The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

 PlayStation 3
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2852 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,781 out of 2852
  2. Mixed: 302 out of 2852
  3. Negative: 769 out of 2852
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  1. rahzel
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    Giving it a 0 because Bethesda released a broken game on the Sony platform and appears to have gave little effort in optimizing their "NEW" engine on the PS3. Seems to me that it's the same old engine with no optimizations for the PS3's architecture and they released a broken game with issues that are so blatantly obvious that you have to wonder how these issues got past testing.
  2. Kampana
    Dec 5, 2011
    1
    Last night I started experiencing the game-breaking lag that everyone's talking about. I was concerned but assumed the lag would be fixed, until I read that one of Obsidian's director's comments that confirms the lag is an innate flaw and would require a "large time commitment" to fix. To me, this means that this game simply cannot be fixed within a reasonable budget or timeframe.

    I    Last night I started experiencing the game-breaking lag that everyone's talking about. I was concerned but assumed the lag would be fixed, until I read that one of Obsidian's director's comments that confirms the lag is an innate flaw and would require a "large time commitment" to fix. To me, this means that this game simply cannot be fixed within a reasonable budget or timeframe.

    I gave the review 1 star because this problem is nothing short of a show stopper. The game itself is fun, engrossing and innovative, but all accolades pale in the light that the game will simply stop working after a short period of time. For me, this short period of time was 37 hours of gameplay; given the hundreds of hours of potential gameplay, no amount of "fun" will make up for that loss.    … Expand
  3. doglegs
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    I've been looking forward to this since finishing Oblivion. Imagine my disappointment when, after sinking all too many hours into creating a character, dragons start to fly backwards and become un-killable, quest dialogues vanish, and the frame rate slows to ridiculousness. The game is broken - a tragedy, as it has great potential. The response from Bethesda is to go back to an earlierI've been looking forward to this since finishing Oblivion. Imagine my disappointment when, after sinking all too many hours into creating a character, dragons start to fly backwards and become un-killable, quest dialogues vanish, and the frame rate slows to ridiculousness. The game is broken - a tragedy, as it has great potential. The response from Bethesda is to go back to an earlier save - i do not have the inclination to repeat story lines however. At the moment, I have a £40 shiny piece of useless plastic sitting on my PS3. Very disappointed.… Expand
  4. kingofman
    Dec 5, 2011
    1
    I will get right to the point. Skyrim was an amazing game for the 20 hours or so I played when I first bought it brand new on the day of release. The game started without a hitch. No lag, no broken quests then as soon as my file size reached 6 MB it all went to hell. While walking around town, I noticed my screen freezing and struggling to show my character and the surroundings. RestartingI will get right to the point. Skyrim was an amazing game for the 20 hours or so I played when I first bought it brand new on the day of release. The game started without a hitch. No lag, no broken quests then as soon as my file size reached 6 MB it all went to hell. While walking around town, I noticed my screen freezing and struggling to show my character and the surroundings. Restarting the game was my only option. Which fixed the problem temporarily. Things got progressively worse after 6 MB. My save file is currently at 12 MB and it lags as though I were playing some sort of MMO with max settings and a dial-up connection. Funny considering Skyrim is a single player game with no options to play online. To top it all off, a lot more quests seem to be glitching for no reason. Although you are able to fix some of the glitches by reloading a previous save file there is no guarantee that the glitch will not happen again. Now I am lucky if I can get 2 hours of gameplay without having to restart.

    The patch that Bethesda released to fix the lag issue 17 days after the game came out has made things worse than before if you can believe it. It did not address the lag issue at all and made some of the npc's unresponsive during main quests. Bethesda probably already knew about the issue, but decided to mass produce the game and sell it to millions of people world wide. Avoid this game unless you enjoy getting angry and throwing away your money.    … Expand
  5. izanagi
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    This game is unfinished and now it's unplayable. I feel cheated for buying a sub-par product. The constants frame rate drops and the freezes rendered this game unplayable. If someday Bethesda fix this, I'll give it a better rating.
  6. SoulSlayer25
    Dec 11, 2011
    0
    There is just one thing you need to know, and that is DO NOT BUY THIS GAME FOR THE PS3!!! There is a game-breaking bug where once you reach around 6mb in your save file, the frame rate becomes so bad that it is literally unplayable. What should have been an utterly enjoyable piece of gaming heaven becomes a downright unplayable piece of garbage. Your best bet is to wait until this problemThere is just one thing you need to know, and that is DO NOT BUY THIS GAME FOR THE PS3!!! There is a game-breaking bug where once you reach around 6mb in your save file, the frame rate becomes so bad that it is literally unplayable. What should have been an utterly enjoyable piece of gaming heaven becomes a downright unplayable piece of garbage. Your best bet is to wait until this problem is fixed, though it's doubtful that it ever will. The fact that the game was released in this state is absolutely appalling. Surely Bethesda would've known about this bug, but they just decided to release it anyway and screw over the Ps3 users. This was a total waste of $60. The biggest disappointment of the year.… Expand
  7. PlayableGame
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    The game is unplayable. Constant bugs and repeat crashes. It's sad the gaming industry and community have allowed this become an acceptable practice. this game will surely pick up Game of the Year awards by sites who have been paid off in advertising dollars.
