The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1137 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 844 out of 1137
  2. Mixed: 138 out of 1137
  3. Negative: 155 out of 1137
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  1. apokalipto
    Aug 11, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  2. etolmach
    Jan 11, 2021
    9
    A review by Ruthie, my student who is 10 years old:

    Are you bored? Do you want some action? Some adventure? And are you ok with seeing blood and hearing mild language? If you are you should try playing Skyrim: Elder Scrolls V special edition! It’s the all in one adventure game of the ages! It is personally my favorite game I have ever played and all though it came out a long time ago    A review by Ruthie, my student who is 10 years old:

    Are you bored? Do you want some action? Some adventure? And are you ok with seeing blood and hearing mild language? If you are you should try playing Skyrim: Elder Scrolls V special edition!

    It’s the all in one adventure game of the ages! It is personally my favorite game I have ever played and all though it came out a long time ago it is still super, super fun to play. You can even get a horse, a dog, and a friend to help you fight dragons. You can complete quests, clear caves, join guilds, and even become a mage.

    In the Skyrim main storyline, you are the legendary Dragonborn, and you have to join sides with either the stormcloacks or the imperials in order to save Skyrim from collapse. I have played so far, I have played for maybe 15 hours straight, and even I haven’t gotten very far. The main storyline lasts about 30 hours but there are so many side quests it should take 60-70 hours.

    If you arent the violent type you could try trading to earn your coin. If you want to you can buy a house in most cities, and you are able to adopt two children and get married. Another thing you can do is build a house. Building a house makes the house much larger and you can choose which rooms you want, but it costs much more if you don’t want to gather all the resources yourself.

    Those are some of the many reasons I love Skrim and that’s why I recommend it. There are many games I play but this one is by far my favorite. So next time you’re bored and trying to find a game to play, try Skyrim. Skyrim does not work on a PlayStation five and may contain some stuff that may not be appropriate for all ages.    … Expand
  3. YannySp101
    Jun 22, 2021
    9
    Before diving into my review, I wanted to say that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was my favorite game for a long time; almost thousands of hours were spent in this game back then, but since I played it on my PS4 now, I wanted to review this version.
    The plot isn't anything special but the rich lore really makes up for a decent story overall.
    The gameplay is still good! The combat system    Before diving into my review, I wanted to say that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was my favorite game for a long time; almost thousands of hours were spent in this game back then, but since I played it on my PS4 now, I wanted to review this version.
    The plot isn't anything special but the rich lore really makes up for a decent story overall.
    The gameplay is still good! The combat system hasn't aged well but the game is very addictive even to this day thanks to its depth, variety and unparalleled open world design.
    The RPG elements are awesome, the world is very big, there are so many side-quests to do and there is so much hidden lore.
    The graphics don't look as nice as they did back then but the world is still quite gorgeous.
    The expansions (Dawnguard & Dragonborn) are great; they add 2 of the best quest-lines in the game + some very cool additions into the game.
    Also, if there is one thing in this game that will never age, it's the music; Skyrim's music is a masterpiece!
    Unfortunately though, a part of the game that aged like milk is the dungeon design; many dungeons are similar to each other and they get repetitive after a while.
    Lastly, a personal issue I have with this version of the game is that after playing the original version for years, I felt like I was just doing a new playthrough. My experience with this version was not as exciting as it was with the original version back then.
    The game is still very addictive though and that makes up for most of it's flaws.

    Pros:
    + Rich lore
    + Fun gameplay
    + Excellent world design
    + Amazing RPG elements
    + Huge world filled with of content + DLCs
    + Godlike soundtrack

    Cons:
    - Repetitive dungeon design

    Narrative: 6/10
    Gameplay: 7/10
    Content: 10/10
    Characters: ?/10
    Music: 10/10
    Graphics/Audio: ?/10

    Final Rating: 9/10
    - Amazing -
    It's been nearly a decade since The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's first release and this game still manages to offer a solid RPG experience that holds a very special place in my heart.

