User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2852 Ratings

User score distribution:
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Jun 26, 2023
    7
    Across all platforms, PS3 version is the worst version of this phenomenal game.
  2. Jan 3, 2022
    7
    This version was my first experience with Skyrim, and honestly, I couldn't really get that immersed in it or stay committed to it for that long. I did actually put a good amount of time into the game, but the flaws were too significant. Mainly: The combat's clunky, the loading times are sleep-inducingly long, and... the nature of this game is to collect, but the more stuff you collect, theThis version was my first experience with Skyrim, and honestly, I couldn't really get that immersed in it or stay committed to it for that long. I did actually put a good amount of time into the game, but the flaws were too significant. Mainly: The combat's clunky, the loading times are sleep-inducingly long, and... the nature of this game is to collect, but the more stuff you collect, the more lag there is. So one of the core aspects of the game just doesn't really work that great because of the system limitations.

    Once I played Skyrim VR, I realized just how good this game can actually be. Literally every flaw disappeared in that version, leaving only minor complaints. Try that, or a Special Edition version instead. This game gets more interesting with add-ons.
    Expand
  3. Mar 18, 2020
    5
    +Elder scrolls universe is well written +Skill trees +Variety +Exploration+Some NPC's have interesting stories to tell+Soundtracks are amazing.
    +Combat and stealth is improved +Side quests -Dungeons -Main story.It has some great moments but its overall bad.
    -Most of your choices doesn't have consuqences. -Fetch quests. -Bugs -Compared to Oblivion,races look too similar to each other.
    +Elder scrolls universe is well written +Skill trees +Variety +Exploration+Some NPC's have interesting stories to tell+Soundtracks are amazing.
    +Combat and stealth is improved +Side quests -Dungeons -Main story.It has some great moments but its overall bad.
    -Most of your choices doesn't have consuqences. -Fetch quests.
    -Bugs
    -Compared to Oblivion,races look too similar to each other.
    -Removal of short/long swords etc.
    -Guilds/quests aren't as good as Oblivion's.
    -Less spells than oblivion.
    Expand
  4. Nov 9, 2019
    6
    ótimo jogo de aventura,mas falha como RPG,porte horrível para os consoles,ainda mais os da antiga geração
  5. Aug 29, 2019
    7
    Certainly worth a try, but unlike some earlier games the bugs and quest bloat really start to make a nuisance of themselves here. There are many times when the sheer beauty of Skyrim will make you stop and look around, but be forewarned there are just as many times you'll curse this game's non-starter exploration and hand-holding.
  6. Jun 8, 2018
    6
    This was and still is an amazingly enjoyable game, if you ignore the many, MANY bugs, of course.
  7. Apr 13, 2017
    6
    Boring game in the long run, missions are very tedious at the end, have too much content and very uninteresting, removing a couple of chains of missions, the others become heavy
  8. Jun 26, 2016
    5
    This has to be one of the worst ports I've ever played. While the PC and XBOX 360 version of the game looks beautiful. The PS3 version doesn't. Blurry, low textures, audio issues, framerate dropping to 15 if there is more than 3 enemies on the screen, buggy and glitchy.

    Let's start out with the textures. The textures looks worse than they do on PC's low setting. You have to get close to
    This has to be one of the worst ports I've ever played. While the PC and XBOX 360 version of the game looks beautiful. The PS3 version doesn't. Blurry, low textures, audio issues, framerate dropping to 15 if there is more than 3 enemies on the screen, buggy and glitchy.

    Let's start out with the textures. The textures looks worse than they do on PC's low setting. You have to get close to them in order to make them look better. Compared to the other versions this just looks like a PS2 game.

    The game has tons of audio issues, from sounds not playing to them being out of sync. The PS3 can do better than this, much better.

    If there are more than 3 enemies on the screen at once the framerate drops to below 15, I'm not kidding! Hell, even if there aren't any enemies on screen the game randomly drops to 0FPS (yes really) for no reason!

    Like all Bethesda games the game did have a couple of bugs and glitches... on PC and XBOX 360. On the PS3 version the game was unplayable thanks to dragons flying backwards, falling though the map and much much more.

    All of this could be avoided if Bethesda actually finished their games before releasing them. But I guess they ran out of time or they were to lazy so they just ignored optimizing the PS3. And charged $60 for it! The PS3 does have the power to look as good as the XBOX360 version. Oh well, let's hope it looks better on PS4.

