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. Xboxgamer421
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    i have only played a few hours but i love the game. yeah i wish the map and journal were a little easier to access but that won't break a game for me. scrolling through the reviews i see so many 9 and 10 it is hard to understand how it has a 8.7 user score. Don't give a great RPG a 3 because you don't like RPGs. this game is meant for people who like RPGs. If you are a FPS fan and youi have only played a few hours but i love the game. yeah i wish the map and journal were a little easier to access but that won't break a game for me. scrolling through the reviews i see so many 9 and 10 it is hard to understand how it has a 8.7 user score. Don't give a great RPG a 3 because you don't like RPGs. this game is meant for people who like RPGs. If you are a FPS fan and you didn't like fallout or oblivion this game probably isn't for you. the graphics are great considering how much content it has to load and the fighting system is WAY better than fallout in my opinion. there is a ton of content in the game and i haven't even scratched the surface yet. you are in control of your game. If you don't want to take the time to do some small tasks in order to be able to progress than go to a faster paced game like Assassins Creed and Batman they are both great open world game with a lot less demand on time. this game was meant to take dozens of hours to beat. great job Bathesda! i cant wait to play your next-gen game after i beat this one a dozen times!… Expand
  2. Zyoret
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    A beautiful game, and no matter what you say, undeserving of a 0/10. Ignore the teeny CoD fanboys who are raging that this game is getting a way better userscore. It is simply awesome. CoD fanboys are raging and butthurt that their favorite franchise got shat on.
  3. jdmiller4life
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Skyrim is better than a 9 yet not a 10. Iâ
  4. Brand82715
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    Great game and graphics. I would highly recommend to any gamer. I'm not a huge RPG gamer but this game keeps things interesting. Fighting dragons is a really good touch and keeps you on your toes at all times.
  5. Peebs
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is an awesome game. I have put 30 hours into it and I still have the urge to play it all the time. There is so much to do in the game and something to do for everyone no matter the play style. The melee system is a lot better than in Oblivion, but it still feels a little lacking. Don't get me wrong, it still is good, but it could have been a little better. One of the biggerSkyrim is an awesome game. I have put 30 hours into it and I still have the urge to play it all the time. There is so much to do in the game and something to do for everyone no matter the play style. The melee system is a lot better than in Oblivion, but it still feels a little lacking. Don't get me wrong, it still is good, but it could have been a little better. One of the bigger complaints I have heard about this game is its graphics. The graphics are not excellent, but they are far from bad. It is exactly what I expected from and open world RPG. This game has a ton of stuff to do, so you will never get bored. All of the guilds are entertaining and the dungeons are not a bore. If you liked Oblivion, you will like Skyrim. If you didn't like Oblivion, you still might like Skyrim. I understand Skyrim is not a game for everyone. I respect that.… Expand
  6. greenpaint
    Nov 20, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Skyrim is one of the best games ever made from everything to characters, environment, graphics, quests its simply the best. i wasn't even a fan of the elder scroll series since i never played the first one on 360. but i am a big fan of Bethesda s fallout series and now this. i knew a year ago when it was announced it would be EPIC. your never gonna be short of anything to do in Skyrim the game just keeps on going. its huge i can rant about it for hours but i cant be bothered. of course there are some glitches etc but anyone complaining about the game is a whiny spoiled **** and can go **** themselves in my opinion. game of the year definitively game of the decade maybe you have to be a true gaming fan to appreciate this and not just someone that picks up the controller one day a year.… Expand
  7. DFCooks
    Nov 21, 2011
    7
    I rented this game since i normally don't spend $60 on a solo game. From what i've played up to now (lvl 25). I've decided that in my opinion, the inventory needs to be worked on (sort items based on weight/value/armor/damage). Quests often got thrown on the back burner while trying to accomplish a task. for example, i had to travel to a place to retrieve an item, and on the way i pickedI rented this game since i normally don't spend $60 on a solo game. From what i've played up to now (lvl 25). I've decided that in my opinion, the inventory needs to be worked on (sort items based on weight/value/armor/damage). Quests often got thrown on the back burner while trying to accomplish a task. for example, i had to travel to a place to retrieve an item, and on the way i picked up 3 different quests which then became more important to me since they were 1) closer to my current location. 2) easier than my original task, and more rewarding.… Expand
  8. cblackwe
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Beyond Fantastic. I wish this scale had 15 because I would rate it there if i could. This game will last me YEARS, or until the next Elder Scrolls is released. Great game play, visuals are very appealing, best use of $60 this year. BUY IT!
  9. denis2011
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    This is probably the best action RPG of all time, period ! Incredible design and gameplay, nice graphics, amazing story. Why are you still reading this? Go buy your copy.
  10. xyntek
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    Beautiful master piece. one of the GOTY I've played. I which I could have a better pc to play it on but, PS3 still awesome and perfect. My only complain is that you can' t attack riding horses and you can' t ride dragons. Those two things will be a perfect 10.
  11. Mattyk2000
    Nov 21, 2011
    9
    This game is amazing! If you not 12 years old, buy Skyrim, not Zelda, come on this isn't grade school anymore! The graphics will leave you breathless, the game is challenging, as well as entertaining. The full retail price of this game was a bit much for me, I never get games right away, but I bit the bullet for Skyrim. Maybe, wait till the price goes down, but you will be missing out onThis game is amazing! If you not 12 years old, buy Skyrim, not Zelda, come on this isn't grade school anymore! The graphics will leave you breathless, the game is challenging, as well as entertaining. The full retail price of this game was a bit much for me, I never get games right away, but I bit the bullet for Skyrim. Maybe, wait till the price goes down, but you will be missing out on the game of the decade.… Expand
  12. Escov
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    A living breathing entity, separate from anything else and of it's own operations and workings is how i would describe the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Few games can truly make you feel like you living out your character in a believable world and yet Skyrim is able to just that. Skyrim is one of the greatest accomplishments for gaming recent times and is one of the strongestA living breathing entity, separate from anything else and of it's own operations and workings is how i would describe the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Few games can truly make you feel like you living out your character in a believable world and yet Skyrim is able to just that. Skyrim is one of the greatest accomplishments for gaming recent times and is one of the strongest contenders for game of the year. Play this game.… Expand
  13. Xbox360Critic
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I think the elder scrolls skyrim is an amazing pinnacle of gaming the graphics and story line are amazing but even if you dont want to stick to the main storyline there is many hours of fun to be had exploring the massive map and completing the side quests. On a scale of 1-10 this game is an 11 -Xbox360Critic
  14. Celestia
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This is so far the best game I've played on the holidays. I have played for several days and have only scratched the surface of this wonderful game. The graphics are polished and nice. The gameplay is fun, i particularly like casting spells feels like I'm playing bioshock. The story for both the main quests and side quests like the guilds are a blast. I'm definitely going to replayThis is so far the best game I've played on the holidays. I have played for several days and have only scratched the surface of this wonderful game. The graphics are polished and nice. The gameplay is fun, i particularly like casting spells feels like I'm playing bioshock. The story for both the main quests and side quests like the guilds are a blast. I'm definitely going to replay this game a lot. Oh and I forgot the glitches, it can't be a bethseda game without any hilarious glitches.… Expand
  15. MellonCollie
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    Bigger and certainly better than Oblivion, Skyrim has had me hooked for about 30 hours now, The quests are on the whole highly enjoyable and have an intriguing story to them. This is all the more impressive when you consider just how many there are! I have done quests in places that my friends have never even heard of! The world of Skyrim is impressive, and definitely builds on theBigger and certainly better than Oblivion, Skyrim has had me hooked for about 30 hours now, The quests are on the whole highly enjoyable and have an intriguing story to them. This is all the more impressive when you consider just how many there are! I have done quests in places that my friends have never even heard of! The world of Skyrim is impressive, and definitely builds on the immersion that Oblivion managed to draw people in with so well. The NPCs are all more independent and and varied, leading to the feeingl that even when your console/PC is turned off (if you can manage to pull yourself away) that the world is continuing despite the lack of your presence. The game play is great, weapons carry more ooomph, so it actually feels like you're hitting a bandit when you swing your sword at them - a departure from the mad, light and somewhat frantic combat of Oblivion. The addition of automatic animations at the end of some fights (think assassination in Reach or using the chainsaw in Gears of War) makes the combat seem more rigid and much more entertaining to watch. Switching weapons and spells has also been made a whole lot easier by having the ability to assign items, spells and potions as 'favourites', allowing you to switch easily in the middle of combat without trawling through numerous menus. All this said, Skyrim is definitely not without it's flaws. The auto-save feature doesn't work as well as I'd like and a few times I've died and had to go back up to 40 minutes worth of playing to the last save. To get around this I've got into the habit of 'waiting' for an hour if I'm about to do something risky or am low on health. While this solution works, I still feel that a more frequent auto-save would save on frustration and enhance the game. As with Oblivion and any game of this size and complexity, there are a large number of bugs. While some are just humorous, such as when a Giant kills you it sends you into the atmosphere which never gets old, there are a few more malicious bugs that are potential game destroyers. One such bug which I came across was one where all the NPC women would stay on the stop and rotate as if on a pedestal. This made it hard to complete a Dark Brotherhood quest where I had to follow a woman. Thankfully, a few game restarts later and the problem went away, but I fear there are more disastrous bugs that could ruin someone's Skyrim experience.
    The graphics are pretty, but not mind blowing, at least on the Xbox version anyway. There are some fantastic views of valleys and mountains that are impressive, but more often than not there are some texture issues and the draw distance is less than desirable. Aside from that, the landscapes are vast and varied, ranging from snowy mountains to marshland and urban areas.
    The music is one of my favourite aspects about Skyrim. It adds so much to the atmosphere that I'm not sure it would be worth playing without it! It is reminiscent of Oblivion's score, but more epic. The 'Dovahkiin' chant that plays when fighting a dragon does nothing less than make you feel like you actually are Dragonborn. Even the peaceful music when you are out in the fields is an absolute pleasure to listen to. I'm not a massive RPG fan, so while I'm not blinded by the fact that it's an Elder Scrolls game (as some other reviewers clearly are), I am thoroughly enjoying it and I do consider it to be one of the best games this year, and has set the bar high for all future RPGs. Despite the bugs and the few things Bethesda haven't quite mastered, this truly is one of the great games of this generation.    … Expand
  16. Owen_
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    Some like coke, some like pepsi, the thing is, with Skyrim there is really nothing to compare it to. Having not played Oblivion, I can not say how big of an improvment it is, but I can say how big of an adventer it is. It is a game that you can only say you have completed it when you have at least a hundred hours in it. I personaly have over 20 hours logged in it, and have just barelySome like coke, some like pepsi, the thing is, with Skyrim there is really nothing to compare it to. Having not played Oblivion, I can not say how big of an improvment it is, but I can say how big of an adventer it is. It is a game that you can only say you have completed it when you have at least a hundred hours in it. I personaly have over 20 hours logged in it, and have just barely scratched the surface of the story line. Wheather you are looking to explore, go through a dungeon, do a quest, or best of all, kill a dragon, every minuet in Skyrim is well spent. You can costumize your character in each and every trait. You can be a Archer, Mage, Warrior, or some of each. You can have a spell in one hand, and a battle axe in the other. You can pull out your bow and quiver in times when you want to engage combat, while keeping your distance. No matter what classes you choose, the game expierience will be just as thrilling. There were times when I almost peed my pants in fear from even the slightest noise in a creepy dungeon. There were times when I would just want to just in my screen and live in the Province of Skyrim. In Skyrim you can almost literally live a second life, you can buy a horse, buy a house, get married, make money from stolen goods, get a drink at the local pub, kill a guy for no good reason and go to jail. You can do anything and that is the beauty of it all. Sure there can be some graphical glitches, blurred textures sometimes, and maybe you can even get stuck somewhere. But in a game like Skyrim the good, very much, out weighs the bad… Expand
  17. PidoBear
    Nov 21, 2011
    10
    I represent 'www.BreakMyGame.com'. SKYRIM has been given our hands down! It's a new stepping stone for a new Creation game engine for new titles to come out! Graphics is not to high end and enough to wow players, the score they generated for the game is a step up to give an exact life to the world, an excellent successor and worthy hands-on for new and old players for the series. OverallI represent 'www.BreakMyGame.com'. SKYRIM has been given our hands down! It's a new stepping stone for a new Creation game engine for new titles to come out! Graphics is not to high end and enough to wow players, the score they generated for the game is a step up to give an exact life to the world, an excellent successor and worthy hands-on for new and old players for the series. Overall hour and hours of pure possibilities in how a High Exploring and Story Driven RPG game should be.… Expand
  18. asad610
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    After having played oblivion for almost 5 years, my expectations of Skyrim was sky high! yet somehow Bethesda game studios managed to surprise me. This game is beyond great, it is a Masterpiece, and more. Easily the best game ever made and it will probably stay that way for a couple of years, this game gets top score from me because of it's huge open world, hundreds of quests and infiniteAfter having played oblivion for almost 5 years, my expectations of Skyrim was sky high! yet somehow Bethesda game studios managed to surprise me. This game is beyond great, it is a Masterpiece, and more. Easily the best game ever made and it will probably stay that way for a couple of years, this game gets top score from me because of it's huge open world, hundreds of quests and infinite game play time!… Expand
  19. richardyoung151
    Nov 22, 2011
    9
    I agree with eIras, this is a masterpiece. I only started played the Elder Scrolls w/ Oblivion, so I am somewhat of a Elder Scrolls noob, but I love this game. It has made some great improvements since Oblivion. I am 20 hours in and have not even started on the main quest. An easy 10 here and my vote for GOTY
  20. mawbey
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    I would love to give this game 10/10 but that would mean that it was perfect and as much as i love Skyrim its not a perfect game. That being said however it is still the best rpg i have played since oblivion and it holds what makes the elder scrolls series great. Graphicly its amazing, the game play is brilliant and the dragons are scary as hell. Besides a few minor graphical glitches andI would love to give this game 10/10 but that would mean that it was perfect and as much as i love Skyrim its not a perfect game. That being said however it is still the best rpg i have played since oblivion and it holds what makes the elder scrolls series great. Graphicly its amazing, the game play is brilliant and the dragons are scary as hell. Besides a few minor graphical glitches and the occasional bug this game is perfect, its a must by for anyone who is a fan of open world rpgs.… Expand
  21. Titan11
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Absolutely BRILLIANT. Skyrim is a massive improvement on its amazing predecessor Oblivion. The menu system is visually stunning, clean and easy to manage/follow. Combat animation has improved dramatically and the cut scene animations are just the icing on the cake. The quests and guilds are new, exiting and have a lot of twists and turns which keep you involved and immersed in the story.Absolutely BRILLIANT. Skyrim is a massive improvement on its amazing predecessor Oblivion. The menu system is visually stunning, clean and easy to manage/follow. Combat animation has improved dramatically and the cut scene animations are just the icing on the cake. The quests and guilds are new, exiting and have a lot of twists and turns which keep you involved and immersed in the story. The Main Quest was great but the sweet thing is knowing this game isn't just a 2/3 hour and then get bored game, it is a truly massive free-roam environment in which there are hours upon hours of things to do keeping the player stuck to the TV and provides them with what feels like a truly graphically rich , deep, living world. The levelling and character management system feels so much better and more effective in shaping and helping to distinguish your own personal character without pinning him down to just one speciality. The audio of the game only adds to the experience and makes everything that much sweeter in such a huge landscape. The 3rd person camera angle and jumping are better animated and makes that type of play-style feel so much more believable and realistic. The amount of work that has gone into this game is breathtaking and shows how much Bethesda love making games, how dedicated they are, how much they listen to fan feedback and how far they are willing to go to create some so big and enjoyable for everyone (I loved how they even went as far as to use a choir for the audio, its breathtaking). I for one as a student study to become a games programmer take inspiration from games like these, Bethesda have done a great job. Did I mention the game also have dragons? Completely unscripted which only adds to the re-playability of the game, the fact that even the developers don't know when a dragon might come up is just great. Yes, this review is incredibly favourable because the game in terms of a multimedia product only helps further blur the lines between film and games, and further shows what games can achieve and how technology/incredibly dedicated people can create such stunning masterpieces. However be warned, there are many bugs with this game which does hinder the experience as well as the same voices being recycled on different characters, NPC characters being idiots, etc. However with something so big its worth it. (I feel I must also mention how unlike Oblivion there is not constant lag on a horse and loads of pausing while the loading icon appears). This is my favourite game (could you tell :P) . I can't wait for future DLC to see what else Bethesda have in store. Anyone on the edge about buying this, don't be. Go and get it, I am very sure you won't be disappointed. 10/10.(First time I have ever rated a game this high, I am also a huge Gears of War fan yet wouldn't even rate number 3 this high)… Expand
  22. Acex117x
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    This as pure a video game as us gamers will ever get. Full of content and exploration, this entry into the Elder Scrolls combines the best of what made Morrowind and Oblivion great.
  23. Paperl0l
    Nov 24, 2011
    8
    Skyrim is beautiful game that has captivated me on many levels, it's breathtaking visuals, innovating character progression and great customisation. It is by no means perfect, although it excels through it's many problems. The world of Skyrim has lovingly crafted, there were no areas that I found to have no reason to be in the game, the lands atmosphere creates a believably hostileSkyrim is beautiful game that has captivated me on many levels, it's breathtaking visuals, innovating character progression and great customisation. It is by no means perfect, although it excels through it's many problems. The world of Skyrim has lovingly crafted, there were no areas that I found to have no reason to be in the game, the lands atmosphere creates a believably hostile environment with every town and every location you can feel the hostility of the land. There is plenty of options for your character, there are several races to pick each with their own abilities, however unlike previous elder scrolls titles they no longer affect your skills. Your skills are instead determined entirely through your choice in play, using a skill will cause it to level up, when you have leveled up various skills 10 times your character levels up allowing you to pick if you want to boost your magic capacity, health or fatigue as well as the ability to give yourself a perk for a skill such as doing 20% more damage or being able to craft a certain item. The system is simple and works well but I feel I have lost much of the customisation freedom I had before now I no longer have the ability to level up specific traits. I also found many of the perks were somewhat unbalanced and could perhaps have done with moving around with very powerful boosts being able to be taken early with little effort and some of the final perks adding very little to the skill. It's very easy to become underpowered if you spread out your perks over several skills rather than focusing on one. The game is rather lengthy however this is a good thing, there are a near endless amount of things to be done that can be done in quests or by random jobs from villagers, you will never have a moment where you do not have anything to do however I found that many of the faction quests (i.e. thieves guild, mages guild etc.) were rather short in terms of main quests but heavy in side missions, it was possible to become the guild master of certain guilds in a matter of hours. Skyrim has a fair amount of bugs in game but with it being such a huge game its hardly uprising, you can get trapped in rooms, objects will float in mid air and menus will freeze, however it isn't frequent enough to cause too many problems, and the games frequent auto saving means you can easily back track if an error does occur. All in all this a great game and well worth any bodies time, its spectacular, but occasionally lets itself down.… Expand
  24. metallica6295
    Nov 22, 2011
    10
    Skyrim is a masterpiece that sucks you into a beautifully designed world full of little details that make it seem as real as it could ever be in a video game. This is once of those games that comes out once every few years that just blows you away. You'll spend countless hours exploring the land of Skyrim without even touching the main quest, but don't put it off for too long. What you'llSkyrim is a masterpiece that sucks you into a beautifully designed world full of little details that make it seem as real as it could ever be in a video game. This is once of those games that comes out once every few years that just blows you away. You'll spend countless hours exploring the land of Skyrim without even touching the main quest, but don't put it off for too long. What you'll find in the main quest is a great story with remarkable characters making it one of the best elder scrolls stories yet. Not only is Skyrim one of the best games of the year. It is one of the best games ever made.… Expand
  25. therealgiblet
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    A for Awesome.

