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. bigred2st
    Nov 21, 2011
    7
    not a rpg but tried it nonetheles not a bad game just not for me and anyone with a like jk just said that piss people off but seriously just not for me and i dont see what all the hype is about
  2. Thrashtera88
    Nov 29, 2011
    7
    This game is great it is huge and there soo many things for you to do that it can even overwhelming at times. However the major flaw in this game for this console is the frame rate. I do not remember oblivion having frame rate issues, and they are in actuality the same size. They have released the 1.02 patch that has improved the frame rate issues but has not eliminated them entirely. iThis game is great it is huge and there soo many things for you to do that it can even overwhelming at times. However the major flaw in this game for this console is the frame rate. I do not remember oblivion having frame rate issues, and they are in actuality the same size. They have released the 1.02 patch that has improved the frame rate issues but has not eliminated them entirely. i can tell you though that it is not nearly as bad as it was, and if Bethesda keeps working at it then I'm happy I guess. Although they really should of fixed this before releasing it, and none of the critic reviews ever mentioned frame rate issues which really pisses me off. Makes you think that some shady business is going on there.… Expand
  3. MWesthoff
    Dec 1, 2011
    7
    Not a very ambitious game. There is nothing really clever or original about it. It's better than Oblivion but worse than Morrowind. The hand combat is really bad with annoying camera angles and the hit boxes for walls, rocks and hills often interfere with seemingly clear archery shots. The hot keys are clunky and will kill you more often than the difficulty of the game...especiallyNot a very ambitious game. There is nothing really clever or original about it. It's better than Oblivion but worse than Morrowind. The hand combat is really bad with annoying camera angles and the hit boxes for walls, rocks and hills often interfere with seemingly clear archery shots. The hot keys are clunky and will kill you more often than the difficulty of the game...especially with duel wielding. Most of the side quests seem like filler and will inevitably sent you through several doors with annoying load times, each load time for an entrance is about 15-30 seconds each way. Be prepared to spent about 10 hours looking at load screens if you plan on finishing the game and selling the loot along the way. The load screen flavor text gets stale real quick, after reading about trolls being weak to fire fifty times, I found myself pondering how and why some games get GotY awards and others don't. Also the game glitches out and freezes or flashes silver artifacts unless the machine is shut down about every 3-4 hours. I don't have internet at the moment and didn't really expect to download a patch for a game that doesn't even belong online. Thankfully it's not the best RPG that came out this year so maybe we won't have to put up with the mediocrity trend much longer. Long time MUD and UO gamer.… Expand
  4. Supermann
    Dec 2, 2011
    7
    The game's great, though it's really pretty bogged down by a load of glitches like flying mammoths and everything, and combat feels awkward and a little repetitive. But I guess it can be excused considering the game's size. The spells and everything add a cool touch and dragon encounters are FUN.
  5. Sinan45
    Dec 29, 2011
    7
    Ok now this is my opinion. Guys don't read the website critics... the userscores are true. Well... it's a good game but... it's like the cheap version of Skyrim.. you know... Battlefield 3 had the same problem. The PC version is the best version. Let's start from the graphics. Mother **** cheap graphics OK. Spiky trees and mud like stones and mountains. There are no need of this kind ofOk now this is my opinion. Guys don't read the website critics... the userscores are true. Well... it's a good game but... it's like the cheap version of Skyrim.. you know... Battlefield 3 had the same problem. The PC version is the best version. Let's start from the graphics. Mother **** cheap graphics OK. Spiky trees and mud like stones and mountains. There are no need of this kind of huge maps jf most of the places reminds about each other. Very cheap graphic on PS3. Gameplay now... every AI feel like they are robots without feelings. They look at you with no emotions when they are giving you quest and all that stuff. And you always do the same thing. Go there and get that for me and kill that man. There are simply no emotions in this game. But the soundtracks are amazing. There are VERY few weapons and spells. You can only get spells like fire, ice and thunder. Then restoration and summon spells. That's all. But at the end I would still give it 8 even if it about a 7 worth. I enjoyed the first 7 hours alot! But that was because it felt realistic. But after knowing the true experience of this game it looked VERY cheap. But still I recommend it even though it's going to be ... borin a little because of the cheap graphic styles and lack of emotions on Ai's. But sitll this is... you know it could be much better. There are some things that this game is good at and some things it's VERY bad at. It's actually a good game. But it's doing some stupid things which it isn't supposed to do. They should never release this game on PS3 and Xbox 360, but still I won't say I didn't enjoy it. Everyone should try this game out. It's maybe not the best game, but you still have to try it out somehow.… Expand
  6. Lloy2
    Feb 5, 2012
    7