    If you're thinking of buying Skyrim, please buy it on XBOX360 or PC! Don't buy the PS3 version unless you want the game to look and play like sh*t. The game is still fun though and offers everything the other versions does (Except better graphics, audio and framerate) The game is really fun, I put more than 100 hours into it!
    Expand
  9. Nov 30, 2015
    5
    I really love this game. It runs quite well on the PS3 and it is really great quality. I like how you can decide what you want to say to people. It definitely keeps you busy with a variety of objectives and quests. However, the game isn't so long that you lose interest in it. I highly recommend this game!
  10. Nov 15, 2015
    7
    This game is amazing but the port isn't so amazing. The game plays well but there can be many frame rate drops, long loading screens, strange glitches, texture problems etc. If you are considering getting Skyrim then make sure you get the legendary edition and if you have a powerful PC then consider getting it on PC because it can handle the game much better.
  11. Mar 5, 2015
    7
    Three words: Glitchy, Broken, AMAZING.

    This is a simple case of an expertly crafted experience, ruined on more than one platform by horrendous quality assurance. I couldn't tell you how many times my horse fell through a mountain, how many times I got stuck in terrain and had to reload, How many times I just died from literally nothing or my PS3 turned off completely while playing!
    Three words: Glitchy, Broken, AMAZING.

    This is a simple case of an expertly crafted experience, ruined on more than one platform by horrendous quality assurance.
    I couldn't tell you how many times my horse fell through a mountain, how many times I got stuck in terrain and had to reload, How many times I just died from literally nothing or my PS3 turned off completely while playing! Glitches like not being able to finish a quest for no real reason or a spellbook becoming forever unattainable because an NPC refuses to sell it (like they should) run rampant in this fantasy masterpiece. It's a shame too as it quickly became one of may favorite (and most frustrating) experiences on the platform to this day.

    With technical aspects aside, I'm glad to admit this game is beautiful, in both scenery and character, and the world is deep, BIG, and diverse. Character interactions are mostly enjoyable(though writing is not always perfect). And of course, the enemy verity and combat scenarios placed in front of the played are varied and offer thousands of ways to take them on. The leveling trees, perk systems, and combat are endlessly satisfying; making this one of the best RPGs money can buy. Though, running it a 12fps in combat and 2fps (Yes it gets that bad) in glitchy areas constantly threatens to kill the entire experience.

    This product is broken all around, but nowhere does it have as bad of QA as on the PS3. Honestly if there weren't going to test the product they should never have released it for this platform. If you have literally any other option of where and how to play this game, DON'T buy it on PS3! It is so broken it will break you! Long story short this is a wonderful and lengthy experience that offers up a ton of fun if you can put up with an equal weight in ****
    7.2/10
    Expand
  12. Jan 28, 2015
    5
    Finally reviewing skyrim after all these years. Well i cant possibly give it a high score because it wasnt playable on release and i personally didn't think it ran well till patch 1.7. It was the only unplayable game i ever tried to play. I do have a love for this game.I have put 100s of hours into it. None the less only quality merchandise for me.
  13. Nov 30, 2014
    5
    I am The Destroyer. I will break games, complain about the littlest detail, and tell you whether or not you should buy this game. A lot of things to say but can't due to the 5000 character limit.

    We are on the final patch of this game, and the game is still frustrating as hell! Did Bethesda fix the bugs? No! Is it still crashing every 30 minutes after 80 hours of gameplay? Yeah! Do
    I am The Destroyer. I will break games, complain about the littlest detail, and tell you whether or not you should buy this game. A lot of things to say but can't due to the 5000 character limit.

    We are on the final patch of this game, and the game is still frustrating as hell! Did Bethesda fix the bugs? No! Is it still crashing every 30 minutes after 80 hours of gameplay? Yeah! Do quests get bugged to the point where they don't proceed? Pretty soon no ones going to give a **** about what Bethesda makes any more. No ones gonna wanna buy their products because they can't program their games correctly, especially not for PS3. Skyrim should never have come to this console!!!

    1. Story
    The story is set in the province of Skyrim, where the dormant dragons are suddenly returning. The end days have been prophesied and only Dragonborn can stand up to it. You begin the game a prisoner in Helgan, where you get to customize the visuals of your character. Destined for the chopping block, a dragon attacks & destroys Helgan, and you managed to break free. What happens next is up to you.

    2. Voice Acting
    Finally, a Bethesda game where voice acting can be phrased! From small conversations to large meetings, they are filled with rich detail has you are believing every word they say, even if they don't always lip-sync correctly.

    3. Graphics and Visuals
    One thing I noticed about Skyrim is that there is a lack of emotion on most of the characters faces. They all just look downright neutral all the time. But as for the attack visuals, magic, scenery, and everything else, the graphics are as good as it's going to get for this generation.

