. Yes there are hotkeys but generally they don't help much whenIf it wasn't for The Witcher 2, this would definitely be Game of the Year but it has several shortcomings. The UI is definitely a console port mess, switching weapons, spells and shields during battles is often times a nightmare. You'll often get things mixed up, spells on the wrong hand, or weapon it's really a nightmare. Yes there are hotkeys but generally they don't help much when you're switching from spells to sword and boarding. Another problem is crafting is a pain, especially enchanting with the UI in place. Leveling up enchanting on weapons you've found is a pain. The level scaling system is back and it creates some odd problems. If you spent your first levels leveling up crafting trees before combat you'll often times face opponents far stronger than you because of your lack of combat skills. It's really annoying and I noticed this from the jump to 20-->30 because I spent around 5 levels crafting. It's annoying and they should really just ditch the idea, it doesn't promote exploration. It's annoying when you open a master safe and only get 12 gold. Really 12 gold for a master safe? The pros are well the skill system has been simplified now to perks on a little tree. It's simple and easier to understand than past Elder Scrolls. Dungeons have been vastly improved from Oblivion and are fun to just go exploring in for fun. Combat is a huge jump and the story is your typical DnD experience, it's predictable but your so lost in exploring you don't really care. Overall the game is great, it takes all the problems of Oblivion and fixes most, save for the annoying console UI, and I stress ANNOYING.… Expand
  10. SpazzBrozz
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    I LOVE THIS GAME. Your review must be at least 150 characters long. Your review must be at least 150 characters long. Your review must be at least 150 characters long.
  11. Renge
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    The time you wasted from your life for this game will not gonna be in vain. I don't play Oblivion, but I can say that this game is so much better than I expected before. I thought this game will similar like Mass Effect series, well there is some similarity, but Skyrim win by wide margin. Open world, make your own stories, pick your guild, pick either Imperial or Stormcloak, play warrior,The time you wasted from your life for this game will not gonna be in vain. I don't play Oblivion, but I can say that this game is so much better than I expected before. I thought this game will similar like Mass Effect series, well there is some similarity, but Skyrim win by wide margin. Open world, make your own stories, pick your guild, pick either Imperial or Stormcloak, play warrior, mage, thief, archer, or hybrid, that is for you to decide.

    The best RPG I've ever played in my whole life, hands down. Can't wait to see the future of this game in the hand of the modding community.    … Expand
  12. chevmech
    Nov 29, 2011
    10
    Another fantastic completely immersive RPG masterpiece- The perfect next step in an epic series. Elderscrolls sets the bar for the genre much like Indiana Jones and (the first 3) Star Wars movies did for film. Skyrim is a homerun! Bravo, Bethesda!
  13. vangoat
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    If you like open worlds and rpgs this game is amazing in every way. Graphics, characters, stories, and sound are all amazing and feel next gen. I played Dark Souls quite bit and this game is a calming wonderful experience with all the satisfaction and accomplishment. I thought I would never sell dark souls because of how great it was (albeit uber hard), but now i don't know if I'll everIf you like open worlds and rpgs this game is amazing in every way. Graphics, characters, stories, and sound are all amazing and feel next gen. I played Dark Souls quite bit and this game is a calming wonderful experience with all the satisfaction and accomplishment. I thought I would never sell dark souls because of how great it was (albeit uber hard), but now i don't know if I'll ever play it again. Obviously, Skyrim is not for everyone, but if you've every like an RPG this is the quintessential experience...unbeatable. Freedom beyond any game before it....I like my freedom.… Expand
  14. fishrule
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    Our hero, our hero, claims a warrior's heart
    I tell you, I tell you, the Dragonborn comes
    With a Voice wielding power of the ancient Nord art
    Believe, believe, the Dragonborn comes
    It's an end to the evil, of all Skyrim's foes
    Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes
    For the darkness has passed, and the legend yet grows
    You'll know, You'll know the Dragonborn's come
  15. DV8ER
    Dec 11, 2011
    10
    Overall this game is amazing. It's so fantastically well done that it's a game I can't get away from. I'm completely addicted and I love it! Way to go Bethesda!
  16. Thunderbolt2
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is an amazing piece of entertainment. It has made all of the necesarry progressions throughout the Elder Scrolls series. A pure masterpiece. Anyone that says otherwise is just complaining that the game is differenet than it used to be. This is however necesary to offer new experiences
  17. Mudget
    Nov 16, 2011
    9
    I can't in good conscience rate Skyrim a perfect 10. I really believe 10's should be reserved for flawless, new-generation, absolutely unique games. The kind that set trends rather than follow them. While Skyrim is absolutely amazing, another gem from Bethesda for sure, it is not flawless, it is still using last-gen technology (most notably dx9), and although it's certainly a vast andI can't in good conscience rate Skyrim a perfect 10. I really believe 10's should be reserved for flawless, new-generation, absolutely unique games. The kind that set trends rather than follow them. While Skyrim is absolutely amazing, another gem from Bethesda for sure, it is not flawless, it is still using last-gen technology (most notably dx9), and although it's certainly a vast and unique Elder Scrolls world to explore, it really only incrementally ups the ante from Oblivion, not quite the Holy-Mother-of-God! reactions we're seeing from a lot of the mainstream press. You'll notice this within minutes of playing. On the flip-side, giving this game a 0 is ludicrous and makes absolutely no sense. Zeros should be reserved for bottom-of-the-barrel trash games thrown together in a few months, with a nice mix of horrendous graphics, game-breaking bugs, unplayable controls and unusable UI. If any of these things are so messed up for you that you honestly rated Skyrim a 0, then I might encourage you to update your computer, because on a top-of-the-line system, this game runs great, even with slightly goofy mouse-keyboard translations from the console port. The scope of the world alone would grant a game like this a 5 or 6 at the very least. Add in endless quests, overall great graphics, dialogue for every line in the game, a stellar soundtrack, a well-thought-out progression scheme, and improvements in almost every area over the correctly, universally-rated 9+ Oblivion, and anyone with any experience in gaming whatsoever would -have- to give Skyrim at least an 8. On the other hand, if you didn't care for the previous games in the series, you won't like this one, because it's more of the same, but better. Way more, and largely better. And for most of us, this is a very good thing.

    PROS
    This is an RPG addict's dream, as were the previous Elder Scrolls games. Most of us will get lost in this world for many months before the luster fades. And by then, creative modders will have designed new ways for us to enjoy the game and extend the lifespan probably up to the release of the next ES entry. I was still playing Oblivion off and on right up until Skyrim's release, and still felt I hadn't explored the entire game world, and that is one of the key highlights of any Elder Scrolls game. After about 30-40 hours of gameplay already (did I mention that this game is addicting?) I have probably only uncovered about 15-20% of the overall map. Unlike in Oblivion, where things became fairly repetitious fairly early on, Skyrim seems much more able to keep things fresh. This many hours in, and I'm still being surprised by things left and right. This world is big, there are quests at every turn, and it is without question the most "alive" feeling ES game to date, with characters going beyond just wandering around and really adding flavor to the overall world. There are a lot more moving parts here, too. From waterfalls and rivers that actually spray "foam", to birds and butterflies that cast real shadows causing you to look up at them (I'll get to dragons later, that is an awesome way to discover that you've got one above you), to spells that cause environmental effects like burning or freezing, to in-menu, fully-realized 3D items that are awesome just to look at - Skyrim feels very organic and "alive", especially when compared to its predecessors. Yes, there are better looking games out there, heck, there are better looking role-playing games (The Witcher 2 comes to mind). But there are NO games out there of this scope and size that look this good. It is an incredible accomplishment, and if you can crank your settings up to ultra, it's pretty delicious. Without a doubt there a lot of "ooh" and "ahh" moments. Combat, while not perfect, is adequate. The menus are vastly improved over Oblivion. Character models and shading are also vastly improved. Textures in most areas are improved, too, but occasionally they can be ugly. If you're running through the game having a good time, they're hardly worth a comment, though. Still, there are some problems.

    CONS
    As so many people have said already, PC menu controls are ticklish. It's easy to click the wrong thing, especially in the skills menus, but Beth says they are working on a fix, and it's really not an immersion-breaker. Between the new Favorites button (brilliant) and the ability to assign numerical hotkeys, I find control in almost every area about 80% fluid, and a huge improvement over Oblivion.

    I miss a few things. I miss acrobatics (which seemingly would have fit into a mountainous region very well). I miss spell crafting. I miss being able to place items absolutely anywhere I want, with precision. But mods will fix this stuff.

    Bottom line, this is the very best of the current gen as far as RPGs go. It's not next-gen, I'm anxious for a future dx11 Elder Scrolls. But make no mistake, this game is WIN.    … Expand
  18. SketchyGalore
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    I've noticed that a lot of negative reviews about Skyrim have mentioned a lack of a good story. This gave me pause since, when I think about it, if someone wrote everything I was doing in Skyrim down in a novel, it would suck. And indeed, there have been moments in the game where I look at what's happening around me and doubt the feasibility of my epic tale ("You really want me to takeI've noticed that a lot of negative reviews about Skyrim have mentioned a lack of a good story. This gave me pause since, when I think about it, if someone wrote everything I was doing in Skyrim down in a novel, it would suck. And indeed, there have been moments in the game where I look at what's happening around me and doubt the feasibility of my epic tale ("You really want me to take your dead friend's ashes? Uh... I just got into town..."). But then, it struck me. Skyrim isn't a story. Skyrim is a world. And that is absolutely perfect for an Elder Scrolls game.

