The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4435 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3,744 out of 4435
  2. Mixed: 344 out of 4435
  3. Negative: 347 out of 4435
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  1. StrongHarm
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Where Elder Scrolls previously set the bar and got other developers scrambling to give attention to detail to their games and try to measure up, so too will Skyrim. No longer will we gamers accept hastily created content and graphics.. we want more of this! For those whining about a few bugs; get a life you non-contributing zero. Skyrim is simply jaw dropping.
  2. Kozlow2k
    Nov 11, 2011
    10
    It is so impossibly improved from Oblivion.. I knew it was going to be good but I was in awe of the improvements. I look at ES:IV now and can't believe I how amazing I thought it was when I now compared it to Skyrim.
  3. jordbusch
    Nov 11, 2011
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has by far exceeded my expectations. Personally I am not a fan of the Fallout series and as the press for this game came out it seemed that the game was becoming more like Fallout and less like Oblivion. Happily this is not the case
  4. illage2
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    I originally thought that this game was one of those stupid JRPG games that have medieval castles with motor cycles and faries, and I don't usually play Medieval style games but I gave Skyrim a try, and I was amazed, and surprised that a game like Skyrim was good. I was playing practically all day, and I couldn't seem to get myself off the game. It is really enjoyable, yes it will onlyI originally thought that this game was one of those stupid JRPG games that have medieval castles with motor cycles and faries, and I don't usually play Medieval style games but I gave Skyrim a try, and I was amazed, and surprised that a game like Skyrim was good. I was playing practically all day, and I couldn't seem to get myself off the game. It is really enjoyable, yes it will only last you roughly two hours if you stick with the main quests. However if you do the side quests there is about 50-60 hours worth of content in this game.

    I really love the enchanting the weapons and armor. It allows you to take a special effect from one weapon and apply it to another weapon.

    I really recommend Skyrim, even if you haven't played Oblivion before.    … Expand
  5. thatdank
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Don't listen to any of the haters, Skyrim is definitely a worthy entry in the revered Elder Scrolls franchise, and a fantastic game over all. Yeah, the texture issue sucks, but Bethesda is working on it. A lot of these bad reviews are from trolls who live to stir s*** up for laughs. Anyway, on to the review. I've played Elder Scrolls since 2004, and one thing loved about every game wasDon't listen to any of the haters, Skyrim is definitely a worthy entry in the revered Elder Scrolls franchise, and a fantastic game over all. Yeah, the texture issue sucks, but Bethesda is working on it. A lot of these bad reviews are from trolls who live to stir s*** up for laughs. Anyway, on to the review. I've played Elder Scrolls since 2004, and one thing loved about every game was the freedom to do what I want, when I wanted. I'll admit, when I was first given the freedom to freeroam in Skyrim, I felt overwhelmed; the game world feels extremely vast, with sweeping plains and imposing mountains. Bethesda has done an excellent job of making the world feel gigantic. One minor disappointment I do have however is the inability to choose major/minor skills. The ability to level up every ability is nice and fluid, but at the same time it also feels a little messy, because you're unsure of what archtype to play as. Anyway, that's just a minor, personal gripe. One thing I LOVE however is how powerful some of the enemies are. In Morrowind, you could go anywhere, but stray too far and you die quickly. This really made you wanted to increase your skills, and when you finally killed that difficult enemy, you felt bad ass. In Oblivion, this wasn't the case; I rarely died in that game, even on harder difficulties. Skyrim however, taught me a lesson; never bum rush a frost troll at a low level with a weak fire spell.

