The Elder Scrolls world is big, so big in fact that it just cannot fit into a single game. In its fifth instalment, Bethesda opens up the world of Skyrim and in doing so produces one of the best games this generation will see.
Those that have played Oblivion or the Fallout games will be familiar with the concept. Huge open world, that is alive like no other, a main quest line, an abundance of side quests and so much more. Bethesda creates games that are as in depth as the player wants it to be, games that can be finished in 20 hours, or last upwards of 200 hours. They create the world, it is then up to the player to discover the magic within.
Like Oblivion and Fallout the opening to Skyrim is around a thirty minute linear story arc that allows players to create their character and get used to the basic controls. From then on the world opens up and players are free to explore as they see fit. Want to delve straight into a the main quest? Go ahead. Fancy a wander to discover new locations? Well off you go. That is how the game works, it is how Fallout did it and Oblivion before, there is no need to change up a tried and tested formula.
Discovery is something that Bethesda actively encourages and Skyrim is no different, as players travel across the vast open world new locations will pop up on the compass. It is this little carrot that is almost impossible to resist. You could be yards away from the marker of your current mission, or en route to you original destination, then find yourself sidetracked to discover a new location, then sidetracked again by another. It can go from a five minute trip to a destination to a five hour journey of discovery.
There can be a tendency with gamers to want to pick up on a detail of a game that isn't quite one hundred percent perfect and use that as a stick to bash it with. When it comes to Skyrim on the 360, there is a bit of a textures issue, that seems to happen when the game is installed to the HDD, apparently fine when the game is running from the DVD instead. If you are going to focus on an issue like that, when there is a game that is just a technical marvel, then maybe, just maybe you need to step back from gaming for a moment and just consider what you are doing. Skyrim isn't flawless, but for a project as ambitious as this, with the grand scale it has, then the odd glitch here and there really doesn't matter. There isn't the polish of a game like Call Of Duty, yet the game still looks gorgeous, with amazing locations that are full of character.
The character models too are a bit ropey if you are being picky, but once again that really doesn't matter. There are an amazing amount of living NPCs around the world, many of which can be interacted with and a large portion that can offer up new side quests and miscellaneous objectives. This can range from the simple, such as collecting an item and delivering it, to something with potential multiple branches. There are other characters who can offer training (for a cost) and help evolve abilities outside of the standard level up process, so if you have the gold, they have the skills. Same with traders, they will always be happy to buy and sell with you. The races that populate this world are of a wide variation, from human and elf, to troll and undead. There are also the many, many factions that can be joined, worked for or become enemies.
It is this multiple branching and the fact that players can play the game at their own pace, that make the Elder Scrolls games, along with Fallout such an epic experience. There is a story, which we won't even start to spoil here, as there are surprises a plenty throughout. How players tackle that story is up to them, how they approach a specific quest, how they level up character, the character type they have, it honestly does make every game different. One player's experience can and will be totally different to the next.
The Nordic influence is obvious all over, but each area of the game has a feeling on individuality, from the snowy regions, to the small villages, right up to the trading town of Whiterun. Skyrim isn't just about vast expansive areas, or impressive looking towns, in fact the contrasting variation between some areas is outstanding. Go underground and the game turns into something of a dungeon crawler. Long twisting, sometimes claustrophobic mazes play a large part of many quests, it is here that the game's visual style changes, everything feels closed in for the most part, but mixed with long corridors are some impressive looking chambers, where some cracking battles can happen.
Like looting? Care for collecting? Then Skyrim has you covered. Every downed foe can reward players with gold, weapons, apparel, gems, books, pretty much anything on offer within the world. It can become very easy to get sidetracked, searching everywhere for the rewards on offer, be it sitting on a shelf, on the floor, in an urn, a chest, or anywhere, there is just so much to find and use, sell or trade with. The only constraint is the character's own abilities and how much they can carry. What can be collected ranges from the vital, such as weapons, scrolls, books that can increase ability levels, to the useless such as brooms, plates and tankards.
It is all this variation in how players may approach the game that impresses. If a player prefers to trade and sell goods they have collected, then there are perks that can get them better value on their items. Players that prefer to run into battle with huge swords and axes can concentrate on their handling of those weapons. If magic is the preference then focus can be put on that, plus so man more options. Players aren't limited to their initial choices either, early in the game is the ability to get a perk that offers a chance to level up certain ability types quicker than others, but because this is done at a specific location, means that players can go back at any time and switch the perk to level up another set of abilities at a faster rate. This means it is possible to really turn your character into the perfect warrior. At the same time though, it doesn't mean it is easy to maximise every ability, there are some many options and branches that it will become nigh on impossible to do that.
In previous games there were some feeling that enemy scaling was a little unbalanced, yet here in Skyrim there is a sense that approaching certain enemies early will see your character destroyed and humiliated. Yet return later with an evolved character and it will be the enemies turn to feel your wrath. At the same time nothing feels too easy, there is certainly a challenge to be had throughout the entire game. The undead are easier to take down than a troll for example. It is a balance that isn't easy to get right, but here Bethesda have managed to stop the game feeling like grind, or too easy.
Another improvement over Oblivion is the menu system, which considering how vital it is to the game, was a weak point. Again here in Skyrim navigating the menus for skills, weapons, magic and even the map is less of a chore. Spells and weapons can be mapped to the D-Pad and quickly selected on the fly, meaning during the heat of battle it is possible to switch to the best option without having to break from the action and go through a bunch of menus. It is surprising just how well this works, especially with the wealth of options on offer.
There have been some amazing games released in 2011. Gamers have been spoiled with Portal, Battlefield, Batman Arkham City, Call Of Duty, Crysis 2, the list goes on. Yet here is Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, an absolute masterpiece, the more you invest in the game, the more you get out of it. A truly epic game that deserves all of the plaudits. It is more than a just game, it is an experience.