    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. The gamer in everyone will launch Skyrim in their PS3 and sit in awe at the masterpiece Bethesda Game Studios has created. Cons? I love this game, ISkyrim 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. The gamer in everyone will launch Skyrim in their PS3 and sit in awe at the masterpiece Bethesda Game Studios has created. Cons? I love this game, I really do, but I can't give it the score I want in its current state. That would be unfair to anyone spending £40 for a something that might work. It might not. The most amazing game of the year is in there somewhere. I really hope Bethesda can get it out. I am a huge fan of Bethesda games and must say this game gave me my expectations and much more. The game is overflowing with content either side quests or just rummaging around for treasure it really does the series justice. The controls are simple and easy to use making combat so much better and the landsape itself is sooo well detailed. Now here are some more downsides. The character creation is good but not really good. A big improvement from Oblivion's but it just doesn't feel like I can make the character I want. The story isn't as good as what Oblivion's is, it's a good setup and characters are ok, but not great. There are glitches and bugs in the game that bring it down such as broken quests, texture slowdowns and so on and so on. Nevertheless with so many interesting quests and places, you'll spend so much hours into the game. But you should always expect bugs with a game this size. However, the bugs here are absolutely game-breaking. Lag so bad, if your save reaches over 10mb, you probably won't be able to fight anything. Quest bugs that make finishing the game impossible. The game's big hype, dragons, will fly backwards and won't fight you. It could be GOTY, if they just took time to iron out the game breaking bugs before release.… Expand
  7. Simochi
    Mar 2, 2012
    7
    First of all, I like this game. It has the best graphic so far and the best game play. Interaction with NPCs and monsters are great! It should be rated as 10 so far, but there is a big minus from several minuses including glitches. It would be the story line. It is basically about to seek the truth about the dragons and it can be sorta lame. There is no dramatic moment. (Yes! Drama canFirst of all, I like this game. It has the best graphic so far and the best game play. Interaction with NPCs and monsters are great! It should be rated as 10 so far, but there is a big minus from several minuses including glitches. It would be the story line. It is basically about to seek the truth about the dragons and it can be sorta lame. There is no dramatic moment. (Yes! Drama can make the game better!) The fighting can be dramatic, thou. It would be better to include more information on racial stat on character creation page. If you expect a fine story line, then do not buy it. The most interesting thing is that you can kill anyone and anything. Side quests can make gameplay much better. There are infinitely many things you can do or try. Therefore if you look for the best gameplay, buy it!!… Expand
  8. Beefycougar
    Mar 19, 2012
    7
    The gameplay is alright, though it feels like while it is a vast improvement, maybe an RPG shouldn't really be played from his perspective. Luckily, there is a pretty solid plot along with a nice set of bumps along the way. What I'm worried about is the slow stripping down of RPG elements of this franchise, as they stripped away having ANY kind of stat. The quests are very similar,The gameplay is alright, though it feels like while it is a vast improvement, maybe an RPG shouldn't really be played from his perspective. Luckily, there is a pretty solid plot along with a nice set of bumps along the way. What I'm worried about is the slow stripping down of RPG elements of this franchise, as they stripped away having ANY kind of stat. The quests are very similar, typically a fetch quest of some kind. These repetitive quests are helped out by each one having a decently thought out back story to make you WANT to find these things. But well, bugs CRUSH the experience of the game. I really wish they spent more time into making sure their game could just work properly. Wait until the DLC comes out, then buy this.… Expand
  9. Vorch
    May 2, 2012
    7
    Skyrim should have gotten a 9 or a 10 from me. I'm STILL playing it right now. However, the PS3 version was unacceptably flawed at release. It's making me reconsider ever pre-ordering from Bethesda again, which is a shame because now that the bugs are fixed, Skyrim is probably the best RPG I have every played.
  10. gordito
    May 15, 2012
    7
    Battle was clunky at best, just too many bugs for me to give it a better score. Exploring the huge map lost its appeal far too quickly. And I am a huge fan of the hack and slash genre.
  11. HeadofTOBSwiki
    Sep 28, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Meta Critic Review for The Elders scrolls of Skyrim:

    The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim Scrolls V: Skyrim (Mostly called Skyrim) is an action/role playing open world video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. It is the fifth installment in The Elder Scrolls action role-playing video game series, following The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. Skyrim was released on November 11, 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PS3 and Xbox 360. Skyrim's main story revolves around the player character's efforts to defeat Alduin, the firstborn of Tamriel's primary deity Akatosh. Alduin is prophesied to destroy the world. Set two hundred years after Oblivion, the game takes place in the fictional province of Skyrim, upon the continent of Tamriel, and the planet of Nirn. Skyrim is in the midst of a civil war after the High King fell in a duel against the leader of the Stormcloaks rebel group. The open world game play of the Elder Scrolls series returns in Skyrim; the player can explore the land at will and ignore or postpone the main quest indefinitely.