    Another thing I absolutely adore is how they used some of the songs from Morrowind. I loved Morrowind, so having that nostalgia kick in while I explore the countryside is a real treat. The original soundtrack is equally fantastic. In terms of actual gameplay, it really comes down to opinion. The magic is VERY improved over Oblivion, and is a blast to use. The dual-wielding aspect works incredibly well, and gives you a nearly endless variety of ways to play. The spriting mechanic works, but is merely average. Aiming with the bow has also been improved, and no longer feels clunky and slow like in Oblivion; you also move slowly while aiming with the bow now, so you have to think more tactically; no more circling that bear and pelting it with arrows until it falls. I also love the kill animations; they're pretty infrequent, but extremely satisfying when they happen. All in all, Skyrim is a fantastic title that everyone should play, regardless if you haven't played any other elder scrolls. it's a little rough around the edges, but then again, so is Skyrim's terrain. Buy it, play it, love it.    … Expand
  6. xxpuffinpurpxx
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    alright ive seen alot of trollin on here, how is there repetitve visuals? the landscape is very much varied, everything from frozen tundras, snowy mountains, swamps, forests, and alot of brilliantly made dungeons. i think this game is gonna be game of the year. everything is significantly improved from oblivion.. sure the games buggy, but it doesnt detract from the overall game, i putalright ive seen alot of trollin on here, how is there repetitve visuals? the landscape is very much varied, everything from frozen tundras, snowy mountains, swamps, forests, and alot of brilliantly made dungeons. i think this game is gonna be game of the year. everything is significantly improved from oblivion.. sure the games buggy, but it doesnt detract from the overall game, i put atleast 120 hours and im not bored of it and the game crashed twice.. honestly i dont have any issues with this game at all, its a game that i can actually call a work of art. the graphics are really good, a big upgrade from oblivion, now im not gonna say it has the most intuitive combat system, but it is improved from oblivion. all in all, this is probably the best n the series, most content rich game ive ever had the joy of playing. good job bethesda, you really have outdone yourself haha. worth every nickle and dime for this game.… Expand
  7. kierrin1234
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    this is one of the best games i ever played it is so good in every aspect luckily i havent experienced one glitch yet and have played for 30 hours it has an amazing world to explore its my 2nd favourite rpg game fallout 3 being first and my 4th favourite game of all time (u2 first fallout 3 2nd uncharted 3 3rd) but i will be playing this game forever :)
  8. mattariel520
    Nov 30, 2011
    9
    Skyrim is one of the beat games ever to be released,bar none. The best this year no doubt. It literary has hundreds of hours of gameplay, vast sprawling cities, tons of small settlements and an extremely detailed and beautiful wilderness to explore. Though i was disappointed in the "main" story line, to me it just didnt seem as long as oblivion or other previous similar titles. Even thoughSkyrim is one of the beat games ever to be released,bar none. The best this year no doubt. It literary has hundreds of hours of gameplay, vast sprawling cities, tons of small settlements and an extremely detailed and beautiful wilderness to explore. Though i was disappointed in the "main" story line, to me it just didnt seem as long as oblivion or other previous similar titles. Even though the main story quest was short to me afterwards there are still literally tons of things to experience from joining several types of guilds, cave and dungeons to explore. The leveling up system to me was a little confusing to me at first but i grew to love it and i can navigate through the menus on the fly easily. There is so much to do here in the game it is definitely worth the money, i highly recommend it. As for the people who comeon here abd say the game crashes and freezes, well im not calling them liars but im willing to bet their system is going to crap, i havent had one technical issue with this game. I give this a 9.5 out of 10. I hope this helps folks out.… Expand
  9. Asfrina
    Nov 14, 2011
    10
    Simply the bes game yet from Bethesda, Eclipses Oblivion and out does Fallout 3, A true work of genius and the best game I have ever played.