    Well done Bethesda. Some devs still left in the industry with awesome imaginations, story telling skills and the talent to bring it all to life.
  26. bruceybaby
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This is an extremely good game on all accounts. The first thing that comes to mind is that Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games need to take a few pointers from Bethesda on the innovation front (and the 'generally how to make a good game' front). This is the first time I can safely say my expectations have been exceeded (and they were already sky high).
  27. JazzieJeff
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    I have playing video games since 1979. I can honestly say that Skyrim is one of the all-time greatest games in the history of gaming. Kudos to Bethesda for staying tried and true to what they do best and improving almost everything in the game since Oblivion and/or Fallout 3. Each dungeon is unique and fun. The voice acting is much improved since the days of Oblivion. At least they nowI have playing video games since 1979. I can honestly say that Skyrim is one of the all-time greatest games in the history of gaming. Kudos to Bethesda for staying tried and true to what they do best and improving almost everything in the game since Oblivion and/or Fallout 3. Each dungeon is unique and fun. The voice acting is much improved since the days of Oblivion. At least they now have more voice actors. What did Oblivion have...2 voice actors? The graphics and the scripting is also a huge step forward. The controls are near-perfect. I could play this game for 10 years and still discover new stuff. Absolutely awesome. This should battle Batman Arkham City for GOTY. Great job, Bethesda. You are one of the best dev teams. Keep up the great work! Gotto go. Dragon is on the loose. (oh wait...that's just my girlfriend).… Expand
  28. ChrisStone
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    The first thing I am going to say is that Skyrim is the biggest most expansive games I have ever played, I have been playing daily since the day that it was released and I feel as if I have barely even scraped the surface. I have put easily 50+ hours in so far. The second thing I want to say is the customization, there is so much you can do to your character. Initially I spent around anThe first thing I am going to say is that Skyrim is the biggest most expansive games I have ever played, I have been playing daily since the day that it was released and I feel as if I have barely even scraped the surface. I have put easily 50+ hours in so far. The second thing I want to say is the customization, there is so much you can do to your character. Initially I spent around an hour tweaking all the different settings to make my character look just as I wanted, then when I got out into Skyrim I have been customizing my armour. Armour can be upgraded to give you more defense, it can be enchanted to give it mystical powers etc.