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

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

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

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

    This is a game people will be playing until Elder Scrolls VI and beyond.    … Expand
  19. Voss
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    This latest addition to the Elder Scroll series brings a lot of new things to the table. One of them being the reworked Gamebryo graphics engine. I was completely disgusted upon hearing this was being developed with consoles as a main priority. I'll be honest, the graphics are not that great at times, sure, they look good at a distance(mountains, dragons, walls) but up close? God I can seeThis latest addition to the Elder Scroll series brings a lot of new things to the table. One of them being the reworked Gamebryo graphics engine. I was completely disgusted upon hearing this was being developed with consoles as a main priority. I'll be honest, the graphics are not that great at times, sure, they look good at a distance(mountains, dragons, walls) but up close? God I can see the pixels, they are ingrained in my head. It looks like Oblivion all over again. But since they made this game for consoles, it's kinda hard to get real close and check them out on consoles anyways. Getting past graphics, which by the way does not hurt this game AT ALL, I will say I have never, NEVER sat down and played a game non-stop for as long as I do with Skyrim. Everything from meeting new NPCs, exploring new dungeons, receiving new quest, and random dragon encounters could not be any more immersive.… Expand
  20. blackwolfrise
    Nov 22, 2011
    9
    This is a big step in the right direction for the Elder Scrolls series. It improves so many of the things that have plagues the series. The writing is better, graphics are a little more natural, voice acting is decent, and the combat is better. There is still room for improvement. The facial animations are still rough. The map and path finding need work. There are a myriad of other littleThis is a big step in the right direction for the Elder Scrolls series. It improves so many of the things that have plagues the series. The writing is better, graphics are a little more natural, voice acting is decent, and the combat is better. There is still room for improvement. The facial animations are still rough. The map and path finding need work. There are a myriad of other little glitches that need to be ironed out in future patches. Even with all the negative it is still a fantastic achievement in gaming. The story from what I have experienced is great, the dragon fights are gripping, the graphics are jaw dropping at points, and it is simply loaded to the brim with hundreds of hours of content. It is a simply amazing value at $60. You will be playing this great game for months to come.… Expand
  21. Lesstat
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    Total free open world. Amazing views. Hand made locations. I want not just play there - I want to live there! This game is a masterpiece in all time RPG world.
  22. rcuhljr
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    Wanted to drop off my two cents to counter act the hyperbolic zero score reviews for people who don't like the graphics or control scheme, or even better the people who are blatantly wrong in their reviews(Re: no hot-keys). There are valid complaints about the PC version of this game, namely the interface and the limited number of voice actors at the fore front. I won't touch the graphicsWanted to drop off my two cents to counter act the hyperbolic zero score reviews for people who don't like the graphics or control scheme, or even better the people who are blatantly wrong in their reviews(Re: no hot-keys). There are valid complaints about the PC version of this game, namely the interface and the limited number of voice actors at the fore front. I won't touch the graphics issue because I wasn't bothered by them in my playing, but I then I've never been obsessed with them. Even with these caveats, I've still spent almost 80 hours in a game that's been out less then two weeks at this point. Bethesda created an incredibly immersive world and a truly entertaining game, I'm on my second play through on master difficulty and I'm looking forward to at least two more because I've only explored 15-20% of the world.… Expand
  23. Matonk
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    This game is incredible. I have spent 100 hours on it with one character, and probably will spend 100 more. For once in a RPG, I actually feel immersed, I spend more time wandering around exploring than doing quests, because the sandbox world is so amazing. You could play this game like a life sim, and still get your moneys worth out of it. Donâ
  24. Optim
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    A fantastic game that will give you a run for it's money. It deserves all of it's critical acclaim because it has been improved so much by Bethesda it's actually insane. The main quest is fun, the side quests are numerous and the gameplay has been improved tenfold. The environment will change by your will, the people will talk about your deeds, random events will keep you occupiedA fantastic game that will give you a run for it's money. It deserves all of it's critical acclaim because it has been improved so much by Bethesda it's actually insane. The main quest is fun, the side quests are numerous and the gameplay has been improved tenfold. The environment will change by your will, the people will talk about your deeds, random events will keep you occupied throughout the world and the endless amounts of towns and dungeons will keep you occupied forever. An amazing, captivating game that is worth EVERY penny. A ten out of ten for me.… Expand
  25. cowkiller1234
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    This game is a terrific RPG! It is one of the only RPGs that isn't in your face about the choices you made (for instance, being evil/good doesn't change the way you look.) I'm a little disappointed that it doesn't have an arena like in oblivion, and the plant life is familiar looking and not foreign looking like in morrowind, but it is still terrific!
  26. NoclearSqworms
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    This is definitely the right choice for Game of the Year. While Oblivion didnt have your character drawn into any particular "story" while running around on all of those sidequests, Skyrim sucks you in hard during each and every storyline. The quests you do pertain directly to a lot of the books that are littered around Skyrim (and now sit cozily on bookshelfs in three of my houses). TheThis is definitely the right choice for Game of the Year. While Oblivion didnt have your character drawn into any particular "story" while running around on all of those sidequests, Skyrim sucks you in hard during each and every storyline. The quests you do pertain directly to a lot of the books that are littered around Skyrim (and now sit cozily on bookshelfs in three of my houses). The shouts that change the weather are great for clearing up that haze or the snowstorm and making everything look pristine. Ahh... and you can summon a dragon (and numerous other minions if you are a conjurer) !! Whose side are you on in the civil war??? *Stormcloak*… Expand
  27. anonima
    Nov 28, 2011
    10
    This is a masterpiece of RPGs. The story is amazing,the characters are almost reals. So epic feel when a dragon flying to the moon,then you shoot him and he fall like a sandvich!
  28. Eman3s
    Nov 30, 2011
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played, its just stunning with all the little details they put in it. I've put about 65 hours into it and every time I turn it on my mouth still! hits the floor, its been a LONG time sense a game has done that to me. As for the bugs, Yeah it has some bugs...but with a game that's THIS BIG! you need to expect some. Bethesda will iron them out with patches.
  29. glddraco
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    This game has to be the best game I've ever played. Sure its buggy but most games, especially complex games are going to have bugs. I've been rather down with fantasy rpg games ever since Dragon Age 2 came out and I almost gave up on games in general. I loved the details among the many things you can do in the world.
  30. TheTacoShack
    Dec 6, 2011
    10
    This game is fantastic and a great addition to the elder scrolls series. Dungeons are far more diverse and the environment is beautiful................
  31. peanutbutter
    Jan 19, 2012
    8
    Simply put, Skyrim is fun. There is a lot to do and a lot to explore. Eventually the quests get boring (with a few bursts of excitement I suppose) and you lose interest, mainly because of how long the game is. I found myself eventually just wanting to roam the world trying to find caves or treasures, ignoring all the quests.
    Skyrim is a pretty place. Very detailed and huge. With scary    Simply put, Skyrim is fun. There is a lot to do and a lot to explore. Eventually the quests get boring (with a few bursts of excitement I suppose) and you lose interest, mainly because of how long the game is. I found myself eventually just wanting to roam the world trying to find caves or treasures, ignoring all the quests.
    Skyrim is a pretty place. Very detailed and huge. With scary creatures and boring people in it.    … Expand
  32. Theguyoffire
    Jun 6, 2012
    5
    Mediocre.
  33. TheTelePlus
    Mar 7, 2012
    5
    Skyrim: mediocrity incarnate. After giving in to the hype and paying the above average RRP at launch I was left feeling ripped-off. Bold claims had been made about Skyrim prior to its launch and it was safe to assume in the five years Bethesda had off after TES IV to make Skyrim significant improvements would have been made, as well as most if not all of the issues addressed. Needless toSkyrim: mediocrity incarnate. After giving in to the hype and paying the above average RRP at launch I was left feeling ripped-off. Bold claims had been made about Skyrim prior to its launch and it was safe to assume in the five years Bethesda had off after TES IV to make Skyrim significant improvements would have been made, as well as most if not all of the issues addressed. Needless to say that is NOT what happened, what did happen however is Bethesda made the combat both slightly more enjoyable and slightly more annoying with constant unskippable death-cam esque finishing moves and also added smithing which granted is fairly addictive. Other than that however Skyrim still has nearly all of the flaws present in its predecessors as well as a lackluster main story quest, and although the sidequests certainly aren't bad and offer more variety than their Oblivion and Morrowind counterparts the simple fact is they're not quite as well executed and as a result I often found myself lacking motivation to see most of them through. All in all I feel much of my dissatisfaction with Skyrim comes from the intensely hyperbolic promotional content released pre-release, ultimately Skyrim is enjoyble but certainly not as amazing as most of the mainstream press would have you believe. In it's current state I can't recommend Skyrim at full price, I'd say wait for the inevitable GOTY edition.… Expand
  34. poweref
    Mar 12, 2012
    10
    Skyrim Leveling has been truly fixed up with the presentation of just out of the plastic new perks. The Skyrim perk Control is determined to help you pick how to build your component. Not with standing provided that you move to playing as an ideal class or blending things up, the Skyrim perk guide will prod you to settle on a clear decision.

    Every playing point has skill requirements that    Skyrim Leveling has been truly fixed up with the presentation of just out of the plastic new perks. The Skyrim perk Control is determined to help you pick how to build your component. Not with standing provided that you move to playing as an ideal class or blending things up, the Skyrim perk guide will prod you to settle on a clear decision.

    Every playing point has skill requirements that you ought to meet before you could unlock it, so youâ    … Expand
  35. Hyomoto
    Apr 30, 2012
    5
    Iâ
  36. Gothic90
    Aug 9, 2013
    7
    Skyrim, imo, is highly overrated.

    It is by no means a bad game. It offers tons of content. I played 100+ hours into it. It got a huge open world, interesting lore and background, and all the things you can do. But the quality of the massive amount of content is not very high. In most questlines, other than civil war and maybe Daedra quests, you don't have meaningful choices. Maybe if    Skyrim, imo, is highly overrated.

    It is by no means a bad game. It offers tons of content. I played 100+ hours into it. It got a huge open world, interesting lore and background, and all the things you can do.

    But the quality of the massive amount of content is not very high. In most questlines, other than civil war and maybe Daedra quests, you don't have meaningful choices. Maybe if you count DLCs, then Dawnguard would count as well. For example, you can never fight against thieves' guild; the best you can do is to avoid that quest.

    The skill system also encourages grinding, which is boring.

    Its DLCs, imo, are also overpriced.

    Moddability on the other hand is a very important part of this game, and that is why I still give it a 7.    … Expand
  37. neroSieben
    Aug 9, 2012
    6
    I can't say that i didn't enjoy this game as i played it more than 100 hours, yet i have to say that it didnt live up to my expectations. first of all i liked about this game, that you can go anywhere and there is alot to explore and steal from houses ( ;) ), just like every other TES part, and apart from average textures it still has good looks that create a good vibe when exploring
    the    I can't say that i didn't enjoy this game as i played it more than 100 hours, yet i have to say that it didnt live up to my expectations. first of all i liked about this game, that you can go anywhere and there is alot to explore and steal from houses ( ;) ), just like every other TES part, and apart from average textures it still has good looks that create a good vibe when exploring
    the dungeons are fun at first but they grow old after you have seen a few of the same type (especially ancient nord ruins!). when you figured them out you don't feel the urge to enter unless you have to, alltough sometimes they have somethings special (a story of failed expedition, a quest to seek someone upon entering, a unique spot and boss other than another random named dead guy etc) which can be refreshing. as a result i would say they did an average to good job on them regarding that there are so many and i visited alot of them until it became annoying, but i wished they used more kinds of different dungeon types.
    the combat system is great at first as you can have 2 one handed weapons, a shield and a one handed weapon, a bow, a spell and a one handed weapon, two different spells, twice the same spell for more power or a two handed weapon. especially the magic system is something different and i liked it. after some alltough time it annoyed me to change weapons (if you will) to cast. i realy had to put shield and weapon away to cast a spell, with a menu that was clearly designed for a console, and re-equip them to continue fighting. as a pc gamer this realy pissed me off because there was no effort put in to make this work on pc (the same applies for the item menu, which is just dumb for pc). this is the first thing that realy annoyed me, because as an honest pc customer and fan of tes since morrowind i feel cheated. also: items were ok, after somepoint you just had the best and there could have been more variety or special items but its ok all in all.
    this takes me right to the guilds, which have a mixed quality in my opinion. the good guilds in my opinion were the dark brotherhood and the thiefs guild. i enjoyed the questlines far more than the main questline! they were realy well done in my opinion. the mage guild was just ok, nothing special and i missed more locations as there were in tes3 and 4. its almost all about that stupid sphere you find in the first quest, there are some side quests (old orc says get my books ;) ) but not that many, and its realy not that surprising: find sphere, learn its dangerous and powerful, elves steal it, you kill elves + misterious yet meaningless psijic guys who dont have any use more than taking it away in the end. i missed that there was nothing special they taught you or invited you to join (as the nightingales for example) they just appeared and were gone. end of story. in my opinion a lot potential was wasted here, but the quest themselves were fun and so all in all as said the guild is ok. now the companions: the questline was short, it had one nice twist in it with the werewolf thing and its nice you could choose how it would contine. in my opinion also a lot wasted here: do 1-2 quests and they just make you a werewolf. why not make you discover the dark secret? it could have been better, all in all just ok, yet as said too short in my opinion. the civil war factions and questline were the worst in my opinion. it was no fun at all just a big pain in the ass. the quests were dull and repetitive and the result was: no matter what its all the same in red or blue. the worst thing was it werent real factions to begin with and they only matttered in very few things and only for this short war period after which nothing you did seemed to matter at all...this was realy disappointing as it was well introduced in the beginning of the story. also all in all the guild master status didn't realy matter. i tried one quest and after that i never returned, as i also couldnt realy do anything else. further more i missed how every city had a fighters or whatever guild house and different quests for different status in the guild.
    the sidequestlines also had mixed quality but all in all they did a great job keeping the game fun, especially the daedric ones as they were realy unique! also some quests to become thane turned out to be fun. the rest realy had mixed quality as there were investigations in cities that were fun or the usual get something out of a dungeon, which wasnt that great most of the time. the main quest was not too bad but as said two guild questlines outshined it and it didnt feel all that important as it could have.
    further i missed the arena from oblivion the magnitude you had in morrowind/oblivion but i also had alot of fun being the explorakhin in this world. for me it is a 6/10 regarding especially the poor pc version, the civil war, a lack of an average guild in cities, the dungeons for people who love playing the game for a long long time.    … Expand
  38. Eleutherius
    Sep 5, 2012
    9
    You know what, i honestly can't understand how someone could possibly give a 4 or below rate to Skyrim. I understand that one can dislike a game, but in all honesty, Skyrim is a great game. i'm trying to point out some flaws, but i find this to be a very hard task. You know why? Because Skyrim lets you play just like you want; how can one have a bad gaming experience in such a game? InYou know what, i honestly can't understand how someone could possibly give a 4 or below rate to Skyrim. I understand that one can dislike a game, but in all honesty, Skyrim is a great game. i'm trying to point out some flaws, but i find this to be a very hard task. You know why? Because Skyrim lets you play just like you want; how can one have a bad gaming experience in such a game? In fact the most annoying flaws the game have, in my opinion, are: the mouse movements and selections in the menus and some graphical glitches I read reviews where people say that graphics are bad. I don't know, i liked super mario but i'm not asking Skyrim to be 8-bits. I find the graphics to be good; could have they been better? Yes. Does this ruin my gaming experience? Not at all. The fighting system is dynamic and entertaining; finishing moves are usually cool, although, honestly, sometimes may be disturbing. Melee fighting is satisfying and pretty realistic; magic has been reworked since Oblivion and now it is much more easy to be used and entertaining, not to mention, useful. The storyline is acceptable, even if i still prefer the Morrowind one; the "guild" ones are possibly better then the main one: it is easy to actually feel part of the Companions or the Thieves Guild of Riften! One of the best features in the game, in my opinion, is the non-fixed class system. You're not asked to choose a class to play, but you're free to use whichever skill you prefer. The perk system could be better, but all in all it is good and flexible. I feel Skyrim not to have a well designed difficulty curve, since some lvl40 fights are way more easy then some lvl6 ones. This mainly is due to some fixed monster levels, that on the other hand make the game more realistic (will you be able to fight a giant when you hardly know how to wield a sword?). The world lives: npcs have a life, enemies will respawn (let's say, repopulating some locations), radiant quests can always be found. In the end, Skyrim lets you have a wonderful experience, only hardly ruined (if you really like the rpg gaming style) by some menu/graphic glitches. If you have enjoyed the previous Elder Scrolls games and you still don't have Skyrim, don't wait any more seconds and buy the game. For the rest of you, well, i'll give you some more days to find it in stores and buy it. You won't regret.… Expand
  39. bianconiglio
    Mar 7, 2013
    10
    This game is simply outstanding. The depth of the story, the details of the world, the shocking beauty of the various environments the character met during his/her journey, the music, the characterization of the several NPC you met make a mix only games may hope to reach. My opinion: superlative.
  40. Frowney
    Aug 10, 2013
    3
    The game is not an RPG. None of the choices you make matter. You can kill the emperor and join the imperial army. You can be the Arch-Mage of the college of winterhold while the only spell you've ever cast in your life is a lesser ward. You kill Alduin, the big bad dragon that for whatever reason wants to end the world and forces the dragons to attack, nobody cares and the dragons keepThe game is not an RPG. None of the choices you make matter. You can kill the emperor and join the imperial army. You can be the Arch-Mage of the college of winterhold while the only spell you've ever cast in your life is a lesser ward. You kill Alduin, the big bad dragon that for whatever reason wants to end the world and forces the dragons to attack, nobody cares and the dragons keep attacking, eventhough they've all cheered you when you've killed him. This game is just an action adventure game, an Elder Scrolls game simulator, if you will.… Expand
  41. crimsondoor
    Dec 4, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the first time I wrote a review since I never like to write in my second language, but I want to express my opinions on this (sorry) overrated game.