    Great story telling from what i consider to be the best company in gaming right now and this game certainly shows that. It is an absolute must for any serious gamers collection.
  10. ontages
    Nov 11, 2011
    10
    Simply put, the best game i have ever played. Bethesda outdid themselves once again. I just love to see a company really put this much time and effort into a game. With a project of this magnitude there will be bugs and glitches but as long as they aren't game breaking i actually find them quite amusing. I'll definitely be playing this game for quite some time.
  11. matlock200
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    This should revolutionize the standard and depth of games. If you want to watch pretty special effects but play a shallow game then get call of duty, but if you want a proper game that you'll get value out of this is the right choice
  12. thebrunfail
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    I'm 17 hours into Skyrim, and more than anything, there is only one problem I have with it. The more I play, the better it gets, and the better it gets, the more I play. If you have any respect for Video Games, or Fantasy in general, you need to play this game. It's unquestionably the best game I have ever played - so much depth, an impressive world, that feels very much alive, and some ofI'm 17 hours into Skyrim, and more than anything, there is only one problem I have with it. The more I play, the better it gets, and the better it gets, the more I play. If you have any respect for Video Games, or Fantasy in general, you need to play this game. It's unquestionably the best game I have ever played - so much depth, an impressive world, that feels very much alive, and some of the best combat in a first person RPG to date. Just Play it. It makes full use of the Xbox's limited hardware, and is a truly beautiful game. FUS DOH RAH!… Expand
  13. Dysheekie
    Nov 12, 2011
    10
    Games don't get much better than this. The world completely immerses you into the experience and the sense of wonder is unparalleled. I've never wanted to explore a game world more than this. Much like a great burger - you just don't want it to end, and luckily it won't...at least for a long time, since the game is hugely epic and also includes randomly generated quests that could keepGames don't get much better than this. The world completely immerses you into the experience and the sense of wonder is unparalleled. I've never wanted to explore a game world more than this. Much like a great burger - you just don't want it to end, and luckily it won't...at least for a long time, since the game is hugely epic and also includes randomly generated quests that could keep someone (me) playing for a long time. Already looking forward to see what Bethesda can do on next generation systems - but for now I will be savoring this game piece by piece like charred skeever meat.… Expand
  14. HellRazor316
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    Elder scrolls noob but 6 hours in I'm hooked, well worth a go, even if this type of game isn't your norm! Glad I got rid of mw3 for this! The story and quests so far have been interesting and not the usual 'fetch this' dull ones from games past.
  15. Taurine5
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I would rate this game a 9.7, but since I can't, and I felt that giving this game a 9 was way too low, I gave it a 10. This game is outstanding. Although Oblivion was great as well, it did have it's flaws, and I think that Bethesda Game Studios has really made an effort to eliminate these flaws, and they have also added some successful features from Fallout 3. The graphics are the best I've seen in a video game to date. Think about it, what could possibly be better than a game where you can fight dragons, raid caves and dungeons, breathe fire, turn enemies into ice, become invulnerable for a a short period of time so you can jump off cliffs and mountains, and call down a befriended dragon to kill your enemies? This game is definitely worth the £40 ($60) I paid for it.… Expand
  16. themoosegaming
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    My favourite game, only one problem is that I'm having a bit of trouble with this glitch that causes the first option to be chosen when speaking to anyone, even if I have a different option highlighted.
    However, this game is extraoridinary graphically, the gameplay is smooth and in-depth, and it is very realistic as far as stealing something in plain sight as opposed to stealing something    My favourite game, only one problem is that I'm having a bit of trouble with this glitch that causes the first option to be chosen when speaking to anyone, even if I have a different option highlighted.
    However, this game is extraoridinary graphically, the gameplay is smooth and in-depth, and it is very realistic as far as stealing something in plain sight as opposed to stealing something behind closed doors...
    Conversation is excellent, the voice acting is wonderful, and combat is fluid and addicting. I highly reccomend this game to anyone and everyone looking for adventure in Tamriel!    … Expand
  17. Dimmerster
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    The Elder Scrolls series is a massive thing in many peoples lives, sad as it may be it is and it is in my life. On the 11th of November the culmination of 8 months (or so) of long hard wait ended as I dipped into the world of Tamriel for the second time (getting hooked on oblivion) in the province to the north called Skryim. And my god was I overwhelmed.

    You start being led to your    The Elder Scrolls series is a massive thing in many peoples lives, sad as it may be it is and it is in my life. On the 11th of November the culmination of 8 months (or so) of long hard wait ended as I dipped into the world of Tamriel for the second time (getting hooked on oblivion) in the province to the north called Skryim. And my god was I overwhelmed.

    You start being led to your execution, this alone shows the power of the graphical engine, and being 'saved' by a dragon. This was the best 'cutscene' I have ever played. From this I went out into a beautifully crafted world with a variety to choose from.

    To save your eyes from reading and my fingers from typing I will not list the games huge collection of successes but concentrate on what led me to rate it 9/10.

    First off I would have liked to dub it 97/100 but this is how the system works, so here we go. There are a few fundamental flaws in the game, one being texture loading bugs (soon to be patched) and also the overwhelming sense of basically being overwhelmed.