    To sum Skyrim up I would say, as a player of all the Elder Scrolls titles, that it is the best so far. Sure sometimes it gets a bit buggy like killing someone and there body doesn't fall properly, but these problems are so minor most people won't even notice them. Many people complain about graphics issues and the textures scaling down, this has been addresses by Bethesda and a patch is being released. So really the best game I have played, go buy it.    … Expand
  29. MrLeskulls
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    masterpiece is the best way to describe Skyrim. Bethesda have succeeded where many developers these days utterly fail. The delivery of a game that (again) surpasses its preceding installment in the Elder Scrolls series. The addition of dualwielding, in itself, was a huge step forward for the first person RPG. Crafting, a new perks system and other additions wanted by the players showsmasterpiece is the best way to describe Skyrim. Bethesda have succeeded where many developers these days utterly fail. The delivery of a game that (again) surpasses its preceding installment in the Elder Scrolls series. The addition of dualwielding, in itself, was a huge step forward for the first person RPG. Crafting, a new perks system and other additions wanted by the players shows that they actually took the feedback into consideration. Good show on making a worthwhile game in this age of quick buck chasers.… Expand
  30. TruGamingHD
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This is the best RPG game I have ever played . I believe it will receive game of the year. It should receive game of the decade, if there were such a reward. I honestly LOVE THIS GAME! I recommend it to anyone.
  31. kingjmbx12
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    This game is excellent.I absolutely love it.The amount of stuff to do in this game is over whelming.The only down side to this game is losing your social life because of it.
  32. Gateway6
    Nov 23, 2011
    10
    In typical Bethesda fashion, another Elder Scrolls has been released after half of a decade. But is it worth the $60?

    Although I was initially very excited about the game upon its teaser trailer nearly a year ago, my confidence weakened as more details and screenshots were released. The 60 dollars was the first negative punch, but not really enough to get me worried. Screenshots from    In typical Bethesda fashion, another Elder Scrolls has been released after half of a decade. But is it worth the $60?

    Although I was initially very excited about the game upon its teaser trailer nearly a year ago, my confidence weakened as more details and screenshots were released. The 60 dollars was the first negative punch, but not really enough to get me worried. Screenshots from the Russian Elder Scrolls site, depicting the game to have pathetic graphics, landed another punch. Things gradually became worse as birthsigns were removed, skills were removed, and the reminders of previous lies told by the Bethesda team were brought up. The mediocre Elder Scrolls books by Greg Keyes only fueled my rage that this would be the blunder of Bethesda (a Dragon Age 2 of much larger proportions).

    I must say, I was decently surprised to find the game not only good, and met my original expectations, but it surpassed them greatly. Iâ    … Expand
  33. lornorme
    Nov 24, 2011
    9
    Une note presque parfaite pour un jeu presque parfait selon moi. Je ne peux pas mettre 10 car tout jeu peut être amélioré mais celui ci se rapproche de la perfection. Ce jeu permet de jouer a notre façon , selon nos envies, et les possibilités sont très grandes quelque soit nos choix sur notre Role Play . ChaqueUne note presque parfaite pour un jeu presque parfait selon moi. Je ne peux pas mettre 10 car tout jeu peut être amélioré mais celui ci se rapproche de la perfection. Ce jeu permet de jouer a notre façon , selon nos envies, et les possibilités sont très grandes quelque soit nos choix sur notre Role Play . Chaque façon de jouer est très travailler et aucune n'est lésé ni cheaté. C'est lâ… Expand
  34. CodyTJohnston
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    This addition to the Elder Scrolls Series is astonishing and mind-blowing! Bethesda's new Creation Engine has made the level of realism in this game more than one could ask for. Being able to view the mountains in the distance and having the random chance of fighting dragons whilst walking amongst the wilds give the player a sense of adventure even when they are not following a particularThis addition to the Elder Scrolls Series is astonishing and mind-blowing! Bethesda's new Creation Engine has made the level of realism in this game more than one could ask for. Being able to view the mountains in the distance and having the random chance of fighting dragons whilst walking amongst the wilds give the player a sense of adventure even when they are not following a particular quest line. My player was out looking for herbs when there was a quake in the earth and then a cone of flames hit his backside. Dragons really can just drop out of nowhere. Between crafting armor, combining the casting of spells and weapons, and the storyline of having a war going on during the return of the dragons, Skyrim is beyond what anyone could've asked for.… Expand
  35. jamesicus
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    This game is beautiful. without a doubt one of the best games I have ever had the pleasure to buy and play. From the first few seconds you are thrown into a rich story line and beautiful graphics. This is a game that is perfect for any type of player. Whether you want to be a light armored archer or assassin. A heavily armored battle Mage or anything in between you can do it.
  36. Adanedhel
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    I can only say that Bethesda has done a great great job!
    Skyrim´s world is so rich in many way, that will atracts pep even if they dont like RPG games.