    Do I recommend it?:
    Yes, it'll always be a must-play in my opinion.    … Expand
  4. Robert199
    Mar 25, 2021
    9
    I remember back in 2011 getting this for the Xbox 360 at Walmart it was my very first m rated game I’ve ever played when I first started up the game the opening sequence I memorize it word by word it was the best opening I’ve ever witnessed in gaming the world of Skyrim is truly amazing too so many quests that you’ll spend hours beyond hours of walking you’ll lose track of time like I didI remember back in 2011 getting this for the Xbox 360 at Walmart it was my very first m rated game I’ve ever played when I first started up the game the opening sequence I memorize it word by word it was the best opening I’ve ever witnessed in gaming the world of Skyrim is truly amazing too so many quests that you’ll spend hours beyond hours of walking you’ll lose track of time like I did I highly recommend you play this if you haven’t… Expand
  5. DM29x
    Dec 9, 2021
    9
    one of the best games ever made. still holds up after 10 years. I don't see how you couldn't like this game. only reason its not a 10 is that the combat could be better
  6. Zadreck
    Jan 1, 2022
    9
    Mi juego favorito aunque tenga varios errores y bugs igual lo hace un muy buen juego para pasat el tiempo
  7. chrissybam
    Jan 14, 2022
    9
    So much love for this game!

    It's one of very few games where bugs and glitches are charming and funny. In fact, they are not even annoying me that much. What I do like: - Lots of quests, fractions and stuff to explore! - Lovely details in quests and in NPC interaction. - Gameplay can fit to every playstyle and can even be changed during the game. - Challenges players to play the    So much love for this game!

    It's one of very few games where bugs and glitches are charming and funny. In fact, they are not even annoying me that much.

    What I do like:
    - Lots of quests, fractions and stuff to explore!
    - Lovely details in quests and in NPC interaction.
    - Gameplay can fit to every playstyle and can even be changed during the game.
    - Challenges players to play the game again, it can be almost like playing a new game when playing another role or class.
    - DLCs are fun and not just a money-making add-on.

    What I don't like:
    - The graphics are quite outdated, sometimes when being in a cave, I find it hard to orientate because the surfaces are flat.
    - Some features could have been designed more convenient, like a central cheast in your house where you can store all of your building materials and don't have to take it and overencumber yourself.

    I'm still playing it on my first play-through and don't want it to end :-(
    But I still planned how I want to play it on my second time. Awesome game!    … Expand
  8. chernandez31
    Feb 22, 2022
    9
    I have played the PS3, PS4 and PS5 versions of this game but without a doubt played it more on the PS4, and will be grading it as a whole game rather than a remaster. I think it is a very slightly overrated game, as it’s gameplay is very repetitive and boring. Everything else though is either pretty good or amazing so this game should at least be a 9.
  9. egeucer
    Jan 1, 2023
    9
    Addicted to the game after all these years any small update or release gives me a excitement about to and play another time. Many hours spent on without any regrets, the content makes you feel that there is no limit. A real RPG experience. Actions and game-play has some flaws and when you consider the release of the game very old fashioned.
  10. 34mbi
    Feb 10, 2023
    9
    The game itself is very open world and it’s hard to finish every single mission there is, especially after the updates. The world building is beautiful and the different environments is breathtaking. Considering it is an older game that only gets updated now, the character creation is a little outdated and iffy but still much better than most character customization games in its time. ItThe game itself is very open world and it’s hard to finish every single mission there is, especially after the updates. The world building is beautiful and the different environments is breathtaking. Considering it is an older game that only gets updated now, the character creation is a little outdated and iffy but still much better than most character customization games in its time. It also has hacks in the game that you can preform even offline that are useful. I never get bored and am always surprised by the game no matter how many times I play it. The leveling system for this game is one of my absolute favorites and earning exp is rather consistent. The only negative I would have to say is that all the story lines are rather the same, there aren’t enough missions where your choices really matter or change what people think about you or what happens. Maybe a few like the war, the dark brother hood, and the companions but that’s about it. However, again, for its time I love this game and it’s in my top three favorite games of all time.… Expand
  11. firelord016
    Apr 8, 2023
    9
    this game is very fun but very repetitive and i should say that you probably have a lot oof character
  12. Killerpummkin
    Aug 30, 2023
    9
    One of the best games ever made. A benchmark for RPGs and sandboxes, still relevant 12 years after the original release.
  13. archonome
    May 20, 2017
    8
    I've played Oblivion but I never tried skyrim due to the "dark" imagery.. I thought it was too bland for me and the open world aspect looked boring.
    So I tried Witcher 3 which bored me(sorry if you disagree. GO ahead downvote my review I don't care. Witcher 3 is overrated, the story is boring...chasing after ciri gets old after 20 hours)....
    But I just got this game and after spending    I've played Oblivion but I never tried skyrim due to the "dark" imagery.. I thought it was too bland for me and the open world aspect looked boring.
    So I tried Witcher 3 which bored me(sorry if you disagree. GO ahead downvote my review I don't care. Witcher 3 is overrated, the story is boring...chasing after ciri gets old after 20 hours)....