    Now to finish off all I can say is this is the GOTY and you should buy it, 100% play it, it is the best in the series and I am sure TES 6 will be mind blowing, just as this is, but there are places (small) that the warm gooey liquid of Skyrim could have filled, though I still don't mind taking a swig of it.    … Expand
  18. RadioActvTwinky
    Nov 13, 2011
    9
    Aside from an occasional glitch and game freeze (understandable for a game this size; future title updates should fix remaining issues) Skyrim soars in every area it attempts: combat, story & side quests, loot, and exploration of a breathtaking world. If I must find a complaint I would say more tutorials for understanding the various professions- alchemy, enchanting, etc.
  19. 1fireball4
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    I absolutely love every aspect of this beautiful, entrancing masterpiece of a game. Sure there are things that Oblivion or Morrowind may have done better, and there are bugs here and there, but they don't get in the way of the rich story, addictive exploration, combat, great side quests, amazing detailed high-definition graphics, and excitement in every hour I play this game. AnotherI absolutely love every aspect of this beautiful, entrancing masterpiece of a game. Sure there are things that Oblivion or Morrowind may have done better, and there are bugs here and there, but they don't get in the way of the rich story, addictive exploration, combat, great side quests, amazing detailed high-definition graphics, and excitement in every hour I play this game. Another great thing is that you don't need to have played the previous games to understand the story, since it takes place 200 years after any of the events of Oblivion. Go buy this game immediately, it contains one of the best experiences with a game that I've had in a long time.… Expand
  20. kovalenko
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Yet another amazing game from an amazing publisher. Worth every single penny spent on the game. Fantastic visual experience, character development, NPC personalization, quests. Everything is amazing.
  21. r4wd09
    Nov 13, 2011
    10
    Only 12 hours in, but so far I haven't seen any glitches. I love the new menu layouts and all the extra interactivity they added. This game is way to addicting, I'm scared but I think I'm in love.
  22. Mrbilliam7
    Nov 14, 2011
    10
    This game is breathtaking. As a long time fan of the Elder Scrolls series, I was not disappointed by Skyrim. Everything in this game is SUPERB; graphics, sound, gameplay, and story. The most impressive part of the game is the amount of detail that the developers have managed to put into this game. I have played this game nonstop since the release, and i'm loving every minute of it. ThisThis game is breathtaking. As a long time fan of the Elder Scrolls series, I was not disappointed by Skyrim. Everything in this game is SUPERB; graphics, sound, gameplay, and story. The most impressive part of the game is the amount of detail that the developers have managed to put into this game. I have played this game nonstop since the release, and i'm loving every minute of it. This game is GOTY material.… Expand
  23. Akroatis
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    I'm going to write the things that come to my mind... This game is simply amazing! The most ambitious game of bethesda and the most captivating one too. When I started playing I didn't knew what to expect but after many hours of gameplay I just wanted to keep playing and keep exploring the beautiful lands of Skyrim. The character creation is simplified for good and for bad too. You chooseI'm going to write the things that come to my mind... This game is simply amazing! The most ambitious game of bethesda and the most captivating one too. When I started playing I didn't knew what to expect but after many hours of gameplay I just wanted to keep playing and keep exploring the beautiful lands of Skyrim. The character creation is simplified for good and for bad too. You choose sex and race and that's all. Start playing. After some minutes you start building your "role" by using some skills (magic, one handed, heavy armor, etc.) The good thing about this is that if you want to change from a sneaky char to a aggressive mage you are going to spend some time building the new role, just keep using the skills and in some time you can be a sneaky aggressive mage. How beauty is that?. The shouts (dragon type powers) are amazing and very fun to use. The companion system is good but some times my companions sucks. The music and the sounds are superb, the dialogue is amazing. The world feels alive (I love to watch how the salmon swims against the waterfalls), the dungeons are very well crafted. The story is very deep and the main quests, the side quests, the miscellaneous quests and the subquests are well crafted and very inmersive. This is for sure a GOTY contender. Try this game, you deserve it.… Expand
  24. twistedownz
    Nov 16, 2011
    10
    best game there is around. Beautiful graphics and great game play. this game could definteley be able to occupy anybody for over a year and not have them waste money on any other game
  25. woodsymoments
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is a brilliant game that takes the best parts of Morrowind and Oblivion and then correct the problems that both games had. Of course a game this size has a couple of problems but compared to other large RPG's they are few and far between. The most common glitch i have encountered is where you cannot open doors for some odd reason but all you need to do is just either sleep for a daySkyrim is a brilliant game that takes the best parts of Morrowind and Oblivion and then correct the problems that both games had. Of course a game this size has a couple of problems but compared to other large RPG's they are few and far between. The most common glitch i have encountered is where you cannot open doors for some odd reason but all you need to do is just either sleep for a day or exit somewhere else and the problem goes away.… Expand