    4. Gameplay
    Gameplay refers to the Battle System, Customization & Level Up, and various areas you explore within the game. Put it all together and it's awesome!

    -Battle System-
    There are going to be a lot of battles in this game, and you'll be given many different ways on how to deal with the situation. You have your choice of Axes, Swords, Daggers, Greatswords, Shields to an extent, Magic, and many more. The Role-Playing element in this game is mostly gone and leans towards more of an Action element, but that doesn't mean that the battles aren't fun.

    -Customization-
    Despite it's variation, the customization doesn't feel right. You can essentially become a god in this game once you max out Smithing, Alchemy, and Enchantment. It feels unbalanced. Aside from that, you can wear any armor piece you want, use any weapon, it's all there. Some things are done right, other things are done wrong. The average fan will be satisfied with this result...

    -Exploration-
    Easily the best part about this game! You actually want to explore because it feels interesting, and there's a lot of areas to look around in. Dungeons don't ever feel generic either despite some having the same artwork. But the enemies for the most part are swapped up, which further adds to the experience.

    5. Soundtrack
    The music feels rich and high quality, almost as if it set itself up to be put in a game that would be for the ages. It's a shame because these tracks deserved to be in a better game or at least a game that's safe from bugs.

    6. DLC
    Don't even think about it! Anyone who buys DLC is an idiot because you gave into Bethesda's master cash-in plan! The promised to fix the bugs, but instead they added DLC. They have not earned the satisfaction to take our money with additionals when they couldn't even deliver us the original product. And even if you do download them, your playing time gets chopped in half! Your files will begin crashing & bugging much earlier.

    7. Bugs & Glitches
    Oh my god... The amount of bugs that flood this game is ridiculous! Your game will begin to crash randomly after 80 hours of gameplay, and you will get stuck on loading screens even before then. Quests don't proceed properly or come to a halt by picking the wrong actions. It's just a nightmare.

    8. Personal Enjoyment
    Even without bugs and glitches I realize this isn't a perfect game. How do I put this without giving away spoilerd... hmmm... In the Civil War questline, it's all offence and no defense. Both the Thieves Guild questline and the College of Winterhold questline have an unsatisfactory aftermath. The game does have some fun moments, but isn't worth what happens after.

    9. Overall Verdict
    Bethesda might have promised to fix some of the bugs, but that still doesn't excuse how the game was at release, and how it took over a year for them to fix some of the issues. And instead of fixing them all, they added DLC. The damage has been done! No one should play the PS3 version of Skyrim. The overall verdict is a 5 out of 10. The sour experience drops the epic down to an average game.
    Expand
  14. Oct 24, 2014
    7
    Back at launch i had interest in this game for its atmosphere, but i delayed it due to some of the problems of the PS3 version. So i recently bought the Legendary Edition on PS3 and gave it a try. I needed to came here to do my personal and fast review because 3 years have passed since launch and guess what: most of the technical problems are still there. I am ~30h into the game and thereBack at launch i had interest in this game for its atmosphere, but i delayed it due to some of the problems of the PS3 version. So i recently bought the Legendary Edition on PS3 and gave it a try. I needed to came here to do my personal and fast review because 3 years have passed since launch and guess what: most of the technical problems are still there. I am ~30h into the game and there are so many technical problems that make me unsure if i want to continue this mess.
    First thing: the game. The atmosphere of the game itself it is what makes this game unique and is what can keep us playing despite the technical/performance problems: Ice Age+Viking atmosphere. The concept is a 1st/3rd person generic openworld WRPG with lots of freedom, with a nice overall upgrade character system. There are giants, mammoths, saber-tooth tigers, etc, etc, etc, DRAGONS, many character races, lots of quests, lots of caverns, lots dungeons, many distinct cities, etc, etc, etc, lots weapon/items upgrades/creation, nice skill trees, lots of skills/magics/summons, etc, etc, etc. I personally think the level up system and skill trees/perks/skills is a huge change from last games. It is a super plain and simple system and it is the best i have seen in ages in a game of this genre. If you like lots of freedom in a game, a nice level up system, this kind of atmosphere, many quests, DRAGONS, this game is for you.
    Second thing: technical execution (of the PS3 version). For the ones who want still give it a try, at least in this version, you can count on frame rate issues, some breaks, some freezes, game late response to the gamepad, random dead dragons in the world and you can do nothing to them, random items bouncing like crazy on tables, floor, water, etc. So far even some quests had bugs like you can't talk to people you should to to progress the mission... I also had to turn off all of the autosaves because the game froze 6 times in 20 minutes of gameplay, and that was the way to stop that.
    Another note: when you start the game for the very first time, the first autosave is bugged. It won't let you save the game any further and the autosave system will not work. You must ignore that and start the game again with another save file without deleting that very first autosave.
    Come on... Was this game finished/optimized ready to launch on consoles?