  8. TruthBeTold83
    Dec 9, 2011
    0
    First things first: The game itself is brilliant. Unfortunately not on Ps3 though. While some may argue whether or not you can rate a game 0 when the first 50 hours were awesome, or if you should take into account THAT you were able to play it for 50 hours whereas other games don't even last as long, it simply and ultimately comes down to the fact that this is a faulty product and does notFirst things first: The game itself is brilliant. Unfortunately not on Ps3 though. While some may argue whether or not you can rate a game 0 when the first 50 hours were awesome, or if you should take into account THAT you were able to play it for 50 hours whereas other games don't even last as long, it simply and ultimately comes down to the fact that this is a faulty product and does not deliver what the company promised. As Ps3 users we are more or less used to get the bad ports and with Skyrim it is no different. The graphics and general performance is the worst out of the 3 platforms, but that's not really an issue. Skyrim is still a good looking game, even gorgeos at times. And while it has some annoying yet bearable drops in framerate every now and then, the biggest game breaker is the massive 'lag' or stuttering that people are most likely to experience at some point. Imagine it to run with 0-5 frames per second. Since the latest update, a lot of other issues have arisen too. First and foremost the freezes which lock up your Ps3 and will eventually corrupt your hard drive. Add in occasionally broken main quests which prevent you from completing the game, a lot (read: a LOT) of other bugs and Bethesda's track record of how they dealt with bugs in previous games for Ps3, shake the whole thing and decide on your own if you really want to try the nicely looking yet somehow fishy smelling result. My advice: Don't. Just don't. You might get sick. Now, if you think we're just trolls, there's an easy way to find out. Just take a look to the right and read the official review from PSOM UK, or hit up youtube and type in "Skyrim Ps3 lag", check IGN who are currently investigating, go to the official Bethesda forums, heck, inform yourself any way you like, but don't believe those who gave the game a perfect 10 to know about ANYTHING. We are just here to warn you. *** Rated 0 because the game is fundamentally broken on Ps3. ***

    PS: You're probably confused because people are telling different save file sizes at which the lag begins. That's because it's not directly related to the size nor to the hours spent. It's related to how much you've done in the game. The engine keeps track of everything you do and since everyone plays at their own pace, it greatly varies for everyone when the stuttering will finally occur. Come to the official forums if you want to know more.    … Expand
  9. Dorfmann
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    This game is completely broken on the ps3. The game will slowly wither away the more you play it, until it becomes absolutely unplayable. The lag starts around the 30 hour mark and gets progressively worse. If you must have this game, wait until it's patched and buy it used. Do not support faulty products.
  10. Green03
    Dec 6, 2011
    1
    The only reason I gave this a one is because I love the story and the lore. I wanted to give this game a higher score, but the state of the PS3 version is disappointing and completely unacceptable. I did not expect to be playing a $60 slideshow with music. I understand that the PS3 is a harder platform to develop for and a completely bug free game is pretty much impossible, but thatThe only reason I gave this a one is because I love the story and the lore. I wanted to give this game a higher score, but the state of the PS3 version is disappointing and completely unacceptable. I did not expect to be playing a $60 slideshow with music. I understand that the PS3 is a harder platform to develop for and a completely bug free game is pretty much impossible, but that doesn't mean you release a game that has this type of game breaking bug. Frankly, I feel like I've been ripped off.… Expand
  11. Acculord
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    I love this game, it had all that it takes to be GOTY, except that it does not work on the ps3. The lag and the crashes, with a bit of broken main quests sprinkled on top makes this the most frustrating expirience in all my years of ps3 gaming. Get this game on the xbox, avoid the ps3 version like the plague. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!
  12. valkyre
    Dec 6, 2011
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is completely broken , at first everything looks fine, but after a while this lagfest and stutterfest takes over and never looks back. Do not buy this game, the people at BEthesda should be ashamed of this fiasco and scam/… Expand
  13. Cancerface
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    Broken game, don't buy it. Bethesda knew the game wasn't going to work when they released it. People have reported this game burning out their ps3.
  14. unassuming_man
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    BROKEN DO NOT BUY DO NOT SUPPORT THIS DEVELOPER UNTIL THEY CLEAN UP THElR MESS. The game becomes an unplayable mess after about 60hr of play which is unforgivable in a game this huge. don't make the same mistake hundreds of thousands have made, do not buy this game.