    and experience that cant be pass out
  37. Merkvah
    Nov 25, 2011
    10
    Utter brilliance. It's easy to pick on bugs, glitches, or flaws, because they call our attention away from the pure genius of the game. It's like sitting in Central Park, listening to the Philharmonic, and being annoyed by a mosquito who finds you tasty. The mosquito is there, and he's persistent, but the more you focus on him, the more you miss the magic of the orchestra. Skyrim isUtter brilliance. It's easy to pick on bugs, glitches, or flaws, because they call our attention away from the pure genius of the game. It's like sitting in Central Park, listening to the Philharmonic, and being annoyed by a mosquito who finds you tasty. The mosquito is there, and he's persistent, but the more you focus on him, the more you miss the magic of the orchestra. Skyrim is that concert. The world is MASSIVE... I've easily surpassed eighty hours played and have just barely scratched the surface of the game. I've completed the main quest, and ONE of the faction quests (Mage guild / College of Winterhold). I'm eager to play through it again, now that I understand the mechanics, but to try a different play-style altogether (trying to decide between thief or warrior). The story is compelling and complex... there are different factions vying for your attention, and when you please one, you will upset several others, so no choices are clearly cut and dried. Even when I finished the main quest-line, I wondered if I could have gotten a better outcome by doing something differently. I aim to find out. The night before ES5 launched, I was playing ES4. That was a 5 year lifespan for Oblivion. I can very easily imagine myself playing ES5 the day before ES6 launches. The game deserves the high scores that it gets. I play on a 360, and the interface is fantastic... when my friends ask me which platform they should buy it for, I recommend the consoles; the pc users all complain about (and, those who rate the game poorly do so because of) the UI. Definitely a 10. Definitely worth my $60. Definitely worth the money I will gladly pay for DLC. Could not be happier.… Expand
  38. FattyMooMooMan
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    An amazing game, though the game is not entirely bug free as is normally the case with bethesda role-playing games I have had very few issues and nothing that could be called a game-stopper. what the game does offer is a massive world with lot of things to do and a lot of freedom in how you design your character and how you explore the world. With the reduction of scope for mostAn amazing game, though the game is not entirely bug free as is normally the case with bethesda role-playing games I have had very few issues and nothing that could be called a game-stopper. what the game does offer is a massive world with lot of things to do and a lot of freedom in how you design your character and how you explore the world. With the reduction of scope for most role-playing games in recent years (many feel short and channel you down a set game path) this is a breath of fresh air. Well worth a purchase.… Expand
  39. superturtle
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    After playing this game for about 2 weeks, Skyrim still manages to amaze me. It may not have the best graphics, or the best sound effects or the best non-glitchy gameplay, but by far it is an accomplishment in its own terms. The depth of this game is absolutely unparalleled. The landscapes are astonishing in detail. The musical score is exceptional. To me, this is definitely Game of theAfter playing this game for about 2 weeks, Skyrim still manages to amaze me. It may not have the best graphics, or the best sound effects or the best non-glitchy gameplay, but by far it is an accomplishment in its own terms. The depth of this game is absolutely unparalleled. The landscapes are astonishing in detail. The musical score is exceptional. To me, this is definitely Game of the Year. There's an abundancy of quests to do, and a lot of new things that has been added to make this the best Elder Scrolls (possibly best Bethesda) title yet. Visually, the game features the best graphics of the series, and a huge scope of lands to explore. The voice acting is very well done, as well as the musical score which adds to the immense world. Down to mechanics, Skyrim gets everything right, from the intuitive interface and hand to hand combat. There are occasional glitches, but none large enough to render certain quests undoable or places impassable. Even if you aren't a huge RPG fan, Skyrim is a world to experience and is quite possibly one the best games ever created.… Expand
  40. demolish
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    My favorite RPG of all time. I've only played about 10, but I still love this one. I have over 80 hours logged on this game, and I still have lots to do. There are a few bugs, but nothing that can't be patched. it's fun.
  41. mheys01
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    I am currently on my second play through, having finished all of the main quest and most of the guilds, and I must say that this game is amazing! The graphics are most definitely an upgrade from the already beautiful oblivion. The addition of jobs and skill trees is a fresh change from the restricted leveling found in oblivion. The few minor things that I found don't even warrant to bringI am currently on my second play through, having finished all of the main quest and most of the guilds, and I must say that this game is amazing! The graphics are most definitely an upgrade from the already beautiful oblivion. The addition of jobs and skill trees is a fresh change from the restricted leveling found in oblivion. The few minor things that I found don't even warrant to bring my rating down! This is possibly the most perfect game that I have ever played, and I plan to continue playing it for a long time to come… Expand
  42. cuedva
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    This is the best open-world RPG ever made. Bethesda has made another masterpiece. Just the sheer amount of things you can do in the game is incredible. Whether it is doing the main quest, the dark brotherhood quests, or the companions it is incredible. This is the only game I've been playing since its launch and i have not regretted a minute of it. Anybody who enjoys games will adore thisThis is the best open-world RPG ever made. Bethesda has made another masterpiece. Just the sheer amount of things you can do in the game is incredible. Whether it is doing the main quest, the dark brotherhood quests, or the companions it is incredible. This is the only game I've been playing since its launch and i have not regretted a minute of it. Anybody who enjoys games will adore this game and hail it as a masterpiece.… Expand
  43. gbpacker
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    I would give a 9.5 if I could, but Skyrim is probably closer to a 10 than a 9. This game is simply fantastic. This is the best Bethesda-style RPG on the market. Everything from music to graphics to gameplay is improved from Oblvion and Fallout 3. The only problem is slight bugs popping up, though I haven't seen anything major. Also, the animation can be a little stiff as per the BethesdaI would give a 9.5 if I could, but Skyrim is probably closer to a 10 than a 9. This game is simply fantastic. This is the best Bethesda-style RPG on the market. Everything from music to graphics to gameplay is improved from Oblvion and Fallout 3. The only problem is slight bugs popping up, though I haven't seen anything major. Also, the animation can be a little stiff as per the Bethesda usual, but this is greatly improved since Fallout 3. 100% must buy for anyone who enjoys Bethesda's work and should be heavily considered for anyone else at all interested in gaming.… Expand
  44. Darkoth
    Dec 8, 2011
    10
    The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim
    The After Release Review
    Skyrim, a massive and seemingly endless world that continues to unfold as you delve deeper and deeper into the fantasy role playing game that is the Elder Scrolls universe. Skyrim, the fifth game of the Elder Scrolls series has proven to possibly be the best game developed by Bethesda Gaming Studios; the company who started the Elder    The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim
    The After Release Review
    Skyrim, a massive and seemingly endless world that continues to unfold as you delve deeper and deeper into the fantasy role playing game that is the Elder Scrolls universe. Skyrim, the fifth game of the Elder Scrolls series has proven to possibly be the best game developed by Bethesda Gaming Studios; the company who started the Elder Scrolls series. Bethesdaâ    … Expand
  45. voky
    Dec 12, 2011
    8
    Gameplay:
    Good, not irritating all goes smoothly. It is very interesting to develop the character. It is possible to make the character under the style of game. The huge world which it is possible to investigate it the biggest plus.
    Drawing: The new cursor really shows on what modern consoles are capable. Порисовка Grasses,    Gameplay:
    Good, not irritating all goes smoothly. It is very interesting to develop the character. It is possible to make the character under the style of game. The huge world which it is possible to investigate it the biggest plus.
    Drawing:
    The new cursor really shows on what modern consoles are capable. Порисовка
    Grasses, structures of cities amazes.
    Music:
    The pleasant does not irritate.
    Optimisation for xbox 360:
    Good it is a pity what to establish certainly a disk it is impossible without a patch is a minus.
    Lacks:
    Small bugs.    … Expand
  46. Hiipi
    Dec 12, 2011
    10
    The most immersive game world I have ever encountered, that alone stands for a whole nine. This includes excellent voice acting, very believable characters, unbelievable world encounters that actually tell stories, the attention to detail from Bethesda (numerous examples available) and numerous other things. The game world lives and breathes. This amounts to nine. Why it deserves ten isThe most immersive game world I have ever encountered, that alone stands for a whole nine. This includes excellent voice acting, very believable characters, unbelievable world encounters that actually tell stories, the attention to detail from Bethesda (numerous examples available) and numerous other things. The game world lives and breathes. This amounts to nine. Why it deserves ten is because of the beautiful menus, the possibility to play your character absolutely however you want, and one extra "+" for the pre-release marketing posters and images.

    Sure, there is bugs, glitches and exploitation possibilities - but that does not matter, the game world makes up hundred times for every letdown.    … Expand
  47. Cuddlezombie
    Dec 12, 2011
    10
    Skyrim and Bethesda are awesome!!!! I absolutely love this game and find myself forgetting my uni work because I can't get enough of it. Yes there are some small bugs, but they do not detract from how brilliant this game is. You can tell that Bethesda really enjoyed making it which is brilliant and as a female gamer it is nice to play a game that is not all boobs and bum. For those of youSkyrim and Bethesda are awesome!!!! I absolutely love this game and find myself forgetting my uni work because I can't get enough of it. Yes there are some small bugs, but they do not detract from how brilliant this game is. You can tell that Bethesda really enjoyed making it which is brilliant and as a female gamer it is nice to play a game that is not all boobs and bum. For those of you who have complained about the game being medieval and fantasy, thats the setting of the game. Dont buy it if you dont like RPG's and/or fantasy.… Expand
  48. Austenbr423
    Dec 13, 2011
    9
    Anyone who dislikes this game can take an arrow to the knee, Bethesda hit a home run with Skyrim, amazing engine, amazing voice actors, a few annoying glitches, such as the Esbern voice bug, i gave it a 9 simply because it does have game impacting glitches.
  49. Cowsofwar
    Dec 14, 2011
    10
    This game is one of the best games of the year it has weeks of content, awesome gameplay, huge world, and lots choices to play. It has lots of bugs & glitches but what do you expect from a game that has this,much content. it has weeks of quests but lots of them are boring but you can still explore the vast world of skyrim. this game gets a 10 out of 10 and obviously like other elderThis game is one of the best games of the year it has weeks of content, awesome gameplay, huge world, and lots choices to play. It has lots of bugs & glitches but what do you expect from a game that has this,much content. it has weeks of quests but lots of them are boring but you can still explore the vast world of skyrim. this game gets a 10 out of 10 and obviously like other elder scrolls it will have expansions.… Expand
  50. yumdumpster
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    This game filled the gap of time between my quitting WOW and the release of TOR, basically hundreds of hours of my life that I am never going to get back, and i don't regret a second of it. Its amazing that an RPG can have this amount of content in it, and the Graphics are absolutely stunning.
  51. Yater
    Jan 13, 2012
    10
    I have been playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim nonstop since it came out. The game has so many different story lines that I often find myself starting the game with no goal in mind initially, then before I know it, diving into some unexpected and wonderful bit of the game only to resurface totally astounded from what I've just discovered. I've played many of Bethesda's games, but this isI have been playing The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim nonstop since it came out. The game has so many different story lines that I often find myself starting the game with no goal in mind initially, then before I know it, diving into some unexpected and wonderful bit of the game only to resurface totally astounded from what I've just discovered. I've played many of Bethesda's games, but this is by far the best I've experienced.… Expand
  52. ARDaalus
    Jan 15, 2012
    10
    This game is a memorable addition to the legendary Elder Scrolls series, and I believe the best yet. The graphics are epic, conveying the developer's dream for "Epic Reality" flawlessly. The quests are interesting, with branching stories and minor quests that actually feel alive. My best game of 2011, and possibly longer.
  53. Writer
    Jan 17, 2012
    10
    Those who have scored Skyrim with a negative score, I would want to tell you one thing. First take of the game from the oven, microwave or where else you have put it, and insert it in the correct device. Wow it's a great game, isn't it?
  54. ColonelBoston
    Jan 17, 2012
    10
    Skyrim is a beautiful game that's ridiculously immersive. From the endless wandering to the seemingly never-ending number of quests, Skyrim will suck you in. The absolute perfection of Skyrim is that there is no perfect character or perfect way to play, just the character that fits your playstyle on the path you choose to take. This game is quite literally what you make of it -- doSkyrim is a beautiful game that's ridiculously immersive. From the endless wandering to the seemingly never-ending number of quests, Skyrim will suck you in. The absolute perfection of Skyrim is that there is no perfect character or perfect way to play, just the character that fits your playstyle on the path you choose to take. This game is quite literally what you make of it -- do whatever you want, whenever you want, however you want and you don't need to be an old hand at fantasy RPGs to do so. The only criticism I have for the game is that there's no ultimate affect to anything. What I mean is that you can play both sides & it doesn't seem to affect anything: side w/ the Imperials & the Companions don't seem to mind; side w/ the Stormcloaks & wander around Solitude in the middle of the Civil War & no one bats an eyelash. Somehow, however, none of this seems to take away from the game or the gameplay. I've never played a fantasy-style RPG prior to Skyrim & I'd give it a solid, solid 9.8.… Expand
  55. Nicho_Latte
    Jan 19, 2012
    10
    Absolutely amazing. This game has raised the bar for RPG's in the future. The graphics are not the greatest but they arenâ
  56. xipher
    Feb 6, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There is lots and lots of stuff to do in skyrim from hundreds of quests to just walking though the forest, but after putting a lot of time into this game it all kind've feels empty and unsatisfying. I will admit they did an excellent job creating the world and the feel of the game. The music nature sounds and scope truly feel epic when your exploring above ground. The problem is that 75 to 80 percent of the game takes place in caves, underground ruins and castles. And aside from the occasional dwarven ruin almost all the dungeons and castles are just dark boring caves filled with weak annoying skeletons and crappy loot that you don't need. In fact the horrible loot system and lack of satisfying exploration are the biggest things holding this game back. For a game as big as skyrim the limited variety of armor and weapons to find is just sad. There is almost no point exploring for loot as the weapons and armor you can make and enchant yourself are better than anything you will find. The perk system also leaves much to be desired as most the perks simply buff what you can already do or give some little ability that barely makes a difference. It doesn't help that aside from the story quests and a few guild quests (mainly thieves guild) most of the quests are boring and unmemorable. Throw in some bad voice acting, wooden character animations, and annoying dragons and thats skyrim. Im disapointed that so many users posted 10/10 scores after barely playing the game. It looks amazing at first but the substance just isn't there. I played for around 230 hours before posting this.… Expand
  57. mrcoolman
    Mar 7, 2012
    9
    Many people say that movie games arent very good but i think skyrim is a good game. you play as jason born and it takes place in sweden. in this game you don't have any guns like in movies, that is because guns are not allowed in swden so you have to use sword. your goal in the game is to kill all the elves and dragons so sweden is safe to live in again. this game was very thoughtMany people say that movie games arent very good but i think skyrim is a good game. you play as jason born and it takes place in sweden. in this game you don't have any guns like in movies, that is because guns are not allowed in swden so you have to use sword. your goal in the game is to kill all the elves and dragons so sweden is safe to live in again. this game was very thought provoking, because not all the elves are bad so you are like nazi only for elf people. Also there was bug where when you kill some elf he get up again even though he dead. This game had deep exploration on morality which i like, because you are kind of bad guy when you kill all evles. more games should have deep storyline like this. Very good game but maybe sweden people shoulnd buy because it illegal in sweden to kill swede people… Expand
  58. OnAnarchy
    Mar 19, 2012
    9
    I can't bring myself to rate this less than a 9/10. I would like to, as there are many problems with the game, but in the end I got hundreds of hours of gameplay out of this game. You can't say that about many other games.