    Pros: incredible atmosphere, the freedom, many cities, many dungeons, many caverns... and... DRAGONS!
    Cons: technical side of the game. This is a complete mess of optimization of this version. What a shame.
    Another cons is that some of the caverns seems to be a copy of each other, with different paths... And there could be more enemy variation, but its fine as it is in these two aspects.

    If i could play the game normally on my PS3 i would gave it a 10/10. So i take 3 points due to the technical mess that is this version.

    What i can conclude once more, now after the launch of The Evil Within, is that in Bethesda there are extremely good guys in the design/artwork side of the company but they have poor guys in technical/optimization side.
    If you want to play Skyrim go to the PC version at least to avoid the major visual/performance problems.

    I am now glad that in most official reviews of the new games the reviewers add some criticism to the technical side of the game so people can count on what to really expect from a game.
    Expand
  15. Aug 22, 2014
    7
    I bought this after the patch came out that fixed the save issues for the PS3 version. I will only shave 1 point off the final score for that. It would probably have been more, but I had no issues other than having to wait forever to play it. The game itself is as good as it has always been. It doesn't really add much to what was already done in Oblivion. A few minor tweaks here andI bought this after the patch came out that fixed the save issues for the PS3 version. I will only shave 1 point off the final score for that. It would probably have been more, but I had no issues other than having to wait forever to play it. The game itself is as good as it has always been. It doesn't really add much to what was already done in Oblivion. A few minor tweaks here and there, but that is about it. The complaints I have- Killing dragons by hitting them in the leg because they were dumb enough to land was pretty ill-conceived, Every NPC in the local taverns are all voice-acted by the same dude or broad, and none of the other minor annoyances too numerous to mention haven't really been addressed. Essentially it's an Oblivion HD remake or something along those lines. Expand
  16. Jul 1, 2014
    7
    OH lordy help me with this game ik im late to review it but atleast i know what i need to be doing.
    first of all skyrim is not as bad as some other elderscroll games and all the people tht hate on it giving it a zero are probably the people who dont understand much about how a game is supposed to aim at a certain consumer.
    Skyrim is aiming at one of the highest demographics of consumers
    OH lordy help me with this game ik im late to review it but atleast i know what i need to be doing.
    first of all skyrim is not as bad as some other elderscroll games and all the people tht hate on it giving it a zero are probably the people who dont understand much about how a game is supposed to aim at a certain consumer.
    Skyrim is aiming at one of the highest demographics of consumers ever KIDS and teens ranging from 10-11
    small numbers right
    EXACTLY u fools its supposed to make tht little kid who is sitting down in his/her room sitting down in their room on tht HD tv NOT THINK!
    WITHERFANG UR A STUPID BECAUSE WHY WOULD THEY DO THT.
    the average ten year old now screams at someone who keeps killing them at cod how to u expect them to think where treasure/thief/contract/etc... they made the game simple with lots of gore isnt tht something u look for in an action game.
    the map of skyrim is ok its not the best nor the worse the mountains can be tedious but where else would they put a cave. in the ground like a rabbit hole.
    The combat is the a factor tht people themselves act like a 10-11 year old.
    ok now listen in the menu when u press start/esc. it has a setting called DIFFICULTY turn the game to expert u whore and see how easy it is then with ur deadric items AY!
    when i first bought skyrim i had the same opinion boring tedious a chore. tht didnt even effect me.
    ok ok ok i need u to be the listener.
    DO WHAT U WANT AND GET THE DLC.
    the dlc is gorgeous but this is about vanilla skyrim.
    YES some a lot of the quest is rinse and repeat but it doesnt mean u hv to rinse and repeat.
    next time try to sneak.
    next time try to use a two handed weapon.
    next time go FREAKING NAKED.
    IF THE GAME IS TOO EASY THEN SPICE IT UP!!!!!
    really its a joke everytime i hear someone say skyrim is toooooooo easy.
    now to the story. 0_0 u tried to hv a good story but all together it was u know predictable kill alduin yadda yadda hooray!
    thts why its not a ten.
    the combat is very innovative itself like oblivion and marrowind. if i do recall when u press both r1 and l1 button u do a double strike so combat is an A.
    voice acting robot mechanic thing. ok they could of done better even with the face animation because the character may sound sad but all u see is a robot face but they have tried with the emotions.
    now the little subplots like LIST
    companions
    darkbrotherhood
    forsworn
    blades-ish
    college of winterhold
    thieves guild
    bards college-useless
    empire
    stormcloacks
    if i missed any put them in the comments.
    now for me to cut some cake the bugs!!
    now they r annoying and some catch u and it breaks ur game we cant fix tht everygame has bugs this 1 just has a ittle more.
    now if i went into every little detail this review itself wold probably end up on ign or something so ima stop there thx for reading if u hv any further coments or concerns put them in the comment section
    Expand
  17. Jun 13, 2014
    6
    Skyrim isn't a bad game, but it is, in my opinion, the most overrated game in the history of gaming w/o another game sniffing 2nd place. Sure, there's lots to do, but the ridiculous amount of bugs, glitches, frame rate drops, tearing & freezing leave me wanting to play anything this. People call this one of the best games ever made -- how? It's not even the best Elder Scrolls game ever made...
  18. May 5, 2014
    7
    I am a huge Bethesda fan-girl. They can rarely do wrong in my eyes. That being said:

    Skyrim is a nerfed Oblivion, but it is still fun. Whatever bugs were going on are fixed now, I think I have had one or two crashes in the 100+ hrs I've played. Also very few if any instances of flying horses, hovering NPCs, etc, etc. Main story: Weak in Oblivion, and still weak now. Just no
    I am a huge Bethesda fan-girl. They can rarely do wrong in my eyes. That being said:

    Skyrim is a nerfed Oblivion, but it is still fun.

    Whatever bugs were going on are fixed now, I think I have had one or two crashes in the 100+ hrs I've played. Also very few if any instances of flying horses, hovering NPCs, etc, etc.

    Main story: Weak in Oblivion, and still weak now. Just no desire to complete it.

    Quests: Fun, but lack in variety, which seems to be a trend. Morrowind had the most varied quests, then Oblivion and now Skyrim. It's turned into just a go find this, go kill that. Come on Bethesda!!!

    Fighting is just pointing and clicking frantically. No real skill here.

    Guilds: My two favorite guilds from Oblivion, Thieves and DB, are now my least favorite. The stories are so poor, they shouldn't have even bothered. However, the fighters' and mages' guilds have fantastic stories and memorable NPCs.

    Environment: breathtaking. Truly breathtaking.

    Music: Amazing and it will get stuck in your head, but in a good way.

    Enemies: Level with you, thank the man that wasn't nerfed. Go in the wrong area and wham-o insta-death. This makes me happy, I like a challenge.

    Crafting: HUGE improvement from Oblivion. HUGE. I love crafting in this game; alchemy, smithing, enchanting... it's a great way to earn money and helps with the immersion.

    Good game, but when held to what Bethesda normally puts out, it was just OK.
    Expand
  19. Fuz
    Mar 6, 2014
    5
    Fire the guy who designed the interface. Just. Fire. Him. It's the worst interface I've ever seen. We have a mouse, non a gamepad. Apart from that, is the same game we already knew from Oblivion. Lots of bugs, pleasant graphics (but you can do better IF you don't do a straight from console porting) et cetera. If you liked Oblivion you will like this. If you couldn't stand all the littleFire the guy who designed the interface. Just. Fire. Him. It's the worst interface I've ever seen. We have a mouse, non a gamepad. Apart from that, is the same game we already knew from Oblivion. Lots of bugs, pleasant graphics (but you can do better IF you don't do a straight from console porting) et cetera. If you liked Oblivion you will like this. If you couldn't stand all the little problems and annoyances like the unresponsive combat (no feedback on hits? seriously?) and the TERRIBLE enemies scaling you wouldn't like this game. I'm still waiting for a Daggerfall 2. Or a Daggerfall remake. And by the way: FIRE the guy who designed the interface. Also, the guy who approved it. Expand
  20. Feb 4, 2014
    7
    A fun RPG, but I found it rather overrated. The world is beautiful, but becomes rather repetitive. Exploring began to lack some of the excitement of other RPGs I've played. Combat necessitates a lot of pausing to find the spell or item you need, I felt it could have been streamlined. Generally, it's a decent story, although some of the side quests are more interesting than the main quests.A fun RPG, but I found it rather overrated. The world is beautiful, but becomes rather repetitive. Exploring began to lack some of the excitement of other RPGs I've played. Combat necessitates a lot of pausing to find the spell or item you need, I felt it could have been streamlined. Generally, it's a decent story, although some of the side quests are more interesting than the main quests. Overall, felt a bit like quantity over quality. I put in about 60 hours, finished the two main quest lines and a lot else, and I doubt I'll go back. It started to feel rather repetitive. If you like sword and magic RPGs, it's worth your time, but it may not win over doubters.