    But I just got this game and after spending time on it. I gotta say Bethesda KNOWS how to make a game feel alive and the quests are not ALL boring fetch quests. Some of them do have kick ass plots(ex: Dark brotherhood).

    I'm a hard to please gamer and I don't fall for hype of graphics and new shiny features. But the good reviews from this game are deserving. There are waaay too many open world games these days. This game is one that deserves to open world even if it makes it boring and repetitive at times(quests).

    Any reviewers giving this game anything below 6 should be ashamed of themselves.... They are dragging the User Score to 6.7. If I never played this game, this might have made me think this game was crap.... I would've missed out on it.

    Note: For those players who are complaining that it offers nothing new compared to PS3 and deserves a low rating.... Are you guys retarded??? NO DUH!! It's a re-release of an old game. DID YOU REPURCHASE THIS GAME EXPECTING A FRESH NEW STORY/GAMEPLAY? Come on.    … Expand
  14. camman75
    Oct 30, 2016
    8
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered Edition is exactly what you want out of a remastered game. The graphics have been upgraded in a major way when compared to the original console version. The load times have been improved dramatically, and the game runs significantly better as well. Also, all the DLC has been included on the disc, so no additional downloads are needed to get the fullThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Remastered Edition is exactly what you want out of a remastered game. The graphics have been upgraded in a major way when compared to the original console version. The load times have been improved dramatically, and the game runs significantly better as well. Also, all the DLC has been included on the disc, so no additional downloads are needed to get the full experience.

    Unfortunately, there are some negatives to this remastered. First, the mod support on the PS4 is not good, as the file size is less than ideal, and only original in game assets are usable. Secondly, $59.99 is a steep price for the remastered, and while I had no problem paying for it, I can understand why many people feel it should have been priced at $39.99 or $49.99, as there is not a whole lot of new content.