    I didn't like several things. Firstly, dungeon delving was fun for a while, but became boring and repetitive (although you'll keep doing it for other reasons).    I can't bring myself to rate this less than a 9/10. I would like to, as there are many problems with the game, but in the end I got hundreds of hours of gameplay out of this game. You can't say that about many other games.

    I didn't like several things. Firstly, dungeon delving was fun for a while, but became boring and repetitive (although you'll keep doing it for other reasons). Secondly, and probably most importantly, was interaction of story lines. It is feasible for you to become Harbinger of the Companions, Master of the Thieves Guild, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, and Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold in one play-through. Due to differing ideologies, this shouldn't be possible. I believe you should be the arch-mage and one other leader at maximum to preserve story lines and conflicts. But that's just me.

    All in all, amazing game. Only a few things to change, but hey, who wouldn't?    … Expand
  59. watithink123
    Sep 21, 2012
    10
    Skyrim is one those games for me it always give me that feeling like I i'm playing this for the first ever, and only one other game has done that to me! Sure it may not be popular as it use to be back in 2011 but I don't care what people say, Skyrim is my game of the year 2011 and best game of all time! The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim 10/10
  60. classicaldon
    Jul 1, 2012
    6
    Skyrim has a lot of good stuff, but it misses something very important: characters and story. The characters don't have anything to say, they're shallow, even the important ones. And the story, well.. it simply isn't that engaging. The game gets repetitive and boring after a while.
  61. Naglfar
    May 13, 2012
    9
    An Elder Scrolls game based around Nords? Awesome. I loved the whole concept, and the vast snowy landscapes were varied and interesting, from the Dragons, to the old ruined temples, to ancient Grey Beards and their secretive society. I was a huge fan of Oblivion and even though this game is based around viking culture (which is another personal interest of mine) I found myself preferringAn Elder Scrolls game based around Nords? Awesome. I loved the whole concept, and the vast snowy landscapes were varied and interesting, from the Dragons, to the old ruined temples, to ancient Grey Beards and their secretive society. I was a huge fan of Oblivion and even though this game is based around viking culture (which is another personal interest of mine) I found myself preferring the former mainly for it's variety of story telling which seems to be lacking slightly in this title. Having said that, this is still one hell of an awesome RPG with ton's to do and numerous quests and adventures to be had in your own time.… Expand
  62. SCHMOOPITIZE
    May 13, 2012
    9
    Skyrim, is defiantly one of my favorite games of all time. My favorite part is the skill system. Being able to simply level up skills instead of mindlessly grinding for experience. You feel yourself getting better at a certain task. For instance, you will be casting flames at level 5 but when your destruction turns 25 and your level 10 your casting firebolt. The part that makes itSkyrim, is defiantly one of my favorite games of all time. My favorite part is the skill system. Being able to simply level up skills instead of mindlessly grinding for experience. You feel yourself getting better at a certain task. For instance, you will be casting flames at level 5 but when your destruction turns 25 and your level 10 your casting firebolt. The part that makes it interesting isn't that your skills increase with your level but your skills increase with their specific level. Firebolt wasn't because of the level 10 is what i'm trying to get across here. There is only one major flaw i had with the game, all of the side quests are more interesting then the main quest. I have replayed the game over 20 times (i know no life) and i only beat the main story once. While i beat dark brotherhood all 20 times. The game is a bit buggy but with all the patches there are no game ending ones left. The combat is a bit stiff and can be boring. Especially if playing a melee class. While magic is insanely over powered if you have a trusty follower. Being stealthy is by far the most fun thing to do in the game. I found out of the 20 characters i had, 3 mage/assassin hybrids 2 warrior/mage hybrids 1 normal warrior type 6 pure mages and the rest were all stealthy when in every single other game i'm ALWAYS A MAGE. and never the sneak. THAT JUST HOWS THE IMPACT THIS GAME CAN HAVE ON THE PLAYER.… Expand
  63. Ben69xd
    May 21, 2012
    5
    This game removes everything that a RPG is/was Classes, GONE! If you are going to buy this game, make sure that you are an Argonian (why? because of here http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Argonian_(Skyrim) ), get married, beat every story, don't deny a quest, level everything to 100, get every achievement, and then go back to playing morrowind. the gameplay is alright, but you have toThis game removes everything that a RPG is/was Classes, GONE! If you are going to buy this game, make sure that you are an Argonian (why? because of here http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Argonian_(Skyrim) ), get married, beat every story, don't deny a quest, level everything to 100, get every achievement, and then go back to playing morrowind. the gameplay is alright, but you have to force yourself not to use the fast traveling system if you want to wander. Pluse this game is 10x more ugly than oblivion and the voice acting is just a little bit better than oblivion but not buy much.… Expand
  64. Chuck_Woolery
    Nov 2, 2012
    7
    Weird thing about Skyrim, I LOOOVED Oblivion, but Skyrim was just was lackluster for me. That didn't stop me from playing out almost every quest, but I think it didn't improve enough on Oblivion and the Oblivion DLC for me. Also, I found it very easy... was pretty easy to create an unstoppable character.

    Still its a significant achievement and it was enjoyable all the way through, so    Weird thing about Skyrim, I LOOOVED Oblivion, but Skyrim was just was lackluster for me. That didn't stop me from playing out almost every quest, but I think it didn't improve enough on Oblivion and the Oblivion DLC for me. Also, I found it very easy... was pretty easy to create an unstoppable character.