  26. jettman0
    Nov 26, 2011
    9
    This game truly is the closest to perfect I have ever seen. It does have certain moments in which bugs, or difficulty spikes may harm the experience, but otherwise, perfect. I loved every minute of this game, and I plan to enjoy far, far more. The graphics, are good, not amazing, good, but matters little. My favorite game in existence as of now, definitely a buy.
  27. PumpkinCellar
    Dec 1, 2011
    10
    One of the few western RPGs I have been truly taken with in recent years. An addictive game with just the right mixture of challenge and ease to appeal to the majority as a whole. There is so much to explore that you will be spoilt for choice. Great enemies, and a fantastic choice of weapons, attacks, and armour. It is easy to immerse yourself as a result of the music and the beautifulOne of the few western RPGs I have been truly taken with in recent years. An addictive game with just the right mixture of challenge and ease to appeal to the majority as a whole. There is so much to explore that you will be spoilt for choice. Great enemies, and a fantastic choice of weapons, attacks, and armour. It is easy to immerse yourself as a result of the music and the beautiful scenery.… Expand
  28. enzofall
    Dec 2, 2011
    10
    A can not recommend this game enough. To say it is the greatest game i have ever played would be a under statement. Riding on the success and popularity of Morrowind and Oblivion, Skyrim takes the open world and massive amount of content and adds a distinctive art style and game play that makes this the Game of The Year without question. If you enjoy freedom, adventure, lore and a sense ofA can not recommend this game enough. To say it is the greatest game i have ever played would be a under statement. Riding on the success and popularity of Morrowind and Oblivion, Skyrim takes the open world and massive amount of content and adds a distinctive art style and game play that makes this the Game of The Year without question. If you enjoy freedom, adventure, lore and a sense of fantasy you will love this game.… Expand
  29. TundraFreeze
    Aug 19, 2013
    6
    I thought this game would be much more exciting than that it actually is, especially since all professional reviewers claimed it as a must-have. The gameplay is slow and dare-I-say tedious. The storyline is thin and absent from much of the game, in fact you can't really tell the difference between a main quest and a side-quest. So the main storyline is not that engaging, it does not standI thought this game would be much more exciting than that it actually is, especially since all professional reviewers claimed it as a must-have. The gameplay is slow and dare-I-say tedious. The storyline is thin and absent from much of the game, in fact you can't really tell the difference between a main quest and a side-quest. So the main storyline is not that engaging, it does not stand out from the other quests you do. Likewise the characters in the game are flat and robotic. It is true that this game is visually impressive and that you have a huge open-world to move around, but everything else was just too boring for me. I wish reviewers, professional ones in particular, could recognize that people like different things in their games and I wish their reviews would reflect this fact, instead of pushing their bias unto others, claiming their judgement as Absolute. Bottomline: if you like pretty graphics, interactions with your environment such as learning a trade and getting married, and a huge open-world to move around in you'll probably enjoy Skyrim a lot. If you want a deep storyline, characters with some degree of personality, and variation in your gameplay look elsewhere.… Expand
  30. Zkaar
    Nov 11, 2011
    7
    Perfect. Just perfect. I've been waiting 5 years for this game and here it is. Much more than I've expected. Graphics, gameplay and plot are perfect and it gets you into the game. But I've found some people who are rating this game 5 or less. And they are comparing Skyrim with other games. Other games shall be compared with Skyrim, because there is no other game that even comes closer toPerfect. Just perfect. I've been waiting 5 years for this game and here it is. Much more than I've expected. Graphics, gameplay and plot are perfect and it gets you into the game. But I've found some people who are rating this game 5 or less. And they are comparing Skyrim with other games. Other games shall be compared with Skyrim, because there is no other game that even comes closer to Skyrim. The game is perfect, glitches make it fun, there are a lot of choices to make and they change the gameplay. Best game ever made.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
2
#2 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
1
#1 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
96

Universal acclaim - based on 89 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 89
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 89
  3. Negative: 0 out of 89
  1. Gamer.no
    Feb 6, 2012
    100
    This epic role-playing game might be Bethesda's best game yet, and offers an unique and spectacular world filled with fun. The freedom ensures a great experience for both the casual and hardcore gamer, as you're free to play the game how you like.
    Read full review
  2. GameFocus
    Dec 16, 2011
    97
    Skyrim is the largest, and most compelling work that I've had the opportunity to play this year. It's engaging, engrossing, and will take over your gaming life for many months to come. Not only is Skyrim among the best that 2011 has to offer, but for me, this is, without hesitation, the Game of the Year.
    Read full review
  3. Cynamite
    Dec 16, 2011
    90
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
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