    Lastly, I never had many problems with bugs other than a freeze once in awhile. Make sure to save often, and have multiple save files, just in case.
    Expand
  21. Oct 27, 2013
    6
    I like Skyrim, I really do. But for me Bethesda has failed in what could have been one of the great games of our time. I have put a lot of hours into Skyrim and best way to describe this game is “It’s a big as an ocean but contains less fish then a pond”. Such a massive environment but every dungeon is the same, every puzzle is too simple and pointless, every enemy is the same just looks aI like Skyrim, I really do. But for me Bethesda has failed in what could have been one of the great games of our time. I have put a lot of hours into Skyrim and best way to describe this game is “It’s a big as an ocean but contains less fish then a pond”. Such a massive environment but every dungeon is the same, every puzzle is too simple and pointless, every enemy is the same just looks a bit different, every NPC sounds the same 80% percent of NPCs have an American accent, no offence but British accents would have made much more sense. Food is pointless, alchemy is pathetic unless it’s maxed and even then it’s a kind of pointless cause by the time you’re that high a level you’ll be picking up Ultimate Health and Regeneration Potions, I guess in saying that blacksmithing is pointless too, there’s no need to make ebony or glass weapons and amours cause you’re just bound to pick it up from a chest. Skyrim’s a country set in another world yet contains Mammoths, wolfs, sabre-tooths, bears, foxes, spiders, rabbits, deer’s, fish and crabs which all can be found on Earth (Mammoths, sabre-tooths are extinct), beside the trolls there’s no unreal animal which I find really stupid. The only spells that are useful are destruction or restoration ones, I guess conjuration can be useful at times but Illusion and Alteration just piss me of. Why would I use a spell the makes enemies flee only to comeback 15 seconds later to attack me, I guess I could chase them but in doing so I’ll just run into more enemies then I’ll be out numbered. Or I could make an enemy “Calm” but as soon as I decide you kill him he’ll attack me right back. Alteration spells like candle or mage light does nothing as the game is always well lit. Even shouts are pointless, use a powerful shout and wait two minutes before you can use another one, in the meantime just run around and hope you don’t get killed. Gold is as well, the only things I did with my gold was to buy a house and to pay of my bounties. I never spent a cent on that I knew I’ll just find later. But the biggest fault about this game is the entire story. Don’t get me started on that. Expand
  22. Jul 7, 2013
    5
    Most overrated game of all, a lot of bugs, the pc version is great, the 360 good, and the ps3 version is like crap!
    Positive:
    -Big and imersive world
    -good graphics
    -A lot to do
    Negative:
    -Bugs, bugs everywere
    -no striking character
    -poor story
  23. Jun 27, 2013
    5
    One of the best and worst games ever. The best because the gameplay, story and sheer size is epic. The worst because eventually it becomes so laggy and frustrating that it's almost unplayable. Luckily I was able to complete most of the quests and story lines before that happened.
  24. Apr 19, 2013
    6
    Post Patch 1.9 Review
    The stability bugs experienced by Skyrim players since launch are well documents so I thought I would make my first review a look at Skyrim with the cure-all patch 1.9 installed.
    Unfortunately, Stability is still an issue. I have found as many instances of the game hanging at loading screens and in transitionary areas of the map as I had previously. The frame-rate
    Post Patch 1.9 Review
    The stability bugs experienced by Skyrim players since launch are well documents so I thought I would make my first review a look at Skyrim with the cure-all patch 1.9 installed.
    Unfortunately, Stability is still an issue. I have found as many instances of the game hanging at loading screens and in transitionary areas of the map as I had previously. The frame-rate seems to suffer in the same places too; particularly when large amounts of bodies are present on screen. For instance, after escaping the prison at the very beginning of the game, the game judders significantly as you journey to Riverwood, perhaps in response to the high concentration of plush and exotic plant life littering the landscape. Similarly a room of skeletons near the end of a certain underwater fort causes awful slowdown.

    Graphically, the seam-joining bugs that appeared a year ago are still present. Heads and necks do not meet up on 63% of the NPCs. This started to occur when a previous update changed the way Weight modelled the character, for now there are only four settings in character creation which give the player character a 'joined up' look. As all the NPCs are created from the same templates, they do not benefit from the inspection you can give to your own avatar prior to launching the game. Failing to pick one of the four safe weights and the result is at best a flickering around the neckline, and at worst a void into which the far-distance background can be seen. There are also colour mismatches between head and body; equally immersion-breaking for those with full colour vision, I'm sure.