    Still its a significant achievement and it was enjoyable all the way through, so it's hard to give less than 7 for me.    … Expand
  65. Soopy
    Jun 3, 2012
    5
    Average game at best. Makes grand attempts and falls flat on all of them. None of the game mechanics seem to compliment another. The combat is blehh. The World is well designed, the views are stunning. But there's not much of anything of value in it. The story is poor, and the ending to the main quest just bad. The sense of progression and achievement is non existent and the characterAverage game at best. Makes grand attempts and falls flat on all of them. None of the game mechanics seem to compliment another. The combat is blehh. The World is well designed, the views are stunning. But there's not much of anything of value in it. The story is poor, and the ending to the main quest just bad. The sense of progression and achievement is non existent and the character development pointless.… Expand
  66. disview912
    Sep 4, 2012
    9
    It isn't as great as Morrowind, but Skyrim is probably the best game of the current generation. Even though it has it's flaws Skyrim immersive and exciting. Not many games can keep the player engaged for 300+ hours and remain fresh. Fans of fantasy and adventure should not pass this game up.
  67. UltraGrunt117
    Jun 29, 2012
    8
    I first bought Skyrim on a whim, and I loved it. The scenery was rich and fun to play, unfortunately, the repetitiveness caught up with it and I found myself killing the exact same enemies and entering combat in the exact same way time and time again, in the same narrow dungeons. Despite the ever increasing boredom, I managed to complete a good majority of the game. Some of the quests andI first bought Skyrim on a whim, and I loved it. The scenery was rich and fun to play, unfortunately, the repetitiveness caught up with it and I found myself killing the exact same enemies and entering combat in the exact same way time and time again, in the same narrow dungeons. Despite the ever increasing boredom, I managed to complete a good majority of the game. Some of the quests and areas were very unique and captivating as I progressed through the main quest (Blackreach). The story was also well thought out and quite interesting. While experiencing a few frame rate drops and occasional freezes the game remained relatively bug free. All in all a solid 8/10 for delivering a great RPG experience.… Expand
  68. Dingi
    Aug 15, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love the Elder Scrolls Series, especially Oblivion. Skyrim, to me, was fun. But, it slowly dissolved into repetitiveness. I thought the Oblivion story-line was far more interesting, if a tad cliche. Sure, the graphics and leveling system are better than in Oblivion, but Skyrim just feels so...empty. I also thought that Oblivion was a tad harder (although the difficulty could easily be adjusted). Also, I like how Oblivion just dumped you off in the middle of a sewer and after you got out you were free to roam and the game just basically said "do whatever the heck you want". I don't think Skyrim gave me that chance because after the dragon attack, the game basically TOLD me to go and warn them. I mean sure, you were free to roam but it just didn't feel...right.
    Anyways, there's my two cents.    … Expand
  69. Jacksonsteel200
    Aug 27, 2012
    7
    This game was fun, the atmosphere was great at times depending on the environment. The main storyline of the dragonborn was interesting enough and the civil war side quest was as well. Once finishing those I lost interest in continuing the game, for many reasons. The combat isn't that good, hit detection is off and the animations are not impressive at all. Fighting Dragons isn't veryThis game was fun, the atmosphere was great at times depending on the environment. The main storyline of the dragonborn was interesting enough and the civil war side quest was as well. Once finishing those I lost interest in continuing the game, for many reasons. The combat isn't that good, hit detection is off and the animations are not impressive at all. Fighting Dragons isn't very exciting. While the many villages and towns you visit are filled with people, they all say the same lines over and over whenever you pass. It doesn't help that a majority of the voice overs sound the same. One of the most disappointing things about this game besides the combat, which is very important in a game that ask for so much of your time, is your character. It is cool you can choose your own race and all that but your character is pretty lifeless. The same emotionless stare is seen on your character's face throughout the game. It also doesn't help that there are no voice overs for your character. Another issue are your companions whenever you end up paired with one or two. They take forever to catch up to you and they are mostly useless in a fight. This game offers a lot of freedom but it comes at a price, while Bethesda may have fixed certain things by now, the fact that if you didn't do certain quests before others the game may not allow you to progress further is pathetic. Last but not least, are the bugs, I understand bugs pop up in many games but they should not be overlooked just because a game offers so much freedom and all that. Bethesda shouldn't still be releasing games this buggy after all this time. Bugs that freeze the game or slow it down to the point where it takes 10 seconds to swing a sword or quests get locked out. Bethesda delivered a huge game with a ton of content which is impressive but in my opinion more effort needs to go into combat, artificial intelligence and better animations. A little less quantity and a lot more quality.… Expand
  70. magee
    Apr 7, 2013
    7
    i got this game at release date. i played it for like 10 days straight with a playtime of 70h I was so excited about this game and in the end i had a lot of fun this 10 days, while i finished all the side quest brotherhood. thief and so on i never finished the main story line because it was just very boring to me. dark brotherhood kinda dissapointed me the quest line was very short andi got this game at release date. i played it for like 10 days straight with a playtime of 70h I was so excited about this game and in the end i had a lot of fun this 10 days, while i finished all the side quest brotherhood. thief and so on i never finished the main story line because it was just very boring to me. dark brotherhood kinda dissapointed me the quest line was very short and not unique well tbh all the companion quests were pretty bad in comparison to the older titles. i played tes games since morrowind. if you like exploring in games this game is amazing but i feel like there arent really big rewards for it. a lot of mechanics got dumbed down sadly. crafting is good but you can craft such powerful armors that you oneshot every monster in the entire game and if you get that armor you will be bored pretty soon cause there will be no rewards for your actions. to sum up my 2 main cons are, first of all the combat system is very very bad it just gets old very quick you basically just click the hit button....thats it...they should really change something about it cause its like 50% of the game. the second thing is the main story and quests.. the main story is poor its not exciting at all and i wish they will made your character talk. while there are some quality quests the majority is pretty bad go there and kill that quests. its still a good game i played straight 10 games like a crazy man and then never touched it again.… Expand
  71. T-DIDDEY
    Oct 18, 2012
    10
    Where do i start with Skyrim, perhaps my favorite game of all time. This game has a huge open world to explore and a unique character to level up and spec out as you see fit. Skyrim has so much to it that i'm not going to say anything about it for fear of leaving something out. If you own a 360, PS3 or a PC that can run it there is no reason why you wouldn't have this game already, and ifWhere do i start with Skyrim, perhaps my favorite game of all time. This game has a huge open world to explore and a unique character to level up and spec out as you see fit. Skyrim has so much to it that i'm not going to say anything about it for fear of leaving something out. If you own a 360, PS3 or a PC that can run it there is no reason why you wouldn't have this game already, and if you don't you should definitely buy it and play the magical experience for yourself.… Expand
  72. HonoredBacon
    Nov 20, 2012
    9
    One of the best RPG's ever, a must get for those who wants a taste of TES series. Good storyline (especially before entering the Valhalla-hall looking place), range of weapons, spells, enemies, allies, armors, and much much more. Skyrim can surely be enjoyable for months as there are various mini-quests and side-quests.

    There are some minor bugs and bad textures but those aren't    One of the best RPG's ever, a must get for those who wants a taste of TES series. Good storyline (especially before entering the Valhalla-hall looking place), range of weapons, spells, enemies, allies, armors, and much much more. Skyrim can surely be enjoyable for months as there are various mini-quests and side-quests.

    There are some minor bugs and bad textures but those aren't important at all.    … Expand
  73. XboxGamerGuy
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    Amazing visuals, Epic sound track, great game play. Is it better than oblivion? No it's not! The main story is boring with little consequent, guild missions are no where near as good as oblivion. The game is amazing but so much effort into making it look good with so little time spent on making a epic story! On a side note "some" of the side missions are great...
  74. DiabloMEX
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    el mejor juego que he jugado, muy divertido, muchas horas de diversion garantizadas , muy recomendable especialmente si te gustan los juegos de rol. have fun!!
  75. Mattman_Matt
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    As engaging and involved as a game can be, Skyrim is easily one of my favorite games of all time. It can be played various ways allowing for hundreds of hours of game play. As a wise friend once said "this game is the proverbial rabit hole". The many guilds, factions, and main story alone are all well crafted stories that allow you to become a truly great hero. The inclusion of dragonsAs engaging and involved as a game can be, Skyrim is easily one of my favorite games of all time. It can be played various ways allowing for hundreds of hours of game play. As a wise friend once said "this game is the proverbial rabit hole". The many guilds, factions, and main story alone are all well crafted stories that allow you to become a truly great hero. The inclusion of dragons in this installment is a welcomed feature. Like any Elder Scrolls game there are some bugs but they are to be expected and during my 100 plus hour, and continuing, play through haven't been enough to make me love this game or give it a perfect 10 score. Do yourself a favor, say goodbye to friends and family, and dive in.… Expand
  76. BroncosBoy99
    Jan 14, 2013
    10
    This is the best game I have ever played! The graphics are great for the size of the game world, the music is amazing, and the gameplay is fun. Coupled with the awesome story, lore, and voice acting, this game is a must own.
  77. leon1212
    Jan 16, 2013
    6
    glitches up the ass but decent game overall so play it or die fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
  78. osostt2004
    Oct 1, 2013
    9
    A game that's jam-packed with content is the best way to describe it. And this isn't stuff that Bethesda spent 5 minutes designing; NO! Sometimes, you can get more enjoyment out of Skyrim in ten minutes then you could other games as a whole. The only problem is it can be a little glitch like this one time a saw a mammoth or something floating in mid air :P Beautiful Music, Variety, GreatA game that's jam-packed with content is the best way to describe it. And this isn't stuff that Bethesda spent 5 minutes designing; NO! Sometimes, you can get more enjoyment out of Skyrim in ten minutes then you could other games as a whole. The only problem is it can be a little glitch like this one time a saw a mammoth or something floating in mid air :P Beautiful Music, Variety, Great Graphics, amesome replayability and superb quests and storylines, Skyrim is a game that will never be forgotten.… Expand
  79. imawsome722
    Jul 2, 2013
    5
    skyrim can be fun for a bit but then you start to notice all the bad's for the game
    pros:large word, great music, lots of quests and activities, 4 guilds dark brotherhood college of winterhold companions and thieves guild, FREAKING DRAGONS, epic master level destruction spells,
    cons: repetitive quests (go here kill this get this talk to him every time), main story is less than 4 hours,    skyrim can be fun for a bit but then you start to notice all the bad's for the game
    pros:large word, great music, lots of quests and activities, 4 guilds dark brotherhood college of winterhold companions and thieves guild, FREAKING DRAGONS, epic master level destruction spells,
    cons: repetitive quests (go here kill this get this talk to him every time), main story is less than 4 hours, world has barely any colour, you never feel important your the dragonborn head of all guilds and killed 50 dragons no one cares, usually the only enemies youll fight are bandits wolves and draugr,removed spell making, stealth is nearly impossible because enemies crowd up next to each other, the thieves guild is about fighting, story is mediocre its just dragons are invading you're the dragon born you have to stop them, npc's have no emotion, theres only like 13 voice actors, very buggy once a door was bugged so whenever i went through that door the game would crash and that was the only way out so i had to restart the game, combat is just hit each other with a weapon until one of you is dead, enemies never block, magic is weak and you run out of magicka fast,    … Expand
  80. Jamison12
    Jun 18, 2013
    9
    I for one am not a huge fan of Skyrim. I just can't get into it.
    However, I can admit Skyrim is an outstanding game with a great plot and outstanding graphics. The controls are perfect, not too hard, not too easy.
  81. GamingSoldier
    Nov 4, 2013
    9
    I've been playing skyrim for two years and still haven't seen everything
    Pros: combat, the guilds are all awesome, rather awesome quests you find in the world, dragons, the battle of whiterun and solitude/wind helm, immersive and interesting world, dragons, guild side quests are tons of fun, making your own stories, did I mention dragons, improved progression
    Cons: main story is a bit    I've been playing skyrim for two years and still haven't seen everything
    Pros: combat, the guilds are all awesome, rather awesome quests you find in the world, dragons, the battle of whiterun and solitude/wind helm, immersive and interesting world, dragons, guild side quests are tons of fun, making your own stories, did I mention dragons, improved progression
    Cons: main story is a bit lacking, a f%# ton of bugs (I once saw a decapitated head of a civilian lying in the streets and I thought "oh my god riften has a serial killer" but then the head said hi and was still alive, albeit decapitated) this isn't really a problem but just hitting a guy and then him falling down dead is a bit boring. I feel this could be improved by Bethesda adding the gore from their fallout series AFTER ALL A SWORD IS MORE LIKELY TO DISMEMBER THEN BULLETS. That's just my opinion though
    All in all buy skyrim. Btw your friends may report you missing to the police    … Expand
  82. stevelaughton
    Jul 10, 2013
    9
    I've put it 100's of hours of gameplay for Skyrim, It is a brilliant game. There are certain aspects which stop it from getting at 10/10 such as graphics, in game NPC's and the combat system but the levelling and content far out way the negative. A very addictive game regardless of it's flaws.
  83. mcmanusaur
    Sep 7, 2013
    9
    ---Rating---
    Design: 4 /5 (some "streamlining" but the core experience mostly remains intact, repetitive quests)
    Polish: 5 /5 (the impressive graphics bring life to Skyrim and give an awe-inspiring sense of scale) Value: 5 /5 (a huge open world to explore, one of the few games that deserves the high price tag) ---Review--- The dramatic evolution of TES' graphics quality could almost    ---Rating---
    Design: 4 /5 (some "streamlining" but the core experience mostly remains intact, repetitive quests)
    Polish: 5 /5 (the impressive graphics bring life to Skyrim and give an awe-inspiring sense of scale)
    Value: 5 /5 (a huge open world to explore, one of the few games that deserves the high price tag)

    ---Review---
    The dramatic evolution of TES' graphics quality could almost be likened to the radical transformation of the Fallout series, with the last two installments presenting much more accessible versions. In many ways Skyrim follows in the direction laid out by Oblivion, but there is a general impression that Skyrim is more fleshed out, better polished, and certainly more streamlined than its predecessor.