    The nonlinear game play traditional in the Elder Scrolls series is incorporated in Skyrim. The player can explore the open world of Skyrim on foot or on horse and fast-travel to cities, towns, and dungeons after they have been discovered. Quests are given to the player by non-player characters (NPCs) in the world, and through the Radiant Story system, the quests can be dynamically altered to accommodate for player actions which may influence the quest's characters and objectives. The Radiant Story then further directs the player's interaction with the world by setting unexplored dungeons as quest locations. When not completing quests, the player can interact with NPCs through conversation, and they may request favors or training in skills from the player. In addition to scripted quests certain ones will be dynamically generated, providing a limitless number to the player. Some NPCs can become companions to the player to aid in combat. The player may choose to join factions, which are organized groups of NPCs such as the Dark Brotherhood, a band of assassins. Each of the factions has a headquarters, and they have their own quest paths which the player can progress through. The economy of cities and towns can be stimulated by completing jobs such as Skyrim on the Elder Scrolls map farming and mining, or spending large amounts of gold in the stores. Alternatively, the economy may be harmed by forging business ledgers and robbing the safes of stores. When exploring the game world, the player may encounter wildlife. Many wilderness monsters are immediately hostile towards the player and thus can be slain. The inclusion of Dragons in Skyrim affords a major influence on both story and game play.

    So the next game in the series was released nearly a year ago, so where does it stand in the ratings currently, well in my opinion it should stay at 75/100 just for PS3. Yes Bethesda has managed to fix most of its bugs but where is the DLC for it? Dawnguard has been on X-box and pc for more than 4 months now and all Bethesda can say is     … Expand
  12. TactiMilkshake
    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
  13. Vanpire73
    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
  14. InsanityBus
    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
  15. Bahazbz
    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
  16. alpo
    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
  17. Crewdroog
    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
  18. Witherfang
    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
  19. EstreitU
    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
  20. hulmej
    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.
  21. egoBorder
    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.
  22. SebbyMakesMusic
    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
  23. witekzabujca
    Jun 26, 2023
    7
    Across all platforms, PS3 version is the worst version of this phenomenal game.
  24. G_Mackzy
    Dec 6, 2011
    6
    This is oen of the best games I've ever played, massive and diverse however this all falls apart. Play the game for 50 + and the games frame rate drops to single digits. This only affects PS3 versions unfortunately. :'( which is a shame because I'm not sure how well my PC would run it.
  25. bobbsyw
    Sep 27, 2012
    6
    Now that I have over 50 hours gameplay, I feel that I can finally write a balanced review. I was surprised to read about the lag issues from other reviewers, as I can honestly say that I've never had an issue. Occasionally the game freezes on a loading screen, and requires a reboot, but I can live with that. What really irks me though is the fact that the game seems to have gone backwardsNow that I have over 50 hours gameplay, I feel that I can finally write a balanced review. I was surprised to read about the lag issues from other reviewers, as I can honestly say that I've never had an issue. Occasionally the game freezes on a loading screen, and requires a reboot, but I can live with that. What really irks me though is the fact that the game seems to have gone backwards since Oblivion - OK, there are some improvements, like the menu system and the battle mechanics, but by and large most aspects of the game are worse - in a word, the game is dull. For starters, the environment is very grey - I would often play Oblivion and just wander around, drinking in the scenery and chancing upon a quest/cave etc. Not so with Skyrim, where everything is a mix of grey and white (although, to be fair, walking through a blizzard is well done). The quests are also very boring and repetitive, and the main quest is ridiculously short - and the final boss is so easy to defeat! "Go kill this bandit leader", "find my lost sword", "kill that vampire" - whatever happened to the variety of Obivion? Anyone remember the Sanguine Rose quest, that made all the guests at a banquet lose their clothes? Or the quest where you get stuck in a watercolour picture? There's precious little of that here.