    This game has a great open world. Such a big open world means that there are many many quests to do, to the point that it is overwhelming and you would say "no more at the moment please, I've got to do this one first". HOWEVER, most quests are largely the same which makes the game somehow repetitive.

    The best part of the game is the landscape obviously, you can meditate or look out over the mountain without doing anything for hours. Making every hold and capital city look different is no easy feat as well. Architecture of the Dwemer ruins and the automatons are one of the best thought-out elements in the game, in my opinion probably because I am very interested in ancient civilisations. The best part is not only Dwemer ruins made a return from Morrowind, this time they added the tragic backstory of the Falmer as well. But when it comes to the best-designed dungeon, nothing can beat the chaotic, otherworldly and twisted Apocrypha from the Dragonborn add-on. You might even forget you are playing Skyrim when you are in the Apocrypha! The designers definitely deserve to be praised.

    Another great element of the game is music. This game would not be complete without it. Composed by my favourite composer Jeremy Soule, many of the music are beautiful and calming, just like the landscape. He contributed so much to the atmosphere of the series. I like the little palette music (not included in the OST) you can hear when exploring in the wild as well.

    Now let's talk about the flaws of this game no one can ignore. The first is, of course, bugs. I cannot count how many bugs I've encountered. It is actually the sole reason I waited until Legendary Edition was released so there would be less bugs by the time I start playing, but the number of bugs is still unacceptable. It has a HORRIBLE UI for PC as well. Fortunately the problem is gone after installing the SkyUI mod. The game feels like a half-polished port at best, forcing players to install unofficial patches to avoid bugs and fix the UI. It's pathetic that college programmers can do better job than Bethesda. Perhaps I should have expected it- it's Bethesda afterall.

    Secondly, it has one of the worst plot I've seen in a bestselling RPG game. Not only the main questline (lame plot involving dragon bosses), but the College of Winterhold (kill a Thalmor and you become Arch-Mage) and Dark Brotherhood questline as well (kill someone, kill Astrid, kill the Emperor, and the story ended there. I was like "what?").

    Choices are non-existent. One great example of the lack of choice is that you are asked by the Blades to kill Paarthurnax and you cannot decline their request, which is absurd considering the position of the Blades and the Dragonborn. You "can decide" to join the Stormcloaks or the Empire, but you can't remain neutral, and if you joined them, the outcome doesn't affect the story that much anyway. The disproportion of the scale of the world/landscape and the writing is almost laughable to me.
    I have a minor complaint but many people might agree with me the lack of depth in NPCs. Most NPCs can be categorized into quest-givers, merchants, enemies and followers. For followers, you can only ask them to follow you, do something for you, or go home. Most of the NPCs/followers don't have backstory. You don't feel a bond with the followers, perhaps except for Serana. This is probably unavoidable because of the lack of VAs and large amount of NPCs, but it's a shame that you can't have more interaction with your favourite characters or to know more about their backstories.
    Even marriage is quite pointless, they just move into your house without any more interaction other than to cook you food or share the shop's profit. To be honest I don't even understand why Bethesda included the option to marry a NPC if you can't do anything with them.

    Combat is one of the weaknesses of the game, although not as bad as the plot. Melee combat is boring and most of the time it's just pure button mashing. Fighting dragons can be exciting at first, but after a while it gets dull. Still, I like the idea of Shout from a gameplay viewpoint. Even though it is unavoidable that they had to make dragons a main factor in the storyline, they should have written a better story.

    Overall, I think this game is enjoyable by everyone regardless of age (ironically which stems from its shallowness), unlike DA:O, which I consider its counterpart but can be quite intimidating at first. However, DAO is better executed and has more depth. I fear Bethesda is running out of ideas for its games since Oblivion. Maybe it's time for Bethesda to make their game maturer or darker, involving romance or even sex in its main plot? There is also a more important task left for its programmers: "Back to Basics- Learn How To Debug Games".    … Expand
  42. bosh_cod
    Jul 3, 2014
    6
    Skyrim is a hard game to review. It's not a very good game, lacking any meaningful story, branching consequences for your actions, weak and dumbed down combat system, game is dull, uninteresting and cant hold your attention for more than 10 minutes. It's a game deserving a 4 at most. Now, install some 20-30 mods (Requiem and Frostfall most importantly) and it becomes playable, evenSkyrim is a hard game to review. It's not a very good game, lacking any meaningful story, branching consequences for your actions, weak and dumbed down combat system, game is dull, uninteresting and cant hold your attention for more than 10 minutes. It's a game deserving a 4 at most. Now, install some 20-30 mods (Requiem and Frostfall most importantly) and it becomes playable, even ocasionaly fun, earning a solid 7 (since no mod can ever fix a bland and meaningless story).

    So vanilla Skyrim gets a 5.

    Skyrim with at least Requiem gets an 8.    … Expand
  43. cryhax
    Nov 17, 2011
    9
    This game is definitely worth your time. It doesn't contain the ingenuity of portal 1 but it's a welcome change from the constant stream of perpetually disappointing releases emanating from the offices of Activision and EA. There are some fairly obvious visual glitches and the UI is a bit clunky but it hardly takes away from the fun of this game.
  44. Trashware
    Nov 19, 2011
    9
    After eleven hours of gameplay I'm starting to really like Skyrim. But it's not without it's faults, so let's go over these before the praise.

    On the whole the game Skyrim feels a bit rushed out on the market. There are a lot of rough edges that should have been worked out, but somehow weren't. That's a shame, although I'm sure patches and the modding community will take care of these.    After eleven hours of gameplay I'm starting to really like Skyrim. But it's not without it's faults, so let's go over these before the praise.

    On the whole the game Skyrim feels a bit rushed out on the market. There are a lot of rough edges that should have been worked out, but somehow weren't. That's a shame, although I'm sure patches and the modding community will take care of these.

    To begin with, The main menu looks uninspired and put in at the very last minute. Morrowind had this right, Oblivion had this right, Fallout 3 even better. So why not Skyrim? It's like wrapping Lord of The Rings in recycled toilet paper and calling it a book cover.
    It took me over two hours of googling and tweaking the .ini files to get the optimal amount of detail out of the graphics. While I like tweaking and the results are quite impressive now, I don't understand why this hasn't been integrated in the launch menu; yes there is a ultra mode, but the water still looked blocky when selected. Why present such underwhelming results as 'ultra' while the real ultra *is* out there?


    But when fully optimized Skyrim looks really pretty. The outer world seems a bit too barren for my taste at some points. Not enough grass or dead trees, but I guess that's something a mod could take care of later on. Inside the caves it's a different story though. Huge amounts of detail and pretty atmospheric lights, and lots of interesting loot, traps and enemies to keep you occupied. The engine runs smooth on my system so far, which is very good. I do think the running is a bit too fast compared to Oblivion or Morrowind, kinda makes me wonder what I would need a horse for anyway. Also I wish the combat system would be a bit harder. Spells or shouts don't seem that special to me when cast so easily, and I seem to have quite powerful arrows already. Maybe things will get tougher later on though, I don't know about that yet.


    So far the story goes well and I quite like all the hundreds of sidequests found in books or talking to people. The scripting could have done with some refining though, as people sometimes just start to talk at the same time, or people act like I've already talked to them before while I haven't. But on the whole it's an enjoyable experience.