    The most noticeable- and in some ways disappointing- shift from Oblivion was the complete omission of attributes from a rather decidedly dumbed-down set of mechanics. The emphasis has shifted from specifying one's character abilities during the character creation process to defining them through play, a change that will please some and disappoint others.

    The second major criticism I have is the degree to which the layout of the setting seems contrived and inauthentic; there is one "city" for each hold, with a single player-purchasable home in each "city". I use quotes because this assumes a rather loose definition of what comprises a city; there does not seem much to do in half of them. For having depicted the scale of physical geography in the most compelling manner of the games I've played (seeing the Throat of the World towering in the distance and gradually approaching it is an almost surreal experience), the scale of human geography in Skyrim isn't the most convincing as far as RPGs go.

    Dragon encounters provide some variety in combat gameplay but their novelty seems to wane quickly. The questing experience is adequate aside from a torpid opening scene and formulaic faction-related questlines (initiation into the ranks, learn about hostile faction, defeat hostile faction, possibly dealing with some betrayal along the way), and is still dominated by floating quest markers and instantaneous fast travel a la Oblivion.

    The highly touted inclusion of a second magic system in the form of dragon shouts will no doubt irritate anyone looking to play a pure melee character. A more comprehensive crafting skills system sounds at first like a welcome addition to the series open-ended ideology, but in reality the implementation feels incomplete and disconnected with the rest of the game in my opinion.

    Skyrim is undeniably great in very many ways, but strategic complexity is simply not one of those. If one can enjoy it merely for its more or less immersive yet casual experience, one will be in for a treat like no other.

    (I've since found that- while adding some performance issues- mods can greatly enhance the Skyrim experience on the PC platform, but I can't really justify taking this into account when rating a game that I mostly experienced on the Xbox 360.)    … Expand
  84. fighterman21
    Oct 26, 2013
    9
    I've never gotten so lost in a game. Even 2 years later, I still come back and find endless things to do in the world of Skyrim. It's unbelievable how addictive this game is, and that's coming from a casual gamer.
  85. KotorFan3231
    Nov 15, 2013
    9
    Let me first start by saying that this is the best fantasy RPG i have ever played. There is a tremendous amount of detail put into this game, the environments are beautifully crafted, and a big improvement over Oblivion is the character models. Those have seen massive improvement on detail making them look unique for each race especially the Kajiit, and Aragonian making them look moreLet me first start by saying that this is the best fantasy RPG i have ever played. There is a tremendous amount of detail put into this game, the environments are beautifully crafted, and a big improvement over Oblivion is the character models. Those have seen massive improvement on detail making them look unique for each race especially the Kajiit, and Aragonian making them look more animal, and reptile like. Also a big improvement over Oblivion i found is the combat no longer feels stiff and lifeless. In Skyrim it feels more dynamic with the addition of kill animations, and being able to duel equip weapons or spells, for instance one sword in the right hand, and a fire spell in the other, or apply a healing spell to both hands making twice as powerful, the possibilities are enormous. Also i like how now when you have a conversation with an NPC it no longer looks like them game freezes in motion as it zooms in on a characters face when talking to them. No in Skyrim the conversations flow naturally, and when talking to you the NPC's go about their buisness, and because of this it feels more immersive and life like. Now the armor sets look awsome each one had its own unique look, and none of them feel useless or not needed. My personal favorite looking armor is the Dark Brotherhood assassin armor. Then there are the weapons, and each one looks unique also i like the variety because this game has everything from maces to swords to battle axes, to two handed axes, to great swords, to war hammers, and you can even take a regular weapon, and turn it into a magical one with its own properties, and even name it if you want to, same thing with your armors. Also the horse riding mechanic has seen improvement as well. Now the leveling up system has definitely been improved, in Oblivion it seemed like if you didn't level up a certain way your character would be at a severe disadvantage. Now in Skyrim you either put points into Magika, health, or stamina, so you won't be messing around with a bunch of stats. Also you now have skill trees with every time you level up you can put a perk point in any area you choose, and if you don't have what you need, then you can save it for later. Also now with level up system i feel like you can mold your character into what ever you want, for example if you want to be the brute with heavy armor, and two handed weapons with juggernaut like health you can do that, if you want to be a battle mage you can do that, and another example if you want to be an assassin who also has knowledge in magic you can do that. Now there are some faults with the game that i found. For one the voice acting for the characters is below average except for some standout performances like Micheal Hogan for General Tullius, and the voice actress for Astrid of the Dark Broterhood, and The voice actor for Ulfric Stormcloak. Then the main story isn't all that interesting, its just you are this legendary warrior, and you have to kill this evil dragon, but i will say the final boss fight was epic feeling. Now the story that the side quest i found more interesting especially the Dark Brotherhood quest line, the Thieves guild quest line, and the Companions guild quest line, all of those were filed with intrigue, and mystery. Also the Skyrim civil war quest line was epic, because by the end of it no matter what side you choose you will feel like you choice has had an impact on the world of Skyrim. Now this should never be the case where the side quest are more interesting than the main story because there is room for both of these to be interesting, and each should compliment each other. The final gripe i had with the game is that there were some times where the frame rate would drop making the battles i was in feel static, there were also times where some quest would not progress as in the broke, and also there were at least 4 times i expiereinced where my game would freeze, and sometimes i could not perform specific actions like i wanted to go to jail to wipe away my bounty in a hold, but when i chose that option it just sent me into a long loading screen that would take more than like five minutes to load. Now despite all these flaws i still enjoyed the game alot, and there is massive value for your money there is over like 300 hours of gameplay. So i would recommend a buy. This in my opinion could be a game of the decade.… Expand
  86. JamesDeLuca
    Nov 14, 2013
    9
    I wouldn't consider the latest edition of Elder Scrolls a mater piece, and instead of going on about how great the game is (which it is incredible) I'll instead focus on the negatives. The number one problem I have with Skyrim are all the cut corners. What really grinds me are the cities that have populations of maybe thirty to fifty people. In that time period those cities would beI wouldn't consider the latest edition of Elder Scrolls a mater piece, and instead of going on about how great the game is (which it is incredible) I'll instead focus on the negatives. The number one problem I have with Skyrim are all the cut corners. What really grinds me are the cities that have populations of maybe thirty to fifty people. In that time period those cities would be home to tens of thousands. I;'m positive that this is something that was addressed, but it would take far to long to accomplish fully interactive cities containing thousands of people. Either way still a piss off. The cut scenes are terrible, and I personally believe the series would benefit from cinematics. There are a few other problems graphically, but other than that another worth wild expenditure from Bethaseda.… Expand
  87. NeroJoe
    Nov 27, 2013
    10
    My wife and I have put hundreds of hours into Skyrim. In my opinion it's the best action RPG available this generation. Dawnguard and Dragonborn were excellent expansions too! The Hearthfire DLC was interesting, but completely unnecessary... but the price seems justified.

    Anyway, if you feel like getting completely lost in a game, go for it!
  88. Gingeross
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    One minute you're battling with bandits in a dungeon and the next you're sitting in an inn listening to the bard play traditional Skyrim folk music. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a visually perfect masterpiece of a game which provides hours of entertainment.

    The game had me attached to my character and sometimes I would actually feel upset when my trusty follower and protector died in    One minute you're battling with bandits in a dungeon and the next you're sitting in an inn listening to the bard play traditional Skyrim folk music. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a visually perfect masterpiece of a game which provides hours of entertainment.

    The game had me attached to my character and sometimes I would actually feel upset when my trusty follower and protector died in battle or my wife was kidnapped from my house. The game offers a massive amount of variety. There are multiple quest lines that could keep me entertained for hours and the massive world of Skyrim is so beautiful that I would actually live there (if I could). The one tiny problem with Skyrim is the glitches, though they are hilarious, they do not make a big enough impact on the game for me to change my mind on if it is my favourite game of all time or not.