    Overall, I loved the original, and I love this remastered, but not sure Bethesda added enough to justify $59.99 for most people. Similarly, Sony/Bethesda really dropped the ball on mod support, and it is a shame to see.    … Expand
  15. MaxPayneIsGod
    May 24, 2022
    8
    Its Skyrim, by now you've either played it or you haven't, you either like it or you don't.
    I like it, despite never progressing very far in the game.
    The amount of quests to do, places to go, people to talk to is overwhelming and is probably, in my eyes, more of a hinderance than an benefit. You can literally lose yourself in this game and I can see why people have put 100s and 100s of    Its Skyrim, by now you've either played it or you haven't, you either like it or you don't.
    I like it, despite never progressing very far in the game.
    The amount of quests to do, places to go, people to talk to is overwhelming and is probably, in my eyes, more of a hinderance than an benefit.
    You can literally lose yourself in this game and I can see why people have put 100s and 100s of hours and played through it multiple times.
    Basically, if you're thinking about playing it but still can't decide, just play it, chances are you'll love it    … Expand
  16. GamerJosh0137
    Oct 29, 2016
    8
    Skyrim has been the proverbial thorn in my side ever since it's initial release. If you tell another fellow gamer that you have never played Skyrim before your credibility goes out the window faster than a farmer's daughter's first sexually active boyfriend. So naturally, I finally decided to give it a shot. Skyrim is a beautiful and massive rpg developed by the beloved BethesdaSkyrim has been the proverbial thorn in my side ever since it's initial release. If you tell another fellow gamer that you have never played Skyrim before your credibility goes out the window faster than a farmer's daughter's first sexually active boyfriend. So naturally, I finally decided to give it a shot. Skyrim is a beautiful and massive rpg developed by the beloved Bethesda studios. My first impression was that for a complete remaster Skyrim didn't look all that great, especially considering fps was still locked at 30. Wtf? However, after about 3 hours my frame rate concerns were completely overwhelmed by a completely immersive experience, followed closely by a grand sense of exploration. Several times I caught myself veering way of the beaten path a story mission had me following just so I could see what was on the other side of a certain hilltop. I tend to forget what I was doing quite often. This could be a negative to some, but for me it was awe inspiring. With so much to level up, skills to learn, weapons to use, armor to wear, things to craft, you could certainly feel overwhelmed but none of that ever hindered my ability to enjoy playing the game. Skyrim is a true testament to the last generation, and I'm sure a game to be talked about and enjoyed years to come. I gotta say that before I bought Skyrim, I was playing Battlefield 1 almost exclusively, and even though I can't wait to get back on the battlefield I just can't tear myself away from Skyrim. I admit to the reader I am not even close to making a dent in Skyrim's campaign, but I am super confident that what I have played so far is par for the coarse. If you are looking to play Skyrim for the first time then you should do yourself a favor and get started. Players looking to revisit might be a little disappointed, especially on PC. Bethesda locking Skyrim at 30 fps on console is a bit frustrating but as I said before it is over shadowed by what the game has to offer on a pure gameplay level. I think it is safe to say that the combat in Skyrim has not aged well, but fun none the less. Long story short; If you have played Skyrim already maybe you should steer clear. I don't think that what Skyrim remastered has to offer warrants 60 dollars for those who have already played it on consoles. If you have NEVER played Skyrim like me, then it is definitely a must buy. Especially for those of you who consider yourselves to be RPG fans.… Expand
  17. hopper1974
    Nov 1, 2016
    8
    You can pick this up for little more than £30. For this you get the remaster of the original, plus all three major DLC packs, and some nice mods to play with. Some kind of 'reduced price if you own the original' would have been nice (but I assume technically not possible). But this is nowhere near the cynicism of 'you must spend £70-£80 on the delux COD Infinite edition to play the COD4You can pick this up for little more than £30. For this you get the remaster of the original, plus all three major DLC packs, and some nice mods to play with. Some kind of 'reduced price if you own the original' would have been nice (but I assume technically not possible). But this is nowhere near the cynicism of 'you must spend £70-£80 on the delux COD Infinite edition to play the COD4 remaster'. For anyone who did not play the original Skyrim, this is a must (I still play games released in the 90s); for those who played (and completed) the original, it's probably a matter of taste (and more relevant to console owners than PC players).

    The graphical upgrade is noticeable but hardly 'wow' (the original assets are largely the same, the engine is basically the same, and this is not strictly a 'remaster'): rather, some environmental objects (plants, foliage etc) have been added, there is much improved lighting, a new depth-of-field etc; the draw distance is better and more stable (less pop-up); load-times are very much improved (no waiting half a minute to enter a tavern); and I find the mods actually render it more enjoyable for those (like me) simply wanting to relive the experience (boosting the carry weight is a 'cheat', yes, but it removes that annoying thing of having to either leave stuff or travel back to a merchant two or three times a mission). One small change I do not like is that 'running' is now toggle-based (with no option to switch to hold).