    Skyrim is a great game that could have been awesome. To me it's still a 8 right now, but I'll rate it a 9 in advance, for I trust the bumps will be smoothed out either way or another in the near future.    … Expand
  45. jik77
    Mar 27, 2013
    9
    I'm on my 2nd character. I have played 500+ hours, and I'm still enjoying Skyrim. The vanilla game on PC is a good RPG, but the modded Skyrim is much better. Even with the mods, and all of the graphic settings being maxed out, my frame rates are still good. That being said, I'm now going to comment and rate the game, solely, on the original game including patches, but without the DLC andI'm on my 2nd character. I have played 500+ hours, and I'm still enjoying Skyrim. The vanilla game on PC is a good RPG, but the modded Skyrim is much better. Even with the mods, and all of the graphic settings being maxed out, my frame rates are still good. That being said, I'm now going to comment and rate the game, solely, on the original game including patches, but without the DLC and mods. I didn't mod the game until I was 100 hrs. into the game. So, I did play quite a bit of the vanilla in the beginning. Anyway, I liked exploring the large open world, and completing the abundance of main, side, and miscellaneous quests with my customised character, but I didn't like the unorganised UI that Bethesda used and that the graphics could've been better. If it weren't for that, I would've given this game a 10. It was fun to play, and runs well. I got more play time out of it and experienced no game breaking bugs tlike in the previous TES games. I can hardly wait to get a glimpse of and play Bethesda's next TES release.… Expand
  46. moifoi
    Dec 21, 2011
    5
    They built a huge world with great voice acting and tons to do yet once again forgot about the gameplay which sucked hard. The combat is just so basic and sluggish it has not evolved since the first ones.
    The main story was also horrible, this same company keeps making games with horrible main storys, some of the side quests were better then the main one.
  47. Zumeraga
    Dec 3, 2011
    10
    I have never rated a game to be a 10 before, however in thinking what would I change about Skyrim??? Seriously nothing comes to mind. It is an incredible game. The story line is good, the graphics are incredible, the open ended gaming is wonderful, it is by far the most enjoyable game I have ever experienced. Congrats Bethesda, you have a winner here, in my opinion. I can only hope weI have never rated a game to be a 10 before, however in thinking what would I change about Skyrim??? Seriously nothing comes to mind. It is an incredible game. The story line is good, the graphics are incredible, the open ended gaming is wonderful, it is by far the most enjoyable game I have ever experienced. Congrats Bethesda, you have a winner here, in my opinion. I can only hope we don't have to wait 5 years for The Elder Scrolls 6!… Expand
  48. coldchaos
    Dec 3, 2011
    9
    Despite a few minor hiccups this game is near flawless with content overload everywhere, there is literally nowhere you can go on the map that won't have a farm/mine(with quests to boot) or towers/dungeons to clear, or caves to explore, or mountain passes to traverse. The character animations are vastly improved over Oblivion with much better handling of rendering.

    Only reason I'm giving    Despite a few minor hiccups this game is near flawless with content overload everywhere, there is literally nowhere you can go on the map that won't have a farm/mine(with quests to boot) or towers/dungeons to clear, or caves to explore, or mountain passes to traverse. The character animations are vastly improved over Oblivion with much better handling of rendering.

    Only reason I'm giving it a 9/10 is because they didn't release TES Construction Set with the game(re-texturing being fully supported though, and awesome). Anyone giving this game less then a 7/10 probably don't even own it or suffer from a severe case of PEKAC.    … Expand
  49. Arvuti
    Nov 19, 2011
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim redefines modern RPGs providing us a game with massive amount of content, beautiful graphics, incredible voice acting and soundtrack and excellent gameplay.
    While skyrim is easily the best game of 2011, it does have it's tehnical flaws. But considering how the game is more than 100 times bigger than most average FPS games, it's understandable.
  50. krasnyoktya
    Jan 1, 2012
    7
    As many reviewers have stated, this game starts out great and you want to give it a 10. What the red reviewers are saying is true; the quests get boring, the dungeons are cookie cutter, the NCP characters are annoyingly repetitive and the physics are poor (not to mention that I've gotten stuck a number of times). That being said, the game is still visually impressive and inspiring. ThereAs many reviewers have stated, this game starts out great and you want to give it a 10. What the red reviewers are saying is true; the quests get boring, the dungeons are cookie cutter, the NCP characters are annoyingly repetitive and the physics are poor (not to mention that I've gotten stuck a number of times). That being said, the game is still visually impressive and inspiring. There are a number of different regions with different wildlife and different harvest-able ingredients, as well as different environments and climates. The races are very well incorporated into the storyline, and it is easy to pick sides based on how your character would feel in the situation. There were times when I wanted to go out and kill certain groups of NCPs. What people are saying about not being able to specialize is false. If you want to be a mage, you can hold a shield charm in one hand and a destruction spell in the other. The perk trees have been fun to explore, although there have been times when none seemed worth the work. The leveling system is not perfect, but it could be much worse. All in all, you will have a great time playing this game on the PC, but having the quests in the ESC menu instead of the TAB menu really rubs me the wrong way.… Expand
  51. RobbinL
    Dec 30, 2012
    9
    This truly is a masterpiece, one of the greatest games in existence! Wonderful atmosphere!
    If you´re at all into RPG's you need to play and experience this.
  52. Cosmicmeat
    Dec 12, 2011
    9
    I would give this game a 10, but I haven't found myself interested in it as much as I was a month ago.
    But don't let my words discourage you, Skyrim is one of the best games in a long time, get when you can.
  53. CLUTCH
    Dec 8, 2011
    10
    I hadn't planned on getting this game as I didn't really 'click' with Fallout 3 or Oblivion (I picked GOTY versions of both up on Steam during sales), but I am really glad that I did. I love a good singleplayer RPG and so far (12hours in) this is a GREAT RPG! I mean...In what other game could you be on your way to an objective, when you see a massive dragon fly over your head and dive-bombI hadn't planned on getting this game as I didn't really 'click' with Fallout 3 or Oblivion (I picked GOTY versions of both up on Steam during sales), but I am really glad that I did. I love a good singleplayer RPG and so far (12hours in) this is a GREAT RPG! I mean...In what other game could you be on your way to an objective, when you see a massive dragon fly over your head and dive-bomb over a small hill...You get to the top of the hill and you see the dragon attacking 2 giants and their 2 pet woolly mammoths!! Then moments later, some undead skeletons are disturbed and rise up to join in! Then, after they have made quick work of the dragon, they all decide it is your turn to die..and it's all unscripted!!

    Seriously, if you are into RPG games, Bethesda have gotten it very right with this one. Some of the user created mods have also made some major graphical improvements. I can understand if this game gets GOTY, 12 hour in and I don't even feel like I have scratched the surface yet, but it has been an EPIC 12 hours so far! Highly recommended. :)    … Expand
  54. fmelish
    Mar 22, 2013
    9
    Skyrim would have been a 10/10 but it was pretty buggy on release (though most of those have been cleaned up by this point). This is one of the best games on any platform of all time.
  55. VictorShuktomov
    Jan 13, 2014
    2
    The game is very good, but crashes too often 2 years after release. It's disgusting and disrespectful for people, don't pay for it, let them learn this mistake.
  56. cub317
    Jun 2, 2013
    10
    The Elder Scrolls Oblivion was the game that got me into the Elder Scrolls. However, Skyrim was the game that made my Elder Scrolls experience perfect. This game is one of my favorite games of all time, if not my all time favorite. Everything, I repeat everything about this game is just perfect. The gameplay, the graphics, the story, the sound, everything is perfect. Skyrim's graphicsThe Elder Scrolls Oblivion was the game that got me into the Elder Scrolls. However, Skyrim was the game that made my Elder Scrolls experience perfect. This game is one of my favorite games of all time, if not my all time favorite. Everything, I repeat everything about this game is just perfect. The gameplay, the graphics, the story, the sound, everything is perfect. Skyrim's graphics are quite possibly the most beautiful thing that I have ever laid eyes upon. Everything is filled to the brim with detail, is very colorful, and just downright beautiful. As for the sound, everything sounds just the way that it should. From the sound of the civilizations of Skyrim, to the wilderness, to the dungeons, to its stunning soundtrack, Skyrim is the most beautiful sounding game on the market. As for the story, that depends on what kind of story you're looking for. There are actually many stories to go along with Skyrim's many quests. Every quest has its own story to it. The main quest is an apocalyptic story line, in which you must slay an all-powerful dragon, in order to prevent the apocalypse. The faction quests all follow the same story line, in which you are the new member of a guild, a villain causes trouble, and you eventually work your way to becoming the leader of the guild. The types of guilds are as follows, The Companions who are the warriors of Skyrim who use brute force to kill their foes, the College of Winterhold who are the witches and wizards of Skyrim, the Thieves Guild which focuses on stealing things from others, and the Dark Brotherhood which are a group of discreet assassins who use stealth to silently kill people. You can do one, or you can do all of them, it's up to you. There are also Daedric Prince Quests which basically have you dealing with gods, and several side quests, which all have their own unique story line to them. For these reasons, the story of this game cannot be criticized, because it is actually several different story lines in one. As for this game's gameplay, prepare yourself. I'd say that the gameplay of this game is the best part of the entire game. Because of this game's open world style gameplay, you can quite literally do whatever you want. You can live your own life in the world of Skyrim. You can own a house, work at a blacksmith forge, and learn new spells just to name a few things you can do. However, if this sounds boring, there is of course far more that you can do aside from this kind of work. You can also spend your days in Skyrim battling monsters, fighting through dungeons, taking over enemy forts, and much more involving combat. Overall, I would have to say that the only real problem that I really have with this game is that it does have a nasty tendency to crash, along with having the occasional glitches such as textures not loading properly, and also things that occur in the game that should not be happening. However, these can all be fixed fairly quickly by a quick restart of the game on the PC version. I don't really have much else to say about this game, other than it is simply magnificent. Skyrim truly is one of the best, if not the best, video games ever made. It is living proof that video games can be art. From its beautiful graphics, to its amazing soundtrack, to its many stories, all the way down to its amazing gameplay, Skyrim is a must-buy, and is deserving of a perfect 10 out of 10.… Expand
  57. akalla21
    Mar 8, 2012
    7
    Skyrim is a beautiful game with so much potential that is only half realized. Having played Oblivion (I missed Morrowind when it came out, and I just can't get into it now), I knew what I wanted out of Skyrim. I wanted a great story, freedom to go anywhere, realistic NPCs, and tons of customization for my character. Skyrim, in my opinion, accomplished none of these. The main story isSkyrim is a beautiful game with so much potential that is only half realized. Having played Oblivion (I missed Morrowind when it came out, and I just can't get into it now), I knew what I wanted out of Skyrim. I wanted a great story, freedom to go anywhere, realistic NPCs, and tons of customization for my character. Skyrim, in my opinion, accomplished none of these. The main story is mediocre at best; it starts strong, and for a while I thought it was going to be incredible, but after a bit, it starts losing steam. By the end of the main quest, I just wanted it over; it was not nearly as engaging as the main story in Oblivion, which, admittedly, wasn't the greatest main story ever. As far as freedom goes, Skyrim does a decent job of giving one the illusion of freedom, but still falls short of its potential. This is because Skyrim's player movement system is the same as it was for Morrowind and Oblivion before it: run, jump awkwardly, and can't climb anything. If complete freedom was Bethesda's goal, it was only partly realized. Give me the ability to go wherever I want, however I want. If I encounter a cliff I want to scale, give me a grappling hook to climb it. The next item is the one that irks me the most about Skyrim: NPC stupidity. Again, during the opening scenes of the game, I was wowed by the dialogue and interactions of the NPCs. However, once you reach Riverwood, the experience starts to go downhill. NPCs repeat themselves ad nauseum: how many times do I need to hear Lydia complain about how she's sworn to carry my burdens? This is a simple fix: after they say their lines, NPCs should shut up. Don't speak again unless I speak to you. And when we work together to take down a dragon, please don't walk away immediately after the dragon dies like nothing happened. And if a townie NPC dies for some reason, his corpse should not just lie in the middle of the street forever for people to step over and ignore. Guards should carry him to the house of the dead; what's the point of those places if they aren't used? The worst offense, however, are hostile NPCs. If a person is shot with an arrow in the head, they should NEVER stop looking for who shot it, no matter how sneaky that person is. Multiple times I had to sigh in frustration when a bandit had an arrow sticking out of his eye only to call off the search for me stating "I swear I heard something." Yes, it was your brain being punctured. This kind of robotic character action is unforgivable. Lastly, the character customization was, at best, average. In a giant world filled with so many different races and cultures and people, it seems laughable that there are only seven or eight types of weapons and armor. Maybe I'm asking too much, but it is hard to suspend my disbelief when everyone wears the same stuff and wields the same weapons. Not every steel sword should look identical; how about some variation? The beauty of Skyrim is in its modding community, where many of the issues plaguing the original release are being addressed. In fact, I had originally purchased the PS3 version (stupidly), and I ended up selling that on eBay and purchasing the PC version on Steam so I could use mods. They add simple fixes to many of Skyrim's most crippling problems, and make it a better game overall.
    Overall, Skyrim is a good game. Not incredible, not ground-breaking, not revolutionary, but certainly worth your time if you enjoyed Oblivion and Fallout 3. Just do yourself a favor and get the PC version so you can download the mods of your choice to enhance your experience. Enjoy!    … Expand
  58. CalebPeter
    Jan 7, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Simply....amazing. The graphics are amazing, combat, at least for me, is exciting and the best out of fallout or oblivion. Very good story that kept me wanting to find out what happens next, and and overwhelming amount of quests. To this day i have noot finished all of them and i have played it for hours on end. The gameplay was just stunning. For example, I was walking around in the capital city of Skyrim when I deciced to kill some random person, just for the fun of it. After the deed was done, I fleed from the many guards that were chasing me with there weapons drawn, and also the guys wife. A few game days after I escaped, 4 Hired thugs approched me and told me that some one wanted me dead. After killing them with the use of cheats, (I died to many times to count) I read a note on one of there bodies. The note was a bounty on me, and the person who issued the bounty, was, amazingly, the wife of the guy I murdered. This is just one of the few amazing things that happen in the game. There are a couple of glitches in the game, some fatal, so you might need to save often, but that is a small price to pay. If your looking for a good game to play, definatly play this one.… Expand
  59. thesmith_de
    Jan 12, 2012
    9
    I will try to review the different aspects of the game. Also i will show you my point of view to some points of critizism by others, especially the comparison to oblivion.