  15. Darkstone751
    Dec 7, 2011
    3
    Part 1: A definite 'buy' If you want to amuse your friends with Dragons that fly spastically backwards, Weapon racks that fail to activate (oh hold on... that is Whiterun only... my Windhelm one activates and places the weapons 'through' the wall), Mannequins that have their assorted body parts that vanish when adding your armor for display, Book shelves that no longer activate to holdPart 1: A definite 'buy' If you want to amuse your friends with Dragons that fly spastically backwards, Weapon racks that fail to activate (oh hold on... that is Whiterun only... my Windhelm one activates and places the weapons 'through' the wall), Mannequins that have their assorted body parts that vanish when adding your armor for display, Book shelves that no longer activate to hold books and of course my favorite... LAGGGGGGGGGGGG.… Expand
  16. Skyrimisdead
    Dec 8, 2011
    0
    t's a good game, but it's full of bugs and glitches on PS3. Broken quests, lag problems, inconsistencies, and much more. Moreover the core engine hasn't changes so much since the previous Elder's Scrolls, which is a game of several years ago. I expected more from Skyrim. Again, could still be fun, if and when they patch it.
  17. BrawlerO
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    AVOID UNTIL FIXED!! Too many bugs and game breaking issues (at Dec '11). Shame because it would be awesome if it worked :-( Hoping for a fix otherwise £40 down the drain...
  18. nogmonsoon
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    this game is broken... it lags and un-playable after all the effort i i put into it... i cant beleive they would let this happen... dont expect much this game is prolly worth 20 bucks tops... and thats being generous. dont buy it new, or youu will be sorry you gave the company that ripped you off thier money.
  19. soprano
    Dec 5, 2011
    1
    It's a good game, but it's full of bugs and glitches on PS3. Broken quests, lag problems, inconsistencies, and much more. Moreover the core engine hasn't changes so much since the previous Elder's Scrolls, which is a game of several years ago. I expected more from Skyrim. Again, could still be fun, if and when they patch it.
  20. B0SS_Zombie
    Dec 5, 2011
    1
    Would have given this a 9...if I could play it. I can't even have the game on for 20 minutes with it crashing or stuttering. On top of the fact that it doesn't work, I bought the Collector's Edition for $150, so that's a bunch of cash down the toilet. Can't even return it because I don't have the massive 2.5' x 2.5' cardboard box the game came in any more. On the other hand, it makes aWould have given this a 9...if I could play it. I can't even have the game on for 20 minutes with it crashing or stuttering. On top of the fact that it doesn't work, I bought the Collector's Edition for $150, so that's a bunch of cash down the toilet. Can't even return it because I don't have the massive 2.5' x 2.5' cardboard box the game came in any more. On the other hand, it makes a fantastic cup coaster, especially with the Collector's edition's thick case.… Expand
  21. FreeeeeeeezING
    Dec 10, 2011
    0
    Well my game till patch 1.2 was so good,but that patch was a disaster.Skyrim freezing all the time,it's unplayable anymore.Lag was heavy sometimes but never freezing before the patch,i don't know what to do about it.Tips didn't help,swaping disks either...Skyrim takes a 0 from me.
  22. bsNYC
    Dec 13, 2011
    0
    PROS: everything that isn't broken is superbly crafted. The main storyline, the side quests, the UI, even the simplistic combat--which if described to me, I would surely assume to be jejune and not worth my time--is actually very satisfying. Bethesda gets a standing ovation. With the exception of maybe Red Dead, I've never been so engrossed in the fixed narrative of an open-world game.PROS: everything that isn't broken is superbly crafted. The main storyline, the side quests, the UI, even the simplistic combat--which if described to me, I would surely assume to be jejune and not worth my time--is actually very satisfying. Bethesda gets a standing ovation. With the exception of maybe Red Dead, I've never been so engrossed in the fixed narrative of an open-world game. Usually I have to be stripped of freedom to enjoy a well-crafted story (e.g. uncharted) but Bethesda gives you the best of both worlds. Bravo! Definitely worth full-price...but with an asterisk* *CONS: the game is broken. I got to 6MB bug free. More frequent bugs after 8MB and ater 11MB, it became unplayable. If you play games for the story (whether crafted by you in an open-world or supplied by a fixed narrative) you won't be able to finish this game and enjoy the fruits of your labor. I've wasted at least 3 hours replaying parts due to crashes/freezes and another 1-2 hrs due to retarded frame-rates (literally retarded not the juvenile malapropism). What makes this more frustrating is that to fix the frame rate issues, it's recommended that you disable auto-saves. So my choices are either unplayable frame-rates or constant disruptive manual saves multiple times an hour, or replaying 30-60min sections due to crashes. I only have 45-90min every evening to either watch TV, surf the net or play games. To have the majority of that time be wasted is quite frustrating. What's that Einstein quotation about insanity? Doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results? Yeah... this game made me crazy. But I'm afraid I have to return to the world of the sane; I sadly won't be able to finish this fantastic game. Maybe in a few years, I'll pick up the GOTY edition for 20 bucks used and finish it but right now, I can't imagine anyone with a career, family-- your every day person with a life--being able to deal with the game-breaking technological deficiencies. RECOMMENDATION: buy it for the PC if you are lucky to have the specs to play it. DO NOT BUY on PS3 unless you are un(der)employed, sick and quarantined with nothing to do, or are on an extended vacation that you'd like to spend replaying sections of a game but never finishing. For those who want numbered scores: without game-breaking bugs: 10/10. With bugs: 0/10. Since the PS3 has bugs...I sadly have to give it a zero as I've wasted about 30hrs...… Expand