    I would seriously recommend Skyrim if you have played any previous of the Elder Scrolls games or not, I myself bought the game having never played any of them. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is my favourite and that will not change (until The Elder Scrolls VI comes out, I guess).    … Expand
  89. MatthewDon2002
    Mar 21, 2014
    10
    Adoringly embrace your entire life (your friends, family, work), before sitting down to play what some people have lauded, "the greatest RPG of all time", Skyrim. Literally kiss it goodbye. As a player, and as a person, I must have spent well over ten hours just sitting there and enjoying a delectable delight with precariously addictive gameplay and an awfully colourable world that dragsAdoringly embrace your entire life (your friends, family, work), before sitting down to play what some people have lauded, "the greatest RPG of all time", Skyrim. Literally kiss it goodbye. As a player, and as a person, I must have spent well over ten hours just sitting there and enjoying a delectable delight with precariously addictive gameplay and an awfully colourable world that drags you in like a murderous dragon searching for its unwary, gullibly credulous prey, some Elf or one Nord or another. It is maybe not the single most glorious RPG of all time in my own personal opinion, but, with its genius strokes, sharp textures, unbelievable playability rate, and majestic soundtrack, it comes pretty damn close and anyone who owns an Xbox 360 NEEDS this to add to their collection.… Expand
  90. Potarto72
    Mar 2, 2014
    10
    Call me a fanboy, say its overrated, call it a cash in, say whatever you damn well please, but know this: I had more fun, qualitatively and quantitatively with Skyrim than I have ever had with any game, by a long shot. The game isn't built to work on everyone; some will find it boring or cheap and give up. I respect that. But this game took me to new places. It pulled me in, (after anCall me a fanboy, say its overrated, call it a cash in, say whatever you damn well please, but know this: I had more fun, qualitatively and quantitatively with Skyrim than I have ever had with any game, by a long shot. The game isn't built to work on everyone; some will find it boring or cheap and give up. I respect that. But this game took me to new places. It pulled me in, (after an admittedly rough start), and kept me engaged, interested, and inspired. The game is so massive, it can have dozens of flaws, and still have so many hundreds of things to make up for it. Storylines are weak, for the most part. I don't even care. The game is so beautiful, graphically, stylistically, musically, aesthetically, and any other adverb I haven't listed. It blew my mind. The complaints people have about this game, I've never noticed a bit of. I don't know if it's my fault, but Skyrim is a masterpiece.… Expand
  91. MinosOfCrete
    Mar 14, 2014
    8
    Personally, I love this game alot, and pretty much adore most sandbox games that reward inquisitive minds, exploration, and a love of rich lore and plentiful characters. Skyrim is no exception in this sense, the world is massive and sprawling, with a ton of interesting quests and characters to meet, as well as multiple dungeons littered with their own unique stories and background. For mePersonally, I love this game alot, and pretty much adore most sandbox games that reward inquisitive minds, exploration, and a love of rich lore and plentiful characters. Skyrim is no exception in this sense, the world is massive and sprawling, with a ton of interesting quests and characters to meet, as well as multiple dungeons littered with their own unique stories and background. For me personally, I love the fact that the world really feels alive, every NPC has their own schedules, mountains you can scale jut into the sky in the distance, the cry of dragons rolls through the hils from a distance before you see one circling overhead, and it gives the impression of an epic world which will continue to live and breathe even when you put down the controller. However, this is what I love about the game, and in all honesty, I have to confess many things which might deter some people and downright put off other gamers. Alot of the dungeons use recycled assets, as well as many houses, and if there is one way to describe a flaw of Skyrim it is 'repetition', both in terms of NPCs generated over and over 'hence the infamous 'arrow to the knee' to every other tavern looking basically the same. Some people say that Skyrim is 'as vast as an ocean and as shallow as a pond', but I think that's only half true. They're right in that many quests in Skyrim are downright boring, if not insulting to the average gamer's intelligence. 'Oh hai there Dragonborn. You're here to slay the World Eater? Well could you also deliver my axe to my cousin across the hold? There's a good boy! 'Oh hey stranger, mind checking my catacombs for generic skeleton warriors to retrieve my 'insert levelled loot here'? The five dozen guards outside can't be bothered.' These quests are beyond terrible, and many dungeons have been designed as cookie cutter areas to ensure the same NPCs send you to the same places over and over and over to retrieve vague, non-specfied loot. If you judged Skyrim on this alone, you would not be faulted for throwing it outside the nearest window. However, for me, I think gamers who only see this don't recognise the true flaws and beauty of what an open world like Skyrim means. Skyrim is a buffet of gameplay and quests. Some of the quests taste like filet mignon, they are interesting, the gameplay choices available are though provoking, and the characters are well detailed and engaging. Other parts of the buffet though are like bland, stale mashed potatoes, a mushy mess of bad gameplay decisions, poor gamer choice and uninspired dialogue and stories. This is the nature of the beast though, Skyrim is massive enough that in some parts it will inevitably miss for some people, but in others, so many parts connect so well, that it just makes you absorbs you for days on end(even without mods, and having played with mods on my PC, and without them on Xbox, I still feel Skyrim vanilla is a great game in its own right). As for the bugs though, although I gave Skyrim a pass because I loved the concept behind it of a massive world filled with possibilities, there is no doubt this game is packed full of glitches and bugs(though in my experience, not as many crashes as Oblivion). I love what Bethesda try to do, but seriously, when Red Dead Redemption provides a game of that size and complexity without many bugs, it really makes you wonder when Bethesda will jettison its crappy Gamebryo engine for something that doesn't suck. If you love interesting concepts and expansive, immersive sandboxes, buy Skyrim. If you prefer tighter, more focused RPGs buy the Witcher 2. In my opinion though having played and finished both, my love of one does not diminish my love for the other, and as long as Bethesda and CD Projekt RED continue to develop games, the RPG genre has a rich and exciting future ahead of us.… Expand
  92. S0me_Guy
    Apr 17, 2014
    9
    GOOD: World is so big; So much content that it can last you for about 100 hours; Ton of replay ability; Interesting story lines; All races are unique; So much weapons and armor; No longer will you be punished after leveling up "incorrectly," instead you can level up as you see fit; Game rewards you after doing all the quests possible; All of the dragon shouts and spells are unique andGOOD: World is so big; So much content that it can last you for about 100 hours; Ton of replay ability; Interesting story lines; All races are unique; So much weapons and armor; No longer will you be punished after leveling up "incorrectly," instead you can level up as you see fit; Game rewards you after doing all the quests possible; All of the dragon shouts and spells are unique and useful in their own way; All of the guild and daedric quests are interesting; No two quests felt the same; All of the DLCs bring something new to the table; Makes you feel like you are actually living in the medieval times with all the things you do, even purchasing your own property; books everywhere to read and learn about the lore and some lead to quests; Some nice puzzles; Okay map; Great soundtrack; Decent attention to detail; Great day to night cycle and weather effects

    BAD: No cooperative or competitive multiplayer at all; Boring NPCs(even if you are married or close friends with them); Lacks mini games(like arm wrestling or arena fights); Main story is not as interesting as the side and guild quests; After doing major quests that "change" the game, all of the NPCs react poorly and when they do, it's just forgettable; Character creator is a disappointment; Graphics are not that good; Some of the animations are half-assed(Ex. when you mount your horse from the right, you'll teleport to the left then mount and no sleeping animation); Kill animations are rare; All the game choices cannot affect your emotions; when you claim badass weapons from ancient people, you will most likely have a weapon that is already better; Alduin(the main villain) is not bigger than the other dragons, he is just spikier

    FINAL VERDICT: Even though this game has a lot of problems, it mostly can be over looked of the stuff you can do, that's why this game will end up as a 9/10. Because there is no multiplayer of any kind, just like the past games, it cannot be named as an all time legend but is in my opinion the best game of 2011.    … Expand
  93. KyleS
    Mar 18, 2014
    10
    Oh man this game was a lot of fun to play. I really immersed myself into the role playing. I think the only thing that could be improved would have to be the character models and the amount of voice actors. It takes you out of the immersion a little to hear the same voice actor over and over and over. The character models were a little too stiff compared to other great rpgs like massOh man this game was a lot of fun to play. I really immersed myself into the role playing. I think the only thing that could be improved would have to be the character models and the amount of voice actors. It takes you out of the immersion a little to hear the same voice actor over and over and over. The character models were a little too stiff compared to other great rpgs like mass effect. I hope next time they work on those parts a little more. Great game, I was never into the whole mid evil dungeons and dragons type of thing but this game was just too much fun.… Expand
  94. Athomeonarock
    Jun 23, 2014
    10
    Was writing some pretty negative reviews, so I thought I would just say, I don't like fantasy games, but this was the best game of all time. If you haven't played it yet, your missing out
  95. The_Scientist
    Jul 14, 2014
    10
    Possibly the greatest RPG of all time? I think it probably is for the foreseeable future. I'm writing this review after replaying it a lot and I had forgot that this game came out in 2011. Still magnificent to behold, a rich and deep world that feels a much more real place than Cyrodil (Taking nothing away from Oblivion of course!).
    I feel there isn't much that needs to be said other than    Possibly the greatest RPG of all time? I think it probably is for the foreseeable future. I'm writing this review after replaying it a lot and I had forgot that this game came out in 2011. Still magnificent to behold, a rich and deep world that feels a much more real place than Cyrodil (Taking nothing away from Oblivion of course!).
    I feel there isn't much that needs to be said other than if you have ever enjoyed a game with swords, dragons, magic or robbing people blind, play Skyrim.    … Expand
  96. Remiral_27
    Jul 27, 2014
    10
    All I can say to this game is... WOW. Bethesda Softworks blew fans away with this game. From plundering an evil dungeon, to murdering a civilian by candlelight, this is a MASTERPIECE. The graphics are absolutely amazing, and since its an RPG, its your game. You can be honorable, and live to your word, or even a sneaky assassin. The story line is incredible and the DLC make it even better.All I can say to this game is... WOW. Bethesda Softworks blew fans away with this game. From plundering an evil dungeon, to murdering a civilian by candlelight, this is a MASTERPIECE. The graphics are absolutely amazing, and since its an RPG, its your game. You can be honorable, and live to your word, or even a sneaky assassin. The story line is incredible and the DLC make it even better. BUY THIS GAME… Expand
  97. GamersNation
    Aug 11, 2014
    10
    Skyrim, The fifth Elder Scrolls game............And one of the best video games ever created, EVER. The exploration was very fun and even better using the Dragonborn DLC which makes the game 20x better. The fighting was simple yet funny, and Easter eggs were a fun thing to come across. The other two DLC's (Hearthfire & Dawnguard) added a touch of danger to the game, vampiresSkyrim, The fifth Elder Scrolls game............And one of the best video games ever created, EVER. The exploration was very fun and even better using the Dragonborn DLC which makes the game 20x better. The fighting was simple yet funny, and Easter eggs were a fun thing to come across. The other two DLC's (Hearthfire & Dawnguard) added a touch of danger to the game, vampires --->Dawnguard/ and living on the edge ---> Hearthfire..........The game made no mistake. Thank you Bethesda Softworks for the great game.… Expand
  98. Jmorro7
    Aug 18, 2014
    9
    Great game filled to the brim with content. Only negative aspect is it has a large amount of bugs. But considering the scope of the game it is largely understandable.
  99. usualben
    Oct 27, 2014
    10
    So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So,So, So, SO, good! Makes other games look silly and completely gets away with a fairly repetitive mission structure by being so darn immersive.
  100. Bajo19
    May 17, 2015
    10
    I mean really, how can you say no to Skyrim. You got a ton of choices how do you want to play this game. After you finish the game, you just can't stop. Thiefs guild, companions and millions of other things to do. Well deserved 10/10.
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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.
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  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.
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  3. Cynamite
    Dec 16, 2011
    90
    Quotation forthcoming.
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