    Grafics and scenery: The graphics are allready very good. Max. resolutuion is 1920x 1080. The scenery is genuine and i have the impression, each part of the map is unique. I dont get the feeling its repeating.    I will try to review the different aspects of the game. Also i will show you my point of view to some points of critizism by others, especially the comparison to oblivion.

    Grafics and scenery: The graphics are allready very good. Max. resolutuion is 1920x 1080. The scenery is genuine and i have the impression, each part of the map is unique. I dont get the feeling its repeating. Especially the dungeons are very nice and u never know, what lurks behind the next corner Some ppl say its even inferior to Oblivion, well, i can defenitely say, its not. Storyline: Well the main story line is quite..., flat! There are tons of side quests, and i mean tons. So concerning the storIES (main and side) its up to your liking if you like it this way or if you would prefer a huge story with not so many, or at least LESS side than main questing! Personally i prefer a huge story with different ways of solving it, so to me this is a flaw. If you are more an adventurer, going through the world, to see what it has for you, well this is it! Questing in general: Well, some quests are really repeating: Kill boss in Cave A. Bring this to place B. But some quests are really interessting. But i have to admit, to me it seems, quests in Oblivion have been a little bit better. Not much, but its defenitely not a step forward. IMO with only little efforts, questing could have been highly improved, with the new characters and nicely created dungeons.

    NPC's: Their has been a lot of criticism "they are repeating", "characters are static", "they talk nonsense" and so on. To be honest: In some cases its true. But i nver saw a rpg so far, where the npc act like a real human and u cant see no difference no more. To me, its defenitely a step forward then to oblivion. The way they stand, sit or talk loks to ma at times quite real. You just cant demand, that this must be 100% during the entire game. Thats simply unrealistic. To me it creates a world with some depth. What i miss though, are more genuine or maybe crazy characters, that you dont forget anmyore and meet in different parts of the world.

    Fight system: Well, no big difference to oblivion. As a ranged attacker like i am, its even more difficult than before. Even animals dodge my fireballs! Even in close combat, its hard at times to hit the enemy, cause hes jumping from left to right and my companion walks into my flash. Do i complain about it? No! Does your opponent in real life sit and wait? Of course hes dodging. Ok, dodging animals is not okay afaic!

    Magic System & leveling: It has been changed alot, but its not completely different than before. Also this has been an aspect of alot of criticism, and i have to say: Again its about your likings! Most of the oblivion skills have been kept, but the character atributes are completely wiped out! Strength? What for. Intelligence? Who cares. THIS is really a step back IMO. Differences with effects on the skills are only from the race your playing, e.g. more magic, if your an elf. So all elfs know the same magic? All nords can carry the same load? Very bold thesis! The only atributes left are magic, life and endurance which you can push ONE for 10 points each levelup. So since there are no more attributes, it doenst matter anymore which skills you have to push (like in oblivion). You can skill all, if you want with the same speed. No more main skills. Probably this was the intention and you you are skilling to your playing style. Additionally they invented the perks, so you can boost some of your skills with those perks to get additional special skills, e.g. youre fire spells are stronger in general. And ADDITIONALLY you get the dragon shouts, special shouts, which are basically similar like the magic skills. In all this is a step forward in MY opinion. I allways used to play a thief fire mage, and finally i can (ok, i am an old school d&d player) So final conclusion: I kinda like the new system, but it couldve been better.

    Balancing: Yeah, there are some issues about it. Dragons should be harder. Why am i fighting the first dragon at level 6? Even a giant seems to be harder!

    Interface: It was written for game console, i read and it is indeed crappy! Thank god, the modders invented some mods, which makes it 100% better. Bethesda: That was CRAP!

    Bugs: It runs fine at my system. No crashes. Still a few left, but nothing that destroyes the game. Modding scene: Why should i take this into my review? Because its there AND it makes the game more interesting, especially in the aspect of long term motivation. If it was planned or not? I dont know, but the result is the same. The scene will give you alot of enhancements of the game in EVERY aspect!

    In total i still give it 9 points. Why? (I still criticized quite some things). Well, to me oblivion was a 10 so IT IS a step back. And the modders also were responsible for 2 points! But i dont know any better rpg on the market then TES. I would defenetely recommend this game!    … Expand
  60. bheaze
    Nov 18, 2011
    9
    Ok so ive played about 40hrs now so i feel i am able to write a proper review on the game so far. the people that give the game less than 5 out of 10 have clearly not played more than 10hrs max in the game and that is no where near enough to even get a glimpse of the game. for the first few hours i was enjoying it but not that much, only when i dove deeper into the quests did i begin toOk so ive played about 40hrs now so i feel i am able to write a proper review on the game so far. the people that give the game less than 5 out of 10 have clearly not played more than 10hrs max in the game and that is no where near enough to even get a glimpse of the game. for the first few hours i was enjoying it but not that much, only when i dove deeper into the quests did i begin to really see how amazing this game really is. there are bugs of course but a game this size it was inevitable but the bugs dont affect with the gameplay that much. the UI is pretty **** on pc but its playable so everyone should stop exaggerating how **** it is and just focusing on that rather than the actual game. yes it crashes every now and again its done it to me twice but that doesnt take away from the actual cunning and innovative gameplay. the graphics arnt really good either even on ultra but definitely playable and as u go deeper into the province of skyrim ur eyes are enveloped by the stunning landscapes, hidden beauties, divine gradens and the amazing running water! u can really tell how much effort Bethesda has put into the game, its clearly evident. i have barely touched the main story, so far completed the dark brotherhood and companions as well as a number of very intriguing side quests. the dark brotherhood and companions factions story line was quite short but the story was well put together with a number of twists and turns that had me excited to see what happens and shocked in the end. even after finishing these factions there are an infinite number of other quests to be completed in the guilds that unfortuantly dont affect the story line of the guild but are still interesting. i would have liked the guilds to be longer!!!! but the side quests, well where do i begin, not to mention that it seems like everyone that u talk to has a quest u can do for them and i have had some very interesting quests. one involving a drinking game in which i blacked out and woke up in a trashed temple, i had to recap my night and found out some very interesting things had been done. the story writing is fantastic! there is no way u can write a review after just a few hrs gameplay, so those people that give negative reviews are missing out on the game of the year! keep playing and i guarantee u will love the game.… Expand
  61. AlexFili
    Mar 28, 2013
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the latest installment of the Elder Scrolls franchise by Bethesda Softworks. While the earlier games were essentially role-playing games set in simple environments, things changed with the release of Morrowind which was a fully immersive 3D environment. Players could choose their race, decide what skills to specialise in and take part in story missions.The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the latest installment of the Elder Scrolls franchise by Bethesda Softworks. While the earlier games were essentially role-playing games set in simple environments, things changed with the release of Morrowind which was a fully immersive 3D environment. Players could choose their race, decide what skills to specialise in and take part in story missions.

    The next game, Oblivion refined the gameplay with an enhanced physics engine, gorgeous graphics and more realistic NPC reactions and conversations.

    Skyrim is the fifth main Elder Scrolls game and takes place in a snowy environment. The player is revealed to be ‘dragonborn’ and thus is the only warrior who can permanently take down the Dragons which fly around and disturb the townsfolk. The story puts you right in the heart of the action and makes you feel like a real hero.

    In terms of gameplay, it is comparable with the earlier games along with FPS/RPG games such as Fallout. The user has a first-person perspective while battling and exploring (but a third-person view can be toggled on or off). There is a sense of weight and realism when you swing your weapon at an enemy or fire a spell.

    While you cannot craft spells, there is still a wide range of skills and spells open to many different player levels. The player earns experience by levelling up any one of the 18 skills. When the player achieves a level they can unlock a perk which directly benefits one skill. For example you can unlock a perk that enables you to slow down time while aiming the bow, or a perk that allows you to bribe guards to ignore crimes.

    Along with helpful townsfolk NPCs which are well voiced, there are followers which act as your partners in battle and provide teamwork during intense struggles. You can also summon allied creatures by using a conjuration spell.

    There are many different ways to play, from being a tough warrior, a mage, a fast thief, an archer or more. Player choice is always at the forefront of gameplay and there is a wide range of dialogue options available to you.