    I had the original at 9 or 10 (once the PS3 issues were finally resolved); perhaps naively, I had been hoping for 'Skyrim with Witcher 3 graphics' - this is not. But the game remains fantastic (the bugs a consequence of the sheer scale of what was attempted with last gen hardware); so 8 is a balance between the game for what it is/was and a slightly underwhelming upgrade (for those who have already played the original).    … Expand
  18. venomlocke
    Jan 23, 2017
    8
    It's still a fun game despite the lack of mods and SONY screwing up the system.

    The game also has great characters and a good game considering it's a 5 year old game. However, this game is still riddled with bugs and this shows that Bethesda doesn't care about fixing their games.
  19. JyroJyro
    Dec 22, 2017
    8
    Whilst Skyrim obviously feels a little outdated now in terms of graphics & gameplay, there is still nothing that comes close to rivalling it for the sheer adventure. Definitely overpriced for a remake, but if you never had the original then this is a must-have.
  20. kiptenbingo
    Oct 28, 2016
    8
    Yes its an old game. yes it has no new content. Yes it is still the best RPG on any system. I think it should have been priced better, however it is a must own game. Noticeable improvements over the PS3 version. Graphics are a lot cleaner and crisper, character models are a lot nicer, loading screen wait times are vastly improved and every thing runs at a nice pace. One of my favoriteYes its an old game. yes it has no new content. Yes it is still the best RPG on any system. I think it should have been priced better, however it is a must own game. Noticeable improvements over the PS3 version. Graphics are a lot cleaner and crisper, character models are a lot nicer, loading screen wait times are vastly improved and every thing runs at a nice pace. One of my favorite ever games just got better, this makes me happy regardless of anything else.… Expand
  21. hansvehof
    Oct 28, 2016
    8
    The game looks very beautiful. I am happy that the PS4 version does not offer console commands that spoil the experience. A bit expensive, though, after also purchasing it on PC and XBOX 360 in the past...
  22. shinymusic21
    Nov 17, 2016
    8
    Got another 60 hours our of this version which felt fair. Game play is still great and graphics are much improved. Mod support on console is a nice touch.

    Paid 67 CAD which was fair. Should not be priced as a full price game @ 80 CAD.
  23. CloseTalker
    Nov 19, 2017
    8
    Truly shocked at some of poor reviews for this amazing game. Even 6 years after the original version, this game feels great. Over 100 hours in and I still haven't finished the main quests. There's so much to do! I wouldn't mind having to think a little bit more on some of the quests, and it would be nice to have explore a bit more to find things without a marker showing you where to go.Truly shocked at some of poor reviews for this amazing game. Even 6 years after the original version, this game feels great. Over 100 hours in and I still haven't finished the main quests. There's so much to do! I wouldn't mind having to think a little bit more on some of the quests, and it would be nice to have explore a bit more to find things without a marker showing you where to go. Games need to stop holding our hands!… Expand
  24. UncutSuspiria
    Nov 7, 2017
    8
    One of my favorite games ever. I have purchased this game 3 times (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4 when I realized Xbox is garbage)