    I've played it to death, but only because my OCD tendencies have made me, and in truth I'm looking forward to drawing a line under this one.    … Expand
  26. Rosco
    Nov 27, 2011
    6
    It's fair to say that i'm not the biggest RPG fan but given all the hype that Skyrim has had going it's way from critics alone I decided to try Bethesda's latest game in the Elder Scrolls series a try. Firstly, nobody can deny that in terms of gameplay very few games, if any, can match what Skyrim has to offer. It's refreshing to see such effort being put into a single player experience.It's fair to say that i'm not the biggest RPG fan but given all the hype that Skyrim has had going it's way from critics alone I decided to try Bethesda's latest game in the Elder Scrolls series a try. Firstly, nobody can deny that in terms of gameplay very few games, if any, can match what Skyrim has to offer. It's refreshing to see such effort being put into a single player experience. Bethesda has successfully created a massive open world, sandbox game with a lot to do there is quite easily over 100 hours worth of gameplay which says everything! The story is immersive however I wouldn't say it's engrossing although there is enough depth from what i've played thus far and there's a few nice surprises sprung every now and then. The gameplay is straightforward and for that reason it gets the thumbs up, there's nothing complicated about getting into the thick of things in Skyrim and very quickly you can find yourself addicted however for me, it didn't have a lasting effect. Sure the introduction of dragon's was an ace in the pack but it becomes somewhat repitive as you go through the game. The quest's are entertaining and oncemore throw up plenty fOR you to do and to top it off there's a bit fo magic to be had but I found myself frustrated by the repetitive nature within Skyrim it lacks variety in substance to really merit the high praise it has come in for for instance the combat goes from magical to mediocre! It's a nice recipe unfortunately somewhere along the way they missed out a vital ingredient; the looks! Graphically Skyrim is inferior to it's adversaries. Sure at times the views of snowy mountains can be nice on th eye but dig deeper and you start to come across flaws, serious flaws. The AI and texture's leave much to be desired especially with such epic visuals on show elsewhere on platform games (Uncharted anyone?) but that's not the worst. I can't understand how people can continue on with Skyrim with so many glitches and annoying bugs! It's infuriating because it ruins the experience of a game which for me potentially was my surprise of the year, add to that the lag you have to endure as well as some freezing issues it's hardly inspiring stuff and unfortunately these issues have prevented Skyrim from becoming the game it is fully capable off. Sure, there's a patch of the way but it could be too little to late because I can understand anyone who decides to swap Skyrim for another stellar title, of which there are plenty to choose from this year. Depsite that I have this, Skyrim does deliver an awesome soundtrack and it fits the game superbly well however the same can't be said of predictable scripts with cheezy interactions that leave you bewildered. In closing, I have to say Iinitially I beleived Bethesda were really onto something truely spectauclar especially for me as I'm relatively new to the genre, Skyrim has so much to offer gameplay wise it's deep, immersive and has lots to offer and you will watch time disappear as long as you can ignore some massive flaws because ultimately the annoying bugs, dodgy textures and ai, glitches and lag overwhelmingly frustrate the life out of you and deny this game a rightful place amongst the big fish in the pond.… Expand
  27. Zagor
    Nov 26, 2011
    6
    I WANT MY MONEY BACK!. Got the collector edition for $200 and after 30 hours of playing I stopped because it is now unplayable!. Frame rate issues, long loading screens and controller buttons no responding properly. Loved the game but now I hate it! Is anyone else having the same issues?
  28. NormanLee
    Feb 26, 2012
    6
    Just got the Platinum of this game. I do not like the fact that you can walkthrough all the game on the easy level. After 100 hours of play, the long load screens just killed me (I had to switch to Vita game - lucky me). I like the quests for the Brotherhood. The rest - a very average.
  29. Noobverest
    Nov 15, 2011
    6
    Not as great as it was advertised to be. A major problem with the game is it's many glitches, as usual. There's a lack of variety of dungeon designs. You can pretty much guess what you are going to encounter the moment you enter the dungeon. Example: See skeletons and skeletal corpses = Draug. Brass dungeon = Dwarven machinery or Falmers. The dungeons also have similar/repeating layoutsNot as great as it was advertised to be. A major problem with the game is it's many glitches, as usual. There's a lack of variety of dungeon designs. You can pretty much guess what you are going to encounter the moment you enter the dungeon. Example: See skeletons and skeletal corpses = Draug. Brass dungeon = Dwarven machinery or Falmers. The dungeons also have similar/repeating layouts making the process of going through all the dungeons an extremely painful task. Most of the dungeons are also extremely long, which takes around 30-60 minutes. The AI in the game is just as bad as it was in oblivion, if you have a high level sneak and shoot an arrow at a target, they cannot detect you and you can just get free shots at them.

    The #1 problem with this game is that for the main quest, if you chose not to join either the legions or stormcloaks you will encounter a glitch that doesn't allow you to progress with the story at all. What this means, is that you have to restart all over from the beginning or use console commands to complete the quest for you. For a game which is "possibly" the "best" game of the year; a glitch shouldn't be in the main quest where you need to complete in order to understand the story line.    … Expand
  30. melchaios
    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
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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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