    Overall Skyrim is a fantastic game and really presents the sense of wonder and exploration that these types of games provide.    … Expand
  62. Jenial
    Nov 17, 2011
    9
    Skyrim is the best AAA+ title of the year. The world and the amount of quests are so huge, which makes you think you will never be able to complete the game. The invention of Perks was a great idea, as this was the part which made Oblivion a little vague. The graphics did not seem to change, which is a little let down, though the huge mountains, the flora in the game, the trees and tallSkyrim is the best AAA+ title of the year. The world and the amount of quests are so huge, which makes you think you will never be able to complete the game. The invention of Perks was a great idea, as this was the part which made Oblivion a little vague. The graphics did not seem to change, which is a little let down, though the huge mountains, the flora in the game, the trees and tall enemies look incredible. The menus feel a little odd at first, though after about 2 hours of playing you will get the hang of it and it's all good. I gave the game a 9/10 instead of a 10/10 because you'll notice quite easily this game is a port of the consoles. The menus are not as smooth as Oblivion, and the performance on the PC is a big let down, though I believe Bethesda IS going to fix this issue. Also, the final blow with melee weapons is a bit overpowered, which makes the Archery and Magic classes a little useless compared to the Warrior class.… Expand
  63. Numureon
    Dec 5, 2011
    10
    If I hard to summarize my experience in Skyrim with one word, I wouldn't be able to because I'm still agape and drooling over just the sheer beauty and excellence of the game to the point where I'm foaming at the mouth. While that description is superfluous it's not too far from the truth, I sincerely believe this game is game of the year material, and deserves every positive review onIf I hard to summarize my experience in Skyrim with one word, I wouldn't be able to because I'm still agape and drooling over just the sheer beauty and excellence of the game to the point where I'm foaming at the mouth. While that description is superfluous it's not too far from the truth, I sincerely believe this game is game of the year material, and deserves every positive review on this aggregate website. However it's very depressing to see the score suffer from irrelevant and irresponsible 0's granted because people killed chickens and never returned, or they hate how the hair looks hairsprayed to them. But at the end of the day, I'm very pleased that this game got to where it is today, because to me it's not just another game, it's a second world. The character AI is surprisingly solid, a huge leap from the cardboard box of Oblivion, aside from the common person walking up to you mid-conversation, yelling about their knee. The combat lacks at times, but the finishing moves, the dual casting, and dual wielding add a splendid flourish that still keeps the game otherwise fresh. The content is so grand and generous that after a few hours of playing I felt myself sitting on a mountain of goodies and treasures that would make a rich man feel full. However I could still see on the proverbial horizon a plethora of content still to be explored and gathered. Grapically, this goes without saying, is absolutely superb. I stared at a running stream for 10 minutes in awe, before turning around and losing my mind over a mountain side. The game is worthy of every solid review and award it receives. What it doesn't deserve is the army of irresponsible nay-sayers who built it up so high that it could never live up to their expectations, and ultimately didn't.… Expand
  64. Dream_Creeper
    Nov 20, 2011
    7
    Spell casting is OK (quite fun), Difficulty settings suck hard time (either way to easy, or u need like 15 fireballs to kill a dog >_> , in expert or master dif.). Melee Combat is blunt, boring sounds of melee combat despite what weapon you are using are so cheap, blocking is boring. Horse riding is dead compared to oblivion (nice horses thought as graffics). NPC AI, can be really awful,Spell casting is OK (quite fun), Difficulty settings suck hard time (either way to easy, or u need like 15 fireballs to kill a dog >_> , in expert or master dif.). Melee Combat is blunt, boring sounds of melee combat despite what weapon you are using are so cheap, blocking is boring. Horse riding is dead compared to oblivion (nice horses thought as graffics). NPC AI, can be really awful, and totally stupid, specially the summoned minions without ranged attacks, stuck everywhere. There are good elements though in stories, quests, environments, loved the dungeons, loved the undead mobs, some sound effects are of cinematic quality. RPG elements are few to none, there are like 1/5 of quests that have moral choices. Dragons are great, but they are too often seen, i encounter more often dragons than wolves. Overall Skyrim is a good really good game, could be a great game, but there are some really bad flaws ruining the entire Elder Scrolls Experience.… Expand
  65. AeroAtlas
    Dec 6, 2011
    9
    A solid FPS RPG with a ton of exploration with alot of unique creatures and hilarious Bethesda bugs to keep you interested. Also alot of lore if your into that kinda stuff :) 9/10
  66. Wintre
    Nov 26, 2011
    9
    Graphically amazing, etc etc. It is worth buying this game for the sheer number of hours you can spend playing it, the quests and storylines just don't end. That said, it isn't perfect. My only con is that, after rising to the top in different guilds, becoming Thane is different cities, even after winning the war, it doesn't seem like you've done anything. The reactions toward you areGraphically amazing, etc etc. It is worth buying this game for the sheer number of hours you can spend playing it, the quests and storylines just don't end. That said, it isn't perfect. My only con is that, after rising to the top in different guilds, becoming Thane is different cities, even after winning the war, it doesn't seem like you've done anything. The reactions toward you are pretty much the same as when you started the game. For me, that isn't a problem because I don't mind not getting attention from NPCs. For others, it might be. Also, this game does have a small problem of just randomly crashing now and again. The people who have these problems just need to give up playing on a computer, it does that because their graphic cards aren't up to date or they're from the 90s.… Expand
  67. Blueburn
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    Unmissable on any gamer's shelf. Stunning graphics and nearly infinite quests. Apart from the buggy release the game is sheerly enjoyable. Also recommended is the collectors edition for the real gamers. Buy it today rather than tomorrow!
  68. BladeFlare
    Dec 5, 2011
    9
    This game is awesome, i love it and all it has to offer. But there is a special reason why i put 9. just for the little things. sometimes i leave my horse behind at a field so i can go kill a nearby dragon and keep the horse safe. when i come back the horse is dead by arrows. why? i don't know. he is just dead and if i reload the game from before he died i then have to go kill the dragonThis game is awesome, i love it and all it has to offer. But there is a special reason why i put 9. just for the little things. sometimes i leave my horse behind at a field so i can go kill a nearby dragon and keep the horse safe. when i come back the horse is dead by arrows. why? i don't know. he is just dead and if i reload the game from before he died i then have to go kill the dragon again, just to find the horse dead again. horses aren't cheap. i do have a couple of bugs here and there. and vampirism i find just wonderful. Everybody wants to kill you! but the game has way more ups then downs. great battling system, fun dungeons, lots of cool side quests, massive map to explore, great storyline, tons of great features like magic, making weapons, stealing, and more, the game doesn't have to be hard or easy, and best of all, a great feeling of adventure while playing. if a game gets ten, that means it is 100% flawless. not true about pretty much any game but this game is surely a favorite of mine. and whenever i see a comment about how this game is bad and it actually tries to make sense, i find that almost nothing they say is true or really matters in how lowly they scored it.… Expand
  69. Pwnznewbz
    Dec 6, 2011
    9
    Yes, go buy it. Yes, play it for hours and hours. Yes, it will be game of the year.

    This game plays very much like Fallout, except in a fantasy setting. The world is very open and you can spend a lot of time just exploring the game. The story is pretty amazing as well and is one of the better rpgs I have played in awhile. You can choose to level your class, in a familiar way if you played    Yes, go buy it. Yes, play it for hours and hours. Yes, it will be game of the year.

    This game plays very much like Fallout, except in a fantasy setting. The world is very open and you can spend a lot of time just exploring the game. The story is pretty amazing as well and is one of the better rpgs I have played in awhile. You can choose to level your class, in a familiar way if you played Fallout, where you choose perks to level skills that you gain while playing. I've beaten the game, gotten 98% of the achievements (1 quest was bugged for the final achievement, so waiting on the patch) and still could play this for weeks more or a few more run throughs. I plan on replaying as a mage next time around ;) Definitely a buy, even at full price and, again, this will be the game of the year.    … Expand
  70. ThePredatoR
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    One of the best role-playing game ever. The system of leveling your character just amazing. I cant playing Morrowind because there is a horrible combat system. Magic in Oblivion was bad. Bethesda fixed those problems and released the game with perfect gameplay.
  71. zvoith
    Dec 7, 2011
    10
    One of the best game I've ever played. The world is full of detail and richness and I don't want to stop playing. Although there are a few bugs and one broken quest, "Blood on the Ice," that doesn't keep me from thinking about all the positives. The ps3 users really should stop complaining about the lagging issue. Currently the ps3 version has a 6.2 rating from users. There are ways ofOne of the best game I've ever played. The world is full of detail and richness and I don't want to stop playing. Although there are a few bugs and one broken quest, "Blood on the Ice," that doesn't keep me from thinking about all the positives. The ps3 users really should stop complaining about the lagging issue. Currently the ps3 version has a 6.2 rating from users. There are ways of avoiding the lagging issue on the ps3, so stop complaining already.… Expand
  72. Argowal
    Dec 8, 2011
    9
    One of the best games I've played. Leveling system works great, story is solid, graphics are nice. A few bugs to work out, but highly recommended. Get this game.
  73. kuau
    Mar 7, 2013
    9
    Skyrim is beautiful and huge. There are so many things to explore that I still haven't seen the whole map, or done even close to half of the story missions. I originally purchased this game for PS3 and rate it a zero because of freezes, lag, slow saves and loads. But on PC there are none of these problems. Lesson learned.
  74. blackslash99
    Dec 9, 2011
    9
    I wasn't into the Elder Scrolls Series much until last year (yes, last year!) when I first played Morrowind . It was a really enjoyable game for me. It was my first RPG infact. The detail, the gameplay, the characters, the story, everything were awesome except the graphics , but again you can't expect much of a graphics from a game released in 2002 compared to what we have now. I skippedI wasn't into the Elder Scrolls Series much until last year (yes, last year!) when I first played Morrowind . It was a really enjoyable game for me. It was my first RPG infact. The detail, the gameplay, the characters, the story, everything were awesome except the graphics , but again you can't expect much of a graphics from a game released in 2002 compared to what we have now. I skipped oblivion ( which I'll play soon). And then came SKYRIM!! It was refreshing for me . The awesomest game released in 2011. The graphics, the story, the details , the characters, the animals, the missions . All of them were perfect. Although there were one or two things which bothered me. The quests for each of the factions could have been a bit longer. They end too quickly. More-over I find Skyrim a bit repetitive, they could have introduced a few more new things in the gameplay. But that won't stop it from becoming my Game of the Year. I recommend this game to every RPG lover in this world!!… Expand
  75. garyfisher
    Dec 11, 2011
    10
    Skryim is an amazing RPG with only a few minor problems. Like most Elder scrolls games, the biggest feature is the the massive open world. After a short 10 to 15 minute tutorial, you are free to travel to any part of the world and completely ignore the main story line which lets you easily get engrossed in just exploring. Skyrims impressive visuals just add to this world and make it thatSkryim is an amazing RPG with only a few minor problems. Like most Elder scrolls games, the biggest feature is the the massive open world. After a short 10 to 15 minute tutorial, you are free to travel to any part of the world and completely ignore the main story line which lets you easily get engrossed in just exploring. Skyrims impressive visuals just add to this world and make it that much more engrossing There are over a hundred dungeons and each dungeon is vastly different and enjoyable after clearing around 20 of them myself. The basic leveling system is easy and enjoyable to handle. Level any of the 18 skills you have 10 times and you level. You then raise your magic level, health level, or stamina. Then you pick a perk for one of the 18 skills. Each skill has an average of 6 to 7 perks arranged in a tree, some of which requiring a certain level or other perks taken. For example in order to build some dwarven armor, you will need your smithing at a certain level, and have the steel smithing perk unlocked. Nearly all skills are useful, and making a "bad" build is difficult. Only by actively attempting to build a bad character will give you trouble, such as taking many archery perks when you never actually use archery. I have yet to look online for a build guide, afraid I was going to have to rebuild my character due to poor choices. This is a nice refreshing break from most other RPG's with many classes unable to beat the game. The difficulty of the enemies is varied, yet challenging. There is a difficulty bar that can be adjusted, but for the most part you won't have to. The story is as deep as you want to make it. You can play the main story line and enjoy what the game has to offer, or meticulously comb your way through hundreds of side quest and books in the game and find all there is to know about Skyrim. Like I said though, there are some minor problems. One problem is shop owners have their own money to buy items you are selling. While its a nice feature to add a certain level of realism and prevents the player from hording and selling literally everything they find, that amount of money can be difficult to work with. This really isn't a huge problem, but can result in you lugging a few extra items around just because no shop owners have the money to buy it yet. Overall I highly recommend this game, even at the current price tag of $60. You will easily get 60+ hours of entertainment and not even be close to finishing. I am 30 hours in and have dozens of areas to explore, dungeons to clear, and dragons to kill.… Expand
  76. Supreme
    Dec 11, 2011
    10
    This game is....
    And i have spent countless hours contemplating if this is true.
    Also as a "hardcore"gamer some might say, i have played basically most games that were average to outstanding in the last 10 years but i can definitely say now after all this time in my humble opinion.