    Quest bugs are still present too. For instance, being sent to Yngol Barrow for the Helm of Winterhold will still remove the Helm of Yngol and cause the dungeon to be un-clearable; I've become accustomed to quest bugs foibles to the degree that I usually avoid them without thinking, yet I am still tripped by the likes of that above. Blood on the Ice is still buggy and I start every new game by travelling to Windhelm and waiting for the quest to start, then waiting longer to finish it; and all because some random NPC is not marked essential and a dragon or vampire attack will start a butterfly effect which will rob me of my favourite house some hours down the line.

    The inclusion of the Legendary difficulty setting finally settles the argument about playing on Master being for the hardcore players only. Legendary is impossible to play on from the start of the campaign, I started this way and was two-shotted by the first soldier I encountered.
    However, on a much more advanced save, I was able to thrive on Legendary. In that save, I'd maxed all my equipment and the game was no longer challenging. I'd played on Master throughout the game and struggled through the early parts until I could make the game easy. After 30 hours of play I was then able to play as if I was still on Adept difficulty; what is the point of that, really? The inclusion of Legendary smacks of only one thing, poor balancing, and only useful to min/maxers who broke the game by becoming too powerful. Moreover, game balancing should be the domain of the developer, not something to outsource to the player. I don't want to ask myself "how often should I die?" For me, balancing makes the difference between a game being 'a virtual interactive world' and 'a competitive and fun form of recreation'.

    Lastly, I know a lot of people were upset about the removal of a certain glitch which enabled players to reach the level cap in half an hour; I can say categorically that with the introduction of Legendary Skills, levelling is even easier. Certain oft-overlooked skills like Pickpocket level up very quickly but the real boon comes in the form of the spell Harmony which, when used in combination with enchanted gear, can be chain-cast in busy areas to level up once every 30 seconds. I reached a character level of 164 before the novelty wore off and I realised I had broken my game.

    Game save file sizes continue to balloon. This can be somewhat combatted by cleaning 'safe' dungeons of clutter by storing it on bodies, but this tactic is both time consuming and annoying. It also necessitates heavy use of the Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages to determine the 'safe' locations; and there are many. Doing so will reduce save file sizes and help with lag, as will clearing quests. It is manageable, yet is not what I wanted to do in my spare time.

    In summary, while patch 1.9 is a step up regarding some game breaking mechanics, the experience remains largely unchanged. It is not possible to gaily wander through the game without consequence on stability, frame-rate, quest completion or balance.
    That aside, Skyrim itself has proven to endure and remains one of the most beautifully crafted game worlds I've ever seen and I feel an almost paternal love for it, despite it's many issues. That I am the 1819th user to voice their opinions on the matter stands testament to its greatness.
    Expand
  25. Apr 8, 2013
    5
    They should call it SKYBUG!!not skyrim. even after almost 2 years they release a patch (2.09) that from the first minute bugged my gameplay. Bethesda is just pathetic...will definately NOT get any DLC nor any future game unless they prove me wrong in the future. Just pathetic...
  26. Feb 28, 2013
    6
    The PS3 version of this game should be reviewed on 2 different aspects:

    The game itself: deserves nothing less of an 8. It's a huuuuuge game and does a very good job at keeping that adventure itch going on. Gameplay wise it good but it's nothing amazing, other games have done it better and it kind of lacks depth. The skill trees however are incredible, and all other RPGs should take
    The PS3 version of this game should be reviewed on 2 different aspects:

    The game itself: deserves nothing less of an 8. It's a huuuuuge game and does a very good job at keeping that adventure itch going on. Gameplay wise it good but it's nothing amazing, other games have done it better and it kind of lacks depth. The skill trees however are incredible, and all other RPGs should take notes about how to do a leveling scheme properly; it compensates the lack of depth with an abundance of skills, making you a highly specialized killing machine in the end without compromising your sense of freedom (kudos on this one). Magic implementation is another highpoint, the way you can mix spells in your hands is incredibly fluid and gives you a lot of satisfaction. The lowpoints: design is repetitive to hell, and once you've seen your first drough dungeon you've seen them all. It teases an abundance of hundreds of dungeons but in the end you only have 4 skins: drough dungeon, dwarves dungeon, caves, sanctuaries........... and of course a lot of castles and outdoors combat. Third person view is awful too, it's uncomfortable and you'll be forced to stay in first person through most of the game.

    The tecnical issues: minus 2 points (and I'm being generous). Issues have already been expressed in detail by other users. Patches have improved these issues, but it still isn't enough specially if you plan to make a +100 hour investment in the game. It was never such a letdown for me since I stopped playing at +90 hours out of boredom, and I tolerate tecnical issues pretty well. But bare in mind that if you're sensitive to such troubles, the score may sink further even to a 2-3.