    Graphically, this game is nothing special. What makes it great is the huge amount of content and giant open world to immerse yourself in.
  25. CoreGamer1408
    May 22, 2020
    8
    Well I played Skyrim on PC and Xbox 360 back in the day so when this PS4 version came along I was more than happy with this visual upgrade. Still a fun open world APRG after all these years and nothing else on the market that comes even close to Skyrim. Compared to Fallout 4 well Skyrim is a technical dream. The base games two main stories one about the rise of the Dragons and the otherWell I played Skyrim on PC and Xbox 360 back in the day so when this PS4 version came along I was more than happy with this visual upgrade. Still a fun open world APRG after all these years and nothing else on the market that comes even close to Skyrim. Compared to Fallout 4 well Skyrim is a technical dream. The base games two main stories one about the rise of the Dragons and the other about religious persecution was interesting enough. Skyrim was a beautifully land to explore back in the day and more so now in the special edition . The leveling and crafting is fairly accessible and easy to understand as in ARPG-lite. The combat with the melee, ranged and magic is very fluid with some nice kill cams. Good game for people who have the wanderlust bug who want to do cool stuff on the way to seeing cool stuff.

    My personal console version gripe was/is with the limited two real time quickslots. Way to much pausing to swap in and out stuff really disrupted the gameplay flow. Shame they didn't stick to the old eight quick slots way like in F03/FNV, Morrowind/Oblivion format. On PC you do get 8 quickslots via keyboard, but not with controller, oh well.    … Expand
  26. MarsCorialanus
    Nov 11, 2017
    8
    I loved Skyrim back when it first came out, and this re-release made me fall into the world of Tamriel all over again. It doesn't do much to improve on the past iteration besides a few bug fixes and better graphics.
  27. asdfxyz
    Nov 5, 2017
    8
    Skyrim Special Edition brings the epic fantasy to life in detail. The Special Edition includes the game and add-ons with all-new features like remastered art and effects, volumetric god rays, dynamic depth of field, screen-space reflections, and more.
  28. Bbplayer
    Nov 23, 2018
    8
    The game is amazing, a must play in my opinion. The problem is the creation club. There is no need for the creation club. Mods do a much better job and are FREE. The creation club drags this game down a bit.
  29. Oscar932
    Nov 21, 2022
    8
    the game is really enjoyable to me even though 11 years have passed, the gameplay mechanics are kinda aged not so well.
    the lore is really good and I didn't expected it was like this.
    the quests can be "stressful" to somebody because there are so many of them (they're like thousands and maybe I'm not joking lol) but in my opinion once you are in the mood of the game it becomes really    the game is really enjoyable to me even though 11 years have passed, the gameplay mechanics are kinda aged not so well.
    the lore is really good and I didn't expected it was like this.
    the quests can be "stressful" to somebody because there are so many of them (they're like thousands and maybe I'm not joking lol) but in my opinion once you are in the mood of the game it becomes really tasty.
    the game is indeed not for everyone but is surely one of those must play, or must to try at least    … Expand
  30. Williamjcassie
    Sep 3, 2019
    8
    Solid game. It is not the most visually impressive game for 2016 (keep in mind the original was released in 2009 tho) but the world feels dense and lived in. Each playthrough I do is different and interesting and after you complete the first couple missions, the world is your oyster. All side quests I have played are interesting, pretty unique and some are quite humourous. If you don'tSolid game. It is not the most visually impressive game for 2016 (keep in mind the original was released in 2009 tho) but the world feels dense and lived in. Each playthrough I do is different and interesting and after you complete the first couple missions, the world is your oyster. All side quests I have played are interesting, pretty unique and some are quite humourous. If you don't have this game installed in at least one one platform you are missing out!!… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Best PS4 Game of 2016
18
#18 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2016
31
#31 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 36 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 12, 2017
    85
    Special Edition is a boring remaster – there’s no new content and the visual update is modest. Nonetheless it’s the best way to play Skyrim on a console and a good reason to spend another couple hundred hours in one of few games that are truly worth it. [13/2016, p.67]
  2. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jan 8, 2017
    90
    Thankfully, the base game itself remains as utterly essential as always. [January 2016, p78]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Dec 27, 2016
    90
    Five years on and Skyrim's quality still stands head and shoulders above all RPGs not named The Witcher 3. It's well worth a revisit, even if the mod support is sorely lacking versus other formats. [Christmas 2016, p.94]
See all critic reviews »