    The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim - IS..THE BEST.. GAME I HAVE EVER PLAYED.
  77. Jrtlaktalk
    Apr 27, 2015
    0
    Skyrim, previously a decent yet somewhat soulless RPG game. Now a cash grab that brings you an industry first, paid mods. Are you kidding me? On top of this, the creators have to give more money to Bethesda than they actually get, and even now there are disputes and ugly competition growing in the modding community about this. Bethesda is ruining the modding community that kept theirSkyrim, previously a decent yet somewhat soulless RPG game. Now a cash grab that brings you an industry first, paid mods. Are you kidding me? On top of this, the creators have to give more money to Bethesda than they actually get, and even now there are disputes and ugly competition growing in the modding community about this. Bethesda is ruining the modding community that kept their games alive all these years. Good job.… Expand
  78. roguesas
    Dec 14, 2011
    10
    Brilliant Game - Bethseda have outdone themselves again. Skyrim is a epic and immersive game. And, even better, PC Skyrim has amazing graphics and mod capability (I believe the Mod Tools are being released soon). You will not regret buying this.
  79. Fr33T
    Dec 16, 2011
    6
    This game has amazing graphics. Although the game engine and combat system is really frustrating. If you hit an unarmed woman with your sword, she will keep on attacking you with her bare hand like nothing at all. They meant to do this I know, but still it gets really annoying.
  80. graze
    Dec 19, 2011
    9
    This RPG has pulled me in like no other in the last few years, I've put in about 30 hours so far. To me, the graphics are amazing. I see so many negative comments on the graphics and just don't really see why. OK, so the graphics engine isn't the latest, most cutting edge, but it is well done nonetheless. I'm awe-struck by the sheer amount of content and non-linear explorationThis RPG has pulled me in like no other in the last few years, I've put in about 30 hours so far. To me, the graphics are amazing. I see so many negative comments on the graphics and just don't really see why. OK, so the graphics engine isn't the latest, most cutting edge, but it is well done nonetheless. I'm awe-struck by the sheer amount of content and non-linear exploration available. The combat is fun. Maybe the UI isn't the greatest, but I've actually kind of started to like it. I do agree that more available hotkeys would be nice. So there are some bugs. I don't see how this cannot be expected in a virtual world of this magnitude. The amount of programming behind this project has to be absolutely staggering, when you consider all of the objects, interactions, and possibilities. So I'm going to let some bugs slide here, as none of them I've come across are game breaking.

    I also wanted to respond to someone complaining that he now hates the game after putting 180 hours into it. Seems you had the revelation that real life trumps video games, good for you! yes, video games should be taken in moderation. But to lambast this game because you hit the 180 hour mark and are now bored of it seems downright silly. Surely somewhere within that 180 hours you got some fun out of it and was of some value as far as a video game can go? 180 hours alludes to an incredible amount of content...shoot I'll be more than satisfied if I get half the play time out of this before I'm bored...    … Expand
  81. tazzon22
    Dec 19, 2011
    10
    Fantastic game, im about 200hrs into it and still exploring. The crafting stytems are rich the world is captivating and story lines intriguing. NPC choices are not at the level of BioWares yet, and your choices dont dramatically effect the world interaction as much as one would expect in a pure rpg.The leveling system and spellcrafting from Oblivion has been dummed down, probably due toFantastic game, im about 200hrs into it and still exploring. The crafting stytems are rich the world is captivating and story lines intriguing. NPC choices are not at the level of BioWares yet, and your choices dont dramatically effect the world interaction as much as one would expect in a pure rpg.The leveling system and spellcrafting from Oblivion has been dummed down, probably due to the fact of the crossplatform induced slide in difficulty.Although unlike Biowares turd DA2 and a disgrace to DAO,again to the lower standards of cross platform, Skyrim is a gem.… Expand
  82. TooOldtoGame
    Dec 21, 2011
    9
    Some very well done things in this game that should become part of the rpg genre. The only reason why I'm going with a 9 is the UI is poor and it was very buggy at launch. Otherwise, the scope and scale of this game was very entertaining and well worth the money. A must have if you like the RPG gaming world.
  83. EtaYorius
    Dec 21, 2011
    10
    The best damn RPG i have ever played! there are things that could have been better like the animations... they are extremely wacky when dual wielding/casting, also they promised DX11 support and the game barely uses 4 Cores.

    They also cut character creation options by half, but i guess the good side of this is they improve the faces by a great margin. Skyrim is a must if you love    The best damn RPG i have ever played! there are things that could have been better like the animations... they are extremely wacky when dual wielding/casting, also they promised DX11 support and the game barely uses 4 Cores.

    They also cut character creation options by half, but i guess the good side of this is they improve the faces by a great margin.

    Skyrim is a must if you love RPG´s or if you are a TES fan.    … Expand
  84. kamryu
    Dec 23, 2011
    7
    3 out of 3 for story the number of quests and extra's will keep you going for a long time
    2 out of 3 for graphics one or two issues even on ultra such
    2 out of 3 gameplay the variety of weapons and spells saves this basic point and click 0 out of 1 for replay value the differences between quests which will alter storyline are so minor ultimately you know going stormcloak or leagion its    3 out of 3 for story the number of quests and extra's will keep you going for a long time
    2 out of 3 for graphics one or two issues even on ultra such
    2 out of 3 gameplay the variety of weapons and spells saves this basic point and click
    0 out of 1 for replay value the differences between quests which will alter storyline are so minor ultimately you know going stormcloak or leagion its going to be the same story only your attacking the other guy now instead this being said if your doing everything you ll get well over 100 hours plus in a single play through so replay not a big deal.

    The shere scale of Skyrim is its biggest quality you ve got so many sub quests and storylines to follow you ll be very easily distracted I mean it is possible to complete the "main" story in a few hours but honestly anyone doing that is completely missing the point of the elder scrolls franchise. Bethesda has not made a game with a story they have made a country with inhabitants who need help and thats exactly what it feels like its not just a do this quest game you will find yourself at times very easily distracted between what quest to do next if like myself you might even spend forever trying to collect an entire book series (god I spent so long tracking down the wolf queen volume 6, I refused to google its location) and decorating your house, Diciding what way your going to play your character also is a nice feature at the start you decide your race and image thats it you don't go ohh I am going ot be a melee specialist oh I am going to be an archer and so on no no you decide that once your playing you want to be an archer pick up a bow and start using it you want to be a melee then pick up a sword and shield. The characters spreadsheet for leveling and so on is a lot more simplified than its predecessor Oblivion some might feel this a step back some might feel it an improvement, its down to personal choice. The biggest thing with skyrim as I stated is its scale you are in Skyrim the country your not just following a story that has always been the elder scrolls advantage the storylines might not be of the best quality when you break them down but the shere number of them you have more than makes up for it.    … Expand
  85. CHIHWAHLI
    Feb 15, 2013
    7
    This game looks huge, is huge, looks good. The world and characters are very good looking. The weather effects are nice. Overall it's joyful and fun to play, but there are a few things that could have been much better. The main quest is really short. There is no feel of something grand going on. It's just you against the bad guys. Yes you can bring a companion with you, and from time toThis game looks huge, is huge, looks good. The world and characters are very good looking. The weather effects are nice. Overall it's joyful and fun to play, but there are a few things that could have been much better. The main quest is really short. There is no feel of something grand going on. It's just you against the bad guys. Yes you can bring a companion with you, and from time to time you escort someone to safety, but it still feels empty and lonely. From time to time you get jumped by a thief who asks for your purse, or same bandits roaming certain places. You can almost tell which one will have bandits. The side quests are usually boring. Fetch this, get that at X then go back. They should have attached more quests to the main story instead of having a 'billion' side quests.

    Fighting style is limited to certain combinations, the skill list is big but alas they forced the player to choose certain style combo. That's a shame. The UI is not good enough I think. AS a caster I have to switch really fast between spells, or I must pause and then choose. As a caster it's difficult to play. Arrows will kill you instantly when the archers start getting much better arrows and bows. Throw a few melee enemies and you can't do much as a caster then keep distance and behind cover, otherwise it's death. Spells to slow targets or keep them away are limited. Talking about spells... you will keep using the same spells for a long time. The expert and master spells are only available at 90 and 100 for master. 100 points is max for any magic skill level, which means you have to train and grind till 90! by that time you are over lvl 30 and played many hours with the same spells. At level 90 summoning skill and lvl 35 character I could buy my Summon ice pet, before that I had to use my weak wolf. And my fire elemental that has fireballs. The idea of an RPG is to get new spells and rewards from time to time, but that is soo limited.

    Another thing that annoys me, and shows that it's a bit unfinished or rushed: you get a certain title archmage very quickly as if you earned it by doing a few quests. It's just not realistic.... or immersive.

    Skyrim is fun, but could have been much better. It fee;s like they focused a lot on the visuals, then created a quick and short main quests and start selling the game. In the meanwhile create extra DLC to earn more, to fill the gaps that the main quest should have. After looking at the start of the game I expected a lot. But alas the start is great, but the ending is not always shiny.

    So I understand why so many people voted mixed or negative. Thanks to the modding world and skyrim Nexus mod program, the game is worth more....but this should not be the way to create games....
    Without mods it should be a blast to play.... and not what it;s now...    … Expand
  86. Knotsie
    Jan 8, 2012
    10
    Skyrim, my game of the year 2011! The game is addictive, fun and there is so much to do in it, this is why I don't mind the bugs skyrim has. I have played the game for over 100 hours already and the game can only become better when the creation kit will be released this month.
  87. HELL_RAISER
    Jan 7, 2012
    9
    One of the best rpg ever... It's a great game that has some minor flaws that are overshadowed by awesomeness. If you haven't played it yet, you are missing a lot. GO GET IT NOW!
  88. Termite_King
    Jan 9, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Skyrim is possibly the best game I have ever played. You can wonder off into any direction and find something. The gameplay is half-linear and the game world is massive. The conversations between people on the street are almost realistic. It has made a huge leap from oblivion with dragons and better leveling. You could become a hired assassin or an arch-mage. The main quest which starts off as you finding out you are the dragonborn and ends with the defeat of alduin and lots of stuff in between. The civil war quests were fun with lots of killing (which is good). i give this game a 10/10.… Expand
  89. DimJim
    Jan 12, 2012
    9
    What drew me into this game, and has kept me playing for 100+ hours is the immersion factor. You feel as if you are part of a genuine world with real characters and locations. Even though I have completed the main quest there is still lots to do and I am contemplating restarting as a different character to make different choices to see how that plays out. Crafting is particularly wellWhat drew me into this game, and has kept me playing for 100+ hours is the immersion factor. You feel as if you are part of a genuine world with real characters and locations. Even though I have completed the main quest there is still lots to do and I am contemplating restarting as a different character to make different choices to see how that plays out. Crafting is particularly well done and fits into the game seamlessly without being a chore.

    The downsides which are preventing me from giving the game a 10/10 is the clunky world map. It is looks over functionality and I would often get lost as the roads are not displayed. Also, the UI is not brilliant, particularly when you gain a level and pick new skills.