    Overall a good game is a good game, and you should at least give it a shot
    Expand
  27. Feb 27, 2013
    6
    The game was all right, but after a while I felt that the game began to become irritating to play. The worst part about the game is all of the major bugs and glitches that are littered within Skyrim.
  28. Feb 17, 2013
    6
    It's so ridiculous that this game could possibly receive any high scores on the ps3 version. The game could be the best game ever invented but what good does that do you when bugs prevent you from even playing the game as intended? This game loses at least 3 points on the numerous bugs/freezes/lag problems preventing you from playing the game in the first place alone. I can not possiblyIt's so ridiculous that this game could possibly receive any high scores on the ps3 version. The game could be the best game ever invented but what good does that do you when bugs prevent you from even playing the game as intended? This game loses at least 3 points on the numerous bugs/freezes/lag problems preventing you from playing the game in the first place alone. I can not possibly rate the game higher than a 7 on that. Just so you know, I am not a TES fanboy so I can give you a more objective view on what you old bitter vets just need to face the reality on....I'm just going to say what you guys won't admit....combat in Morrowind, Oblivion, and now Skyrim is still the same awkward, clunky, piece of garbage and needs to be completely scratched imo. Yes the exploration in this game is absolutely AMAZING!! I give this a game 5 points just for the vast beautiful world you get to explore. Immersion is definitely one of the main strong suits for this game. I really feel like I'm a part of this world. But again, the combat system ruins the game even though the bugs/gliches/freezes do a good job of that to begin with. I know all the bitter vets will turn their noses up and cry like little babies but can you imagine a combat system similar to a Kingdoms of Amalur but in the world of TES?! I would go ahead and throw all my money at Bethesda right now lol Just quit giving us unfinished work! I put over 100 hours into this game, but let's be honest, at LEAST 50 hours of that was in menus changing spells/weapons/potions etc or looking at the map, or the worst....on a loading screen...
    This game gets the rating it gets because the immersion and exploration are worth buying the game for alone. I would just recommend playing an archer only so the combat won't feel so awkward.
    Expand
  29. Jan 27, 2013
    7
    Skyrim was fun for the first 10 or so hours but after that, I was bored. And that's bad for an 100+ hour game. The story is pretty good, however it's not the best or near it. The combat is really boring as all you are doing is pressing 1 or 2 buttons and doing the exact same thing, the entire time, eg. slash, slash, block, slash, drink healing potion, slash, slash etc... But the game isSkyrim was fun for the first 10 or so hours but after that, I was bored. And that's bad for an 100+ hour game. The story is pretty good, however it's not the best or near it. The combat is really boring as all you are doing is pressing 1 or 2 buttons and doing the exact same thing, the entire time, eg. slash, slash, block, slash, drink healing potion, slash, slash etc... But the game is above average considering the quality content (large world for exploration, variety of enemies and equipment, amount of missions and side quests, character development and leveling up, marriage, joining guilds etc..) And for those first 10- 20 hours, the game is pretty damn fun. So if your at home with a lot of time to spare, Skyrim's your game. Expand
  30. Dec 27, 2012
    7
    This game was fun to start out with, but not great in the long run. You go through in this amazing, expansive world, collecting gear, doing various quest lines, and then you realize: This game is too big. I mean seriously, it is fun, but if you do not have insane amounts of time on your hands, you will not have an amazing experience. Don't get me wrong... the game is great, but Bethesda'sThis game was fun to start out with, but not great in the long run. You go through in this amazing, expansive world, collecting gear, doing various quest lines, and then you realize: This game is too big. I mean seriously, it is fun, but if you do not have insane amounts of time on your hands, you will not have an amazing experience. Don't get me wrong... the game is great, but Bethesda's issue of not fixing bugs that they know exist are yet another reason to not love this game. Dungeons get repetitive, etc. Expand
Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 16
  2. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Jan 2, 2012
    97
    This is a game full of emotions for gamers who are willing to embrace it. A beautiful fantasy land that makes loading times a thing of the past and is full of surprises. Not only do you get a lot of variety in the locations, the gameplay offers a lot of different experiences as well. [December 2011, p.66]
  2. Dec 28, 2011
    90
    I enjoyed Skyrim and I look forward to the DLC that we know is inevitably coming. If we looked at this honestly, though, this game probably should have been pushed back a month or so for more polish. It needed it and it still does.
  3. Playstation: The Official Magazine (US)
    Dec 17, 2011
    100
    Skyrim is a gorgeous production that truly does justice to the words "roleplaying game." It doesn't just tell us a story, it gives us the chance to tell a story of our own. At its best, that's what an interactive art form should be all about. [Jan 2011, p.73]