  23. TheEverglow
    Dec 12, 2011
    0
    I'm sorry and I truly hate to do this. This was one of the best games I've truly ever played until everything fell apart before my very eyes. My first 50 hours or so were some of the most complete bliss I've ever had playing a game, but then it started to get worse and worse on my system. Also yeah, the update made my game worse... I can't believe how awfully this was handled, it'sI'm sorry and I truly hate to do this. This was one of the best games I've truly ever played until everything fell apart before my very eyes. My first 50 hours or so were some of the most complete bliss I've ever had playing a game, but then it started to get worse and worse on my system. Also yeah, the update made my game worse... I can't believe how awfully this was handled, it's embarrassing honestly. Don't buy this game for PS3 or for any system honestly. Don't support them for making products with this kind of complete lack of care. I want my money back honestly...… Expand
  24. SerenityVoice
    Dec 12, 2011
    0
    The lack of acknowledgement by so many reviewers about how broken this game is for some people on PS3 only makes the fact that it is unplayable a bit curious about what happened with the PS3 version.Visit Beth forums and you will see why so many users here give it a zero.I will give it a zero too.The truth is not in the professional reviews,it's here and in the forums...
  25. SkekLach
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    The game itself would be fun, but the massive overdose of glitches make it practically unplayable. In my time playing it the sound went out, it would freeze up, a dragon actually flew around backwards in a circle and away from me when I'd try to attack it and the framerate was atrocious.
  26. PS3skyrim
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME This game is broken,There is lag,there is lag and more lag.Lag,bugs and freezes.Dragons going back wards and patches do not work.
  27. Westall
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    This is a strong contender for game of the year if you own it on Xbox or PC but in it's current form on the PS3 Skyrim is a waste of money. Slowly but with grinding, headache-inducing inevitability, the PS3 version slows down until it becomes a slide-show with frequent episodic freezes and even crashes. Unfortunately, these problems aren't very evident in the early hours, leading playersThis is a strong contender for game of the year if you own it on Xbox or PC but in it's current form on the PS3 Skyrim is a waste of money. Slowly but with grinding, headache-inducing inevitability, the PS3 version slows down until it becomes a slide-show with frequent episodic freezes and even crashes. Unfortunately, these problems aren't very evident in the early hours, leading players to put in a lot of wasted time on a game they will wish they never started or had purchased for another platform. Sure I could re-buy it for PC or Xbox and recieve a playable version, however I don't want to pay twice just to own the game I should have received in the first place and I don't want to replay all those early hours. Should never have been released in this state.… Expand
  28. greydragon
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    Bethesda has once again decided to release an unfinished game and use PS3 users as pseudo beta-testers. This could be their biggest blunder yet. This game suffers from severe memory leaks that eventually cause the game to be unplayable. This is highly unacceptable behavior from any company and is borderline fraudulent. They hint vaguely about fixing things, but do not communicate with theBethesda has once again decided to release an unfinished game and use PS3 users as pseudo beta-testers. This could be their biggest blunder yet. This game suffers from severe memory leaks that eventually cause the game to be unplayable. This is highly unacceptable behavior from any company and is borderline fraudulent. They hint vaguely about fixing things, but do not communicate with the user base at all - even on their own forums! Avoid this game like the plague. Bethesda doesn't care about you, and you shouldn't care about their broken mess of a game.… Expand
  29. dingus
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    This game is just full of bugs.You cannot complete quests because there bugged.The framerate after your save file gets large makes the game unplayable.Yet another bugged released game by bugthesda.I got this one ps3 and would recommend that no one else buys this game.
  30. jnk91
    Dec 5, 2011
    0
    One of the worst game release bugs I have ever seen with the PS3 framerate issues. I have lost complete faith in Bethesda. What a huge disappointment.
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Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best PS3 Game of 2011
3
#3 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2011
5
#5 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
92

Universal acclaim - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 16
  3. 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. TotalPlayStation
    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.
    Read full review
  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]
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