    In general I would totally recommend this game for the heart pounding dragon fights, companions, compelling quests, beautiful graphics and believable world.    … Expand
  90. Liam5433
    Jan 14, 2012
    9
    An impressive feat showing what the gaming industry is capable of. The new engine is a massive improvement over the old one and it allows for some amazing landscapes and more impressive environments. Though the mechanics are pretty much the same as the earlier games. Many different things have been upgraded and improved. Inducing the new switcheroo weapon/magic system which features aAn impressive feat showing what the gaming industry is capable of. The new engine is a massive improvement over the old one and it allows for some amazing landscapes and more impressive environments. Though the mechanics are pretty much the same as the earlier games. Many different things have been upgraded and improved. Inducing the new switcheroo weapon/magic system which features a bio-shock(Esq) hand movements and casting . The radiant A.I allows for unlimited quests, though in retrospect these do seem a little repetitive after a while as they are mostly go here and fetch the item or go here and defeat the dragon. Though they are the same the dungeons are always new and exciting and the fantastic dragon A.I keeps it fresh and exciting. The story Itself in my opinion is a better improvement over oblivion and goes back to Morrowind's roots. and the battles and quests could not be more epic. Even so it has it's downfalls, like many games this large it can have a large number of bugs, though many of these can be fixed with a patch and if you have it on PC you can definitely get an unofficial bug-fix for your problem. The menu's on the PC are a little irritating to flick through showing that the console to PC porting process was most probably done in absent mind. Even so this can be remedied by mods that you can download off the internet for free, and once again the mod support from the community (the nexus community especially) has been amazing and the best experience for this game is on the PC . Though you will need a relatively good gaming rig to pull the game along smoothly. Overall the game is a massive improvement on oblivion, graphically, game-play and story wise. Though the game does have it's shortcomings (mainly with bugs that CAN be fixed) and the combat system can seem a little tedious and irritating at times. It is an awesome game that definitely gives you your bang for your buck, especially if you get it on the PC. If you haven't played oblivion you don't really need to but many references may seem confusing at first, making the game harder to get into, but it's well worth it, and if you really feeling out of the loop you can look up extensive lore online or simply play oblivion which is still good for it's time even now.… Expand
  91. TrueGamer81
    Dec 18, 2012
    10
    If you are playing with, for instance, a dual core CPU - 2GB RAM - and a Radeon 5650 (or even worse), or gaming on some crappy non-gaming laptop, you DO NOT have a good PC, and guess what? You have exactly NO right to b1tch and moan and vote this wonderful game a zero, just because you don't have the hardware. They have Xbox 360's and PS3's for people just like you, and your opinionIf you are playing with, for instance, a dual core CPU - 2GB RAM - and a Radeon 5650 (or even worse), or gaming on some crappy non-gaming laptop, you DO NOT have a good PC, and guess what? You have exactly NO right to b1tch and moan and vote this wonderful game a zero, just because you don't have the hardware. They have Xbox 360's and PS3's for people just like you, and your opinion matters not. But, however, everyone with a quad-core CPU, 4GB RAM or better, and a Radeon 6970 or better certainly have the ability to experience this game for what it is, excellent. Also, if you are too stupid to get the game working right, shut your mouth. I am NOT referring to PC gamers who have a legimitate gripe with the game (like it appearing to be consolized (which mods fix). No, just the butthurt losers with crappy so-called "rigs" who expect developers to make it so they can max every game at 60fps - I have a 6970 crossfire and even I can't max every game at 60fps. Now, with that said, let me state that this game is probably the best game to come around in the last 10 years. Yes, it's that good. I highly recommend it, and the PC version at that. It's amazing. That is all.… Expand
  92. ReBootEd
    Feb 29, 2012
    6
    A vast improvement over Oblivion, however still plagued with bugs, from the immersion-breaking to the game-breaking, and there's upcoming DLC.
    Graphics are decent, but washed out, desaturated and dirty brown.
    Gameplay is better, but has been simplified for the mass sheep.
  93. dprkforum
    Mar 3, 2012
    6
    I did not play the previous versions of the game series, but decided to give this game a try based on the overwhelmingly positive response this particular title received. When I first loaded the game after spending a whopping $59.99, I was not disappointed with a eye-popping eye candy. Craggy rocks, very realistic flowing water, ultra-detailed characters, and the list goes on. AfterI did not play the previous versions of the game series, but decided to give this game a try based on the overwhelmingly positive response this particular title received. When I first loaded the game after spending a whopping $59.99, I was not disappointed with a eye-popping eye candy. Craggy rocks, very realistic flowing water, ultra-detailed characters, and the list goes on. After playing this for a while, I noticed the game is little more than a bunch of "fight this", "fetch that" sequence of missions scattered all over a very large map. Not that I mind that, but the story lines are thin and haphazard. More challenging puzzles in caverns, keeps and the like would have made this game a lot better as well. Overall, this game is very nice, but it certainly is not the best by any means at all. What really brought down my score is the sheer number of bugs in the game. Broken quests, buggy caves and wonky character interactions.… Expand
  94. Jarec
    Mar 7, 2012
    10
    Great game despite some pretty obvious flaws, plenty of bugs and the fact that I had to mod the graphics from the start to make it look halfway decent. Main quest is too short as always from Bethesda but it does deliver while leaving ample room to continue the story. Some of the side-chain quests are just plain awesome. Inventory system is... well let's be honest it's crap, most of theGreat game despite some pretty obvious flaws, plenty of bugs and the fact that I had to mod the graphics from the start to make it look halfway decent. Main quest is too short as always from Bethesda but it does deliver while leaving ample room to continue the story. Some of the side-chain quests are just plain awesome. Inventory system is... well let's be honest it's crap, most of the screen real estate is wasted in favor of a HUGE picture of whatever you're looking at, while the menus are squeezed in at the sides. However despite the flaws previously mentioned I would still definitely recommend this game. It would get a 10 from me if the main quest was much longer, the inventory system was sorted and the graphics/textures were improved.… Expand
  95. newtee2
    Mar 6, 2012
    7
    After playing well over 100 hours in the game as a warrior, a mage, and a ranger, I must say that this game has many great ideas and quite a few flaws. The world is amazing; Skyrim is a living and breathing place and you get the sense of that just by walking through the towns or running through the tundra and seeing giants and mammoths roam. Combat can be really fun, especially when youAfter playing well over 100 hours in the game as a warrior, a mage, and a ranger, I must say that this game has many great ideas and quite a few flaws. The world is amazing; Skyrim is a living and breathing place and you get the sense of that just by walking through the towns or running through the tundra and seeing giants and mammoths roam. Combat can be really fun, especially when you toss in dragons to spice things up. Dragon fights are probably the most fun fights but can get boring and easy later on. The main quest line is the only quest line that really stands out in the whole game, immersion in the world can easily be broken by the creation engine's limitations, actual RPG elements like chopping wood and cooking are nice but there aren't nearly enough and it feels half done, and combat can get dull pretty quickly due to combat limitations. Props to Bethesda for using the Steam Workshop, finally releasing the CK, and giving us a free HR DLC. Even though the game can be lame at times, and even though there is no DX11, it's still pretty solid.… Expand
  96. Messerschmitt
    May 25, 2015
    7
    The game has weak plot, it lacks interesting characters and although the design is inspired by nordic mythology it's still very generic and cliche - all those elements are essential for a really good rpg game and skyrim does them wrong. Also the game is quite buggy and dumbed down compared to it's predecessors. Despite those flaws It's fun to roam this world, music and visuals are good andThe game has weak plot, it lacks interesting characters and although the design is inspired by nordic mythology it's still very generic and cliche - all those elements are essential for a really good rpg game and skyrim does them wrong. Also the game is quite buggy and dumbed down compared to it's predecessors. Despite those flaws It's fun to roam this world, music and visuals are good and it managed to entertain me for about 30-40 hours.

    Overall it's a good game that by it doesn't deserve the praise it gets. It can probably be great but only if you smoke pot:)    … Expand
  97. Dezpy
    Apr 24, 2012
    7
    Being my first Elder Scrolls game, I probably wasn't as picky as those who have played the previous games. But I'd like to put my input as just a general PC gamer. This is not a game I can sit here and bad mouth, and surely I'd willingly recommend it, but like any other game, it had its flaws. The graphics were great, ever on low. But, I found lots of repetition in both the environmentBeing my first Elder Scrolls game, I probably wasn't as picky as those who have played the previous games. But I'd like to put my input as just a general PC gamer. This is not a game I can sit here and bad mouth, and surely I'd willingly recommend it, but like any other game, it had its flaws. The graphics were great, ever on low. But, I found lots of repetition in both the environment itself and in the dungeons. At the beginning and further into the game, I ran into dungeons that were all pretty much identical in both enemies and loot. Luckily I was immersed enough in what I was attempting to complete that this didn't stick out to me until my tenth or eleventh dungeon that looked exactly like the past few I had been doing. I'll cut bethesda some slack here, it was a huge game and creating each dungeon to be unique would have been both time consuming and difficult.

    It took a good thirty hours of choppy gameplay before I began getting bored, and I knew I was still at the very tip of the game still! I still continued playing, as I was curious. I had some good quests going that kept me playing, and was figuring out things every day that I hadn't known. It was the repetition that got to me. Sometimes I'd just want to log on and run around, doing quests that would consist of just running around town and delivering items or something of the sort. I found a few of these, which was fantastic, but a large majority of the quests sent you way off into some dungeon with the same graphics as the last dungeon you completed. And one last thing that I'd like to address to any future buyers. The quests are glitchy. Not all of them, but I've ran into a few that have made it either impossible to move forward, and nearly impossible. I'm grateful these can be fixed in patches, but they can really set you off of the game for a while. It's a fair warning that I'm sure most have heard before- it's not uncommon. Also, the game isn't at all linear. It has its moments (especially in dungeons or when speaking to someone), but you're able to go explore whenever and wherever you want. You're not stuck on a single path, you're able to branch off and join guilds of thievery, or armies, and even a college for mages, you name it. That's what I have liked the most about this game. I can make my character how I want to, and like most single players games, where you're stuck with one destiny, this one you get to chose what it is. Well worth the $60.00 I spent on it.    … Expand
  98. Xen-Masta
    Apr 30, 2012
    7
    The ratings that this game has received by the critics calls the integrity of the gaming/game review industry into question. These scores reek of bribery. This is a good game, but to give it a ten is absurd. The horrible looking shadows alone take a full point off, in my opinion. Oblivion's shadows were far preferable. I attempted to play this on ps3, but it looked so horrid i took itThe ratings that this game has received by the critics calls the integrity of the gaming/game review industry into question. These scores reek of bribery. This is a good game, but to give it a ten is absurd. The horrible looking shadows alone take a full point off, in my opinion. Oblivion's shadows were far preferable. I attempted to play this on ps3, but it looked so horrid i took it back and then played it on PC. The PC graphics are infinitely better, but still very dated due to cross platform development. The gameplay is solid, and addictive. I found myself wanting to finish the main quest more so than in Oblivion. But i also stopped playing after i finished it, and I don't see myself going back to it. If this game had not been developed primarily for 7 year old console hardware, It could have been a masterpiece. For the PC version, due to community modding, it still could be. Shame on any professional critic who gave this game a 10. Credibility = dunzo.… Expand
  99. DarthLlama
    Sep 12, 2013
    10
    Not much left to be said that hasn't been said already. Brilliant game.. expansive, beautiful and highly addicting. Base game is a 9/10 then add in the customization available through mods and this game is one of the only games ever to truly pull off a perfect 10 rating.
  100. wrongpassword
    May 23, 2012
    7
    Skyrim's a good game but it isn't as good as its predecessors on the PC. The graphics are slightly improved but they are not the quantum leap that Oblivion was to Morrowind. The menu system is in a word crap. The dragons are more annoying than challenging. The loss of crafting spells also really hurt gameplay. Travelling around the mountainous terrain with no ability to fly or climbSkyrim's a good game but it isn't as good as its predecessors on the PC. The graphics are slightly improved but they are not the quantum leap that Oblivion was to Morrowind. The menu system is in a word crap. The dragons are more annoying than challenging. The loss of crafting spells also really hurt gameplay. Travelling around the mountainous terrain with no ability to fly or climb is a massive hassle making the open world environment feel a lot less open. The radient quest system is just a pretty way of saying randomized kill and/or fetch quests. Like all Beth releases, it is riddled with bugs which leads to a series of often questionable patches. Steam's habit of auto/stealth updating the game makes preventing bad patches a hassle and wreaks havok with modders.

    That isn't to say there aren't any positives. The random encounters are far more varied and interesting now. The two weapon combat system creates interesting if not fully realized possibilities. The new companion system also is a welcome addition. If you are a modder, which is almost mandatory, it is quickly developing one of the strongest libraries though I personally would avoid steamworkshop and its over simplified attempt at QC for mods. With the current generation of mods, I would rate this an eight and probably a nine sometime next year. That is the thing with Bethesda titles. They only get better as they age.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PC Game of 2011
1
#1 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011
2
#2 Most Shared PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 32
  3. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. PC Master (Greece)
    Feb 29, 2012
    90
    Unfortunately, Skyrim trips and falls on its own (most probably, to make the cool-sounding deadline of 11-11-11) and just before it reaches perfection as the ultimate specimen of its genre, it self-destructs in a crucial aspect of game design: the interface and the peripheral components (inventory, journal, map, etc)... but that is not to say that Skyrim is anything but a truly majestic, epic RPG that will suck you right in its cosmos.
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  2. Armchair Empire
    Feb 14, 2012
    100
    Skyrim is definitely one of the best games of 2011, but if the DLC holds out, it might just be one of the best games of 2012 as well.
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  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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